Forged in the Dawn

by Gavin Zanker

  ‘And the contents of the stockpile?’ Julian asked.

  ‘You said working together would be an option if it were favourable to the Syndicate, so call the contents a gift. A peace offering from our organisation to yours.’

  Julian leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his slick black hair. ‘I consider myself a good judge of character, and I believe what you’re telling me is true. Now, while I speak for the Syndicate, this is a decision that is going to have to be run by my colleagues on the board before I can give you an answer.’

  ‘Of course, I would expect no less.’

  ‘I can’t see anyone here taking issue with your proposal though,’ Julian said. ‘I suspect that this will work out to be a mutually beneficial arrangement.’

  Travis stood and extended his hand. ‘As long as we can put past grudges aside, I think this could be the start of a new era of cooperation.’

  Julian rose and shook his hand. ‘Thank you for taking the time to come to me with this, you’ve given me a lot to consider. I’ll have word sent to you in the coming days. Malcolm here will show you the way out.’

  Malcolm rose from his seat and led Travis out of the board room and back through the maze of corridors. The meeting had gone surprisingly well, and Travis felt satisfied with the outcome. A smile touched his lips as he imagined the expression that would form on the Mayor’s face when he heard the news of his stockpile vanishing into thin air overnight.

  CHAPTER 42

  FAYE STOOD AHEAD of Aiden in the dim light, her wry smile catching his attention. He felt a reassuring warmth at the sight of her. He tried to walk towards her, but his legs were unresponsive, moving as if submerged in water.

  A shadow reared up behind her and panic spread through Aiden’s chest. He shouted out to warn her, but no sound came out of his lungs. Then the shadow descended, enveloping her in a shroud of billowing smoke. A gun appeared at her head. Aiden screamed in silence as the gun fired and Faye’s lifeless body collapsed to the floor, the smile frozen on her face.

  He fell to his knees, as the loss surged over him again. Lost and alone, a familiar hand appeared on his shoulder. Kate’s voice came to him.

  ‘You let her die, my love,’ she said. ‘Just like you let me die.’

  Aiden tried to speak, to defend himself, but his voice still carried no sound. He mouthed the word no over and over.

  ‘You betrayed me. You love her more than me, don’t you? You’re selfish, Aiden. You care nothing about hurting the people around you.’

  Her hand left his shoulder, leaving a burning cold sensation behind. Her presence slowly drifted away, and he fought desperately to rise and follow. He could never let go of Kate, no matter what Faye meant to him. She had to know that.

  Turning his head, he caught the glowing outline of Kate as she drifted away into the gloom, disappearing entirely.

  A blonde-haired child shuffled into view out of the darkness and stopped a few paces from where Aiden knelt. It took a second for him to recognise the child. The one that had walked in on him torturing the slave trader for information. The act which had him thrown in prison so many months ago.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ Aiden asked, his voice coming out as a whisper.

  The child’s mouth opened slowly and an inhuman scream burst forth, impossibly loud. Aiden covered his ears, desperately trying to shut out the piercing noise. The floor gave way under him, and he dropped into a free fall. The darkness turned to a blinding light surging all around him. He burst through a surface with a violent jolt, as if hitting water, and felt his world turn upside down as he was dragged back to consciousness.

  With his ears still ringing, he drew in a deep shuddering breath, making his chest burn with fire. He opened his eyes a crack, forcing himself to look despite the painfully bright light. Someone loomed above him, lank grey hair spilling down the side of a long face etched with deep grooves.

  ‘Welcome back,’ a gravelly voice said.

  ‘Am I dead?’

  The man’s lips twisted in to a smile. ‘Not yet.’

  ‘Then where am I?’

  ‘You’re in Fogreach Citadel. My name’s Anthony Fenton, but everyone calls me Fenton. Don’t try to move, just rest. You’re safe here.’

  ‘Hitch,’ Aiden croaked, remembering having to leave him behind in the blizzard.

  ‘Ah we assumed the hound was yours. He’s fine, don’t worry. He turned up at the gate causing a fuss not long after we found you. Can you remember your name?’

