The Apprentices (The Crimson Guard Trilogy Book 1) (17 page)

The Brothers had been tasked with keeping the bridge safe.  Two of the Brother’s physical characteristics resembled that of Humans and two resembled Shlocks.  The 5
th
and oldest Brother looked like neither yet like both.  None had names, for they had not been given any, although they all came from parents, none of them remembered.  The Brothers would often venture out seeking companionship of individuals from the other inhabitants as well as fighting in their wars; fine tuning their fighting abilities.  Yet each was careful not to give away their true identity.  To the inhabitants, the Brothers were a myth, and the strange men who appeared during wartime were thought of as benevolent nobles who thirsted for conflict.   Many believed them to be nobles, for their abilities were renowned and only those raised in noble families could afford the amount of training these men had. 

One day, hundreds of years into their guardianship a small army arrived from the South demanding access to the bridge and the lands beyond. The Brothers had been given the task by the Gods to allow none to pass other than the Gods.  They refused the Humans and sent them away.  Another hundred years passed before the same event happened from the North. Shlocks, while not as smart or crafty as Humans, possessed something that Humans did not.  They possessed unwavering courage, maybe due to not understanding death, or not caring.  Due to this they were relentless in their fighting, even with fatal injuries. They did not fight for country or allegiance to anything, they fought for the love of it. 

Unlike the Humans, the Shlocks did not back down.  When the Brothers refused admittance, they attacked.  Catching the Brothers off guard the Shlocks killed the oldest before the others destroyed the army.  Grief stricken the Brothers were lost, the oldest had always guided them.  Falling back on the only thing they knew, war, the Brothers sought revenge. 

All four left their post and marched north to teach the Shlocks to fear the immortal guardians.  They had fought in the races internal wars for centuries and none could stand against their prowess.  Thousands died in what is called the First Great Cleansing.  The Brothers swept through the North for decades, killing any who did not bend to their will or worship them as gods. 

Their tirade may never have ended except the Humans made a grievous error.  Because of the absence of the Brothers, the Bridge of the Gods was open.  A few brave yet foolish Southerners became the first to cross the forbidden bridge. 

The Brothers would never have known except for the rumor that more had come, which resembled two of the self-proclaimed gods.  The Brothers swiftly found and destroyed the Humans.  Angry with themselves for leaving their post, the Brothers again went for revenge to the South.  During this time their close sibling ties began to break. 

The Humans never saw it coming.  The Brothers had given themselves names were like the river, swift and deadly.  They flowed out of the North and flooded the South with the blood of their victims.  The two Shlock brothers named themselves Whisklin, and Slivian.  The human brothers became Redington and Mseal.  The Southern expedition lasted for nearly as long as the Northern.

One day the Brothers returned to the Bridge to pay respect to their fallen brother, the best of them all.  After returning they turned to each other for ideas of what to do next.  Redington came forward “I believe we should forget our identities and return to our duties as the Immortal Bridge Guardians.  It’s what we were meant to do.” 

The Brothers argued for years and years, all while the other races rebuilt.  Rebuilt and forgot other than in legends handed down from parent to child.  No one believed anymore, legends that had morphed with each telling.  The Brothers became nothing more than stories to scare children.  Finally the decision was made to return and rule over the races.  Redington refused to return to the world, “We have been forgotten, Brothers, to return would mean bloodshed, and I have spilt enough for the ages.”  The others ignored him and planned their return.  Rather, it was in their nature from the beginning, which was kept in check by their oldest brother, or if the recent bloodshed had created new identities, only Redington believed in the supposed benevolent nature of their task. 

One day after the decision was made, a Wanderer came to the Brothers camp catching them by surprise.   All jumped to their feet with weapon in hand except one.  Mseal spoke first, “Who are you and how dare you stand in our presence!” 

