The Redemption of a Demon

Index:

- Prologue
- Chapter 1: Unwanted Attention
- Chapter 2: Lashes for Self-defense
- Chapter 3: Pain and Affection
- Chapter 4: Remaining Shadow
- Chapter 5:
- Chapter 6:
- Chapter 7:
- Chapter 8:
- Chapter 9:
- Chapter 10:



























Prologue

The sun was setting behind the Shadow Fog fortress. A slight wind picked up the fallen leaves and was making them dance around in the air. Twirling and flapping as they went. Some of the leaves managed to make there way up to a balcony where middle aged women sat writing on a piece of parchment. Her five-year-old daughters footsteps can be heard as she was running up saying.

“Mommy! Mommy, lookie what I found.” Her mother adverts her gaze from the darkening sky to the west.

“What do you have their Veronika?” she hands her mother what she found. It was a necklace with an angel on it. But it had two separate wings. One was that of an angel while the other was a demon. Her mother was astonished that the girl happened to find it.

“Where’d you find this?” the daughter points to the dresser over in the corner of the ballroom.

“It was sitting on top of it…Can I have it?” She looked up from the necklace and smiled.

“Come here.” Veronika stepped forward so her mother could put the necklace on.

“This belonged to your father. He found it in the city ruins of Lania.” She finishes linking the chain links together. Her daughter then starts admiring it.

“Thank-you mommy.” She jumps in her mother’s lap and gives her a hug.

“Your welcome sweetie….oh, it’s time to get you to bed.” Veronika hops down and starts running through the empty ballroom to the stairs on the other side.

“Hurry mommy, I’m scared of the dark.” She stood up from her chair and picked up a stand of three candles the was sitting on a nearby table.

“There, now we can see much better.” They ascended a fleet of stairs. After a couple minutes, they get to Veronika’s room. Veronika pushed open the door and got a running start to jump into her bed.

“Mommy, tell me a story.” Veronika pulled the covers over while her mother took a seat on the edge of the bed.

“Mmm…I’ll tell you one that I was told long ago.” She then started reciting the legend about a Demon and an Angel. A legend she helped unfold, when the time was called to do so.

“Around two thousand years ago, an angel was banished from the heavens. His name was Tasmor. His anger and rage transformed him into a demon. With his newly gained powers, he quickly started taking his anger and rage out on the land and its people. He even created an army of demons to do his biding. At first he was thought as a bandit, but his reputation quickly grew. For he, is now known as the demon king. With thousands on thousands of demons at his command. Three angels were originally dispatched from the heavens to deal with the ever-growing threat. Ackeos’ wife, Veronika and her two personal guards.” Veronika interrupts her.

“Hey that’s my name.” Her mother smiles.

“Yes dear, it was your grandmothers name to. Where was I? Oh yes. The three angels…they were overwhelmed and they easily fell to the hands of Tasmor. It was a battle he had won before it even began. Ackeos the crescent angel, formed an army of angels after finding out what had become of his wife. Ackeos and his army of angels descended from the sky to destroy Tasmor and his army of demons. The battles never ended. They kept on going till Tasmor and Ackeos where the last ones standing on a far off battlefield. Their battle was that of a legendary one, on top of the super complex in the city of Lania. Tasmor eventually fell to Ackeos‘ hand, but he swore that one day he would return to rid this planet of all life. With that said, Ackeos sent Tasmor into oblivion forever. Eighteen hundred years have past and the demons started reappearing all around the world again. But no signs of the demon king. Without the protection of the angels, the human race had to learn how to defend themselves. In doing so they’ve gathered and formed a group that was called the Aquillian Knights. But over the next two hundred years it went from the Aquillian Knights to the order of the Redemption Knights. Now the rise of the demon king is at hand. But there is a single hope that resides in saving us. That hope resides in a young man whose blood streams with that of an angel and that of a demon. Will he save the world from destruction and darkness? Or will his clouded past come back to torment him into taking the path of death? This hope is just as fragile as a shard of glass being dropped. I to wondered what would happen to this world if it fell into absolute darkness. For I helped shape the world and people as it is now. So did your father, Edgar Navarra. I know you’ve never met him…I don’t know if you’ll ever get the chance to.” She looks at Veronika to see that she fell asleep during the story. She then stood up from the bed and walked towards the door.

“Goodnight…Veronika.” She walked through the doors, closing them behind her as she left.






