[Flashback] The Lamb Becomes the Lion [Solo]

[Ash'eny]

Timestamp: Day 13th of Summer, AV 507

"Ash'eny, you son of a whore! I told you to take care of this shyke! You told me you had settled this problem!" Red hair, red face, full of rage. The woman delivered a painful strike across Ash'eny's face. It was a slap the first time. The stinging palm hit with such force that Ash'eny could feel a glistening of tears behind his eyes. He wouldn't cry, it wasn't that bad, but he would strike back only with silence. She was a woman, she was physically weaker than he, yet her ferocity was greater, she held less control over her emotions. But this, this was not only allowed, but expected, almost required. Ash'eny spoke softly. "Don't be so loud. She's asleep." Ash'eny stumbled backwards, the enraged redhead did not strike with her open palm this time, but gave him a strong solid and precise punch to the mouth. He had seen her angry before, but never like this. It was shyke like this that was always there to remind him that he couldn't love her. He loved her daughter like his own, but this woman, never. "Don't you dare talk about her like you gave birth to her! She's mine! I alone brought her into this world. You don't deserve us!" Again her fist whipped out, snagging Ash'eny's jaw, yet this time she cursed, most likely cracking a finger in the process. Ash'eny could have laughed, spewed villainous poison right into her face, bragging about how she deserved her pain, but he held his tongue. He knew she needed him, she had come to rely on him, he was their provider, and even if he and this woman didn't so much as share a single kind word in the full season of them being together, he was worried she would leave. If she did, she would take Manilla with her, and then Ash'eny would be broken hearted. "I told them off. I'll go talk to Marlen right now. He promised me that he would call the dogs off, the score settled, and he'd never acknowledge my existence again." Somewhere during his speech, the woman grabbed a hold of his shirt as if she was some bully, taller, and stronger, ready to pummel him without reason or restraint. Ash'eny had enough, he grabbed her arm and flung it from him and pushed her away from him, she fell on that bed that they shared, yet never shared. She was a monster though, she could have the last pair of breasts in all of Sunberth and he wouldn't be able to be attracted to her. She was poison. "I'll be back later. You and Manilla better be here when I return." Ash'eny snarled, for a moment there was fear in her eyes. No matter who it was, Ash'eny didn't like people looking at him with fear. It made him feel like he was something he wasn't. He turned, storming out of the house and slammed the door behind him. So much for being quiet for Manilla's sake. As he stepped away from the home, Ash'eny had to step over the carcass of a dog, their dog, which had been thoroughly slain. Its legs were cut from its body. Only the gods would know what happened to them. The dog was only a symbol of what was to come. Ash'eny had received the Highwayman's word that Ash'eny was safe from he and his men, but nobody else would do something like this. Ash'eny knew that all too well. It was some sort of game. They knew Ash'eny had no money, they knew he left that lifestyle long ago, but still there was something he had they wanted. It made him sick to think it was actually him that they wanted. He did not break away from one bad crowd just to get absorbed by a worse one. No, he had to settle this, no doubts were allowed this time.

[Ash'eny]

