A Dark Count of Madness

You'll have to read it! No spoilers!

"Hahaha! I should do this more often!" The man laughs manically and stabs the paper accidentally with his ink pen. "Oh damn. I'll have to get a new sheet." With a flourish he grabs another piece from the shelf above his desk and continues writing. "This will be fun, won't it? A little secret for ourselves!"

As he finishes the next paragraph, he sets down the pen and leans back in his chair. "Oh yes, a little secret and a little game." He abruptly falls backwards out of his chair. Cursing himself loudly in the small room, he sets the chair right and instead wanders to the window.

So dark outside... But then, it was dark everywhere. The man barked another laugh. Only he knew the full story...

So his story story started in laughter, and so it shall end. And his original story also starts with laughter.

"What would you like today, master?"

"A game, dear one. It's so boring here."

"I don't know what you mean. Would you like charades, or maybe-" Listher laughed at his servant, not for the last time that day.

"Already you make me laugh. But no, that is not the game. Ask my friends to gather in my lounge, soon. I do not like waiting."

"Of course." The small servant sneaks out of his master's bedroom to do his bidding. Listher wanders around his room, idly fingering random objects at his leisure. So boring... Where was all the action in this place?

His only friends were just that. Friends. No-one dared to be his enemy anymore, not after he'd taken over Rahin. Rahin was the living, breathing land that surrounded him and all the others.

Damn Nirhus. Dead as any dead thing, six feet under. Listher giggled a little as he thought of the ancient enemy. In the end, it was too easy, not even any fun. What anyone had seen in him was... surprising. A hero? No, not a chance.

"NIrhus, you little fool."

"Master? They're in the lounge now." Listher spun around.

"Oh. Thank you, dear one." The servant disappeared outside and the man grinned. Today was the day for a game.

"What have you called us for today?" Diera asked snobbishly, stroking her blonde hair.

"Yes, we have things to do as well," Yrek said, glaring at the tall man who had entered the room.

"Please, friends!" The man gestured with his hands. "I wouldn't have called you here without a purpose."

"Oh surely not, says the trickster." The sarcasm was obvious in Erioith's voice. He didn't particularly like Listher, not by a long shot. But what do you do? Do you bow to the will of a madman, or bow to the madman's axe? The first option is always better. After all, you survive.

"Oh, Erioith. You always were like me." Listher sat down in his regal chair, resting his head into one hand. "But sarcasm aside, I wanted to talk to you all."

"Please be quick, I must be back to my business." The leader's eyes lit up bright red.

"The time to interrupt is over! Please, shut up!" Yrek lowered his eyes and hunched over. A madman shouldn't be provoked. "Now, thank you." The speaker returned to his cheerful tone.

Author's Note

I will get to finishing this little story. Eventually.