by A R Maloney
Cyrus stuttered, “Sk… Skye.”
“And who removed these wings from her shoulders?”
“Droghel commanded it.” He looked away again.
“Yes, I’m sure Droghel commanded it. He tends to do such things. But I know Droghel. He doesn’t like to get his own hands dirty like this. Who all was in the room when Skye’s wings were taken?”
I watched as Cyrus bit his lips, a tooth catching on the knotted ends of the sutures which were still hanging from the skin. “The cleric Gregor and… me. I was there.”
I had to turn my back as I felt the rage building up in me again. Deep breath, Lance. Calm. “So, you both removed her wings. Was this before, or after you killed her?”
He paled. Her screams had covered the valley, saturating every tree, plant, and rock with her pain. “She was alive when her wings were removed.” I bit the inside of my lip, the metallic taste of blood spread across my tongue. I’m sure my eyes were blazing, much like the eyes of my companions.
“And you were made to carry the wings? To where?” I inquired. This was an important piece. I needed to stay calm. Stay reassuring.
“I was to take them from outpost to outpost on my way back to Dusk Fortress, to Company Hellfire, the locked storage in the basement, it’s where Droghel keeps all of the wings.” Droplets of blood flew from his lips as he spoke.
“What do you mean, ‘all of the wings?’ How many are stored there?” I looked to my companions who were edging closer. I waved them back. “Calm, friends, remain calm.”
“I have no idea; countless pairs are stacked there. I couldn’t begin to guess.” His voice had gone hollow. Perhaps he was seeing for the first time what this means to not only our people, but to his as well.
I closed my eyes briefly. These next few questions would very well decide his fate. “I know what our people believe happens when the wings are removed before the body is destroyed. I need to hear it from you. For what purpose does your leader order the removal of wings—from any sentinel?
He sighed. “To keep them from returning from the skies.” A tear of shame slipped from his eyes. “The sentinel cannot ascend again if the wings remain on this earth. It’s the reason we burn our dead.”
“And you are aware that the number of sentinels for both the Ustenian and Lucenian armies have been dwindling, yet you continue this practice regularly?” I pressed him further. “And you persist in this practice, all while knowing that the Lluren continue their attacks on Eluna?”
“Look, I know that your side is just as eager as ours to do this….”
I was amazed, he had no shame, no regret. “We don’t kill our own... not unless they have become dangerous to those around them. We don’t relieve them of their wings… not ever. There have been a select few Lucenians whose wings have graced our halls from time to time, but only the ones who have been the deadliest among you. The ones with no remorse for their actions. Ones who have given up their souls already.” I moved to his side. “Tell me, are you one of these sentinels, Cyrus?”
He looked away again, remaining silent.
“Hmmm.”
I crossed the room to where Skye’s wings lay on the table. I picked them up gently and carried them into the middle of the room, placing them on the floor between the five of us. I laid them directly in Cyrus’ line of sight as he hung his head. I moved the small table with the water pitcher away.
“We need to do something here. Now. Can you tell me what that is, Cyrus?” I tilted my head, awaiting his response. He had clammed up again. “Oh, Cyrus, you were doing so well. Don’t stop now. Tell me what must be done.” He turned his head away, refusing to say any more.
I sighed, “Okay then. I will explain what needs to happen. We are going to have ourselves a little fire. It’s time to release some wings, we need to right some wrongs.” I picked up one of the wings and held it before him. “You did this.” I pointed up and down the wing. “You took her wings, spilling her blood, and then left her to die. You probably even congratulated each other on your success in bringing down such a ‘dangerous fugitive.’”
I moved the wing to where he was forced to see it if his eyes were open. I was tempted to rub the tip of the wing across his face, but I didn’t want him to have the privilege of touching any part of Skye ever again.
“You have given us some wonderful information. I thank you, Cyrus.” He looked at me, cocking his head curiously. “For this, I will let you live. None in my group shall bring your death.” Cyrus released an audible sigh.
