Aurix the Bold

Smoke curled from the chimney atop the smithy shed, and the rhythmic sound of metal being hammered rang out on the afternova sky. Aurix massaged the lump on the back of his head and grimaced. It was tender to the touch, but at least he didn’t smell like braka anymore. When he opened the shed door, he was blasted by heat. Sweat broke out on his forehead instantly. Brill stood above the forge, pounding a thin piece of glowing steel into shape. His uncle’s shirt was soaked through with sweat, but he smiled as if thoroughly enjoying the work. He continued shaping the steel for a few minutes then set it aside with long metal tongs.

Aurix handed him a skin of mint water and watched as his uncle emptied it in several deep swallows. Brill then went to the far corner of the small room and refilled it from a barrel of ale he’d secreted away in the shed.

“Don’t tell yer aunt,” he said, taking a swig from the bulging skin.

Aurix smiled and shook his head, even though he was pretty sure Jilly already knew about the barrel.

Brill dunked a towel into the cold water of the slack tub and tossed it to Aurix, who draped it across the back of his neck to keep cool in the stifling room. “Sit, lad, sit,” he said, waving him to the thick pile of skins in the corner opposite the ale barrel. Brill took a seat on a bench in front of the forge and dragged an arm across his brow.

“You should have been a smith, Uncle Brill,” Aurix said as he plopped down on the skins. “Seems like you enjoy it.”

“Aye, I do. More a ’obby, though. A real smith’s hasp would ne’er a snapped like that. But I do make a bit of extra dyne from it ’ere ’n there.” He winked. “Fer me ale.”

“It was a crazy storm. There’s nothing made that can’t be destroyed.”

Brill nodded and took another drink. He looked at Aurix steadily for a long time through the shimmering, superheated air of the shed.

“What is it?” Aurix asked, nervous.

“Yer ’avin the haunts most nights now, aye?”

Aurix shrugged. “It’s no big deal. They’re just dreams.”

“Sometimes dreams be just dreams. But sometimes they be more ’n ’at. Can I ask ye a serious question?”

Aurix shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t like to talk about the night-haunts, but he nodded.

“Are ye angry at yer ma and da, Rix? Fer leavin’ ye, and not comin ’ome?

Aurix steeled his jaw and immediately started to shake his head but Brill held a finger up.

“Nay, lad. Ne’er answer serious questions ‘fore thinkin’ ’em through.”

Aurix frowned and looked at the floor for a full minute. He didn’t look up when he answered. “I guess a little.” He swallowed hard against a lump that had formed in his throat. “But I’m more angry at myself.”

“Gods why? Ye’ve done nothing wrong.”

Aurix bit back tears. He didn’t want to cry. “I feel like I’m losing them, Brill. Every day I remember a little bit less. I’m forgetting them.”

Brill rose and stepped away from the forge and sat next to Aurix on the skins. He pressed his back against the wooden wall of the shed, his arms resting atop his knees. He sighed. “It’s been a long time since yer folks rode fer Glynn, lad. If ye ’membered errything the same fer ever, the hurt’d ne’er be any easier to bear. ‘Tis the blessin’ and curse o’ time.” He looked over at Aurix. “Tisn’t easy to take a life, or to see thems ya love fall in battle. If I ’membered errything just the same ’bout the war, ’twould drive me mad. ’Tis normal to forget some.”

What his uncle said made sense, but Aurix couldn’t let go of his shame quite so easily as that. He stayed silent with his guilt.

“’Ere’s a lot ’at I need to tell ye ’bout what ’appened to your ma and da, Rix. Twill be a ’ard tale to ’ear.” He paused. “And to tell, I reckon. Ye think yer ready, or should we wait summore? S’up to ye.”

Aurix considered a moment this time before answering. “I’m ready—I think. I need to know.”

Brill nodded and took a long swallow of ale. He pushed himself up and went to refill the skin. “Yer auntie doesn’t need to ‘ear any o’ this, ye unnerstand?”

