The Adventures of Bryn Castor: Part II

The Cambion’s Curse

Bryn spent most of the afternoon packing his things and preparing for his journey to the Royal Capital. He spent the remaining time with Valery, relishing his last few hours with her. He didn’t know how long he would be away, which made opening the front door of the inn all the more difficult. 

Bryn’s hand rested gently on the handle, but he couldn’t bring himself to push down on it. He looked back at the wooden tables and imagined Valery, wearing her little dress apron,  bringing food to customers–her dark hair tied back in a bun behind her head. His gaze moved to the bar where she would be talking to him, leaning over the counter with her hands on her hips. Her eyes would sparkle as she told him about her day, and she would flash her brilliant smile at him. But the inn was empty. Everyone had gone home for the night, and Bryn had already kissed her goodbye. 

He sighed.

As much as he wanted to stay in his home full of happy memories, he had to go–for Valery’s sake and his own. 

He pushed down on the handle and emerged into the night. There was a biting chill in the air, despite the spring season, and Bryn buttoned his coat up to his neck. He rushed through the quiet streets until he reached the edge of town. There, the cobblestone roads transformed into a dirt path, which led along the mountainside to the forest beyond. 

Bryn walked along the path alone and found himself gazing up at the moon. It was nearly full that night, and its silver halo masked the stars that surrounded it. It shone along the mountain, illuminating the long road ahead. 

Luckily, Bryn didn’t have to travel far on foot. The Swordguard was waiting for him beyond the first rocky ridge. The group was composed of seven soldiers dressed in heavy armor, although many had their helmets off. Bryn recognized a few of them, including Darius and the girl who had almost finished Bryn in the tournament earlier that day. 

“There you are,” Darius said. “We were beginning to worry.”

“What the hell took you so long?” the girl from the tournament asked. 

Her black hair was short and as spiky as ever.

Bryn still didn’t know her name, so he decided to think of her as ‘Spike.’

“I’m sorry, sir,” he addressed Darius. “I’m not usually late.”

“It’s alright; all is forgiven,” Darius said. “I understand how hard it can be… saying goodbye.”

“But we mustn’t lose any more time,” he said. “Let’s move out.”

Spike gave Bryn a dirty look. Then, she put her helmet back on and spurred her horse forward. 

“But sir, I don’t-” Bryn began.

“That one’s yours,” Darius said, pointing to a little black stallion with no rider. “His name is Shadow. He is a very proud animal; treat him well.”

Bryn’s eyes widened in delight. He had never had a horse of his own, being an innkeeper’s son, although he had ridden one under desperate circumstances. 

“He’s really mine?” he asked in disbelief. 

Darius nodded, and Bryn didn’t waste another second. He approached the handsome steed and put his hand out to it.

Shadow sniffed Bryn’s hand and lowered his head to him. Bryn took this as his cue to mount him–but not before he petted his soft snout affectionately. He easily hoisted himself onto the horse’s back and took the reins. It had only been about a year since he had last ridden, but it took him a few yards to fall into a comfortable rhythm. Shadow made it easier on him; his trot was steady and gentle, probably from years of training with the Swordguard as his master. 

He patted the horse and turned his attention to the Guardsmen. Darius led the group sitting up straight with his head high. Beside him rode half of the armored Guardsmen, including Spike, while the other half trailed behind. Bryn was a part of the latter group and blindly followed the first. He kept his eyes on Darius, whose armor glistened in the moonlight, until another Guardsman crept up beside him. 

The rider skillfully matched Bryn’s speed and fell in line with him. 

“Teo,” Bryn said, “It’s good to see you.”

“You too,” the boy said, shyly. 

He looked down at his horse, and Bryn struggled to make conversation. He realized that, even though they had grown up in the same town, he didn’t know anything about the boy. They had barely talked at all. 

“So… what made you decide to become a Guardsman?” he asked.

Teo met his eyes. “You really want to know?”

Byrn nodded. “Of course.”

