Legends Lost: Galdin

Legends Lost: Galdin (Book 1, Chapter XVI)

Note: This is the 16th chapter in my fantasy novel, Legends Lost: Galdin. There are 52 chapters total and I will post 1 chapter every Friday.  But if you wish to read the entire book now, it is available for purchase on Amazon, iBookstore, Kobo, B&N, and Smashwords.  

 Chapter XVI

A Lost Relic

 Vasagius strolled through the village reveling in the wails of broken hearted mothers as they cradled their freshly murdered children.  A sardonic grin crept across his face when he noticed a young man weeping over the body of his new bride.  Tendrils of smoke stretched from the fires his men started.  Breathing deeply, Vasagius relished it.  He enjoyed these moments.

King Tesnayr, he thought, if only he could see this now.  A crying child caught his attention.  He strolled over to the boy and knelt down.

“Hello,” said Vasagius, pretending to be concerned.

“I can’t find my mommy,” sniffed the boy.

“No?  Here,” Vasagius held out his hand.

The boy took it while wiping away his tears with the back of his hand.  Together they walked among the carnage searching for the boy’s parents.

“Jimmy!” 

A woman broke away from a small group running for the boy.  She slid across the rough ground as she fell to her knees and hugged him tightly. 

“Jimmy.” 

The two cried as the woman planted kisses all over her son’s face. 

Vasagius enjoyed every minute.  “Where is your husband?” he asked in mock concern.

Shakily, the woman pointed to a man.  Instantly, two of Vasagius’ men grabbed him and dragged him over to their general.  They forced him to his knees.  With a mixture of hatred and fear, the man stared defiantly into the barbarian leader’s eyes.

“You love your wife,” said Vasagius.

The man glanced at the woman with the boy.

“Of course you do,” continued Vasagius, “And you love your son as well.  Tell me, with whom could you live without?”

“No,” breathed the man as the realization of Vasagius’ words dawned on him.  “Please, don’t.”

Smirking, Vasagius circled the man.  He loved it when they begged.  It made it more satisfying.  He gripped the woman’s hair jerking her away from the boy.  “Answer me!  The boy or your wife.”

“I beg of you,” pleaded the man, “Leave them be.  They are innocent.”

“There are no innocents.”  He ripped out his knife and slashed it across the woman’s throat enjoying every second as she clutched the wound gasping for air.  He walked over to the boy.  Wide eyed, the boy stared at Vasagius.  Any other man would have been moved.  His meaty hand grabbed the child by the chin holding him before his father.

“Why?” asked the man through tears.

“Why not?”  Vasagius broke the boy’s neck and dumped the body before the man.  Slowly, he leaned down so he could whisper in the grieving man’s ear.  “I want the last thing you see to be the corpses of your family.” 

Vasagius stood up straight eyeing the work of his men.  “Though, I can be merciful.” 

Suddenly, he whirled around jabbing his knife into the man’s lower back.  As the man lay dying, Vasagius casually wiped his weapon clean; the man’s last sight being that of a man that enjoyed death.