“The Stronghold will hear of this,” he said.
“I know.”
“They will not look kindly upon you.”
Darius sighed.
“I know.”
The priest shook the dust from his sandals, turned, and walked west. Darius watched him go as Jerico stood there, confused beyond all measure on how to feel. His friend saw this and sighed, finally tearing his gaze away from the retreating priest.
“We must talk,” he said.
“After them,” Jerico said, pointing to where the many families were exiting Hangfield’s, seeking friends and loved ones from the other two places they’d defended. “There’s a lot of grief, a lot of death. Let us perform our role.”
Darius stabbed his sword into the dirt.
“So be it.”
*
When the prayers were done, and every possible word of consolation had passed from Jerico’s lips, he retreated beyond the center of town and built a fire. He knew its light would guide Darius there, and sure enough, the paladin arrived not long after.
“Two thirds dead,” Darius said, shaking his head as he sat. “Some victory.”
“They’ll rebuild,” Jerico said. “Remarry. Have children, make friends. Those that survived have a whole life ahead of them.”
“Don’t tell them that. Right now they dwell in the loss. Some may dwell forever.”
Jerico nodded, knowing how right he was. An uncomfortable silence stretched over them. The dark paladin sat on the other side of the fire, and the two stared into the flickering flames.
“With the Citadel’s fall, my brethren and the priests have declared war on the paladins of Ashhur,” he said at last.
“For what reason?” Jerico asked.
“Is one needed? You know we oppose one another. Centuries ago, Karak and Ashhur warred. It appears it has begun anew.”
Jerico felt a pang in his heart as he thought of his friends, and of that terrible image of the Citadel crumbling before an army of the dead. Were they Karak’s army? Was that the truth of it?
“Pheus wanted you to kill me,” Jerico said.
“I figured that was obvious.”
“But you didn’t.”
“Also obvious.”
Jerico smiled despite his exhaustion.
“I owe you my life, Darius. But I guess that, too, is obvious?”
Darius muttered something, then tossed a twig onto the fire.
“What now?” Jerico asked.
“You have to leave. Pheus will return, and he won’t come back alone. He’s been spreading word all along the river of our newly begun war, and what news he has is not good. Jerico…you may very well be the last of your kind.”
“No,” Jerico said, shaking his head. He couldn’t believe it. It just wasn’t possible.
“If not now, then soon. How many of your brethren were at the Citadel when it fell? The few scattered about are young, inexperienced. They’ll be hunted down with the full might of Karak. Who can survive that? Our presence is in every nation, felt in every kingdom hall. There is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.”
Jerico felt panic racing through his veins, and he tried to stop it. It couldn’t be right. He couldn’t be the last. Others would survive, others would fight back…
“Where should I go?” he asked.
“I’d say find safety with your priests, probably the Sanctuary, but that is a long journey south. I don’t know if you will make it. Too many will be watching those roads.”
“Then what?” Jerico asked. He kicked at the fire, scattering its flame. As it sputtered and died, Darius did his best to offer hope.
“The land north of here is wild, full of bandits. Perhaps there you can hide.”
He shook his head. A paladin, hiding? It didn’t seem right. It seemed opposite of everything he was.
“Please,” Darius said, seeing the hesitation on his face. “I will bear the punishment of this action for the rest of my life. Do not waste it. Do not make me doubt my decision.”
It was all too much. Defeated, Jerico nodded.
“So be it,” he said. “You are a good friend, and I will honor your wishes. Until I can assure myself of safety, I will find what succor I can in the north. When shall I go?”
“Rest now, then leave in the morning,” Darius said, standing. “You must gain as much ground as you can before they come hunting for you. You’re strong, Jerico, but those who come after you will be stronger.”
Jerico stood, hugged him, then suddenly had a thought.
“A paladin named Pallos passed by here not long ago,” he said. “He might return.”
“I will warn him if I can,” Darius said. “Consider it one last gift for you.”
Jerico turned to leave, and as he did, he heard Darius call his name.
