Another fragment of a story amid the worlds of my mind. I almost called it, The Birth of a Villain, or Illusions of Heroics, but Antagony in this sense is derived from the Agony of the Antagonist. Hope you enjoy!
It had been nearly a decade since I had graduated from The Academy. As the youngest through the ranks at the tender age of fifteen, I had been both mocked and ridiculed throughout my entire education. But the Masters at the school had shown me that great power flowed through my veins. Every year I excelled, magic advanced. Before my final year, I was seemingly teaching these old mages of things they could not explain. Things that went against the very fabric of all their knowledge of magic and the arcane.
I would hardly forget the ivory like bricks of the castle, which seemed to glow in both the light of the sun and the moon. The iron and white oak gates which greeted me every single year were etched into my mind. The delicate flags flew atop the four lesser towers at the corners, while the main flag whipped defiantly in the wind over the entire land. That flag seemed almost divine as it danced amid the gales and gusts, like a long flame of red, orange and violet.
The letter sat atop the hearth near a vase of violets. Violets for Violet, she’d enjoy that. I looked around my small home, knowing I would never see it again. I would be leaving the love of my life, the only love I’d ever known, and I couldn’t bear to trouble her with my demons any more. The nightmares felt more real. The haunts kept me awake at night. Their laughs and tricks played on my mind still; After a decade.
The Academy was full of fine young students, as was the world. Alas it also harboured juveniles and delinquents, from which I would shy away from. But not this time, and never again. For all of those who suffered and continued to suffer in silence, I would bring this injustice to light. Would some oppose me? Surely. Would I care? No. After all, I was useless. Or so they said.
What brings people to the point of tearing someone else down? I was younger than them. Smarter than them. Did they resent me? Did they envy me? To understand the mind of someone like that, I believe, may be impossible. Would any understand me? I assume not. My mind wanders back to the letter I’ve written for Violet. She is undeserving of what I am to put her through, yet I cannot go on like this. I give the place one last look as I turn to close the door. We cannot move forward, if we continue looking back. The door closes on my past, and leaves me to my fate.
I stood at the end of the long road into town. Torches burned bright as darkness descended upon the world. I could feel my chest pounding to the beat of my heart, as if it were trying to escape. I glanced down at my robes. If it were to be ceremonial, I had to wear the crimson robes of The Academy, the gold and crimson cloak around my shoulders was mostly for warmth, but a fitting addition to my costume for the evening. With my gauntlets, I pulled my hood over my head until I was sure not even the moonlight would catch a glimpse once I had begun.
Making my way down the hill, an old man glanced at me as he harvested with a large scythe. His eyes spoke volumes of how I looked. I expected him to run into town, to warn them, but to my surprise, he ran for the woods. Good man. You’ll survive this day. Each step felt as though I wasn’t simply walking on the road, I was walking on the Earth. This was to be my world. I would shape the masses as I saw fit, no religion, no borders, no kingdoms. One ruler, and no more war. Well… after this one.
The city gate stood tall and made of iron and granite, it connected onto the walls surrounding the heart of the city, and the gates were well guarded.
“Halt!”
The voice is authoritative and loud, billowing deep from within the man’s barrel chest. I glance up, to see the strong lad before me, his chain mail covering him from thigh to neck and a helmet and breastplate atop it. The crest of an eagle grasping a clover upon his chest means I’m in the right place.
“What business do you have here?” He bellows, his voice quivering slightly. Fear has a funny way of presenting itself.
“I’m here to destroy your town, as I am here for its Lord, Brialt Bannen.” It is a strange feeling as both adrenaline and magical energy course through your veins.
The guard’s eyes widen, and he reaches for the longsword at his side. My mind is faster than his hand, and the firebolt melts a hole clean through the breastplate and chainmail, on both sides. The guards atop the wall ready their arrows, only to fall to their demise as I magically pull them from the so called safety of their perch. Their bodies land with a sickening thud and crack, but beneath my hood I can feel myself smile. Is this what I was meant for? Is this my purpose?
