THREE DAYS LATER
High-ranking Paladins and officials within the city create an impromptu trial for Garret’s crimes early in the evening. They have him chained down to the ground in a town square. The whole street is filled with many people, and the entrance to the building I’m in is blocked. Spectators near Garret lash out their frustrations by throwing anything small that’ll have a significant impact to give him pain.
Emdal, followed by what I’m assuming is the consul members Haleema mentioned, exits the peach-colored stone building behind Garret. Emdal is still wearing his armor. The members have long colorful cloaks over their tunics that reach to their feet. I see orange, sage, black, cobalt, and reflective red outfits. One person has their hood up. Three of them are male, one elf, and one female. If I have to guess the hooded one, I bet it’s a woman. That person is shorter and thinner than the rest.
“Hey,” Ulrika says to me in a soft voice.
“What?” I say, keeping my attention fixated on what’s going on in the town square.
“Hey, look at me.”
“What is it?”
“Kaio,” she says in a raised soft yell, turning my head to her with her hand. “You’ve been glued to that window for an hour.” Her fingers ease off my chin but keep their hold.
“I want to see what they’re going to do to him. Plus, I was enjoying the masses throwing rocks at his face.” She stands in between me with her arms crossed and lips pushed forward as she glares at me. I doubt she’ll move out of my way until I leave the window, so I sit diagonally under it from the left. “Ugh, fine. But can you at least tell me what’s going on?”
“Sure thing.” I rest my cheek on her leg and glance down to one of the open rooms. Vaeril and Haleema are seated at a table, modifying the bounty list based on which territories were lost because of Nite. In the closed room to the left, Lyra speaks to projections of her other Paladins in areas on the continent. Her room pulsates with a pink light whenever someone speaks.
“Hmm,” Ulrika says. I look up at her to see what’s going on. Her nose is centimeters from the glass window. Someone’s voice below is loud enough that I can hear it, but it’s muffled.
“Open the window. I wanna hear what’s going on.”
“Okay.” She flicks up the hook that’s keeping the window doors locked, then swings both of them wide open.
“Gaze upon this fallen Paragon of Nite’s whores!” Emdal says. The crowd shouts in boos and swears words I haven’t heard nor used in a sentence. “This so-called knight, Garret, and his army failed to take over this city.”
“A worthy sacrifice!” Garret boasts. Something loud, like a hard slap to the skin, makes Ulrika gasp then laugh hysterically from a slow crescendo chuckle.
“What was that?” I ask, looking up at her.
“Garret got the soul slapped out of him. That was amazing!” Ulrika says. My restraint not to look breaks, so I stand with her to resume watching the trial. Garret is on his left side, and the person wearing the black cloak is over his head.
“Today, we have seen that these people can be defeated! Their fanatical agenda to restore Zadione’s power will not come to pass,” Emdal says.
“Hmph. The way I see it... shit. It might happen.”
“Nite has taken a lot of territories. The best they can do is eliminate top threats that could be vital to their followers,” I say.
“I agree. Their main priority should be finding the Paragons.” She turns to me but gazes over her shoulder at Haleema. “What about their bounties? We’ve only served one.”
“We still got to make a living.”
“True.”
“And let’s not forget about this mysterious guy, Ivaran. This guy seems to be the most revered among Nite.”
“I haven’t forgotten. For three days, they had Garret locked up. I wonder if he gave up any more information on who Ivaran is.” I shrug my shoulders, not knowing if that’s true. “Once this rowdy trial is over, I need a word with Emdal.”
The trial continues degrading Garret’s humanity and condemning the whole existence of Nite. Some civilians in the front row amongst the crowd throw fruit at him. Emdal has to use telekinetic power to halt the food. Two guardsmen from Garret’s flank haul him out of the town square by his arms.
“Let’s talk with Emdal before we can’t get a hold of him,” Ulrika says. She hops out the window, gently descends to the ground using air, then looks up at me with arms forward. “I’ll catch you.” A breeze of air swirls up in my face at an ascending rate. I jump down. Her wind plows into my body but doesn’t hurt me as I slowly descend down to the ground. “Let’s hurry.” She indiscriminately shoves people out of the way, making a manageable trail behind her to follow through. “Emdal!”
