Shattered Silence

The land of Sevainelle was once home to a multitude of beings, whether it be magical or ordinary. History states that we lived in peace, but history lies. Magical creatures took advantage of the Ordinary. They spirited away women to give birth to abomination changelings. Children were lured to the forests to never be seen again by witches promising children’s greatest desire. The tricksters of Underhill made a business selling organs and bones of those unfortunate enough to be unable to answer their riddles of life or death. Sadly that wasn’t even the tip of the ethereal iceberg.

Ordinary’s were bombarded from all sides of nature. The creature of the Red and Blue Sea’s caused Tidal waves and made our food supply scares. The sky’s held creature that controlled the winds and rain. Not only that but they also we the eyes of the Magical community. They saw everything, nothing was hidden or scared. The mines were run by greedy dwarves, and the forests were guarded by high and mighty elves. Then there were monsters that lived in the shadows and beings that lived in the light and I can’t forget the ancients that were supposed to keep the peace but allowed for the corruption to take place.

Then the day came. It was before I was born, but I was wish I was there. King Mathias came from out of thin air. He rallied the Ordinary’s together and taught them the weakness of the magical communities. Some think Mathias made a deal with the Devil others believed that he was God himself. However one moment we were on the brink of extinction and the next we were beating back the magical creatures.

Living among King Mathias’s soldiers taught me one thing; magical creatures were not to be trusted, even the ones bound to Mathias’s. Even though we never admitted it we would’ve never won the land if it wasn’t for the army of Daemons Mathias bound to him. Some deluded themselves into thinking that we didn’t need the filthy shadow lovers, but the sorry truth was we did. However that didn’t mean we treated them like heroes.

“Well look what we have here!” I look up from polishing my armor, brushing some stray strains of black hair behind my ear. Private Burfort pushes out of his seat and swaggers over towards two Daemons who enter through the front doors. “You two in the right place. This here place is not for the likes of your kind.” Burfort straightens his back and pulls his shoulders back and puffs out his shoulder, showing them who’s boss.

“Orders of the King,” the Daemons sneer in unison. Suddenly their appearance shifts. Their badly human glamour gives ways to almost stick like men. Their skin vaporizes into ash leaving blackened bones that elongate. Soon the two of them tower over Burfort. They both grin wickedly at him.

“What the fuck?” Burfort stumbles back and fumbles for his sword. The rest of the soldiers do the same, all coming to a stand ready and eager for a fight. I stay sitting but draw my sword. Never trust a Daemon. “You filthy bag of bones! We’ll teach you what happens when you use your powers!” The room soon drowns in the sound of cheers.

Both the Daemon move to attack, but then let out a shriek of horrendous pain. On each of their necks a band of metal begins pulse a nasty red color. The Daemon’s cry bounce of the walls until they are only whimpers. Their glamour of two blonde headed servant boys reappears.

“Filthy shadow-”

“That is quite enough!” The room goes silent. I turn my head and grimace; it’s Sergeant Major Adams. He strides over to the Daemon’s huddled on the ground and nudges them with his foot. “Get up and report to King Mathias.” They crawl to their feet and rush out the door.

As I gasped so did everyone else. I glance over at Burfort, suddenly pitying him. King Mathias may have a strict order that all magical creatures will if they resist enslavement; however, he doesn’t tolerate his Daemon’s being antagonized, especially the ones he sends with a message. He takes it as a personal attack on himself and will have punishment served.

“King-g Mathias sent-t them?” Burfort stutters.

Adams sighs and calmly rolls his eyes. “Use your brain Private. The Daemon’s are smart enough not to come to the Guard House. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for you.” Adam’s scans the room, his gaze lingering on a select few soldier, while they just flicker over me then finally come to a stop on Burfort. “Expect punishment once you return.”

“Return?” I shift my gaze over to Private Hester as she comes to a stand. A slight smile graces her lips as she continues, “Does that mean-”

“Yes, Hester. The King has gotten reports of magical activity nearby. He was highly disturbed by their nearness. Sergeant Talis will serve a commanding officer for your squad do to the traitorous act committed by your previous Sergeant. You will leave at daybreak. That is all.” Adams turns to leave, but is halts as another soldier speaks up.

