by Billy Wong
"You are... worthy," he gasped.
The disappointment and fear in his eyes was such, she couldn't help feeling compassion even for him. "T-thank you," she said.
He turned his gaze from her to stare at the sky. "So this is how I end... I never expected to die so soon. To think my life was wasted over a god who didn't even exist..."
"What are you talking about?"
"Deathend never ascended to godhood. He died, as every man does. If I hadn't been such a fool, to indulge my brother's insanity... you see, it was at the urging of his 'god' that we rushed our invasion so—and that he just took your friend. But the helmet he spoke to never spoke back. He took what the Seer of Infinity said so literally... all this for nothing... why did I save the fool? If you weren't about to die now, I'd warn you your family might be your downfal..." His voice trailed off, and he died.
Regis' revelation gave Rose little relief. That Deathend might not exist didn't make the danger Sean was in any less real, and she had to somehow save him from the cruel man who'd taken him. But right now, she herself needed a little help. She began to crawl back across the battlefield, knowing that nobody would bother trying to save a woman lying still on the ground with two large weapons through her torso. The movement hurt far too bad, and it would have much easier to just give up than keep trying... but she never gave up, and resolving not to do so now used a dropped spear to pull herself to her feet.
She'd hardly begun to walk when she found herself surrounded by her allies, most of whom stared slack-jawed at her in awe, others gazing with admiration as if satisfied that she lived up to her legend. But few wasted much time gawking before rushing to aid her however they could, even if only with kind words. As they carried her off the field, she smiled despite her incredible torment. If not her people, they were nonetheless good folk, and worth her suffering. She just hoped she would manage to survive her unsurvivable wounds once again. She wasn't ready to die, not by a long shot.
#
Her eyes would barely open, but she forced herself to look at the source of the familiar male voice telling her to wake up. She couldn't recognize him, so badly were her senses impaired, and blinked repeatedly to clear her vision. Slowly, a face formed above her, wide, squarish, and topped by thick red hair. Finn?! She still couldn't make out his features for sure, and had to ask, "Are you really here, or is this my dying delusion?"
"I'm here, love. Please talk to me. I need you."
She still wasn't sure if he was real, but grinned with a supreme effort and mused, "It must be really bad, huh?"
"Most of the things in your torso are messed up. They say you should be dead five times over. How can you possibly be alive?"
"Because you'd want me to be," she said, trying to be romantic.
"I do. I really, really do. But I can't stand to see you suffer for my sake. So if you're hanging on on sheer love, enduring pain beyond all reason just to save me some sadness, you don't have to. Go, if you must. I free you."
She turned her head slightly to one side, all that she could manage of a shake. "You'd really accept it?"
He stared longingly into her pained eyes. Finally, he replied in a shaking voice, "No, Rose. I take it back. I love you so much, I can't live without you..."
"Then I won't die. I'm glad to see you love me enough to pretend you can let me go, but I don't want to go. I want to live. For you, for my kids, and for myself too. I want to see Jacob and Amber grow up, and to grow old with you. So it doesn't matter how bad I'm torn up. I'll will myself alive, as long as it takes for me to heal."
"You're wonderful." He bent down to kiss her.
She pushed feebly at him with a grin. "Save it for when I can appreciate it," she said, and went to sleep.
#
She opened blurry eyes again to find herself surrounded by her Terlonian allies, their looks full of worry which now diminished. She was inside the manor where she'd been staying, she realized, lying upon her now blood-soaked bed. "Ugh... was that just a dream? Finn, I wish you were here with me... I hurt!"
"I'm right here."
Rose looked towards the sound of his voice with great difficulty and saw him sitting next to her, eating a soup-soaked biscuit. "So it wasn't a dream."
Finn smiled. "Nope, you just fell asleep again. For a while I was afraid you wouldn't wake up, but I should have had more faith. Want a bite?"
Accepting the bread from her husband with her mouth, she relished the surprisingly tasty soup. She touched his massive arm. "Why are you here? I told you I had it handled."
