Hi All! I'm so sorry this lovely post is once again not formatting. I'm not sure why I can't get it to format properly when I switch it over. Hopefully, this chapter will make up for the formatting issues and you won't have a problem reading it. Thanks for the encouraging words last time. I'm glad it came off well.
Enjoy Aiden's revenge now!



CHAPTER 39 ~ REVENGE
TWO YEARS ELEVEN MONTHS
AFTER BANISHMENT
AIDEN
Feelings of displacement and familiarness overwhelmed my senses as I moved through the home I had grown up in. Sam’s garden had grown wild, just as he said it would so long ago. I glanced to my left. The shed and stable stood there and further down I could see the woodshed. All looked to be in need of great repair. It was in front of that very stable that I had said goodbye to so many of my siblings. They had all been so desperate to hear me tell them things would be all right. I had floundered, trying to encourage them and build them up. Each had left in desperation, but strong as well. Maybe soon I would be welcoming them home instead. But in order for that to happen, I had to face the one intruder that still occupied our home.
There was no smoke coming from Duard’s chimney as there was on the day I had left, but I could smell his stench in the air and feel the presence I had dreaded so much as a child. He was here.
In front of me, was our main house, which consisted of three chambers, the main chamber, the kitchen, and Duard’s room. He was probably in there. The door was in the front. I’d have to go around. I swallowed. Now that I was here, was I ready? The last time I had entered his chamber he had dismissed me with only a word. But I was stronger now. Surely that wouldn’t happen again. I started forward.
“So, you’ve arrived at last,” the voice was old and craggy with an underlining power that I would know anywhere.
My blood stopped and my heart froze as I turned slowly to look to my left. There coming towards me from Ilara’s woodshop was Duard.
Why was he in Ilara’s shop? He had no right to be there! And just that quickly I felt old emotions from years ago rise to the surface and claim me.
Duard continued to walk towards me. His steps were slightly uneven, but his back straight. His face was just as I remembered it. I saw there the same arrogance, confidence, and evil disgust that had filled my nightmares as a child.
My siblings screams tore through me as I heard them once again being tortured by the man who now stood only a few feet from me. Anger, hatred, fury, pain, and so much more boiled inside of me, clenching my fists and tightening every muscle in my body.
“Duard,” I managed.
“Three years have not helped your intelligence,” the dark robed man stated.
“It helped my strength,” I replied, pulling my sword from its place at my side.
He laughed, but it was a harsh sound that held no joy. “So, you think you are ready to face me?”
“I am. You won’t stop me this time. I’m going to take you out for what you’ve done to my family.” I spoke through clenched teeth.
A sneer crossed his face. “What family? You never had one. You were a bunch of helpless, hopeless babies. You were lucky I took you in.”
“Took us in? You took us over!” I spouted angrily.
“You owe me your pathetic lives,” he said nastily.
“We owe you nothing!” I shouted, raising my sword and charging blindly forward.
“Fool!” Duard snorted. Beneath his rope, he pulled out a sword of his own and blocked my strike, forcing me backwards.
I looked at him stunned. I had never seen him use a weapon before, I had just assumed he could, but to see the truth was disturbing.
He laughed. “Well, Boy, come on then. Let us see if you have learned anything at all.”
He was mocking me just has he had my whole life! I was younger, more powerful, and had more skill and still he mocked me as if I was the child who had cowered in his room. My grip tightened. I would not be mocked!
I charged again, coming in low this time. But Duard blocked again, using my own momentum to push me past him. As I moved past, my vision and fury cleared some. He wasn’t that powerful. I turned to look back at Duard, who was watching me with those same eyes. He was using my own power against me. He was purposefully making me angry and using that to cloud my mind, just as he had my whole life.
“You’re not going to win this, Duard,” I growled.
“Really? I haven’t seen anything impressive so far.” Duard dismissed me.
I tightened my grip. His tone was the exact same it had been all those years ago and they still haunted me. But he wouldn’t stop me, not this time.
Our blades crashed together and sprang apart in a furious manner. Duard was older, but he could still fight. I channeled my anger into my blade allowing it to scream my frustration and rage at all this man had done to my family, but keeping my mind focused and calm. I had no idea what attacks were possible with Duard. He had ruled over my family through absolute fear and despite our current fight, I could still feel it in the back of my mind. Suddenly, his guard slipped on the left and I struck pushing in hard. He blocked at the final second stopping the blow from cutting too deeply. Still, blood seeped through his robe.