“Daybreak? Won’t it be wiser to go a night? The sooner the better.” Private Hollis smiles and he pulls out his sword. With magical activity becoming far and few between, it seems everyone is out to spill blood.

“Hollis, don’t question the King or you will be joining Burfort once you return.” Without another word Sergeant Major Adams leaves through the same doors the Daemon’s took.

I continue to polish my armor, making sure to buff out the scratches and pop the dents out. The other soldiers settle down, but the noise increases as they chatter about the attack in the coming dawn. I myself am quite excited. The last raid I went on it was on a little rural town that was housing Brownies and Gnomes with a few Goblins. It looked to be the Goblins were hired help. They wore tattered armor and held dull weapons, but they relentless attacking and hardy skin made them challenging to put down. the sad part was I was carrying up the rear of the squad and got there as the Goblins were being slain and a handful of Brownies were being enslaved with the same metal bands expect instead of the neck they were put on their right wrists.

“Rune if you polish your armor any more, you’ll shine like a star.” I look up and smile. Standing before me is my mother, Jezebel. Her blonde hair is piled high on her head with a few loose strains cascading down her neck. Around her neck is an intricate necklace given to her by her beau’s. Her pale blue dress hangs off her shoulders and accentuates her busts.

“As much as you would like that, I better stop. I don’t want to end up dead.” I gently lean my armor against the bench next to my weapon and stand, giving my mother a hug. She instantly wraps her arms around me. I caught a whiff of sweat and lavender in her hair as well as the carnivores looks from some of the older soldier aimed at her.

“You know I have a dress that I’ve been saving for you. Why don’t you give up this solider business and come back to Rocco’s House with me?” she pulls away but keeps her hands on my shoulders. I search her eye. I can see the worry in her eyes but I can also see the despair.

Coming at barely an inch taller that my mother, which isn’t saying much, I can’t say I seem much of myself in her. My straight black hair contradicts her curly blonde hair. Her voluptuous assets put mine to shame. We share similar feature in the face I have her lip, but the only thing that proves me hers are my eyes. They are hers. Some would call them faded with age but for those who knew her, her eyes and mine have always been a pale hue of blue with a hint of turquoise flare.

“Not only do I not want to work at Rocco’s House , I’m not exactly companion friendly. Look at me, I’m not built soft and succulent.” I give mother a water smile. “I like taking out those who caused us pain.”

“Rune, I don’t want to lose you. You’re my only child.” She dives into for another hug and I roll my eyes dramatically. I may be her only child but as far as father’s go, I none yet I have all. I sort of became the child of every man she pleasured. That’s how I became a soldier. Being raised around and by soldier…let’s just say for a time I had hero worship for what they did. I still do but not to such a degree.

“Don’t worry mother I will be fine.”



“Daemon’S! Why didn’t Adams warn us?!” I vaguely heard a soldier shout, but soon I ignore the others. I had a really nasty Daemon coming at me. He looked Ordinary except the fact his flesh was missing in some spots revealing black stone. It was an abomination and by the looks of it, it looked like it had blood fever. Its eyes were shot and its mouth was foaming.

I catch Sergeant Talis tossing bands of metal to random soldier, shouting some kind of instruction. One by one Daemon’s start to be enslaved as loud shrieking’s of pain fill the air. With no band I take a sword in each hand wait for it to lunge. At the last second I cross my swords, cradling the Daemon’s head between them and then push and tug. I hear a loud thud as its head falls to the ground, his body follows suit still twitching.

I turn to look for my next Daemon and still. Before me I see a little girl who looks to be just coming into her powers. Her back is to a wall as a soldier rushes her and runs his sword through her gut. Now if this was any other Daemon I would be cheering, except the girl looked just like me without the eyes.

Before I know it I blink my eyes and suddenly find myself on one of the roofs overlooking the massacre of Marish Town.