The Merchant and the Menace (19 page)

‘Kill him,’ shouted Amird, ‘and discard his body
outside the city for the buzzards to eat!’

Awoi lowered his head and sobbed. Not for the pain
and outrage he suffered, but for the lost soul of his brother. The leader of
the troop hesitated until he saw the Seraph crying. His wicked, twisted heart
found no fear from a prostrate, defenseless man in the throws of sorrow. The
leader moved forward smiling and raised his club. As he struck down toward the
exposed head of Awoi a green light pulsed forth from the body of the Seraph.
The club struck the light and bounced back as if striking stone. The leader
dropped his cudgel and his arm ached from the contact with the light. He spun
and ordered his troop to cut Awoi to pieces. Awoi rose and calmly asked the men
to leave him in peace.

‘I will not injure any here, but I cannot allow
myself to be harmed,’ stated Awoi.

The troops ran toward him and were struck by the
green flame. They were knocked to the ground and many lost their weapons. Awoi
looked to his brother on the balcony.

‘I wandered the wilderness for centuries while you
dwelt in the safety of cities. I learned to control my spiritual force to
protect myself from the violence of nature. Neither beast nor storm harms me.

 ‘Neither will your misguided servants. Please
Amird, come away from here and talk to me. Something terrible takes control of
you. I’m your brother. I love you.’

Amird was expressionless. He moved toward the
balcony stairway.

‘Perhaps, ... perhaps I am in need of good council,
brother,’ said Amird as he moved down the stairs. ‘My duties consume and
control me.’

Amird reached the ground and approached Awoi.

‘Your first duty is the nurturing of man, not his
subjugation,’ responded Awoi. ‘Come with me and we’ll rediscover our mission.’

Amird’s head sagged and he sobbed into his hands.

‘You are right brother. I lose my way,’ bellowed
Amird. ‘Please, help me regain control of myself.’

Awoi approached Amird and wrapped his brother in
his arms.

‘Amird, forces outside this world try to control
you. Temptations wear you down. Remove yourself from this foul place and we
will commune together in the pure splendor of Avra’s world.’

Amird remained wrapped in his brother’s embrace and
sobbed into Awoi’s chest.

‘While you wandered the wild, I immersed myself in
the matters of men. They possessed me. You learned to protect yourself from
tempest and wild creature, but I learned something more useful.’

Amird lifted his head and his glowing red eyes
stared into those of his brother.

‘I discovered the perfect tools to motivate and
teach men. Fear and Pain!’

Scarlet fire sprang from his body and engulfed
Awoi. Unprepared for the assault, Awoi was badly burned. His body convulsed in
pain, but he held the embrace of his brother.

‘Think of the great goodness of your Creator, my
brother!’ cried Awoi.

Awoi screamed in pain and the green flame he used
earlier sprang from his body. It struck Amird and sent him flying through the
air. Awoi slumped to the ground once more. Amird landed on his back several
paces away.

‘Brother, what evil embraces you?’ whispered Awoi,
his head lowered.

Amird sprang to his feet.

‘You! You and your Master try to force me to serve
these pathetic creatures,’ screamed Amird sweeping a hand toward the remaining
soldiers. ‘Amird serves no one. All will serve me, and this world will bow to
my will!’

‘You serve and do not realize it,’ said Awoi. ‘You
are a slave to temptation and passions. Like a dog on a leash, you do the
bidding of your master, Chaos. It corrupts your soul and seeks only selfish
pleasures and empty promises.’

‘A DOG!’ shouted Amird. ‘For thousands of years,
thou art the only being I let address me in such a manner. I killed thousands
who refused to follow my will. Avra praises your feeble work and finds fault
with mine. You accomplished nothing in the millennia we existed. It is I who
dragged these ignorant humans from the caves of their ancestors into the light
of my knowledge. You are an obstacle in my path. Now feel the pain of this
dog’s bite!’

Amird raised his hands above his shoulders and
threw his head back. His eyes rolled and his hands sparked and crackled.
Crimson flame sprang once more from his hands and spread across his body.
Within seconds he was a living flame. He lowered his eyes and glared at Awoi.

‘Die, and pester me no further,’ snarled Amird.

The fire sprang once more from his form and
engulfed Awoi. Yet again the pulse of green power surrounded the kneeling Awoi
and channeled the flames to either side of his body. Amird cursed his brother’s
name and advanced.

The red flame beat against the green wall and Awoi
sweated from exertion. Amird bent low as he approached his brother and grasped
the hilt of one of the soldier’s discarded swords. Instantly the blade grew red
hot and burst into flame. As he marched into proximity with the pulsating green
wall, Amird slashed at it with the fiery sword. Each time he slammed the blade
into the wall, Awoi clenched his teeth and winced from the pressure. Amird
laughed and taunted his brother.

‘You cannot hold forever, dear brother,’ snarled
Amird. ‘You will gulp your last breath of Avra’s sweat air when you can hold no
longer!’

Amird doubled his efforts with the blade. He
channeled most of the power of the flame into its razor edge. Each successive
crash of the blade weakened the green sphere holding Awoi. Sweat covered the
Guide and his breathing became labored.

‘Amird, think on what you do,’ gasped Awoi. ‘You
will forever be separated from our Master. What you do here today cannot be
undone.’

‘Avra is no Master of mine!’ raged Amird ‘He is
weak and powerless, unwilling to force men to worship him. I, however, will
force them. I have no intention of what I do here today ever being undone, even
by Avra himself!’

