Return to Edan by Philip Chase

Author:Philip Chase [Chase, Philip]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Philip Chase
Published: 2023-09-20T16:00:00+00:00

“Easy now, sergeant.” Captain Ludecan crouched next to Bosa, a man he had known for as long as he had been in the Mercenary Company of Etinstone, which was a longer time than he cared to think about. They had both been young when they joined. He could not remember what sort of trouble had forced Bosa into the company, but the man had grown into a capable and smart veteran who knew how to stay alive as well as anyone Ludecan knew. All of which could mean nothing in the midst of a battle. Fate’s a fickle bitch, thought the captain. And there’s not a thing you can do when she comes for you.

Lying on his back, Bosa groaned and struggled to raise himself, just getting his sweaty head up enough to glance at his body. When he took in his chest and stomach, he rolled his eyes and fell back down.

“Hold still, man. I’m going to patch you up.”

The sergeant smiled, exposing his reddened teeth, and a dribble of blood leaked out the corner of his mouth. “No point,” he managed to gasp.

Ludecan glanced at the wide puncture wounds in the man’s stomach and chest and sighed. He was not certain if an axe or sword had done the work — mostlike a broad-bladed sword wielded by one of those huge Edan-cursed Thjoths — but whatever had done it had broken through the links of the man’s byrny and reached deep into his flesh. Most of Bosa’s blood had pulsed and leaked out of him before the captain reached him, and it had pooled beneath him, leaving the man as pale as a full moon on a cloudless winter night.

No point. That about summed up everything.

The captain nodded at his sergeant. There had never been any lies between him and his men. At least he could say that. “I reckon you’re right, my friend. I’ll just keep you a bit of company, then.” He sat on the ground next to Bosa.

The sergeant looked up at him, and the man’s ruined body trembled with effort as his mouth opened. He kept staring at Ludecan like he wanted to tell him something important.

“It’s alright.” Ludecan put his hand on his sergeant’s brow. His other hand grasped one of Bosa’s, which was slick with blood. How in Edan’s fucking creation could it be alright? The man’s dying. Nothing he could say would be adequate for this moment. He knew that. He had been here many times before, every time failing to say or do the right thing. But that did not prevent him from trying. Damn me for a fool.

Bosa still gazed at him, and his jaw worked up and down, but only a gargling sound came out of his mouth.

Ludecan squinted and frowned down at the man, straining to listen for Bosa’s last words as if they were the most important thing in the world. But the man’s hand went slack and his eyes stopped seeing. No more trembling. No more pain.

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