"That's what you said in your silly letters, but you wrote those after having all the time in the world to think about it. I knew in your heart, you'd appreciate my help if I was here. But it looks like I arrived a bit too late."
"It's alright; I'm still alive."
"You scared me so bad—but I'm glad you wouldn't let yourself die."
They grinned admiringly at each other, and Rose asked, "Who's taking care of the kids?"
He gave the usual answer. "Babysitter. And yeah, I know we better get back soon. You already killed the emperor, so we can go once you're ready to move, right?"
"No, not yet. Regis' scarier brother Julian kidnapped my friend Sean." She sniffed. "He could already be dead. If not, we've got to go now! I can't lose him, too."
She tried to sit up, but he stopped her. "No, Rose. You're way too hurt."
"But Sean-"
He interrupted her with a smile. "Kelvin already took a bunch of soldiers to go after him. Don't worry, Fanteia's army is in shambles thanks to you, my mighty love. You've done enough, now let the Terlonians wrap up their fight. I'm sure you're not that adamant about stealing all their glory."
She laughed briefly. Pain! "Okay, Finn. What about you? Maybe you could help them."
"Nah, I'm staying right here with you. We're going to get through this together."
Rose agonizingly shook her head and insisted, "No, Finn, you've got to help Kelvin. I'm scared for him; Julian's tough, even if I did hurt him. Just go, okay? I swear I'll be here when you get back." It would be a tough promise to keep, but she had to, now that she'd made it. "I-I love you."
Struggling to make her muscles work, she reached up to stroke his face, but her arm was so unsteady that she faltered and her nails, for once well-trimmed as a result of her royal lifestyle, scraped his face when she tried. "Sorry for being such a klutz..."
"It's okay," he said as he took her shaking hand in his own and guided her loving touch. "I love you too, and trust you'll come through. You wouldn't lie to me."
"So... are you going to go?"
He looked at her for a while with great worry in his eyes, but finally said, "Fine." He kissed her gently, squeezed her hand in a gesture of encouragement, and left.
#
"What do you want with me?" a bound Sean demanded while he watched Julian treat his wounds inside the tent. In his battle with Rose, the Fanteian had suffer several injuries, among them being blinded in one eye. "It's over, the prophecy was wrong! Regis is dead, and I didn't do it!"
His heart nearly stopped as Julian mused, "So why should I keep you alive, if you are so useless?" He raised his sword, and Sean's life flashed before him. Julian might have been bluffing, but it was impossible to tell; the anger in his eyes seemed all too real. But after a pause, he shook his head. "No, you were not destined to kill my brother. You shall slay... Deathend."
"How's that possible?! First of all, Deathend's a god, and doesn't even have a physical body—does he? Secondly, isn't he your god?" He felt afraid to ask the next question, but doubted it would influence the actual outcome, and forced himself to say the words. "So why haven't you killed me yet?"
"I want you to fulfill your destiny. Deathend is no longer of use to me."
Sean blinked. "What?"
Julian's remaining eye filled with fear as he revealed his dilemma. "I promised him I would conquer Terlon and kill you for him. Though I could still do the latter anytime I please, it seem
s I won't be able to accomplish the former soon enough, though I did at least manage to kill your friend Rose. But Deathend is on the verge of reappearing in our world, and won't likely forgive me for not taking Terlon by now. Besides, with my brother dead the empire should be all mine, and I'd rather rule it myself than serve another, even a god. And you will be my key to doing so, for you will kill Deathend."
"But how am I supposed to do that? Even when mortal, he was said to be the strongest of the strong, already a killer of gods."
"The question of how is something I must look into. But the great seer Evan has foretold it is your destiny to overthrow him, somehow."
How did Julian know Sean wouldn't just kill him too, if he gained the power to slay a war god? He imagined using some powerful magic weapon to defeat the cleric and win his freedom. For now, though, he'd have to go along with Julian's plans and stay alive until he saw his chance. "All right. I'm not opposed to destroying an evil god."