“However, you have committed a grievous crime against your own race. Now, normally I would not care what happens between you white wings, but this one… it’s true. I have met her before, and she is a better person than even any Ustenian I have ever met. Therefore, I, Lancer, Brigadier General of Ustenia, charge you with the crime of murder against a hero of Eluna. For this, you will not be sentenced to death. You will be sentenced to life, without your wings—never to cast again.” His eyes met mine with a look of horror. I continued speaking, “We will not be so cruel as you. Your wings will be returned to the skies… along with Skye’s wings. When you have lived your last day, you will also be allowed to return to the skies… reunited with your wings. You will be allowed to return to our world again one day, to ascend again, hopefully a better person.”
Still after this, the man showed no remorse for his actions. He merely hung his head, awaiting what was to come next. “Cole, his magic remains bound?”
My magus nodded.
“Good, let’s move him to the courtyard. It’s easier to clean up. I lifted the wings again and carefully wrapped them one last time. Together, the four of us assisted the prisoner from the room, down the hall and out of the building. We traveled down the main thoroughfare until we reached the central courtyard. Together we placed the man into a pillory.
Next, we piled wood in the communal fire pit until there was enough for a large bonfire. The mound of logs stood nearly five feet high and four feet wide. I lay Skye’s wings on the ground several feet away and ran my hands over them one more time. I felt a small shudder, a mix of pain, anticipation, and anxiety.
“Cole, would you light the fire?”
He nodded and whispered the spell. Flames caught the wood immediately. The breeze blew over us like a sigh. People had begun to gather, yet instead of the raucous crowd we met earlier, these ones stayed back. They were silent in their watch.
“Naofa, it’s time for our guest to take a small nap.” She nodded and lay a hand on Cyrus’ shoulder spelling him into a deep sleep. It wouldn’t last long, but long enough for the next part. We forced open his mouth and used a pair of tongs to pull his tongue out as far as it would stretch. “I’m ready.” Naofa whispered.
I removed a dagger from my waistband and tested the sharpness of the blade. This one was taken from the prisoner when we captured him. I handed it to Cole, “Heat it up, we’re gonna cauterize as we cut.”
It would probably ruin the blade, but it was not any better than my own, and I figured this was just another price to pay. Kumar pulled at the tongs and I took the glowing knife into my hand, removing Cyrus’ tongue in one swift motion. Blood began pouring from his mouth at an astonishing rate despite the cauterization and the prisoner woke up screaming and gagging on his own blood. I must not have held it there long enough. Pity. Naofa had already begun whispering spells to constrict the blood vessels. I nodded to Kumar and he tossed the tongue into the bonfire.
This was going to be a long and bloody show, but I wanted the growing crowd to remain calm. I moved away from my group who were working on the prisoner and went to speak with some of those who have gathered. “For the present time, until you hear it from me, and me only, this man is not to be touched by anyone but my guard. Do not taunt him, do not throw anything at him, do not approach him. Trust in me when I say he is receiving punishment for his many crimes. You may watch and share what you see here. But again, do not interfere. This is my decree.” A few grumble
s ran through the crowd, but none spoke up to argue. “I know this may make no sense to many. I know many have grievances against the Lucenians. Please, allow time for us to handle this and we will make things much clearer in the coming days.
I turned my attention back to the prisoner and my group. “Show me your wings.” My voice was demanding and sharp, carrying loudly throughout the courtyard.
Cyrus shook his head. His legs were shaking, and he had pissed himself.
“Seriously, by now you should know that things will go so much easier if you just decide not to fight us. We can do this with a bit of pain… or we can do this with a LOT of pain.” He shook his head again and closed his eyes. I sighed and looked to Naofa.