It was an early morning on June 23. The sky was still dark, but growing evermore brighter from the rising sun to the East. The grass, trees and the sides of the streams were covered in dew and ice from the storm that past by some hours earlier that morning. A dense mist now covered the unnamed forest. Making it slightly colder then it was. There was no sound, with the exception of the slight pounding of hooves as a rider and his horse rode by. The rider had long brown hair that was thick and curly. He wore a Dark blue buccaneer coat with a gray shirt underneath. As his pants were brown and baggy with several pockets. His pants legs were stuffed into armored boots that protected his shins. His black leather baldric was made to hold both of his weapons. A black five-foot broadsword…Shadow. A four-foot Wakizashi…Reign. His horse was a black mare with a single white stripe running diagonally down her face. They were riding from the city ruins of Lania to the refurbished town of Aquilla. He was taking a slow pace, so he didn’t draw attention to the demons that had been seen hiding in the forest. The beaten path they were on was barely wide enough to take a wagon on. It was rugged and unattended. Since it never gets traveled, with the exception of the rider. He heard a couple twigs snap some twenty feet or so to his right. He pulled back on the reins; making his mare come to a soft, quite stop. He glanced to where he heard the twigs snap. He then caught movement. Visibility was poor, but he made out the outlines of a couple demons staring him down. More twigs snapped to his left. He looked over and saw more demons that were even closer. They had spotted him and called him breakfast. He then snapped the reins and kicked his heels. His mare then reared up onto her hind legs then lunged forward to start galloping away. The demons that had been watching took chase. Easily able to keep up by getting down on all fours. They still had ten minutes to get Aquilla and get help, but in the mean time. He pulled out Shadow, his black bladed broadsword and readied himself to slash away at closing demons. He swung his sword downward, catching a demon on the shoulder as it came up alongside the right side of his horse. It then started tumbling, while the others jumped over it. After several long minutes of riding and fighting. The rider sees the edge of the forest and the town just past it.

“About time.” He looked over his shoulder to see a small army of demons following him. As he started riding into the open, he shouted out to one of the wall guards.

“Hey! I need help! Demons!” He saw two soldiers disappear from the wall. As he got closer he slipped off the left side of his horse, pulling out his wakizashi before crashing to the ground in a small roll. The demons that were running for him were a mix and match group of demons. Several with goblin-like features, while others looked like grotesque beasts with misshapen swords and other weapons. While others flew at him with horns and fangs. But, there was one demon that stood out from the rest. It was waiting back behind the others. It was dresses up in a black jester outfit. But he paid no mind to his surroundings. He even seemed oblivious to the fight. The rider then started swinging away at multiple demons. Cutting down each one that got too close. He then heard the metal gates open up and five members of the Scarlet guardians came running out to help fend off what was left of the small demon horde.

“Edgar!” A woman calls out. “You alright?”\

“Fine, just a little drossy.” Edgar slew the last demon standing. He then sheathed both of his swords and then turned to thank them for helping. But an obscure laughter adverts his attention. Edgar looks around to see only one thing laughing at them. It was a jester. His clothing was black with multiple shades of purple and red throughout his outfit. His face was pale white with glowing blue eyes. The Jester then started talking.

“Oh that was fun. I’m mean how much better can things get for entertainment?” He then started dancing around while making a tune of his own. Edgar speaks out to him.

“What’s your problem?” The jester continues to dance while answering him.
“What’s your problem? Those demons should’ve died when you meet them. I could‘ve killed them blindfolded.” Edgar rolls his eyes.

“Then do it.” The jester stopped dancing. He then covered his eyes with his left hand and started swiping at the air with his right. Edgar and everyone else shakes their heads.

“OH, this is fun!”

“That’s a demon with a loose head.” The demon then disappears. But his voice can still be heard.

“Why don’t you try it sometime?”

“Sorry, but being a half crazed dimwit will be your job.” Edgar then heard someone speak out to him from atop the wall.

“Edgar! Why do you keep making trouble for us?” He looked up to see that Samos Rodlor was the one who asked the question. Samos is the leader of Aquilla and the order of the Redemption Knights.

“Well, I can’t help but ride through that forest every time I come here.” There was no other way to get to Aquilla from the ruins of Lania.

“Then find a new place to live other then those forgotten ruins.” Samos then departed from the wall. Leaving Edgar and everyone else behind. Edgar then looked around to see who all helped him. He was too tired to notice anyone he knew. His eyes then came to rest upon one person, Terra Volam. Even in her sleep deprived state; she still looked beautiful, almost as if it were a curse. She had super long black hair that drops to the middle of her back. She whore a three-piece top. The bottom piece was a dark red kimono top. The middle piece was breastplate armor that only covered her breast. A leather strap connected over and underneath her shoulders to a back plate. For the top piece was half of a torn tank top. It was a faded red color. Her pants wear black with very few pockets to spare. She also whore full leg armor made from hardened leather. It protected her legs from the top of her hips all the way down to her ankles. Her overall look made her look like a female barbarian. Ready to explode into fight at a moments notice. Edgar had known her all his life. As they grew up together, they started taking interest in each other’s lives. Going from name calling to enjoying their time together. Terra was rather tall for a woman. Having reached the height of six foot. She was the tallest female in Aquilla. She made it hard for Edgar to talk down to her. Since he was only six-three. But every time they argued about something, she was always the one with the final word in the matter.