Ash'eny stormed through Sunberth. The town was as it always was. Neither loud nor quiet, neither safe but entirely chaotic. There was always a cloud of mutual destruction that lingered over all the residents. Nobody randomly killed because they would be likewise torn apart. There was something about Ash'eny that intrigued them though, something in his eyes that told them that he was not to be messed with. Not today. Not anymore. He had been in the gangs as a child, he was little more than a pawn, his best friend was killed in cold blood. It tended to be a recurring theme in Ash'eny's life. Blood, death, pain, they were the only true emotions that really made him feel alive. They were the only things to bring closure to anything. Never peace, no love, no joy. Ash'eny was fighting for something better now, but Marlen was making that difficult for him now. Marlen would have to be taught a lesson, starting with his men. Ash'eny pushed into the tavern, one of Marlen's lackeys was always here. Trey Dartren, the man that was personally in charge of hassling Ash'eny, ruining the new life he was trying so damn hard to get running. Ash'eny found the place strangely quiet, almost empty. Marlen was there, sitting at the tavern's bar and working on a large mug of something. As if by mere instinct alone, Marlen spun around in his seat, lowered the mug from his face, and belched. "Ash! My boy! So glad you could make it. A shame about that pup of yours boy. I didn't want to do that, but that broad of yours was bent on getting the mutt killed. Come, sit. Marlen tells me to talk to you." Trey pats the seat next to him, and instantly Ash'eny is certain he, or his crew, sent the entire pub's residents out. He was either walking into a trap, or coming to them as they hoped, to become on. Ash'eny shook his head slowly. "Trey, I don't want to talk to shyke like you." Trey turned back to the counter, the person manning the drinks was unfamiliar to Ash'eny, who had grown up in Sunberth, it was odd seeing a new face, a young face. He was suspicious, always suspicious. Trey started laughing, his voice rumbling through the empty room loud enough to make Ash wince in pain. "I don't give two shykes what you want. Marlen wants you to talk, so you best do it 'efore something happens to that sorrow as hell family you got yourself. You follow me? Sit your ass down and get a drink. I'll not be asking you again." Ash'eny cursed under the powerful exhale of his breath. He had no choice but to play along. He couldn't stand garbage like this, like Trey, like the situation. Petch Sunberth, petch everyone in it. Ash'eny walked across the room and sat next to Trey, despite finding his stench thoroughly repulsive. "That's better. You really are a docile little lamb aren't you? I always heard you were one to follow orders. You always stood out though, didn't cha? Hated it, all of it, but you obeyed. That's why Marlen wants to see you. He knows that you are one of them people, the trustworthy types, that would never betray him. And hell, he hears you're a good fighter too. There's use for shyke like you a s'pose." Ash'eny grinned lightly, he could practically feel the scorn on Trey's voice washing over him. Trey liked Ash'eny no better than Ash'eny liked him. They had a hate-hate relationship, and if Ash'eny wasn't worried that killing this man would bring repercussion on Manilla, he'd be bleeding on the floor without a breath to claim his own. "I guess that means you're to take me to Marlen then." Ash'eny looked up at Trey to find him now holding a knife. Ash'eny jumped up and took several steps away. He was shocked, surprised, but not exactly because he was being threatened in public. But because Marlen wanted Ash'eny alive, right? "Boss says I got two options. I can kill you and he'll make me his favorite. Else I can take you to him, and let you take that spot. I been waiting a long time for this. Time to avenge my blood." Ash'eny grinned, realizing he was unarmed and this was now a knife fight, not favorable. "You're brother was a cheating asshole, got what he deserved."

[Ash'eny]

