by Gavin Zanker
A line of chained prisoners were led through the parting crowd by a squad of uniformed officers. They were marched single file, their hands bound in front of them with wire. Once they were shoved into a line before the excited crowd, the officers removed their bindings and took positions nearby. There were around twenty exiles in total, all wearing satisfying looks of terror. Reinhold only wished he could banish more of the ingrates.
A rock arced out of the crowd and hit one of the exiles in the forehead. He staggered backwards, sending up a cloud of dust as he fell to the floor. An officer strode forward and hauled him upright as blood ran from a gash above his eye.
‘Please,’ Reinhold continued, ‘don’t muddy your own hands. These enemies of the city deserve punishment, yes. But let the world exact its righteous karma upon them. Let them suffer in exile for their crimes.’
Reinhold glanced sideways at the VIP section to the side of the podium. Captain Ellington stood guard over the gathered officials there. He noted that the Syndicate snakes Julian Caldwell and Malcolm Turner had come at his request, as well as Travis and that irritating aide that followed him around everywhere. Reinhold smiled as he savoured the confused looks on their faces.
He turned back to the crowd and began reading from the paper before him on the podium. He listed off the names of the exiles and their crimes against the city. On his orders, his wife Catherine had fabricated the list of crimes a few nights ago. Spreading of sexual disease, sabotage of city infrastructure, plotting to murder and overthrow city officials. When the woman did as she was told, she could be quite useful.
Then he came to the part he was anticipating the most. ‘And finally in this group of exiles we come to the Dawnists. It seems that even the supposed followers of the light aren’t immune from depravity and wrongdoing.’
The crowd booed and hissed, and more stones flew towards the exiles. Reinhold glanced again at Travis, to see him whispering heatedly with his aide.
‘Who are they you ask? Albert and Beverly Morning, and their corrupted child Andrew Maddison. Don’t let their innocent appearance fool you. These criminals plotted to murder you, the innocent residents of this city, while you slept at night!’
More rocks arced out of the crowd, this time aimed at the elderly couple. They stood together, wrapping their arms around the young boy to shield him from harm.
Travis looked furious now, almost as if he was going to leap past the Captain and confront the angry crowd. On the other hand, his aide seemed uninterested, almost bored. Following his gaze, Reinhold noticed him looking in the direction of Malcolm Turner, the Syndicate man. As if sensing the look, Samuel’s head turned and he stared directly at Reinhold. A chill travelled down Reinhold’s spine as their eyes met, and he quickly turned away.
‘So, with the power I hold as Mayor,’ Reinhold continued. ‘I banish these exiles from the city!’ He signalled his officers who marched the criminals towards the gate. ‘May your souls forever rot in the radioactivity of the sinking dust.’
Under his orders, the exiles would be taken a short distance south of the city before being left to fend for themselves. It was a satisfying idea that had come to him one morning over breakfast, and the best part was the residents would be easily manipulated in to siding against whoever he spun as the enemy. A real slap in the face for the Dawnists who had been dug into his city like a tic for far too long.
As the exiles were led away, Reinhold felt a gust of wind blow around the redoubt that made him turn up the collar of his jacket. Looking to the north he saw swirls of shadowy dust whipping violently across the dark horizon. He motioned to his Captain who approached the podium.
‘Let’s get back inside,’ Reinhold said quietly to the Captain. ‘I don’t much like the look of that storm.’
‘Looks like it’s probably heading this way,’ Ellington said. ‘Shall we sound an alarm for the people?’
‘They have eyes don’t they? They’ll head inside when they realise. Let’s move before they clog up the stairs.’
Reinhold stepped down off the podium and hurried towards the stairs as the large Captain created a path through the crowd who were still baying after the exiles.
CHAPTER 59
AIDEN LOOKED THROUGH the window at the torch-lit scene below. Trent Reid was loitering in the centre of the courtyard, dressed in his characteristic leather jacket. Ten Kiln Boys flanked him, and he recognised Blanc standing among them.