“Bah!” Duard pushed my sword away from his body.
I breathed heavily. “So, you are mortal after all.”
“Ah, so your motives are revealed. Have you come to kill me then, Boy?” Duard spoke, eyes and voice not faltering. “Does this small wound give you confidence? Do you have what it will take?”
“I do,” I answered, for the first time my voice was deadly calm. I had trained for this and I was ready.
“Really? You are not impressive to me. You are still a weak little boy searching for what you think you want.” Duard laughed, despite his wound.
“No, I’m not!” I heard myself protest.
“Yes, you are. You’re still small and worthless. You could never protect your so called family. Where are they now? Hmm?” Duard mocked in a low hauntingly familiar voice, before shouting, “Nowhere! They are not here! You are alone! Just as you’ve always been. You are a weak fool.”
No! My mind screamed in denial. It wasn’t true. It wasn’t. I had become stronger and I could defeat him. Why did I feel like he was right? Why was I letting him get to me? My grip on my sword slackened. No, this was wrong!
“Aiden!” A voice I had forgotten called out to me. “Aiden! He’s messing with your mind. Aiden, don’t listen to him! You have me. We are all behind you!” A screech from above and a cat’s roar filled my head. “Aiden! Aiden!” Kristalyn’s voice called my name over and over and I heard her.
I did have people behind me. I hadn’t even wanted them to come, but they had. They followed me, cared what happened to me. I wasn’t alone. He was wrong. He was manipulating me, just as he use too. And I was letting him. No more.
Duard turned to look at Kristalyn.
“Who are you, mite? Quite down.” He turned back to me. “A girl? You brought a wench? Can she protect you?”
“She is not a wench!” I spoke, angry that he would even consider calling Kristalyn something indecent. “We are finishing this. Enough of your words and manipulations, Duard. They will not save you this time.”
“You have no idea, Boy. But come, fight me if you think you can,” he sneered.
“I already have,” I answered, and our dance of revenge began again.
We moved all over the yard I had played on as a youth. Now, it would become a field of blood, Duard’s blood. He would not leave here alive. He would finally pay for what he had done to my family. Finally, I could be free to bring them home. At last, my blade found another opening and I struck at his chest. The blood flowed freely, but as I moved back Duard threw something at me. It exploded in my eyes and the dust covered everywhere. I screamed and grabbed my eyes. The pain was like nothing I had ever felt. In the darkness, I could hear Duard’s sick laughter. I screamed again and tried to rub it out, but it was in a cloud all around me and I couldn’t escape it.
Duard coughed from somewhere outside the black cloud and then his malicious voice penetrated it. “You’ve lost, Boy. You are alone. Your family is gone! You can’t defeat me now and you couldn’t then, remember? You let them all go. They hate you!”
The voice seemed to come from all around me, sinister and hateful. “No, they don’t!” I called into the blackness. I hacked, the black dust getting into my throat now. But I knew it wasn’t true! “We wrote! They’ll come home!”
“You didn’t hear from all of them. Some never wrote!” His voice mocked from everywhere at once. How could he know? “They do hate you. You are worthless to them. They won’t come, Aiden. You’ve failed.”
Failed? No! I had tried so hard! My whole life had been for this! I had to win! I couldn’t fail! I couldn’t betray them again! I had to win. This was all I had left and all I knew. If I failed… no, it wasn’t an option! I couldn’t face them! Suddenly, surrounding me in that black cloud where their faces, laughing, mocking, and crying. Zoe was crying. I’d made my sister cry.
No! I wanted to shout at them. It’s not over! I haven’t failed you yet. Don’t cry! I can do this! Please!
“Ahhh!” The scream tore from somewhere deep inside of me and I lashed out wildly with my sword. I didn’t know where he was. I still couldn’t see! But I could hear him mocking me. I could hear my sisters’ tears and my brothers’ calling my name. Abruptly, the flat of my sword hit something hard. I stumbled to the side and a burst of sudden wind cleared the area of the black cloud. In front of me, Duard was wavering and holding the side of his head. I lunged and drove my sword threw his shoulder, yanking it quickly back out, twisting it as I did so.
