It was a warm summer morning and it just stopped raining. The rain created a lot of small ponds everywhere. The sun was scorching, but thankfully there was a cool breeze blowing. Serfs were working in the fields. Working in the sweat of their brow. It was already the harvest, so they were busy mowing the grain with scythes. Each of them wore very similar clothes. They had heavy wellies, pants in blue, red and green stripes and shirts that seemed to have been white originally, but were now faded. Occasionally there were small groups of peasants that also wore vests matching their pants and peculiar red, square hats with a feather attached at the front. These outfits were elaborate and a lot of work must’ve been put into them, but they were now worn out. These serfs who wore the full attire did not work in the fields and instead were strolling the roads with modified scythes. These scythes had blades not perpendicular to the shaft but rather collinear and looked like pole weapons.
Poldi and Rendor, two brothers, both soldiers serving in a dragoon regiment, watched the peasants from a cherry tree growing alongside a road that went from the village, through the fields to the forest. They sat on one of its branches eating fruit from the tree and were discussing what to do next. They wore tight fitting prussian blue uniforms with yellow ornaments. The cuffs and collars of the uniform were trimmed with fur. They wore red trousers. Rendor left his rifle on his horse that was eating grass on the side of the road, close to where they were. Poldi on the other hand had his rifle by his side. Their sabres were left on the horses. From the branch they sat on, they could see the wooden houses with straw roofs in the village. Two buildings stood out there. A church with a stone tower and a spire on top of it as well as a mill building with a big wooden water wheel, powered by a stream going through the middle of the village.
“Serfs owning weapons and forming militias... parading on the roads… It’s hilarious. You think this trip of ours will make a good story at your wedding next month, Rendor?” The older brother Poldi asked.
“No way. Are you gonna tell everyone how we slacked off on patrol in a possibly rebellious village? Even if the higher ups don't learn about it... Luca will kill me brother. If she was here she’d shoot them one by one.” Rendor answered, making a gesture with his hands as if he was shooting a gun.
“Oh come on, doesn’t she have a weak spot for the serfs?”
“She changes her opinion on the topic a lot. You don’t know her. She got really tough on them lately”
“You think she’d actually shoot them though? I don’t think she’d kill a human.”
“No… probably not. She just flexes. Remember how she hit that target 400 meters away at the range that day? Now she thinks she’d be a one woman army and keeps talking about how she wants to shoot all the unobedient serfs.”
”I guess, 400 meters is already an achievement though. Your future wife’s impressive.”
“Nah, It’s all thanks to my teachings of course” Render answered with a smirk on his face
“Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Modest, you do suit yourselves” Poldi said jokingly, making a slight bow. He spit out a cherry seed and then something grabbed his attention.
“One of these bands is going here. Prepare your weapon.” Poldi ordered and jumped from the tree. Rendor jumped after him and approached his horse, where his gun was. Poldi got his sabre, while his brother didn’t even bother. They slowly went in the direction of the approaching group. They moved through a lower point in the road where their boots sank into the mud. Rendor jumped to a dryer part of the track. One of the peasants started going in the opposite direction, but he got grabbed and pushed forcibly in the direction of the brothers. One other serf spit in their direction. After a moment, the brothers and four peasants armed with war scythes met. Rendor was avoiding looking at the villagers, who universally had a scowl on their faces.
“The law forbids the non military who are not registered adventurers from organising armed patrols. What’s going on in here?” The older brother started.
“Sir Soldier, the bad times are comin’. The wise one forespoke danger to the reincarnated. We will defend...” he stopped after he was nudged by another serf.
“You spit nonsense. Is it one of your superstitions, or what? You should be working in the field now. Look, I’ll be understanding, just tell me what’s going on exactly. We can work something out.”
“The… the wise…ekhm... the bad… A bad wizard is in the forest.” He looked at his comrades and only continued after they all nodded. “ We must protect ourselves from him. He lives in a cave 500 meters north of the Samurai waterfall...”
“THE WHAT WATERFALL? Man, talk to me so I can understand you! Do you know what penalty is there for mocking an army officer?!” Poldi almost shouted at them.
“But you’re a non-com though” his brother whispered
“Shh Rendor”
“I meant the Emperor Adras the fifth’s waterfall… Sir Officer”
“We’ll look it up. When we’re back I want to see all your weapons surrendered. Next time we find any, 50 lashes to the owner. UNDERSTOOD?!”
“Y-yes Sir!” the peasant answered and then he poked one of his comrades who immediately ran to the village.
“One of you will show us the way to this wizard.”
“B-but it’s dangerous...”
“Quit spitting nonsense and lead the way! And throw out your weapons!”
The peasants hesitated, but seeing Poldi’s stare they complied.
“YES!”
The villagers, except the one who stayed, rushed to their comrades, while the brothers mounted their horses.
“What’s your name?” Rendor asked.
“I’m Fionnlagh Sir”
“I can’t ever get used to how they name themselves.” Poldi remarked, following Fionnlagh on his horse.
