No Good Deed (16 page)

“Aren’t we going to do something about the war?” Obidaan asked.

“No,” he said almost too blunt for Obidaan’s taste, “I understand your feelings. Go to the front, get the generals to cease fire, and then go after the monarchs. That’s not how it works. The treaty has been broken; the violators must be punished. All else is inconsequential.”

“So those people are just going to keep fighting and dieing for no reason?” Obidaan asked almost sarcastically.

“Not exactly. Once we punish the monarchs, we can stop the war. We have to take it from the top down, not the bottom up.”

“I understand,” Obidaan said.

“Good, because we ride out for Lost Peak now. Mount up.”

They left the war room and headed for the stables. There, they all donned their newly polished armor and weapons and mounted their rested and fed horses. Even Obidaan’s equipment got a fine buffing. The servants did not speak as they handed out weapons and horses.

They formed up in two columns behind Gheriballi, the paladins of light on the right, the paladins of darkness on the left. He led them out of the castle and once out of the city and on the road they formed a gallop.

As they approached the castle in Lost Peak, they could see the effects. Refugees marching on the road, crops not being tended to, and the land in general disrepair. As they approached the gates, the land was very flat and open. They could see the city walls from over a mile away. Gheriballi raised his hand and the formation halted.

“Wendell,” he said without looking back, “give me a scouting report.”

Wendell closed his eyes, a shadow broke off from him and headed toward the gate and a high rate of speed. A few seconds later he spoke, “The gate is guarded by only four guards, and are currently closed. There is no garrison surrounding the wall. We may approach with no resistance.” He opened his eyes.

“Very well,” Gheriballi said, “Forward,” and they began trotting to the castle.

Once at the gate, the joviality Gheriballi displayed while talking to Obidaan was gone. A dead seriousness now encompassed him. He asking for nothing, all his statements were demands. “I am Gheriballi Triton, Paladin of Justice. The treaty your king signed has been broken. You will open the gate and one of you, and only one of you, will escort my team to the castle.”

Without asking for credentials, without speaking, without asking a single question, the guards complied. They opened up the gate, one of them jumped on a horse and escorted them to the castle. Now Obidaan knew he was missing something. He started paying closer attention to Gheriballi to see if he could figure out what it was.

There was an unusual silence inside the city. The usual hustle and bustle of marketplaces, music, even beggars were absent. No one was on the street. An occasional face could be seen behind windows and curtains. The town was scared. Bards sing how a tribunal can destroy a town that does not cooperate and devastate it army.

Soon they were at the castle. The drawbridge was already down and the portcullis was up. “You are dismissed,” Gheriballi said. The guard quickly turned his horse around and returned to his post.

Obidaan was fascinated by what was going on. He had never seen a paladin wield such power so forcefully. He knew paladins were above kings and emperors, but he never really understood what it meant until this point. No request, no courtesies, no nothing. They walked like they owned the place because they did.

The tribunal entered the castle, not a word was said. They spoke to no one until they got near the door. There they dismounted. Gheriballi shot a look over to the stable master. He ran toward the group and began to gather the horses. “Make sure they are watered and bathed,” was all Gheriballi said to him. The man nodded and motioned others to help him.

Still in formation, Gheriballi put his hand on his paladin symbol, and then waved it at the door. It flew open with a resounding ‘thud!’ He wanted them to know he was there. In front of them, an administrator, holding a clipboard and pen made a vain attempt to engage them in conversation.

“May I inquire…”

Gheriballi slapped the clipboard out of the administrator’s hand, sending it flying across the floor “Move!” was all he said. The administrator disappeared into the waiting room not bothering to retrieve the clipboard. Gheriballi’s temperament seemed to be getting worse the closer he got to the king’s chambers. He had business the king himself. He had no concern for any lackeys.

He continued through the castle, loudly opening doors; each one louder than the last. When he got to the royal chambers, he motioned the double doors to open, and they opened so forcefully that they splinted against the stone walls and echoed through the near empty chamber. In the chamber were the king and queen, as well as his vizier and the captain of the guard.

Obidaan had never seen power like this before. He was in awe and admiration at the demonstration. He looked around. The other paladins were serious but didn’t seem surprised. He vowed to stay quiet and only speak when spoken to while on this tribunal.

