The Crimson Claymore

by Craig A. Price Jr.

  Silence filled the air, and Searon often checked on the boar, eagerly awaiting it to be cooked. Once it was fully cooked throughout, he and Karceoles set the beast down and began carving it with knives. There was much that the two set aside to be dried out and packed back in their packs as travel food, but they immediately carved their favorite parts for their meal of the night. Searon cringed as he noticed the wizard had taken the hog’s brain, heart, and other organs to feast upon.

  When their stomachs were full, Searon pulled out his pipe, followed by Karceoles. The wizard held his zylek next to his pipe and began puffing, allowing it to ignite the tobacco and herbs. Searon held out a taper he ignited from the fire and placed its tip on his tobacco, inhaling the soothing mixture of raspberry leaves and harsh tobacco with whiskey spice. Smoke encircled them before disappearing with the wizard’s magic. Searon was glad to have the aroma linger in the air for a few moments making a pleasant smell to go with the boar and the fire.

  “Why are you really after the draeyks? I know there is more to it than you will let on. There is a personal hate toward these creatures. I know there is because I share that same quality with you,” Starlyn said. She looked at him with interest and seemed to scoot forward slightly.

  Searon nearly choked on his pipe and coughed a few times, allowing too much smoke to escape his lungs. He looked at her and opened his mouth in an attempt to speak, but no words came out. Closing his eyes in frustration, he rested his head on his clenched fist that turned white from the blood draining from it. When he looked back up to meet her gaze (that hadn’t faltered), he attempted to speak again, but still no words would flow. Exhaling deeply, he cursed and rose to his feet and walked away from the camp without looking back.

  Shivering from the cold night, he walked just far enough out of earshot from the camp and stabbed his claymore into the ground. Leaning on its handle, he looked at the stars that shone extra bright that night. They blurred in his vision, and he fought back tears from falling. His heart pounded inside his chest, and he shivered at the haunting memories that sank back into his mind. He knew the time was coming to divulge the information to the helpful kheshlar, but he didn’t think he was ready yet. It was hard enough having the burden to bear, but sharing it was even harder.

  With only a few minutes of silence, he heard footsteps treading the ground behind him. There were three distinct presses against the ground, and he knew it wasn’t her. Turning around, he saw Karceoles staggering up to him, using his zylek as a walking stick. He stopped in front of Searon and leaned on his zylek. The wizard shook his head and spat on the ground before taking his pipe out and giving it another puff.

  “Do not take your suffering out on that innocent kheshlar who only wishes to help you. She wishes to connect with you because the both of you have a personal interest against these draeyks,” Karceoles said, brushing his long grimy hair out of his face with his right hand.

  What the wizard said caught Searon by surprise, and he swallowed hard. He had never heard the wizard speak with such serenity and compassion. Surely, there had to be an ulterior motive for it, otherwise the wizard would be provoking conflict instead of trying to resolve it.

  “Since when do you care?” Searon challenged.

  Frustration baked Searon’s bones, making them feel like they were aflame. He wasn’t cold anymore, but he still shivered at the haunting thoughts seeping through his mind. Every time his past came up, it only got worse for him. All he wanted to do was bury it and move on without glancing back through his personal history.

  “She can be a great ally for fighting the draeyks and eventually connecting the kheshlars to our cause!” Karceoles spat.

  Realization struck Searon now, and he contemplated on the wizard’s wisdom. Wisdom? He had never known the wizard actually had any. Most of the time, it seemed the wizard spat out of his mouth before he could think, but Searon realized every foolish move the wizard did was a part of his greater plan. Where do I stand in this fool’s plan? I don’t want a part of this. I only want to kill the draeyks and go home…home…No, I want solitude, not a home.

  “Is that all you care about?” Searon asked.

  He cursed himself inside. If the wizard didn’t know everything he seemed to about the draeyks, he could ditch him. But could he ditch the wizard? It seemed the wizard knew every button to push and where to find anyone that held problems with the draeyks. Perhaps the old man had only been lucky so far, but why take that risk? Searon knew he had to follow the old man—and into the war he was creating. I want no part of any war. Curse wars.

  “There are other reasons, but yes, to be blunt. Now go apologize, you fool of a human.”

  Searon cursed himself in his head again. It was a strange feeling to be wrong about something and especially a strange feeling for the wizard to be right. He knew there was little chance of receiving any help from the kheshlars in the future, but with Starlyn…there was a chance. No matter how little of a chance, it was still a chance. The wizard tilted his head toward the campfire and cleared his throat.

  The memories he kept suppressed for so long drowned him in such a rush that he could barely breathe. He remembered the first time that he had seen Victoria, his love.

  * * *

  They called him the captain of Legain, and they attacked the city of Tiermera. Tiermera had sent mercenaries into Legain that had sabotaged and stolen their food supply. There was little forgiveness in the city of Legain, and they placed Searon in charge of storming the city of Tiermera with an army of warriors at his side.

  He remembered the battle well as it was his last; at least he’d promised himself that it would be. Storming the city, they left no male survivors. Every warrior and every man that bore arms Searon and his men struck down without even a thought of pity.

