Embers of Night: Red Horizon

Prologue

"Pass the mead, Pete!"

Pete gawked at him as if he had three heads.

"Edd, I've known you six years now. You've never wanted anything to do with alcohol before!"

Eddie knew this all too well. He hadn't had a single drink since darker days, besides, it took much more than normal to get him drunk, due to his condition.

Eddie took a swig from the old goblet after Pete filled it. He gazed around the room and saw beaming faces of the friends he now called family. They were eight altogether, and he'd bled for each and every one of them. Riley, the newest member looked happy as could be. The rest of the group gazed on in anticipation as Eddie leaned in over his birthday cake.

They'd been living together for a week now after finally reuniting. Some had their own lives to attend to, children to rear, jobs to live out. The party resided in Maryland, in a tiny house on a small lake, a good mile from the nearest neighbor. The rickety building was supported by rotting floorboards. The headquarters was quaint, but perfect for their cause— to lay low and stay off the grid from many, many prying eyes.

"Happy one hundred and seventy-eighth birthday!" Riley cheered merrily as she shook his shoulders.

"Thanks, Riley." He smiled faintly. A smile all too rare these days.

Eddie blew out the swarm of candles with a mighty breath and smoke wafted up to the ceiling. They lounged around the dining room table together, eating cake and swapping year-old stories.

"Hey Pam, remember when Eddie found us?" Riley asked a chubby curly-haired woman to her left. "We were backed into a cave on Mount Washington, and ole' Zeus flew in and killed a ton of those bastards!"

Eddie laughed. "I was hoping they wouldn't find you two, but since they did... I had to step in... I'm glad you're both sitting at this table with me now."

With an uncharacteristic show of emotion, he reached out to grasp Riley's hand. "You're all great friends! The best, really."

Pete stood abruptly. "Do it," Pete said, starting a chant with the others.

"What?" Eddie asked, perplexed.

"You know... the thing."

Eddie smiled to himself, a bit timid. "Well, I don't know..."

"Come on!" Riley said. "You've done it a thousand times!"

"It's night time. It's dark. A foolish waste of energy."

"It's midnight, you'll have plenty of time to get it back!" Pete said, pounding his hands on the table. "You know the rest of us can't maintain power at night."

"Alright, alright." Eddie sighed. He clenched his right hand and focused on a nearly bottomless energy well within. Blinding green light spiraled on the back of his hand, outlining faint pictures. What resembled a crude outline of the sun came into view. At its flanks were two angelic wings, and crossed swords lay over the sun.

"Behold, brothers and sisters... the sigil of the Paladin!"

There was a subtle flash of green, and a magnificent great sword which matched the green on the back of his hands came into existence. At the core of the weapon was a lime-colored steel. It was weightless in his hands, and fiery verdant light followed as Eddie careened it through the air. The hilt was only a basic outline with an empty slot in its center, and the weapon cool to the touch— as if he held the real thing.

The room fell silent.

"There you go, good old-fashioned Paladin weapon, right there," Eddie said. He took another sip of raspberry mead, and slammed the goblet on the table, accidentally cracking the solid maple under his might.