Somewhere behind me, I heard Kristalyn’s voice call out, “Good job, Magnar. No! Stay back now!” But it only barely registered as Duard, hit the ground rolling on his side, groaning.
“No more! We’re free!” I screamed at him, lifting my sword high above his head as his suddenly fear filled eyes met mine. I would not betray my family! I would finish this!
Aiden, I am here.
I had not expected the Voice. It filled me and froze my movements.
Deus? Deus, I want to kill him!
I will not stop you. The choice is yours. But it that what you truly desire, my son?
Yes!
I looked down at the hated face, lying in the dirt and dust. He was the one who had ruined everything I loved! I wanted him dead! I wanted to finish it and kill him!
He deserves to die!
Yes, but not by your hand. It is the path you chose now that will determine your fate.
I want to kill him! I want him to suffer as we have!
Then chose, Aiden. Your fate is decided here.
What do you mean?
If you take this path, I will not stop you, but for taking justice into your own hands, you will become the man you hate. You will become the man you now want to murder.
And if I don’t?
I have limitless possibilities for you.
What does that mean?
I have always had a special solution in mind for you, Aiden. It is not this path.
That again! Why won’t you just tell me?
You must trust me, Aiden. Trust the path I would choose for you.
But Duard!
This is not his story, but yours. Trust me, Aiden. Hear me and follow.
“ARGH!”
The scream ripped from my core and though my entire body. The pain, hurt, and anger over-flowing in the primitive urge to act my vengeance. The sword in my hand plunged into the ground below.
“Aiden!” Kristalyn’s scream tour through my riddled mind.
I opened my eyes to see Duard’s terrified face, the sword buried deep a mere inch from his skull. I had missed. And I had done it on purpose.
My breath came in harsh ragged spasms. Duard eyes locked onto mine and then rolled back and closed. I couldn’t move. Behind me some commotion arose and then Kristalyn and Kurioden were beside me and Magnar had landed next to us.
Kristalyn looked at me and then knelt down next to Duard.
“He’s still alive,” she announced quietly.
“I know,” I whispered.
She stood and put her arms on my shoulders to twist me to face her. “Are you okay?”
I nodded, but didn’t speak again. Images of Duard lying before me mixing with images of my family assaulted my mind and I still couldn’t breath right.
“Can you help me get him inside?” She asked softly.
“What?” I turned to her, all other images fleeing.
“We need to get him inside and treat him. We can’t do it all out here.”
“I’m not treating him! He can die there for all I care!” I spouted in disbelief that she would even suggest it.
She shook her head. “Why did you spare him, Aiden?”
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly, though now I could hear Deus voice in my head once again.
I have always had a special solution in mind for you, Aiden. It is not this path. Trust me.
I wasn’t ready to tell her that. I wasn’t even sure why I had listened to the Voice myself. Every fiber of who I was called for this man’s death. Why did I not finish it? Had I failed yet again?
“You’ll figure it out, Aiden. But we can’t leave him here.”
I glanced down at the unconscious body.
“Yes, we can.”
Kristalyn sighed. “You have to forgive him, Aiden. Until you can do that, he’ll always have power over you.”
“His power is as broken as he is,” I replied firmly. “And I will not help that thing. Not now or ever. Do what you want.”
With that, I walked away.
***
Was it over? Had I finally finished it? At the moment, Duard was still alive. I hadn’t killed him. I hadn’t completed the job I had set out to do. Yet, I was right. He and his power were broken. So, was it finished? Could my family come home? Would they? Or was part of Duard’s taunting right? Did some of them hate me for letting then be banished? How had he known that some of them had never written me? Taerith, Ilara, Sam, Arnan, even my Little Firebrand, I had heard from none of them. Were they alive? Did they hate me for what I had done to them? Could Firebrand hate me?
The thought was too much. My mind was tired, so tired, as was I. The punch in the gut, the twist of the knife, the sting of Duard’s mixture, that was what caused the wetness on my cheeks. Because Zoe couldn’t hate me, she simply couldn’t.
“Here, Aiden, I am,” Magnar’s low voice said from next to me and I felt his warm body come close to mine.
I couldn’t turn to see him though. The wetness was still in my eyes.
“Could he be right, Magnar? Could my siblings hate me? Could Zoe?” I whispered the question that brought more torture to my soul then I had ever known.
