#postmortemsolutions

OH, YOU ASKED FOR THIS, LADY.— 6. “People like me, we weren’t supposed to get happy endings, y’know?”

He was laying on the ground, arms spread wide with the unfriendly fire radiating through his body.  He wondered if this was his fate.  An unhappy ending for a tiefling.  A spawn of a demon.

He heard Misty’s rage-filled yowl and he imagined her cleaving her axe through the guy who brought him down.  The blood splattering all over her soft, mottled fur.  

He smiled.  You go, Big Sister.He laughed a little.

He grunted in pain, his tail twisted around him.  Everything hurt.

When he opened his eyes again, feline features came into his line of sight.  He had never seen her so afraid.  He reached a shaking hand to her, hoping she would grab it.

She did.

Peace. Quiet. Tranquility.

Peace. Quiet. Tranquility.

Peace. Quiet. Tranq…nah.

Golden-yellow eyes opened and he stared at the greying halfling in front of him.

He blinked, “Dad.” The halfling man sat perfectly still, breathing in a calming pattern.

Meditation was so boring.

“Daaad,” he called again, unwinding his long, orange tail from around his waist. “Daaaaaaad.”

The halfling’s eyes opened slowly, “Giving up on meditation already, Zorris? It’s only been…five minutes?” The man smiled at his son sitting across from him.

“Meditation is so boring, Dad. Can’t we just try sparring or something? Oh, oh! Teach me one of the Ki moves! Dad, let’s do that!” Zorris was practically bouncing in his spot.

His father laughed, “Alright. Alright. You know, you’ll have to learn meditation sooner or later.” Zorris shrugged, getting to his feet and stretched his lanky limbs.

His tail twitched in anticipation and his bare feet slid into a readying stance. The tiefling watched as his father got up from his spot as well.

The halfling man slid into a ready stance that mirrored his own and nodded slightly. He nodded back, wrapping his tail around his waist again.

Everything happened almost at once. His father launched himself at him as he launched towards his father. Hands and feet became a flurry of blows. Blocking, punching, and kicking.

He never noticed the crowd of monks that came to gather in the courtyard, watching the blurs of grey, white, and orange. They watched in awe as his father caught one of his blows and landed a blow in his stomach, suddenly stopping the fight and knocking the air out of him. The other monks quickly left the yard before they were noticed.

Zorris laid on his back, staring at the sky, and attempting to catch his breath. The blue sky was suddenly blocked off by his father’s smiling face.

“You’re getting faster, Zorris. Well done.” Zorris grinned back.

“I didn’t even trip on my tail this time, Dad.” His father laughed.

“You kept it wrapped around you the whole time, son. I’m proud of you.” He held out his hand to Zorris, who took it to help him sit up.

He sat there for a few minutes, watching his father. The man was his height right now, so he ruffled the tiefling’s hair playfully.

Zorris sighed, “Will I ever beat you, Dad?” The halfling closed his eyes, as if he had to think about it. After a moment, he smiled and nodded at his son.

“I know you will. You’re getting close, my boy.” Zorris made a wide smile, fanged canines in full view.

The gentle hand rested on his head again, “I know you’ll surpass me some day, Zorris.”

Zorris looked at his father again. The older monk’s face had a loving smile, proud of his boy.

“So…when can I learn a Ki move?”