CYOA Chapter 12: Remi

I came to Hearthway Hollow several years ago, back when I was hurt and angry. The dense, lush forest that surrounded the small town felt like the best place I could hide away. But Hearthway Hollow was much more than it seemed, and there were things that found me before I had a chance to realize such a thing. I only realize now that Hearthway Hollow called out to me the same way it called out to everything, and everyone else who makes it their home.

For years I had served under Pan, thinking I was something important. I was allowed to feel my anger with Pan, which felt easier than approaching any other emotion or thought I had. I was Pan’s weapon of choice, his shield, his wrath. I loved it, I loved him. But like most youthful indiscretions I look back on it in shame.

Pan would wash blood from my body with a soft smile on his face. I longed for that touch, that soft smile. His approval meant the world to me, and I fought wars for that smile.

“There you are, Silvanus.” Pan would say after wiping the blood away. “Clean and bathed in more than water.” That soft smile swept across his lips and he raised those dark eyes to me. “How do you feel?”

“Better, my lord.” I breathed. “Being by your side after a day like today, I feel refreshed. I feel most like myself.”

Pan reached out and touched me, a gentle one that brought me to my knees before him. I knew what he wanted, it’s what he always wanted. He made me kneel before him many times and sometimes I enjoyed it. Pleasing him was all that mattered back in those days.

His hard cock pressed between my lips, and I greeted him with my tongue. I sucked upon him, moving my head to gie him more pleasure.

“I have a new job for you, Silvanus,” he whispered. He moaned softly and placed his hand at the back of my head. “I have someone in my tower.”

I knew not to stop my efforts, but my curiosity was piqued. I didn’t stop though, Pan had to finish before I dared to ask any questions.

Once it was over, Pan led me up into the tower. It was made of stained glass, most of which were diamond shaped. Pan often took people into this tower, so it surprised me he would have someone imprisoned here.

I was shocked to see another loyal subject of Pan chained inside the room.

“Take care of him will you?” Pan asked with a smile. “He’s led my eldest sons away. I’d like to find them.”

I looked down at the shivering and burnt form down on the ground. Diamond patterns had been burned into the pale, white skin, and all his horns had been broken off.

“What do you want me to do?” I asked.

Pan’s dark eyes grazed down to the form on the floor. “Find out where my sons have gone. I also suspect he’s been the reason some of my followers have turned up missing. Find out about that too.” he turned, leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.

I looked down at the figure on the floor and held my breath. “Agares-”

The demon shifted in his bonds, turning his broken head towards me. “Silvanus, what a nice surprise.”

I was shaken to my core by that word. “Nice?”

“A new face…a familiar face.” He turned his head over again. “I don’t remember much, you see.”

I approached him and knelt down by his body. “Just tell me where Puck and Robin are,” I whispered.

Agares just stared upwards into the stanined glass.

“Tell me!” I hissed. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Agares closed his eyes.

Many nights I have been woken by nightmares like this. But they aren’t nightmares, they are reality. They are my history, and I work to repent for those days.

Bit by bit, Agares lost his memory. Being kept within that tower and tortured day in and day out, he lost more and more of himself. By then I had lost faith in Pan, myself, and everything I had known. There would be days I just sat in that tower with Agares, talking to him in hopes of keeping him there. I also wanted to keep myself together.

“What’s your dream?” Agares asked me one day.

I sniffled and lifted my head. “Dream? What are you talking about?”

“That’s what I do here,” he said. “I lay here so long, I hurt so badly, all I do is dream to help me.”

“You dream?” I scoffed. “And hope for something?”

“Don’t you?” Agares whispered. “Something nice to look forward to.”

“Nice,” I scoffed. “You keep using that word. I doubt you even know what nice really is, you fool.”

“You’re nice.”

Every fiber of my being was shaken by those words. “You really don’t have a clue.”

“I look forward to seeing you.”

That was the first time I felt tears in so long.

“You don’t know what nice is, either,” Agares chuckled. “But it’s okay.”

I helped Pan’s sons free him and take him away from that tower. I escaped as well, turning myself into a goat in order to escape Pan’s wrath. Although, it was never too far behind me.

I traveled with my anger, my self hatred. I never let it go. Not until Hearthway Hollow found it’s way into my life.

When Pan died it was a huge relief. He needed to die. But there were still his shadows around, and perhaps it is only people he hurt that could stop them from growing.

“Who are you calling?” Luke snapped at me.

I turned back and glared at him. “Shut up! I can’t hear!” I know the young man is scared, but after talking with you and helping you I couldn’t help but be a bit annoyed with him. “Yes, Authriare, is that you?”

“Yes it is! Hello there!” Authaire sounded as chipper as always. So much different from when he was in the tower.

“Authaire, old friend, it’s Re-” I realized he didn’t know me by my new name, the name Beau gave me. “It’s Silvanus.” I hated my old name, it tasted bitter as I spoke it.

Authair ewas silent or a long time. Like me, he had changed his old name, changed his life around. He was a miracle worker, a loving father and husband. He created a world for the people Pan had had hurt.

“Is something wrong in Hearthway Hollow?” Authaire held his breath.

“The Cult of Pan,” I murmured. “They’re after Lora’s girl.”

“That’s not what I wanted to hear,” he sighed heavily. “Lora’s girl is in Hearthway Hollow? Wait, what does the Cult of Pan want with…” he stopped when he realized. “So she is his daughter.”

I furrowed my brow. “You didn’t know?”

“Suspected, but we never knew. Lora came to us quite broken and hurt. We knew she escaped the cult, but we only suspected Pan could have been the father.” Authaire clicked his tongue. “This is some trouble. It will take us time to move the carnival. I can send someone ahead of me to help look after her.”

“How long would it take the carnival to move? This is urgent. Hearthway Hollow isn’t a place for the Cult of Pan. If anything it’s a powder keg!”

“Dear friend, I know,” Authaire huffed. “But there is not much I can do at this moment. I know what it would mean for that sort of power to find a stronghold in Hearthway Hollow, that is why I keep a close eye upon it.”

Luke came and stood beside me, so I curled my lip up at him and stepped forward. “Well, who can you send?”

“Good question,” Authaire mused.

(sorry this one was so short. I started getting a bit sick while writing. Update, I will not be home next tuesday, so either I will do another chapter on saturday or try to do an extra long one the following tuesday)

But, who should Mr. Faire send before the carnival can arrive in Hearthway Hollow?