“I am sorry for this,” he said. “For the Citadel. For my fellows. This is not Karak’s desire, and I will show them.”
“Thank you,” Jerico said, glancing back. “But I fear it is, Darius. If so…what fate awaits you?”
Without waiting for an answer, he returned to the town, where he would sleep late until the morning, gather supplies, and begin his exile in the north.
* * * * *
The troops remained for a few days, making sure no more wolf-men lingered about hoping for a lapse in defenses. Sir Godley vowed to heighten patrols along the river, even if he had to box in the King’s ears to do so. Darius listened to it all and faked interest when the time called for it. Truthfully, his mind was elsewhere. He feared for Jerico, and wondered what fate awaited him. But more, he feared the arrival of his brethren, or of the priests. Worst, though, would be the Voice of the Lion, Karak’s Hand. Against that feared specter, he wondered if he would even have the courage to speak his defense.
For a while, people asked him about the other paladin’s disappearance. Darius always told them Jerico headed south, for he knew they would be questioned when the dark paladins came looking. Whatever bit of disinformation he could sow, the better. Still, when he spoke the lie, he wondered what had happened to his faith. Lies were instruments of chaos, everything he was supposed to stand against. Yet he spoke them freely now to protect a man who should have been his enemy.
Come the ninth night, while he lay in bed staring out the window, he saw the fires in the distance. There was no doubt as to what they were, and who was with them.
Going downstairs, he put a silver coin on the counter. He’d meant to wake Dolores, to thank her for her stay, but she was gone now, and he stayed for free in thanks for his valiant defense. His heart ached at the realization. She’d been a fine innkeeper. Damn the wolves, and damn himself for not being strong enough to protect her.
“Whatever fate you found in eternity, I hope it is pleasant,” he said to the quiet night air.
He dressed in his armor, taking time to polish it well in the candle light. No hurry, not for him. Not for what would most likely be his last night on Dezrel. When finished, he cleaned his sword, sharpened it with a whetstone, and then sheathed it across his back. Finished, he knelt at the door of the inn and offered Karak a prayer.
“I have done what I thought was right. I have stood against chaos in the only way I knew how. Give me the strength to show them. Give me the words to speak the truth of your will to those who should know better.”
A chill touched his shoulder, and he knew not what to think of it. Deciding enough was enough, he trudged north, to where the three of the Tribunal waited.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The light was actually of three torches staked into the ground, and they burned bright as he approached. Darius wished they had chosen a spot closer to the river. At least the soft sound of it flowing along would have brought him some measure of peace. As it was, he had only the wind to keep him company on the walk there, and it was an unpleasant howl through the scattered trees.
Three men waited for him, standing in the gaps between the torches, which formed a triangle. One stepped aside and ge
stured for Darius to enter. He did.
“I feared you would reject a chance to appear before the Tribunal,” Pheus said, his features looking grim in the torchlight.
“I have done no wrong,” Darius said. “Why would I fear such a trial?”
Pheus gave no answer.
Darius looked to the other two men. They were paladins of Karak, their black armor almost shimmering in the light of the torches. He recognized both. One was a younger warrior named Nevek, there most likely because he was in the vicinity when the Tribunal was called. He appeared calm, but his eyes revealed his nervousness. Darius felt insulted to have one such as him be considered his judge. The man barely had stubble on his chin. The other was an older paladin named Lars, wise and skilled in battle. His faith, in particular, was above question.
“We have heard troubling reports of your actions here in Durham,” Lars said. His voice was a deep baritone, and it carried authority. Darius turned to him, trying to ignore the growing feeling of claustrophobia. No matter where he turned, there he would face the eyes of an accuser, so he focused on Lars, who would clearly be the one in charge of the Tribunal.
“My actions were just,” Darius replied. “I followed the will of Karak, and I trust this Tribunal to realize that before this night’s end.”
“Is that so?” Pheus asked. “You threatened my life, the life of both brother and superior. How might you justify that?”
“I too would like to hear an answer,” Lars said. “Even if you were on the side of right in your disagreement, I wonder how you could justify such actions.”
