“Somewhere I heard that a conflict is only as big as you want it to be.” Rwanah said stroking Gabrielle’s soft blonde hair. “I don’t remember who had said it, maybe it was grandmother, maybe it was my soul god in a sleep. All I know Gabrielle is you will live. Here today you will survive, but you could cause a world to die if cannot find your true heart.” She finished speaking and drained a blue liquid into his mouth. When the liquid touched his lips it sparked like a fire Then his body became warm once again, and he let out a soft murmur.

--- “Loel calm, still yourself, and old woman said dropping a clear fluid into his eyes, “This part doesn’t hurt you, it’s if your soul sees a truth it can not handle when it hurts.” Loel a handsome man quivers as he clings to the wooden chair he sits in. He looks withered and tired as though he came from the front line. Finished the old woman steps back and squints her eyes. She sees the magic begin to work as Loel’s face contorts with understanding. Then as a bright light sears from his pupils he screams grabbing at the air, and his soft eyes tear with blood. The old woman looks away covering her ears, and Loel cries in deafening pain as he is cut through from the inside out, and as his soul begins to depart, he whispers, “She didn’t love me.”

The old woman adhered with only a morsel of sympathy, as she had seen this happen much too often and it had almost stopped rattling her bones when thinking about it before sleep.

“I told him.” she sighed to herself grabbing the bread and meat he had brought her, beginning to make her meal. She grabbed a long knife and was about to slice into the bread when her front door was slammed open, causing debris and dust to dance around until they found a new settling place.

“Kilya!” The women greeted as she entered, her long dark hair whipping from the wind behind her.

With a not entirely pleasant smirk the old women nodded to her to close the door. “Well did it work Rwanah?” the old woman asked, not meeting Rwanah’s gaze. “Of course it did, but somehow I believe you already knew that.” Rwanah huffed as she took a seat. She felt the warmth the seat provided and jarred a look to Kilya, the old woman. “Another one? Are you ever going stop this unnecessary murder?” Rwanah whined in a misunderstood pain.

“Unnecessary Ha!” Kilya howled, “Necessary for my survival.” She said chomping on a sandwich she made from Loel’s offerings, and past offerings from others.

“Well are you at least working toward a better potion? “ Rwanah pressed. She sat up and walked to Kilya, her dyed red leather twisting around her protruding muscles, hard as rock.

“Child, I work my bones day and night to find a better way, but it will come slowly; and until then I am still no murderer, I leave nothing here to the imagination.” Kilya pointed to the door, “You very well know the statistics written outside, the contracts signed here, the counsel, the other choices represented before a truth session. Do not mistake these needy creatures for incompetence, they are highly aware of what they are asking from me. If they were not, than they wouldn’t barter with food and money.” The old woman sneered her messy smile to Rwanah.

“I understand your need to survive Kilya, but this haste is your choice, you could take another practice, you could shoo them away, and not cause their lives.” Rwanah pleaded becoming very passionate. Her eyes glowed with tears, for the ignorance of life, because it meant so much to her. “Another practice?” Kilya pondered while wiping down her counter. She reached above it and popped open a secret cabinet that had previously belonged to the wall. Rwanah took a small gasp as Kilya took out a heavy book, and opened its dusted pages.

“For years child, my power has grown through a lineage, and we’ve used it for many things; but all for magic.” She said turning to a page that when opened began to reassemble it’s letters.”

“Yes, I could be a beggar on the streets, I could put my hand to another kind of labor, but in all comes harm, in all comes a peace.” She said pointing to the page that lit with gold and green.

“Now tell me child what do you read?” Kilya asked.

Rwanah looked longingly at the page before her and she shook her head, not wanting to understand, not letting go of the strength in her belief’s; the strength she believed had kept her people alive and thriving for centuries, by her soul god.

“There is no good, there is no evil….there is only ….” She read allowed. “Finish.” Kilya prompted.

“there is only…” she began, but was interrupted by a crashing of the door. A man crawled in on his knees and hands.