Gheriballi drew his sword, something forbidden in almost all royal courts. “King Horash, I am here to see you answer for your crimes!”

Though they knew he was a paladin and he had a tribunal, the captain of the guard still felt he should show respect in another man’s home. He began to draw his sword and head toward Gheriballi.

“Call off your lackey, Horash, before I eviscerate him!” He called the king by his first name and put no moniker in front of it.

“Hold your sword, captain. Return to your post” Horash said, “I know why you are here Gheriballi. When the treaty was broken, a letter arrived saying you would convene a tribunal for me on this day.”

Gheriballi still had not calmed down, though the king seemed too calm almost resolved to his fate. “Do you wish to defend yourself? If so, who will be your defender?”

King Horash stood up and sighed heavily. “I do not. I have allowed my greed and foolish pride to get the better of me. Where we once had a nice accord, we now have war, all for a few coins more. The most ironic thing is we had an independent third party survey done on those mines. They will be belching forth riches for decades. Decades! We feared the mines would run out soon, but instead, this area one of the most prosperous areas in the world. And I couldn’t wait. No, I am prepared to pay for my crimes. I throw myself on your mercy.”

Gheriballi began to calm down. He thought for a moment. “In a situation like this I would have no problem taking your head and leaving your queen in charge. However, you are lucky. You asked for mercy and I have a new charge with me I am mentoring.” He points to Obidaan. Obidaan bows his head in acknowledgement. “So, I shall show mercy.” He thinks for a few more moment, “Remove your crown; you are abdicating your thrown. My queen, I leave you in charge. If this conflict does not get resolved, I will return.”

“I understand,” she said weakly. It was obvious she was not prepared for that.

Horash removed his crown and placed it on the thrown. He began down the steps to the paladins. “Hold!” Gheriballi said. He stopped. “Kiss your wife for the last time. You will be going into permanent exile. Also, remove your rings and bring them to me. Consider yourselves divorced as of this moment. This will allow both of you to start over again.”

“You call this mercy?” the captain of the guard said, “You separate him from everything he loves and knows…” He was going to continue but Gheriballi cut him off.

“I can still take his head, there is nothing preventing me!” Gheriballi yelled, “And if you speak in my presence one more time, I
shall
have yours. Know your place!” The captain was quiet for the remainder of the time.

“It’s all right.” Horash said. He turned to his queen, “Millicent, my love, I am truly sorry,” tears began to form in his eyes.

“It’s ok, my sweet. I only wish you and your brother could have gotten along,” she put her hand his cheek. They embraced and kissed for the last time. She then removed her wedding ring and handed it to him.

Horash slowly descended the steps and removed his ring as he did so. He handed them to Gheriballi. Unceremoniously, he placed the rings on the stone floor. Removing a hammer from his pack, he smashed the rings. He then turned to Horash. “Put your hands behind your back.” Horash did so. Gheriballi crossed Horash’s wrists, and then pointed at them and made a “thhhh” sound. Rope appeared around Horash’s wrists and bound them behind his back.

“Let us leave now, this part is done.” Gheriballi escorted Horash out of the room. The paladins did an about face – why Obidaan knew that that was what he needed to do eluded him, but he went with it – and marched out.

Outside, Gheriballi called for the horses. No one said a word. They just got the animals. As they began to mount up, Gheriballi gave another direction, “Brandon, tie Horash to your horse. Since you are the paladin of seekers, he shall go back to your church for sanctuary. Perhaps your people can help him seek a new path.”

Brandon placed him on his horse. Using the same divine spell Gheriballi did, Brandon strapped him securely to the back of his horse, almost like a prize deer.

“Can I get a little dignity as you ride out? I do not want my people to see me like this,” Horash was pleading.

“Firstly,” Gheriballi sighed and walked over to him, “they are no longer your people, since you are no longer king. Secondly, I have granted you mercy. Now you want dignity?” He got very serious again and looked Horash dead in the eyes, “Shut up and deal with it!”

They finished mounting and rode off, “Now for Hondo,” again, no moniker.