His captor looked him in the eye and gave a cruel grin. "Don't think I won't be watching you carefully. Turn on me, little boy, and your death is assured."
Of course, it seemed likely to Sean that Julian intended to kill him anyway once his purpose had been served and Deathend was gone. He grew angrier at his situation and wanted to lash out, but controlled himself knowing to rebel now would only earn him pain. Then his ears picked up sounds of fighting which grew ever closer, and he wondered what was going on. He hoped someone would come to save him. Julian too heard the noise. Peeking outside, he must have seen the situation was not good, because he tried to escape out the side of the tent opposite the flap, cutting a hole with his sword and dragging Sean after him. Kelvin was waiting for them.
Julian sneered, unimpressed. "And you think you'll stop me? I killed your queen."
The frown which spread across Kelvin's face told Sean that Rose was indeed dead. He'd held onto the slightest shred of hope his friend would survive her mortal wounds, but now... Enraged, he stumbled into Julian from behind, momentarily throwing him off balance. His uncle saw the opening and took it, swinging his mace at the cleric's side. The powerful blow put a dent in his armor and probably cracked ribs, but Julian spun away. He turned back around to slash at the pursuing Kelvin. Too committed to pressing the attack, Kelvin could not evade in time, and the terrible sword ripped into his belly. He fell screaming in agony.
Julian smirked. "Easy, too easy. Not a very good attempt, that."
Sean, who'd fallen after trying to tackle Julian, cried out helplessly for someone to save his uncle. No one came to answer his pleas, the Terlonian soldiers he saw being overwhelmed by regrouping Fanteians. "Please don't kill him! He's harmless!"
"He was hardly harmless," Julian said, rubbing his ribs. "But I've no need to finish him when he's already dead. Have your last words. I won't gain from denying them."
Crawling next to the badly bleeding Kelvin, Sean begged, "Don't die, please, be strong!"
"Too late for that," he rasped. "Listen, Sean, I have to tell you a secret. It's true what I'm about to say, and I'm not delirious." He swallowed. "You are King Gregor's son, who he entrusted me to raise."
What?! Sean stared at his uncle, and imagined Julian too to be gaping in disbelief above them. "You always said you found me in a basket floating downriver from northern Fanteia. Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"
"I'm sorry I lied. But I didn't think it would do you any good to know, and dream unnecessarily of a life you'd never have. Now, though, with Danica still missing, your prospects of taking the throne don't look too bad. Even if you're a bastard, the people will give a chance to anyone of royal blood under these circumstances. If only Rose lives until you get back, I'm sure she'd pass the crown to you, being your friend and all."
"Rose is still alive?"
Kelvin smiled sadly. "Last I saw her, yes. What amazing fortitude. But she won't live, I'm sure. No one's that strong."
Tears burst from Sean's eyes for the imminent deaths of both his uncle and his friend. Wiping them away, he choked out, "How was I born? You said I'm a bastard... who was my mother?"
After a glance at Julian, Kelvin said, "You were born to a Fanteian lady who Gregor had an affair with shortly before Danica's birth. But the lady had a husband, whose wrath she feared if he were to figure out he wasn't her child's father. So she faked the baby's death, and worked out an arrangement to have him—you—spirited away to Terlon. Gregor couldn't very well take you into his own home, so he gave you to me to raise. But I though it would be too much of a lie to say you were my own child, so I simply told you that I didn't know your parentage until now. Can you forgive me?"
He was close to the end, almost white with blood loss, and Sean sobbed. "Of course I forgive you. I love you. You should've called yourself my father. You deserved it... Father."
"Thank you for calling me that. Do me proud, Sean."
"I will. But other people will contest my claim of royal descent. Do you have any proof of my birth?"
Kelvin smiled wanly. His voice weakening with each word, he said, "Of course. I have it hidden away in the safest place possible. I left it i-in..." He stopped and closed his eyes. Sean touched a trembling hand to his neck. Nothing. Sean fell over on top of the man who'd been a father to him and broke down wailing, not even thinking about the proof of his bloodline.
