023 - Journey to the East

Behind the troop of horsemen was a long line of dishevelled men chained to one another by thick iron cuffs.

To a man, every single rider and prisoner turned to look at the person who spoke, Magnus stared in surprise.

"Caj?" Magnus called out incredulous.

"Ah ha! What luck! Magnus my friend! I knew you'd come!" Caj raised his arms and cried out in joy.

Sergeant Solberg had not turned, his eyes remained transfixed on Magnus, he held the point of his sword up, sliding forward, gathering strength.

Magnus spotted the movement, moving Captain Valentin between him and Solberg and squeezing his wrist, letting the poor Valentin shriek out in agony once more.

"No one moves, or he dies." Magnus roared. "You, tell them!"

"Run him through! Kill him!" Valentin cried out, Magnus tightened his headlock.

"Alright, alright lad. Trooper Oskar, get back, put that sword away." Sergeant Solberg took a step back, sheathing his sword. The horsemen all had their hands on their hilts. Solberg took a good hard look at Magnus, seeing just how short on breath the youth was, how a disgusting yellow pus seemed to ooze out of every pour and frowned. "Ok? All good? Now, what do you want."

Magnus looked about. "Dismount. All of you, off the horses." Solberg waved his hand, the riders got from their horses. Some were looking around at either side of the road, looking for any signs of an ambush.

Solberg cocked his head, "And now?"

"Free the prisoners. Do it. Or he dies." Magnus twisted Valentin’s arm extra hard, for added effect.

"But Sarge . ." Oskar started, Solberg cut him off with a shake of his head.

"Free the prisoners!" Solberg commanded, several troopers ran back and began unlocking the iron locks.

"Sergeant! I demand you cease at once! Those men are not to be freed, I com -urk!" Valentin gasped for breath, Magnus yanking his arm back, almost snapping the bone.

"Captain!" Solberg cried out.

Magnus ignored him, asking "where were you taking these men?"

"North." Solberg replied.

"Where? For what purpose?" Magnus eyes narrowed. "I heard you before. You said it was for the Alchemists, didn't you?" Magnus pulled the bandages away from his face. "Do you know what the Alchemists do to people? What they would have done to all these men? They would have been made monsters! They would be nothing more than animals!"

"Aye lad," Solberg responded calmly. "But they are convicted criminals."

"And that makes them less than human?" Magnus roared.

Solberg stayed silent, his eyes fixed on Magnus. The last of the prisoners had been unchained, they laughed and cheered Magnus on,

"Ha ha! Thanks Magnus!" A convict yelled gleefully.

"Magnus, a thousand blessings!"

"Long live Magnus!" Caj leapt onto a horse and cried out.

Without waiting for any word or command, ran to the horses, mounting, escaping out into the fields and woods, quickly being lost from view. Caj was the only prisoner who had not immediately fled, instead he rode up to Magnus.

"Come on Magnus! Let's go!" Caj reached out his hand.

Magnus moved towards Caj, Captain Valentin struggled in his grip, kicking viciously back. Magnus stumbled, his foot caught on a rock, and they both went down. Solberg roared, leaping forward and drawing his sword, slashing at Magnus' neck.

"Hiya!" Caj wasted no time, immediately urging his horse into a gallop away from the road.

The blade hit Magnus on the side of the neck, barely cutting through his skin and bouncing away. Solberg gasped, his arm shaking. The blow hadn't managed to cut Magnus, but instead sent him sprawling back into the dirt away from Valentin.

Solberg looked at his sword in shock. The edge had been chipped where it struck the flesh, as if he'd swung it a stone. Magnus rolled in the dirt, trying to lift himself up. Before he could the thirty troopers rushed at him, kicking and stabbing and slashing hard as they could.

Neither Sergeant Solberg, nor the wounded Captain Valentin made the slightest effort to stop them. It was only after a good twenty minutes of constant beating that the soldiers stopped, their weapons broken or blunted.

"What the hell is he made of?" One lamented, holding up his shattered sword.

"Is he dead?" A trooper kicked Magnus heavily in the stomach. Magnus didn't so much as react.

"Cut off the bastards head!" Captain Valentin Snarled. "I want to hang it from the walls of Gifhorn."

"Sir!" A trooper lifted Magnus' head by his hair, cutting at his throat to no effect.

Sergeant Solberg looked up and down the highway. There were quite a few travellers and passers by who were silent at the side of the road, watching the entire spectacle.

Solberg sheathed his sword and sighed. "Give it a rest. I couldn't even cut him, and I'm a silver core, what chance do you think you have? Check if he's breathing."

"No sir." The trooper put his hand in front of Magnus' mouth.

"Pulse?"

"No sir."

Solberg seemed lost in thought for a moment, his gaze wandering from Magnus to Captain Valentin, and finally resting on the troops discarded banner with the golden key.

"Captain Valentin, sir?" Solberg saluted lazily. "If I may, sir. I think that you've made a right pig's ear of this, sir."

"Damn your eyes Sergeant!" Valentin hissed, his neck red and arm turning a deep shade of purple. "Back to Gifhorn! That's an order!"

"I don't think so, sir." Solberg shook his head. "I don't think I'm going back. Oh, I'm not going to stop you, you being an officer and nephew of the Bishop. But I'm not going with you."

"What is this insubordination, Sergeant! No, worse than that, mutiny!"

"Oh aye sir, aye. Mutiny it is." Solberg grinned. "You see, you being the family of the Bishop, most you'll get from letting all those prisoners escape under your watch is a slap on the wrist. As for me, as for the rest of us?" Solberg raised his voice, looking at all the troopers. "Well, the lucky ones will be hung. The rest, me included sir, will most like be flogged, then hung."

Oskar looked at Solberg, panic in his eyes. "I don't want to die Sarge, I've not even got me a wife!"

"Sergeant Solberg, what you are suggesting is traitorous. I demand you gather the men and we return to Gifhorn at once!" Valentin's voice cracked.

"I don't know about the rest of you boys," Solberg called out. "But I'm off!"

"Wait! Sergeant! Get back here at once!" Captain Valentin roared out in fury.

"Sarge! Wait for me!" Oskar ran after Solberg.

The troopers debated briefly, running to catch up with Solberg and Oskar. Left alone on the road was the pitiful figure of Captain Valentin, cursing and calling out threats after his mutinous men, and Magnus.

Dead.

Again.