Aurix nodded.

Brill rummaged in a pouch sitting atop the barrel for a hunk of jerky, and then tossed the pouch to Aurix. He plopped back down on a tall bench in front of the forge and stoked the flame with a bellows. “Better settle in, then, lad. ’Tis a long and ugly story, aye.”

“Yer folks were mad ’bout each other. Yer ma was a beauty, aye, and yer da was smitten from the first. Dunno what she saw in me brother, but love don’t care a whit ‘bout makin’ sense.” Brill nodded in the direction of the house as if to suggest he and Jilly proved his point. “Love wants what it wants.” He shrugged. “And they sure loved ye too, Rix. Yer the very reason they fought in the war. Fer yer future.

“Ye member the night ye came ’ere?” he asked.

Aurix nodded.

“They rode into town with ye bringin’ word of the war. A Maldorian called Xu’ul was ’massing an army to the south. ’E made no secret of ’is intentions to lay siege to the throne ’fore the first snowfly. ’Ere was rumors ‘at Xu’ul had struck bargains with the Nulla savages n’ the Raspula to ride with him on Glynn. We ’ad the numbers, but ’is boldness made erryone a wee nervous. ’Uge encampments cropped up south of the Stryk come spring. ‘At was when things started to get serious. People came from all over Valeria to defend Ra Addix n’ the army grew with each town they rode through.

“See, Addix was much loved by ’is people, aye. Yer folks ’ated to leave ye ‘ere, but they really believed they was protectin’ ye, and their king. I b’lieved it meself, lad. ’Tis why I joined them.”

Aurix gnawed on a piece of jerky, rapt. He had never seen his uncle look quite so old and tired, but he was anxious to finally find out what had happened to his parents, even if it was hard to hear.

“Twas incredible, Aurix,” Brill said, the fire in the hearth throwing eerie shadows across his haggard face. “The vast white-flowered Plain of Ixia ’ad become a sea of Valerians come to stand with Addix. And ’e wept before us all, ’e did. Said it ’urt ’is heart to know there were some that’d not return to ’eir loved ones. ’E said ’e wished ’e could stand alone against Xu’ul’s army so that none would ’ave to fall in ’is name. ’E was a great king, lad. A great man.

“In the weeks ‘fore the battle, Addix supped with many camps includin’ the one we was in. ’E asked ’bout our families and our ’omelands. ’E talked ’bout ’is daughter Alexa ’n ’ow proud ‘e was o’ her. ’E thought yer’s was a fine, strong name, Aurix, and said he was sure you’d grow to be a fine, strong man as well and ’e ’oped that we’d all get back to ye safe. Then ‘e did summin’ I’ll ne’er forget. He knelt ‘fore us all, took each o’ our ’ands in turn and put the back of ’em to his fore’ead—as if we was ’is king ’stead of the other way round.”

Brill shook his head. A single tear fell from his cheek onto the searing stone hearth in front him. Aurix watched a tiny wisp of steam curl into the air.

“”At was the kind of king Ra Addix was. ’E believed ’e was worthy of ’is throne only ’cause we believed ’e was. ’E loved the people of Valeria as if they was ’is own family, ’n treated erryone as ’is equal. ‘E forbade us to use the formal “Ra” when addressin’ ’im. ’E was as noble a man as e’er lived. I tell ye this, so ye can mayhap unnerstand why yer ma and da felt they needed to go to war for ’im.

“’Fore the first battle, yer da took me ’side, and asked if I’d take care of ye, should the worst ’appen. I told ’im he needn’t e’en ask. ’E was terrified for ye, Aurix. Yer ma too, but I don’t think she could e’en let ’erself think she might not come back to ye. Ma’s are like that, ye know? Ferocious bout their kidduns.”

He’d forgotten so much over the revolutions, but Aurix knew he’d always remember his mother’s love. He’d felt it in every glance and laugh and hug and even every swat she’d ever given him—there had always just been a warmth and safety in the space surrounding her.