“I’m on it.” She moved to stand in front of the enemy. She gently placed both hands on his forehead and began whispering. A soothing white light emerged under her palms, spreading out between her clawed fingers. The spell pulsed and weaved through the space between her hands. Eventually Cyrus began to moan and sweat profusely. He tried to pull away yet was unable to escape the pillory. His wings emerged slowly despite his best efforts not to reveal them. Immediately they were pinned across the horizontal beam of the pillory by Kumar and Cole, then tied in place with ropes. It would be impossible for him to retract them now.
I walked a slow circle around Cyrus, gauging the work we had done. He was secure. “I imagine this is similar to how you had tied up Skye?” No response… not that he could have talked, but even his eyes avoided me. “I will take that as a yes.” I shook my head and stopped to look him in the eyes. “Remember my promise to you. I will do everything in my power to let you live. Are you ready?” Cyrus had his eyes half closed, focused on some spot on the ground beneath our feet. I shrugged. “Very well then. Let us begin.”
I returned to Skye’s wings, picking them up reverently. “Cole, lift his head so he sees this. If he tries to close his eyes… remind him of what will come next.”
Cole grabbed a fistful of Cyrus’ hair and lifted his head, pointing it towards the bonfire. “Don’t you dare close them, honey.”
I stood opposite the fire, watching as Cyrus’ gaze met mine. I could feel the unspoken questions from the crowd as I placed first one wing, and then the next, onto the blazing pyre. Acrid smoke filled the air as the wings quickly became engulfed by the flames. The feathers turned to ash almost immediately, the bones would take a bit longer. “May you be released and find your peace, Skye.” My whisper was so low, only the flames could have heard me. I stood for several moments watching the last bits of this special woman who had changed my life, turn to ash which rose and began to float away on the cold breeze.
“General?” The voice brought me back. “Are you ready?”
“Yes, Naofa. Let’s do this.” Together we walked back to Cyrus, moving behind him. “Would either of you like the honors?” I looked at Kumar and Cole. This was dirty grisly work. “If not, I will, but my need for revenge has been sated in bringing this man to justice.”
Cole and Kumar looked between each other, Cole finally answering for them both. “We will share the job. I will take the left, Kumar the right.”
“Very well then, the saw from near the woodpile, let’s get it heated up. Cole moved to pick up the blade and within moments had it glowing hot orange. Together we held the wing taut and Cole began sawing back and forth, through feathers, bones, ligaments, muscle, and skin. The screams which erupted from Cyrus were almost inhuman… then again, we weren’t exactly human to begin with. But the screams were ones of incredible loss and pain. Naofa was calling out spells, doing her best to staunch the loss of blood and pull the skin together. She would need to place stitches over where the bones had been cut. There’s only so much a healer could do.
We gave him no rest between the first and the second wings. Only leaving time for Cole to heat the saw again and switch places with Kumar. Their eyes were both glowing with bloodlust and I worried for my friends. Would they ever really accept the truth of our races? Do we really have a chance to bring peace to this world? And what kind of peace will we bring if we are beginning with such a severe act of violence? These questions and more rattled through my brain as the second wing fell away from the body. Cyrus was sagging in the pillory, he’d lost his bladder again, and then his bowels, and he had vomited several times. He hung there now… panting, sobbing, and desperate for relief.
I picked up his bloodied alabaster wings and moved to where he could see them in my hands. “Am I not true to my word? You live. You will not cast another spell. You will not fly in battle again. You will not be of any use to Droghel or his death squad ever again. But you will live.”
His eyes followed me as I moved step by step towards the bonfire. I held the bloodied wings high above my head. “Today, we see the end of an old tradition, and the beginning of a new one!” My voice was loud, louder than it had been all day as I addressed the group. I used the old language so that even Cyrus would hear and understand every word that fell from my mouth. I pushed my words out forcefully, so that they would be heard by those even in the back of the crowd. “No longer will we hold the wings of our enemies. Not unless they have been proven too vile to return. This is a judgment which will not be made by me, or by any other general at any other fortress in Ustenia. This will be upon the direction of the Kauri only. I have never held myself at higher importance than any of you here, not unless it was a matter of our military or our security. I have been honored to have been given the title of leader to you, and I will always do my best to maintain this honor and keep your trust. Starting tonight, with my own company house, we will burn all wings. We will allow those sentinels to finally return to the skies. We all, both Ustenians and Lucenians, have all punished each other for too long. Let it stop now. Let the healing begin with us.”
