<i>What he remembered were bits and pieces of that day. The sun had sunk down the tree lined horizon line, leaving a last shining glimpse of light before dusk overtook the sky. There was no campfire to fight back the darkness, Roark having been instructed not to start one. Apparently there was no need. He had wanted to question him, but he was silenced with a click of his tongue. No fire.<br/>
<br/>
The stood before one another in silence, questions brimming on Roark's tongue. Normally his abrasiveness wouldn't stop him and he'd disobey him anyway, but the way his companion was rigid held his quips in check. <br/>
<br/>
"Finally. The day is done." his sigh was great, making Roark's brows knit closer together. <br/>
<br/>
"What of it? Past your bedtime, old man?" the brunette smirked, reaching forward to tease at the belt around that large waist. "Can't handle a spry stallion that keeps you up...all. Night. Long?" his voice dripped with erotic promise, fingers sliding down.<br/>
<br/>
A strong hand grasped his painfully in a tight grip, stopping his progress.<br/>
<br/>
"Enough." the way that voice's tone changed made Roark shiver. It held a deep rumble, as if it came from deep within the earth itself from the crevice of a mountain. There was a threat to it, evident by the way he felt nails digging into his wrist.<br/>
<br/>
With the sky beginning to fade into an indigo blue, it was difficult to perceive the bigger man's face. The shadows over his wrinkle lined face and chiseled jaw were overly exaggerated, with thick dark overcast playing tricks by concealing those eyes he had stared into so often. Those lips were set into a hard thin grimace, the peppering of the greying beard doing nothing to soften it. Something wasn't right. Did he look older? More withered? Since when had his cheekbones looked so sunken in?<br/>
<br/>
The hand shot out before he had time to react, enclosing around his throat and squeezing tight. He gripped at that forearm as the breath was cut off from his lungs, the hint of pained tears at the corner of his eyes.<br/>
<br/>
"It was fun playing house the past few years with you. You were fun to fuck into the ground while you moaned like a cheap whore. I liked seeing what you could take, and what limits I could break to test how sturdy your body was. You're the correct choice for me."<br/>
<br/>
Roark didn't know what he was talking about. The sex they had was on the rougher side, but that had never been a problem for him. A breathless gasp escaped his throat when that hand added more pressure to his windpipe.<br/>
<br/>
"I'm too old to last another day. It is time."<br/>
<br/>
His other hand pressed against Roark's forehead, and a burning heat began to sear into his skin. If he could, he would scream.<br/>
<br/>
"Time to claim my new body."</i><br/><br/>*******<br/><br/>With a start Roark awoke and brandished a knife through thin air.<br/><br/>Nothing.<br/><br/>No burning hand. No monsters, no thieves or mercenaries or disgruntled townsfolk who had a mark on his living state. There was no one else privy to his secluded shade in the expanse of trees, the place he preferred to rest while the rest of the army set up camp. he would rather take the risk of exposure than linger around these simpering boys any day.<br/><br/>Odd though, that he would think of that incident that happened a little over ten years ago. Back when he was young, when he was stupid, and trusted naively.<br/><br/>Lesson well learnt. And he wasn't about to fall into such a trap again.<br/><br/>Though he did miss having a cot to sleep on. His body wasn't getting any younger, and with the wear of flitting from one battle to another, his limbs were on the verge of creaking in protest. Not to mention the aftermath of warfare; only now was he not limping from a cheap strike to his leg. Bastard had deserved to get his head chopped off, and he had been pleased to do it.<br/><br/>Sitting up, he stretched his back and arms, glancing over at the camp to the west. Funny, from when he had closed his eyes, it should have been the afternoon. He knew he hadn't slept that long, yet why does it look like the sky was getting darker?<br/><br/>As quietly as he could, he unsheathed his sword, narrowing his eyes at the oncoming phenomenon.<br/><br/><a class="username" data-user-id="242" data-username="@Permafrost" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/242/">@Permafrost</a>