A Good Man Awakens

Chapter 24: Retaliation

The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the farm as a heavy sense of anticipation settled over us. We'd been expecting the Arcana's Veilgaurd for days, knowing they were near brought an unsettling air to the farm. Everyone knew they weren't here just to collect their due—they were here to bleed us dry. Word had spread of their cruelty, their willingness to take whatever they wanted, no matter the cost.

Ged stood outside the farmhouse, arms crossed, his face lined with worry. "Keep your heads down," he muttered to us, "and let me do the talking."

Reece, naturally, was pacing beside the barn, muttering under his breath about how we should plough more land and increase the yield. "If we did things my way," he spat, glaring at me, "we wouldn't be in this mess. But no, Da has to stick with what we've always done, and now look—look what's coming."

"Reece," I said quietly, trying to defuse his anger, "plowing more won't help if we can't harvest it. We'd need more hands, more time. In the end the enforcers are just going to take more."

He rounded on me, eyes blazing. "What do you know, Rags? You're not one of us—you never will be. You don't understand how hard this is."

I didn't rise to his bait. He wanted a fight, wanted to take his frustration out on someone, and I wasn't about to give him the satisfaction. Instead, I kept my focus on the road, the sound of hooves growing louder.

The enforcers arrived just as the sun dipped behind the hills. Their horses kicked up thick clouds of dust as they approached, the sound of hooves like a dull drumbeat against the evening air. There were four of them—each as brutish as the last. Broad-shouldered, with bodies like thick logs wrapped in worn leather, they radiated a sense of entitlement and danger. Their armor bore the crest of the Arcana, but it was scratched and dented, as though it had seen far more violence than it ever needed to.

At the front rode a man whose very presence seemed to sour the air. His face was twisted into a permanent scowl, deep lines carved around his mouth, making it clear he hadn't smiled in years. His hair was grey and thin, clinging to his scalp like dead vines. Cold, calculating eyes darted over the farm as though he were a predator surveying his next meal. I felt his gaze sweep over me for the briefest moment, his lip curling slightly in disdain as he took in my appearance. It was the look of a man who saw the world as divided into those who served and those who took. I knew exactly which category he placed me in.

"Jacob Gedson!" the leader bellowed, dismounting with a grunt. His boots hit the ground with a thud, sending a puff of dust into the air. His companions followed suit, each one just as intimidating—greasy hair, unshaven faces, and the smell of sweat and rot clinging to them like a second skin. "You've got our due?"

Ged stepped forward, trying to meet the man's gaze, though I could see the weariness in his movements, he hated this just as much as any man. "Aye, we've prepared what we can," Ged said, his voice steady but lined with exhaustion. "The harvest hasn't been as kind as we'd hoped, but—"

The enforcer cut him off with a harsh laugh, his sneer deepening. "I don't care about your harvest, old man. Your problem not mine, I'm here for what is due and not a grain of flour less. You'll pay what you owe, or we'll take it from you in other ways." He leaned in closer to Ged, his breath foul with the stench of ale. "And trust me," he added in a low growl, "you don't want us doing that now, do you?"

I clenched my fists, the urge to retaliate boiling beneath my skin. These men—no, these parasites—had no right to take more than their share. But as much as I wanted to act, I couldn't. This wasn't the time. The Arcana's shadow loomed too large over everything. I could feel the eyes of the enforcers on me, particularly the leader, who looked me up and down as though sizing me up. A flicker of recognition? No, probably not—just another peasant to him, another nameless face to abuse. I wasn't sure how much the enforcers spoke amongst themselves, had Gratden mentioned me?"