Brendan the legendary swordsman

By Kieran “Kezzer” O’Connor

For Brendan

The two fully armoured knights walked down the stone corridor looking like the trained killers they were. One was holding a metal case in his hands while the other kept a hand on the handle of his broad sword at all times. They both had to look of men who had gone through some great hardship that was now nearing its end. Close enough to see the light at the end but still far enough away that it may be snatched away from them.

“Sir Thomas, Sir Brendan.” The two men guarding the door to the king’s audience chamber snapped to attention when they saw the knights arrive.

“Has anyone passed through these doors?” The one they addressed as Sir Thomas asked as he shifted the weight of the box to one arm.

“No Sir knight, none have passed us as you commanded.” The other guard said. “Both the royal advisor and the prince have tried on many occasions but not a soul has been through these doors since you locked them.”

“Good.” The knight called Sir Brendan said, still not taking his hand off his sword hilt. “You may leave now; we have a task to perform for King Peter himself.”

The two guards bowed their heads and then marched off from the door they had been order to protect with their very lives three months ago. Both Sir Brendan and Sir Thomas had made it very clear that none were allowed to see the King no matter what.

“We don’t have long.” Sir Thomas said. “I counted four of the advisors spies trailing us since we passed the gates of Atlantor. No doubt they will be singing to the old bastard before those two guards even reach the local tavern.”

“Actually we picked up six spies, two more when we stopped at that tavern.” Sir Brendan spoke dryly as he unlocked the door with the same key he had taken across the face of the earth these past three months. “You were to busy getting re-acquainted with Lasterian beer to notice them. They almost choked on their own drinks when they realised who we were.”

“Well then we better hurry don’t you think Brendan old boy?” Thomas said with a sly smile across his face as they pushed the heavy wooden doors open and entered the audience chamber.

The second they went into the room there was that overwhelming smell of death, a stench of rotting flesh and decay. Both of the knights had become well use to the smell so did not even wrinkle theirs noses when they were assaulted by the smell. In away they smelled just as bad, their full metal armour was well known for its overpowering stink. The moment you put it on you would smell of steel, sweat and oil so you had to have a tolerance for bad odours.

“Looks like those guards did their job well.” Thomas said. “If anyone had come in here it would be hard to miss our dear king’s present condition.”

“Be respectful, that is your king on the throne.” Brendan locked the door and then joined his friend at the base of the kings own chair.

“Don’t worry so much old boy, I don’t think he heard me.” Thomas said. “And I think if we cure him of his current situation I am sure he will let me a little slack when I let my tongue run away with me. Now how in the blazes does this work?” Thomas tapped the metal case he carried with his gauntleted hand.

“I believe we simply have to place the necklace around our king’s neck and that magic will do everything for us.” Brendan said.

“Does not quite fill me with confidence old boy.” Thomas said looking at the king with as grave an expression as his face could manage. “I know magic used to be quite a thing when it was still in practise but I have never heard of any magic ever bring the dead back. King Peter has been dead over three months, he is hardly more then bones now old boy.”

“This necklace is the most powerful charm left in our world, it defeated whole armies before and no magic has ever equalled its power. If anything can bring him back then it is the eye of Odin.” Brendan then looked at the man who had been his brother if not in blood then in soul. “And please stop calling me “old boy” I really detest that.”

“Sorry old boy, just can’t do that I am afraid.” Thomas laughed as the old joke passed between them once again.

Once the laughter had ended the mood quickly changed. Brendan had known Thomas since they had been children, raised to be knights of the royal house of Rendasia. They were unmatched in skill and had become legends in their own time, stories told about their exploits reached ear even far off Midgar. Thomas could be foolish, and found it hard to be serious but he knew the time to end all jokes and to act like a true knight when it was time. Now they both acted, moving carefully and neither thinking of anything but the task at hand.  