“It’s peculiar. True. I recall the names of the people from the rural areas are the last remnants of the old language. I am glad they’re still here.” Rendor said placatorily.
“Yes, but they’re difficult to pronounce, and sound stupid.” Poldi was not convinced.
“Fionnlagh, have you heard about the old language? Rendor asked the serf, who looked back at him with a hateful scowl on his face and quickly looked to the ground.
Poldi rode close to the peasant and hit him with his fist.
“What was that look just now? Is this how you people respond to friendliness?”
“I’m sorry Sir. I haven’t heard anything. What was the question?” He answered, obviously lying.
“Do you know about the old language? It is said it was used in the times when magic did exist...” Renord asked again but his brother cut in.
“But it doesn’t anymore. It ceased to exist 500 years ago. Your wizard is just a charlatan. Renord, read the mood. What if he misunderstands and you only reinforce their nonsense beliefs?” His brother remarked, slightly flustered.
“I don’t know anything” Fionnlagh answered and silence reigned for a while.
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Soon, they came to the point where the Rye fields ended and they entered a forest. At first it was more like a garden forest. The trees were all coppiced and occasional peasants were cutting the wood in the form of very thin branches and were bringing it to a cart. They seemed relaxed. None of them had war scythes.
“Hey, weren’t they supposed to be afraid of the wizard? Where are the scythemen then?” Poldi whispered to his brother.
“Erm, maybe they think hatchets for chopping wood are enough? I don’t know and I don’t care. Just… Let’s get it done and be done with it.”
The villagers avoided meeting their eyes and just continued their work. The brothers passed them and kept following Fionnlagh.
After the villagers couldn’t see them anymore they ran towards the fields. A big group of a few dozen villagers armed with scythes were already waiting on the boundary of the forest.
-
The brothers entered a cave. Their guide, Fionnlagh stayed outside, claiming to fear the wizard. The cave was big, about 3 meters high and wide. There was a lot of thin branches and mud everywhere on the ground... And occasionally, they could spot even nastier things. A dozen or so meters into the cave there was an extinguished fireplace. Pieces of meat were scattered around it.
Due to the gaps in the ceiling some light was still reaching them. There was some rudimentary furniture too. A wooden chest and an improvised table. Loud snoring was coming from a man asleep on the table..
He was surrounded by old, dilapidating books, a burnt candle and an enormous pile of trash full of rotten, uneaten meat, mushrooms and some unidentified gunk. One of the books, lying close to the old man’s head was open, but it was covered in the gunk to the point it was not readable at all. The man had a long, gray, unkempt beard and hair. He wore several layers of rags full of holes and yellow and red stains. His head was lying in a small pond of the gunk, which seemed to have come from his mouth.
“I recognise the mushrooms. They’re called ‘Good Thought Caps’ and their possession has been banned recently. ” Poldi said while grabbing one of the branches from the ground. He then came closer to the table and used the branch to turn a page in the book. He studied it for a moment.
“Let me guess, it’s a magic book.”
“More like… historical records? From 500 years ago. ”
“Is it like… a reprint or...”
“Oh, come on! Like this geezer would get his hands on something as valuable as a 500 years old book. He probably stole a modern copy from the owner of the village… Anyway… You should try to arrest him. Let’s see if you remember what you’re supposed to say. If you do everything according to the procedures I am gonna recommend you for promotion”
“I can try...”
“Time to wake up. Enough sleep!” Poldi nudged the man.
“ lemmie sleep oniichan.” His voice was weirdly high. It sounded childish, infantile. He used a word they didn’t understand.
“Rendor, take it from now on.” Poldi said while nudging the old man again, this time with much more strength, which woke him up.
„ I am... a non commissioned officer from the second dragoon corp. You are under arrest. You are accused of warmongering and spreading lies and… erm” Rendor had a good start but it wasn’t long until he paused not knowing what to say. .
“Indulging in trickery. Your rights... ”
“Erm… sure… and Indulging in trickery. Your rights will be respected and you will receive a fair trial.” Rendor stopped there for just a second ” Are you the one who the villagers call a wizard? They are afraid of you.”
„Hhaha, no, I am the wise man.” The old geezer said as it was obvious. “Where do you have these books from? Have you stolen them?”
The old man looked at them as if he didn’t have a clue what’s going on around here and smiled wryly.
“Hehehe...”
“Answer! Or else our patience is going to run out!”
“What? Ah, Eh… hehehe… I found them with the help of magic? Or something… hehehee”
„Is it true then? Do you really claim to be able to use magic?”
„hehehe… hehehehehe! Hahahaah!”
“OLD MAN!” Poldi screamed at him. The old man jumped a little bit, evidently scared and answered quickly.
“No, I can’t...”
„You can’t?”
„I can’t hehehe... hehehe!”
„He admitted he’s no wizard” Poldi said to Rendor and then he turned to the geezer ”You better admit it to the peasants or you can be prosecuted for war mongering and spreading superstitions among the uneducated peasants.”
„Hahaha, heheheeh! I can’t cast magical spells hehehehe! But someone can!”