“Ah, huntress, hunter. Did you two spectate the dog’s trial?” Emdal says.
“We saw it. It was a nice sight to see,” I say.
“Wonderful. That man won’t see the light of day anytime soon.” A man inside the house behind him calls out for him to come inside.
“Before you go, I’d need to know within the last three days, did Garret mention more about Ivaran?” Ulrika says.
“Are you looking to hunt him down?”
“Maybe somewhere in the future, but for now, we need information on who he is. Did Garret reveal anything about him lately?”
“Nothing. However, I ran into Ivaran multiple times many years ago.”
“Really?” I blurt out.
“Yes. Ivaran is a formidable threat to all of us. I was lucky enough to survive his onslaught before I created the Paladin organization.”
“How bad is he?” Ulrika says.
“Ivaran is intelligent, highly skilled in magic and combat. As far as I know, I’m the only one that can go toe to toe with him.”
This sounds bad to me. Ivaran could be a massive threat in the likes I can’t even fathom. I’ll need to step up my training in every category I know if I want a fighting chance with him or the Paragons. I might have to visit my mother for some help just in case the journey to Kromagia gets halted.
“I guess we all have to up our might for the long run ahead of us,” I say.
“Agreed,” Emdal says, looking over his right shoulder towards the open door. “I must go. I have to publicly declare war on Nite and get other kingdoms to join our cause.” Ulrika and I look at each other as he enters the building. She smiles as she sighs with hands placed above her hips.
“Awesome. Another war,” Ulrika with an undoubtedly fake tight smile. I’m sympathetic to her frustration. This will be her second major conflict.
“The way these cultists acted, it was inevitable,” I say.
“I know, but I wish it didn’t get to this point. War is weary. Many people are going to die on both sides.”
Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
“Both sides? What do you mean by that?” She opens her right hand right next to her leg. I hold it, and she takes me on a walk out of the town square.
“Kaio, there’s a lot of things to understand in war.”
“Pass down your knowledge to me. Everything you know.”
“Are you asking me to be your mentor?”
“Yes.” Her hand slips out of mine, then her arms go around my left arm. Some of her weight shifts on me, causing my walking to slightly stagger for a short moment. “Haleema offered her guidance when I ask for it, but I also want you to show me too.”
“I’ve been through and seen a lot of shit, Kaio.”
“You don’t have to tell me if it’s too much....”
“It’s okay. I rather have you be prepared than let you be surprised by it.” That statement brings a smile to my face.
“Thank you,” I say, then give her a kiss on the forehead.
“Anything for you, my love.” She returns a kiss to my neck, then pokes it with her tongue.
“Ulrika,” I say, elongating her name and laughing. I try to evade her tongue by swinging my neck all over the place. “Stop it.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll continue once we’re in bed. Then I can poke you anywhere I want.” I hum in a chuckle.
“I’m looking forward to that.”
“So, what do you wanna do for the rest of the night?”
“Uh, I need to look at a map to see what territories are taken.”
“Why?”
“It’s time I journey back to Kromagia. I want to see my mom before the whole world explodes in war.” Ulrika stops walking. Her brows furrow up into her forehead.
“Are you going alone?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh...”
“I’m kidding,” I say, slapping her shoulder with a soft touch. “Come with me. We’ll visit the sights you love and the temples before seeing my mother.”
“That sounds wonderful, but let’s make your mother the priority. It’s been over a year, right? Since you’ve seen her.”
“Mhmm. I’m homesick.”
“Alright. We leave tomorrow at dawn.” I’m taken aback by her eagerness to hit the road. I haven’t looked at the map or bought any food for the trip.
“I need to see the map first, Ulrika.”
“Oh, right. Well, let’s head on back to Haleema and the others.”