My heart was pounding so loudly. I wasn’t sure if they would agree or if they would turn on me next. What I had just declared went so far against the grain, I could hardly believe it had come from my own mouth. I lay Cyrus’ wings on the flames and watched for a few moments, seeing that they too had become engulfed. Then I turned to my small group. “How is he?”
“Passed out from the trauma, it’s probably best for him. I almost feel bad for what he has endured.” Naofa’s voice rung with a quiet honesty.
“Let’s move him to the company hall, we can keep him chained in one of the interior spare rooms, give him a mattress and means to clean himself, clothing. This was a terrible thing we have done tonight, even to an enemy. It may have been kinder to just have killed him. Let us not become monsters any more than we already have been.” My voice was quiet, but firm.
We removed Cyrus from the pillory, and I slung him over my shoulders. His stink burned my nose and eyes. As we reached the hall I stopped, shaking my head. “Ugh, let’s just get him cleaned up here. Gods, I never thought I’d see the day when I would let one of them into my home, and I will be damned if I let this stink come in with him.” They nodded in agreement.
A half hour later we had Cyrus cleaned and into fresh clothing and placed into an extra room. We left one leg chained. There were no windows and he wouldn’t be able to put up much of a fight for a few days anyway. I left a pitcher of water, a plate of food, and a chamber pot. After saying goodnight to my three, I posted new guards at the door with instructions to check on him regularly. But not to further injure, nor release him under any circumstance. They could send a runner for anything should the need arise.
Walking tiredly to my room, I gathered clean clothes and left for a much-needed bath. The last few days had been long. A hot soak would do me good. I sat on a bench in the bathroom, scrubbing the blood and detritus from my body and rinsing myself well before stepping down into the steaming pool. I closed my eyes and let myself float; letting the heat envelop me fully.
While my body relaxed, my mind drifted. I replayed the happenings of the last several days. How far could I push the men and women under my command? How long would I have before the
troops rebelled against me? In hindsight, my actions had been… inexcusable; at least from anyone who didn’t know better. While I was sure that the majority of my actions had been the right ones… I had total faith in the gods and in the Kauri as their mouthpieces. I found myself at a loss as to how to explain myself to the ones who follow me.
I thought back to the woman who had brought such chaos into my life. Skye. She had been fearless. Her courage was boundless in the face of adversity. She was the epitome of a faithful servant to the gods, willingly giving her life when the time came. But it wasn’t supposed to be her time. Not yet. I couldn’t believe that.
Had the elder Nabaru been wrong when he sent us to work together? Had the phoenix, Avi, been wrong when he gave his life for hers? She didn’t know that I had received the same gift from one of the other few phoenixes left… that he had instructed me to find her on the battlefield that day. I found my faith wavering. Just what were the gods playing at?
The soak was doing my body good, but my mind was still in knots. I dressed and made my way back towards my room, checking on the prisoner as I passed his door. Three guards were gathered. “How is he?” I pointed to the door.
“Sleeping since you left. No change, hasn’t touched his food.”
“You will see he gets fresh food and water at every meal. Broth to start, then when he has healed enough for solid food bring him whatever we eat. He is to be brought a plate of the same. Full rations.”
The guard raised an eyebrow at this. “General?”
Normally, if one of my soldiers was to question me, I would shut it down before he’d even begun. Tonight, I was just too tired. “We’ve put him through the ringer. We’ve stripped him of his magic, his wings… and so as long as he lives, we have taken from him everything that has made him sentinel. For now, we will let him heal, and we will try to be the better people. All we have done is even the odds by making the world a better place. He is no longer a threat to us at this point. So, we will keep a watchful eye. Let us not be the monsters they say we are.”