“So…no criticism this morning?” as Terra’s mouth opened, a voice came forth that sounded like beautifully composed music.

“Well I don’t have the need to. Besides, you were already in trouble once today. Lets try and not make a second.” Everyone then started his or her way back through the open gate.

“Well, I can’t really say that I won’t. no promises.”

“Edgar, don’t start. It’s to early yet.”


Two hours later that morning, Edgar wakes up in one of the church beds he had crashed on. He sat up and stretched out his legs. He then stood up from the bed and arched his back to relieve his morning back pain by cracking almost every vertebra in his spine. He did nothing but stand there in relief that the pain was gone.

“Ahh that felt good.” he rolled up his left shirtsleeve to inspect his arm. On his forearm was a dark brown scaly area that was almost two inches around. But he was noticing that it was getting slightly bigger everyday.
“Dammit, it’s spreading. It’s going to be harder to conceal it now.” He first started feeling changes to his body when he was sixteen. He found out that he could do things no normal human could. Like jumping to astonishing heights and falling from even greater heights. He even had the endurance and strength to run all day nonstop. He came to the conclusion that he was a demon. But, he’s never told anyone. Only hinting about it to one person. Edgar wanted to keep this a secret. For he knew what would happen if someone found out what he was. He would be hunted down and killed. Since the demon race has long preyed on human flesh. Edgar has seen first hand what mindless demons can do. They’ve slaughtered without thought or consent. As being a demon himself, Edgar believes that that he was never a demon to begin with. Edgar unrolled his shirtsleeve and grabbed his buccaneer coat from the bedpost. He slid his left arm through the coat, followed by his right. He then left the church soon after to head for the restored villa. The villa was the home of Samos Rodlor and his wife Catilina. It was almost daily routine to check in and see if there was anything that needed to be done. Since he was a member of the scarlet guardians, he was usually sent out to patrol areas that had demon activity. But Edgar normally got the jobs that usually take him to places that are days away from any small town. Mainly the dirty jobs that Samos gives him for his attitude problems. Within minutes, Edgar had covered the distance between the church and the villa. Today was different though. All members of the scarlet guardians had gathered in front of the villa. From what Edgar guessed, Samos was sending out teams of scouts. Could it be that things were going bad to worse in Aquilla? Edgar didn’t know how to answer his own question. He then decided to go inside and see what answers he could get. As he entered he noticed that nothing had changed from before. The walls were lined with beautiful pieces of art of all sizes. Along the far wall sat a few racks of antique swords, shields, spears and many more assorted weapons. The villa was a two-story building, five rooms on the bottom and ten upstairs. Edgar immediately spotted Terra talking to Samos. From the looks of it they were arguing. He wasn’t close enough to here what it was. He eventually wandered over to the both of them. They kept on arguing, not even noticing Edgar was stander there.

“But, every time you send him out. You always send him alone.” Samos barks right back.

“I don’t need him risking the life of others with his insane behavior. It’s only right to send him alo—“ Edgar coughs up a little bit to let them know they weren’t alone. Terra then forces her way past Edgar for the entrance doors. Leaving him behind with Samos.

“Edgar, good of you to show up. Not at the best time, but you did.” Edgar grins.

“Well I can leave if it helps.”

“Dammit Edgar, stop being a pain.” his grin just grows.

“Then you’d miss my nonsense too much.”

“Enough! I’m sending you to Vermasa to check on a distress call we got. Apparently from what we’ve gathered. Vermasa has been harassed by demons for some time now and they’re in need of desperate help.”

“You’re sending me? Surely there’s someone else that you can send.” Samos rolled his eyes at the trick Edgar was trying to play.

“I’m not sending you alone, Weaver is going with you.” Edgar tilts his head.

“Weaver? As in your servant, Weaver?”

“Yes, I can’t trust you to tell me everything that goes on there. That’s way he’s going with you.” Edgar looks at Samos in disgust.

“I disserve more credit then that.”
“As soon as you give more than you have. Now I suggest you go before this conversation gets messy.” Edgar turns and walks for the doors.