‘Don’t worry, they’re here for me, not you,’ Aiden said to Fenton.
‘You don’t have to continue down this path, Aiden. You could leave without resorting to violence.’
‘You would see them burn this place to the ground while I hide like a child?’ Aiden headed out of the office. ‘I’m done with your pacifism, Fenton. It will be the end of your order, mark my words.’
He took the steps down to the courtyard two at a time, checking the junk pistol still stashed in the back of his belt as he ran. He emerged into the courtyard alone, and stood across from Trent in silence. Robed Brothers scurried away to a safe distance.
‘Aiden,’ Trent said, touching his brow. ‘I was told I might find you here.’
‘And who told you that?’ Aiden asked, his hand resting on his belt.
‘Seems one of my Boys recognised you in town the other day. And knowing you’re as crazy as popcorn on a hot stove, they rushed on over to tell me.’
Aiden stared at Blanc, who was stood on the edge of the group. She shook her head slightly and Aiden frowned.
‘How you doing, Aiden?’ a man with lank blonde hair stepped forward. ‘Been a while hasn’t it?’
‘Josh,’ Aiden said, recognising the hostage from Phil’s place. ‘How’s your head doing?’
‘Better than your girlfriend,’ Josh replied with a grin. ‘You were in such a rush the other day you didn’t even stop to say hello after you ploughed into me.’
Fenton stepped out into the courtyard, his arms spread wide and blue robes blowing in the breeze. ‘Listen to me,’ he said, ‘there is no need for violence inside these walls. Can we not find a peaceful solution?’
‘There’s no peace to be found here, Fenton,’ Aiden said. ‘Not until this man dies.’
Trent grinned as Aiden pointed at him. ‘Well if you insist, who am I to stand in the way of a good brawl?’
‘Brothers, please-’
Trent motioned towards Fenton. ‘Somebody shut that idiot up, will ya?’
Blanc stepped forward from the group and walked over to Fenton. ‘Sorry, old man,’ she said before knocking him out clean with a metal club to the side of his head.
‘Hey, you can’t do that!’ Ellis said, as he came out to the courtyard with Hitch at his side.
‘That was uncalled for,’ Aiden said. ‘The man did nothing to you.’
‘No, but you did,’ Trent said, taking a step forward. ‘So just imagine what I’m going to do to you.’
‘I’ve killed plenty of your men, Trent, and I’ll probably kill plenty more. I won’t stop until I end your life for what you did to my wife.’
‘You were married to that skinny Seeker bitch?’
Aiden shook his head. ‘Not Faye. A long time ago, you took something that didn’t belong to you, and she gave you that in return.’ He pointed at the rippling scar that ran down Trent’s face.
‘Not the feisty red-head? What a small world.’ Trent rubbed his chin and smirked. ‘I can see why you liked that one. Don’t worry though, I put her to good use.’
Aiden felt rage rise up inside him, but instead of suppressing it any more, he let it build. ‘Your argument is not with these people. It’s with me. Let’s end this now, just you and me. No guns.’
‘Well, to think I thought this was going to be another boring day,’ Trent said, slipping off his leather jacket.
The man was well-built, his sun-bronzed skin showing through under his loose shirt. He pulled a serrated machete from its sheath around his belt before unclasping his belt and tossing it to on
e of his men.
‘Aiden, don’t fight him,’ Ellis said from behind. ‘It’s not worth it.’
‘Hold Hitch back for me,’ Aiden said, pulling out Kate’s blade from around his neck, as a round of laugher spilled out from the Kiln Boys.
‘That’s it?’ Trent said, grinning broadly as he stared at the small knife. ‘This is going to be over quicker than I thought.’
‘You don’t remember this blade?’ Aiden asked, holding it up. ‘It’s the one that gave you that ugly scar.’
Trent’s grin faded. ‘Come on then, you whoreson. It’s time to teach you another lesson in humility.’
They circled each other slowly, Trent twirling his machete as Aiden waited in a low crouch.