“Believe Duard, do you?” Magnar asked, instead of answering.
“I don’t know. I don’t want too,” I answered slowly.
“Then believe him, do not,” Magnar spoke, but it still wasn’t an answer.
“I’ve thought about it before, you know.” I said, as I somehow put one foot in front of the other. “The man I became to get them back together. I’ve hated him. I’ve hated me. They should too. Maybe somewhere they already know. What if he wasn’t lying and they really do hate me? I couldn’t blame them, Magnar. It would be right.”
“To darkness and fear hate leads. Of this, Duard knows. Planted hate long ago Duard did in you. Watered it Aiden did. Now, forces to grow Duard can,” Magnar spoke with the wisdom of griffins past.
“You may be right, Magnar. If so, than he is manipulating me again and his power is not broken as I thought. I did fail.” The realization swept through me and made me weak, almost driving me to the ground.
Magnar bumped against me and held me up, staying with me and silent until I was on my feet again. Then, gently, he nudged me forward to keep me walking. Only then did he ask the question he must have been thinking about, “True is it that hate himself Aiden does?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know, Magnar. I guess it is. I’m not proud of all I have done. And I am certain my family would not be proud either.” Portions of Daelia and Wren’s letters flashed through my mind.
“Hate Aiden, I do not,” Magnar stated.
I scoffed. “You don’t know all I’ve done.”
“Magnar knows,” came the quite reply.
I looked down at him, walking steadily be my side, in amazement and confusion. He couldn’t know everything. It wasn’t possible. “Then you know that I…”
I couldn’t finish it, but Magnar nodded his great eagle head anyway. “Since almost beginning known I have. Cling to you their smell of death. Grew and learned I did. Killer of my parents you were.”
“But… Then… How could you stay with me?”
“Forgave you, Aiden, I did. Your asking required I did not. Long ago.”
“Why?”
“Inside someone griffins can see. In you, one I wanted to know there was. Change and become more I knew you would. Proud I am of what you have done. Even today.” Magnar spoke slowly, maybe to make sure I understood.
I blinked, trying to think of what to say. “Why?”
He laughed. “My friend you are. Your heart you follow, even when believe it you do not. In worst times, right decision you make. Know not now, but the same your family will feel.”
“I hope you are right, Magnar. But I can’t believe that yet.”
“Time it will take. Heal you will.”
“Just as Duard does?” I asked bitterly.
Magnar was silent for a moment. “Take care of him Kristalyn and Kurio must. Forgive him, Aiden must.”
There it was again, the forgiveness, but I couldn’t. That required more strength than I would ever possess. Oh, I knew now where that strength could come from and I knew he wanted me to take his path, his solution, to trust him. I couldn’t deny any of that, but I also didn’t know how to do any of that or, despite my actions, if I truly wanted too. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself, but even to me the argument was getting ever so surely weaker.
“Aiden! You’re okay!” Travon raced at me then stopped short. “You are okay, right?”
“I’m not hurt. Get the horses and I’ll take you back to my home,” I replied wearily.
“What about Duard?” Travon asked the logical question, but I didn’t have to like it.
“Kristalyn and Kurio are tending him.”
Confusion scrunched up the youth’s face. “Then you didn’t kill him?”
“No,” I answered shortly.
No. I hadn’t and the thought still sent a knife of failure through me.
***
I plunged the rake down to the ground and pulled back hard, yanking all the muck out of the stall with it. Duard had done nothing to take care of our home since he had claimed it from us and filth and grim was everywhere, not to mention all the repairs that were now needed. Kristalyn and Kurio had set Duard up in the main room of the house. Every time I walked in the front door, he was right there, laying on his makeshift bed by the fire. The sight was a constant reminder of my failure to kill him, though I’m sure to Kristalyn it was a reminder that I still had to forgive him. So, I avoided the house. Instead, I busied myself all around the other buildings, cleaning and repairing them. One day, my family would be here. They didn’t deserve to see Duard’s mess. I had let him stay for so long. It was my job to repair it all. Magnar and Travon helped, but for the most part I was left alone with my thoughts and perhaps of everything I was dealing with at the moment that was the very worst part.
I had been racked with so many emotions and thoughts, that my mind and body felt weak and desperate for a break that I was unable to receive. Even at night, when I laid down my head, thoughts of everything or anything ran through my mind, making sleep an illusion I couldn’t make into a reality. It only added to my frustration and to my failure.