“It’ll be waiting for me when I get back.” As Edgar walked away, Samos spoke underneath his breath.

“If you come back alive.” Weaver then comes walking up.

“Sir, can I speak to you in private.” Samos smiles.

“Of course.” They soon find a quiet corner in the ballroom where no one can hear.

“Father, I’m packed and ready to go. How do you want me to go about deceiving him?”

“Since Edgar doesn’t like waiting. Say that your still getting ready to go. He’ll go ahead and leave. Just follow him and then witness what happens in Vermasa then disappear the first night on the way back. Get back here before he does.” Weaver walks through the ballroom towards the entrance hall.

“It’ll be done.”



Edgar walks out of the villa, he looked around to see where Terra was but didn’t see her. He then heads for the stables next to the town gate. He spots Terra from a ways off. She was reading his horse with her sattle and sattle bags full with a few days worth of food. As Edgar neared he spoke out.

“Missed you back there.” Terra finishes what she’s doing before talking to him.

“Sorry, I had to leave before I exploded.” Edgar stood there in shock.

“Wait? Samos finally got to you?” Terra nodded her head.

“Yes, but it was about you and the fact that he was sending you alone.”

“I’m not going alone.” Terra is shocked.

“That’s new, why?” Edgar threw his long hair back.

“He says that he can’t trust my word on what goes on. He’s sending Weaver with me. His damn servant.”

“Who knows why he’s sending him with you.” Edgar moves past Terra to his horse.

“Hey Mia, you getting enough attention?” His horse nodes her head up and down several times.

“Good…Hey? You up for a run Mia?” Mia starts pounding her front hooves on the ground out of excitement. Terra stands there and smiles.

“She’s anxious.” Edgar turns his gaze to Terra. Then he started stroking Mia’s neck.

“She loves to run and she hates being in a stall.” Terra crosses her arms.

“Funny, that reminds me of someone.” Edgar raises an eyebrow.

“Who?” Terra then sets a hand on his shoulder.

“Who else?” he then walked around the right side of Mia and stuck his foot into the stirrup. He then pulled himself up into the sattle on her back.

“That just makes me, me then…It’s just like what I always used to say. I’m a one of a kind guy.” Terra smiles again.

“That you are, surely there can’t be anyone to match how stubborn you are.”

“No, there’s one person that’s worse than me.” He then yells out to the gatekeeper.

“Open the Gates!” Weaver then came running up.

“Edgar, I’m still packing up a few things.” Edgar rolls his eyes.

“Then go get packed, I’m leaving.”

“But-“ Edgar cuts him off.

“You can catch up.” Weaver then runs off in the opposite direction. Terra then tells him one final thing.

“Hey, be careful. Something about doesn’t feel quite right.” Edgar then urges Mia forward.

“You know me, I’m never careful. I just go lucky, even though I feel something weird to. See you around Terra.” He didn’t even need to kick his heels for Mia to burst out into a full gallop. Terra slowly watched him disappear into the rising dust that rose up behind him.






Seven hours after leaving Aquilla. Edgar stopped at a small out cropping that was just over thirty miles away from Vermasa. He decided to stay here and set up a temporary camp for the night. He got down from Mia’s back and undid the straps holding the sattle in place. He lifted it off from her back and set it on the ground ten feet away.

“Alight Mia, go run if you wish. Just don’t get in trouble.” Mia then dashed off into the field that was two hundred yards away. She was a child at play with the world. Edgar sat on the ground next to a tree trunk and started watching Mia run to her hearts content.

“If I had that much energy I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.” Edgar had found Mia wandering through the ruins of Lania six years ago. She was a broken horse. She had been beaten several times from what he saw. Her hooves where severely damaged and she avoided all human contact. Edgar tried for so long to catch her, but every attempt he made had failed. He then started leaving piles of hey just outside the ruins near an apple orchard. He even plucked apples from the tree and set them around for her to eat. Over three months had past before Mia would even let Edgar anywhere near her. But soon after, Mia started becoming more friendly and active. She started running through and around the ruins of Lania on a regular basis. That’s when Edgar realized that she was always in a stable or a cage. That’s when he stopped trying to catch her. He just grew into the habit of feeding her everyday. Once she came around more. Edgar tried making contact with her. The first couple of times were hectic. But, soon he was close enough to touch her a few times. Ever since then their relationship grows stronger every time they’re together. A pair of hooves approaching distracts Edgar. He glances over his left shoulder to see Weaver riding towards him.

“Damn, you take long enough?” Weaver gets off his horse and ties it to the nearest tree.

“Well, I was still packing when you left.” Edgar grins out of amusement.