  ‘Aiden,’ he answered, closing his eyes and feeling relief. Hitch was safe, that was something. ‘How did you find me?’

  Fenton placed his hand on Aiden’s brow. ‘Rest now, Aiden. The answers will be here when you wake.’

  AIDEN SPENT MANY days in bed recovering. His wounds and exposure to the cold had almost been the end of him. He was grateful to see loyal Hitch at his side most days, sleeping at the foot of the bed. He had grown attached to the dog, and felt a stronger bond with him than most people in his life.

  Many men came and went from his room, all wearing the same simple blue robes. They seemed excited to speak to him for the most part, and he guessed newcomers were rare here. Fenton had told him that he was welcome to rest as long as he liked, and eventually he was mobile enough to explore the Citadel. A multi-storied structure surrounded by a high stone wall. Sturdy and secure, it must have been built as a fort long before the Event, though it seemed the reason why was lost to history. Aiden was told that Fenton had discovered the place in ruins years ago and had founded a pacifist Brotherhood here he named the Kinship. Under his guidance, the Brothers had collected and shaped stone from the mountains to the north, and repaired most of the walls and structure.

  The Citadel was near self-sufficient. Vast barrels collected rain water, storing it for future use, and a huge greenhouse had been constructed inside the walls, tended by the more green-thumbed Brothers. Aiden enjoyed spending time there, walking between the rows of plants, breathing in the scent of the fruits and vegetables. The head gardener James seemed not to mind his presence, as long as he made himself useful so Aiden helped out with some of the duties, finding a forgotten joy in working with plants again.

  There was also a library, run by a Brother named Ellis, which housed shelves upon shelves of books and parchments. Aiden quickly found himself striking up a friendship with him as they shared many hours in each others’ company, and it was not long before the librarian was enthusiastically showing him his various collections of artefacts. It turned out he had something of a passion for collecting and studying pre-Dawn technology.

  The peace inside the Citadel was alien to Aiden. He assumed the whole world had turned to violence and selfishness, yet here lay a literal bastion of cooperation. A place where he was treated with respect and even friendliness, his past irrelevant. With the wounds in his leg gradually healing, he knew his time to leave was drawing close. As much as he felt at home here, he could never follow the pacifist way of life the Kinship practised. Not until his drive for revenge was sated. Not until the man who took everything from him was lying his grave.

  CHAPTER 43

  ‘FENTON IS LOOKING for you, Aiden,’ Ellis said as he entered the library. ‘He asked for you to meet him up in his office if you’re not busy.’

  Aiden put down the book he was reading, a collection of old science fiction stories he had found on one of the dustier shelves. He rose from his seat by the window overlooking the courtyard and stretched, easing out the knots in his back. Hitch blinked slowly at him from his spot in front of the fireplace, then drifted back to sleep.

  Glancing outside, Aiden saw the gates in the courtyard open and two men step through. About to turn away, Aiden paused when he recognised the Kiln Boy tattoos. His heart skipped. Had they tracked him here? No, that would make no sense. They would assume him dead now, lost to the harsh elements of the north.

  He watched the two men linger in the courtyard, seemingly at ease and waiting for som
ething. After a few moments, a blue-robed Brother approached and handed them a paper-wrapped parcel. The men took it, and left back through the gate without a word. Aiden’s brow furrowed as he stared down at the spot the Kiln Boys had been standing on. They had not been here for him, that was clear. Then why? Fenton would have the answers.

  Turning, he left Ellis and Hitch in the library, and headed up the circular staircase of the tower. The climb caused pain in his leg, but every day was a little easier. He reached the sturdy wooden door to Fenton’s office at the top, but before he could knock Fenton called him in.

  He pushed open the door and entered the old man’s office for the first time. It was as austere as he had expected. A large window overlooking the courtyard and a view of the sweeping mountains dominated the far wall, some shelves littered with loose papers and books, and a simple desk with a tray of bread and fruit placed on it. Fenton was stood by the window, arms clasped behind his back as he stared out.

