The Good Man

by Gabe Jones

  "Morek," Steris said. "It is okay to cry. That is the good that is still in you trying to come out. You have to feel the sorrow to release the anger inside of you." He glared at her. Morek sheathed his sword and walked to the cave entrance.

  "We leave in the morning ," Morek said. "Make sure you get some rest."

  "It is pouring down rain outside," Steris told him. "Surely we will wait for the storm to pass." Thunder boomed and echoed through the cave, the sound bouncing off the wall.

  "We leave in the morning," he repeated.

  Steris sighed and laid down her head on her bundled cloak. Morek stood and watched as the storm raged outside the cave. Lightning struck and thunder boomed, yet Morek was at peace. It felt as if he was home. The perfect storm was not raging outside but inside. Darkness bloomed in his very soul, and he loved it. Every second, it felt like lightning struck his heart, like something was telling him to turn back. He could not turn back. The moment he started this journey, things changed. Morek would do whatever it took to kill Uzat.

  He looked at Steris. It was her. She was holding him back from his full potential. All she did every second was preach about emotions and goodness, but it was pointless. He could never be good. There was too much blood on his hands and not from just the Orcs. The Dwarfs. People. The Elves. Siirist. Durfur. They all died, because of him. Now, he was paying that debt. If he could kill Uzat, all would be fixed. Morek slept restlessly. They awoke to torrential downpour. Morek saddled Juniper.

  "Are we really going out in this?" Steris asked.

  "Of course," Morek replied.

  Steris pulled her hood up and mounted her horse. Morek got on Juniper, and they were off. Water poured down from the sky. Sheets of rain fell so thickly, they could barely see the path to Kozor Castle. The sky was filled with dark clouds and flashes of lighting. It was a slow journey. Still, Morek led Steris on their trudge through the Orc forests. The sky began clearing up after a while. When the clouds finally parted, the sun was already sinking on the horizon. Morek pulled off into the woods. They made camp and slept that night.

  Steris was awoken early. Morek had already packed the camp and was ready to go. He gave her some food and mounted Juniper. Once again, they were off. They used the light of Morek's sword in the early morning before the sun came over the trees. All day, they traveled. It was around noon when they came to a clearing. Ahead sat the stone, cold, grey, brick Kozor Castle. The building was massive. Skulls of different beasts sat on pikes sticking out of the ground. Two Orcs guarded the door.

  "Morek, we do not have to do this. Let us go to Uzdrag," Steris pleaded once more.

  Morek whipped Juniper's reins and raced forth. The guards bellowed and ran at Morek with spears. One swing of the sword was all it took. The heads of the Orcs flew into the air and landed on the ground, while their bodies stood where they were slaughtered. An arrow flew and hit the ground in front of Morek. Steris came up behind him. A swarm of arrows came raining down on them.

  Steris held up her wand and shouted a spell. A blue shield covered them as the arrows hit. The shield dissipated. A large group of innumerable guards came around the castle toward them. Morek removed a short, jagged sword from one of the Orcs he killed and handed it to Steris.

  "You take care of them. I will take care of the archers," he said.

  Morek lept off of Juniper and sent her away into the woods. He sheathed his sword and ran to the wall. To Steris's surprise, he began climbing. Adrenaline-fueled rage filled his body and gave him unimaginable strength. Steris turned toward the oncoming threat. She threw the sword on the ground, and held her wand. She whispered an incantation and disappeared.

  Morek continued his climb until he reached the top. He blasted back the archers. Some recovered and pulled short swords on him. Morek unsheathed his sword. The sloppy Orcs succumbed to Morek's skills very quickly. He took out the ten archers in a short amount of time. His swings and thrust were perfectly coordinated.

  He went to the edge of the landing. Steris was gone, her horse galloping away without her. The large group of Orcs were running after it. Morek grunted. She had left him. He turned around and blasted in the wooden door that led into Kozor Castle.