Teo hesitated. “My father was a Guardsman. He taught me how to fight, so I guess it was always in the cards for me.” 

Bryn nodded. Although he didn’t know what it was like to grow up with a father, he understood the call of responsibility. 

“I never realized your dad was in the Guard,” Bryn said.

Teo played with his fingers nervously. “Yeah, he was pretty quiet about it. He didn’t want to draw attention to my mom and me. Only the mayor knew about it, and nobody suspected anything because they thought he was a merchant. I mean… he was a merchant; that’s how he explained going back and forth to the Royal City. He would deliver the fish and crops before his missions and return with loads of coin for the villagers.”

“He sounds like a good person,” Bryn deduced. 

“He is!” Teo exclaimed, then shyly lowered his head. 

“But you’re worried you won’t live up to him,” Bryn guessed. 

Teo met his gaze again. “I’m not really a fighter,” he admitted. “My dad trained me the best he could, but I’m so clumsy… I’m not like them, or you.”

Bryn shook his head. “Don’t say that. You made it into the Guard, so you’re already doing better than everyone else who tried out. And with all that training, you’re probably more skilled than I.”

Teo shook his head, but Bryn persisted. “You’d be surprised how much things’ll come back to you when you’re forced to fight.”  

“I guess you’re right,” Teo said with a smile.

Bryn smiled back. 

They rode in silence for a while until they reached the trees at the end of the road. Darius held up a hand, and everyone slowed their horses. 

“We’ll continue through the forest for a few yards and find a place to camp until morning,” he said. 

The first group entered the trees, their pace much slower than before, and the second followed cautiously. 

Bryn had to duck below the low boughs, and even then, he could feel the branches pulling at his coat and hair. Once they cleared them, they entered into a dark space where the moon could not reach. The trees around them were too dark to see clearly and appeared to dart in and out of view as they rode past. 

Bryn felt his heartbeat quicken, and he struggled to breathe. His eyes searched the darkness for signs, but it was impossible to see anything more than black shapes all around him. The Demon, Aamon, entered his mind, drifting like a dark cloud through his thoughts and playing with his emotions like piano keys. He could almost hear the Demon whispering in his ears and feel his moist lips pressed against his own. He shuddered and almost cried out when he heard the distinct grinding of a metal tinderbox in the distance. 

Soon, a light appeared up ahead. Darius pointed a torch back at the group and waved them on–and it illuminated the sweat on Bryn’s face. 

“You alright?” Teo asked. 

His eyebrows were lowered in concern.

Bryn nodded slowly and exhaled. He didn’t say anything, and Teo didn’t ask, but Bryn could feel his presence close beside him the rest of the way. 

They traveled through the forest until Darius instructed them to stop. They made camp in a small clearing where they built a fire and placed their bedrolls on the ground. No one lasted long by the fire, and before Bryn knew it, they were all going to bed. Darius warned them that they wouldn’t have much time to rest, and it was already early morning. 

Bryn struggled to fall asleep. He kept sitting up and scanning the woods within the limited scope of the firelight. But after a while, his exhaustion got the better of him, and he fell into a restless sleep. 

In the morning, Darius woke everyone with his loud commanding voice, “Rise and shine. You can sleep when the mission is done.”

Bryn groaned along with the others and pushed himself out of bed. He folded up his bedroll and secured it to Shadow’s saddle. When he turned, Darius was already on his horse, and the others were beginning to follow suit. So, he fed Shadow a few oats from his bag and mounted him. Once everyone was on their horses, Darius began to lead them across the clearing. 

Bryn looked around. Everyone’s helmets seemed to be off, but he didn’t see Teo’s face among them. He looked back at the camp and saw the boy scrambling to fold his bedroll and fumbling to put his boots on. 

Bryn turned back toward the group, then spurred Shadow back to the camp. When he got there, he jumped off the horse. 

Teo looked at him in alarm. “What are you doing?”

“Helping,” Bryn answered, tying up Teo’s things to the saddle. “Come on, let’s catch up.”

