Balefire: A Dark Fantasy Novella by Glynn Stewart

Author:Glynn Stewart [Stewart, Glynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Faolan's Pen Publishing
Published: 2022-02-14T16:00:00+00:00

Even in the most organized of stores—and no village store was what a city merchant would call organized, in Alsan’s experience—gathering those kinds of supplies took time.

Darkness had well and truly fallen across Redgarton as the paladin tied a bag of salt to the broken tip of his ex-spear quarterstaff. The jagged edge of the staff worked perfectly for his plan, more than a regular staff would have.

Now he stood in front of Hestan’s tavern, studying the darkened building in the flickering light of torches the villagers had set up, and considered his options.

He sighed.

“Afraid, paladin?” Dem Mket asked, the Priest-Mendicant appearing unexpectedly out of the night. “That seems uncharacteristic. What do you need?”

“Fear is a tool, Dem,” Alsan told the healer absently. He began to adjust his harness, removing the baldric holding his sword to his back. “Like the silver on this sword.”

He offered the scabbarded blade to the priest.

“Brazu are immune to silver,” he observed. “Take this and hold on to it for me. It will only get in the way.”

“Fear is a weapon,” Mket replied—but he took the sword. “One the Abyss wields with a delicate skill.”

It was fear, in the end, that had driven Eladra to her madness. Fear of losing her husband. Fear of losing their business. Fear of the anger of her family and Hestan’s alike. But fear was a many-faceted thing.

“Fear is a weapon we can turn against them,” Alsan said. “It sharpens the senses, focuses the mind. No paladin can live without fear. Only in understanding and commanding my fear can I wield Grace and stand against the Abyss.”

“The dawn awaits, Sir Knight,” Mket observed after a moment. “And with it, the balefire of your brethren.”

“Indeed. Look to the people of this town, Dem Mket,” Alsan told the priest. “Keep the sick alive while I finish what has been begun. If I destroy the demon, they still look to you and your fellows for salvation.”

“We will care for them; you have my word,” Mket replied. “And you will destroy this beast?”

“That is my oath,” Alsan said calmly. He hefted the stick with its bag of salt and smiled grimly. “You look to the town, Dem. I will look to the demon.”

Mket fell away, stepping back to join the rough line of villagers at the edge of the light.

They were watching Alsan. A mere few hours before, those same locals had tried to injure or kill him. Now, he could draw the link of that mob back to Hestan’s words, the tavernkeeper desperate to hide his own sins at any price.

The man’s confession might now save a hundred souls from the Abyss. That thought finally pushed Alsan into motion, walking forward toward the double doors at the entrance of the building.

The doors swung open smoothly. Whatever the tavernkeeper’s flaws, he’d taken good care of his business. There were no lights inside, but Alsan had expected that.

“Intercessor guide me,” he whispered, summoning Grace and channeling it into the five-pointed star he wore around his neck.

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