Necromancy was new to me five years ago, but now, I can raise the dead effortlessly. The adrenaline staves off exhaustion, and my strength is reborn. As are the guards. I stand amid their confused bodies and consider a few actions I could take. I could lay waste to the rest of the city. Or I could pretend that I am a prisoner, delivered to my target. The smile beneath my hood grows wide; sometimes my own cunning surprises me.
The guards around me do well, as they “arrest” me for trial. They bring me shamelessly through the streets and before the Lord’s house. Hardly a castle, but beyond the scope of a home. I stare up at its single dull grey tower, overlooking the entire city. My eye catches the moon and if I can see it, then it can see me. Without hesitation I drop my gaze and refocus on the task at hand.
Two guards at the doors force them open before me and my trio of guards. Just beneath the edge of my hood, I can see him in all his bastardised glory. Brialt, the “Bannen” of my existence. I snicker to myself at the pun, until he rises from his mock throne.
“Halt men. Those robes… you. Are you from The Academy?” He asks warily. His short blond hair seemingly shimmers in the torchlight of the room. Women swooned for him, and I’d bet they still do.
“Perhaps.” My voice comes out smooth and cold. I try not to grin as I continue. “Why, what business is it of yours?”
“I too am from The Academy.” Brialt steps down from his perch. “I spent many wonderful years there.” I feel my breath as he steals it away from me, my grin fading as my teeth grind against one another. Wonderful years? They must have been, being an alpha male and punishing anyone you saw fit. I can only imagine what justice you enact in this poor city.
“So tell me friend, why do my guards have you…” He slows his speech for a moment, and I notice his stance change. Something’s not right, and he can feel it. “…why have you been brought to me like this?”
“I’ve come-” My voice stops as I notice a little girl rush into the chamber. Her familiar blond curls bounce as she rushes toward Brialt. A beautiful woman enters through the same door, her chestnut coloured hair braided and draped down her left shoulder. She rushes to retrieve the girl and glances back and forth from he and I.
“I’m sorry Bri- Lord Bannen. She wanted to see you after her dinner.” The woman’s voice was soft and caring, as she gathered up the young girl in her arms.
As the pair spoke before me, my mind drifted. He was a father. Perhaps he had changed. And the girl had done nothing wrong. Nor had the beautiful woman holding her. Was I to be a murderer? Here I was so close to revenge and I felt the adrenaline start to subside. I glanced at the toddler from beneath my hood. Her blue eyes screamed innocence.
“Oh my god, there’s a hole in his chest!” The woman screamed as she backed away shielding her daughter. I glanced up for a moment to see Brialt drawing his sword. Sometimes, things don’t work out as you would like them to. My command charges the reanimated upon the woman and daughter, while I turned my attention to Brialt.
“Savina!” Brialt
screamed over the chaos. He turned and looked back to me, both hope and rage in his eyes. An odd combination, but all the more powerful.
“Stop them, stop them now!” He commanded.
“Why should I Brialt the Bold?” I shook my head. “Justice must be served.”
“Justice? For what?!” Brialt yelled as the panic rose in his voice. Pots and pans clashed together int he adjoining room.
“Why should I stop them?” My gauntlets pulled back the hood as I stared my tormentor in the face. “Where were you when I pleaded for them to stop terrorising me? Why didn’t you stop them?”
“Terialt, I… oh my god… I-I didn’t…” Brialt’s voice trailed off as he lowered his sword. Screams erupted from the kitchen and I didn’t need to be in there to know the reanimates had done their job.
“God can’t help you here.” I raised my gauntlet as sparks crackled in the air around it.
“Ten years since I last saw you… Ten!” Brialt yelled. “It wasn’t my fault! I never harmed you!”
“But you never stopped it. And believe me, you had the power to.” With a sudden flash, Brialt lay smouldering from his chest and eyes on the stone floor before me. As the reanimates returned to me, bloodied from their mission, I released them from their duty. Surrounded by lifeless bodies, I felt as though I had finally achieved some justice. But for what? Would I sleep better? Would the past change now that the present had?
I stood over Brialt’s body and confused beyond emotion, I did what anyone else with a conscience would do.
Into my hands, I wept.
Hope you’ve enjoyed the fragment and I’d love to hear some feedback. Let me know!