„You people come up with the stupidest stories. Who’s that person then? We will prove he is a mere human too. And you… ”
„You will go to a nuthouse” Rendor finished his sentence while making a crazy man gesture.
„Hehehe! Hahahahahahaha! Hahahaha! I Hahaha! I can’t tell… Heheeh! Because you’re too stupid. Hehehe! Too stupid to realise...”
Poldi took out his sabre, and before the old man even could realise what was going on, he put it to the old man’s throat.
„You’re talking now?”
„I’m talking”
„Good, who is it?”
„The reincarnation, Shinji, the one with a samurai heart. He got so much better with his magical sling. He got me for good. Look! Look!” He exclaimed while showing a scar on his torso enthusiastically ”This is the power of shinji’s magic”
„What the fuck is wrong with you…”
„Brother please… he’s nuts. No point stressing over something like that.” Rendor tried to calm his brother down „Wise one, what is this samurai?”
„A warrior with a katana”
„And katana is?”
„It is a sword that’s been folded thousands of times and can cut a rock in half. Have you been living under a rock? Hehehehe! It’s a wonderful weapon he’ll have once he masters his magical sling. Hehehehehe!”
„See Poldi? you’re taking this old madman too seriously. These mushrooms gave him a maggot brain…”
The moment the old man heard ‘maggot brain’ he spoke in a serious tone
„Free your mind and your ass will follow, hehehee!”
„I’ve got enough” Poldi kicked the table on which all the mushrooms were. They fell on the ground and scattered. Blood flew to the geezer’s face. He became red in an instant, even his ears. The geezer howled horribly. His face distorted in a scowl. The brothers wouldn’t believe he was even capable of making such a voice. Something glittered in his hand… a knife!
Before Poldi could react the knife stabbed him in his stomach. His adrenaline was buzzling. He pushed off the old man with all his strength ignoring the wound, almost as if he didn’t notice he was stabbed. The man tried to close distance again but Poldi put the edge of his weapon between himself and the man. The man tried to go around it but he couldn’t. He was shouting as loud as he could, but the sabre was blocking his path no matter what he did.
„Agh! Stop already!” Poldi swung his weapon, cutting off half of the geezer’s hand, making him drop the knife. Four fingers fell to the ground. Rendor closed the distance between him and the geezer and hit the man with the butt of his rifle, and he fell unconscious. Blood was spilling from his wounds.
“Poldi, you alright?!” Blood was gushing from his side. Rendor tore his shirt. He rushed to his brother and began making a temporary patch.
“I guess I’ll have a story worth saying at your wedding.”
“Haha, yeah, everyone will surely love it...”
“AGHH!!” Poldi screamed from pain, which finally kicked in.
“Ah, sorry. I’ll try...”
“SHH! You heard it?” Poldi leaned towards Rendor and said to his ear. They froze for a moment and pricked their ears. They heard steps.
“Did the wizard kill them already?”
“Is the reincarnated even safe anymore in the village?”
“Of course he is! We are under the wizard’s protection!” The voices were heard. Other people were in the cave! Rendor jumped to his feet and uncocked the hammer in his rifle. Then he saw the peasants scythemen. And they saw the mutilated wise one.
„Emperor’s dogs!”
„What are you doing to the wise man?
„We don’t want you here!”
„Go away!”
„The reincarnated will give us strength”
„He told us about the right to self determination, we’re free!” Voices like that were heard all around. The brothers saw a few dozen people, both men and women with war scythes coming into the cave. Rendor cocked the hammer in his rifle and prepared himself mentaly.
„This man is crazy and belongs in a madhouse. GO AWAY OR EXPECT YOUR VILLAGE TO BE OBLITERATED WITH CANONS! THERE IS ONLY ONE PUNISHMENT FOR ATTACKING SOLDIERS!” Rendor pacicked
„The wise man is a powerful wizard! His curse will kill you bastards!!”
„The reincarnated one will destroy you and your evil for good!” More and more of them were screaming and all of the serfs started coming closer with their scythes.
„You come any closer and I shoot! Stay there!”
„Die you evildoer! You can’t kill us!”
„Die the emperor’s dog! You have no power here! ” They started shouting. Those without a weapon started throwing rocks. They were getting too close. Then, one of the rocks hit Rendor in the head. He shot.
Deafening thunder-like sound was heard. A man in the front immediately fell to the ground with a thump, and straight behind him a woman was holding her chest. It turned red. Her legs tumbled. Everyone fell silent. Only the woman’s voice was still audible.
„Curse you, curse you thousand times… you murderers… The reincarnated… one… give us strength to fight evil… Bring back magic… give the... powerless... your spells...” she muttered and collapsed. She was probably dead.
A long silence followed. Nobody moved. Then Someone shouted.
„Murderers!” others followed
“Oppressors!”
„Go back to hell, where you came from!!” The serfs charged at them. A few dozen minus two against them. Only one loaded rifle left. One of them was already wounded. The only escape route, the entrance of the cave, was cut off. The outcome was obvious.