We walk back to the tavern we were in during Garret’s trial. Some of the patrons near the middle of the room greet us with saluting cheers and raised cups. They say, “Here, here, Paladins.” Ulrika acknowledges them with a smile and a high, closed fist. I don’t know how to react, so I ignore them and head to the second floor. Lyra and Haleema sit together at a table drinking. I don’t see Vaeril on the main floor, nor in the other rooms.
“What’s up, Kaioson? Hey Ulrika,” Haleema says, slurring in her speech.
“Hi, you guys,” Lyra says in slurs as well. “Wanna celebrate our victory and mourn our fallen?”
“How are you two drunk? We were not gone for even thirty minutes,” Ulrika says, walking over to them.
“Ulrika, Elves have a low tolerance to alcohol,” I say.
“Bingo. I need to stop, or I’ll pass out, but this ale taste so damn good. You want some?”
“I’m fine.” Lyra offers some to Ulrika, but she turns it down.
“Suit yourself.” She chugs what’s left at a speed that some of it spill from the side of her mouth.
“So, Haleema.” Haleema’s eyes slowly wander over to me. They bounce all over the place then stop once she gains focus by squinting. “Do you have a map on which kingdoms and cities are under Nite’s control?”
“Um, yeah. Head into the room. Maps on the table,” Haleema says, pointing her mug at the door. Ulrika is the first one in. She skims left to right on the map with her index finger
“Shit,” Ulrika says under her breath. My heart pauses for a moment. I fear something bad is on the map that might ruin my chance to see my mother.
“What is it?” I say, looking at her.
“They’ve taken so much.” My immediate attention goes to Kromagia. There isn’t any trouble there, so I follow down a pathway I take to get there. The route is open, but I’ll have to head east in the desert to reach home.
“Thank the gods,” I sigh.
“Is the pathway safe?”
“Yes, but we’ll have to travel more east, so—”
“We’ll be in more of the Yohanan desert, great.” In the top left corner of the table, there’s a stack of bounties I take a quick shuffling glance at. “Did she make any updates?” On the back of a few papers, they’re edits of the ones that are in an area controlled by Nite.
“Just the ones where Nite is.” When I reach the last bounty, I notice the previously seen location was in a small town I rode past the last time we went to Kromagia. “Wigmund, the Archer. Last seen in Barrenmere.”
“I’m not familiar with that place.”
“You know where it is. You saw its giant windmill in the hills.”
“Oh, that’s Barrenmere?”
“Mhmm. We can check on our way back.”
“Fine with me.”
----------------------------------------
Ulrika and I call it a night while Haleema and Lyra drink to their heart’s content. Upon the arrival of the following day, the sounds of someone hurling wake me up. I can’t tell who it is, but they’re dry heaving a lot.
“Haleema, hold my hair,” Lyra says.
“I certainly don’t miss that,” Ulrika whispers.
“You did that a lot?” I ask, cuddling her from behind and combing the back of her hair with my fingers.
“So much I can’t even count.” Lyra continues barfing her stomach out her mouth while I sustain grooming Ulrika’s hair. “Darling, what are you doing? Is there something in my hair?”
“No, but umm... How long are you growing it out?”
“I don’t have a specific length in mind. All I care about is it being longer.”
“What if you grow it out to here?” I rub my finger down the back of her right shoulder blade, then cross it to her upper spine. “When we were on the island training, I was daydreaming you with a thick flowing mane. It cascaded behind your head like a flag in the wind.”
“Oh, that’s really long. It’ll take a while to get there.”
“I know,” I whisper over her right ear. She turns her head over to me but has to roll her body to thoroughly look.
“Did I look good with long hair?”
“You looked wonderful.”
“Then I shall continue to let it run wild for you.” More of Lyra’s heaving breaks the intimate moment I’m having with Ulrika.
“Ugh.”
“I know, right? She needs to control it. Her wet gurgly heaving is driving me crazy.” I chuckle at the vivid description she created in my head. “I’m gonna see if my father finished fixing my brothers’ swords.”
“Oh, I’ve forgotten about those. We can’t go till you’re armed.” She scoots under me with her back flat on the bed and hums while looking at the door. It’s evident she’s thinking of something, but I’m not going to ask what it is.
