himself in a nondescript dark chamber. The goddesses stood in front
of him. Kassani was to his left and Ashura was on the right. Between them were
nine figures of differing sizes, but all were decidedly human. He could not
make out any details, but Byrn thought that one looked smaller than the others
like a child.
Ashura
began speaking, “Byrn Lightfoot you stand before us guilty of committing murder
nine times over at my temple in the city of Colum.” Byrn opened his mouth about
to object once again, but the goddess stopped him. “Do not interrupt. As my
sister said, your guilt is not in question.”
She
crossed the chamber to stand before him. Raising her soft hand to Byrn's
forehead she touched him with the tips of her fingers. A bright light flashed
for an instant where Ashura touched his head and a sudden understanding befell
him.
The
goddess of life showed him the dark secret of magic. It was within every living
creature from the smallest insect to the largest beast. The source of magic was
found in their blood. Some were more attuned to it like magicians, but it was
present in all living things. When Byrn summoned forth the fire he used to kill
the ogre at the temple he did so by unknowingly draining the life force, the
very blood itself, from those around him. Anyone with an open wound in close
proximity to Byrn was drained of life to fuel his attack.
He
fell to his knees and began sobbing uncontrollably as the realization of the
death he caused washed over him. Ashura's heart lightened a little watching
him. Her scowl retreated to a frown as she returned to her place to the right
of the assembled figures.
“ Now
you understand. We will give you some time to compose yourself.”
The
goddesses of life and death along with their congregation stood silently
watching with infinite patience. Byrn guessed that to ones such as these time
might be meaningless as he slowly regained his composure.
The
guilt cut him deeper than any knife could and the pain was far worse. “I am
ready for whatever punishment you believe is fitting,” he said to the goddesses
resigning himself to his fate.
“ Do
not be so quick to fall on your sword,” Kassani told him. “Your actions are not
in question, but you may defend them if you wish.”
“ I...
There is nothing I have to say to defend myself.” Byrn told her sadly.
“ Then
you leave us little choice,” said a disappointed Kassani. “Ashura wishes to see
your life ended. I wish to see you spared. Before you stand the souls of the
nine lives you ended. Your fate is in their hands. If they wish to see you join
their ranks, they will stand with Ashura. If they wish to see you spared they
will stand with me.
“ Departed,
please make your choices now.”
One
of the figures stepped forward. Once he came forward Byrn could see that the
figure was that of a man. It spoke with the voice of Tannys Lightfoot. “If he
does not wish to say anything on his own behalf, then I would like to do so for
him.”
Kassani
considered the request. “Such a thing would be reasonable,” she said urging
Tannys to continue.
“ My
name is Tannys Lightfoot and the boy standing before us is my son, Byrn. I know
him as well as I know myself and I can tell you he is a good and honest lad.
What happened to us was a tragedy to be sure, but if Byrn had not been there
would any of us have lived? That ogre would have killed all of us and probably
many others.
“ I
know my son would not have knowingly harmed us even to save others, but what he
did was done to protect lives, not take them.”
“ There
were thirty-seven others at the temple,” Ashura added. “That is hardly
countless.”
“ Then
that is thirty-seven lives that was spared by his actions,” countered Tannys.
“ Why
did you do it? Why did you sacrifice us?” asked another of the figures. This
one was a woman.
“ I
did not know what the consequences would be,” Byrn told her apologetically,
“Magic is new to me. I
of him. Kassani was to his left and Ashura was on the right. Between them were
nine figures of differing sizes, but all were decidedly human. He could not
make out any details, but Byrn thought that one looked smaller than the others
like a child.
Ashura
began speaking, “Byrn Lightfoot you stand before us guilty of committing murder
nine times over at my temple in the city of Colum.” Byrn opened his mouth about
to object once again, but the goddess stopped him. “Do not interrupt. As my
sister said, your guilt is not in question.”
She
crossed the chamber to stand before him. Raising her soft hand to Byrn's
forehead she touched him with the tips of her fingers. A bright light flashed
for an instant where Ashura touched his head and a sudden understanding befell
him.
The
goddess of life showed him the dark secret of magic. It was within every living
creature from the smallest insect to the largest beast. The source of magic was
found in their blood. Some were more attuned to it like magicians, but it was
present in all living things. When Byrn summoned forth the fire he used to kill
the ogre at the temple he did so by unknowingly draining the life force, the
very blood itself, from those around him. Anyone with an open wound in close
proximity to Byrn was drained of life to fuel his attack.
He
fell to his knees and began sobbing uncontrollably as the realization of the
death he caused washed over him. Ashura's heart lightened a little watching
him. Her scowl retreated to a frown as she returned to her place to the right
of the assembled figures.
“ Now
you understand. We will give you some time to compose yourself.”
The
goddesses of life and death along with their congregation stood silently
watching with infinite patience. Byrn guessed that to ones such as these time
might be meaningless as he slowly regained his composure.
The
guilt cut him deeper than any knife could and the pain was far worse. “I am
ready for whatever punishment you believe is fitting,” he said to the goddesses
resigning himself to his fate.
“ Do
not be so quick to fall on your sword,” Kassani told him. “Your actions are not
in question, but you may defend them if you wish.”
“ I...
There is nothing I have to say to defend myself.” Byrn told her sadly.
“ Then
you leave us little choice,” said a disappointed Kassani. “Ashura wishes to see
your life ended. I wish to see you spared. Before you stand the souls of the
nine lives you ended. Your fate is in their hands. If they wish to see you join
their ranks, they will stand with Ashura. If they wish to see you spared they
will stand with me.
“ Departed,
please make your choices now.”
One
of the figures stepped forward. Once he came forward Byrn could see that the
figure was that of a man. It spoke with the voice of Tannys Lightfoot. “If he
does not wish to say anything on his own behalf, then I would like to do so for
him.”
Kassani
considered the request. “Such a thing would be reasonable,” she said urging
Tannys to continue.
“ My
name is Tannys Lightfoot and the boy standing before us is my son, Byrn. I know
him as well as I know myself and I can tell you he is a good and honest lad.
What happened to us was a tragedy to be sure, but if Byrn had not been there
would any of us have lived? That ogre would have killed all of us and probably
many others.
“ I
know my son would not have knowingly harmed us even to save others, but what he
did was done to protect lives, not take them.”
“ There
were thirty-seven others at the temple,” Ashura added. “That is hardly
countless.”
“ Then
that is thirty-seven lives that was spared by his actions,” countered Tannys.
“ Why
did you do it? Why did you sacrifice us?” asked another of the figures. This
one was a woman.
“ I
did not know what the consequences would be,” Byrn told her apologetically,
“Magic is new to me. I
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