He called out, “I plead with you Kilya, I beg, I must know, I must know if she has betrayed my love.”

“Oh dear,” Kilya began, “You had better go child my night will be long now.” Kilya went to the man and helped him to the chair, and began to spur her questions her statistics at him, but Rwanah did not leave, instead she watched with a horrified twist in her face. Her passion elevated as she knew a life could be taken tonight, sold out by a man, to destroy a soul god. This feeling surged through her, enraged her as she listened to the pathetic man.

“I cant sleep, I have nightmares. I love her so much I would not know how to live if..” the man trailed off in sobs. Kilya tried to comfort him. “You Man!” Rwanah yelled pointing to him.

He stopped and raised his brow to her. Kilya was slightly annoyed but did not interfere.

“What truth do you wish for tonight?” she pounded in disgust. “My fiancée I think she must love another man. I must know.” he whimpered. “Did you ask her?” Rwanah asked lowering her anger. “Nuh-nuh-no, well kind of.” the man responded. “Do you know what you are asking for?” she shot back. “I know the consequences but she may only lie anyhow, this is my only chance, here.” he opened his hands to Kilya.

“To give up your soul god, can you be so selfish. So ignorant!?” Rwanah’s voice grew.

The man glanced to Kilya for understanding, for help from this intruding woman. Kilya got up.

“No Kilya!” Rwanah gestured for her to pause and she obeyed. “Sir, don’t you see that your answers are not the end-all here? Do you think she loves you still? Do you think that she loves another man?” she pleaded. “Well that is why I am here.” he sighed.

“No, you are here because you don’t think that the truth is enough for you to handle, you already know the truth in your heart. If you think she betrays you, why are you sacrificing not only your life, but your soul god for her. Will you let her conquer all of you? How much betrayal, and can be inflicted by a lover?” Rwanah lobbied.

The man looked lost, no thought, the words took him by surprise. “Rwanah, he is in grave pain right now, you don’t understand.” Kilya said moving to her.

Thrashing around to face her Rwanah yelled, “No old woman it is you, it is he who does not understand. This pain can subside in time, his heart can mend, it can even love again; but if he does this and she has betrayed him he will sacrifice his soul god. It is you and he who do not understand the importance of that!”

The man began to sob and Kilya went to him. Rwanah turned away. “What shall I do?” he begged.

“Do you want to she the truth?” Kilya asked. The man stopped lowered his head and cried lightly, “I already know the truth, of my eyes, but is that enough?”

Rwanah ran to him, “It is enough, it is enough. Go speak with her, conquer this and you will feel free. I will assist you.”

The man smiled to her faintly, weakly. “Look what’s she’s done to me!”

Becoming enraged he shouted, “Look what she’s done to me!” He grabbed the long knife from the counter and plunged it through his chest, “Arghhhhh!”

Rwanah and Kilya stepped back, wide eyed at this venture. The man fell to the ground and began to writhe sputtering blood from his mouth repeating, “Look! Look!”

Kilya went to her boxes and grabbed a vile of black fluid. “Any man in that much pain, deserves something. I do not want this mess at my hands.” Kilya spoke as she kneeled over the man. She opened the vile and emptied it into is open wound, and it soaked into his heart.

She spoke magical words, ending with, “and may you never feel the pain of love again.”

He lay healing, with a smile on his face. “Great you just created a monster. A man with no pain from love can never know the reward of it. What a low man, what a pathetic creature.” Rwanah cried.

“Calm child, he will know love, but he will not be jaded by rejection.” Kilya spoke.

“This could create great evil.” Rwanah said. “And it could create great good, if either existed.” Kilya answered.

Then she went and cleaned the knife. Tears streaming through her and out of her eyes Rwanah said, “I will take him to rest, less he be a burden on your back.”

“Thank-you child.” Kilya said. “I only do this out of love, the magic it is all I know.” she said.

Rwanah nodded and grabbed the elated man who mumbled as if he was a drunkard. “Kilya thank you for your help, with Gabrielle. Your apples are out front.” Rwanah ended, and walked out with the man.