Stoneweaver

Stoneweaver - Chapter 38

With the battle appearing to have turned their way, but also getting nearer, Thortus had decided they should try and find a back way out of the place, and circle round to his forces. And it had nothing to do with the sight of Danath leading the force, or concern he could use it to usurp Thortus' power. It had become too apparent the boy'd never posed any threat to him. Elgren had been honest in the boy's complacency. And other things Thortus hadn't believed at the time.

Hesitating at the top of the stair, he glanced out the window towards the battle, still at least a couple of floors below them. Elgren turned back from halfway down with a questioning glance.

Turning to Baroden, bringing up the rear, Thortus waved him past. "Go scout a way out for us." Hesitating a moment, he moved down the stairs, passing the ascending Elgren before disappearing from view.

Frowning, Elgren appeared to be restraining his impatience. "What is it?"

Meeting his gaze, Thortus offered a faint smile. "Doesn't it remind you a bit of the old days, the two of us clawing our way up to power? You my loyal champion, always by my side."

Glancing out the window, Elgren nodded slightly. "I'd prefer the quieter times after our ascent."

"No you wouldn't."

Elgren met his gaze with a tired smile. "No, I probably wouldn't."

"I'm sorry," Thortus said. Elgren only offered a sad look in response, as he turned to fully meet that gaze. "I'm sorry I didn't understand you better. I thought letting you retire at the top of your game was a reward for your service."

"To be replaced by a shiftless sloth?" Elgren said in a sharp tone, which he quickly suppressed. "It's just..."

"I know. You always had that unrelenting determination to win, to be the beast, to rise to the top of your profession. I just thought you could retire that. And I brought you into... management. My profession."

"I never intended it to happen." An apology seemed to linger around the edges of Elgren's eyes, but mixed with anger.

"But it's who you are, who I made you." Yet it had taken him so long to see the divide which had grown between them. "How many of the gangs have you suborned?"

"Enough."

"You'd have waited till after the Cleansing to make your move?"

"Less chance of causing unrest," Elgren nodded.

A rough laugh escaped Thortus as he caught their reflection in the glass. "Look at us. A pair of silly old men still reliving their youths. Never having grown out of who we were."

"I'm sorry," Elgren managed, the words obviously not coming easily to him, and Thortus didn't think he'd ever heard them there before. The harsh tone matched the sorrow in those eyes. "I'd have happily served as your loyal champion until death."

"I know you would." Thortus put his hand on his friend's shoulder, squeezing, and blinked away the tears he felt rising. "And I'm sorry it's come to this. I know I've no chance against you, even without your Stoneweaving. I suppose I could charge the enemy lines, let them finish me. But I find I don't want that. Back in the day I always thought I'd die in a fight. Then it became fear of being stabbed in the back when I rose to power. And now... I don't know. I find I'd rather it were you. That's the price of your betrayal."

Nodding, so he didn't have to speak, Elgren stepped up from the stairs, moving a short way from Thortus, and drew his blade.

Thortus did likewise, but with no illusions about it being of any use. Elgren had always been the better fighter, even before Thortus had stopped needing to fight, his skills having deteriorated with his fitness.

But he made the first move, a slash easily knocked aside, followed by another, and before he could think of planning any more, Elgren moved under his defences, and he felt a sharp pain somewhere in his chest, but his consciousness had trouble locating it as everything became cloudy.

Then Elgren's face appeared next to him, and he felt himself being lowered to the floor. Those eyes held his, as he heard his final thought echoing back at him.

"Goodbye, brother."