Simon’s Pain
Simon had been pacing up and down for so long he felt like he had run a marathon. He stopped and stood in the shadows away from the fire and the birthing stone, still angry that neither the women nor the men of the tribe would let him near Ju. Every time he had tried to approach the birthing stone they had formed a human barrier to stop him. His pleas and attempts at explanation had fallen on deaf ears. The wizards had refused to intervene. Mandred had told him ‘What will be must be,’ while Manfred had seemed paralysed by indecision and deferred to his colleague, citing some sort of non-interference directive. Only Chief Yo had spoken gently to him, in as much fear for his only child as Simon was for his wife. “My wife and son died on the birthing stone. I fear that I may outlive my entire family. It is the law. Leave it to the Medicine Woman. Wa knows what to do.”
He had begged Yo to bend the law as he had done previously for his daughter. The old chief had hardened then. Simon suspected that Yo viewed the current situation as karma for his previous misdemeanours. ‘Wa knows what to do’ were his final words on the matter. Even as a student, he had more medical knowledge than all of the members of the tribe put together, including the two wizards. I could help her, if only they would let me .He contemplated drawing Kin Slayer and forcing his way to Ju’s side. More innocents would die.
****
Simon had lost track of time. Ju’s labour had been going on for many hours though it seemed more like a lifetime. Ju’s screams of intense pain repeatedly filled the night but were getting weaker with each more frequent contraction. Only the growing darkness hid the flow of blood that gave a new red coating to the birthing stone. The full moon rose over the trees and began a battle of shadows with the roaring fire in the clearing. Ju gave another scream, followed by a series of low moans. The hushed crowd of women that surrounded the birthing stone looked on apprehensively. Wa fussed around trying to bring comfort but this was clearly beyond her experience. The baby is too large. She needs a caesarean. If I’d stayed at home, I’d be able to perform one by now. I could still have a go. But I don’t have any surgical instruments. Even if I could get to Ju I would not be able to help her. She has lost too much blood.
Over in the deepest shadows stood the two wizards, watching and waiting. Why don’t they help her? They must have some magic. Mandred seemed quite animated and excited. Manfred had his eyes downcast. The wizard he would come to look upon as a grandfather refused to intervene. He had seen the power of Manfred’s staff. If the wizard wanted to act he could. If I ever get back to Elannort, Kin Slayer will live up to its name.
Ju screamed again, louder than ever, and suddenly sat bolt upright with such fear in her eyes that the crowd took an involuntary pace backwards, as if of one mind. Then with a final agonising cry and a huge push, she gave birth. Her strength completely sapped and her lifeblood spent, she fell back lifeless on the birthing stone and suffered no more. Simon felt a cold dread hit him, like a knife to his heart. He knew that Ju was dead. The baby had killed her.
The crowd gasped and began to chatter nervously. The child in the old medicine woman's arms was strange. Not only was it far larger than any normal newborn baby, but it had a full head of bright red hair. Mandred gave a joyful shout and screamed strange incantations, emptying his herb pouch into the fire that he carried in his bowl. Simon saw him throw back his head and laugh long and hard. Then he fell to the ground and his body instantaneously withered and turned to dust. A peculiar wind struck up and blew through the clearing, carrying the dust away into the night. All that remained was a tattered bearskin cloak. Simon had seen such a death before, and the sudden memory disturbed him. Frisa the Curly-Haired and Hroc the Crow had passed to stone thanks to him and Kin Slayer; now Mandred had followed them. An eerie laughing cry, that was like no night bird Simon had heard before, echoed through the chill night. A cloud passed over the moon and the fire suddenly died. A pack of wolves howled in the distance as the crowd rapidly dispersed towards their home caves, apprehensive and afraid. Wa carried the baby, who was crying at the top of his lungs.
Only Manfred remained, taking it all in and seemingly talking to himself. He fingered his necklace as he spoke. Simon couldn’t hear what he said. The wizard too turned away from the clearing. The howls of the wolves were coming closer. In the shadows at one end of the clearing, Simon was in pain. His heart felt like it had been torn out of his body and stamped on. The ache in his chest spread to his very soul. In his despair, he howled. The people hurrying back to their caves stopped in their tracks. The hairs on the backs of their necks rose and goose bumps covered their skins. Quickly, they continued and sought the relative safety of their caves. The wolves stopped too, cocking their ears to the wind. Their leader snarled, wondering where this challenge to his authority was coming from. Simon stood erect. He withdrew Kin Slayer from its scabbard and brandished it above his head, showing it to the now fully risen moon.