But before they could get onto their horses, they heard the clopping of hooves. 

Bryn looked up and locked eyes with Spike. She rode her horse right up to the boys, skidding to a stop just inches from where they stood. 

Teo flinched, but Bryn never lost eye contact. 

Spike raised her eyebrow at him and scowled. “What’d you think you’re doing? You’re lucky Darius likes you, because if it were up to me, I’d have left you both behind.”

She escorted them back to the group, and the boys kept their heads down as all eyes turned on them. 

“It’s alright,” Darius said. “Just try not to let it become a habit.”

Bryn and Teo nodded, and Spike glared at them when their leader wasn’t looking. 

The rest of the journey was quiet. The sun shone through the canopy and lit the path. The birds whistled and insects hummed all around them, and Bryn found it easy to relax. He and Teo talked for a while, and Bryn began to realize that they had a lot in common. They had both played the same games as children, enjoyed the fishing trips their fathers had taken them on, and were dating women from the village. Bryn even opened up and shared his reason for becoming a Guardsman–although he didn’t explain the full story of his and Valery’s encounter with the Demon Prince. 

“I know what you mean,” Teo responded. “It’s a man’s job to protect the ones he loves–at least that’s what my father always says…”

Bryn nodded–although Valery was the one who had protected him on their last adventure. He only wanted to match her strength, not exceed it.

The boys talked until they reached the edge of the forest. There, the Guardsmen were met with a high stone wall. Darius spoke to the guards who were posted outside, and soon after, they were following him through the gates. 

Bryn gasped as they emerged into a bustling city. There was so much going on around him that he didn’t know where to look. People rushed through the paved streets carrying baskets of fruit, pushing carts full of lumber or coal, and holding piles of fabric. Shops lined either side of the open marketplace, each one showcasing unique products. The closest had a sign with a steamy loaf of bread painted on, and the plump woman outside held a plate full of baked tarts on it. She called to the Guardsmen as they passed, but Darius politely declined for them. The next shop had a sign with a treasure chest on it, and the man outside held a pretty emerald pendant in his hand. He showed it to Bryn as they passed, and he almost considered buying it for Valery. It was her favorite color, after all, but the Guardsmen were already getting away from him. He hurried to catch up to them but turned back to the salesman to say, “I’ll be back!”

Teo smiled at him, and he blushed. “What? It’s for my girlfriend.”

They walked swiftly through the streets, bypassing the colorful shops and interesting people. One man was playing the violin–a tune that Bryn had heard many times back home. It was a favorite of the men who drank at the inn. Bryn slipped the man a few coins as they passed. 

Finally, Darius stopped outside the Forge and turned back to Teo and Bryn. “You two will need a set of armor and weapons of your own before we proceed. Go and tell old Ham that I sent you. He fits armor for all the new members of the Swordguard, and he’s an expert swordsmith.”

Bryn and Teo both looked down at their modest clothes and back at the armored Guardsmen. They nodded and entered the Forge. Inside, they found a large man working behind a table. He raised a hammer over his shoulder and brought it down with a clash of sparks. 

Teo stepped back and clasped his hands nervously, but Bryn walked up to the table. He was careful to stand clear of the blacksmith’s gargantuan hammer. 

“Um, excuse me…” he started.

The smith grunted and turned his head to Bryn. He was wearing large goggles, and his face was covered in sweat. 

“…sorry to bother you. My name’s Bryn, and this is Teo,” he said, motioning to Teo. “We’re the new members of the Swordguard, and Darius said-”

The blacksmith lifted his giant hand, and Bryn was silent. The smith put down his hammer and took off his goggles. Then, he smiled at them with black teeth, and Bryn noticed that he didn’t have a tongue. 

The man took several measurements. Then, he brought each of them a set of breast plates, arm and leg guards, and round helmets with visors. Every piece of the sets was undented and shiny, as if they were brand new. 