Julian, who Sean had all but forgotten, snapped, "Get up, prince. Too bad you'll never enjoy your royal birthright. Born in Fanteia, huh? At least now I know you really are the one." Grabbing him by the back of his collar, Julian dragged him to his feet. He felt even surer now that once Deathend was dealt with, he too would be disposed of.
Before Julian could take him wherever he was going, a Fanteian soldier flew through the air into the cleric, knocking him down. Sean looked in the direction from which the unlikely missile had come, and saw a redheaded man even taller and much bulkier than the late Regis holding a huge mace drenched with blood and brains. He quickly realized that this could only be Rose's husband, Finn.
Julian didn't share this insight, and pushing aside the corpse that had struck him demanded, "Who the hell are you, another Terlonian fool? I'll kill you the same as every other one I've fought, like your queen!"
That struck a nerve. "My lady doesn't die so easily," Finn snapped, "but you caused her a lot of pain. Now I'm going to give you the same amount of pain and see if you survive." He charged bellowing his anger, and Julian didn't shirk from meeting him head on. However, upon making his first slash at Finn, he was immediately knocked back by the whooshing mace which intercepted his weapon. He backpedaled as the giant came on, driving him unfailingly back with bearlike swipes. Though skilled, the cleric was already battered from the previous fighting as well as half blind. It became clear he would lose if he continued the fight, and losing here would kill him earlier than Deathend would. After barely dodging a vicious swing which nearly took off his head, Julian turned and ran. Finn, face twisted with frightful rage, made to chase him.
"Wait!" Sean yelled. "Don't leave me."
"The other Terlonians can take care of you."
"The others are still struggling. Help them, it's more important than sating your urge for vengeance."
Finn looked at Kelvin's corpse, and realizing Sean's words were in spite of losing a loved one at Julian's hands seemed to calm. After a last barrage of angry words in Julian's direction, he turned to help his Terlonian allies defeat the Fanteians they still fought. The battle over, he returned to Sean's side. "Thanks. Rose would want me to do the same thing." Lifting Kelvin's body off the ground, he whispered, "I should've wasted less time making my dramatic entrance. I suppose I shouldn't leave you to go royal hunting, or take you along for it. Back to Belar, then."
Sean didn't speak much for most of the way back, too busy with his own thoughts. Finally, as they came to the city gates, he asked, "So how is Rose doing? She was in an awfully bad way last time I saw her."
Finn's features were tense with worry, but he tried
to sound casual as he replied. "Oh, you'll see soon enough. But I'm sure she's just fine."
He managed to smile, though he could hardly believe it. They went to Rose's room. She looked terribly pale, almost as pale as Kelvin's body, but unbelievably she clung to life. After struggling to open her eyes, she greeted Finn and Sean with a weak smile. Sean noticed how unfocused her eyes really were, and wondered how much longer she had left. Sadly, Finn was no doubt in denial about her chances of survival.
The two men had to lean close to hear her speak. "Thanks for saving him, Finn. Sean, glad to see you're okay. Where's Kelvin?"
The flow of tears from his eyes increased while he informed her, "Julian killed him. But I'm glad to see you're still here. Your fight with the brothers was beautiful, Rose."
"No it wasn't. What it was was painful. I'm so sorry I couldn't save your uncle. If I was just a little stronger, or Regis a little weaker... But is Julian dead now?"
Finn sighed. "No, he got away. Prince here wouldn't let me chase him. But I guess you would approve, since he made me help more of his countrymen survive instead."
"Deathend is going to kill him soon anyway, as he told me," Sean said. "Though when he appears, we'll have a big new problem, and I have no idea how we'll deal with it. How are we supposed to take on a god?"
Rose shook her head. "Don't worry about Deathend. He's dead, for centuries now."
"Huh?"
She explained what Regis had told her, that Julian's divine communions were mere hallucinations and though worshipped as a war god, Deathend was really only a long-dead man. "I just hope Fanteia won't try to invade again anytime soon. I don't know if we could withstand another attack."