  Steris watched in the shadows as the large gate to the castle parted open and more Orcs came out. She slipped inside, still invisible to the dozens of watchful Orcs. Her invisibility would only last so long. Steris had to stop Morek before he was turned to darkness, or killed. The castle was dark. Furs of large beasts hung from the walls and were used for carpets. The Orcs were barricading the door. At least two dozen were guarding the door. More came down the main staircase. They all were shouting in Orc. Steris went up the stairs.

  Morek slipped through the castle, killing any Orc he came across. The dark halls were eerie. Torch lights flickered on the stone walls. Doors lined the corridor until he came to a great hall.

  Dozens of Orcs guarded the door. Morek crept around the corner and went into another wing of the expansive castle. He walked past a door and heard shouting: the shouting of Uzat.

  Morek kicked in the door with brute force. Uzat's silhouette stood against the backdrop of a great, glass window. Two guards, giants, most likely generals or commanders, stood on either side of Uzat. They stood several feet taller than Morek, wore heavy armor, and carried crudely made axes.

  "You?" Uzat said, taken aback.

  "Hello, Uzat," Morek said, grinning.

  "Gnoth, Rogan, if you will take care of our problem," Uzat said to the other two Orcs. One Orc pushed the other out of the way and pulled his axe off his back.

  "I am Gnoth the Slayer. Prepare to meet my wrath," the Orc said in a strange dialect of Morek's language.

  Morek held out his sword. With his other hand, he pulled the Orc into the sword. He skewered Gnoth through the abdomen. Morek pulled in and up, cutting through the Orc's chest cavity before pulling the sword through his skin. Black blood sprayed onto his face as the sword came free. Gnoth fell over in a pool of blood.

  Rogan screamed and ran at Morek. Morek slid under him and stabbed him in the back, up through the heart. His eyes stayed locked on Uzat the entire time. He pulled the sword out as the Orc fell over dead. Uzat looked frightened. Morek walked toward him.

  "You killed my friend, Durfur, the Dwarf. Do you remember that?" Morek asked.

  "I killed the Dwarf that cut part of my arm off, yes, and I do not regret that decision," Uzat replied.

  He blasted red light at Morek. Morek blocked with his sword. The blast hit the window and shattered the glass. The rays of sunset filled the room and wind filled their ears.

  "I sentence you to death!" Morek shouted over the wind.

  "Morek, stop! Do not do anything you will regret!" Steris shouted from behind him. Morek turned and froze her in ice.

  He turned back to Uzat and ran at him. Morek pushed him to the ground. His head hung out of the open window. He cut off the rest of the arm Durfur started, then the other, then the legs. Morek pulled Uzat's body to him and whispered in his ear, "I am going to finish what Durfur started." He dropped Uzat and swiped his sword through the Orc's neck. His head fell to the ground. Uzat was dead.

  "Morek, what have you done?"

  Chapter Eighteen: The Light Returns

  The bellows of the Orcs below grew louder as they came up the stairs. Morek unfroze Steris. Steris was about to put up a shield to guard the door, when Morek pushed her out of the way and went into the cramped hallway.

  Nearly three dozen Orcs came at him. Steris watched in horror as Morek killed each one of them with a terrifying smile on his face. The blood covered him. By the end of it, a pile of bodies lay on the floor. Steris shivered.

  "Come, Steris," Morek said in a calm, cool voice. "We can camp here tonight."

  Morek heated a tub of water for her and poured a bath. He left her. When she got out, the smell of food rose up to her. Morek had killed some animal and was cooking it over the fire. He gave her a piece of the venison. He had not changed his
clothes. Dried blood covered his body, and he smelled of death.

  "Should you not change, Morek?" Steris asked.

  "I am fine. Thank you," Morek replied, a grin still plastered on his face. A tear slipped from Morek's eye.

  "Morek, you killed him. Talk to me. Please," Steris pleaded. The grin left his face, and he dropped his plate. "Let the boy I met in Umard Woods so long ago come back,” she continued. “I know he is still inside. This darkness will never consume him, because he fights. He will always fight to do what is right in this world even if no one else will."

  Morek finally came through. New emotions flooded his body and replaced the darkness inside of him. Tears poured from his eyes. The same feelings he had felt in Azzed Drar, he felt now. Steris sat next him. He lied his head on her shoulder and allowed the sorrow and grief to return.

