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(Scars do not appear to be cause of death –shock ... - Bad Request

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"I-" I licked my cracked lips, hoping that appealing <strong>to</strong> his pyromania would<br />

calm him, "I wished <strong>to</strong> speak more <strong>of</strong> flames and burning, Ignus..."<br />

"Flamessss...?" Ignus' voice crackled, as if in interest. "Sssss'peak... Ignusss<br />

will lisssten..."<br />

"What were you <strong>do</strong>ing in the Smoldering Corpse Bar?"<br />

For a moment, I didn't think Ignus had heard me, when suddenly the fires in<br />

his eyes dimmed slightly, and he gave a s<strong>of</strong>t hiss, cinders and ash dancing at<br />

the edges <strong>of</strong> his jaw. "Ignusss... once... knew NOTHING <strong>of</strong> flamessss..."<br />

"Yes?"<br />

"Once... Ignussss knew NOTHING <strong>of</strong> flamessss... he ssset ssssmall firesss, tiny<br />

flamesss, tiny flickeringssss... sssmall bitsss <strong>of</strong> flame..." Ignus hissed again,<br />

ashes and fiery motes drifting from the ruin <strong>of</strong> his mouth. "The firessss<br />

grew... Ignussss ssset firessss in their streetssss... and lit the firessss <strong>of</strong> anger<br />

in their heartssss..."<br />

"Yes?"<br />

I spoke, but Ignus didn't seem <strong>to</strong> hear me... he seemed <strong>to</strong> <strong>be</strong> somewhere<br />

else, as if re-living a memory through his words... against my will, I s<strong>to</strong>pped<br />

<strong>to</strong> listen.<br />

"They sssought <strong>to</strong> punisssh Ignus, the ssmall fliesss from the Hive. They<br />

wissshed <strong>to</strong> sssee Ignusss BURNNN after Ignusss ssset fire <strong>to</strong> their<br />

ssstreets... tiny magelingsss, hedge wizzardsss, runecasterssss... tiny<br />

ssss'parks <strong>of</strong> magic came <strong>to</strong> PUNISSSSH Ignusss for hurting their loved<br />

onessss... they sssentenced Ignusssss <strong>to</strong> BURNNNN, made Ignussss a TORCH,<br />

a sssspitting FLAME, burning, burning...<br />

It wassss JUSSSTICE, they sssaid..."<br />

"Jusss'tice..." I watched, mesmerized, as Ignus <strong>be</strong>gan slowly turning again, as<br />

he did above the grill in the Smoldering Corpse. "...but it was <strong>not</strong> a<br />

sssentence... there is ssoooo much flamessss and painnn that there issss NO<br />

pain... there issss LIGHT, and HEAT, and the flesssh runsss as TALLOW<br />

acrossss my bonessss... and for the firssst time... Ignussss issss<br />

PLEASSSSED..."<br />

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