by Darian Mon Apr 15, 2019 2:49 amThe old man grunted as he climbed down from the saddle. His one boot struck the soft earth, wet from the rain that hounded his ride. He stepped carefully off the path, knowing the way, careful not to sink the wood of the peg too far off from hard ground.
They had laughed when they told the news in Blacksands. Another notch to be carved in the Black Boar's post on the island's center.. A career making catch, one of Aralkor's own fire swords. And there he swung, just as they boasted, the bruised and broken face of the paladin cold and pale as the moonlight broke through the rain clouds.
The man was tall and strong, was in life. He cut a striking figure, his mother's looks to thank for that, and he was the picture of young heroism when he set out. Now the picture had changed.
"Jessie.. Sun forgive me," he choked out, hobbling his way to the tree. His son swung gently in the wind. The sound of rain was a million miles away even as it washed the tears from the old man's face.
"The sun isn't known to forgive. Fires of vengeance burn brightest old timer," came a voice from the tree. Where nothing was just moments before there now sat a man in a long, dark coat. He was dry, even as the storm raged on.
"That's my son! Get away from him!" He rushed forward with his hands clenched. The man in the coat stood slowly, unconcerned with his misplaced wrath and held up his hands in a meaningful gesture.
"I'm not here for the hanged boy, I'm here for you Captain. We're here for you." The peg-legged man stopped in his tracks, gobsmacked. He knew at once what he spoke to.
"What do you want with me? I've lost everything.. I have nothing."
"Oh, dry your eyes man. It's when we've lost everything that the fires can cast the longest shadows. It wasn't far from here that I watched you work. This land is my home.. And it burned so brightly the night you lost that leg."
"Who are you, specter? What is your game?" the words were meant to sound menacing, but the man who was once the great Captain Fire Eater didn't have it in him anymore.
"We don't play games in the shadows when such a had been committed. The Light showed you the way to find your first born, but She wants you to use this for revenge. She will show you right to the gangsters who did this and you'll strike them down.. Or they you. But your son will still be in the dirt." the man's voice was calm, ethereal almost. It was like a whisper that echoes inside the Captain's skull.
A deep sigh escaped his old, quivering lips. He'd spilled enough blood for a life time...and now his line was broken. Blacksands had stolen away everything from him and She had let it happen. Was this a test? Aralkor's will to prove her chosen?
The shadow stepped forward, eyes dark and predatory. His words soothed the captain's thoughts. "The great king is not cruel. He would see your woes put to rest, not your boy. Not those who killed him for the colors he wore. You are a storied warrior.. Are you strong enough to accept a hand outstretched to sooth you?"
Here it was. For days he had begged and pleaded to empty air. As he rode he spoke, as he lay sleepless he planned and offered and tried to catch the eye of the Lady of the Sun.. And she had not even shown her light through the rain. But here stood a servant of a God, the only dry thing for miles, smiling and real as the nose on the captain's own face.
The aged man stepped forward, and on peg and knee he bowed low. He knelt in the mud, sobbing with his head held low. "name your price shadow! Just give me back my son. Please.." it wasn't fear that gripped him. Nor the adrenaline that you feel before stepping onto a battlefield with the lines of troops standing in the distance. This was humility. There was nothing that mattered more than the boy hanging from this tree.
" Your first born is your world.. But such great men cast their shadows on their lessers. I will take the boy's second son and each second son of your line for a hundred years... In return for his life and body returned to its glory. Take my hand you poor man.. Let Barlow's shadow cover you in warmth."
There was no hesitation, nothing on Terra could stop him from getting his son back be damned the price. As his fingers touched the black hand of the shadow he was pulled to his feet. A gasp escaped the boy's lips and his legs began to kick. Alive now but still hanged, the young paladin panicked.
The captain joined his panic, rushing to grab his son's legs to lift him to give the boy breath. A soft chuckle rose from the shadow, who with a wave of his hand untied the rope from both ends, the boy's neck and the tree that held it lynched. Just as he came, he was gone, but the sound echoed inside the Captain's skull.
The father and son fell in a heap, and the sobbing cries of happiness drowned out the rain as the captain showered his boys now rose colored face. The pain in his hand brought him back, as he saw the mark of the King of Shadows burning itself into his palm.
"Father.. How?" a pained choking cough cut short his question as the paladin gripped at his throat, only stopping to look at his own mark just as his father. Tear stained eyes, two generations of cursed men now, stared at each other as the realization set in.