  With the city in ruins, they had cheered their victory, taunting at the faces of the women and children before riding off. Searon waited back to be the last to exit the city as was accustom for the captain of the force. Without a sight of any of his men left, he’d trotted his horse forward, nearly pitying the women and children of thieves. Something had caught his eye, though, before he reached the outskirts. It was a glistening ruby necklace attached around the neck of a young lady. Searon pulled his brown mare to a stop and glanced at the young woman. Tears filled her eyes and dropped into her hands that held prayer in front of her.

  Curious, Searon had edged his horse forward toward the young woman. She didn’t flinch or even pay him heed even when his horse stopped right at her side. She continued to pray with her eyes closed and tears gently falling down her cheeks. He looked to the ground at which she prayed and saw a graying man with a clean stab wound through his chest. Searon recognized the man as one of his killings. The old man actually had impressed him in battle and was quite a formidable foe.

  “Father, may the light shine on your soul,” the woman’s voice said shakily.

  A lump seemed to get caught deep in Searon’s throat as he dismounted and stood next to her. Her eyes opened, but she did not look at him. The expression of knowing that it was he that killed her father was clearly shown on her face. She did not make an attempt to strike at him or curse, or even glance at him in any way.

  “I am sorry,” Searon whispered.

  “It is not your fault. You did as you are told, and you were told to storm our village,” she whispered.

  Her voice was soft like a wind chime soothing in the night. Searon seemed captivated by it as well as the young woman’s beauty. Her straight, glossy brunette hair hung just below her shoulders, and her lips seemed small but firm with the bottom one twice as large as her top. She glanced at him, and he was taken aback by her swirling brown eyes like shimmering pools of delicious chocolate. Her eyes did not carry hate or displeasure of any kind toward Searon, and for that he was relieved. Her nose was small and full of freckles and seemed to twitch when she looked at him.

  “What is your name, my lady?” Searon had asked calmly.

 
Her thin eyebrows drifted at his question, but she’d looked at him in calm wonder nonetheless. “I am Victoria, daughter of Joseph.”

  Searon was both taken aback by the mention of her father’s name and relieved at the same time. With her using that title, it had meant that she had not been married and so he had not killed her husband. It also gave the fact that had killed her only family and the one that meant dearest to her.

  Something about her had an effect on Searon unlike any other, and he didn’t quite understand it. He felt like he could travel to the end of the earth for her. For a taste of her lips he would circle the earth time and time again if he was able. His heart pounded hard in his chest at such thoughts. Never before had a woman affected him so. He had never taken a woman, and most of his time was spent in the glory of the battlefield, but now he wasn’t too sure of himself anymore.

  He knelt before her, and she looked down at him in surprise. “My lady, I am truly sorry for your loss. My name is Searon, and if you take my hand I solemnly promise to never cause harm to any again unless it is in defending you.”

  Searon looked at her eagerly for an answer. It did not come, though, and she stared down at him in seemingly disbelief. She seemed to be taking her time in considering his request. Searon did not budge in the slightest and kept his stare at her eyes true.

  “Why should I trust in the word of a brutal warrior?” she asked.

  “I had almost left this town until something caught my eye. I saw you standing alone over here and felt something inside of me that told me to come see you. I have never seen anyone or anything as beautiful or as kind as you, and if you let me I will spend the rest of my life proving my worth to you…” Searon said softly as he looked at her.

  She blushed thickly, making the freckles on her cheeks seem to sparkle. “What makes me more special than another?”

  “No others have caught my eye like you have. I feel that once I have you, my life will be complete.”

  “And no more killing the innocent?” she whispered.

  “You have my word, my lady. My sword will only strike those who wish to harm you.” Searon bowed his head.

  She smiled slightly and nodded, “I accept, Sir Knight Searon.”

  With that, the first smile that wasn’t from bloodshed came across Searon’s face. He leaped up from being on his knee and took Lady Victoria into his arms. Gently, he placed her on the back of his horse before getting atop the saddle himself. He rode off into the blood-red sunset with her arms cautiously around him.

  * * *

  Chapter 5

  Searon exhaled deeply, knowing the wizard was right. He knew he needed to talk with Starlyn and open up to her. There would be a use for her skills, and he knew it. It was hard remembering the past that haunted his dreams every night, and he tried to remember the last time he woke up without a cold sweat.

  He paused for a moment before leaving the wizard behind to walk back to camp. Starlyn still sat in the same spot she had before he left, with her back to him. Her legs were crisscrossed on the dirt a few paces from the fire, her hammer in her hand. She sharpened the edges with a stone, creating scraping sounds that echoed through the camp and sent chills down Searon’s spine.

  “I’m sorry. I was out of line to walk away from you.”

  She looked deep into his eyes, her own silvery eyes swirling with understanding. He knew that she had her own feelings toward the draeyks and imagined it was just as hard for her to talk about.

  He sat down next to her, holding his legs tight in his arms and inhaled deeply. A trail of ants paced the ground in front of him, and he stared at them with interest. Grabbing a small stick on his right, he poked at them, causing a disruption in their pattern. Looking back to Starlyn, he saw she was still staring at him, and yet a word had not escaped her lips. It would make things easier if he didn’t have to look into her mesmerizing eyes.

