Curses

Usstan cha'kohk dos.
 
All of you. You took my Ussta Vharcan from me. My little Ussi. And you literally fucking took him, where the hell is his body? I tried to heal him. I tried to let the spirit of Ussta Ssuth bring him back, as he has brought Rafael back, but all that happened is both of my Ussis were gone. All I can summon now is this globe, this nothing.
 
Usstan sila dos elghinn.
 
All this talk from your righteous brethren about what is right. Doing the right thing. When the fuck has that ever been what any of you do? You sit, watch and play your games with us, your little toys running around crashing into each other. Sometimes bits fall off but you just make a new one to take its place. I wonder how many of us adventurers wander the realms in your names, how many armies fight each other for you, all of us dying in our hundreds for what each of you has decreed is right. How many of our lesser lives have been lost to your ideals?
 
Dorn inbal ussta vharcan. You will all pay. I curse you from the depth of my being. With all I have, by the earth, sea and sky, were you not cowering behind your protective veil, I would come for you all myself. My family are… both of my Ussis have been taken from me and you have allowed a fraud to lead the people of a nearby village to murder and possibly ruin. Did you use us as your instrument there? Or was it by chance that we enacted the judgement upon that man, I can’t even remember his name, to save you having to get up off your arses? Were all of those innocent lives simply a sacrifice to free will?
 
One of us wields a demon weapon. Does it suit you to let this be wielded in a good cause? Have the demons wrought their works upon the earth for you? I doubt that. Orlando is a good man, but these weapons did nothing for the good of that Percy we met. Yet I’m sure you would say he did your bidding. At his cost.
 
For that matter, why the fuck does it suit you to let demons be? At all? Either your power is limited to affecting a few paltry innocent lives and you cannot face these foes on equal terms, or as I am sure is true, you simply prefer the game. What else would you have us do, after all, if not killing each other in your names?
 
So, to business. This ends now. I learned this one from my Aunt. She had as much hatred for the rest of you as do I. I’ve only ever tried her version on a cockroach trapped under my toe. It worked then. So, this…improved version should work on you.
 
I spit this curse at thee,
bleed carcasses hereafter three,
entwine my purpose in their cords
commit my life unto this cause.
For you I come, as my last act,
a binding you cannot retract,
I spit this curse and offer my life,
For
 
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I will not finish that curse. You made a promise. Or your representative did. Exarch. I’d never heard the term before. Yet it seemed to mean something to Ceri, Simeon and some of the others. Melora’s Exarch. Melora? I’m…why would she take an interest? I’m so confused. I’m not letting myself be happy or hopeful, not yet. But Abbil, if it is true…
 
To Rafael’s chagrin, I made a deal, Abbil. I will from this date curse the gods no longer. In return, they will return Ussi to me. “A little different,” the Exarch said. I don’t care. As long as he comes back. Rafi seems to think deals made in this wood should not be taken lightly, and was most put out to learn I’d offered to do anything. He eyes me warily now, but if Ussi does not return, by the morning as was promised, then all I shall do is begin that curse again and let…let what happens happen.
 
But I want him back, Abbil. Everything is empty without him. Just as it was when I lost Ussta Ssuth.
 
I’m about to go on watch with Orlando. I’ll ask him if he thinks I’m being a fool. He will tell me truly and he’ll look me in the eyes while he does it. I’ll also need to get Zeni a gift. It’s clear she knows loss, too. Not just any gift, though. The right thing at the right time. Anyway, let’s see what Orlando has to say.
 
Oh, and Cat God is real, Abbil. I know…
 
Oh gods, please let my Ussi return…