The Red Glaive

“We have to go find him,” Aeria said glancing at the dark forest.

“Have you learned nothing girl,” Jago spat. “Forgot about him”

“How could you say that!” Aeria shouted. “Are you no glaive!?”

“I am a glaive! The first glaive in a long time to lose an adept in over fifty years. It’s a shame I will carry with me for the rest of my life; all because a weak woman thought she could save a child!”

“You would’ve died had I not been there.”

“I would’ve gladly traded my life if it meant all three of you were safe.” Jago said. “Had it killed me, it would not have come back here.”

Aeria stared at him. How could he throw away his own life like that? How could he not fight to save everyone? To at least try? All those questions spilled into her face and Jago read her like an open book “Spare me your sentiments girl. My life is nothing compared to the lives I could have saved.” Jago said pulling Isokki onto his back. Unconscious, the boy was dead weight.

Aeria looked down shamefully, not once did she stop to think of Isokki. She was only thinking of Telfer because he had grown to be her friend. But what of Isokki? He was kind but they weren’t as close. If they chased after Telfer they’d have to leave Isokki, he didn’t even concern her for a second. Would she be as accepting of the loss had they taken Isokki instead?

Still, she looked at trees for any sight of movement, any semblance of a voice. The forest was dead quiet. She stepped towards the tree line but felt Jago’s thick hand on her shoulder stopping her.

“We’re going to the village.” Jago said. “All of us.”

It was slow going, Jago gave Aeria his sword in case anything got any ideas but nothing showed up. They arrived just as dawn broke and the accursed red moon vanished over horizon. It all felt like a dream. Like she would return to Lux Aeterna and Telfer would be there waiting for her.

Bosa’s mother greeted them as they entered the village, her eyes brimming with hope. Her eyes met Aeria’s and she shook her head. The woman fell to her knees in a wail before breaking down. She fled before Aeria could comfort her. Aeria felt hollow.

It wasn’t until they were in the stables - Jago saddling Isokki’s horse and Aeria saddling Fable - and Brute was off in in his stall plucking hay to eat that it hit her. There was no one to saddle the old mule. Telfer was gone.

Aeria felt sick and her hands trembled. Tears threatened to spill so she shut her eyes. What would Caius and Niko think of her now that she’d let one of them down. She refused to cry, not in front of Jago who already thought her weak and sentimental.

“I’m headed back to the capitol and face the consequences of my failure.” Jago said, “I will tell them I lost two adepts, return home girl and forget about The Red Glaive. It’s no place for you.”

“No.”

Jago turned to look at her anger burning in his eyes. “Your presence defiles the brotherhood of the glaive. Leave.” he ordered.

“No!” Aeria replied stubbornly. She had come too far to quit now.

“Devils take you girl! Go home!”

“I’m not going anywhere!” Aeria replied matching Jago’s fierceness. There were too many emotions running through her currently. She needed to vent with something.

Jago opened his mouth to speak but was silenced when he heard the village elder’s voice at the doors. “Is all well?” the kindly man’s said. “I thought I heard shouts.”

“All is well.” Jago said giving Aeria one final glare.

“Is the devil taken care of?”

“We killed its botchlings. The dire mother won’t return.” Jago said there was still a bite to his voice. Taken aback, Veirlo paused before and looked around the stables; Aeria - her distress still on her face, Niko still passed out on a stack of hay. . . .and no Telfer. He raising a pouch.

“I hope this is enough for your troubles.” he said holding out the pouch Jago.

Jago stared at it a good long while before emptying half it’s contents into his palm. “Keep the rest.” he said returning it to old man. Veirlo thanked him but before he left Jago stopped him. “There’s one more matter we must discuss.” Aeria’s breath caught in her throat. Surely, this was where he would reveal who she really was. “It’s about your knight. I believe I owe him a visit.”

Jago wasn’t going to let her go at first. It was only when Veirlo questioned why she was staying behind that he allowed her to come along.

Risser’s home was a short walk from the village. Close enough to still be considered part of the village but far enough away to allow some semblance of privacy. Of all the homes in the village Risser’s house was the only one that had a shingled roof. It was also the largest but mostly unkept. The weeds crawled up the side of the house and the into the paved walkway.

Jago didn’t hesitate, he marched right up the front door and knocked loudly. A red faced man appeared at the door. He was older, but still fit. He was much larger than Jago, probably larger than most people. When he saw Jago’s black coat he sneered. “What do you want glaive.”

“You know why I’m here. . .” Jago said. Did he suspect what Aeria did? That Risser hurt Mineti so bad she lost her child. Risser stares blankly. “You killed your own daughter.” Jago said.

“I did not kill her! She did that on her own!” Risser shouted but Jago continued as if he hadn’t been interrupted.

“The misery you caused her brought down a Dire Mother on this village leading the deaths of three children and a glaive adept. You are responsible and you are guilty.”

Risser chuckled and opened his door all the way revealing a shelf stacked with filled eques flasks. Even from a distance Aeria could still that he had flasks filled with gifts from every god. Flames flickered in some, lightning flashed in others while snowflakes danced in others still. A small fortune in flasks, each little glass ball deadlier than the last.

