Garsein

Garsein
By Scott Wilson
Word Count:320

“Are you frightened, my old friend?” asked the Red Knight.

Across the battlefield, the enemy gathered formed battalions of heavily armored and armed knights. The army was as vast as the eye could see and moving amongst them was the Pale Skeleton King in his gold armor. The sky dark green and blue and the wind came from the north with ice on its breath and the faint smell of the enemy forces.

Garsein turned his eyes from the enemy to the Red Knight whose eyes flicked from the army to the warrior’s scarred face, wary of being caught starring at the knotted ribbon of pink flesh marring his features.

Garsein smiled, amused. “What is there to fear?”

The Red Knight’s eyes widened. “What is there to fear? We are outnumbered and entrapped. I fear pain and death.”

“But you cannot know for certain that you will die, none of us are granted the Sight. Besides death is but a moment, it passes.”

“Then you believe in reincarnation,” said the Red Knight. “I do not.”

“It matters not what we believe in – if there is an afterlife then when we die we will awaken somewhere else. If there is nothing we won’t be aware of it to care either way. I for one would rather die in my faith and be a fool than to die a fool with no faith, my friend.”

The Red Knight held his two-handed bastard sword high, twisting and turning it to catch the light.

“What about pain?” he asked. “Are you not afraid of that?”

“There will be pain for many,” conceded Garsein. “But not for me or my closest and well seasoned companions.”

“So there is nothing to fear?” said the Red Knight.

Garsein slowly nodded in agreement.

The Red Knight considered his words.

“I think you’re wrong,” said the Red Knight. Garsein shrugged.

The Red Knight continued. “I think they should be afraid of you.”