Original Stories Fan Fiction / Romance Fan Fiction ❯ The Crusade of the Quandary ❯ Glory ( Chapter 4 )

Jaser, sword in hand, swiftly blocked an oncoming strike. Sweat dripped down his face as he swung back, lost somewhere in an uncontrolled rage. Though empty eyes, he watched his sword cut into the older mans shoulder, slicing him directly into two pieces, followed by the applause of the men standing behind him.
“Bravo! Bravo!” A dark haired priest, Ezekial, dressed in purple and black velvet robes stood to clap at the sudden defeat. Surrounded by applause, Jaser sheathed his sword, barely stopping to bow before the priest.
“Thank you for the kind words, Sir.” The dark haired priest let out a crooked smile as Jaser knelt before him.
“Ah, the mighty Jaser of Varshore, a wonderful display of unrivalled swordsmanship.” A smirk crossed the priests face. “I do believe we have a promotion ready for you.” Jaser remained on one knee without a trace of emotion, his head bowed.
“You may do as you wish with me, my master. I am but a faithful solider ready for your commands.” The priest let his smile bend, before it twisted into a menacing gleam.
“I shall set you a task, Jaser of Varshore, and if you succeed you shall become my apprentice. You shall be promoted to second in charge of the crusade and perhaps one day, you shall become my heir. Rise, Jaser, and take my challenge. Take a dozen men and march to Raderia, perhaps a day's march from here. Do not return unless you have brought our crusade triple what you have taken. You shall leave at sunset.” With the same twisted smile, the priest turned and left, leaning on his staff for support as he slowly made his way back to the bar of the inn. Jaser rose from his knees, walking without a word to his room. Unusually clear eyes pierced straight ahead of him as he slammed each door behind him before finally collapsing near the small window, his hands over his eyes. His memory refused to leave him alone, pain flashing through his system.

 

A strange looking man with crooked teeth and misty eyes flashed a crooked grin at Jaser, letting out a low rumble as he spoke.

“Aye, you've been fighting well. We did watch you the other days with that girl, the blonde one with the vicious glare.” Jaser simply smiled back
“Thank you sir.” Jaser smiled at the compliment, sitting down. It was not often there was strangers in Varshore, it was too far away from Casteri's capital. Just a village in the middle of nowhere.
“So what brings you to Varshore, traveler?” Jaser took a gulp of his ale, failing to notice the eye contact between the travelers, which indicated their views on each citizen of Varshore. The stranger simply smiled a false smile and cleared his throat.
“Aah, about twenty-one years ago, my master - well, priest, Sacred Ezekial, was summoned by the righteous goddess of peace, Shalenti. From there he received many years of tests and lessons of the history of our beautiful Casteri, how our woman must suffer miscarriage and stillborns, how our farms fail and bring us nothing but blights, how our men die at war for no cause, how our sea throws our boats around as wooden figurines, how the winds work against us.” He took a deep breath and looked at Jaser, his eyes brimming full of energy.
“When the goddess Shalenti locked into war with Aemiel, it drove the other deities into an argument, locking them into a great discussion of who should win and what should happen. Years past with no solution, all god and goddesses turned away from their tasks and promises to form a council. It was decided that the men of Casteri shall finish this battle, once and for all. Two armies, one led by Aemiel and her misfits and one led by the righteous goddess Shalenti. The victorious army shall be left with the gods full attention, fertility, riches and a everlasting hall of hero's, where we shall be left to rest when our bodies no longer may carry our spirits. If we fail to bring the righteous peace together once and for all, our children shall be marred and our wives to be forever suffering, the gods abandoning us to return to their own immortal ways.” He took a moment to nudge Jaser, laughter sprawling onto his face. “and we know if the woman suffer, we suffer too! So let's raise our glasses to peace and prosperity! Forever we shall be REMEMBERED!” With a drunken laugh the citizens raised their glasses up together, clinking the cold, wet, glass together.