‘What are you waiting for? Get him, Trent!’ Josh shouted from the watching crowd.
Trent lunged forward, sending a vicious slice towards Aiden’s head. Aiden ducked under it and grabbed his wrist, twisting and planting his shoulder into Trent’s stomach. The Kiln Boy stumbled back, dropping the machete.
‘I guess when you aren’t crying like a little girl you can actually put up a fight. I can see how you embarrassed my Boys so easily back in town.’
Aiden stayed silent as he picked up the machete. He was not going to let the man get inside his head again. Trent held up his hand to Blanc and she tossed her metal club towards him which he caught deftly.
‘There, that should be a bit fairer now.’
‘What do you know about fair?’ Aiden said. ‘Try having your life ripped away from you, all for one man’s fleeting pleasure. Then we can talk about fair.’
‘You seem bitter,’ Trent said. ‘It wasn’t anything personal. Well, not until she got under my skin. So I returned the favour, if you know what I mean.’
The two men battled back and forth as the fight wore on, neither gaining the upper hand as metal clashed against metal.
‘You’re tough, I’ll give you that,’ Trent said, standing back and breathing heavily. ‘But I’m tougher. You don’t get to be leader of the most feared gang by being soft.’
Trent whipped his hand forward, and a throwing knife flashed into Aiden’s shoulder catching him off balance. Trent seized the opportunity and jumped forward. Aiden lost his grip on the machete as he was knocked to the ground, but managed to scramble clear as the club struck stone.
Armed with just the small knife now, Aiden threw himself at Trent in a fury, launching blow after blow at him. Trent back-pedalled, taken off guard by the sudden burst of aggression. His foot slid on the fallen machete, and he fell backwards.
Aiden pulled the junk pistol from the back of his belt and rested the barrel on Trent’s forehead.
Everyone froze.
‘Well, aren’t you full of surprises. Going to shoot me in the head are you? That’s not very sportsmanlike.’
Aiden looked Trent in the eye, his anger blazing down at this man. This man that had destroyed his entire life, taken away everything he ever loved. He took a deep shuddering breath, then threw the pistol away. Trent watched it skitter away, then looked back at Aiden.
‘Good choice, I guess you are a man after-’
Aiden lunged, burying Kate’s knife into Trent’s eye. He stepped forward as he forced the blade deep, pushing down with all his weight, scraping the back of Trent’s skull across the flagstones as the man scrabbled blindly.
A moment later, Trent stopped struggling and lay still. The gathered Kiln Boys watched in stunned silence as their leader lay dead. Aiden rose breathing heavily, staggering backwards and barely keeping his footing. Finally, he had killed the man that had taken so much from him. He had avenged Kate, and repaid Faye’s death in kind. As he stared down at Trent’s lifeless body, the silence was broken by an eerie howling noise. People looked around the courtyard in confusion. A Kiln Boy dropped to his knees, an arrow shaft appearing in his chest.
‘Ravagers!’ someone shouted and panic quickly spread. Half of the Kiln Boys dropped their weapons and ran back out of the gate the way they had come. Their screams soon followed.
Aiden picked up the fallen machete, and kicked the pistol towards Ellis and the Brothers who watched from the other side of the courtyard. ‘This is your choice now,’ he shouted. ‘Find a weapon and defend yourselves, or die like cattle!’
Many ran back inside the Citadel, some dragging Fenton with them. Around ten Brothers, including Ellis, stayed in the courtyard with Aiden and the few remaining Kiln Boys. Ellis picked up the pistol, releasing Hitch who bounded to Aiden’s side, growling at the darkness beyond the open gate.
Seconds later, Ravagers poured through into the courtyard. They screamed as they sprinted forward, all horrors with painted faces and desecrated flesh. Aiden ran into the charging mass, thrusting the machete into the belly of the nearest man, who toppled to the floor clutching his stomach. Blood sprays arced through the air as weapons connected with flesh all around him.
