The Iron Badger

Chapter 2

And so, I did. I knelt on my left knee while fumbling with the sheath. "I am dreadfully sorry Aunt Aslis. I could not make out your face with your hood over your head.

"That is quite alright dear. You were not expecting me and now the weather has turned from fair to worse. Can you take me to my sister? There is a lot to discuss."

It was then snow began to fall steadily and winds sounded like howling wolves. "Aye! Mother's house is not far from here. Father has gone on duty. If the storm gets any worse, I believe Father will not be joining us anytime soon."

Aslis placed her hood back over her head as I watched her face disappear once more.

"A lot happened since you saw me last." I said, feeling the weight of the wind pushing up against me.

"And now is the time to tell me." Said Aunt Aslis.

And so, I did. I told her everything including, the night I crept out of my parents' house. I could not see my aunt's face, but I could tell she was shocked that I did such a thing. But most of the time I ended up repeating certain parts of my story, due to the high winds. I shielded my face from the whipping snow. Aslis did what she could to help me, for none of us was ready for the changing weather. And so, the rest of my story would have to wait. Overall, I was happy to have my aunt back once again.

Most of the time I end up repeating certain parts of the story, due to increase of wind. I shielded my face from the whipping snow. Aslis did what she could to help me. I only got to the part where I crept out of my parents' house. The rest had to wait until later. Overall, I was happy to have my aunt Aslis back once again.

2

What I want the reader to understand is that Aslis and I were not the only ones out in the storm. My father and his friend Si found themselves deep in the heart of the blizzard. Father spoke of an argument that broke out between him and Si. The storm raged on while the storm in Masa had just begun. The snow fell hard in minutes as my father and Si argued praying to the gods for guidance through the storm. My father's head was hard and heart unyielding when it came to faith. My father trusted not in things unseen and unproven. Si sped ahead of Father and Father snapped the bridle of his horse named Equinox. Equinox galloped majesticly quickly making up ground between Father and Si. Rye yelled after Si, but Si was unable to hear over the damning wind.

When Father finally caught up to his friend, the wind had shifted, making it easy to hear. But alas, there were no words spoken between them, as a wall of snow divided them both! The squall of snow had clearded, Si was nowhere to be found, vanished—leaving not a single track behind.

It was then my father found himself alone with his horse Equinox. There were no signs of the storm slowing down and Rye unsure of his surroundings—Father's instincts turned towards refuge from the storm. Years of military wilderness training had Rye searching for a patch of trees like a small forrest—a place where my father could create a fire, a fort with the usage of the tree's branches. Equinox and Father had gone through so much and father was not about to lose the only friend he had left by disemboweling his horse and lying inside him. Ah! That might have been the case if Equinox was not the rearrest of all breed of horses. Father was the only man in Masa to obtain such an animal which in Masa they dubbed Brimstone.

In Gate two also known as the Greeks, likewise, have a bird with the same qualities as Brimstone. The difference however between these magnificent animals is that the Phoenix that burns to ashes during its life cycle while Brimstone... Or should I say, the breed of horse affectionately named Brimstone combusts due to its diet of eating a root known in Masa as Dragon's Root. When Brimstones burst into flames, they must replenish the flame that burns within them by the consumption of Dragon's Root. A foal, however, will die a slow agonizing death as the body forces itself to combust, hence, slowly burning the foal from the inside out in days.

"It was like a path laid itself before me. The only certain direction was straight ahead. There was a wall of snow on the right and left of me. Equinox and I were in the middle where the snow hardly at all. I must confess, it was the scariest time of my life. I was worried that I would not make my way home... Still, I feel a piece of myself as not truly returned home. My mind being one for example. Still... I cannot stop myself from thinking about my friend, Si. It is how he vanished and vanished quickly by the by the fast moving snow.

Father spoke these words to me during the later part of his life. I saw terror and sadness in his eyes. I could not comfort him for I did not know how. I blamed shame for this. Same is greater than god or beast. It is battles that one fights within, chains may bound a man in castle dungeons, but the mind is free from chains and goes where it wishes. This of course was not the case for my father. For his mind was locked and chained to his guilt and shame. To unlock these chains is to let go of everything that had happen including blasphemous words he had spoken concerning the gods. Then the question remains. Would my father accept absolution if it were offered? If not, Father, would continue be chained unto death. I write this with great hope that Father would someday lay his demons to rest. Tears ran down my father's beared face as he closed his eyes only to reopen them. He looked straight. I was younger then but feel even younger as he stared at me. I was twenty-one.

"Do you know what I said while I was in the storm? It was not the words so much as the tone in which I spoke. I was young and foolish for speaking so vainly towards something that deserved the yielding of my heart. I knew everything, so I spoke blasphemy to the gods. I told them to show themselves if they were real."

Father closed his eyes then cried letting out all that had been pent up for so long.

3

Aslis and I journeyed our way to mother's house, as I write this, I can still feel the nervousness in my stomach, because I did not know where I was going exactly. The winds picked up and the snow stung our faces as we marched on into uncertainty. Despite the wind and the snow, I was joyful in seeing my aunt once again. It had been a drought, so long since I have seen her. I do not know what happened that caused my aunt to stray away. At fourteen, I felt a rift between mother and her sister. And what was the importance that caused Aslis to travel in such long distances? I guessed that it must have taken a fortnight at least to come all of this way by foot, for she had not a horse to ride on. And when she came, a sudden winter storm crashed down upon us?

The snow fell hard, and we did in shielding ourselves from the winter's dreadful bite, for we were unprepared.

The snow crunched beneath for I wore my boots, boots that I wore often to hid the dagger father had given me a month before leaving with Si in controlling the boarders.

I felt the hands of my aunt shaking me from my deep thoughts as I heard. "Look child! Look! Up ahead, I think I see your mother's house from here."

Snapping out from a fog I looked at where Aslis was pointing. It was nearly impossible at first, but then I began to see white smoke! I looked close then saw what resembled a chimney and a roof. I closed my eyes then reopened them. I smelled mother's cooking! "Mother's stew for Father," I shouted over the howls of the wind, feeling my stomach growl with hunger.

I grabbed Aslis's hand firmly then squeezed gently, letting her know that I loved her. The wind roared as snow whipped and stung my face. My aunt's face was protected by the depth of her cloak's hood. Closer we got to the house the warmer it felt. I released my hand from Aslis's hand then placed my hand over the door's latch, then slid it free from its hold, pulling the door open. Ah, the warmth of the home felt wonderful and divine. The smell of stew wafted through the air causing my stomach to grumble loudly. Mother looked up then smiled. Her smile faded when a hooded figure followed behind me.

I rose my hand in getting her attention, but Mother did not noticed as her fingers wrapped themselves around the wooden handle of a knife that was used in cutting beef for the stew. I waved wildly at Mother and still she paid no never mind to my actions.

The kitchen knife gave out a brilliant glow from the oil lanterns that brightened a good portion of the house. Two pale hands presented themselves as the hood fell lazily behind Aunt Aslis's head. Aslis gave a stern expression to her sister. "Is that how that how you greet your sister, that you had not seen in age?

Mother dropped the knife at once with a loud bang. Both hands covered her mouth. Her eyes grew big filled with surprise in them. "Oh! By the gods! Aslis? Mother said.

"Aye, it is your sister... Aslis."