Thomas opened the metal case he had been holding and inside was a single golden necklace with a small red stone. On closer inspection you would see the red stone was fashioned into the shape of an eye, a single black flaw running through it to make a pupil. If you were to look even closer you would see that eye could see, and that what it saw it always hated.

“Do you think the guardian will try again?” Thomas asked when he saw the eye glare up at him again.

“No, we killed it.” Brendan spoke of the guardian of the eye of Odin, a creature that had appeared when they had tried to take the necklace from the ruins it had been in.

The monster born of the gem itself had been terrifying even to the well trained knights. A black thing with no true shape and larger then a castle itself, they had fought hard and killed it and Brendan was sure of that. It had been one of many challenges attaining the eye of Odin, and many more retaining it on the journey home.

“Do you wish to do this?” Thomas held the box to his friend and waited for him to take the necklace from him. “I think if I was to take it then it may win me over, I have carried it for a long time now.”

The gem had great powers, and they found that simply holding it was a battle of will power. The eye would try to take your soul and body if it could, and it had taken them both for short periods of time while they travelled home. They had found that encased in steel the eye had less power, so they had made the box to hold it. Steel was worth more then gold and it had been hard to get enough for the box, but when it was complete they both rested better. But even steel could not hold back all the power of the eye, it called to them and slowly drained their will power as it tried to take over them. For the past month they had been forced to take turns carrying it, to avoid been taken by the evil presence in the necklace.

“Very well.” Brendan put his hand into the box and grasped hold of the necklace and instantly felt how he had done when he first snatched it from the steps of the ruins of Elric. There was the sudden rush of power, the power of a god that was unstoppable. In his hands was something that could break the sun in two or turn back time itself if he commanded it to do so. This power threatened to take him; for he knew while he held the necklace nothing was impossible. Why waste time resurrecting some old man when you could be a king? Not just of Rendasia but of the world it’s self, an immortal ruler with unlimited power.

“Brendan?” Thomas had half drawn his own sword and looked carefully at his old friend.

“I am fine Thomas, I wont let it claim me when we are so close” Brendan could feel the anguish of the necklace as he pulled himself free of its grip and started to walk in the direction of the dead king. He knew the eye of Odin had to obey whatever command it was given, no matter what but he also knew that it wanted its own way. If he started to use it for his own gains it would not belong before he would become the slave instead of the master.

“Eye of Odin hear me for I speak only to you.” Brendan held up the necklace and looked deeply into that red eye. “I command you to bring back the life of our King, to give his body flesh and breath once more. You will obey me; you will bring him back from the dead!”

Brendan pulled the necklace over the skeleton of the king and then felt like some mighty hand had hit him in the chest. His whole armour seemed to ring like a bell as he flew backwards and landed in Thomas’ arms. He could see the eye glowed a bright red and that the king’s body now sat strait in the chair.

“Brendan are you all right?” Thomas asked helping Brendan to his feet again.

“I am well, merely had the wind knocked out of me.” Brendan stood on his own power and hardly wobbled, he knew he was a bit more then winded. The burning in his chest every time he breathed suggested he had at least broken one of his ribs but it was of little concern right now.

“I have never seen anything like this.” Thomas said to no-one in particular as he saw the magic of the eye been fully unleashed after centuries of stillness.

The King was been brought back to life before their very eyes, it was an event neither would ever forget. First the bones took on a whiter appearance and moved back to their rightful place if they had gone astray. Now the king was in the same position he had been the day the knights had left those many months ago. The light of the eye grew brighter and when it did the king started to grow new flesh. It flowed out of the eye like liquid, covering the perfectly white bones and setting perfectly, matching the king right down to the smallest scars on his body. His hair grew last of all, the grey long hair from the base of his crown and a thick beard that was as black as his hair had been in his youth.

“My king.” Brendan kneeled when the red glow died and sitting before them was King Peter, perfectly alive.

“Welcome back my worthy king.” Thomas also kneeled before King Peter.

“How long have I been gone?” King Peter felt his chest that had not long ago been just bone.

