Blade(Part 1): Dawn

Chapter 15: Alexius

While Zoya went back to her Huntsman academy, Alexius went to return to Savona. Once Aricia was out of his sight, and Savona was in it, he began to rehearse what he was going to say to Captain Rash and General Darius. Nothing sounded right, but he had to say something. The sun was just setting.

"Captain, General," Alexius rehearsed. "Unfortunately, Lieutenant Rash and his men were killed by the monster we went to fight together, which turned out to be a gorgon, something that can turn living things to stone just by looking at them..." Already, that explanation wouldn't sit well with the General, and definitely not the Captain. What would, anyway? Alexius was about to tell him how his younger brother was killed. Not even the cruelest Skaolan soldier deserved to have their heart broken like that.

"I'm sorry, Captain," he started again. "Your younger brother courageously and valiantly led his men into the gorgon's lair in order to kill it and save hundreds of people, but he and all of his men were killed. They were turned to stone... Because they were idiots!" He punched a tree next to him with his armor-plated fist, using all of his strength.

"I'm sorry Captain, but I gave your idiot brother and his idiot men information that would have saved their lives had they listened to what I said!" Alexius shouted, punching the tree again. "They died because they were arrogant bastards, who thought they knew more than the two people who actually knew what they were doing!" He punched the tree again. "They had so low an opinion of both a Guardian and a Huntress, that they refused to listen to someone else for once in their damn lives!" He gave the tree a dozen more punches, but he stopped when he heard a "crack" from his fingers. Alexius then surrounded his broken hand with a golden healing light, and the pain went away.

"No," he sighed, still rehearsing, or at least pretending to rehearse. "They died because I let them go into that cave by themselves. They died because I hated what they fought for, and they died because for a moment I saw them as monsters rather than the actual monster." Alexius leaned his back against the tree, and sat under the trunk.

"They died because I'm just as bad as they were," he cursed. "Or maybe because I'm only the worst Guardian in the entire world." Suddenly, he heard a familiar, relieving voice. It was Marcus.

"Alexius, you are far from the worst Guardian in the world," he said. "And you are better than any of Darius' men." At least one person thought so. At that one moment, though, he let himself believe that Lieutenant Rash and his men were disposable fodder that had no reason, and no right to live. It had bothered him since his hometown came into his sight on his way back from Aricia.

"Thanks, Marcus," he sighed. "But if you were with me in Aricia, you wouldn't be saying that."

"I wouldn't care," Marcus asserted, crossing his legs and sitting across from Alexius. "You deserve to live more than any one of the King's soldiers."

"Lots of people do," said Alexius. "But you're right, Lieutenant Rash and his men were particular bastards."

"He's not as bad as his older brother, the Captain," Marcus assured.

"What am I going to tell him, Marcus?" Alexius wondered, with a tear in his eyes. He quickly wiped it away so Marcus wouldn't see it. He still did.

"I heard what you said," Marcus admitted. "And I think it's wrong. I think you looked back for just a few seconds, and Rash and his men went into the cave when you weren't looking. People died, and you're blaming yourself, Alexius. You shouldn't."

"But they're dead because of me," Alexius reminded, then he thoughtlessly blurted, "Just like Philip and Christy."

"Who?" asked Marcus. Alexius rolled his eyes. It wasn't at Marcus' questioning, but because of his own stupidity, and knowing Marcus, there would be no changing the subject, especially when he was comforting his older brother.