“I need your opinion on a matter.”
“You’ll have it.”
“For so long, I’ve carried Decimus and Numerius’sswords as a memory of their sacrifice. I don’t know if I want to keep on clinging to them or give up. What should I do?”
“You told me you grieved enough. I believe it’s time for you to let them go. Give your brothers’ legacy to your family to take care of.” For a short time, she stares without blinking, then takes in a quick deep breath. “Don’t take my suggestion if it’s too much for you.”
“I’ll do what you think is the best for me. I need to let it go.”
“Alrighty then. I’m going to stock up on food for the road ahead.”
“Okay. Thanks, Kaio. You’re the best.” Her hands glide behind my ribs. I lay down on her so she can cuddle until she’s content with me. After a time, she releases me, yet the wonderful buzz of being close keeps me glued to her warm naked body. “Go, or we’ll be here for an hour.”
“Come back here once you’re done.”
“Yes, sir.”
FORTY MINUTES LATER
I have our horses ready in front of the tavern. Haleema and Lyra keep me company while I wait on Ulrika to return from seeing her father. I’m worried that my decision to give up on the swords is possibly making her late. I know in my mind I didn’t set a time, but waiting is giving me anxiety.
“Haleema, stay with her horse. I’m going to go look for her,” I say.
“That won’t be necessary. She’s coming,” Lyra points in front of her. From afar, Ulrika strolls over to us. Behind her back, peeking over her right shoulder is one sword. She’s smiling, which is a relieving sight.
“Is everything alright? How did it go?”
“It went fine,” Ulrika says with a hand on my thigh. “And I’m doing okay, I guess. I feel naked without them hanging around my hips. The walk over here was so awkward.” She chuckles after saying that but stops abruptly. “Yet, I’m happy to give it up into my family’s hands.”
“How long have you kept those?” Haleema asks.
“Today marks one year and five months since the death of my brothers.” I take Ulrika’s hand that’s on my leg to hold it. She gives me a genuine smile. It’s flushed out as far as her cheeks can pull it. It’s so beautiful. “I’m ready to go.” Haleema hands her the reins of her horse.
“I’ll pray for you two to have a safe travel,” Haleema says.
“I appreciate that.”
I catch a glimpse of Ulrika’s scabbard and the handle of the sword before she sits on her horse. The handguard is a polished silver dragon decoration that extends a perfect amount from the handle. Their mouths are open, with fangs protruding out. The hand is wrapped in smooth black leather. Lastly, the scabbard is so white, that it reflects some light from the sun behind us.
“Kaioson,” Haleema says, handing me an Ivarish Rune. “Just in case.” I slip it deep into my right pocket.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t get too crazy out there,” I say.
“Godspeed, you two. Stay vigilant, my friends.” I click my tongue once to command my horse to move forward. Ulrika and I wave goodbye to Haleema and Lyra.
“Well, here we go,” Ulrika says with some giggle.
“You seem excited,” I say.
“I am.”
“Why’s that?”
“For one, I’m going back to Kromagia! The best kingdom on Earth! The second is having my own sword and letting go of a sad past. I feel new. If that makes sense.”
“You feel more whole?” She gives a head nod confirmation.
“When I told father I don’t want them, it felt like I was finally putting my brothers’ legacy to rest. I no longer need to call upon their service for protection.” It takes me a moment to see how deeply she’s showing the symbolism of those weapons. Not once have I seen her use any other sword but those two. This moment is a huge step in the next chapter in her life, and she seems happy it’s happening.
“It’s a new chapter for you,” I say.
“It truly is. Thank you again for all you’ve done for me. You keep me going.” Hearing her say that I’m the one who’s keeping her going sounds grim, but I understand the history behind it. I must give praise to the gods for bringing me into her life. Only they know the type of life she would have if I didn’t ask her about the bounty that late evening.
“Hey, once this war with Nite ends, let’s immediately head back to Thaa Alora to live our life together.” She looks at me with her eyes first, followed by a slow head turn. The smile transforms into the perfect dimensions to reveal the dimples in the cheeks.