“I’ve got a secret for you about packing.” Weaver takes a seat on the ground five feet away.

“And what secret is that?” Edgar readjusts the way he’s sitting.

“Just pack yourself. That’s what I do.”

“Well I’m not yo—“ Edgar cut him off.

“I’d rather you just shut up. Shut up and listen to your surroundings.”

“But-“

“Shhh…make it nice and quiet.” It was quite for the rest of the night. Weaver unrolled his bedspread and fell asleep on it soon after. Edgar soon dosed off against the stump he was next to. Slowly falling into a deep sleep. His mind then started showing him different views of memories he had experienced. He then started dreaming of flying. Flying as fast as the wind could carry him. His dream then transformed into an Aerial fight. Between him and Terra, Edgar had massive black wings. While Terra had massive angel wings. They weren’t fighting to take each other’s lives. They were sparing in an endless aerial duel. Terra looked different, almost as if Edgar was having a dream about the future. Her hair was longer and her clothing was different. Edgar himself looked different. His mind then went blank, that’s when he woke up. It was very early, about four hours after midnights. It was the usual time Edgar always got up. Edgar stood up and stretched out his muscles to relieve the pain of uselessness through the night. He then broke the silence.

“Weaver! Get up. I’d like to get there and back before the day is up.” He then whistled for Mia.

“Mia!” Weaver then started to groan.

“Come on, wake me up in an hour.” Mia then came trotting up. Edgar then lifted up her sattle and set it in place on her back. He then tightened the straps that held it on.

“Suite yourself, I’m leaving.” Edgar then climbs up onto Mia’s back and starts galloping towards Vermasa. Leaving Weaver to sleep or so he thought.


Three hours later Edgar reaches the outskirts of Vermasa. Most of the buildings were on fire while the sky above was shrouded in smoke.

“Well I can’t say this looks good.” Edgar then proceeds to ride towards the town. As he nears, he hears crying and reoccurring screams. Edgar stopped and got down from Mia’s back.

“Stay here Mia, I don’t need to worry about both of our lives in there.” He then continued into the town alone. As he entered, all the screaming and the crying he heard came to a stop. That’s when Edgar felt that something was gravely wrong. He then started calling out for anyone that was there.

“Hey! Anyone alive? I was sent here from Aquilla to see what the call was about.” All he got was silence in return. He then began searching buildings for survivors.

“I swear, there were people here not but a minute ago.” He then heard a crazy laugh. He then ran out side of the building he was in to the same jester he saw the day before. The jester knew he was there.

“Ah, so you were the one running around in there.” Edgar draws his sword.
“What do you want?”

“That’s a good question. What do I want? How about the people of this town killing you?” Edgar hesitates at what he just heard.

“That won’t likely happen.” The jester then started laughing outrageously.

“Don’t make me laugh!” Edgar then raises his sword to the jester’s neck.

“Allow me to end it then?” he stopped laughing.

“Edgar was it?” Edgar was shocked.

“How do you know my name?”

“Doesn’t matter, I’m not the one you should be worried about.” The jester points over Edgar’s shoulder. Edgar turns around to see thirty or so civilians walking towards him. All of them were holding a weapon of some kind. The jester laughs while saying.

“Even the kiddies have weapons.” Edgar then looks back to see the jester had disappeared. He then faced the approaching crowd.

“Are you guys alright.” Only one person spoke.

“Kill the demon!” Edgar turned around to see where it was, but there was nothing. He then realized that they were going to kill him. Edgar stood his ground and started defending himself.

“Hey! I was sent here to help you! I’m not your enemy!” the town of Vermasa was being harassed till the point that strangers were treated as demons. Edgar had no choice but to fight them. After a few minutes Edgar had slain them all. He had the hardest time with the children. He had to stomach the fact that they to were trying to kill him. Weaver then came riding through the town to see Edgar walking away from the pile of dead bodies he had stacked up.

“Edgar what happened?” he tried to tell him as plainly as possible.

“The town went crazy. I had to defend myself; everyone was trying to kill me. Even the kids as well.”

“You killed them?”

“It was self defense, what would you have done?” Weaver then realized that if he didn’t shut up. He to would become a corpse. He then steered his horse back to the entrance where Edgar had left Mia. Edgar followed right after him. When he got to the entrance, he climbed up onto Mia’s back and began a slow trip back to Aquilla.


A long six hours later Edgar and Weaver stopped to make camp for the night. They were only three hours away. But they needed rest. Weaver finally broke the silence.

“Edgar?” Edgar undid the straps on Mia’s sattle and took it off of her back and sat it down.

“What?” Weaver was hesitant.

