Deliverance

by Brittany Comeaux

  “So where is she then?” asked Blaze.

  Gavril paused briefly to see if Blaze would realize the answer to his own question. When the prince still looked confused, Gavril shook his head and answered, “Standing right in front of you.”

  Blaze’s head snapped to Crystal’s direction. She had a soft, but serious expression on her face and she never took her eyes off of him. Blaze suddenly had a feeling of anxiety; it made sense that a little girl whose parents were killed would grow up training to go after their murderer, and that she would lead others to do the same.

  “And the general . . .?” he asked.

  “Has never left her side,” Crystal replied, turning to Gavril’s direction and smiling.

  The old man smiled back and proudly stated, “He still honors his best friend’s wish to protect his little daughter to this day.”

  Blaze rolled his eyes and spoke, “All right then, I get the whole point of this now. She’s the princess, and the old guy is the general and she’s leading people to take the kingdom back. That’s all fine and dandy, but if you don’t mind, I’d like some time to think to myself. Can you all be so kind as to get the hell out? I’ve had enough of this touchy feely crap for one day.”

  “Very well, Blaze,” Crystal responded.

  “I will bring you new clothes later.” said Gavril, still a little peeved by the prince’s attitude, “You need to blend in with the common folk as much as you can. Maybe even cut your hair.”

  “Whatever,” Blaze uttered back. As if the general had room to talk with that long mane of his.

  The rebels then left the room and Blaze was left alone. He heard the door lock behind them. Figures, he thought. Why would they trust him right away? The rebel leader just revealed her deepest, darkest secret to a man who hates her guts. Of course, he didn’t really consider himself very trustworthy to begin with. All he hoped was that those rebels would give him time to train outside with his sword, if they even kept it for him. He wanted to be sure that when he faced his father, he would be ready to slice the bastard’s head open.

  CHAPTER 6

  The clothes Gavril brought to Blaze was hardly “new” like he said they would be. In walked the general with a pile of hand-me-downs folded neatly in one arm and carrying a pair of brown boots in the other.

  “I know it’s not what you are used to wearing, Prince,” he said when he saw Blaze’s displeased expression, “but it is necessary for you not to look like a prince at this point. These are some old training clothes of mine. I apologize if they don’t fit well, but it was all I could find.”

  Gavril gently laid the clothes on the bed and the boots on the floor. Then another rebel, the dwarf from the chamber, came in and set a sword and small dagger onto the bed.

  “If it was up to me, you wouldn’t get any bloody weapons!” the dwarf grumbled.

  “We need to let him train so that he may aid us in battles. We have plenty of people to watch him, Sigurd. You can help them if you want,” Gavril explained.

  The dwarf grumbled more under his breath and left the room, glaring at Blaze.

  “Where is my sword?” asked Blaze.

  “Since it has the Daldussan emblem on it, if you use it in public, it would defeat the purpose of wearing a disguise. Soldiers would be able to spot you instantly with that blade,” replied Gavril.

  “You didn’t answer my question. Where IS it?” Blaze replied.

  “Don’t worry. I have it stored away safely. When this is all over, you will get it back. I promise it will be taken care of,” Gavril answered.

  “Don’t waste your pity, old man,” the prince muttered.

  “I am not, believe me. It was Crystal who ordered us to give you new equipment. If it was up to me, you would only hold a sword under my supervision. She must see something in you that none of us do,” Gavril remarked.

  “More than what’s even there,” Blaze muttered, mostly to himself.

  “Go ahead and get dressed, Blaze. Crystal will be coming by later to show you to the training ground,” said Gavril.

  “Fine,” replied Blaze.

  When Gavril left the room, Blaze unfolded each article of clothing and examined them. There was a white, short-sleeved shirt and a faded blue jacket with rolled up, elbow-length sleeves and light, metal shoulder armor on it. The trousers were a light brown color, and there was a pair of gloves and a pair of boots that were all a darker brown.

  The sword that the dwarf brought in was attached to a dark brown belt with a gold buckle. The sword itself had a faded gold hilt with dark blue leather wrapped around the handle. The sheath was a dull metal that was also colored dark blue with gold trim. The dagger had a leather sheath and was small enough to be able to hide in his boot.

  Blaze then began to change out of his old clothes. He removed his vest and tunic, and when he felt his hair fall onto his bare shoulders, he then remembered what Gavril said about cutting it. He did not initially want to do it, just for the fact that he hated the idea of doing what that old man told him to, but then he realized that his father would most likely put up wanted posters that would picture him with his long hair. He figured Gavril must have told him to cut it for that reason, so he then made up his mind.

  Blaze picked up the dagger, removed the sheath, and examined the blade. It was fairly sharp, indicating that it had not been used much. He spotted the tall mirror on the other side of the room and approached it with the dagger. The glass was pretty dirty, but he could see well enough. He braced the dagger in his main hand, held his hair at the base of his neck with the other, and sliced through the hair with the dagger.

  For several minutes, Blaze stood in front of the mirror slicing away his hair and his long, black strands littered the floor around his feet. He did his best to make the strands even, but they still came out messy and stuck outward. When it was the length he desired, he began snipping off little strands until he decided it was good enough.