“We must ever be vigilant against the chaos within ourselves, and our own ranks,” Darius said, holding his head high. “Pheus’s actions were born of betrayal and hatred, clear enemies of Order.”
“You’d dare speak against my name?” Pheus asked.
“Quiet,” Lars said, lifting a hand. “There is some truth to this, Darius, though you should have let this matter come to a Tribunal if you felt that the case.”
Darius shrugged his shoulders.
“I drew no blood, and I did not expect to. Pheus honored my wishes, as I thought he would.”
The priest glared.
“You threatened an unarmed priest, you coward,” Nevek said. “You should be hanged!”
“Quiet, Nevek,” said Lars. “It is not your place to speak. No judgments are to be made until every last word is spoken. Darius, you were told to execute the paladin of Ashhur, the one known as Jerico. You refused. Tell me why.”
Darius took a deep breath. Why did he? The vision of Karak flowed through him, and he saw himself bleeding before the paladin. His life depended on it, yet he had spared him. Was it really friendship?
“Jerico protected the village from the wolf-men,” he said. “He stood side by side with me and saved the lives of many men, women, and children. Killing him would have cost me my own life, and theirs as well. Is our mission not to save these people from the chaos of this world? How could I strike down an ally? It makes no sense. It is not the will of Karak. Above all…” He knew he might be hanging himself here, but he had to say it. He had to speak the truth. “Above all, he was my friend. I will not slay a friend, betray his trust, just because he is part of a scattered, broken remnant of Ashhur. We will achieve victory over them through the truth of our words, and the justice of our actions. Not through murder. Not through cowardice.”
The three of the Tribunal fell silent as he spoke his last. The wind howled, and Darius thought that perhaps he had won them over. Nevek still looked petulant, but he was young and would abide by the opinions of the others. Pheus was still angry, that much he could tell. It all fell on Lars. The man stroked his neatly-trimmed beard, the two staring eye to eye as he thought.
“You truly believe you do the will of Karak,” he said. “Of that, I am certain. But the most dangerous to our cause are those who would disobey every tenet of our belief, all the while certain they understand the real truth. Draw your sword, Darius. Let us see Karak’s judgment in this. Let us see how strongly he rewards your faith.”
Darius grinned. He had them. His belief in Karak had never been stronger. This was his will. His desire. Drawing his greatsword, he held it before them, to let them see its dark flame.
But there was no fire.
“No,” Darius whispered. It couldn’t be. Nevek laughed. Pheus grinned. Lars shook his head, clearly saddened. But it couldn’t be. It made no sense. Darius felt his knees go weak. The eyes of his brethren were upon him, and he suddenly hated them, hated them more than anything. He wanted to escape. He wanted them gone. His head bowed, as if he could no longer bear the weight. His god, the god he had worshipped all his life, had abandoned him. Because of his disobedience. Because of his protection of the weak.
Because of Jerico.
“You understand what must be done,” Lars said. “To threaten one of our own, and be rejected by Karak, leaves only one fate.”
Slowly, Darius nodded his head. Lars drew his sword, a heavy blade he wielded with one hand. Its dark fire was great, greater than it had ever burned for Darius. He watched as Lars pulled it back, preparing the swing. Pheus looked satisfied beyond measure. Nevek was still grinning. In and out, Darius breathed. Waiting for the sword to fall.
When it did, he shifted to the side and swung. His sword slashed through Pheus’s throat, spilling blood in a wild arc. Continuing his turn, Darius focused on Lars, knowing him the greatest threat. By the time Nevek had even drawn his sword, Darius had cut down the elder paladin, blood gushing from a deep wound in his side. Nevek screamed something unintelligible but full of hate. Darius cut off his head.
The sudden silence felt like thunder. Standing in the center, Darius looked upon the three dead bodies, still in position between the triangle formation of torches.
“I refuse your judgment,” he told the corpses. “For if Karak abandons me, then I will abandon him.”