Brill drained and refilled the skin a third time before restarting his story. “We felt ‘em comin’ arcs fore we got our first look at ’em. ’Twas an army of only twenty thousand astride braka and caple and stag, but the ground trembled with their erry step. Or per’aps ’twas fear ’at made it tremble, I know not. We were glad at the sight of ’em—we ’ad em outnumbered least four to one. Many of us thought they might turn tail when they saw our much greater numbers, me included, but on they came.

“Ra Addix led a small party of riders under blue banner to ask Xu’ul ’is conditions. Not that they’d ’ave been met, mind ye, but tis ’ow such things are done honorably. Methinks deep in ’is ’eart, Addix still ’oped to prevent the bloodshed of ’is people. Xu’ul led ’is own riders forward, their black breastplates shining crimson in Nova’s autumn light.

‘Twas amazin’. Near a ‘undred thousand clad in chain n’ steel, and ye could ’ear the breeze stir the tall grass ’round our feet. ’Ere’s no quiet like the quiet ’fore the start of war.” Brill stopped for a minute, seemingly lost in the memory of the silence.

Even Aurix held his breath.

Xu’ul n’ ’is men raised ’eir right ’ands to their left shoulders, as if in salute. But ’twas a ruse. They ’ad their blades strapped to their backs. Addix and ’is riders ne’er ’ad a chance, lad. They were cut down in what should ’ave been a truce zone. A terrible and shameful act, ’twas. Fore the war ’ad e’en started our Ra was dead.

Without a thought or command, we attacked. The enraged cries of ninety thousand went up at once and we rode on the traitorous skane. We ‘ad the smaller army surrounded in less than three arcs. Xu’ul was at the center o’ the melee atop the biggest black stag I’ve e’er seen. He didn’t e’en fight, he just turned ’is mount in circles and watched while ’is army was cut down ’round ‘im. After another arc, we were pressin’ in on ’im from erry side. We tasted bittersweet victory on the wind and air.”

Aurix sat listening with his eyes and mouth open wide.

“Then Xu’ul did the unexpected. He jumped down off ’is stag and drew ’is sword. ’E was at least a full ’ead taller than the tallest soldier on the field. ’Uge, he was. Yer ma and da pushed t’ward him. I’d ’ave been next to ‘em were it not fer a damned Raspula, gray n’ rottin’, ‘er flesh oozin’ poison. Ye sure don’t want ’at foulness on ye, nay.

“Out o’ the corner of me eye, I saw Xu’ul in ’is midnight black ’elm and armor raise ’is sword ’bove ’is ’ead. ‘Ere was summin’ bout that sword, Aurix. ’Twas as red as blood and the air shimmered round the blade like it was as ’ot as this forge. I knew we was in trouble ’fore it e’en ’appened. I screamed fer yer folks, but the battle raged too loud fer ’em to ’ear, they just pushed on, dropping Raspula and Nulla alike. Brave to the end, they were.

“Xu’ul started cuttin’ down ‘is own gen’rals, the ones surroundin’ ‘im and protectin’ ’im from our blades, like ‘e was clearin’ space. Then he held the blade out in front of ’im, and started to spin ‘round in a circle. Summin knocked me to the ground, foe or beast or friend, I dunno. But through the trample of legs n’ clangin’ armor and ‘oofs and blood flyin’ through the air I saw yer da fall, and Xu’ul’s black greaves whirlin’ round and round faster n’ faster.

“’En the damned air ’bove my ‘ead split with an ear-shatterin’ rip. It pushed me down into the soaked earth. A braka ’oof smashed me fingers.” Brill held up his left hand, the fingers still bent at a strange angle. “I din’t know what ’ad ‘appened at first, but suddenly blood was pourin’ down errywhere. Not sprayin’ or spillin’ or drippin, lad. It came down in thick sheets, like waves. ’En the bodies started to fall. Cleaved clean in ’alf they were. ’At braka fell atop me opened up from neck to rump. A soldier crashed down next to me with a whoosh, ’is legs gone. As I pushed the braka off me, I found ’is legs still in stirrup.”