“Too long.” Thomas simply said.

“You have been dead for three months my lord.” Brendan said without lifting his head. “Sir Thomas and I were forced to seek un-natural means to bring you back; the necklace you now wear is the eye of Odin.”

“The ancient talisman of the Elric!” The King grabbed hold of the gemstone that now looked completely dead. “I feel no magic within it…”

“Perhaps it was all used to bring you back from the dead.” Thomas suggested.

“Yes that must be the case noble knight.” King Peter rose from the chair he had been in these past months. “You have served your king very well. Now as my first order I wish you to summon all of my court, I must see what has happened in my long absence and make sure my idiot son has not gained too much power.”

“As you command.” Both knights said together and left their king.

“Such delightfully simple creatures.” The king smirked as the gem around his neck came back to brilliant life and his own right eye started to glow the same colour as the stone.

***

Time passed and as it did it became painfully obvious that something had gone horribly wrong. The two knights watched as the king they had known all their lives changed dramatically. It started when he first brought his court together, his gave out orders that in a way seemed rational but in many ways were harsh and cruel. He took back full power, declaring a martial law with the army in control and with new punishments. He raised taxes and cut many out of positions of power replacing them with strange choices.  

Weeks went by and it seemed everyday some knew horror awaited the people of Rendasia. The King increased taxes almost everyday, and with them came tax collectors who could deal punishments out themselves. Public executions came back after three generations without them and torture soon became common place. The people were poor and starving under the crippling rule of the king, and the rich became richer and more powerful. The only way the common people could survive was to become soldiers, and so Rendasia’s army became the largest and most powerful in the world.

It was not until King Peter put both his son and his old advisor to death for no crime that things could no longer be ignored. Both Thomas and Brendan met in secret to talk of what was happening.

“The king has gone mad!” Brendan whispered violently at Thomas. “Having his own son put to death without a charge. And the torture he put him through before he was killed, it was inhuman.”

“I know.” Thomas kept his voice down much better then his friends. “Nobody like Prince Gordon and royal advisor Flagg was even less likable but this is too much.”

“The people suffer each and everyday because of the tax laws, and I am sure that the army is been moved for war.” Brendan had been biting his tongue to long now and could not help these acquisitions. “Both Lasteria and Atlantor have been put on high alert as our forces have been seen setting camp at their borders.”

“It is true the king has become harsh but maybe it was for the best old boy.” Thomas shrugged. “We have been losing influence in the world and a few motions like this might make things better for our kingdom.”

“Harsh?” Brendan looked at Thomas with disgust. “Anyone not following the king’s orders to the letter is put to death. Recently he has put people to death for no reason but to keep the people living if fear. Our King would never do this, he was a good man and a great ruler all before we brought him back from the dead.”

“Now hold on, you do not think that somehow the eye gained control over the king or that the very process of resurrection changed him?” Thomas felt a few things click into place but still did not want to admit the truth. If he did all their work and sacrifice was for nothing, worse it had brought a great evil to the world.

“He has not taken that necklace off since he brought him back to life.” Brendan explained. “True it has not glowed like it did before, and I feel none of the pull it once had when it was free from its steel prison… but you must admit the king has become a tyrant ever since we used that damn thing.

“We must confront King Peter… if it even is Peter anymore. He is ruling far worse then his son and Flagg ever could have done. If we have to we will kill him, better that then let this go on any longer.”

“To even think like that is treason.” Thomas looked frightened when Brendan spoke of such an act. “We are knights sworn to protect the king at all costs and you even suggest that we should kill our own king. The very king we crossed the world to save, risking our souls and letting good people die just so he would not.”

“Thomas that is not our king, either the eye of Odin has taken him or been in the land of the dead corrupted his very soul.” Brendan said calmly. “We made a mistake brother; we should have listened when Lord Mathew told us to leave well enough alone. Now it is our responsibility to undo our mistake, to make what is wrong right again. And to do that we may have to grant peace to the thing that was once King Peter.”

