The Half-elf, Part 1

The setting sun painted the fields of wheat scarlet red. Brent stood for a moment and reclining on his scythe swept his brow. Another day of honest work came to an end. This was the toughest job he ever did, but he didn't complain. He would soon be home with his beautiful wife and his amazing baby. Him, a father, who could believe that. All this was more than he could ever hope for. In a nutshell Brent was happy.

He started walking home as the world was darkening around him. The stars appeared around the moon. Something up there was always drawing Brent, since he was a child. He could stood for hours under the clear and open sky and just bask in the infinity of the heavens. One night he even carried his baby girl out in the field to introduce her to his oldest friends. The little girl had her blue eyes wide opened, but she had them fixed on her father’s face. That night Brent realized he was in love, with two women.

At some point he thought the darkness around him to be enough, so he threw back his cloak and he let his straight blonde hair fall on his back. He felt free in the darkness. It has been his friend for a long time. Moreover nowadays he had to wait for nightfall to reveal his face. He resembled a lot to wanted man, an elf named Hefranir. And Brent’s pointy ears didn't help.

He got to the house and found his wife sitting in an armchair breastfeeding the child. He kissed her and stopped for a moment to watch his beautiful daughter yawn. He ate his supper and went outside to feed the bones to his dog, while his wife tucked their daughter in.

The dog was old. It was a bony creature that laid on the ground all day. It shook when it stood and was in pain when it peed. But the sparkle in his eyes was ever-present, as was the wagging in this tail. Brent loved the dog and he would miss it a lot when it died. Tears came to his eyes, not just for the dog but for his family too. He knew he’d outlived them all, even his child. His wife was a mere mortal and his child, though a half-elf, would not live as long as her father. Most of the day he kept those thoughts at bay, trying to live his life and enjoy the time he had with them, but the dog was a constant reminder.

A galloping horse ended his thoughts. Two horsemen were riding on the road that lead to his house, and only his house. Brent panicked. He brought his hood forth and hid inside the barn, keeping an eye on the riders. His wife knew what to tell them and Brent would not come out of hiding with no good reason.

The riders reached the house and knocked on the door. Helena opened and started talking to them. Brent could not understand what they were talking about, but knew something was not right. Then one rider pushed Helena back into the house and followed her, while the other closed the door and stood guard.

With no hesitation Brent rushed to other side of the barn and opened a chest. Inside was an elegant suite of armor, bow and quiver and a longsword. He strapped his sword to his hip, grabbed the bow and arrows and returned to the door of the barn. He should snipe the guard from there he knew, but that would alert the other and his wife would be in danger.

Silent and dark as the night itself, he crept towards the guard with his sword unsheathed and his bow across his back. When he was close enough to the guard and to his side, he sprinted and slashed his sword across his throat. The guard was too slow to react. Brent placed his ear against the door and heard his wife begging and crying. That was too much, he kicked the door open and stepped in.

Across the room he saw his wife kneeling and sobbing and in front of her a tall man with silver short hair. He wore an expensive looking cloak and held a longsword like Brent's. The man without turning to face Brent said:

“Well I must say you’ve made a lovely home here Hefranir”

Brent knew his name before facing him. The man invading Brent's home was once his mentor, his partner, his brother. It made sense that they would dispatch him to find the wanted elf.

"Dreminor please, she has nothing to do with this; let her go", Brent said.

"Really brother", he replied while turning to face Brent, "Is she not the reason you abandoned us. We are your real family and you betrayed us. You chose a mortal over the Brotherhood, over ME", and he charged Brent with his sword held high.

Brent deflected the first attack and his second while losing ground on purpose. He was trying to lure Dreminor out of the house. Dreminor let him. They clashed their swords beneath the starry sky. Both equal in strength and technique.

"You disappoint me", said Dreminor while executing a parry to his right and planting a kick to Brent’s side, "You disgrace your race. You know the laws of the country and the Brotherhood. You have to die"

"I don’t believe you mind killing me", said Brent while repositioning himself, "you always were ruthless. Killing for fun, whether you were ordered to or not".

"You fancy yourself ethical, but your hands are stained too"

"You and the others forced my hand. That life was all I knew, the only choice I knew".

And the battle resumed. Brent plunged the sword towards Dreminor’s chest. He brought his sword from the side to sent it away. Brent did a full spin using Dreminor’s push for speed and attempted a horizontal chop at his enemy’s kidneys. Dreminor brought his sword to the other side to parry. Brent was on the offense and left Dreminor no room to retaliate. His anger drove him. This man, regardless their past, came to his home and threatened his family.  His life, all that Brent had built was crumbling around him.

Dreminor was having a hard time deflecting, parrying, dodging. All he could do was hopping around and swinging his sword at the right time. Then he remembered Hefranir's weakness. Every time they sparred when they were partners, he didn't pay attention to Dreminor's feet. He just had to wait for the right moment.

Brent tried a horizontal sweep. Dreminor seized the opportunity and fell on his back, while his feet chopped Hefranir's. Brent fell. He rolled just in time to deflect Dreminor's sword. He then attacked his opponent's feet.

Dreminor back stepped out of Brent’s reach. And as he did he tripped backwards. He fell on his back and he saw the old dog between his legs barking. He was furious. The dog was jumping around him and barking. Seeing its master in danger had revitalized it. Dreminor got to his knees and grabbed the dog by the throat.

Brent screamed “NO” and run. He swung his sword hoping to spare his dog. The dog fell to the ground along with Dreminor’s left hand severed at the wrist. But the dog was already dead. Dreminor was screaming, cursing.

"You can't lift your longsword anymore. Give up"

"You’ll have to kill me to stop me"

"Kill him", Brent turned to see Helena shaking.

"Go on kill me. You think it matters? The Brotherhood will sent another after you"

"My love, please kill him", said Helena approaching Brent. "He knows where we live"

"I will not", said Brent. "I made a vow Helena, to you when we married. Murder is behind me. My old life, when i killed for the Brotherhood is over. I want now to be a husband and a father. Someone little Luna will look up to. Not someone with blood on his hands".

"Please kill me and spare me of this nonsense Hefranir".

"My name is Brent, asshole", Brent said and hit Dreminor with the hilt of his sword in the head. He stared at that hilt for a moment. A name was etched there. Hefranir.

____  .  ____

When Dreminor woke it was daytime. The house on his right seemed abandoned. He tried to raise himself but used the wrong hand. Waves of pained attacked him and almost sent him back to dreamland. He realized his hand had been treated. Someone had cleaned it and bounded it. He smiled. Hefranir had gone soft. His family had made him weak. Sparing him would be his last mistake. No matter where he has gone, he would find him and he would make him pay.