The ride of Justice

The thunder of hooves echoed through the trees, startling the birds still asleep in the early morning. Their cries of confusion could be heard for miles around as they burst forth from the canopy of trees, hovering in the morning’s sunshine.

Their racket preceded Juston as he rode his stallion through the forest’s track, leaping the fallen logs and ducking under over hanging branches. Up ahead he could see a light at the end of the tunnel of foliage. Urging his steed to even greater speed, he drew his sword with a flourish and a mighty shout! “Tremble and despair villains! For I have come!”

The young man’s black stallion leapt from the cover of the trees, moving from the shadows into the bright sunlight with a majestic grace. The morning’s radiance glancing off Juston’s royal blue surcoat, emblazoned with his family’s crest, and disappeared in his short raven black hair. Gleaming mail covered his arms, and his shield shone gold and blue, displaying the scales of justice and the cross of salvation, his own personal coat of arms. The sword he wielded was bright steel; hilted in gold and bound with leather, capped by a bright blue sapphire that seemed to shine with its own light in harmony with the Sun.

Looking around as he rode, the young man sheathed his sword with a small sigh, noting that once again there were yet no villains to bring to justice, no monsters to slay. In the past two days, he had yet to find anything worth his time… not even a small imp or minor goblin for him to pass the time with.

“Fear not Truth, I will not rest until I find us evil to vanquish.”

His steed snorted, truth to be told in exasperated dismay, for they had been traveling hard for the past four days. However Truth was well used to Juston’s ways, and refrained from complaining.

“Would you like to try another area of the Kingdom then?” he asked politely, “I hear there are bandits near the Malgrave Forests.”

Juston cocked his head to the side, mulling over his options “but there were definitely reports of orcs in these parts. I heard Father’s spies give the report.”

Truth snorted hard, shaking his mane in frustration. “I told you many times Juston, you should never listen to humans, they take far too long to pass on information. My source was an eagle who came straight from Malgrave, said he saw a raid.”

“Very well,” Juston acknowledged, “to Malgrave we shall go then,” the young man patted his friend’s neck, “then I promise we’ll head back home, you deserve a break.”

Truth sighed with content, “glad you noticed,” he quipped. “You ready?”

Juston nodded, holding on tightly to his reins. “Ready.”

Truth shook out his mane, then let the motion pass on down his neck and into his body. Behind his rider, two huge way unfurled, stretching to their full wingspan of 12 feet before they slowly rose up.

“I think you’ve grown!” remarked Juston as he leaned forward. “You didn’t cover the road when we were coming in.”

“Must be all the weight I’ve been carrying,” Truth replied with a smile. Without another word, the Pegasus snapped his wings down, thrusting the pair of them into the air.

“Whooooeeee!” shouted Juston, pushing his fist into the air as if this was his first time flying. Well used to his friend’s childlike ways, Truth refrained from commenting, and set his course with the sun against his left shoulder, heading south towards the Forest of Malgrave.

The sky was a serene and majestic blue, dotted occasionally with fluffy white clouds that seemed to bounce along in the breeze. Whenever Truth began to feel the sun’s rays becoming too warm, he would whip into a passing cloud, trying his hardest to startle Juston, and emerge from the other side refreshed and very wet. Of course his rider always complained, but really loved the experience, and they both knew it.

Green meadows and furrowed fields flew below them, occasionally accented with grey castles or a small town or two. Further east Juston could just make out the beginnings of the Tasmon Ocean and on the edge, where the water met land, his home city of Astria.

The thought of his home brought delicious memories of vast feasts and splendid parties, stirring the young man’s imagination. Suddenly his stomach grumbled loudly.

Truth chuckled, “perhaps we should delay our jaunt to Malgrave?” he suggested tactfully, “Maybe the bandits have moved and I can get more current information at the castle?”

Juston sighed and drew his sword, staring longingly into its mirror bright depths. “I just want to find adventure Truth, and bring about the justice that I have been called to spread.”

“Injustice and villainy will still be around tomorrow young prince,” replied the Pegasus softly, “you won’t be able to change it over night.”

Juston nodded before he straightened in the saddle. “Then we shall return home!” he announced, “hopefully there will be some lunch awaiting our return.”

***

Truth stretched out his wings to their full span, working out the minor kinks and pains after a full four days of travel. He loved Juston like a brother, but sometimes that boy could be stubborn, and it’s not like he could give his own rider a direct order. The young stallion was so engrossed in his exercise that he didn’t notice his visitor until the man spoke.

“How was the trip?” the guest asked, sitting on a nearby stool.

Truth gave the man one startled look before sinking into a bow, quite a feat for a Pegasus, “your Majesty…” he began.

“No need to be formal young Truth, your mother isn’t so with me.”

Truth nodded and rose, “but that would be because my mother is your own steed my king, your friend for almost 30 years!”

King Mercio smiled faintly as he thought back over the last 30 years. “Has it already been so long?” he asked in a voice so quiet that Truth had to strain his long ears to hear, even in his own stable. “It seems like only yesterday when we met, your mother still a gangly colt, and myself merely a child of 10.”

Truth sighed inwardly, aware that the King was often prone to daydreaming about the past, even at his relatively young age.

“You know that we are bonded yes?” Mercio asked suddenly, peering knowingly over at his son’s steed.

Truth looked a little confused, “all Pegasai are bonded to their riders,” he responded, wondering where these questions were headed. “It is how we have been for many generations, each family according to its rank.”

The King nodded, his long fingers tugging at his short, well groomed beard. “I know you do your best to keep him out of harm’s way, but still I am troubled by the reports I hear of his adventures.”