“I swear on the sword Kin Slayer that I shall avenge this day. I give the rest of my life to seek out and destroy the evil that robbed me of my love. I curse forever the swine that impregnated my Ju and his child and its heirs forever until the end of time.” He raised his head to the moon and howled again. I will avenge you, my darling. Kin Slayer shrieked in unison with his howl until Simon finally sheathed the Sword.
The ties that bound Simon were now cut. Unbidden, his mind pictured the tower at Wizards’ Keep. The strange prickly sensation of pins and needles covered his entire body. Nausea gripped him. The world around him shimmered and disappeared to be replaced by an obsidian tower high above a medieval town. Simon staggered and held on to the parapet handrail to steady himself. It was night-time here too. Seemingly, the same moon cast its light out of a clear sky. The town looked the same as Simon remembered, but as he cast his gaze further, he shuddered. Where there should only have been tilled fields and the odd farmhouse was a scene from hell.
Elannort was surrounded. As far as his eyes could see, campfires burned. In the light of the full moon, he could just make out the hideous shapes of siege engines and worse. His gaze was drawn to a large fire towards the centre of the largest camp. There was someone or something there that he was familiar with. A picture formed in his mind. It was not a pretty sight. In his vision, he saw the might of those assembled at the gates. As well as men and the machines there were others there, the undead, and grotesque creatures that seemed to be the results of hideous breeding experiments. There was a great power present too, maybe even a god. A voice spoke in his head. So you are come at last, Red Boy. I had almost given up on you. It will be my greatest pleasure to kill you and have you serve me, undead, for eternity. What kept you?
“So you are finally back, for Balance sake. What kept you?” Simon was dragged back from his reverie by the insistent tugging on his arm by a small hand. “By heaven, you smell worse than a Valdonian swine herd after a month in the hog pens. Where have you been?”
Simon looked down at the face of his friend. His hair was as curly as ever, trying to escape from under his wide-brimmed hat with its white feather. His eyes were as blue as ocean pools, but strangely clouded with worry, and his beaky nose made him look as arrogant as ever. He pushed Jhamed’s hand away roughly and snarled through his tears. “How long have I been gone? What’s happening?”
Jhamed smiled despite Simon’s response, although the worry in his eyes was not lessened. “Always questions with you, isn’t it. You’ve been gone for more than six months. We had almost given up hope. Elannort is under siege. Many believe that the time of the Last Battle approaches. The shadows of Elannort in all of the dimensions are under attack too. Many were lost long ago, of course. Many have fallen recently. The few remaining will fall soon. When all have fallen and only Elannort remains, then will the Last Battle begin. The enemies will not move until then. They just sit outside the city and wait. But the time must be close at hand. There is much to be done. Come quickly, Manfred must be told of your return. He will have many questions for you. Perhaps there is yet a chance for us. Our Hero has returned. Were you successful in your quest? What happened?”
Simon said nothing. What could he say? He had failed in his quest. He had given up on his duty and his friends here in order to satisfy his own needs and desires. His true love had been cruelly taken from him. His heart was broken and all that was left was an unquenched thirst for revenge. Maybe I should just throw myself off the tower and end it all now. All I deserve is a coward’s death.
Two voices spoke in his head, both seeking to stop him from jumping. Do not jump, Red Boy. I have a more fitting end in mind for you. You will be mine, one way or another. If you jump, you will be mine all the sooner. Simon shuddered. Simon, it’s not too late. There is still hope. For Elannort, for the multiverse, for you, for all of us. Come to me now. Let me help you. You can survive this. For the sake of the Balance you must survive this. Simon screamed aloud. “Get out of my head, all of you. Leave me alone!” With tears streaming down his face and sobbing uncontrollably, he sheathed Kin Slayer and meekly followed Jhamed down the tower stairs, oblivious to his nakedness, to see what next cruel trick fate had in store for him.
****
After the inhuman howling stopped, the wolves began calling again. A figure in the shadows at the other end of the clearing shivered. He had felt all of the anguish in those screams. He had heard the words that the red haired one had shouted at the moon. He had seen the moonlight glint off his sword. Now, he smiled. There was no joy in the smile, only a grim determination to carry out the action that he had come here for. Soon, the Hero would die.