“They will not be as easy to deal with,” Sahara said, “I believe they are prepared to fight.”

“Good,” said Kimoko, “I’m in the mood for a good battle.”

“As am I.” said Lucinda.

The procession moved out. Just as people had been peeking when they arrived, they also peeked when they left. Whispers began to be heard and people came out, to see the parade. Some cheered to see Horash’s dilemma while others remained silent. Without a word, the guards opened the gate and the paladins headed out.

They rode at a slow gallop to Far Gone. Though Horash was strapped, the bindings and some magic made his ride comfortable but inconvenienced. Again, at about a mile or so from Far Gone, they stopped. The land was flat. No scouting required; the army was clearly out on the battlefield and ready to fight.

Gheriballi spoke into his paladin symbol, his voice echoed through the field for all to here, “Stand down your army and make way for our arrival. Those who choose to stand against us will suffer grave consequences.”

The general yelled back, “No. We shall defend our king with our very lives. We request that you turn around and leave here at once!”

“You understand that you are defying a paladin tribunal!” Gheriballi acted flabbergasted. He always hated when people didn’t know their place, “We do not answer to you, or to any king. You answer to us! This action constitutes treason. Unless you stand down, you shall pay with your lives!”

“We do not recognize your authority any more; only that of our king. This is sovereign land, ruled by our king. You have no right…”

“You forget your place general!” Gheriballi interrupted. “No land is sovereign before us! We are the peacekeepers of this world! Your king has violated a treaty he will answer for his crimes. STAND DOWN!”

“No. We do…” he was cut off by Gheriballi.

“Paladins, draw your lances!” he said. Everyone did but Obidaan, he did not have a lance, so he pulled his soul weapon. Sensing what was needed, the weapon transformed itself into a lance. Everyone who watched it, including Gheriballi was impressed. “Thunder Charge!” he yelled.

The Paladin Thunder Charge; the most devastating attack paladins have. Going into a full gallop and forming a V, clouds of dust formed around them. The six behind Gheriballi rode faster. The first two inner paladins caught up with him and locked into place. Soon their gallops match lockstep with Gheriballi’s and a loud thunderous noise was heard.

As they charged, the general had his cavalry charge, in hopes of stopping them. Nothing stops the Paladin Thunder Charge.

The next two paladins lined up and locked in place, adding to the thunder. Then the final two caught up and locked in place. It sounded like one large thunderous horse was coming. A wave began to build up, getting larger and larger. Yards before the general’s army was to clash with them, Gheriballi yelled, “Charge!”

A large wave of sound was released. Moving forward, everything behind it was silent. The paladins could not hear the screams and snapping of bones as the wave hit the charging cavalry but they could see the effects. Horses reared up then fell in awkward positions as the wave crushed them. Blood spurted from openings everywhere as men’s bones snapped like twigs. Every living thing, hit by that wave was now dead. The wave kept going as the paladins continued to charge.

As they passed the now dead cavalry, they could hear the screams and snaps.. Skulls crushed in, eyes popped out of their sockets, teeth spewed all over the battlefield.

The wave now came to the General, and his infantry. After they saw what happened to the cavalry, many broke ranks and ran. Archers fired only to have arrows disintegrated as they hit the wall of sound. The general was flusters and didn’t know what to do. He trid to get out of the way, but there literally was nowhere to go. The wave hit the infantry, and the general. The arrogant general was now a testament to paladin justice, swift, deadly, and unforgiving. No one escaped, they could not run far enough away.

After seeing everything, the archers ran off the towers. Even those that made it off and got over 100 yards away were not spared. The wave hit the city walls and the thick oaken door like cheap thin wood. The wall blew apart hurling boulders into the city. Oddly enough, no civilians or their dwellings were injured. One boulder took and unusual bounce. Bouncing into a nearby shop, landing on and killing the only archer in the building. Everyone else was spared. The wave stopped at the wall.

The paladins continued to charge. When they got to the wall, they merely jumped over it, continuing in perfect lock step. Inside the city, they formed two columns, but did not loose their synchronicity. They charged up the main street toward the castle. There was a small contingent of guards outside, and the gate was closed and the moat was ablaze. This did not faze the paladins.