Utterly horrified, Aurix shivered, but he couldn’t have moved if he wanted to.

Brill continued, his voice unsteady. “As I struggled to make me feet, I ‘eard yer da scream—e’en with me ears ringin’. Ne’er ’eard a man make such a noise fore or since, but I knew ’is voice. I called out fer ‘im. Bodies n’ parts were still fallin’ like rain, splashin’ into the bloody mud. Guess it took some longer ’an others to realize they were dead. When I got to me feet, I was confused. Where there’d just been countless bodies jostling and fighting and killing, ’ere was now open air. It had become eerily quiet. ’En I turned ’round.”

Brill stopped again and drank long of his ale. He was pale in the firelight of the hearth and his lips trembled. His eyes twitched. “They were all cut down, lad. Fer a thousand yards or more in erry direction, no one was left standin’. Xu’ul’s army, our army. Raspula, Nulla, Valerian, animal, din’t matter. All cut down. Ye couldn’t lift yer feet fer the bodies. ’En I saw yer da. ‘E was close to Xu’ul, strugglin’ against the fallen, climbin’ o’er top of ’em. I called out to ’im again. But ’e wasn’t ‘earin’ nothin’. He ’ad the bloodlust on ’im.

“Xu’ul took off ’is ’elm, and flung it down. It rolled over his dead generals with a clash. E’en ’is beautiful, giant stag lay beheaded at ’is feet. ’E looked out over the destruction, a terrible smile on his face. ’E’s mad, Aurix. Crazier ’an old Ra Xystor. Maybe a few hunnerd of us ‘ere left alive, slowly makin’ our way back to our feet. Only those of us that ‘ad been on the ground when he’d unleashed the Cleavin’ survived.”

“My mom?” Aurix asked. He hardly noticed the tears that trickled down his face. His uncle’s cheeks were wet too, and the hearth had cooled too much for it to be sweat.

“Aye, lad. The Cleavin’ got her. Got ’most erryone. ’Twas the most evil thing ’at’s e’er ‘appened in Valeria. Errythin’ that grows on the Plain of Ixia is now stained crimson. ‘Tis why it’s called the Red Plain now.” Brill shook his head and loosed a long sigh. “An eternity burnin’ in the flames of Amezduleq would be too good fer that fex.”

Aurix ached inside. His chest hurt, and he wanted to scream. His limbs were numb and tingling. This was more horrible than he ever could have imagined. His mother had gone to war to protect him, and she had been brutally hacked in half, her body falling in a heap with countless others.

“And my dad?” Aurix asked, his voice quaking.

Brill sighed again. “’E was the only one left breathin’ within twenty feet of Xu’ul. ’E clambered and climbed and stumbled forward, completely soaked in blood. We all were, those of us that ’ad survived. ’E was still roaring, oblivious to anything but the towering man cloaked in ’is stained black mail.

Xu’ul turned to the sound o’ yer da’s voice and laughed. ’E boomed. The sound echoed off of the bodies and rang off their armor, drowning out your da’s scream. When I ’ave the night-’aunts, ’at’s what I ’ear and see, lad. Xu’ul laughing at yer da as ’e crawled o’er the dead.” He shivered so violently, Aurix could see it from where he sat.

“Then Xu’ul struck yer da down. ’E caught yer da’s sword on ’is own, and yer da’s sword shattered like ‘twas made o’ glass. ’En Xu’ul swatted ’im to the ground with a gauntleted ’and…” Brill trailed off.

Aurix trembled with fury. “And?”

Brill sighed again. “And ’e ’eld yer da’s ’ead down in the blood of the dead.” He drained the ale from his skin, his cheeks red and glistening in the glow of the hearthfire. “’Til ’e drowned, lad. ’Til ’e drowned.”