  "It is okay to cry, Morek. It is okay to be upset over the loss of a friend, but no amount of killing will ever fix how you feel," Steris explained. "Azyora Venici fought by my side for years during the Great War. She was slayed by an Orc where she stood. Anger built up inside me. I went on a killing spree. Borious and I talked, and he gave me the same advice Durfur gave to you."

  Morek looked up and wiped his tears. "Forgiveness makes a good man," Morek sniffled.

  "Forgiveness is a virtue," Steris said. "If you kill, kill justly. Sometimes you have to kill, but sometimes forgiveness is better than anything. Let us kill who we must and save who we can."

  They sat together by the fire for awhile, the only sound the crackling of the flame. Morek and Steris sat mourning Durfur and all they had lost along their journey. Morek fell asleep on the shoulder of Steris. She was like a mother to him. The moon had reached its peak when she fell asleep herself.

  Steris awoke first that morning. She rekindled the dying fire and heated water to make Morek a bath. He awoke later and served them what was left of their previous dinner. Morek left and took a bath while Steris washed and dried his clothes. They slept again at the castle that night. The smell of the decomposing Orcs became so strong, they left after that.

  Morek whistled and both Juniper and Steris's horse galloped out of the forest. Morek mounted Juniper.

  "Hold on," Steris said. She turned back toward the castle. A massive fireball grew on her wand, and she launched it through the castle. They watched it burn through into the noon.

  Morek went out and returned with food, and they had lunch, watching the fire pour out of the castle windows. Steris looked over and, for the first time in a while, saw Morek genuinely smiling. She smiled.

  "Steris, thank you for everything," Morek said.

  "Thank you for bringing me on the adventure of a lifetime," Steris replied. "Let's go to Uzdrag."

  They mounted their horses and got back on the road. Morek pulled out the map.

  "If we follow this road for about a day, we should reach the main road leading South," Morek said. "From there, it should be a short trip to Uzdrag." He packed the map away. They traveled through the afternoon and into the night, not stopping because the moon lit their way. They reached the main road around dawn the next day and pulled off into a clearing to rest.

  The clopping of horses reached their ears. Morek and Steris bared their weapons, but no one came. Many troops passed.

  "They are preparing the front line for war," Steris said.

  "Most likely," Morek replied.

  They ate and rested for a while. At noon, they were back on the road. About every hour, they would have to pull off the road or risk detection by oncoming Orcs. On their way, they came across a small town. Humans were being used as slaves. Morek and Steris attacked the town and set the people free. That night, they stopped and slept, using only Morek's sword for light in an effort to remain clandestine. They left again at dawn, and before noon the next day they reached Uzdrag.

  "Oh, no," Steris whispered. They sat on a hilltop looking over Uzdrag. They expected a city similar to Voriontu. What they found was much more frightening. Uzdrag stretched for miles South. They could not even see the backside of it. Millions of Orcs were inside the city.

  "This is unbelievable," said Morek. "How are we going to get the Nesur Crystal?"

  Gigantic walls surrounded the city. They looked down the road and saw the gates slowly open to allow a group to enter.

  "Well, I do not think they will just let us knock and come in," Morek joked.

  "We are going to have to find a way to get in," Steris said. "That is the temple." She pointed at a building near the center of the city. It was large with a dome in the center. Surrounding it was almost the entire city and millions of Orcs.

  "Well, anybody up for turning around? Because I am," Morek replied.

  "We are not turning back, Morek. We have come too far to give up," Steris said. "We're doing this not just for your father, Morek, but for you, for me, for Durfur, and everyone else that has helped get us to this point. We are getting that crystal."

  Chapter Nineteen: Uzdrag

  The next day as Morek watched the sun move over the gargantuan city, more troops poured out to the front lines. He went into the woods and easily killed some small game. Steris awoke to the smell of the cooking meat. They were far enough away that no Orcs would see them.

  "Good morning," Morek said. "I let you sleep in some."

  "Thank you," Steris replied. "It will be a long day."

