[ He meets Jack's gaze for a moment before looking forward again, his brow starting to furrow. The memory bubbles to the surface: he hardly drank, except before the festival. The ushman that used to treat him in the infirmary - a man who's name he can't recall, warned him against another going too far, even though he was drowning himself in his own cups day in and day out.
He remembers being alone that night, fantasizing about just leaving -
He remembers being with John that night, angry and hurting -
He remembers the smell of burning flesh. ]
It was something that was done every year to mark the end of the festival. Someone was chosen - a criminal, a witch. [ He couldn't recall which it was that time. ] One year my teacher wanted me to be the one to light the pyre. [ To prove his loyalty. To punish him. Both. ] I had nowhere else to go.
[ And it'd mean abandoning any hope of getting his sister back. But that's not an excuse, just the way he had to rationalize it at the time so that he didn't do anything desperate.
His face has gone a touch pale, but otherwise his expression remains neutral. He doesn't want Jack to think he's asking for sympathy or forgiveness. No one but his god could absolve him now. ]
You said you saw John, though. [ There's something slightly tentative about the way he says his name. A beat. ] He's not from my home. Two years ago when everything went wrong, he started showing up in my memories in places that don't make any sense. I don't know why.
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He remembers being alone that night, fantasizing about just leaving -
He remembers being with John that night, angry and hurting -
He remembers the smell of burning flesh. ]
It was something that was done every year to mark the end of the festival. Someone was chosen - a criminal, a witch. [ He couldn't recall which it was that time. ] One year my teacher wanted me to be the one to light the pyre. [ To prove his loyalty. To punish him. Both. ] I had nowhere else to go.
[ And it'd mean abandoning any hope of getting his sister back. But that's not an excuse, just the way he had to rationalize it at the time so that he didn't do anything desperate.
His face has gone a touch pale, but otherwise his expression remains neutral. He doesn't want Jack to think he's asking for sympathy or forgiveness. No one but his god could absolve him now. ]
You said you saw John, though. [ There's something slightly tentative about the way he says his name. A beat. ] He's not from my home. Two years ago when everything went wrong, he started showing up in my memories in places that don't make any sense. I don't know why.