Teo put the armor on himself while the smith helped Bryn with his. The breastplate felt heavier than he expected. It sank on his torso, but the smith tightened the shoulder straps so that it fell on his chest. The helmet was equally uncomfortable at first, but once the interior padding was properly situated, it became more natural. 

Then, the smith gave them each a sword. Bryn’s was a longsword with a silver crossguard and a black-leather-wrapped hilt. Despite its length, it was surprisingly light and balanced. He practiced swinging it around in the armor until he got the hang of it. Then, he looked up at the smith and thanked him. 

Once they were fitted, the boys left the Forge and met the Guardsmen outside. 

“Finally!” Spike exclaimed. “The High Priest is old enough already.”

Darius put a hand on her shoulder and turned to the boys. “It looks like Ham treated you well, as expected. The High Priest will be pleased to have two more capable Guardsmen.”

Spike was silent and looked down. 

They continued through the streets, which became increasingly narrower, until they reached the Royal Castle. The entire structure towered over their heads with the highest spires reaching about seventy-five to one hundred feet in the air. However, several spires ranged in height and width, which were attached to multiple battlements and towers surrounding the main Keep. The Keep was a large structure with parapet walls lining the roof. 

The Swordguard walked through the main entrance with ease, and a group of castle guards led them through the stone halls and across the courtyard to the High Priest’s temple. 

The temple was a gorgeous Gothic abbey with small, spiky spires of its own and intricately sculpted archways. The inside was equally as impressive: a single room lined with long glass windows, rows of dark oak pews, and ending in an extravagant, golden-encrusted altar. The gold was fashioned in the shape of an angel with outstretched wings. 

A man knelt before the altar but turned as the stone doors opened and the Guardsmen walked through. He was eerily tall and thin–almost like a vampire. He came closer and stepped into the light, and Bryn’s theory of vampirism was debunked. However, it didn’t make him any less creepy. The Priest’s skin had a gray tinge to it, and it was badly wrinkled and taut over his sharp cheekbones, as if he were dried out. His shoulder-length gray hair was flat and plastered to his skull. Yet, his dark eyes shone, and his mouth curled in a smirk. 

“Welcome, my children,” he said in a deep voice, but he could barely contain his laughter. 

He walked up to Darius, and they hugged. “It’s good to see you, lad.”

Then, he turned to the other Guardsmen. “Satan’s balls! Would you all lighten up?”

The Guardsmen looked at each other, standing as still as statues.

“It’s alright,” Darius assured them. “The High Priest is a good friend. You can speak plainly.”

He turned back to the eccentric Priest and asked, “What is this urgent mission, my friend?”

The High Priest’s smile faded away. “Straight to business it is,” he said. “Well, I won’t kid you. It’s been hard since you’ve been gone, lad.”

“What’s going on?” Darius prompted.

“A few days ago, odd things started happening around the castle. Strange noises like chanting echoed through the halls, and a few nights ago, some of the servants and maids went missing. But that’s not the worst of it. The Princess has been acting strange…” 

He paused, then continued, “The Royal family asked me to examine her, and let’s just say, what I found is much worse than anything we might’ve imagined. I believe the Princess has been cursed… by a Cambion.”

“A Cambion?” one of the Guardsmen asked.

“It’s a half-demon spawn,” Darius explained. “When a demon mates with a human or another non-demonic creature, it can produce a Cambion. However, a Cambion is often even more powerful than a demon and possesses a special ability beyond that of physical strength or possession.”

“Which is why I need your help to capture the beast,” the High Priest revealed. “If you can detain it, I can banish the stubborn bastard back to hell!”

“Very well,” Darius agreed. “Any suggestions?”

“I’ll leave the capturing to you, and let me worry about the banishing,” the High Priest said.

Darius nodded. “First, we have to find it. So, we will spread out in the castle and search.”

The Guardsmen nodded and prepared to exit the temple. 

“Be cautious, lads!” the High Priest called. “That infernal bastard’s planning something!”

Bryn swallowed hard. Why is it always demons?