Threats and New Options

Octavia watched in awe, Sunder walking ahead of the two of them. She had barely healed him, only enough to keep him from bleeding inside his own body, and yet he remained upright, barely a limp in his stride. She had seen the Church Knights at work a few times, battle clerics, empowered by their god, even most devout lacked the sort of will and determination of this one man. Octavia had never seen anything like it before and doubted she’d ever see the likes of it again in anybody else. The fact he was still upright was nothing short of a miracle and that he was nearly beaten to a pulp and still had the energy and aura to threaten Caspian was inspiring, in a way, though she’d never admit it.

Octavia trying not to be noticed cast a sidelong glance at Caspian, feeling the hate pouring off of him as he seemed to be trying to stare Sunder to death. She knew their churches were enemies of a sort but didn’t understand how Caspian couldn’t put that aside for such a short time and be thankful that someone that by all reason should hate him had laid his life on the line to save him and he still hated Sunder. She felt that at a certain point one’s own connection to humanity should in some regard if only for a moment supersede their own religious doctrine.

Caspian spoke with a voice low enough that he believed he and Octavia would be the only ones to hear it. “Understand this Sister Octavia,” his voice hissed. “You will be punished for healing him without express permission.” his words bitter and venomous, letting Octavia know that it might be a worse punishment than is usually administered because it was against a perceived enemy.

“I said do not threaten her.” the gruff voice of Sunder sounded booming in the quiet and whispers. It caused Octavia to jump slightly.

A dismissive sound came from Caspian, “You do not command me Knight of the Fair Lady.” he spat. “The fact I have not stabbed you in the back is something you should count yourself lucky for.”

Before either of them knew it had happened Sunder had turned around and was face to face with Caspian, the glowing eye on his helmet flared to life, and Octavia could feel his aura even without meaning to sense it like a thunderstorm headache behind her eyes. Caspian attempted to keep a brave face but eventually shuddered and took a step back, but Sunder followed his step back staying eye to eye with the cleric. This happened for a few steps before Caspian took several steps back in quick succession, showing his hands in surrender.

Octavia, having watched the exchange in fear that one would attack the other, finally let out a held breath as she felt the pressure in the air drop, and Sunder turned around. “We are lucky The Fair Lady doesn’t have an army of men like Sunder.” Octavia thought. She knew the knights of her own church were fearsome and powerful in their own right, but they fell to power by numbers, but if they had even one like Sunder they’d have something greater than simple numbers.

Sunder had begun to walk away again when Caspian broke the silence, almost making Octavia flinch thinking another confrontation was about to happen so soon. “Tell me ‘honorable’,” the word oozed sarcasm. “What makes you care so much for the enemy and how I speak to her?”
“You show deep disrespect for your station.” Sunder said.

Caspian barked a laugh, “Perhaps the teachings of your little cult would make you believe something so foolish, however unlike you I know what rights my power grants me.”

Sunder made a grunt of disapproval and shook his head, but suddenly stopped in his tracks. The red ember of his helmet flared to life again. Caspian raised his hand in an offensive gesture ready to try to fend off one of the man’s attacks, but it never came. From where Caspian was standing it looked for a moment like Sunder had simply stretched a hand out and closed a fist but adjusting to the strange display he realised the man named Sunder had simply caught a bolt fired from a crossbow, shot from the dark as if it were nothing. “He isn’t human,” Caspian thought, “I bet if you ripped that helmet off his head he’d have a forehead with shaved off horns.”

Sunder reached slowly to a pouch on his side and pulled out a small rolled piece of paper. Octavia and Caspian watched as Sunder’s head snapped in the direction they had been shot from, he snapped off the seal with his thumb and pulled the paper open with both hands, aiming where the words would be in that direction. “Fulmen.” the word came out harsh, bitter and wrathful.

From the page a mote of lightning about the side of a coin coalesced, it hissed and crackled before firing off like a bolt itself, a zigzagging string of power. Just as quickly as he left the now crumbling paper it hit its target with a clap of thunder and a momentary flash of light in a treetop. Not unlike a flash of lightning in a storm cloud. There was no scream, the only indication that the attacker had died was the momentary silhouette in the flash, and the sound of branches breaking on his way down. Along with more scattering sounds in the dark woods of the last of the bandits getting the hint to not attack this group.

“Are…are they dead?” Octavia was stunned by the display, she’d seen scrolls used but the ones for combat were rarely used as a first resort and rarer still by people without magical talents.

Sunder cocked his head slightly in the direction of where the man had been hit. “Most likely.” he said without a hint of emotion in his voice, simply stating a fact.

“You seem to have little qualms with killing.” Caspian said. “Isn’t that little…church” it hurt him to call it that. “All about peace and balance or some such?”

“No peace if the wicked can muck it up.” Sunder said, starting to talk again.

“Your talents are so wasted there.” Caspian said, a serpentine drip to his voice. “You know, if you were under my command you’d be a captain in no time. An army under your command…Think of all the good you could do.”

Sunder scoffed. “Under your command? None.”

Octavia swallowed back a laugh, it was rare to seem someone speak to Brother Caspian with such disrespect, distrust and lack of fear. And despite his curt way of answering he was matching wits even if Caspian didn’t see it that way. “Are all the people in his church like this? Well not ‘all’ that would be silly to expect. But…were they nice?

Caspian gives a small chuckle and shrug, but Octavia could hear the put on nature of it. He was angry. “Suit yourself, just something to think about.” he added.

“Nothing to think about.” Sunder replied. It was far off but Sunder raised a hand and pointed at some far off shimmers of light. “Town we’ll be there soon,” he said.

After a moment of walking in utter silence Octavia couldn’t help but ask a question she’d wondered since even hearing about Sunder. “Do…you…I mean is it true you never take your helmet off?”

Caspian shushed her but he couldn’t help but admit to himself he’d wondered the same thing at least once.

“Only around The Mother.” Sunder said.

“So…” Octavia continued “Only she knows what you look like.”

“Looked like.” Sunder said, but didn’t elaborate.

Caspian understood, not sure if Octavia did. But he knew she was blind. Though he didn’t know when that occurred he understood something new now. “Nepotism.” he thought.

Octavia nodded in half understanding.

After another short stint of silence they reached town. Sunder escorted the two to the nicest inn in town.

“I hope the rest of your travels are safer, Miss Octavia.” Sunder said.

“Sis..” Octavia started but Sunder put up a hand.

“I know.” he affirmed.

Caspian strided up the stairs and opened the door without another word to Sunder, only casting a glance at Octavia a moment before going inside. Having had enough of the outdoors.

“You are Welcome.” Sunder said to Caspain’s back.

“Where will you sleep?” She asked.

“I’ll be at the Lone Pine.” he said. He got close so he was sure only she could hear, “If you need help. Find me there.” he said. Sunder looked around again, his voice very serious. “I can get you away from here, and away from him if that is what you wish,” he said.

Octavia bit her lip twisting over the offer looking at Sunder and then to the door. “Thank you.” she said. “I will…consider this…” she said before realizing she had and hurried up the steps.

Sunder sighed and rolled his aching shoulders and stretched a bit still in pain but having not been willing to show Caspian out of disrespect and Octavia so she wouldn’t be afraid. “I need a healer.” Sunder thought as he headed for a bed to sleep the last of the night off.