#schetalim

Bryndan licked his lips quickly, fists clenching rhythmically as he looked quickly from the veiled figure in front of him, to the door behind it, and back again to the passage he had come from, “A deal, huh?” He said, it nodded, “What kind of deal?” It placed three cards on the ground in front of it and waved a brittle, skeletal hand over them, palm up. Take your pick, it seemed to say, “That kind, eh?” Bryndan swallowed and looked at the worn, faded backs of the cards; they had been used, handled, and cast aside many times before. His fingers itched, just pick one, he locked his hands together, just do it, get it over with. “Tell me what comes after.” He raised his chin. “After? After you choose, you live with the choices.” It answered at last; the voice was surprisingly pleasant and smooth. “So you’re the resident joker, right?” Bryndan snorted and scratched the scar above his eye, “I am Schetalim.” It said, honeyed voice catching on all the wrong nerves. Bryndan shivered and clenched his jaw, feeling the skin at his eyes wrinkle as they narrowed. “Reckon I can’t just leave, then- that ain’t a choice for me?” “That is always a choice.” It chuckled, heavy breaths echoing around the cavern, “You are free to leave.” He did; walking right through the craggy entrance and damn near falling down the hole that had sprung up behind it. He paced back to Schetalim, “So I’m free to die trying to leave, that it?” He spat and sat down again. Schetalim shrugged, “Whether or not you wish to believe it, that is, in fact, a choice. Merely one with more immediate consequences.” That voice was starting to tear at his nerves; Bryndan found that his eyes were watering, his ears aching. His mouth flooded with acrid spit, “Oh aye?” he snarled, Schetalim nodded, “And what if I choose to bring ‘immediate consequences’ to you?” The laugh that followed was deep and hard, try me, it said. The veil shivered; reacting to the outpouring of breathy mirth. He reached for the veil, sensing Schetalim still quickly, “Ain’t I allowed to have a look at you, then, friend?” Bryndan smirked, “Reckon a deal like this needs some face to face interaction, if I’m putting my life down as a wager.” “You are free to do as you wish.” It whispered again, humming with energy as if every nerve, or whatever it did have in its twisted, grey frame, was filled with anticipation. Just waiting for that fine, dark material to fall… His fingers brushed the veil, pulling it from Schetalim's head. The scream froze in his throat, sending ice to his every extremity.