Trey was a decent fighter, but he was chubby, slow, no good when the fight was fair, or in this case, almost fair. He lunged forwards, the wicked dagger was thrust at Ash'eny's abdomen, much like he would have expected. Ash'eny was quick to move, grabbing a nearby chair and swinging it with all his might and hitting the assailant in the shoulder, who proceeded to drop the knife and stumble to the side. Ash'eny found the chair still in tact and a smile curled up across his lips. "Well, how about this? You've got some balls to try and pull something like this on me. You really don't get it do you? You son of a whore." Ash'eny chuckled as he replaced the chair next to the table, bent down and retrieved the knife that Trey had attempt to use on him. And rather than returning the favor, he hurled it across the room behind him. "How about you take Marlen's kind offer, and take me to him? I know where he is, so I can find him if I must, if you insist on dying I mean." Ash'eny chuckled, he was getting that look in his eye, the one that almost seemed he enjoyed the ways of Sunberth, but it was something a little different, more like the hunger to kill, not for fun, but for vengeance on anyone that embraced Sunberth style of life. Trey was one of them. He had grown up around Trey, they weren't in the same little gang, but they knew each other from here and there, a few good brawls. Trey spat. "Petch you. Fatherless shyke. Marlen wants you, dead or alive. I want you dead." Ash'eny growled as Trey called him fatherless, it wasn't literally true, but it might as well have been true. His father was never around, and he regretted it severely. Ash'eny pointed a finger at Trey, a warning to back down. It was his last warning. Trey was headstrong, first, and a damn good fighter though. He dashed forward, charging Ash'eny like a woodland boar, and tackled the nine-fingered Sunberthan with little grace or skill. It was sloppy, but hurt like hell when Ash'eny landed with that fat bastard's weight resting on top of him. Ash'eny wasn't going to let some beerbellied loser crush him to death though, not by a long shot. Ash'eny started punching Trey on top of the head, the back of the head, and when he dared to peel his face off of Ash'eny's chest, he would find fingers digging through his eyelids in attempt to crush the eyes. "You petching shyke! Petch!" Ash'eny continued to pound his fist into the man's head. "Come on Trey! I thought you wanted to kill me! Show me! Kill me Trey! Fast bastard!" Ash'eny's maniacal laughter was cut short as Trey stood up, picking up Ash'eny with him, and threw him like he was a small animal. Ash'eny was tossed a small ways, hit a table, and slid off the other side. Each collision with his body to some object or surface. Ash'eny was quick to stand up despite the aching pain in his back, he glanced quickly around the bar only find the vanishing figure of Trey out the door. He had fled! Ash'eny growled as h moved across the room, picked up Trey's dagger and darted out of the tavern. Ash'eny was considerably faster than Trey, who seemed to be getting more and more tired each passing second. Ash'eny's leg pumped diligently despite not being a perfectly athlete. The raging acidic feel was quick to swell in his legs, he felt his chest aching as the breathing came faster, harder, deeper into his lungs. He kept up this insane pace though, knowing Trey was feeling ten times worse, and only moving half as quick. Ash'eny reached out, finally within range to grab the man. His fingers wrapped around the neck of Trey's shirt, and Ash'eny pulled backwards with all his might. He swore he felt his shoulder shatter as Trey's body stopped moving, his legs kicked out in front of him as he desperately tried to run, and he hit the ground hard with choking gasp of air. He was beaten. Trey and Ash'eny both knew it, he was a coward, and now he had nothing left. Years later, Ash'eny would regret doing this, but it wasn't the future. It was today. Ash'eny lifted his boot-clad foot and stomped straight down on top of Trey's face with tremendous force assisted by gravity and Ash'eny's body weight. His nose ejected warm red thick substance on Ash'eny's sole, on Trey's face. Nose broken, Trey cried out in pain. Ash'eny looked around the street, there were a few people here and there, but nobody dared to interfere. Not when there was a madman torturing his prey. Ash'eny knelt down, wrapping his fingers around Trey's throat, squelching the man's cries, replacing them only with unreadable gurgling sounds and bubbles of blood that poured into his mouth. "Trey. Look at me Trey." Trey refused, his eyes tightened, closed, he mumbled something that Ash'eny didn't understand. Trey screamed out loud again as Ash'eny planted the knife into his thigh, right above his knee. Ash'eny chuckled before throwing another merciless punch into Trey's mouth. "I said, look at me. I'm not asking you." Trey sobbed in pain as his eyes slowly opened, looking up at Ash'eny. He no longer looked fierce or terrible. He looked like a child, scared shyke-less. Ash'eny saw the fear in his eyes, like that woman that birthed the girl he loved like a daughter. Manilla, the only person alive he would sacrifice his own life for, and Trey was a threat to her life. "I'm I still the little Lamb? Or have I become something more fierce?" Trey nodded, feeding a grin onto Ash'eny face once again. He chuckled, stood up, and planted his boot into Trey's teeth again, and again. The man's teeth started caving in, the man was very much unconscious now, but Eldon kept stomping his head, stomping until he grew tired. Stomping until his leg was sore and his foot ached from the collisions, and still he drove that boot into that head. When Ash'eny couldn't beat the corpse any further, he reached down to the man's leg, tearing the knife from his thigh. Trey didn't move. He was dead. A live man would move, hurt, cry, scream, or bleed more, but he was dead. He might have been dead minutes ago while Ash'eny crushed his nose, his eyes, his mouth. Who knows, Ash'eny pocketed the knife and turned away from Trey's corpse. Allowing him to lie there for human scavengers or crows, whoever wanted dibs. "I'm coming Marlen. I'm coming home."