Chapter 7: In the Face of Evil

Oases slammed the door as I was enveloped in the shadow that loomed behind me. With demonic speed the shadow carried me miles from the town of Firecove. Whatever this was that had me within its grasp was not being gentle at all. Nor was it caring for my wellbeing. After traveling for what only seemed minutes, we stopped. The shadow slammed me down against a mighty oak tree. Stars swarmed about my eyes and nausea began to set in. I shook my head to try to clear the cobwebs. My vision had a red tint to it. Confused, I sat up and tried to draw my wits about me. I place my head in my right hand and closed my eyes tight, hoping that my vision would fix itself. I opened my eyes once more and still seen red. What is wrong with my eyes? I jumped to my feet and drew Harbinger from its sheath as a voice spoke, “Nothing is wrong with your eyes. You are just seeing the way I see.” I turned around trying to find where the voice was coming from. I saw nothing. Turning again with my back against the tree the voice spoke again, “Do not be afraid of me Aerol Reign. You already know me.” I fell back against the tree once more as Zeshua appeared in all his splendor right before my eyes. Zeshua extended a long bony hand toward me. I looked at his offer, and reluctantly accepted his help up. He brought me to my feet and gently brushed the dirt from my coat saying, “Such a beautiful coat. It would be a pity to mar it with filth from the earth.” He spat on the ground as he spoke the word. I stepped back quickly and with shock coming over my face I said, “What are you doing? What do you want from me?” Zeshua stood up straight and said, “I have come to help you complete your quest. I have given you the necessary tools, now I will do what I said I would, deliver the Orcs to you.”

Harbinger hummed deeply in my hands as its creator spoke to me, almost as if it were smiling to be near Zeshua. I began to pace back and forth and sheathed Harbinger. “I don’t understand. This wasn’t supposed to happen for years.” I said. In a low voice Zeshua said, “Well my son, things have changed and I need to move quickly on certain things. More importantly, you and what I promised you.” Confused, I looked at Zeshua and said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. What do you mean you have to move quickly on certain things?” I stopped pacing and sat down against the mighty oak tree once more. Zeshua folded his arms inside of his cloak and said, “There is someone who is harboring the two Orcs that escaped you after your parents’ murder. He is a Ranger. This Ranger has befriended you. His name is Thresh, and you must kill him.” Upon hearing this I looked up at Zeshua with rage in my eyes. “You lie.” I said to him. Zeshua sat down directly across from me crossing his legs and replied, “Do I? You know what I speak is true. Thresh has betrayed the very trust you have given him.”

I pondered what Zeshua said to me for many long moments. Is this the truth? If so, how could Thresh do this to me? Does Oases know of this betrayal? Perhaps that is the reason she is so silent. She is harboring the Orcs as well. What about Cirania and the Shaman? Are they in on this as well? Surely my wife would not betray me as Thresh has. I looked up at Zeshua contemplating his words. He was the first to speak, “Yes Aerol, even she has betrayed you. She does not cherish you and your abilities the way I do.” I leaned back against the solid oak tree once more and closed my eyes. I could feel the rage building inside of me. My blood began to boil as I started putting the pieces together of my family and friends’ betrayal. Thresh was no doubt there to make sure I didn’t go off killing more Orcs. Oases was unable to speak to me due to her shame at hiding Thresh’s secret. The Shaman spoke in riddles to try to hide his knowledge as well. And Cirania, my sweet Cirania. She was the missing piece. How was she involved? I thought that she truly loved me. But lately I wasn’t sure. She seemed more and more distant. The only logical answer was that at some point in time Thresh spoke to her about his betrayal and he somehow tricked her into keeping it a secret. That was the only way.

I opened my eyes. I couldn’t see it, but I could feel them as they turned an even deeper shade of red. I could hear the smile in Zeshua’s voice as he spoke, “You must return home and kill Thresh. He is still there along with the rest of your betrayers. Kill them all if you must. But leave Oases for me. I will deal with that little jezebel on my own terms.” I stood up and drew Harbinger from its sheath and said, “Stay out of my way demon. I have a job to do.” I brushed past Zeshua and felt a surge of power enter my body as I touched his shoulder with mine. As I walked away from him I could hear him laughing. I turned to look back to where I was just standing and he was gone. Good riddance, I don’t need him anyway. This is my job, and I will do it alone. Along the way back to Firecove I encountered little to no resistance. A few wild animals who thought I could have been their dinner, but Harbinger slew them like a hot knife through butter. After an hour or so of running at top speed I arrived at the outskirts of Firecove. Zeshua had indeed moved faster than I could have ever imagined taking me that far out in such a short amount of time. No matter. It was time for me to exact my revenge on my betrayers.

I stood in front of the door that was up until very recently my temporary haven. I could hear voices coming from the inside. I slowed my breathing and focused on those inside heightening my senses. “…we need to go to them and instruct them to flee now. Aerol is a loose arrow and is very unpredictable. It is hard telling what he would do to them if he found them.” The voice that spoke was Thresh. The next one I heard was the Shaman. “Yes Master Thresh. I will go to them immediately and tell them to flee, yes. You are most correct. Aerol Reign cannot be trusted, yes.” There was silence for a short moment, and then Thresh spoke again. “Yes Your Highness, I understand what to do. You have nothing to fear. I shall not harm him.” My blood boiled even hotter than before. My eyes flew open as the door opened. The Shaman stood there in fear as he looked up at me. He tried to scream as I brought Harbinger down at an angle toward him. Faster than even Zeshua could move, there was a black blur that flew through to door and slammed me right in my chest. As I fell backward I heard Thresh yell, “Everyone get out of here! He is mine to deal with!” The other three occupants hurried out and scattered in three different directions. I kipped up to my feet and brought Harbinger in front of me and gripped it with both hands. Standing in an aggressive stance I said angrily, “You have betrayed my trust Thresh. You are hiding the very thing I have vowed to eliminate from this world. In order to complete my quest, I have to kill you.”

Thresh looked at me with his teeth bared and spoke out loud, “Aerol, you are a good person. Zeshua has filled your mind with lies. I am hiding nothing from you.” I lunged forward quickly with Harbinger in a stabbing motion. Thresh jumped straight up off the ground high enough to clear my attack. I stepped back to my original position and said, “No? Then why did you not tell me you were a Ranger? Things could have turned out very differently for me, and for you.” I lunged again, this time bringing Harbinger down in a slashing motion from right to left. Thresh dropped to the ground and rolled to the left to once again avoid my attack. This time I did not step back but continued the attack. I kicked Thresh hard on his underbelly. Thresh lifted up off the ground and went three feet before hitting the ground. He let out a yelp as he landed. I walked over to where he lay motionless. Holding Harbinger down toward the ground I said, “Now you will die my friend.” I brought Harbinger down as hard as I could. The blade pierced Thresh’s skin with such ease all the way through to the earth below him. He let out a howl that would bring even the most heartless to their knees. I stood up and pulled Harbinger from my betrayer. I looked at the blade, admiring its beauty. I watched as the blood on the cold steel seeped inside of the metal. “Feed on the blood of the guilty my friend.” I whispered. I sheathed Harbinger once more and began walking back to my temporary haven to gather my things so I could leave Firecove once and for all. As I approached the door I heard a female’s voice. It sounded as if it were directly behind me. “Aerol, how could you?” It said. I turned and drew Harbinger at the same time to find no one was standing there. I scanned the area for anyone that could have said it. There was nothing. I looked to the place where my enemy lay dead, so I could gloat once more. Thresh was gone. Vanished without a trace.