“How dare I? I am the one who gave you the initial task to protect the river crossing.  Which you have failed to uphold, and now you sit and ponder leaving.  I have seen your misguided ways and now you choose to leave even after good council.”  The Wanderer motioned to Redington.  While Redington digested what this man had said, the other three advanced with murder in their eyes. 

“How dare you!”  The Wanderer flung out his hand and the Brothers were forced to the ground by an unseen power, for they had never known or used magic.  “You are weak, yet I will not keep you from your wish to rule.”  The Wanderer stepped closer.  “However, only race can rule the land.  As you might have noticed two of you are actually Shlock and two are Human. To truly be master of all there can only be one.”   With this, the man vanished releasing the three.  Each looked at each other with growing disdain.  The two Shlock Brothers backed away from the others, whispering. 

“Redington, did you not hear, gather up your sword, if we want to rule we must stand together.”  Mseal said

“No Brother I do not wish to rule all.”  Redington responded.  Catching Mseal’s attention gave Whisklin the opening he was looking for.  He lurched forward piercing Mseal’s chest with his sword.  Redington watched his eyes close as he slumped to the ground.  “I may not want to rule, but neither shall you.”  Redington grabbed his sword, charging the other two.  Before he could reach them, they faded back into the shadows almost becoming one with it. 

…………………………………………………………

Present Day

Redington looked from the ground to the newly built fire at the makeshift camp and then looked me in the eye.  “After my brother was killed I buried him with the oldest and wandered the lands both North and South of the great river.  I searched and searched for my remaining brothers.  I did not find them, but they eventually found me.  I was in a little town just south of the bridge when we were attacked.  Hundreds of Shlocks fell upon the town.  I did my best to protect those I could.  This town had become my home; I had a family and a son.  My son had crimson hair much like my Crimson Guards and like your companion.”  He pointed to Naomi before continuing.  “I fought for days with my son and all the towns’ people by my side.  During these battles I realized he had powers like those of the Wanderer.  He could do things I could not.  He could create fire from his fingertips and much more.  The battle was grim and the town had been destroyed.  The Shlocks drove us to the bridge where we made our final stand.  The battle was never ending. No matter how many we killed, more came.  Finally it was just me and my son and one other.  I do not remember his name but I do remember him.  I was fighting a group of Shlock warriors when it happened.”  Redington stopped for a second reaching out to almost touch the fire.

I watched him for what seemed like hours, waiting.  He looked up remembering I was there and returned to his story.  “The man was wounded with a long cut on his side made by a ruthless Shlock sword. Shlocks that I have encountered are not smart, nor are they master weapon forgers. Their weapons are made of anything they could get their ugly hands on. I then saw the warrior burst into flame.  Not only did I see him destroy a nearby enemy, but before long all of our enemies were slain.  The man was possessed by such power I had never seen before.”  I thought about what I must have looked like when I am possessed by myself.  “The destruction was complete, nothing stood in his path.  I took refuge with my son in a nearby cave, hoping the tide would pass.  I had always thought to be the most powerful, besides my brothers, but this being I feared.  Hours passed and the screams finally came to an end.  I ventured out from my sanctuary to find the man sitting on the ground with his face in his hands.  I asked him what he was and if he was even Human.  I remember to this day, him looking up.  He told me he was a Berserker mage and that while he looked like he was on fire, it did not hurt him.  As he started to cry, he said that he could not control his body, and he hated what it did to him.”  My mind screamed with questions, but I held my tongue. “We buried our dead.  He asked me who I was.  I told him the same story of my brothers that I just told you.  He was silent for a long time before he spoke again.”

Redington stopped again to poke the fire.  He looked up after a few seconds and started his story again.  “After much talk, we determined it was necessary to stop my brothers, for I knew they would never stop until I was dead.  He told me I needed to create an army.   My armies of Crimson Guards were created on that night.  Trying to figure out how to raise an army to guard the bridge, I realized something.  I never taught my son how to fight yet he had survived the tremendous battle.  Because of how I came to be, and who I was, war is in my blood, as well as in all my children. They are born with the ability to survive yet it was an unrefined talent.  He told me he would create a place to train the children of mine, and when they were ready they would join me.  For years we built an army of guards, and each guard had an unmistakable characteristic, crimson hair.”  Here I stopped him.