  Blaze then took a step back and examined his handiwork. Before, his hair draped over his shoulders in board straight strands. Now it was shorter than his chin and the strands where jagged around his angular jaw; this made his jaw look more pronounced as well as make his neck look thicker. The hair on the back of his head was more jagged and spiked out a little on the ends. His hair had not been so short since he was fifteen, and so after eight years of long hair, he had forgotten how thick it was.

  The prince shook his hands through his hair and brushed his shoulders to get the loose strands to fall to the floor. Once they had all fallen to the floor, he returned to the bed and finished changing.

  Despite what Gavril said, Blaze was surprised to find that the clothes fit him almost perfectly. He also thought they would look dumb on him, but he looked in the mirror again and admitted to himself that it wasn’t that bad. I’ll manage, he thought. Now all he had to do was wait for the princess to show up so he can get some fresh air for a change. He had felt cramped in that room long enough.

  ****

  Later that evening, Crystal had called a meeting for the rebels to discuss the plans to find the Gaull shards. After giving it some thought and realizing that he could help with planning, Crystal decided that Blaze should attend the meeting as well.

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Crystal?” Thaddeus asked.

  “Thaddeus has a point; we can’t exactly trust the son of our enemy,” added Kerali.

  “I understand your concerns, but I have faith that all of you can keep Blaze under control should he snap,” replied Crystal.

  “Believe me, I can unload all of my arrows into his body in less than five seconds,” Kerali claimed.

  “I don’t doubt it,” Crystal admitted.

  Once everyone began to get ready for the meeting, Crystal left to go to Blaze’s room. Two other rebel men accompanied her even though she didn’t think it was necessary. Once down the hall from Blaze’s room, she turned to the other two and said, “You two may wait here; I won’t be long.”

  T
hey nodded and stayed their ground as Crystal walked down the hall, knocked on Blaze’s door, and said, “Blaze? Are you dressed yet?”

  “Yeah,” she heard him say from inside.

  Crystal took a key out of her robe and unlocked the door. Inside, she saw Blaze sitting on his bed and leaning back against headboard with his arms folded across his chest and one of his legs crossed over the other. At first, she did not recognize him, because his new outfit, not to mention haircut, made him look completely different.

  “Oh, you cut your hair after all!” she said with a little smile. She then noticed the pile of his discarded hair on the floor in front of his mirror. She then added, “Wow, that’s quite a mess.”

  “Well I didn’t have any way to clean it. I’m stuck in this room, remember?” Blaze remarked.

  “Well, it’s nothing that a broom can’t fix.” she stated, “We are about to hold a meeting downstairs about the Gaull shards and we could use your help.”

  “Why? I don’t know anything about that stupid gem,” Blaze retorted, a little annoyed.

  “I was actually hoping you could tell us what you think Bogdan will do so that we may find the shards before he does,” Crystal corrected.

  Blaze grunted. “So you don’t know where to go and need me to light the way for you? You’re a clever one, aren’t you?”

  Crystal ignored his rude remark and responded, “Well, it will give you a chance to get out of your room anyway.”

  “So the dog gets to go for a walk? I don’t have to wear a leash, do I?” he asked, clearly trying to annoy her, but she didn’t let it get to her.

  “Let’s just get going, shall we?” she replied. Before turning out of the room, she then added, “By the way, I like it better that way.”

  “Like what?”

  “I think your hair looks better shorter,” Crystal replied with a smile.

  As soon as she turned around, Blaze rolled his eyes, shook his head, and muttered under his breath, “As if I care what you think.”

  Crystal led Blaze to the meeting room and the rebels who accompanied her before followed close behind them. As soon as they all walked into the room, the enormous crowd waiting inside instantly became silent. Crystal became uncomfortable, even though she knew that they weren’t silent because of her. She glanced at Blaze, who was straight-faced and looking around the room.

  Crystal cleared her throat and spoke, “Thank you for coming, everyone.”

  “What the hell is HE doing here?” a man standing near a group of dwarves blurted out.

  “We’re from a village that he had burned down! He ordered Daldussan soldiers to kill everyone! Why are you allowing HIM to wander among us?!” added another man who was standing next to the first.

  “Many people died in that village! CHILDREN even!” the first man shouted.

  “I understand how you all feel.” replied Crystal, “Although I by all means do not condone Blaze’s past actions, he has agreed to help us defeat Bogdan. Therefore, we should at least give him the chance to redeem himself.”

  “How can he EVER redeem himself after that massacre?” the second man yelled.

  “You realize I never actually killed any of those people myself, right? I never kill anyone that weak. It’s too easy,” Blaze countered, glaring at the two men.

  “But you ordered your men to! You are just as guilty as they are!” stated the second man.

  “Please, rebels,” Crystal interrupted, “This goes for everyone here. Blaze is far from being a saint, but we could really use his help! I am your leader for a reason, now trust my decisions.”

  Everyone remained quiet. The two men grudgingly stepped back into the crowd. After a momentary pause, Crystal spoke again.