“No, you don’t want to here what I was going to ask. You’ll just tell me to shut up again.” Edgar sat on the ground and leans against Mia’s saddle.

“Tell me, I’ll try to answer it.”

“Do you ever ask yourself why you joined the Scarlet guardians? Atleast after times like today.” Edgar dwelled on the question for several moments.

“Sometimes…Like after today. Yes I would ask myself that.” Weaver then asked one more question.

“You get an answer from it.”

“Most of the time.”

“What is it?” Edgar closes his eyes and tries to go to sleep.

“Sorry, that one I’m keeping to myself.” He eventually fell into a deep sleep. Having the same dream the night before, but it didn’t last as long. Edgar then saw all the faces of the people he had killed earlier that day. They burned their way into his memory. Edgar then woke up from the growing nightmare. His face and neck were covered in sweat. The collar of his shirt was soaked in it. He looked around to see that Weaver was gone. His horse was missing to. He got up from the cold ground.

“Weaver!” Edgar looked around the camp but found nothing.

“Must’ve left a few hours ago.” Edgar figured that he just wanted to get a head start before him.

“Mia.” He waited and waited. Then he heard a pair of hooves approaching from his left, it was Mia. As she got closer, Edgar lifted up her sattle and sat it on her back.

“And here I was thinking you were gone to.” He then pulled himself onto her back and began making the final leg of his trip back to Aquilla.


It took Edgar four and a half hours to get to Aquilla. He had decided to take his time on going back. He took the time to think about what happened. The people he killed to seeing that jester again. He didn’t know what to make of it. As he got closer, he noticed that the gates were open. He knew then that something was wrong. The members of the Scarlet Guardians were gathered outside the gate, Samos was there as well. The only one that wasn’t there was Terra. He pulled Mia to a stop almost ten feet away from the gates then got down from her back. Before he could speak Samos spoke out.

“Arrest him!” Samos’s personal guards, Brian and Scott, then approached Edgar. Brian was holding a pair of shackles.

“What is this?” Scott helped Brian put the shackles on Edgar’s hands. They then began taking him through the gates.

“You know the penalty for killing humans!” Edgar looks around to try and find Weaver, but he doesn’t see him.

“Where’s Weaver? He can tell you what happened.”

“He already did. Take him away!” Scott and Brian began dragging Edgar through the gates. Edgar then yells out.

“But it was self-defense! It was self defense!” Terra then came running into view just in time to see Edgar being taken to the brig.

“What’s going on? Why are they taking him away?” Samos explained what happened.

“He’s being taken away for killing humans. Don’t ask, Weaver returned before he did and told me what happened.” Samos then left Terra behind. Terra couldn’t believe what happened. She had to go find out for herself what happened.


In a couple minuets, Scott and Brian had taken Edgar to the brig. There were two rows of cells, five on either side. They put him in the closet one. Edgar’s weapons had been taken from him. As Samos’s guards left, Terra came into the room. She embraced Edgar through the cell bars.

“Samos said you killed everyone in Vermasa. Is it true?” Edgar couldn’t hug her back with shackles on.

“Yes it is, but it was self-defense.” Terra then stepped back.

“What happened?” Edgar then took a seat in the far corner of his cell.

“I arrived outside of Vermasa to see it was almost laid hidden in smoke. I left Mia outside the town and went in alone. I didn’t need to worry about her as well. It wasn’t long after that I came in contact with that jester again. It almost seamed as if he were trying to warn me, he did. That’s when the town came to life and everyone came for me with all matter of weapons. Even the kids had weapons.” Terra then covered her mouth with her hand.

“The kids too?”

‘Yes, they were the hardest to deal with. I still can’t stomach the thought that I did it. It was only afterward that Weaver showed up. Then sometime that night he slipped off and got back here before me.” Terra then leans against one of the other cells. Edgar then spoke again.

“Atleast I was careful this time.” Terra couldn’t help but make a slight grin.

“Which is unusual of you.”

“But it wasn’t enough.” They both then sat in silence for the next five minutes. That’s when Samos, his wife Catilina and several of his guards came marching in.

“Your sentence has been decided Edgar.” Edgar doesn’t bother looking up.

“Don’t you mean execution?”

“It would’ve been execution only if you weren’t part of the scarlet guardians.” Edgar then gave Samos a cold stare.

“What’s my punishment then?”

“Me and my dear wife, Catilina. Have decided to forgo death and give you thirty lashes for your crime.” Edgar adverts his gazes to Terra.

“You mean ninety lashes?” A smile then appeared on Samos’s face.