“So you are saying all those with crimson hair are your kin?”  I phrased this as a question, even though I knew what the answer was going to be.  He nodded “Only the Humans, though, if the Shlocks have crimson haired individuals it is not my doing” and I heard a gasp.  I turned and saw Naomi, color drained from her face. 

“He looked up at her and said “Yes, you are my daughter, as are all those you see around you.”  I looked around and saw his guards milling around not really paying attention to the conversation.  I am sure they all knew this story.

“You must have thousands of guards. I was told of a town to the North that was destroyed by the Shlocks, and that battle took place hundreds of years ago.”  I said. “In fact, I stayed in that town. Did you have anything to do with the white flame surrounding the library?”

“Yes, it was long ago, but now I do not have many.  The white flame was not my doing, but a brave mage who knew the power of the library and knew better than to let the Shlocks get into it.  With regards to my kin, we are far less than the enemy in the North.  I cannot thank your man enough for not killing her.”  He pointed to his still unconscious daughter.  Talon nodded and Redington looked back to me.  “This is where you come in.  One day many years ago I stopped getting reinforcements. Wondering what happened, I made a journey south to the training grounds.  What I found was disturbing.  The place was destroyed and I heard rumor of a shadow, which I knew was my brother.  It took me a long time to find out what happened.  The Queen, which you have now met her guards, was to blame.  I don’t know the actual truth, but I know she takes my kin for her own.  As soon as I found out I stopped my ‘recruitment’ and returned to the North.  After I returned the Wanderer found me.  He prophesied one day of a being who shall gather the four apprentices and bring an end to the Great War.   And he was correct; you are the one he spoke of.” 

Jes interrupted his story “Wow, I knew we were important.”  He said as he nudged me with his arm.  I gave him a sour look and as I looked at my friends, I noticed all of them were intently listening to Redington. 

“You said a shadow was your brother, what do you mean?”  I asked.

“When my brothers turned against us they became shades, they chose to lose their form and become magical creatures.  How this happened, I do not know.”  He said.

Jes again interrupted, “Wait Lyndon didn’t I save you from a shade in that castle not too long ago?  Something that they called the ‘Queen’s Favorite?’”  Redington looked up at Jes with eyes wide.

“Yes, but that is not how I remember it.  I do believe you were sleeping in some rubble at one point.”  Jes laughed, but the Immortal Guard interrupted. “What do you mean the Queen’s Favorite? What happened? Where did he go? Did he hurt anyone?”

“I believe that it was under the power of the Queen, a pet you could call it.  It did not go anywhere, I do believe it is dead.”  I said “We killed it, or him whatever you wish me to call it.  It hurt me, and Frey over there, but otherwise I do not know the answer to your last question.”

Redington sat back “So the Wanderer was correct and it has begun, with one brother dead, which only leaves one.”  Redington lost himself in thought. 

I waited a moment before breaking his thought.  “You have not answered why you came to find us.”  I said.

“Yes, yes, sorry, I will continue, but my time here grows short; I must return north.  I came to find you because the Queen must be stopped, I need new soldiers and she has spies everywhere.  I am unsure if she is in league with my brothers, brother.”  He corrected himself.  “But she needs to be stopped.” 

“Sounds good, but you and your guards killed all of her soldiers with such ease, why don’t you just go and do it yourself.  I tire of being another’s patsy.”  I said with a hint of anger.

“I would, but I have so few left at the bridge. If I were to lose any more the tides of war would break into this land.”  Redington stood tall looking down on me. “We have been protecting your land for hundreds of years. It is time you did something to protect yourself.”  I sat chastised like a child caught in the cookie jar.