Raven

Raven

E. M. Areson

There are times in every person’s life when they make a choice that could kill them. Some don’t think about it but even a walk across the street can end in death. My choice was different, however. I knew it would kill me, if the Imp didn’t do it then they would; but, I still stand by my choice. After all, the villain can never win; not even when he’s more heroic than the hero.

          My story, though it’s not really mine, started ages ago. Our homeland is an island separated from the outside world by a great world pool near the island’s southern tip. No ship is stupid enough to come close. Mages, advisers to the royal family, suggested a plan they called the Golden Age Strategy, apparently to keep hope from dying or something as equally silly.

Every so often children would be embedded with Imp. The Imp would force them to become heroes, or in my case a villain. There are 30 Grand Knights, 29 Grand Ladies, one Sir Goodheart, one princess, the princess’s lady in weighting, and myself. I am Lord Tyrannic, the villain of our generation’s Golden Age. This isn’t fully my story, it’s our story, and I shall not live to see it end.

My problem started on a normal day when I went out to buy groceries. It’s illegal for me to leave my house in the darkest, most dangerous part of the forest; but I have to eat just like anyone else. I was looking at one of the market stalls in the town square, they were selling some strawberries that looked perfect for my latest batch of jam. I looked up and saw her then, I knew she was the one I was going to kill.

Her hair was in stupid looking curls, and her yellow dress looked terrible with her complexion. She was Princess Ora’s lady in weighting. Her Imp was the same color as mine, red, but that was because we were both dying characters. She could have been pretty, but that chance had been taken from her by the idiotic role she played. I had been staring for almost two minutes when she looked over and saw me. The recognition was instant, she knew I was Lord Tyrannic.

          Dorcas’s blood went cold. He’s here, my murderer is looking at me. She apologized to the musician she was talking to and began to walk towards Tyrannic. They never looked away from each other’s gaze as she came closer. She stopped a step away from him with a defiant look in her eyes; at least she hoped it looked defiant. Her Imp made most things look stupid.

“We need to talk,” She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the alley. “What in the world are you doing here. Your next attack isn’t for five more days and the cities getting ready for one of the Knight Celebrations. I have to get everything ready.”

“Look, idiot who dies. I have to buy groceries, just like everyone else.” He held out his basket of fruit to emphasize. “Besides aren’t the Knight Celebrations supposed to be spontaneous?”

“Yes, but without preparation, no one’s ready for songs and dancing. People have to move their carts, musicians have to be paid, and people who don’t belong have to leave.” She crossed her arms noticing that, like all the rumors said, he really only wore black.

“Like me? Because I’m such a threat with strawberries,” He looked disgusted.

“Usually the people who don’t belong are drunks or criminals. But, yes, I did mean you that time. Not because I think you're dangerous; but because it could mess up the celebration and that would be on me too you- you coward.” She didn’t have to insult him, but he was her killer after all. She wanted to at least do that much before her death.

“Says the idiot who dies!” Tyrannic raised his voice, “Don’t pretend you know me just because you know how this story ends. I-”

          Music and singing began outside the alley. They looked at each other, mutual loathing meeting an unspoken understanding. They both needed something the other could give.

“I got distracted buying groceries, and I’ll keep the attention away from the south gate?” Dorcus asked.

Tyrannic nodded and handed over the basket, “Good luck.”

          With that, he ran off and Dorcus got swept up in the Knight Celebration. She sang several loud songs praising Princess Ora and Sir Goodheart while praising the day Tyrannic would finally be defeated, and his head lay on a spike in the middle of town. The villagers cheered as Sir Goodheart asked Princess Ora to dance. Dorcus laughed mentally, she knew they didn’t really like each other very well. Once the celebration ended, Princess Ora walked over with a smile too sweet to be anything more than Imp and Dorcus knew she was in trouble.

Part Two Comming On 12/20/17


Photo by Eduardo Jaeger