  ‘Aiden, it’s good to see you,’ he said, taking a seat at the desk and gesturing towards the tray. ‘Please, sit and eat with me.’

  Aiden sat in the hard wooden chair set before the desk, but ignored the offer of food. There were more important things to get to. Fenton reached for a piece of bread, the edge of a tattoo showing as his sleeve rode up his wrist.

  ‘I see by the expression on your face,’ Fenton said, taking a bite and chewing slowly, ‘that you have questions.’

  ‘I do, if you would indulge me,’ Aiden said, feeling somewhat disarmed by the man’s calm intuition.

  ‘Then please, ask your question.’

  ‘Why do you allow Kiln Boys inside the citadel?’

  ‘Allow?’ Fenton laughed. ‘Who are we to stop anyone from entering this place if they desire? We merely live here, we don’t have claim to the land upon which we stand.’

  ‘I’m in no mood for a debate on philosophy, Fenton.’

  The old man’s smile dropped a little. ‘No, of course. I forget that you are not a Brother sometimes. You would be well suited to this life if you would only allow yourself.’

  ‘I don’t mean to be combative, but honestly, I find your philosophy to be irresponsible and selfish.’

  ‘You think doing no harm is selfish?’

  Aiden pressed his lips together. ‘If I came across a woman being raped in an alley and it was in my power to stop the act I would, whereas you would choose to do nothing. So yes, I believe inaction is selfish.’

  ‘I would not walk by, Aiden. I would approach the man and talk to him, dissuade him from his course of action. There is always a way of solving problems without violence.’

  ‘If you think you can talk a man out of his baser instincts when his blood is fired up then you are more out of touch with the world than you realise.’

  Fenton looked thoughtful, staring off to the side. ‘That may be true. I can appreciate that there are many facets to life. It is a complicated thing with no easy answers. Choosing a path of pacifism is not easy, just like any other choice in this world.’

  ‘I take it by your tattoos that you weren’t always such a non-believer in violence.’

  ‘I would rather not speak of my past,’ Fenton said, a pained expression crossing his face. ‘I did many regrettable things. Although that person is now dead, it is still painful for me to revisit the memories.’

  ‘Very well,’ Aiden said with a respectful nod, understanding well the pain of old memories. ‘So tell me, why were the Kiln Boys here?’

  ‘They were collecting an offering.’

  ‘Extortion then. You pay them protection.’

  ‘We give to them so that we are left free to practice our way of life without intrusion.’

  ‘What is it you pay them?

  ‘Herbs and salves mostly. Sometimes extra food we produce in the gardens. It varies.’

  Aiden shook his head slowly. ‘Does it not sicken you that you give to these people who do nothing but steal? They are killers and thieves, they delight in causing pain to everyone around them. Surely that must bother you with your way of life.’

  ‘It is the price we pay,’ Fenton said. ‘It affords us the opportunity to help people ourselves. If we didn’t have this agreement, then the Kiln Boys would walk in and take everything. Then we would not be in a position to help anyone.’ Fenton raised an eyebrow. ‘Including you.’

  ‘I am grateful to you for saving my life, but-’

  ‘But you are set in your way of thinking, and judging by the venom you inject into the name Kiln Boys, I imagine you have something of a history with them.’

  Aiden nodded. ‘Very much so. Their leader has taken everything from me, and I will not rest until I see him buried.’

  Fenton’s eyes softened. ‘The path of revenge is one of self-destruction. Believe me, I speak from experience. You would serve yourself better if you could embrace the teachings and let go of your anger.’

  ‘I can never forgive this man for what he’s done. I made promises, not only to myself but others, that I would pay him back. I intend to keep them.’

  ‘You see it as the easy way out, but forgiveness is more difficult than holding on to the fires of revenge, Aiden.’

  Aiden rubbed the nape of his neck and sighed. ‘My leg on the mend now and as soon as I’m able, I’ll leave the Citadel and head into Kiln Commons. I cannot stay, I have my own path.’