The blade sparked and hissed, glowing with the fury
of its owner. It crashed down once more into Awoi’s protection, and rent a
large gash in the wall. Amird howled in delight and his wild red eyes glared at
his brother. Awoi begged him one last time.

‘Show me mercy, dear brother.’ cried Awoi.

The fiery blade leapt into the air and arced down
on the prostrate Seraph. Awoi lunged up and out from the path of the blade, the
troop leader’s cudgel grasped firmly in his right hand. Amird’s stroke missed
its center mark but found Awoi’s left shoulder and cut deeply into his arm.
Awoi rose and the cudgel whipped into the back of Amird’s skull with a loud
‘thunk’. The scarlet flames vanished and Amird slumped to the ground
unconscious. Awoi screamed in pain and staggered forward, falling to the
ground. Blood sprang from his open wounds and spilled onto the dusty street.
Awoi slipped into unconsciousness.

When Awoi awoke he was uncertain how much time had
passed. The city was deathly quiet. Amird lay in the same position on the
street, a small trickle of blood drying around his nose. The troop was gone and
none of the city’s inhabitants were visible. The Guide cried out for help, but
none was forthcoming. He rose and walked to his brother’s body, clenching his
teeth and holding his aching shoulder. Awoi felt unsteady on his feet and blood
still seeped from the deep wound. He knelt over his brother. Amird’s body was
warm. He lived.

Suddenly, an arrow crashed off the pavement beside
him. Awoi leapt to his feet and called upon his spirit to protect him. A
feeble, ragged wall of green light sprang up around him. He was in no shape to
defend himself. He could not stand a second assault by Amird’s mercenaries. He
turned and looked at his brother one last time then fled from the city.

Awoi wandered north, using his skill in the
wilderness to cover his tracks. He was losing far too much blood and was
incredibly weak. Fever set in and along with it delirium. He wandered for days
eating when he could. Days turned into weeks and his fever grew. Awoi knew not
where he was or where he was going. The days and nights grew colder and the
Seraph feared for his life.

One evening he climbed a steep ridgeline and the
stress of the climb was too much for him. He fell to the ground unconscious.
When he awoke, he started in fear. Silhouetted above him in the moonlight was a
large bear. Awoi tried desperately to protect himself, but he was too disoriented
and weak. He scrambled backward, shouting and flailing his arms. A kindly voice
called out to him.

‘Awoi. Be not afraid.’

Gretcha stepped forward and removed the animal
skins she wore to fend off the coming winter.

‘It is I, Gretcha. Have no fear. I will take care
of you.’

Awoi felt relief flood his body. The savior became
the saved. Gretcha’s voice was the most beautiful sound he ever heard, his
beacon in a storm of confusion. After weeks of struggle he finally relaxed.
Awoi drifted back into a restful unconsciousness.

‘I believed I lost you. When you didn’t return
within the year I knew something was wrong. You are a man of honor, and your
word is your bond. Sleep now, Awoi the True. I will make you whole again.’

Gretcha stripped the bearskin from her torso and
wrapped Awoi in its warmth. She scooped the Seraph up in her powerful arms and
marched north toward their cabin.

For four weeks the giant maiden cared for the
Guide. His fever rose in the first week but eventually broke and his faculties
were returned to him. His shoulder was badly wounded. Gretcha bathed the wound
daily and the gash closed and healed. However, the Guide was not able to raise
his arm and it was all but useless to him.

Gretcha left everyday to pick mountain berries and
occasionally hunt for game. Awoi grew to realize his deep love for the Zodrian
princess. Her spirit was pure and her love immeasurable. She harbored no hatred
or desire for vengeance even though she was so mistreated. Gretcha truly was a
beautiful heart.

Awoi’s health slowly returned, but his spirit
remained weak. He was sure another encounter with his brother would result in
death. Gretcha convinced him to stay hidden in the mountains and return to full
strength before he left to try council once more. Two years passed. This time
however, it was Gretcha who provided protection and sustenance.

One day in the early spring a hunched back old
beggar struggled up the slopes toward their cabin.

‘Hello, in the cabin,’ called the beggar. ‘Please
spare a bite for an old man.’

Gretcha turned to Awoi.

‘I will offer him some assistance, dear one,’
stated the woman.

‘Hold a moment,’ said Awoi, ‘I will go.’

Awoi exited the cabin as the old man entered the
clearing.

‘I saw smoke from your fireplace, friend,’ said the
beggar. ‘I hoped to find someone of a giving nature and a kindly disposition.’

‘You have, my friend,’ began Awoi, ‘We cannot offer
much, but be welcome and we will share all that we possess. So as it should be
with all Avra’s creations.’

‘So as it should be,’ returned the old man.

Gretcha stepped from the cabin. Her powerful stride
and large size startled the man.

‘Be not afraid, good man,’ said Awoi. ‘Gretcha is
of the kindliest nature and sweetest disposition of any being. Her size may
intimidate you, but her heart is full of goodness.’

The old man recovered quickly and turned to the
maiden.

‘I was taken aback for I judged only a hermit or
outcast like myself lived so far from all other mortal beings. I startled to
see another step from such a small dwelling.’

‘Ha,’ laughed Gretcha smiling to Awoi. ‘You are
correct on both counts. A hermit and his devoted outcast live here together.
That we found each other is a miracle.’

‘We cheerfully offer you food and a warm place on
the floor to sleep, but possess little more. Perhaps you desire someone to talk
to as well? We are experts at listening to what troubles others,’ said Awoi
staring hard into the old man’s eyes.