The Knights of Haile: A Trinity of Heroes

10

Wham!

Razzius staggered back as the bandit caught him across the cheek with an open palmed strike. The young boy from Haile blinked hard to shake the cobwebs. Razzius hated the mornings where Fillip and his cohorts would harass him and chase him about. He certainly didn't like being hit in the face by a bandit either.

"Come on, son, fight back!" Bryce howled at him. "Don't stand there like some sissy lad, kick his arse, boy!"

In his entire life, that was the first time Razzius had ever been referred to by anyone as 'son'. It was a term even his own father seemed ashamed of. He looked back toward Bryce Maxwell. "My Lord, I've never been in a fight before," he lied. "I'm not entirely certain what to-"

The bandit leapt on Razzius' back and wrapped his arms around the boy's throat and face. He braced himself against Razzius by wrapping his legs around him and began mercilessly driving his heels into the boy's gut.

Razzius flinched before he fell to the ground in a heap with the bandit on his back. The smaller bandit kicked and kicked at Razzius who just prayed someone would stop the fight but this wasn't like Fillip and his friends, this was much more violent.

Then, the bandit boy made a mistake.

He laughed.

Razzius didn't like this. He grit his teeth as all the mornings of torture and name calling and horse shit and everything else came flooding back to him. In an instant, Razzius grabbed the boy's left foot and broke his big toe with a rush of rage and anger. As the banditnrecoiled and screamed, Razzius stood and hoisted the bandit off of himself, dumping the boy his head in the sand. Razzius recovered for a moment and then kicked the bandit in the head, stunning him. Razzius never gave the boy a chance to recover. He knelt down and hit the boy hard with a clenched fist, once then twice then thrice.

A feeling swelled in Razzius' chest, one that he refused to address. It scared him. No, it terrified him.

Eventually, Bryce Maxwell pulled Razzius off of the boy and laughed. "Good show, son! Damn good show!"

Razzius breathed hard and let the moment pass. He looked up at his mentor and nodded before lowering his head. "Sorry, Sir. I shouldn't have beaten him so."

Bryce laughed again and slapped the boy on the back. "Nonsense, my boy" he began, "that's good for both of you. It let's you know your place in the world." He smirked. "Looks like you've had your share of scraps in your days."

Razzius nodded. "I've had my share of shite slung in my face. I'm right tired of it, too."

Bryce clenched his fist and nodded in approval. "I'm glad Flint asked me to train you, Fillip. He was right to send you with me."

There was no way Bryce could be talking about who Razzius thought he might be. "Sir," Razzius addressed his superior. "What has my father told you of me?"

Bryce raised an eyebrow at the question. "What a silly question, son. You know your father loves you dearly. Adaman always speaks of you with such a high praise and when Flint told me I would be meeting you in the market for training, I dare say I was excited."

"Sir, I must tell you I'm-"

Suddenly, the bandit leader let out a hearty scoff and grabbed the young bandit by the arms and hoisted him up to his feet. "You need to train, boy. Do not disappoint me again!" He smacked the boy across the face and sent him back to the rest of the Clan. "Bryce you son of a whore, you didn't tell me your new recruits were so damn brutal. Fin should have tanned that boy's hide." He approached Razzius and Bryce, offering a hand shake to Bryce who accepted it with a friendly demeanor. "Tell me, who is this mystery lad here?"

Bryce slapped a meaty hand against Razzius' shoulder. "This is Fillip Arcel Galexia, son of Adaman Galexia, Master of the Hailian Ironworks." He pulled Razzius into a sort of half embrace. "You see, Cranos, I told you the Knights of Haile were formidable opponents."

Cranos nodded and smirked a bit. "That you did, my old friend. Fillip of family Galexia, yours is a name I will not soon forget."

Razzius smiled finally. "Thank you, my Lord."

Cranos looked to Bryce now. "You said there were matters we needed to discuss, Bryce. It sounded as though some bandits were wreaking havoc on your stoneworks."

Bryce nodded. "Aye," he affirmed. "One of them stuck an arrow in your brother, too." He looked frustrated. "We think it's another clan, the Gut Hooks, coming from further south."

Cranos seemed to think things over for a moment. "Hmmmm," he mused for a while. "Could very well be," he agreed. "Mostly yellow war paint? Real cowardly attacks? Stick and run tactics? Sounds like Gut Hooks to me. Damn slugs got someone in everything. I wouldn't be surprised if one of their own works in the stoneworks."

"We have a squad of our own settling business there now," Bryce revealed. "It would show me much if you would send a search party out to join them donning our colors."

A murder of crows flew over the clearing they were in and let out a symphony of cackles.

Cranos appeared to be thinking things over for a moment. He motioned to a few of his Knights, whispered something to one of them and after the group of four jogged away with weapons in hand, letting out war cries, Cranos returned his attention to Bryce. "It is done, my brother in arms. I feel today has been most productive."

Bryce let out a hearty guffaw. "It will be even sweeter if I receive word that my Knights find the culprits behind the recent attacks."

Cranos smiled and met Bryce with one final firm handshake. "For their sakes, I hope it is neither of us that catches them."

***