Awakening

“Wake up!” leered a harsh, unfamiliar voice. Olver winced as he was kicked sharply in the ribs. He opened his eyes tentatively and his vision slowly swam into focus in the dim surroundings, his head thumping with a rhythmic, swelling pain. His wrists were secured tightly by a set of rusty iron shackles, fixed by a chain to the rough rock wall behind him. Not far away, a campfire slowly burned down, surrounded by brigands, jeering and mumbling amongst themselves as the firelight flickered shadows darkly on their menacing faces. Beyond the reach of the firelight, the walls and high ceiling of the large natural cavern extended and faded into the dark, the dripping of water echoing eerily in the gloom. “He’s awake” said the brigand standing over him as he watched Olver closely, “You killed some good men today.” Olver looked up with a grimace and replied, “Good men?! You mean dogs!” The man swung his whole body and punched Olver in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. As Olver curled over, gasping for breath, the man caught him with a boot to the chin. Olver hit the wall, the chains all that held him up as he recoiled in pain. “That’s enough!” growled a commanding voice from the darkness. The man looked back fearfully and then reluctantly at Olver before whispering menacingly: “I’ll be back for some more later, pretty boy.” The brigand retreated to the campfire and a large figure approached from the shadows. “Elhyas,” growled Olver as he recognised the man. The brigands jumped up to attention as Elhyas drew near, dark brow drawn grimly. His bushy black beard, broad shoulders and great chest gave him the appearance of a great bear, exuding power and commanding fear and respect. Olver glared at Elhyas despite the disadvantaged situation he found himself in. “What of the girl?” questioned Elhyas over his shoulder as he stopped a few paces from Olver. The brigands looked to each other uncertainly before one replied, “Dead my lord…” “Unfortunate… that is not what I intended. Are you certain?” The brigand visibly paled and faltered before stuttering, “Well...n not entirely… her injuries… she got away…she wouldn’t have got far!” Olver’s spirits rose with this admission. “Leave us!” barked Elhyas as he turned his attention back to Olver. The brigands filed away and through a passage in the rock to leave the two alone. Olver braced himself, prepared for the worst as he stared defiantly at Elhyas. Elhyas broke the silence, his voice deep and gruff but surprisingly well spoken, “Well, well; you are alive. You’re more resilient than I thought. But then, you are my son.” “You may be my father but we are nothing alike” Olver spat back at him. “I don’t think that’s entirely true. If you look within yourself, you may see that we have more in common than you’d like to believe.” “You’re a murderer!” “Hah! Are you telling me you’ve never taken a man’s life? What happened when my men tried to bring you in? But I suppose that’s different?” “Your men are dishonourable brigands, thieves…scum, just like you!” Elhyas paced up and down before Olver, musing over his words. “So easy to put things into their categories isn’t it?” said Elhyas, “Good bad, right wrong… I was like you once. I sought to fight for good, honour, justice… you have to understand there are shades of grey Olver; it’s never as simple as black and white. All men of reasonable intellect come to a point where we see more of the truth than we would like to. Will Fern; you killed him, cut off his head so I am told. Did you know he had a wife and child? Will wasn’t a bad man Olver, but sometimes we must do what we can to survive.” “How can I listen to you…your lies?!” Olver protested hesitantly, the doubt clear in his eyes. “You know that what I say is the truth. As you know deep down that there is good and bad in all of us. I have embraced the bitter truth. It is time you did too.” “Why did you bring me here? You thought I would swallow your…preaching? Embrace you as my father?!” “There are those among us, anywhere you go, soldiers, noblemen, leaders; people we trust, that sway heavily on the side of evil. What’s more, as we talk, armies of orks, goblins, trolls; creatures of the dark amass to destroy everything we hold dear. These are desperate times that call for desperate measures. First we must purge our towns and cities of the evil within before it is too late, before they rot from the inside and the armies of darkness descend to finish the job. That is the task of the brotherhood.” Elhyas’ eyes blazed with conviction as he delivered his words and Olver found himself listening attentively, a strange curiosity surpassing his doubt. “We could use a fearless, keen minded warrior such as yourself,” continued Elhyas, “someone that can work from within the social stratam of the people and help bring a true peace to middle earth. Join us…” “Though your words sound just, I have seen with my own eyes what you do, have you forgotten?! You do not care for the innocent people that suffer and die, have died, for your cause! I will never join you!” “You fight for a ridiculous ideal Olver! You cling to the past. We must make certain sacrifices along the way and sometimes, unfortunately, that comes at the cost of innocent lives. The people you fight for, the people you protect, are the very ones that will stab you in the back… I know.” Elhyas paused, staring into space thoughtfully as if his memories were projected there, before snapping back to the present. “The brotherhood is stronger than it has ever been. Soon we will make a stand against these corrupt partisans of evil, starting with the town of Bree. I will give you time to decide but if you fight against us, you will not be spared.” Elhyas threw a collection of parchments at Olver’s feet and spoke again, somewhat softer, “I realize this is a lot to accept so here is some reading for you. These documents incriminate a large body of Bree-land’s finest citizens. Watch them and you will see that I speak the truth.” “Watch them? Your letting me go?!” Elhyas reached up and unlocked the shackles, freeing Olver’s wrists. “Your horse is waiting for you outside, just through that tunnel.” Olver scrambled up stiffly. The two men now stood in a face off, tense and unsure. Olver looked up into Elhyas’ eyes, his own eyes ablaze with uncertainty, and saw not indifference or malign intent but acceptance, composure, a calm empathic acknowledgment and it felt… almost right… Olver left the cavern to find Willow, his horse, as promised and departed on the journey back to Bree, stopping only once to rest and look over the parchments Elhyas had given him. He felt weary and drawn, a change within him as he browsed through the letters, writs, orders and documents; evidence of the corruption within Bree. Rhoana could still be alive, he thought hopefully… but resigned himself to the worst, to the belief that if they were to ever meet again in this life, fate would see to it. Even Willow seemed to sense the change in him as they made the rest of the journey home. He sat astride Willow and looked upon Bree in the westering sun. Now was the time to decide, to choose his way…