That was what everything came down too. In the darkest of nights, and the lonely days, I could hear Duard’s voice whispering my failures to me. But I didn’t need his voice to remind me. I could list them without any help. I had failed my family by failing to give them their home back, I had failed myself by failing to kill Duard, I had failed Kristalyn by failing to forgive Duard, and I had even failed Deus by not finding the correct path. Was there anyone in my life I had not failed?
“I,” Magnar’s voice came from beside me.
I turned to see the griffin sitting there calmly, his great lion tail twitching from side to side behind him.
“Can you read me mind?” I asked.
Magnar shook his eagle head. “No.”
“Then how can you always answer my questions?”
“Your face, see I can. Talk out loud you sometimes do,” he replied calmly.
“Oh.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say, so I went back to his earlier reply. “I did fail you. I killed your parents and I used you. I did the same to Travon.”
“No, you didn’t.” Travon entered the stables.
Was there a conspiracy to spy on me that I didn’t know about?
“How do you figure that?” I finally asked, letting the rake drop to the ground and turning to face the youth.
“What you did was wrong, killing Gidryon, but you did it under orders. You didn’t help to kill the rest of the village. The same with Magnar’s family. You couldn’t really say no to Ricald.”
“I did with the Hunter.”
Travon shrugged. “You were braver then.”
“Oh,” I answered, not really agreeing.
“Anyway, that’s not what matters. You took care of us, Aiden. Me and Magnar. You helped us grow up, you made us strong, and you gave us something and someone to fight for.” Travon walked over and picked up the rake I’d dropped. “I’d have been a slave if you hadn’t said you’d teach me. And Magnar might be dead.” He turned and continued with my job, but kept speaking. “You didn’t want too or have too, but you still did it.”
Magnar nodded. “Why help you now, we want too.”
“You give me too much credit,” I muttered.
Both shook their heads.
“It wasn’t easy forgiving you at first, Aiden, but you helped us lots. I didn’t know Deus was helping us too, but He was.” Travon paused in his raking to look at me. “He’d help you too, if you’d let Him. He really does help, Aiden,” Travon spoke softly, as if he was saying something he didn’t think I’d want to hear, but that he had to say anyway. He was right.
I sighed and turned to the stable door, looking out it to the main house where Kristalyn was tending to a dying Duard.
“I don’t have the strength to forgive him,” I thought out loud.
“No,” Travon agreed from behind me, “but Deus does.”
Deus. It always returned to Him.
I AM. I am the Truth, The Way, and the Life, Aiden. I AM who you are seeking. If you take this path, I will not stop you, but you will become the man you hate. You will become the man you now want to murder. I have limitless possibilities for you. I have always had a special solution in mind for you, Aiden. It is not this path. You must trust me, Aiden. Trust the path I would choose for you. You have fought me, true, but I have never left you. I take the unworthy and I make them worthy. I can do all things. Through Me, nothing is impossible – even forgiveness.
His words floated back to me and I knew he was speaking them again. Each one an arrow meant to hit its mark.
And they hit.
***
Over the next week I struggled with Deus’ words as well as Kristalyn, Travon, and Magnar’s. As I finished the stable and the workshop, and moved on to the kitchen and main house, their voice moved through my head, answering my questions and even protests as I made them. And from beyond them, my own voice as I taught my siblings about the god I did not believe in, but knew our parents did.
“No, Ilara, Deus doesn’t hate you. ‘Member, he always loves you. He loves all of us, even when we don’t feel it.”
“Yes, Arnan, Deus is angry when you are mean to Wren! You know mother and father would be upset….No, you can’t go play! You have to apologize…. Oh, come on! It would make Deus happy and Wren would smile again.”
“I know it hurts, Daelia… Yes, it hurts Deus too. He doesn’t like it when we cry…. Well, cuz’ he loves us….Yes, Daelia, if you trust Deus, he’ll make it better.”
“Deus even cares for your garden, Sam. He’ll help you.... Yep, He’ll always help you, just ask.”
I hadn’t believed any of it. But they had. Maybe I should have. Maybe I still could. Only one thing stopped me. In order to do any of that, to believe in any of it, I had to forgive Duard of everything he had ever done to my siblings. I had to let it all go and ask Deus for his promised help.
***