“Darkfriends.”

“I had always thought Darkfriends were a myth when I was young, something that parents would tell their children to make them do what they were told. I sneered even at that tender age at the other children for believing anyone would be so foolish as to sell their soul to the Great Lord.”

“Yes, the Great Lord, note I won't call him the Dark One now? Good, you catch on quickly, now stop looking so alarmed.”

“Now, where was I? Oh yes, my younger years, of course.”

“All these “Legends” and “Myths” of Darkfriends and Shadowspawn always intrigued me, although I was careful never to let on, I knew people wouldn't like my interest. My parents especially not, they were from the borderlands originally, but we steadily moved down toward Caemlyn “to get away from the fighting”. I never used to understand who we would have been fighting.”

“Well, I digress, As I was saying, I always found Darkfriends and Shadowspawn interesting, and once we moved into the city I suddenly found I had access to all kinds of libraries, although most would not have books about such things within their walls out of some kind of idea it would make people look down on them.”

“Foolish people, caring about such petty matters.”

“Eventually people heard of my peculiar interests, and I found myself being invited to the house of a young man one afternoon, I must have been in my middle teen years at the time. Yes, I remember it quite well, he was dressed quite simply and smartly in black clothing, a small amount of lace at the wrists and neck, but nothing to really cause any comment. He appeared no different from any other man on the street, of average height, with short blond hair brushed and styled neatly.”

“Ah, but once again, I digress, forgive me. Your restraints aren't too tight? What, I'm sorry? Ah, well, as long as the gag isn't giving you any trouble then I shall continue.”

“The man, I'm afraid I never did find out his name, took me to his home. It wasn't too far from ours, although in a rather better area of the City, we entered, and began chatting about trivial things, this and that, you know how it goes I'm sure.”

“Well, as I'm sure you have guessed, this man was a Darkfriend, although of course I had no idea of this at the time. It was my misfortune to have been invited into his home the day he was to be arrested, I seem to have the worst luck at the best times. So, the guard knocked on the door, quite respectfully asking to come in, and of course he was let in. I remember he sneered at me, I have never liked being sneered at, so when he said he was here to bring us both into custody, and began to draw his sword when we refused. Well, I'm sure he had it coming.”

“I remember the feeling like it was yesterday, the cold fire, the molten ice as it flowed through me, the power filling me to bursting, and the dark taint sliding over me like a dark gift from the Great Lord himself.”

"You look pale Marin, are you feeling well? You don't mind me calling you Marin do you? I know you Black Ajah usually stand higher than we wilders, but today is special I suppose. Oh! I see. You didn't realize I can channel then? Poor girl."

“As I was saying Marin, I remember this feeling, life, death... power. And I remember hate too, oh yes, I hated the guardsman so much, I could have killed him right there, all that hate, boiling away inside of me, I felt like I was going to explode! I didn't of course, that would be foolish. The guard however I believe was boiled in his armor apparently, I wasn't paying attention. Actually, I believe I fainted.”

“Well, when I awoke the man was unfortunately also dead and, as I have mentioned before, I had the exceedingly bad luck to awake to a myrdraal peering intently at me. Well, I assume it was peering, it can be so hard to tell. I believe usually people are afraid of myrdraal, however I found the presence of this one somehow comforting, I don't know, I believe I may have been a little addled even then.”

“Speaking of myrdraal, I hear they still have the, ah, appetites of men? Well, you'll be finding out for sure soon enough I suppose.”

“Soon after the myrdraal left I met a few other Darkfriends who entered to dispose of the corpses, they took me into their fold, and over the years I've been taught to wield the one power by those others that can.”

“Ah, I'm afraid I'll have to cut our conversation short Marin Sedai, the myrdraal are here. Provided you survive I may visit you later to make sure you understand their lessons about when it is acceptable to answer back to the Chosen.”

Darc looked back from the door as the myrdraal passed him, their eyeless gazes barely eliciting a flinch on the outside, but starting the flames of envy stirring again within.

“Just in case no-one actually told you, it's never acceptable.” he said with a grin as he shut the door behind himself, leaning on the wall outside to wait for the screams.

They would come.

They always did, just like music.