  “It’s just hard talking about it…about my past,” he sighed.

  He looked up to her for only a moment before casting his eyes back to the ground and scattering ants. Words were harder to get out than he thought. He knew he had to get it out or it would eat at him from the inside. Still, there was nobody that he had told what had happened to his family. Even the wizard didn’t know, yet somehow there was knowledge in his eyes that Searon dared not think about.

  “Sometimes, it is better to let things out. It can become unsettling inside our minds, clouding our judgment,” Starlyn said softly, still staring at Searon.

  “I haven’t told anybody about what happened,” Searon shook his head as haunting memories dawned on him once again.

  “Not even the wizard?” she asked.

  “No…but I think he knows. I don’t yet know how…curse wizards,” Searon said.

  He began to ponder if the old man could read minds with magic or see the happenings around the land with it. There was still question as to how the old man knew so much, but he didn’t feel up to asking.

  “If you don’t wish to talk about it, I understand.” Starlyn twirled a flower in her hand between her fingers. It was a beautiful blonde lily that glittered from the starlight with the same hue as her glistening hair. She held it back to where she picked it from, and it seemed to mold itself back to life. When she removed her hand from the flower, it was attached back into the ground and life flowed through it once more.

  “No…you are right. I need to talk about it. The nightmares haunt me every night, and it is hard to willingly think about that night.” Searon took a deep breath and looked back into her eyes. They were inviting, willing him to continue.

  “What happened that night?”

  “Forty months, three days, and twenty-one hours ago was when I woke up.” Searon shook with shivers.

  “You keep track?” Starlyn asked, bewildered.

  “No…I just know…somehow…I know exactly how long it has been, and yet I never think about it.”

  “What happened?”

  “I came home and ate dinner with my wife as I always would. After dinner, I went into my son’s room and kissed him goodnight. It was like every other night. I didn’t suspect…I…there was no warning,” Searon brushed his hands through his thick brown hair. “That night…draeyks broke into our home and slaughtered my family. I watched them as they mercilessly murdered my family while I tried to fight back. Never had I faced a draeyk before and thought they were only a campfire story. By the time I had killed all the draeyks, my family was already dead. Since that moment, I have vowed to hunt down all the draeyks I could find and slaughter them one by one,” Searon said, quickly feeling the weight lift from off of his chest. Tears filled his eyes, but he quickly dabbed them away, not wanting to shed any more tears over that night. The past would not change, but he could look forward to the future.

  “I am sorry you had to endure that; it must have been terrible,” Starlyn whispered.

  “If I dwell on it too much, it only gets worse. I try to stay focused and keep going forward. Nothing can be done about the past, but I can do something about the future. I will keep fighting draeyks until I die,” he said with anger replacing his grief.

  “Something doesn’t make sense,” Starlyn said.

  “What?”

  “You had never seen draeyks before that night. They had not been a problem in nearby villages? There were no rumors of them in the area?”

  “No…humans were oblivious to their existence before. We knew only of daerions…and they are long extinct now. History books told us of the Battle of Lenor Lake where we defeated the daerions. Humans only battle each other, and that was why I left the cities in place of a small village.”

  “For what reason were you attacked first?”

  Searon looked at her, puzzled, and dropped his eyes down deep in thought. He hadn’t ever thought of it before now. Still now, his family’s slaughter rattled in his brain with every detail he could fathom, but his mind still wouldn’t delve into the reasons it might have happened.

  “I do no
t know…it wasn’t just me…our entire village was destroyed. I think I may be the only survivor. After burying my family, I traveled back to the village to find it in ruins. There were a few draeyks still lingering there, and I slaughtered them before leaving, never to turn back.”

  “It seems our friends were searching for something in that village. I wonder if they ever found it,” she whispered.

  She had given him something new to ponder, and he lost himself in thought. There was a lot of wisdom in her words, and he realized that men were more people of action while women thought about the bigger picture. Perhaps it would be good to have her travel with them.

  “We are alike, you and I; both of our families have been lost to the draeyks.” Starlyn wiped a tear that threatened to fall down her face.

  “It is good to have a friend,” Searon nodded.

  He rose to his feet at the same time as she did. She stepped closer to him, and he flinched as she gave him a hug before she disappeared into the night. The wizard stepped into the area and gave a thumbs-up before lying down in the grass to watch the stars. Searon propped himself up against a large smooth stone that rested near the fire before he closed his eyes for darkness to consume him.

  Searon awoke in the middle of the night startled as Starlyn slid behind him to lie down. She put her arms around his waist, sliding under his armor to feel his fit abs. At first, it made Searon uncomfortable, and he shivered at the sudden affection. But after a moment, he grew fond of the closeness and smiled, closing his eyes once again. It had been a long time since he had known the comfort of lying down next to a woman. He wasn’t ready for a relationship, or even anything close anytime soon, but it was still nice to have someone that close to him. When he closed his eyes yet again, the cruel nightmares didn’t haunt him anymore that night.