The Battle of Centarium
A Bond Broken
Theo looked into the distance as the Ak' Ragni returned to their base. He then turned to Ayden, who was kneeling over Valonir healing his wounds. Aeysu had gone silent after Ayden had pulled him away from his father's body, and walked silently with them out of Crom.
He hadn't spoken a word since, and Theo had kept quiet as well. What could he say? 'I'm sorry for killing the only man that is dear to your heart'? There was nothing he could say, and he felt leaving him to his silence was for the best.
He sat alone a few feet from the rest of them with his gaze set on the ground, lost in his sorrow and heartache. Theo wached him for a moment before he heard a slight moan from Valonir. He quickly ran to the elf's side to see he was awake.
"Be calm, your safe now." Ayden saiding soothingly, but Valonir's eyes remained frantic until he saw Theo's face. At this he eased, and tried to sit up with the two men's help.
"I'm sorry Theo, I gave them your names. I didn't tell them where you were! I swear! I just had to give them something or they'd kill me!"
Theo nodded and pet him on the shoulder, "Its okay, but if you ever pull a stunt like sacrificing yourself again then I'll kill you myself."
They had a laugh, and Theo joined Ayden in filling the elf in on their current situation.
The elf had a new look of respect in his eyes for Ayden, to think he had known his idol for years as a simple mage in Jakwell.
They stood to leave, and meet Christian as planed when they heard a sword being drawn in the distance. The three turned to see Aeysu still eyeing the ground with his face hidden in shadow, and with one had extended clutching his replacment sword.
"This," he spat towards Theo, " is as far as you go."
They were all shocked by this action, and Theo took a step forward.
"Aeysu I'm sorry! He... I had no choice. He was confused... if I had only known I-"
"But you didn't know! You felt that killing an already broken old man was the only way past him!?"
Aeysu showed his face, which was still ridden with tears. His eyes were full of rage as he took steps towards the three.
"You are a simple minded animal! You are a beast that belongs in that arena you praise! You know nothing but murder and glory, and you are a dime a dozen!"
Theo's mouth was gaping open, shocked that the calm, quiet Aeysu he had known over the past few weeks was walking towards him with his weapon drawn and with venom in his words.
"I am nothing like you! Even now I know that without my sword killing you would only satisfy my needs, and doom everyone else. Would you do the same? NO! You already tried to kill me without your sword, because you are a simple minded fool!"
Theo took each word as a blow to the gut, and he felt his chest tighten inside with sorrow for the man that now stood only a foot in front of him.
"You," Aeysu put the sword slowly to Theo's neck, " will die by my hands, just as my father died at yours. Until then, you and your friend will be on your own."
Aeysu quickly took the sword away from his neck and jammed in into the tree next to them, ruining the weapon and turning away from them.
Ayden, Valonir, and Theo all stood silent. No one moved until Theo grabbed his gear from the ground and tied his sword to his belt. Ayden turned to him, trying to express that he didn't have to leave, but was silenced by a look the man gave him.
After he was ready he turned to Aeysu, who still had his back turned, and spoke as softly as he could, "I'm truly sorry for what I've done Aeysu. If I could take it back, I would. Even if it cost me my life, I would take back my wrong doing."
Aeysu didn't turn to look him in the eye as he spoke his retort, "Your life is already spent. Live it meaninglessly while you wait for your 'glorious' death, Theo Abbot."
Theo nodded, and turned to walk the opposite way. Valonir whispered his thanks to Ayden before following behind his companion. Afterwords Ayden and Aeysu walked silently to the meeting point to reunite with Christian and fill him in on all that had occured.
He hadn't spoken a word since, and Theo had kept quiet as well. What could he say? 'I'm sorry for killing the only man that is dear to your heart'? There was nothing he could say, and he felt leaving him to his silence was for the best.
He sat alone a few feet from the rest of them with his gaze set on the ground, lost in his sorrow and heartache. Theo wached him for a moment before he heard a slight moan from Valonir. He quickly ran to the elf's side to see he was awake.
"Be calm, your safe now." Ayden saiding soothingly, but Valonir's eyes remained frantic until he saw Theo's face. At this he eased, and tried to sit up with the two men's help.
"I'm sorry Theo, I gave them your names. I didn't tell them where you were! I swear! I just had to give them something or they'd kill me!"
Theo nodded and pet him on the shoulder, "Its okay, but if you ever pull a stunt like sacrificing yourself again then I'll kill you myself."
They had a laugh, and Theo joined Ayden in filling the elf in on their current situation.
The elf had a new look of respect in his eyes for Ayden, to think he had known his idol for years as a simple mage in Jakwell.
They stood to leave, and meet Christian as planed when they heard a sword being drawn in the distance. The three turned to see Aeysu still eyeing the ground with his face hidden in shadow, and with one had extended clutching his replacment sword.
"This," he spat towards Theo, " is as far as you go."
They were all shocked by this action, and Theo took a step forward.
"Aeysu I'm sorry! He... I had no choice. He was confused... if I had only known I-"
"But you didn't know! You felt that killing an already broken old man was the only way past him!?"
Aeysu showed his face, which was still ridden with tears. His eyes were full of rage as he took steps towards the three.
"You are a simple minded animal! You are a beast that belongs in that arena you praise! You know nothing but murder and glory, and you are a dime a dozen!"
Theo's mouth was gaping open, shocked that the calm, quiet Aeysu he had known over the past few weeks was walking towards him with his weapon drawn and with venom in his words.
"I am nothing like you! Even now I know that without my sword killing you would only satisfy my needs, and doom everyone else. Would you do the same? NO! You already tried to kill me without your sword, because you are a simple minded fool!"
Theo took each word as a blow to the gut, and he felt his chest tighten inside with sorrow for the man that now stood only a foot in front of him.
"You," Aeysu put the sword slowly to Theo's neck, " will die by my hands, just as my father died at yours. Until then, you and your friend will be on your own."
Aeysu quickly took the sword away from his neck and jammed in into the tree next to them, ruining the weapon and turning away from them.
Ayden, Valonir, and Theo all stood silent. No one moved until Theo grabbed his gear from the ground and tied his sword to his belt. Ayden turned to him, trying to express that he didn't have to leave, but was silenced by a look the man gave him.
After he was ready he turned to Aeysu, who still had his back turned, and spoke as softly as he could, "I'm truly sorry for what I've done Aeysu. If I could take it back, I would. Even if it cost me my life, I would take back my wrong doing."
Aeysu didn't turn to look him in the eye as he spoke his retort, "Your life is already spent. Live it meaninglessly while you wait for your 'glorious' death, Theo Abbot."
Theo nodded, and turned to walk the opposite way. Valonir whispered his thanks to Ayden before following behind his companion. Afterwords Ayden and Aeysu walked silently to the meeting point to reunite with Christian and fill him in on all that had occured.