“Yes, you do know about the whips we use. Try to enjoy it, I know I will.” Samos and Catilina left the brig while the guards opened up the cell and proceeded to drag Edgar out.

“Let me go! I can walk!” Terra followed Edgar out of the brig. They were heading up through the bottom of Samos’s villa. That’s where the prison was. The whipping post was out in front of the villa. When they reached the entrance, Edgar noticed that most of the town was out waiting. Ready to watch him and the lashes he’s going to get. One of the guards took his shackles off and proceeded to take Edgar’s coat off. His arms were then tied to two separate posts. Edgar couldn’t see him, but he knew Samos was standing behind him. Ready to talk to his audience.

“Citizens of Aquilla, you know why you’re here today. It is my number one duty and right, to make sure the law is upheld. In which case, being convicted for slaughtering innocents is punishable by death. But in this case, the man before you is a member of the Scarlet guardians. It has been decided that he’d receive thirty lashes instead of being executed.” Catilina then Approaches Edgar, she pulls a rubber tube from one of her dress pockets and held it up.

“Bite down on this, it’ll help. I’m sorry you have to go through this.” Other then Terra and a few others. Catilina was always nice to Edgar. She was always willing to lend an ear for talk. Edgar bit down on the chunk of rubber and readied himself for the beating he was about to sustain. Samos then spoke again.

“Weaver? Would you do the honors?” Edgar flinched; he was to be whipped by the very man that had backstabbed him.

“Yes sir.” Samos handed the whip to Weaver. It was a specially crafted whip. It was the standard whip, but the end was outfitted with three blades. Causing three gashes at one go. Weaver then took a stance ten feet behind Edgar. He then drew his arm back and then threw it forward. The whip flew past him in a long wide arc. It then connected to its target. Edgar winced in pain, he then heard Weaver yell out.

“One!” then it followed with another hit.

“Two!” by about the tenth lash, the rubber tube Edgar had been biting on was now on the ground. His vision blurred more and more with each hit. The pain was too much to handle, but it soon fell to the point he couldn’t feel it. Due to the lack of blood. His vision then turned black as he past out. Weaver finally threw the whip for the last time.

“Thirty!” the shirt Edgar was wearing was torn and covered in blood. Terra had her eyes adverted from him the entire time. She couldn’t bear the sight of seeing him in throbbing pain. Samos then spoke out.

“Take him to the church wing. Let the healers tend to him.” The guards untied Edgar from the whipping posts and began carrying him the church. Terra went and scooped up Edgar’s coat and followed him to the church




Edgar woke up several hours later. He was lying on one of the church beds. The second he began move was the last time he wanted to. The open gashes on his back started searing in pain. His eyes then started to fill with tears. The pain slowly subsided; he then reached around with his left hand to feel his back. It was covered in various bandages. He then heard Terra’s voice.

“Hey now, don’t strain yourself. You don’t want to tear open those scabs.” Edgar then went back to lying still and silent.

“How are you feeling?” Edgar still didn’t say anything. Several minutes had passed before Terra stood up from her chair and started leaving the room.

“Terra?” Edgar faintly said. Terra looked back.

“Yes.” She took a seat on the edge of his bed.

“I didn’t murder them.” Terra began stroking the hair on the back of his head.

“But, Weaver said….” Edgar barked out in anger.

“Weaver is a snake with two tongues, that always lie.” Terra was shocked by his reaction.

“I didn’t mean to make you mad.” Edgar slowly rolled onto his side and lifted himself up to lean on his elbow.

“You didn’t, Weaver saw what he wanted to see and Samos wanted to see me sentenced.” Terra then set a hand on Edgar’s shoulder.

“I wouldn’t know I wasn’t there. I trust your word over that of Weavers and Samos’s any day.” Edgar lied back down to where he was.

“Atleast there are still those who can see through the lies.” Edgar then proceeded to rest throughout the day. Only having to get up twice to change his bandages. Edgar knew that his wounds would not be there long. So he had to make an effort to act out that he was still in pain. It was about mid-afternoon when Ambrodia brought a cooked meal for Edgar to feast on.

“Looks like you get some beef stew.” A small grin starts to appear on Edgar’s face.

“Made just the way I like?” Ambrodia couldn’t help but smile.