  “Now then, we need to figure out how we will find the shards. There was a huge flash in the sky and five different beams of light shot into five different directions, so I believe that some people may have seen where they could have landed. I believe that if we send scouts into the surrounding areas, we may learn a few things. Maryn, Taryn, can you bring halflings to scout the areas?” Crystal said.

  “Sure, Boss,” replied Taryn.

  “We’ll ask around in the nearby villages,” Maryn added.

  “Good. Now, I believe we need to keep an eye out for Daldussan activity as well. Blaze can help us there,” continued Crystal.

  “Yeah?” muttered Blaze, without looking at Crystal.

  “What do you think Bogdan will do to find information? What should we look for to see if they have discovered the location of one?” asked Crystal.

  Blaze let out a long sigh and at the end of it, answered, “If I know him well enough, he will send his best warriors for something like this, if he didn’t actually go himself. I can imagine he will send one of his two generals, Perun and Orodan. If you see either of them and possibly an impressive amount of soldiers in any small towns or villages, then they are most likely heading to where a shard may be found.”

  “I believe that Saitar may be there as well.” replied Thaddeus, “He disappeared with Bogdan, so it wouldn’t surprise me if that traitor stayed with his master.”

  “Thaddeus may be right, so I would like for a few groups of rebels to travel through villages asking if anyone has seen them. Just try to keep a low profile about it,” Crystal explained, “What do the generals look like, Blaze?”

  “Perun is a dark elf from Dwyp and Orodan is a well over seven-foot-tall warrior covered in scars and who carries an axe that is too big for anyone else to wield. They are both impossible to miss,” replied Blaze.

  “Very well, and for anyone who has never seen him, Saitar has thin, gray hair that is brushed out of his face and is very thin and pale. Do not confront these people if you see them; just send someone to report it to us and trail them carefully. Leave at the first sign of danger and do not risk being exposed. Any volunteers for this mission may report to me or Gavril,” Crystal said. She then nodded in Gavril’s direction and he raised a hand slightly to acknowledge his presence. Crystal then ended with, “Once anyone hears any credible news, report it back to me immediately. I will then assemble a team to find the shard.”

  “I will be preparing things for you here, Crystal. The elders gave me some holy magic books for you to study, and I will be ready to help you when you get to them,” said Thaddeus.

  “I would appreciate that, Master Thaddeus, thank you,” replied Crystal, “So everyone begin preparations immediately. As soon as you are ready and rested, head out.”

  With a “yes ma’am!” everyone in the room began to leave to do their assigned jobs. Crystal approached Blaze after they began to file out of the room.

  “I am sure you would like to train while we wait on any news,” she said, “If you follow me, I can show you where the training grounds are.”

  “Fine,” replied Blaze.

  ****

  The rebels went an entire week without hearing any news. In the meantime, Blaze trained heavily every day. Everyone was amazed at his sword skills, and some people whispered that it may have even rivaled Gavril’s, which of course did not please the formal general to hear. After witnessing Blaze’s tactics firsthand during a training session, Gavril considered the prince to be a brutal and dishonorable warrior.

  Blaze on the other hand, was extremely irritated to have so many people watching over him. He knew that they still didn’t trust him, and frankly, he didn’t care if they did or not, but having just one person, much less several people, constantly looking over his shoulder was starting to get on his nerves. He could not make a single move without someone grasping the hilt of their sword, ready to draw it at the first sign of Blaze making a break for it.

  Sigurd and the other dwarves crowded around the training area and never gave him a peaceful moment. Blaze glared at Sigurd as a warning for him to back off, but the dwarf simply glared back and continued his own training.

  The terrain was extremely rough and rocky, and Blaze could tell that he was in the mountains somewhe
re. He was never told where the hideout was after he awoke, probably because if he tried to escape, he would be unfamiliar with the area and get lost easily. The rebels, who lived and scouted in the area on a daily basis, would easily find him if he dared to run off.

  Since there were so many dwarves around, Blaze concluded that he must have been in the Dwarven Mountains in southern Cierith. He knew that the soldiers had checked the area before, but it seemed that it hadn’t been checked thoroughly enough. Blaze had tried for several years to discover the location of the hideout. Now that he was actually there, he couldn’t care less if Bogdan found out, but he wasn’t going to be the one to tell him.

  As the day went on into the afternoon, Blaze trained alone with several wooden dummies. He took his anger and frustration out on several by slicing the dummies in half with each one move, and he eventually gave a larger dummy a brutish beating rather than using his actual skills. After slicing it several times, he noticed several people staring at him. He stood there awkwardly and gave a cold stare again, but it apparently only seemed to work on the soldiers he used to order around.

  “I think you’ve had enough for today,” said Gavril, who was the only person daring enough to approach him.

  “Get lost, old man,” Blaze barked.

  Ignoring Blaze’s comment, Gavril continued, “Maybe you should try practicing with another fighter, rather than destroy all of our training equipment.”

  “I work alone,” Blaze retorted and then sheathed his sword and stormed off. Two rebels approached him as he walked in their direction and Gavril walked up behind him.