Aralkor's light would never shine on their family again.
They had laughed when they told the news in Blacksands. Another notch to be carved in the Black Boar's post on the island's center.. A career making catch, one of Aralkor's own fire swords. And there he swung, just as they boasted, the bruised and broken face of the paladin cold and pale as the moonlight broke through the rain clouds.
The man was tall and strong, was in life. He cut a striking figure, his mother's looks to thank for that, and he was the picture of young heroism when he set out. Now the picture had changed.
"Jessie.. Sun forgive me," he choked out, hobbling his way to the tree. His son swung gently in the wind. The sound of rain was a million miles away even as it washed the tears from the old man's face.
"The sun isn't known to forgive. Fires of vengeance burn brightest old timer," came a voice from the tree. Where nothing was just moments before there now sat a man in a long, dark coat. He was dry, even as the storm raged on.
"That's my son! Get away from him!" He rushed forward with his hands clenched. The man in the coat stood slowly, unconcerned with his misplaced wrath and held up his hands in a meaningful gesture.
"I'm not here for the hanged boy, I'm here for you Captain. We're here for you." The peg-legged man stopped in his tracks, gobsmacked. He knew at once what he spoke to.
"What do you want with me? I've lost everything.. I have nothing."
"Oh, dry your eyes man. It's when we've lost everything that the fires can cast the longest shadows. It wasn't far from here that I watched you work. This land is my home.. And it burned so brightly the night you lost that leg."
"Who are you, specter? What is your game?" the words were meant to sound menacing, but the man who was once the great Captain Fire Eater didn't have it in him anymore.
"We don't play games in the shadows when such a had been committed. The Light showed you the way to find your first born, but She wants you to use this for revenge. She will show you right to the gangsters who did this and you'll strike them down.. Or they you. But your son will still be in the dirt." the man's voice was calm, ethereal almost. It was like a whisper that echoes inside the Captain's skull.
A deep sigh escaped his old, quivering lips. He'd spilled enough blood for a life time...and now his line was broken. Blacksands had stolen away everything from him and She had let it happen. Was this a test? Aralkor's will to prove her chosen?
The shadow stepped forward, eyes dark and predatory. His words soothed the captain's thoughts. "The great king is not cruel. He would see your woes put to rest, not your boy. Not those who killed him for the colors he wore. You are a storied warrior.. Are you strong enough to accept a hand outstretched to sooth you?"
Here it was. For days he had begged and pleaded to empty air. As he rode he spoke, as he lay sleepless he planned and offered and tried to catch the eye of the Lady of the Sun.. And she had not even shown her light through the rain. But here stood a servant of a God, the only dry thing for miles, smiling and real as the nose on the captain's own face.
The aged man stepped forward, and on peg and knee he bowed low. He knelt in the mud, sobbing with his head held low. "name your price shadow! Just give me back my son. Please.." it wasn't fear that gripped him. Nor the adrenaline that you feel before stepping onto a battlefield with the lines of troops standing in the distance. This was humility. There was nothing that mattered more than the boy hanging from this tree.
" Your first born is your world.. But such great men cast their shadows on their lessers. I will take the boy's second son and each second son of your line for a hundred years... In return for his life and body returned to its glory. Take my hand you poor man.. Let Barlow's shadow cover you in warmth."
There was no hesitation, nothing on Terra could stop him from getting his son back be damned the price. As his fingers touched the black hand of the shadow he was pulled to his feet. A gasp escaped the boy's lips and his legs began to kick. Alive now but still hanged, the young paladin panicked.
The captain joined his panic, rushing to grab his son's legs to lift him to give the boy breath. A soft chuckle rose from the shadow, who with a wave of his hand untied the rope from both ends, the boy's neck and the tree that held it lynched. Just as he came, he was gone, but the sound echoed inside the Captain's skull.
The father and son fell in a heap, and the sobbing cries of happiness drowned out the rain as the captain showered his boys now rose colored face. The pain in his hand brought him back, as he saw the mark of the King of Shadows burning itself into his palm.
"Father.. How?" a pained choking cough cut short his question as the paladin gripped at his throat, only stopping to look at his own mark just as his father. Tear stained eyes, two generations of cursed men now, stared at each other as the realization set in.
Aralkor's light would never shine on their family again.