Thomas hit the stone wall with his hand so hard that it started to bleed slowly through his knuckles. Brendan put a hand on Thomas’ shoulder and waited until he saw the slight nod from him. Thomas did not like it, and really Brendan did not relish the idea, but one way or the other the king of Rendaisa needed to be stopped.

***
When he was not with his court the present King could often be found walking the walls of the castle, looking out over the land which he ruled. This was another new habit he had picked up after he had been raised from the dead, but only those closest to him had noticed it.

“Ah Sir Thomas, Sir Brendan what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” When ever the two knights were with him alone the king seemed much like his old self, this was one of reasons why it had taken them both so long to act.

“My king forgive our intrusion but there is a matter we must talk of.” Brendan spoke while Thomas hung back not really willing to interfere if he did not have to.

“Oh and what matter is that noble knight?” The King smirked, he no longer seemed able to smile and only able to give mean little smirks.

“The eye of Odin you wear around your neck is very powerful, and also most malicious.” Brendan kept his eyes on the stone, looking for even a single hint of the life it once showed to him. “It is dangerous so we ask you give it to us my lord. We shall take the evil thing back to the lands of the Elric where it will never do harm again.”

“Are you mad?” The king laughed. “This stone has no power, you said so yourselves. Look at it, it is not more dangerous then a humble pebble. You worry too much sir knight.”

“We may have been hasty in our judgement of the eye of Odin your majesty.” Brendan continued. “The stone had the power to bring back the dead, and it has done more though out history if the stories are to be believed. It maybe sleeping now but it could wake at any time, therefore I see it as a danger to your own life my king. Please hand it to me, Sir Thomas has the metal case which will guard against its power.”

“Thomas do you really believe this?” King Peter looked at the other knight, totally ignoring Brendan’s out stretched hand. “This necklace is no more then a simple trinket I wear to remind myself of what a great deed you two did for me, will you take it away my knight?”

“I am sorry my lord but we are both sworn to protect you from all dangers and we both see that stone as a danger.” Thomas was unusually quiet; the whole situation had him quite rattled. “I have tasted the madness that eye would put into any man it can. I will not risk your soul after how hard we fought to win it back.”

“King Peter as your protector I insist you give me the eye of Odin.” Brendan took two steps forward and the King put his own hand protectively around the necklace. “I will take it from you, willing or not my king.”

“Then I guess we should throw aside all pretences.” King Peter threw his arm to his side and when he did the eye of Odin instantly came to brilliant life. The black flaw moved to look right at Brendan as the red around it glowed with that strange light, the same light that glowed in the king’s right eye.

“Brendan the stone tricked us!” Thomas shouted as he drew his broad sword out. “Quickly we must remove it!”

“Would you attack your king little human?” King Peter asked. “Then suffer the fate of all traitors!”

King Peter drew out his weapons, in his right hand he held a broad sword and in his left a rapier. He held the rapier high above his head while the broad sword was held in front of him so it could guard as well as cut.

Brendan reacted to the drawn weapon with instincts that had been drilled into him since childhood. His own broad sword was out in the flash of an eye and the two knights stood before their king, weapons drawn and ready to bring forth blood.

“Brendan I don’t know if I can fight him… he is still the king and we swore to protect him no matter what.” Thomas said, but he still did not put his sword away.

“That is not King Peter, it is the eye of Odin taken a human form.” Brendan said. “But if it will ease your mind then I will dirty my hands with this task.”

“Thank you old boy; it does take a little weight of my shoulders… not a lot but a little.” Thomas took a few steps back to be out of the way, but still did not put his sword away. He was no fool and he knew he might need it.

Brendan struck at the King first, moving his sword down in a strait cut that he hoped would get past King Peter’s broadsword. The strike was fast and normally would have been too fast to stop but King Peter had already put his broad sword out to block the move. The two broad swords clashed together and caused sparks to fly around the two of them. Brendan was using both hand and pushed with all his weight yet the king did not move. King Peter was an old man had never trained with a sword in his life, yet his strength seemed vast compared to the well trained knight.