  They ate together as the sun rose higher in the sky. Morek finished his meal, then polished his sword until it gleamed. They packed their bags and mounted their horses. They would use the daylight to survey the best entrance from the cover of the trees. For miles they walked down the Western border of the city. The sun sank into the horizon and the pair were left with no suitable entrance close to the temple.

  "What are we going to do?" Morek asked with the last rays of light slipping away.

  Steris gasped. "I am such an imbecile!"

  "What?"

  "Invisibility," Steris explained. "I used it to slip into Kozor Castle undetected. It is a simple spell, but it only lasts a short time. We can slip in through the gates, and the cover of night will help us get in."

  "Sounds good," Morek said.

  They left their horses in the woods and traveled to the gate. Steris taught Morek the spell as they made their way. They reached the gate and whispered the spell. Once again, Orcs came out in hordes. They slipped past them, cloaked in invisibility and entered the city.

  Morek accidentally bumped into an Orc. He laid his hand on his sword and prepared to draw it. The Orc grunted and moved on. Morek breathed a sigh of relief. The buildings of the city were wooden and crudely built. The mud streets were lit by lines of torches. They passed so many Orcs, they could not even count them.

  As they moved closer to the temple, the buildings appeared better built. 'The badly built ones must be newer to account for the growing military,' Morek thought. He looked down to see his boots were visible. Steris's shoes also began showing.

  "Steris," he hissed. An invisible hand grabbed him and pulled him behind a building.

  "The invisibility is wearing off," Steris said. "We have to be careful. Thankfully we are close to the temple."

  They began walking behind the houses as more of their extremities became visible. By the time they reached the temple and slipped inside, they were fully visible. From their view on the hilltop, the temple did not seem so big. But, it was indeed the opposite. The roof was high up. It was a massive structure. Candles lit the halls. They moved through an arched passageway and into the main sanctuary. Steris quickly took out the two guards.

  The main sanctuary was circular. A raised pedestal was at its center. Atop the pedestal was a staff holding the Nesur Crystal. Five circles with different pictures and markings surrounded it, representing the five clans of the Orcs. Tapestries depicting crownings, religious events, and wars hung from the arches in the passages leading to the sanctuary.

  "We are here," Morek said. "We made it." Tears began to well up in his eyes.
He wiped them away. The stone was an iridescent blood red; it glimmered in the moonlight shining through the dome above. He turned to Steris. "Thank you," he said. "For all you have done."

  "It is not over yet," Steris told him. "Get that crystal and let us heal your father."

  Morek moved toward the pedestal. He stepped up onto it. His foot stepped down, only a few inches from the crystal. There was a clicking noise as his foot moved down. He stepped back, tripped, and fell off the pedestal.

  "Morek!" Steris exclaimed.

  Footsteps came from every direction. A cold, dark chill came down the central corridor. Steris helped Morek up and they stood together in the middle of the room. Morek unsheathed his sword. Guards filled the room. A Dark Lord descended behind them on the other side of the pedestal. A figure came down the hall in front of them, laughing and clapping slowly.

  "Morek Alden and Steris Marth," he said in their language, "I am Emperor Kilgog. Welcome to Uzdrag."

  "How do you know our names?" Steris asked.

  "Steris, my darling, you killed my father during the Great War," Kilgog explained. "Now, Morek, your story is not so simple."

  "How so?" Morek asked.

  "Do not entertain him," Steris warned.

  "Let the boy speak!" Kilgog shouted. "You have a very interesting heritage. My uncle, King Tidgud-Nar, was killed by Emperor Borious and his partner."

  "His partner?" Steris asked. "Borious killed the king alone."

  "Lie Number One from your emperor," Kilgog told them. "Both blades of Borious and Frajen Alden entered Tidgud-Nar."

  "My father?" Morek asked.

  "You see, your father and Borious both said they killed the king. Borious became angry. So to avoid conflict, which your father hated, he let Borious claim the kill. After that, Borious was a hero and was overwhelmingly asked to become emperor of the now free Empire, whilst your father slipped away into the countryside. Borious had promised Frajen wealth and a place for him in his castle, yet that day never came. Because Borious lied, again."