The Paladins of Naretia

  *

  "NOOOO!" Bernard roared amidst the chaos.

  Ol?rin lay on the ground, clutching his shoulder. Pain shot down his arm and blood oozed between his fingers. But regardless of the agony he felt, he was instantly alarmed by the sound of anguish he heard in Bernard's voice. It was all the more alarming because the battle around them had become still and silent.

  Bernard rushed to his brother's side and turned him over. Even from where Ol?rin lay, he could see where the queen's weapon had worked its way around Angus's Etherium chestplate, piercing through his chest like he had been nothing more than a detour instead of a man.

  Bernard cradled his brother's head in his arms, and stroked his fiery red hair tenderly. The moss beneath the mighty dwarf turned red, and Ol?rin could only watch as he saw Angus fight for breath.

  "No, no, no, no. Brother, stay wih' me," Bernard's words were drenched with sorrow. "Please, hold on. Please."

  Angus clutched at his chest and gasped desperately as he coughed up blood.

  "You must," Angus bubbled, "you must take? my place."

  Bernard shook his head adamantly, and held his brother closer to his chest.

  "No, I willnae." Bernard turned to Ol?rin and shouted. "Wizard, do something. Wave yer magic wand and make him better."

  Ol?rin felt the coldness in his wound quickly seep into every corner of his body. He also felt the desperation of Bernard's plea and tried to lift his staff. But his limbs refused to obey him as if they weren't his own. The same weakness that he had felt in the dwarven mines, now clutched and tore at his very being. It was all that he could do to just breathe.

  From the corner of his eye, he saw the queen take purposeful strides down the hill toward the stricken dwarf, and her stoic army parted way for her without needing to be asked. Her intense blue eyes scanned the destruction she had caused. The golden sword in her right hand glinted in the hazy morning sunshine, a colour too bright for the occasion. She stopped beside the two dwarfs and looked down on them with a heartless smile.

  "Ol?rin cannot help you," she said to the rotund dwarf. "The Etherium arrow has pierced his skin and syphoned his magic from him. The only thing that stops it from ploughing through his heart is the hand of that evil creature you protect."

  Ol?rin heard Aramus struggling for breath from behind him. He turned and saw a stone golem, he knew only too well, pinning Aramus's neck against the tree. The young man gritted his teeth and pushed hard against the golem with every muscle straining, but to no avail. In his hand he held the Etherium arrow the queen had spoken of. It dripped with Angus's red blood, and strained against Aramus's grip, trying to free itself to finish its task. But Aramus refused to let it go. But it was powerful and Ol?rin could see it slip, bit by bit, from his slick grasp.

  "Bernard." Angus's chest heaved to find air. "I name you? the king's right arm. Give me your word?" His voice was lost as he arched his back and pain etched across his face as it slowly turned blue.

  "No, no, Angus?" Bernard couldn't stop the tears from rolling down his face.

  "Promise me," Angus croaked out, "that you will complete? whot the king as asked of me."

  "No, I willnae," Bernard replied angrily. "Thas is no time tae be thinking about yer duties, brother. The king can shove his task where the sun dinnae shine. Breathe, please just keep breathing."

  "Promise me brother, or I willnae have? a restful slumber."

  "I? I? cannae. I won't. If I do that then you're free tae go tae the next world, and I dinnae want tae lose ya, brother."

  Bernard's voice crackled with sorrow. He swotted away the tears that fell freely from his eyes. Angus smiled weakly and rested his hand gently on his brother's face. Ol?rin knew the look of death as it hovered over a mortal soul, and his heart ached as he recognised it in Angus's face.

  "I am already lost," Angus whispered. "Promise me."

  Bernard shuddered as he stifled a deep sob. It took him some time to regain his composure enough to answer his brother's final request.

  "I promise, brother," he said. "I promise tae see thas through till the end. The wizard and the winged man will have my axe until my return tae Balbuldor, or until we meet again in the hereafter."

  Bernard's voice trailed off into a whisper at the end.

  Angus smiled and after one last painful breath, his hand gently fell from his brother's face. His gurgling chest quietened, and the king's right arm fell silent. Bernard lowered his head and wept into his brother's chest. All around them, the moment seemed to resonate with comrade and enemy alike. The silence of the mire, and the stillness of both parties, was only interrupted by the sound of Bernard's pitiful sobs.