It seemed a coming storm mocked his words with a clap of thunder. His blood chilled. To his left, he heard the soft sound of laughter.
“Abandoned?” said a man, his voice deep. “Is that what you think you are?”
The man stepped into the light of the torches. A lump swelled in Darius’s throat. It couldn’t be. The man’s eyes shone red, as if behind his irises burned a constant fire. He was robed in black, his skin pale and stretched thin across his bones. The man’s face, however, was in constant, subtle movement. If he stared hard enough, Darius could see the man’s brows thicken, his nose shorten, his lips lift or lower to adapt to the new visage. Always the eyes remained the same.
“Do you know who I am?” asked the man with the ever-changing face.
“I do. Your name was spoken of in both fear and reverence in the Stronghold.”
“Tell me, what name do they know me as there?”
Darius lifted his sword.
“You are the Voice of the Lion, his word made flesh.”
The man laughed. The sound made Darius want to turn and run.
“It has been many years since I was called by that title. I am Velixar, fallen paladin. I thought to witness your execution for a bit of amusement, but instead find myself watching a far greater surprise. A paladin, lacking the strength of Karak, still takes down two of his brethren, plus a priest? How surprising. How interesting.”
“Stay back,” Darius said, shifting his sword to aim the tip at Velixar’s throat. Velixar’s eyes sparkled with amusement.
“Or what? You will call down the thunder of Karak? You will pierce me with a blade of simple metal? The blood in my veins has not flowed in centuries. The air in my lungs moves to speak, and nothing else. I am Karak’s prophet to this chaotic world. Do you think you have a chance to defeat someone such as I?”
“Willing to try.”
Darius stepped close and swung. The blade felt heavier in his arms, the strength gifted to him by Karak long vanished. Still, it should have cleaved right through Velixar’s head, sent it rolling to the dirt wher
e he could give it a well-deserved kick. Instead, the man raised a hand, whispered a word, and then grinned. The blade struck his fingers as if they were stone. The shock reverberated up his arm, made his elbows and wrists throb with pain.
“Foolish man.”
Black lightning flowed up the blade and into his arms. Darius screamed, and he felt his muscles spasm. When he hit the ground, he writhed there, unable to drop the hilt of his sword. He opened his mouth to cry out, but he could make no sound. All at once, the pain stopped, and he lay there gasping for air.
“You said you know who I am, yet you dare attack anyway? You know nothing, stupid boy.”
“Kill me,” Darius said, his voice croaking. “Just do it, damn you.”
“You are the damned, not me, Darius. But I am not here to kill you.”
“Then what?”
Velixar knelt beside him. Darius stared into his eyes, feeling lost within their fanatical fire. The pale man’s hand touched his face, and it was cold.
“You are lost,” Velixar whispered. “Your god has not abandoned you. You have abandoned your god. You fell to weakness, gave in to folly, and believed the lies of the enemy. But your faith, Darius, your faith is still incredible. Even now it cries out to be forgiven. Even now, you wish you had been right, that you could still feel Karak’s embrace.”
“All I feel is hatred.”
Velixar stood, and it seemed the very night gathered about him, worshipping his power.
“I am here, and I offer you my hand. Atone for the sins you have committed. Become my wayward son returned home. I have much I can teach you, and much for you to do.”
Darius tried to think, to listen to his heart. What did he believe? What did he want?
“I have seen Karak’s truth,” he said at last. “I have seen the murder he would have me do. You will not teach me. I refuse.”
Velixar’s lips curled into a smile.
“You damn fool,” he said. “You do not have a choice. Whether you desire it or not, your soul will be redeemed.”
Down came the black lightning. It touched his eyes, his throat, his hands, and his heart. As he lay there, his scream pierced the night, and for the first time, Darius regretted letting Jerico live. The pain went on and on. Time lost meaning. Tears ran down his face, and he felt he would do anything to make the torture stop. But it continued, and he could not beg, not plead, only scream out his agony. When it finally did stop, he collapsed once more, and amid the ringing of his ears he heard Karak’s prophet laugh.
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