“And what are you going to do glaive?” Risser said. “You can’t hurt me.”

“Wrong.” Jago said and extended a hand and Risser lunged forward. Or at least tried to. Risser froze in place. His muscles twitched trying to move but his body defied him. “I cannot kill you or I’ll lose my sword, that much is true.” Jago said his face dark. “But that’s the only thing I cannot do.” He bent this fingers slightly and Risser screamed in pain, his skin turning red on the arms.

“Stop!” Vierlo said, “he protects us!”

Jago lowered his hand and Risser collapsed on the floor. He trembled slightly out of fear.

“For how long did you rape her Sir.” Jago said calmly. Wide eyed, Risser stared back at Jago.

“Your own daughter. . .” Aeria said. He wanted her to lose the child because it was his. Aeria felt physically sick. She wanted him dead, or least for Jago to continue what he had been doing to him.

“Stupid boy.” Risser said still on the floor. “That girl was no daughter of mine. I bought her from a slaver in Durus to do with as I pleased. I wasn’t going to let her ruin my honor with that spawn in her belly, but I did not kill her.”

“He is within the law.” Veirlo said defending him to Aeria’s disgust. Slaves could only be bought and sold in Durus, and they could only be people who had been convicted of a crime. Most were of Aestus, branded traitors. South of Durus, slaves were allowed but usually frowned upon. A slave owner was not allowed to kill his slaves because murder, of all kinds, was illegal. At least that’s what she had learned living so close to Baron Stone, her would be father in law had she not ran away. It was not a practice her father followed and openly opposed.

But he did not kill her, he said. Aeria understood why Glaives were taught not to harm others. It was too easy. She would crush him under a ton boulder right then and there had she learned how to master her gift from the Colossus already.

And Veirlo, he must’ve known. They all must’ve known what Mineti was. They were kind to her, accepted her, but would not risk freeing her. No, they could not loose their knight to protect them. Such a tiny village was an easy target for bandits and outlaws, but was protecting from the occasional roving bandits worth harboring such a despicable person.

“You ruined your own honor Risser.” Jago said.

“Leave him be.” Veirlo pleaded and Risser smirked. “Please.”

Jago stayed still, his fingers twitched, ready to summon his sword in a heartbeat. Aeria had left her own sword back with Fable so she wished Jago would summon his and shove into Risser’s smug face. Jago cursed and turned on his heel. Aeria followed him.

“I’ll just buy another!” Risser shouted after them. There was not a doubt in Aeria’s mind that he would.

“What are you doing?!” Aeria questioned when she caught up to him. Risser’s home was just beyond the bend in the path. Jago must’ve come for something more than a confrontation. “You have to do something about him!”

“He’s not worth it.” Jago said. Then with a sigh added, “I should’ve been a medic.”

“But you’re a glaive!”

“I protect man from devils. Nothing more.” Jago said mechanically. “Do a me favor girl, and stay on patrols.”

“You’re not going to tell anyone?. . .” Aeria said surprised.

“No,” Jago said. “Though you seem to not understand the consequences of your actions. I don’t know how long you plan on continuing this charade, but when you swear to be a glaive and protect mankind from the threat of the night devils you swear it to the king himself. Can you lie to the king girl? The very king who was granted the ability to reveal truths from slice of divinity passed on in his family from the Light Bringer. You might be able to fool some glaives, who have no reason to question you, but not him.”

“But you, you’re not going to tell anyone?” Aeria said. She’d worry about the king when she got there.

Jago sighed. “No. Revealing your deception would constitute treachery to the crown, since it’s the king you swear to. That’s punishable by death.” Jago said. That, that she did not know. Reimar never told her. Though if he had would that have stopped her?

Probably not.

Aeria still had time, she’d find a solution before it came time to swear her oath.

“Or, at the very least, you’d be branded as a criminal and made a slave.”

“Like Mineti. . .” Aeria said and Jago nodded solemnly. Was she the reason for his sudden change of mind?

“If you get caught, I know nothing.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Veirlo came across the bend a short while later. He waited for a while with Risser, probably reassuring him that nothing would change and for her and Jago to clear the path. When he saw them he looked away ashamed.

“You’re just as bad as he is.” Aeria said. Him and the rest of the village for allowing what happened to Mineti to continue as it did.

“Say what you want, but we don’t live behind thick walls to hide behind, no city guard hold people accountable. If its not night devils its bandits. Worst thing a devil can do is kill you, bandits come and they’ll rape your wife right in front you, take your children with them to ransom them when they need more money, or just sell them off in Aestus. I don’t know, they are never returned.” Veirlo said, “We are a small village, shrinking every year. With with a knight like Sir Risser protecting us, the bandits stay away. He is good at what he does so we need him.”

What was the life of one girl to a whole village, it seemed.

“Looks like your adept finally woke up.” Veirlo said in poor attempt to change the subject. Isokki had been sleeping the whole night and when they left him in the stables it didn’t seem like he’d wake anytime soon.

Looking dazed and confused, Telfer stumbled out of the forest.