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Jon's Tale - Part VI

by Kyle "Nairoci" Roahrig


          
I am now myself. I am the person I was, the person I will be, the person I am meant to be. I am a Kohan. I have been the leader of the Royalists since the day we split from the Council. I remember that day well. Finally too disgusted with the Council’s inaction, many of my brethren split off to defend the people ourselves. That is the basis of our group; the protection of those we serve. Years before that, those now called Nationalist split off from the Council. They were not concerned with the people however, but with fighting the Ceyah and the Shadow, in all its forms. They believed the purpose of the people was to help them combat the Shadow. Many mortals agreed with them, and the Nationalists rarely lack for recruits.

            I believe that we have the right of it though. Yes, it is our duty to fight the Shadow, but not out of revenge or outrage. We must fight to protect our loved ones from the hatred and violence of the Shadow, and from its pawns, the Ceyah. Working together with the mortals, we had built some of the most prosperous cities on Khaldun. Every last one now lies in ruin. Recognizing the threat of Kohan and mortal working hand in hand, the Ceyah now hunt us even more than the Nationalists.

            We have been forced to live in hiding for years. To aid us in this, years ago I started a policy that newly awakened Kohan live without being told that they were Kohan. The policy formed bonds with the mortals, and few were the Kohan who came out of it without the will to fight and defend those they knew. I can admit I took a near perverse pleasure in doing this to council Kohan who we awakened. We gained several followers by opening their eyes in such a way. The main problem with the Council is that they place themselves above the mortals, and yet know little about them.

            None were exempt from this policy, not even myself, which brought me to where I am now. Blinded by light, deafened by memory, and full of purpose and hope.

            Lying on that cold ground, I remembered everything. This was the true ‘Curse of the Kohan.’ Not awakening without memories, but never being able to forget. I remember each time I’ve died, every time I have watched my wife die before my eyes, and it nearly breaks me. But now things are different, now I have hope. Darius is waiting. Beneath his banner I envisioned us uniting the Kohan, even the complacent Council, and finally driving back the hordes of darkness.

            I gradually realized I could see, and that none of my companions were where they had been. Jason leaned heavily upon a tree, while my wife, Rachel, prayed nearby on her knees. Of Caitlynn, I saw no sign. That did not worry me though, one of her habits was to never show any form of weakness in front of other people, not even her closest friends.

            Letting the others recover on their own, I began to strap on the various pieces of my armor. Without a squire it was a little bit difficult, but I’d gotten used to it. The only piece I really had trouble with was the breastplate, but before I even heard her, I felt Rachel’s small hands helping me with the straps.

            While we worked, Caitlynn came back and began helping Jason into his own armor. While his studded leather was not as complicated as my platemail, it was still enough that one could not easily do it alone. Caitlynn was also already changed. She had to have changed into her padded green hunting leathers while she was gone. I have the feeling I would have easily noticed in the blonde beauty had changed within sight.

            When Rachel and I were done getting me dressed, I asked her to finish helping Jason and send Caitlynn over to me. When she arrived, I began explaining why we were leaving so early. Fending off her constant questions, I explained about my visions, and about how close Darius was.

            “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” she asked.

            “Just look at how many questions you’ve asked me so far,” I told her, “there was no time to answer them earlier.”

            “You know I do not like being ordered around,” she said, “that’s one of the reasons the Council banished me.” Of all of us, Caitlynn was the only one who had not left the Council by choice.

            “Caitlynn, you were found out spying on the Council leaders, and passing that information to the Nationalist; that’s why they banished you.”

            “I was NOT spying, and I was not sending information to the Nationalists, “she hissed at me, “What I overheard was gossip and I only told that to my sister!”

            It was about this time that I realized she had never spoken to anyone about this, not even Jason. “That ‘gossip’ was information about how the Council was going to deal with the Nationalists and your sister is Sofiya Fairfax, the leader of all the Nationalists. Your impulse to spy for you sister nearly led to a civil war, and only when we broke from the council ourselves was that situation fully defused. Your reckless actions nearly cost us everything we had worked towards for a thousand years, the defeat of the Shadow and the stewardship of those who look to us for hope.”

            I knew I had scored deep with that as she visible flinched and her lower lip began to tremble. “I know what I did was reckless and impulsive Jonathon,” she whispered hoarsely, “but what else was I to do? Should I have let the Council declare my sister rogue? She is the only family I have left.”

            She appeared near tears, and I knew that I may have gone too far. Before the Cataclysm, her husband willingly joined the Ceyah. His name had been Jonas Teramun, though he goes by another now. The only thing that kept my friend going was the hope that one day we might capture his amulet and perform a cleansing. I decided right then and there I would make it a priority to do just that, for Caitlynn’s sake; I owed her that much at least.

            “I’m sorry Kate, I should not have said that,” I told her, and it was true. I had stepped over the line for no reason at all. Some leader I am.

            With that, to even my astonishment, she collapsed into me and began weeping. As I held her I looked up and saw a very puzzled look on Jason’s face, and yet another knowing smile on my wife’s. I could feel my face burning and cursed how Ray could always make me feel embarrassed. Some leader I am, making my friends cry and blushing like a schoolboy whenever my wife gives me a funny look.

            “I…I’m sorry Jo…John…I was wrong…my ac…actions cou…ould have cost so…so many lives…” Kate sobbed into my shoulder.

            Utterly perplexed with this situation (I could not remember the last time I had even won an argument, let alone against a woman, and let alone against Kate), I did the only thing I could think of. I treated her like a little child. “Shhh…don’t worry Kate. Everything’s ok. Nobody died. In fact, you may have helped our cause.”

            She stared up at me with a very confused look, eyes swollen, and tears still dripping down her face. “Just think,” I told her, “without what you did we would not be at the point we’re at today. Besides, it could have been worse. You could have been telling Sofiya real secrets, like how I like my eggs cooked,” I told her with a broad grin on my face.

            With her tears broken by laughter she only smiled and held me tighter. “Thank you,” she said. As she slowly backed away, head bowed down, I noticed both Jason and Rachel struggling to contain laughter. “What are you two looking at?” I asked, “Haven’t you ever seen two people discuss eggs before?”

            Chuckling and shaking his head, Jason left to ready his horse for our journey while Rachel walked over and gave me a peck on the cheek. “That was very nice what you did for her Jonathon, just don’t get too used to another woman’s arms around you or you won’t be feeling mine.” She walked off laughing, heading for her horse as well.

            Great, I thought, just what I need, another way for my wife to tease me. Compared to that, battling the Shadow was almost welcome.

 

 

Jon's Tale Part I ] Jon's Tale Part II ] Jon's Tale Part III ] Jon's Tale Part IV ] Jon's Tale Part V ] [ Jon's Tale Part VI ] Jon's Tale Part VII ] Jon's Tale Part VIII ]
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