The Vengeful Vigilante #Wattys2016

SEVEN

                  

I may not have to worry about the nobleman anymore, but his words still echo in my mind. Has it really been five years since Oglos? That was easily my biggest failure as the Black Knight. If it hadn't have been for my mentor, Balshar, I would not still be the black knight.

~

The lady is right; what can I do to fix what I've done? I've made a big enough mess as it is, there's no use in making it worse. I walk past her to see that there are many others injured beyond saving; some are under market debris, some under the boulders themselves. What was a village of people merely minutes ago is now a pile of ash and rubble. I close my eyes, the realization of what I've done sinks in. Closing my eyes does nothing to escape the wreckage.  I still see the elderly woman yelling at me, asking me why I did it, forever condemning my conscience to ask the same question. Why did I use a catapult? Why couldn't have I just confronted the man one on one? I still took his power away, but only because I took his people.

That night, sleep is impossible. The night is cold, and my hands are too shaky to start a fire. I sit under my shelter, gazing into the shadows of the forest. I think I hear something move, but I am so paranoid that it could have been a mouse for all I knew. The rustling doesn't stop, and then I hear methodic beats on the earth, footsteps. I clutch my knife defensively, not able to see who approaches me.

"Who goes there?" I ask, my voice quivering in fear.

"Andrew? It really is you," says a calm, deep voice.

"Balshar?" I ask. "How are you still alive?"

"Yes, it is me. Disappearing and staying alive is something we are both good at it seems. Abella summoned me after your disappearance. She showed me where she last saw you, and I have tracked you since then."

"Did you see what I have done?"

"No Andrew, I have only just come to the end of the trail. If I had come along it sooner I would not wait to scare you in the dead of night. I brought you some food, and I'm glad I did, it seems you cannot build a fire."

"I know how to but....." I hold out my hands to him.

"Oh Andrew, what happened?"

"Ever since I have been gone, I have been working on a crusade to fix what the king has done, and I was starting with the small town of Oglos. There was a leader ill-equipped to lead, and my plan was to send a message to him. I was going to catapult his house, to symbolize his town crumbling under his leadership. The catapult missed its target, and hit the houses and market around it instead," I hang my head in shame, "I can't look at the hands that left so many people to die. I can't believe I thought trying to catapult his house was...logical. I can't finish this crusade, I'm not strong enough, and obviously not skilled enough."

"This is a tragic thing, my boy, but what you have done was not intentional. You had the best of intentions, and you cared for those people. You have the passion for your mission, that is something that cannot be taught or learned. Strength and skill can be. If you wish, I will show you how I have survived for so long. You can become the hero you want to be, but first, you must forgive yourself. You cannot help others if all you do is think about the ones you could not save."

"But if- "

"No, don't think about what you could have done, you cannot change the past. All you can do is learn from it and move on. Come, I will teach you how to live apart from the society you love, and I will teach you how to save it."

I shiver from the cold, which reminds me of my failure to keep myself warm. I can't do this on my own. I need his help because if I had to do this on my own, the Black Knight would never make another appearance. I grab my knapsack, and stand up.

"I will come with you. The Black Knight's life depends on it."

I jog out of the woods where I left the nobleman. Once I reach my bungalow, I head inside. I gaze at all of the weapons I have collected or made. I chuckle when my eyes find my bowstaff. It has become one of my preferred weapons, but when I first started, I thought it was useless.

Balshar hands me a stick.

"Seriously? A stick? How am I supposed to kill someone with this?"

"For starters, it's not a stick, it's a bowstaff. And secondly, you will not want to kill someone when trying to achieve something. You kill only when it is a last resort. What happens when you need to kidnap someone?"

"If I'm trying to save the royal city than why am I going to kidnap someone?"

"Oh we have a long way to go, my boy. Do you think you are going to interrogate someone out in the open?"

"I still don't see the point-" he takes the bowstaff and whaps me in the back of the knees, and I fall forward onto my palms.

"HEY!"

"Is a bowstaff still useless?" he gives me a smug look.

"I bet I could beat you with a sword," I say.

"You do like your sword don't you? Why wouldn't you, it's the only thing your father allowed. Fine, I will accept your challenge. I will use my bowstaff, you will use your sword."

"You don't sound nervous. I have been using my sword since I was six, and am considerably younger than you, no offense."

"None taken. You know, being cocky like that is something that could lead to your demise."

We take our positions, and then the duel starts.

I raise my sword to his right side, and he counters my attack. I go for his leg next, and he counters it with one end of the staff, while using the end closest to my head to knock me in the chin. I go for his side, and he counters yet again, this time knocking me in the stomach. How can I beat him? AHA, break the staff. I set him up to go for my stomach again, and then I slice his staff in half. As the pieces fall into the air, he catches them, one in each hand. He rolls his wrists, then comes forward, now on the offensive with two staffs. So much for taking away his weapon. He goes after my left side, and as soon as I deflect it, he hits my right too quickly for me to respond. He hits my sword out of my hand, and spins around and hits my lower back.

I fall to my knees, and he says," Never chop a bowstaff in half. All that does is wraps your defeat in a pretty little bow."

He has fought me before, but this time seemed different. He seemed more...intense. He has changed, the look in his eyes isn't what it used to be. Then again, I should know more than anyone what living alone can do to you.

"Ok, maybe you were right about the bowstaff. And maybe I need to rely on my skills and my instincts, and not so much on what weapon I'm using."

"Good, now that you've realized that, we can move on," he grins.

That sounds more like the Balshar I know. But something seems different, and I can't quite put my finger on it....