Brendan pulled back, knowing a battle of strength was not the way to go, he had to change his tactics. He moved his shoulders and attacked with blistering speed, swinging the sword in what may have seemed totally random patterns but were in fact well thought out combinations. But no matter how fast he attacked there was already a counter move waiting for him. His broad sword never even got close to Peter’s flesh; all it ever met was solid steel that would not yield.

“What is the matter?” Peter laughed. “Is this the skill of the legendary swordsman?”

Brendan roared with anger as he attacked again, using all the speed and strength at his disposal. His heavy broad sword cut up, scraping the stone floor and causing a shower of sparks before he tried to cut into King Peter’s belly. As with all the times before his sword hit with his foes, but this time King Peter countered with an attack of his own. The rapier shot out from above his head and went for a weak point on Brendan’s armour. The needle like blade went right through the joint in his shoulder and came out the other side. Brendan winced with pain but still held on to his sword.

With a quick twist Brendan pulled the blade out of his shoulder and was about to attack with his broad sword, but King Peter seemed through with playing. The Rapier was out no more then the blink of an eye before it was once more driven into Brendan, this time weakly into a point in his midsection. The wound was painful but not lethal, but it was nothing compared to the blow he received from the broad sword. His strength lessened from blood loss his block of the attack was not enough, the blade slid over his own and he felt the tip cut deep into his side, pushing through the armour like it was made of tinfoil.  

“Brendan!” Thomas dashed forward with his own sword raised but fell backwards instantly.

“Fool.” King Peter had looked at Thomas and the red eye of Odin had glowed once and then sent a blast of black energy out that had knocked Thomas down.

Brendan used the moment’s distraction to attack again; he tried to stab the king through the heart. It seemed like the two swords just appeared, crossed over each other to catch Brendan’s sword in mid strike. Brendan pulled back but did not have time to rise to his feet before King Peter’s broad sword came down on his head. The knight put up his sword and held it with both hands but the force of the king’s sword was so great he was driven down to his knees by it.

“At last you kneel before me!” King Peter said before bringing down yet another heavy blow.

There was no hope now, Brendan put his hand on one end of the blade and tried to take the impact of each hit King Peter made. He felt his muscles scream with pain each time he was force to push against the inhuman strength of the king of Rendasia. Each attack felt like a hammer blow to his arms and shoulders, the sword was shaking and now starting to chip and crack. A knight’s sword was made the only the best steel and was known as the best of all swords, but even now the super strength King Peter had was destroying it.

The inventible happened, Brendan watched as his sword came to an end. The final stroke hit with the same earth shattering force, and the steel that was in Brendan’s sword could not take it anymore. The sword shattered like glass, from the hilt up the blade become nothing but broken shards the fell to the stone ground. Now he was totally defenceless against King Peter, he had many open wounds (some from the fight and some from shrapnel that had come from his own sword.). He was exhausted from fighting and now unarmed; there was no hope for him.

There was a moment of absolute silence and then the feel of ice cold hands grabbing onto his neck. Brendan opened his weary eyes and saw the red glowing eye of the king, and now knew he was been held up high and been choked. He put his own hands onto the kings and tried to break free, but the strength of King Peter was inhuman and he could do nothing but claw helplessly.

“I will crush you with my bare hands!” King Peter had a wild look in both eyes, made more menacing by the glow in the right eye. “Die!”

Brendan was close to blacking out when he had a sudden feeling of weightlessness. The grip around his throat stopped and as air came rushing back to his lungs so came the realisation of what was happening to him. King Peter had thrown him over the wall of the castle and he was now plummeting head first towards the moat that surrounded the castle.

“Hail to the king!” Was the last thing Sir Brendan would hear before he would crash into the moat to die.