 

Later that night, Jaser walked back to the small cottage, humming songs which they had sung together, about how they as distinguished men would destroy all forces of evil to win a battle for peace.

“Jaser, what are you doing?” A younger voice behind him laughed. Jaser spun around with a smile on his face to greet Cadeyn, who had watched him from an over hanging tree. Jaser let out a smile.
“Well hello to you too, stalking are we?” Jaser laughed at Cadeyn as she swung out of the tree with grace, her boots clicking on the stone path as she landed.
“No, not really. Kemp asked me to see what trouble you had gotten yourself into down at the inn.” A mischievous smile crept upon her lips as she locked her fingers into his. “I was wondering if you had a mystery lady you hadn't told anyone about, who I had to steal you from and secretly lock her up in a musty dungeon somewhere” Jaser simply let out a laugh in return, his smile creeping from ear to ear.
“Of course not” He let out a cheeky smile “I met the new men in the town. They are on a crusade for some goddess apparently.” Not expecting Cadeyn to burst into laughter, Jaser frowned.
“A goddess? Telling us mortals to go around doing their chores?” Cadeyn smirked “Next they'll tell you that they found some undergarments that need washing, and they think it belongs to the goddess' fifth cousin, twice removed. It's a have most of the time. Some king probably lost half of his army because he sent them raiding too many towns. He'll need a top-up and will do anything that keeps the men rolling in his direction. You know, those travelers probably get paid large sums of gold to recruit people.” With a smile, Cadeyn started to head back to the cottage, oblivious to the gob smacked look upon Jaser's face.

“Do you think what they say about the gods forsaking us is true?” Jaser asked after a seconds thought. Cadeyn turned around as she walked and sighed, sitting down on a small patch of grass, turning up to look at the skies.
“I think if there was a thing as a god or goddess, they wouldn't have forsaken us in the first place.”

 

Rubbing his eyes, Jaser frowned and stood to face the window. Scanning the horizon, he saw no feminine figure dressed in men's clothing with a plait down her back. He crumpled his fist into a tight ball and smacked down on the windowsill, then again, harder than the first time. He stared out the window again, forgetting the single tear which rolled down his cheek.
“You were right Cade…I'm sorry”

 

“Master Ezekial, I have come to bring you a growing concern about our swordsman Jaser of Varshore.” Ezekial stared down at the bowed man, who had begun to go bald, his wrinkled fingers clasped together.
“Yes? What news do you bring about him?” The balding man cleared his throat.
“He is acting strange, Sir. We suspect he may be planning something, he is growing further distant by the day. He may be planning to abandon us, Sir.” Ezekial rose long fingers to his cheek, where he held his hand there for a moment, before snapping his fingers.
“No matter. His mind is weak as of now. Send for the wise woman and a whore from the Inn; we shall pay for her services for the time being. The wise woman shall assist me to infuse it with my mistress's magic, together, honorable Shalenti will bind him to our mission.” With a crackling laugh, Ezekial rubbed his dry palms together, a look of malice burning into his eyes. Behind him, a woman with a white painted face let out a long sigh.
“Dear, dear, Ezekiel...are you sure that is what you want?” The woman stepped out from behind him, her back hunched over. Ezekiel snapped around, his mouth curving down.
“What do you mean, wise woman! Of course it's what I want! We can use him to help destroy the white army!” The wise woman pursed her mouth, watching him carefully. “How do you plan to control him, Ezekiel? If you continue to abuse that staff of yours, Jaser won't be the only one being controlled.” The wise woman looked at his staff carefully, seven jewels encrusted upon the top. Ezekiel glared at her.
“Foolish Woman! Shalenti is watching over the staff! As long as she is satisfied, she won't allow the demons to be released!” The wise woman shook her head.
”You know who controls that staff, Ezekiel. It is not you, nor the goddess you insist it is. The time has not yet come for you to understand that truth.”