Godbringer

Chapter 2

"I'm saying we shouldn't have to care for them. It makes no sense." My tall partner said. "They're scum. I don't even know why we allow them to stay inside the walls. We could expand the upper district all the way down and make this castle a paradise." He turned to look up the hill at the bastion perched above. He spread his arms, "This whole castle, a beacon of prosperity." he said, almost lamenting.
"They're people, Calan. Our job is to protect people. If we cast them out, they will die. Hell, they're already dying inside the walls."

He spun around and pointed at me.

"Yes!" He said, excitedly, as if I'd made some sort of revelation. "Which only proves my point more. What do they do, huh? Take up space for as long as they can and die. That's what they do; that's all they do. It's all they're good for. They don't deserve the life they have."

"That, I suppose, we can agree." I shook my head in disbelief. They deserve better, Calan. They deserve, at the very least, a chance. Then I looked up at the sun cresting the horizon.

"Hey Wik, look over there." He pointed down an alley. I turned, trying to make out what caught his eye.

"I don't see anything," I said, but he started off toward the alley with me in tow. We got halfway down and found a kid, no more than 16, passed out against the wall.

"Disgusting. A Beggar," Calan spat. "Let's bring him in. He knows he shouldn't be this far up the hill, We'll see what the Foreman has to say about this."

"Hey kid. Wake up," someone said, tapping me with his foot. I groggily opened my eyes. The cold made my body feel like there was no blood flowing through it. I slowly sat up and saw two guards looking down at me. I looked up, noticing the sky was bright but the sunlight hadn't graced the alley yet. Must be early.

"What do you two want?" I asked, already knowing the answer. I tried to sit up straight, but with every movement my bones ache.

"What are you doing sleepin' behind this fine home?" A tall guard leaned over me. "You know all the Beggars live down by the walls, don't you?"

I started to get up "Yeah, I kno-" before I could finish the sentence, a swift kick in the stomach came from the man. I didn't have much in my stomach, but what was there ended up on the ground. I slumped down the wall, at his mercy.

"Only speak when spoken to, kid. Or we'll have a problem," the belligerent guard cooed. I turned my head and opened my mouth to speak, but realized it better to keep my mouth shut.

"Good boy," he said with a wicked smile. The shorter guard crouched down. His face was kinder, with a pained, almost apologetic smile. He pulled me by my shoulders and sat me up straight.

"Up we go," The guard couldn't be any older than me, about 18. He held himself with composure and authority, despite his age.

"Listen, my partner doesn't like Beggars cozying up where they're not supposed to. So you better leave before he gets even more upset."

"Ha, if that's him upset, I'd hate to see him angry." I managed to spit out between painful inhales.

"You little shit" The tall guard reared his leg up for another kick, but the other, still crouched next to me, puts himself in between us.

"Calan stop," he said.

"Get out of my way, Wik" He planted his leg down, but he still held hate in his eyes.

"No, Calan. Calm down." Wik said back to his partner, while he slowly stood up.

"You're defending this filth? Why?" Calan jabbed his finger toward me. "What's he to you?"

"He's nobody, but that doesn't mean he isn't somebody."

"This again. I-" Calan seemed to have trouble finding words through his anger. He turned around and kicked the barrel that was behind him in frustration, leaving a hole in it. As he pulled his foot out, liquid began draining from the wooden container.

"Calan, we're going to let him go," Wik says, finalizing the decision.

Calan whipped around and grabbed Wik by his collar, pulling him close to his face.

"I swear Wik, if I outranked you, we'd be hauling this kid up to the foreman to be thrown in jail."

"I know, but I'm making the call, and I say we let him go." Wik said, calmly in the face of rage. Calan let go of him and they both turned to me.

"You better get out of here, and don't let us find you up here again." Wik scolded, trying his best to appease his partner.

I climbed to my feet, air still struggling to fill my lungs. I turned and made my way toward the main road. As I walked, Calan called after me.

"Keep walking, Beggar. Go crawl in the hole you live in and don't come out. I bet you'll make excellent fertilizer. That's all you're kind are good for. Hopefully the rest of your family will join you, end a bloodline while you're at it!"

I stopped dead in my tracks, my lip bleeding from biting down so hard, resisting action. But I couldn't. Tears welled up in my eyes as I turned myself to face them.

"What did I tell you, Beggar. Keep walking," Calan said, then readies himself. "Or do you want a piece of me?

"Calan that's enough!" Wik said, stepping between us once again "Beggar. turn around and leave. Now."

But I was already moving toward them, gaining speed. I could hear the blood beating in my ears as my legs carried me toward my target. Red stained my vision as I sped toward Calan. Wik tried to intervene but was pushed to the ground by his partner. Calan got ready, left leg forward and his hands up, ready to block or strike. He was prepared for a forward attack, his stance gave that away. When I was about 10 feet from him I kicked up some fresh snow, creating a pale sheet to hide behind. I darted to my right and lunged for his leading foot, lifting it and toppling him over. Calan yelled as he went down, flailing his arms in retaliation. My fists moved on their own, landing across Calans face. I heard noises behind me, rustling and wood, but I didn't care. I had to show this guard who was stronger. I had to show him why he had to be more careful. I had to show him to not speak of things he didn't know. As I regained control of my arms, and color returned to the world, I stopped. Calans face was bruised and swollen, blood coated his teeth as he smiled up at me.

"You're finished, Beggar." He said, spitting blood into my face. But before I could feel the warmth of the liquid, I was struck from behind. The impact sent me off of Calan and onto the street, where I began to lose sight of the world again, until all there was was black.