The Final Redemption by Michael Manning (little red riding hood ebook free .txt) 📕

I could seecracks in some of the cubes. I probablywon’t be able to use them for anything as large as a cityagain, I thought sadly.

You shouldn’t use them atall. They’re cracked. It’s too dangerous.

I made a sour face inresponse to my inner killjoy and tucked them back into their properpouch. Before I could reach for the stones for my flying craft Ihad another thought, and this one was particularlybrilliant. I’m immortal, invulnerable, andpossessed of the power of at least four gods—why do I need a flyingcraft?

“Damn right,” I said in agreement. Iconsidered wings for a moment but then decided they were toounfashionable. Instead, I said a few words and took control of theair around me, using it to lift myself directly up. Creating a coneshaped shield, I used the wind to drive myself forward through theair. It wasn’t easy to steer, but my reflexes and reactions werefar beyond human now.

Faster and faster I drovemyself through the air, gaining ever more speed. One mistake andI’d drive myself headfirst into the ground or perhaps a mountain,when I had gotten closer to Cameron. The thought didn’t scare me abit, though. I’d feel sorrier for themountain.

Chapter 37

Cyhan sat in quiet solitude. He wasuncomfortable in much the same way that rivers are wet—thoroughly,completely, and without words. The lack of a fire was a minorinconvenience, but combined with the cold night air, his brokencollarbone, the ache in his recently dislocated hip and a varietyof still healing bruises, it was almost too much for him.Almost.

A tall figure approached slowly, butCyhan recognized Harold Simmons by his characteristic gait. The manhad a casual walk that sometimes hid his excessive vitality, but itwas apparent in the brisk way he stopped and started. “Shouldn’tyou be getting the men ready?” Cyhan asked the shadowy outline inthe dark.

“That’s part of why I’m here,” repliedHarold. “Now that…,” he stopped for a moment, unable to finish thesentence. “You’re the grandmaster now. I need your input on themorning assault.”

“I’m not the grandmaster, just themost senior ranked of those left. I’m also incapacitated, makingyou the highest ranked brother still competent,” Cyhan shot backwith a faint growl. “You should get back to work.”

“There isn’t any doubt about yourpromotion, assuming we survive the present,” said Harold, ignoringhis superior’s surly demeanor.

“Yeah?” said Cyhan, “Who’s going topromote me? The Count is dead, or worse. There are only five of usleft anyway.”

Harold sighed. “The Queen will likelytransfer our order to royal service. New knights will be made. Thework will continue.”

The old veteran caught Harold’s eyewith a hard stare, “Without an archmage there will be no moreearth-bonds. Which also brings us around to the fact that you and Iare on borrowed time. How long before you think we’ll loseourselves?”

“Doesn’t matter,” insisted Harold. “Welive for the oath. If I only have a few years, then I’ll use themto that end. As for new knights, our order is about more thansuperficial power. It’s about an ideal. As long as there are menwho share that dream, we will persist.”

Cyhan spat on the ground. “You reallybelieve in all that shit? You’re just like our departedgrandmaster. You know what it got him? Dead. And he was lucky. Youshould have seen him before he died.”

Harold gave little outward sign of hisanger, but one fist clenched reflexively. “Are you saying you’reready to forsake your oaths?”

The wounded warrior laughed. “No.They’re all I have left. I’m just sick of hearing a lot ofromanticized bullshit about them. We kill, we protect, and we die.Anyone that thinks it’s a glorious calling is duedisappointment.”

“Dorian felt differently.”

Cyhan turned his head to face hisvisitor squarely, and in the dim light Harold could still make outthe tell-tale glimmer of tears on his cheeks. “Dorian was a damnedfool! You’re right though, for most of his life he did feeldifferently, but not at the end. In the end, he saw the ugly truth.I could see it in his eyes.”

Harold’s anger dissipated as herealized how deeply Cyhan was suffering over Dorian’s loss. “Whatare you saying?”

“I’m saying he was heartsick. Theblood and the futility of it all had taken root in hisheart.”

“You’re still here, and you stillserve,” said Harold bluntly.

“I’m not exactly a role-model. Look atme! My body is broken and battered, but that’s not the worst of it.It’s just that my exterior finally matches my interior. My heartdied a long time ago. I should be dead along with it.”

Sudden insight woke within Harold, andhe began to understand. “You loved him, didn’t you? Just like therest of us.”

“He was a fool, but yeah, I did. Ihated him for it, but I did love the bastard,” admitted Cyhanslowly.

“You want to know why?” Harold askedhim unexpectedly.

“Why, what?”

“Do you want to know why you lovedhim?” clarified Harold.

“Because he was the only man Iconsidered my equal,” said Cyhan, adding, “except for his foolishideas.”

“No,” declared the youngerman, “You loved him becauseof his dream. You found a man, a warrior,dedicated to the same art, who still believed in honor and thedream of chivalry. He was everything you wanted to be. You lovedhim because he represented yourdream, the dream you had before life and timebroke you down inside. You didn’t believe in it anymore, but youloved him anyway, because he gave you hope.”

The older man was silent for a longtime, not daring to reply until his throat had cleared. Harold’swords had found their mark. “You’re probably right, I’ll admit it,but where does that put us now? He’s still dead, right along withhis dream.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. It’s righthere,” Harold pointed at his own chest. “It lives in me and inevery young soldier that Dorian inspired, whether they be knight ornot. Whatever Dorian felt at the end, it was too late. He hadalready passed it on, to me, to his son. If you need inspiration,just look to the next generation. It’s here.” The younger knightheld out his hand toward his superior.

“What do you want from me?” askedCyhan, staring upward.

“I need your help. Doron’s power willbe shared with our soldiers, giving them strength and speed similarto our own, but they aren’t accustomed to it. There are two-hundredmen preparing for