The Ravagers fought like wild animals, slashing and biting at everything around them. Most of the Kiln Boys cut down in the initial rush. The Brothers that joined the fight were clumsy and untrained but, with Aiden cutting a frenzied path, they pressed on through the gap, fighting with whatever they could pick up. The battle was brutal, and the screams of the dying echoed around the courtyard. Aiden took many wounds but fought like a man possessed, slicing his way through the mass of scarred bodies.
When the last Ravager fell, Aiden was covered in gore. He stood with chest heaving as blood dripped from the blade of his weapon. Looking back he counted six Brothers still standing, and a red-stained Hitch prowling around the fallen.
A body twitched nearby. Aiden scooped up a fallen pistol and aimed it towards the movement. Blanc’s face appeared, smeared with crimson, as she shifted a body off herself and climbed to her feet. She met Aiden’s gaze, seeing the gun pointed at her. She blinked slowly, then turned and limped away. As much reason as Aiden had to pull the trigger, he stayed his hand. He dropped the pistol to his side as she headed out through the gates and into the night without a backwards glance.
EPILOGUE
FENTON SAT IN his office, finding meditation impossible with his head still throbbing. He touched the bandage wrapped around the gash and winced. Hearing footsteps on the stairs, he saw Ellis appear in the doorway.
‘How’s the head?’ Ellis asked, sitting himself in the chair opposite.
‘Painful,’ Fenton said. ‘Though not as painful as what you’re about to tell me, I fear.’
‘You know already? I suppose it was obvious.’
‘How many are leaving?’
‘Everyone that fought in the battle,’ Ellis said. ‘And a handful more that didn’t.’
‘And where will you go?’
‘We’ll head into Kiln Commons I think. Start a real life there now the Kiln Boys are scattered and leaderless.’
‘Someone will take their place, it’s the way of things. Then what will you do?’
‘Then we’ll fight,’ Ellis said with a shrug as he looked Fenton in the eye.
The old man looked away, guilt and shame burning his etched face. ‘I don’t think I can stay here any more,’ he said.
‘You’re leaving too?’ Ellis asked, his eyebrows rising.
‘There has been too much bloodshed within these walls. This place is tainted with memories of death and failure now. I will make a pilgrimage north over the mountains to Mount Dagon. Any loyal Brothers remaining that wish to join me will be welcome. I will seek guidance there under the ancient mountain.’
‘Climbing a mountain? That’s a hard journey, especially for an old man.’
‘There are worse things than death, my friend,’ Fenton said, smiling grimly.
‘Then I wish you good luck.’
The two men stood and embraced. Ellis turned and made to leave, pausing in the doorway. ‘You should know, my last act as a part of the Kinship was giving Aiden my robes. I know your feelings about the man, but I think he deserved a symbol for saving us.’
Fenton nodded. ‘I understand. He will travel with you then?’
‘I offered him a space with us at Kiln Commons, but he refused. I saw him sneak out with Hitch this morning before dawn. He was headed west, towards the forest.’ Ellis paused and looked out at the sweeping mountains. ‘I hope he’ll find peace.’
‘For all he’s done, I hope too,’ Fenton said, bowing his head. ‘But I can’t admit to believing it. He survived all the hardship and suffering the world threw at him, but it changed him. The man will live with his demons forever.’
‘The same can be said for all of us,’ Ellis said as he left the office. ‘The only thing that matters is how we choose to face them.’
THE END
Newsletter
Interacting and building relationships with my readers is one of my favourite things about being an author. I send out newsletters with details on new releases, special offers, and other info relating to me and my books. If that's something that sounds interesting to you, you can sign up at the link below, and I'll also send you a free copy of one of my books.
Newsletter Signup
Reviews
If you enjoyed reading this book, please consider taking a moment to leave an honest review (it can be as short as you like). As an independent author, every review is crucial in bringing my books to the attention of other readers, and I greatly appreciate you taking the effort. You can find links to the book's Amazon pages below.
Forged in the Dawn US Amazon page
Forged in the Dawn UK Amazon page