Shattered Knights

{I always dream about a beautiful world. A world with equality, fairness and justice.}

….

Narene had never seen a Shattered Knight before. She'd heard stories and countless eye witness accounts from the various merchants and travellers who stopped by her father's shop or the ones she found a chance to talk to.

She knew that they were beasts—no longer men for they had been changed by the very process that made them what they were. The very thing that fuelled their magic. Despite not seeing a Shattered Knight before, Narene had developed an aversion for them. She loathed them for what they stood for and for what they'd done.

She hated them for the horrible things they did to mages—turning them to be as they were. It made them powerful yet she felt disgusted by it.

She stood, looking out from the window of the small house they had been led to by Khlen. Sharen stood beside her, his fists clenched as he watched the villagers gather at the square as the bells chimed. The Shattered Knights had demanded to address the people publicly.

The square was brightly lit by lamps and the burst of magical light that loomed overhead made it as bright as the day. Narene watched as the villagers poured into the square, fear written all over their faces. It was understandable. They'd just lost all of their animals and now the Shattered Knights were here.

"What do you think they want?" Khlen asked, concern filling his voice and his gaze fixed on Sharen.

Narene shifted a bit and her hand brushed against Sharen's and he tensed up, flinching at her touch. Narene stepped away a bit. The shutter wasn't that big and it was the only one they could be in to have a clear view of the square so they had to squeeze in. she noticed that Sharen was still very sensitive to her touch.

Her mind went back to the kiss from earlier in the evening. Sharen had ordered her to tie him up. He felt that something was wrong with him and that he wasn't himself. Narene had found that hard to believe at first. Sharen was the strongest mage she knew and it made no sense that someone could easily cast a spell on him.

At that time she had felt that he was using his role as her teacher to force himself on her. On one hand she felt she should be happy that the Hero took interest in her yet she felt…wronged. There was nothing she could do about the incidence and she chose to pretend that it never happened.

However, now that she'd seen how jumpy Sharen was around her she was inclined to believe what he had said. He would often avoid her gaze and make sure to keep a distance from her and she knew—she saw it in his eyes—how hard he was trying to control himself.

This fact combined with the fact that she had never heard stories about him acting in such manners made her believe him. Someone—probably the same person who had used a spell to kill off the animals—had cast a spell on Sharen.

Sharen stiffened visibly. Rubbing his palms together he said, "I guess they're here for me."

"Will you go with them?" Narene asked. She was scared. Scared of what might become of her if Sharen was taken by the Shattered Knights.

"Will I become a Shattered Knight?" Sharen asked turning to the shutter again. "I'd rather die than let those monsters convert me."

"If they're here for you then they will not leave till they have you." Khlen's voice still had that edge in it. Narene knew what would happen too. In all the stories she'd heard, she had never heard of someone who resisted the Shattered Knights successfully. The consequences, she reckoned, would be disastrous.

"They're coming out!" Sharen said.

Narene turned her attention to the shutter; the area was bright and quiet. No one made a sound but they stood there like loyal lambs. It wasn't often that one would see the Holy Emperor's very own consort.

The Shattered Knights were mostly based in the Holy Capital where they could protect the Emperor and also fight Haklarans. Narene found that selfish. Why didn't the Holy Emperor let the Shattered Knights protect the other smaller villages as well?

She watched as the three Shattered Knights stepped onto the platform that had been prepared for them. They marched to the centre, all dressed in bright red robes, and turned to face the people. The sight of their face made the people gasp and even Narene covered her mouth in horror.

Their mouths were pierced with metals that wove intricately into their lips and out again. The metals held their lips in place, clamming them shut forever. They had twisted tattoos running down their jaws and towards their necks.

Their eyes were glazed and white. Their face seemed like it had been set in stone. Narene found that her very first time meeting a Shattered Knight was indeed very memorable. She wondered how they chanted spells when the metals pinned their lips together. How did they eat? How did they…

She shook her head, focusing on the three figures on the platform. One raised his hand and the tattoo at his jaw glowed bright blue. His voice echoed through the square. Narene was shocked that they could talk without opening their mouths. Were they using magic to project their voices?

He said, his voice echoing through the square. "People of Samak, we have noticed an anomaly in this village. A strange magical power and spell has been cast in this village and it summoned us here."

He paused, sweeping his glazed eyes over the people. The next one continued in his place, "Someone has cast a dark magic here and we seek to cleanse the land. Under the royal decree of the Holy Emperor, no rogue mage must be tolerated. Either they join us or they are destroyed."

The third Shattered Knight—a woman—then added. "And we have heard news for a long time now that there is one among you whom you worship as a hero. Our sources tell us his name is Sharen."

"We seek him," the first Knight spoke up. "This Sharen is practicing black magic and has used his powers to destroy your land. Evil will befall this village if he isn't handed to us."

"I don't practice black magic." Sharen said.

"I know," Khlen said in a soft voice.

Narene focused on the three Knights. The woman spoke again, "Where is Sharen, the mage?"

The square fell silent for a while. The Knights chuckled together like they had been tickled. One said, "You seek to protect him. Very well."

He raised his hand. A huge ball of fire materialised in the sky, falling on a few houses not far from the square. The explosion sent wood, dirt and debris flying. The villagers gasped at the destruction. The fire surged and burned like it was fuelled by oil.

The Knight turned to the villagers again. "If you refuse to hand him over, houses will go down with every 50 heartbeats."

Narene turned to see that Sharen had the same shocked expression as her. "They will destroy the village!"