Frozen Truth
Its cold.
What did you expect, Falin? Its always cold.
Colder than usual, I mean, Regus.
You are true in that.
The two Norvalin stood on the battlements of Castle Highrun, nestled in the New Range [1], and built against the Nor River. They were guards. But they were not any guards. They were Returned. Both had trekked into the frozen tundra for a year, to harden themselves to the cause. Now they were back, and more loyal soldiers could not be found.
But Falin and Regus cared little of themselves, of their abilities. They lived to serve the larger whole. They lived to serve Norvalin.
Who do you think they are? Falin asked his partner, pointing down at a band of perhaps twenty, making their way through the snowy ground, and heading straight at Highruns gates.
Redcloaks, said Regus with a grunt. Who else?
Redcloaks were natives of the New World who refused to join with the Norvalin way. Redcloaks were those who resisted violently against the cause of unity.
Falin looked at Regus. Upon closer inspection, I agree with you, brother. [2]
Should we deal with them? asked Regus.
Not together, said Falin. One of us stopping twenty will make a better legend than twenty against two. I will go down to greet the Redcloaks. You hold our soldiers at the ready.
Regus, the Returned with slightly lesser rank, nodded and turned to the other soldiers on the battlements, obeying the order.
Falin sighed, and headed down from the battlements, out of the castle, and out through the main gate. He approached the Redcloaks.
What be your business here? he asked them, calmly surveying the twenty. You do know that your numbers are not great enough to take this castle.
The Redcloaks were all battle hardened, and battle scared. They wore thick cloaks to keep warm in the cold, and each carried a weapon.
The leader of the Redcloaks, a massive man with a black beard, who towered over Falin, was the one to respond. We are tired, and we seek friendship, he said. Let us stay a night at Castle Highrun.
So you can slaughter us all in our beds at night? asked Falin. I think not.
It was a bad ruse, muttered a smaller Redcloak, and instantly his fellows glared at him, angry that he abandoned the ploy.
Do not be mad at your fellow, said Falin. I did not belive your intentions were benign even for a moment. He looked firmly at the Redcloak leader. You are Blackbeard, the most famous of the Redcloaks. You would never come to seek peace.
So, said Blackbeard. You have found me out, and Castle Highrun will survive another day. But
I can still kill you. You are out in the open.
And Blackbeard lunged, drawing a massive battle axe.
Quickly, Falin drew his sword, and cut the battle axe in two, neatly separating the lethal iron blade from the handle.
Blackbeard found himself swinging nothing more than a glorified stick.
In a pair of quick stabs, Falin pierced Blackbeards vitals, and he fell to the ground, dead, his red blood pooling in the white snow.
At that moment, the singular moment he had before the other nineteen Redcloaks began to rush at him, Falin smiled. They stood no chance. He felt sorry for them.
The nineteen became eighteen in short order. Then seventeen. Then sixteen. When the number of Redcloaks was reduced to ten, Falin shouted out, Stop!
And the Readcloaks stopped. They saw their fellows dead on the ground, they knew what would happen if they ignored Falins parlay.
What do you want? growled the Redcloaks new leader. Lets finish this.
Why? asked Falin.
The Redcloaks new leader was a man almost as large as Blackbeard. He stepped right in front of Falin, holding a spear. Why? he laughed. Because we are enemies.
What is your name? asked Falin.
Snow, said the man. Why do you care?
Because we do not have to fight, said Falin. I could kill you second ten as easily as I killed the first ten, but I do not wish to.
What do you wish? asked Snow.
I wish for you to join us.
Your people took our homes away from us, said Snow. We will never ally with Norvalin. We want revenge.
Who told you that story? asked Falin.
My grandfather, said Snow.
So you, personally, never saw a Norvalin steal a New Worlder home?
That is correct, said Snow, reluctantly. But I trust my grandfather to have told the truth.
Why? asked Falin.
He is my grandfather, you fool.
But he never showed you any evidence.
Snow had nothing to say to that.
Wars are started because of misunderstandings, and evil men, said Falin. You do not seem to be an evil man, so you must misunderstand my nation.
What are you talking about? asked Snow.
And so Falin explained. He told of the Second Fall, of the Second Exodus, of how the Norvalin came to be, indeed, Norvalin. Snow and the other Redcloaks listened attentively. They had never heard the story before.
The purpose of Norvalin is to create a paradise on earth, concluded Falin. We do not sanction oppression of any kind. We, while primarily Oneists, do not persecute those of other religions. All we wish to do is create a nation where people can live in safety and security, and can have a say in their government.
That was quite a story, said Snow.
Will you join us? asked Falin. Will you become Norvalin, and turn your strengths to helping make our noble goal a reality?
The ten former Redcloaks spoke as one.
Yes.
[1]-The only mountain range in Norvalin
[2]-Norvalin soldiers have a tendency to call their brethren brothers and sisters