“Well of course, I made it.” Ambrodia was a phenomenal cook. She is also a very accomplished warrior. Fighting with a halberd that’s taller then she is. Edgar sat up from his prone position. As Ambrodia handed him the bowl of soup, Edgar could help but gaze upon her. Her hair was done in several braids two ponytails in the back. Two on the top of either side of her head that looped back up and connect with the bun that held them. her face was round, her nose straight. As Edgar worked his way down he noticed that she was wearing a gold necklace. The centermost piece was shaped into a flower with a sapphire embedded in it. While to either side strung three small gold plates in the form of an old crusader shield. His gaze then fell to her chest. An elegant view he thought. She was larger up top than most of the women he’s ever seen. Wearing a dark purple long sleeved tunic, lined with a brown one-inch lace design around the cuffs and edges. He gazed down ward to see bright purple slit pants through her battle skirt on top of that. As he made his way down her legs he took notice of the design on her leg armor. Boots that raced halfway up her thigh. With a single specially molded plate of steel that fit the form of her leg. The design was remarkable. Curves and sways left and right. It almost gave him a reason to look at her legs. Ambrodia broke his gazing daydream.

“If you wanted to look you could have asked.” Edgar looked up to see a smile on her face as she watched him turn red.

“Sorry, it’s kinda hard to resist.” Her smile grew ever so more.

“Is that so?”

“Apparently, I’m a guy. It can’t be helped.” Ambrodia sat down on the bed right next to him. Brushing him with her arm and chest as she did. He shifted with unease.

“Please don’t.” She moved away but didn’t leave the bed.

“How come you don’t take an interest in me?” Edgar face turned red again as he searched for an answer.

“It’s not that I don’t take interest.” He paused for a moment. “It’s just that my interests lay elsewhere.” Ambrodia knew who he was talking about.

“That’s right, Terra. Never would have guessed.” A small grin appeared on his face.

“Well, I suppose I could have you start a line.” She pushed him away with enough of a gentle push to let him know how she felt, but he knew that she would be waiting if it ever happened. Edgar down what soup he had left and handed the empty bowl back.

“Is there a way you could get me a new shirt?” Ambrodia tossed a small sack at him.

“Terra brought it by before you first woke up.” He reached into the sack and pulled out a black wool shirt. Ambrodia helped him put it on so he didn’t disturb his back so much. “You really should stay and rest up.” Edgar was pleased to hear that someone besides Terra cares about his well being.

“Yeah I should, but I should leave before Samos comes back to finish the job.” Ambrodia helped him once again to put his coat on.

“Well don’t get yourself killed now. I’d hate to give the news to Terra.” Edgar started heading for the door.

“But the news would ring joy to someone else’s ears.” As he left the church he couldn’t help but look around at the people. They were watching with eyes of disgust, hatred. There wouldn’t be anyway he could sway their minds. They only believe what they hear inside the walls of Aquilla. He wondered what it would be like to never leave the town. Being feed lies everyday for you whole life. He couldn’t help but mutter to himself.

“Only if you knew how small your lives are.” He was able to reach the stables without too much difficulty. With the exception of getting cold stares from whoever saw him. He saw that Mia was tied up to a post outside the stables. She must have been there all day. He could tell that she was protesting about it. Snorting and stomping her hooves. Edgar stopped next to her and rested his hand on her neck.

“Hey, how could they leave you tied up all day?” Mia snorted again. “Well I can’t quite let you run yet. This guy’s back isn’t feeling so good.” Mia then dropped her head and pressed it against his chest.

“I know, running is your thing.” Mia then pushed him back a little. “Maybe I’ll let you run for a little on the way home.” She then started whipping her tail back and forth in joy. Terra’s voice then broke Edgar’s conversation.

“I take it your leaving?” He turned around to see Terra holding a couple sacks of food.

“Yes…I’m going to start limiting my visits here.” Terra handed him the sacks food.

“I figured as much, so I made sure to gather up some supplies for you.” Edgar fastened them together and hung them over Mia’s sattle bags.

“Thanks.” He turned back to talk to her. “I know I should stay and res—“ Terra stepped forward and embraced him. Careful not to squeeze him to hard. Edgar was surprised by the contact. It wasn’t very often he got to share something so caring from Terra, even a hug.

“It’s ok, I know you’ve never been one for lying around in a bed. But do be careful.” She released her grip from around his waist. Edgar’s face had turned red from the sudden affection he had gotten.

“A tad flushed Edgar.” He smiled.

“You and Ambrodia, it’s hard not to feel this way.” As Terra shared his smile she helped him climb up to into Mia’s sattle. She then rested her hand on top of Edgar’s.

“I’ll come and check one you in a day or two.” Edgar was overjoyed to have some who cared for him so. But he couldn’t bring himself to tell her how he really felt about her.

“I’m just glad to have you caring for me.” Terra was amused by the comment.

“And what would you do without me?” Edgar eased Mia into a walk.

“I’d be dead.” The gates opened as He neared them. He then allowed my to go into a trot and eventually a gallop.