  ‘I can respect that, though I hope in time you will come to realise your mistake. As I have said, you are welcome to stay until you are healed.’ Fenton bowed his head. ‘If you ever decide you wish to pursue a life of peace then you will be welcome to join our order.’

  ‘Thank you, Fenton. In some ways I wish I could.’ Aiden stood and extended his hand towards the older man. ‘I will be leaving soon.’

  Fenton stood and moved around the desk, ignoring the offered handshake and instead embraced Aiden. ‘I will pray for you.’

  Aiden grimaced. ‘And I will think for you.’

  AIDEN AWOKE TO a thunderous explosion that shook the ground. He leapt out of bed and dressed quickly, making sure to secure Wesley’s sheathed bowie knife to his belt. Hitch scratched frantically at the door, ducking out as Aiden opened it.

  Hitch bounded away along the corridor as two robed brothers rushed past. ‘What’s happening?’ Aiden asked.

  ‘Explosion in town. You can see it from here,’ one of them said, without breaking stride.

  Aiden hurried after the men, his wound still causing a slight limp as he followed them out to the courtyard. A small crowd of Brothers were forming outside the open gates as they gathered to get a view of the distant town. Hitch sniffed around the group excitedly. The cold air stung Aiden’s face as he headed out through the open gates, his breath fogging the air before him. He moved through the silent group, stopping dead as he got a glimpse of the town.

  The explosion must have been immense. Even here, almost a day’s walk from town, the flames were visible as they spiralled up into the dark night. A thick grey cloud of smoke was forming over the town, and Aiden thought he could taste the acrid smoke on the back of his tongue already.

  Fenton appeared in the group, his face set with a grim expression as he looked at the destruction.

  ‘What shall we do, Fenton?’ one of the Brothers asked.

  ‘We will do what we can,’ Fenton said firmly, without taking his eyes from the scene. ‘People will be hurt down there and we might be able to help them.’ He glanced around at the growing crowd as more Brothers arrived outside to find out what was happening. ‘Everyone collect what supplies you can spare. Medicine, food, water, whatever you can find, then meet back here. We leave within the hour.’

  Fenton turned to head back inside when he spotted Aiden. ‘I know what you’re thinking, but the town will be swarming with Kiln Boys after this. You would be safer staying here.’

  ‘If I were a religious man I would be tempted to call this a sign from the gods,’ Aiden said. ‘What better opportunity could I possibly wai
t for?’

  ‘As you wish. But you mustn’t travel with us. We will be on a mission of peace, there will be no room for your vengeance on this trip.’

  With that Fenton turned and strode away. Then then rest of the group slowly dispersed to prepare for the trip, leaving Aiden stood alone.

  He stared at the column of flames licking up into the night. The fire seemed to move in slow motion from this distance, its orange light reflecting off the rising smoke and creating a dull haze over the town. It was a surreal sight.

  He knelt down by Hitch who stared up at him curiously. ‘It’s time, boy. I want you to stay here.’ Aiden pointed towards the Citadel. ‘Go on, this is my fight not yours. I couldn’t stand losing you if something went wrong. If I don’t come back, you’ll have a home here.’

  Hitch padded away a few steps, then stopped and turned, tilting his head as he stared. Aiden nodded at him, then set off down the rocky path towards town.

  CHAPTER 44

  EVEN WITH HIS slight limp, Aiden still arrived at Kiln Commons before Fenton and his party. He had been walking around the chaos of the explosion site, helping out where he could while keeping an eye open for any Kiln Boys. Sure enough, it was not long before Aiden saw Trent himself appear out of the swirling ash and rising embers. The familiar anger built up inside as he watched the scarred man walk along the street.

  He was giving directions to the man walking with him, waving his arms animatedly and pointing at various groups of people on the street. It seemed like he was orchestrating the clean-up, ordering his men to round up the workers and rally more Kiln Boys.

  Trent passed by without a glance. Aiden was probably just another face in the crowd to him. Within arms reach of the murderer who had destroyed his life, and the man did not even know his face.