Truth gulped, yet another mannerism that he had learned from Juston, ironically in a similar situation before his father, despite Mercio’s name. Of course Grace, Truth’s own mother was not as lenient as her name suggested either, one of the running jokes within both families.

“Tell me,” Mercio continued in a soft but firm voice, “did you really fight off a tribe of Orcs in Tirna three days ago?”

“Well, your Majesty,” Truth began, trying to think of a way to answer the question diplomatically. “It wasn’t really a TRIBE…”

“Yes or no Truth,” the King demanded, before adding his ultimatum “or I’ll ask your mother to talk to you instead.”

“Yes,” Truth answered immediately. He loved his mother greatly, yet her wings were as hard as iron, and he did not think she would hold back if the King had told her the news.

Mercio sighed and then stood, walking over to lean against one of the rails along the stable.

“I thought we agreed that it was in everyone’s best interest if he didn’t get into so many battles.”

Truth nodded vigorously, “I couldn’t agree more Your Majesty, however Juston, incase you haven’t noticed, has a rather strong sense of justice.”

Mercio smiled faintly at hearing that, “he takes after his mother,” he whispered, too soft for anyone to here.

“What was that sire?”

Mercio’s smile disappeared quickly, and he slammed his fist into an open palm. “This has to stop Truth, no matter how skilled you both are at fighting monster and brigands, and I do admit you’re both very good, Juston’s life has already been decided. As the Crown Prince and only heir to my throne, his life must be preserved. No more adventures!”

“Your Majesty, if I may…” Truth began, but never finished.

“No, you may not,” Mercio interrupted. “Now your mother wants to speak to you, and it was indeed she who brought this matter to my attention. Said an eagle told her this morning. ”

Truth gulped again. “Should have known,” he muttered, “only animals could spread the word that fast.”

The king turned towards the stable’s main human door, and began to walk. However right before passing through, he stopped. “Oh and Truth,” he added with genuine gratitude in his voice. “thank you for watching over my son.”

The stallion nodded, his own response also tinged with no irony, “my pleasure your Majesty.”

***

“So I copped a real beating on your account yesterday!” Truth complained, “and you? You were merely confined to your chambers, all five of them!”

Juston patted his friend’s neck, a gesture he had been repeating a lot in the last 30 minutes. “If it makes you feel any better, all I could really do was have a bath.”

The pegasus snorted, “you’re lucky I was allowed to eat dinner, or neither of us would be flying today.”

Juston smiled, “lunch and dinner were very good,” he said, “plenty of energy before our next big adventure.”

Truth snorted, hard, and stared at his friend, “we’re leaving again?” he asked in dismay. “We just got back.”

“Father’s spies caught advanced warning of a large bandit force in Verly, apparently comprised of several bandit groups, including the one from Malgrave.”

The news caught Truth’s retort on the tip of his tongue, “really?” he asked, his large eyes narrowing. “That sounds rather unusual.”

Nodding with excitement, Juston began to grin, “that’s what I feel, almost 100 men I hear.”

“100!” Truth exclaimed, his own blood beginning to pound, “that’s more then we’ve ever fought!”

“That’s right!” replied Juston, “it will be the adventure we’ve been waiting for!”

Dimly, in the back of Truth’s mind, those words triggered a thought that perhaps he might be missing something, however the adrenaline had begun to flow, and he shrugged off the unwanted feeling. “We leaving now?” he asked excitedly.

“In a second, I got word out to Cresto and Seilos, they should be meeting us here after taking care of everything.”

Truth snorted his joy. Cresto and Seilos were young sons of powerful nobles with the kingdom, and they also rode pegasai, two of Truth’s cousin’s in fact, both of whom he had grown up with, here in the castle. The six of them had gone on several “adventures” together, enjoying themselves immensely.

A knock sounded on the stable doors, followed by three rapid beats.

“That’s them, come on.”

Juston lead his friend out through the gates and into the moonlit night, where two mounted and cloaked figures could be seen waiting.

“Ho Cresto, ho Seilos,” he called in a muted whisper.

“Well met Juston,” replied the taller of the two riders, “it is a good night for adventure!”

Again that word tried to tell Truth something, but Juston distracted him as he jumped into the saddle.

“Ready,” the young man whispered.

All three pegasai took off, the sound of their wings like a flock of birds being awaken from their nests.

When they were high enough, Juston looked around, “onward,” he called out, “for Justice!”

“Towards adventure!” added Cresto.

“To find destiny!” Seilos completed.

The flapping of their wings faded into the night as shadowy figures moved around the palace grounds; as the prince and his friends left unawares, another force had come in their place.

***

The three young lords and their magnificent steeds cut through the night sky like massive arrows. With coats of black and brown, the pegasai gave away no hint of their presence, leaving no trace of their passage. Even the moon had co-operated, hiding its full radiance behind thick clouds, forestalling any reflection off the mail shirts of Juston and his friends.

Swiftly they flew, only the sound of beating wings and pounding hearts to guide them, for they were soon to be in enemy territory. Though they had each been involved in many battles, even at their young age, the trio were excited, the prospect of adventure, danger and challenge coursing through their veins.

Verly was a town south east of the Astria. It had started as a tiny fishing outpost along one of the major rivers that emptied out into the Tasmon. The settlement’s proximity to the Malgrave forest also allowed for a lively lumber trade, evidenced by the many logs that floated down the river to dried and seasoned in preparation for sale. Over the years Verly had grown from a tiny village to a thriving, if seedy, mid-sized town with a fully complement of amenities, supplies and entertainments for any one with the money or the muscle to demand it.

Right now, it was awash with unsavory characters, and the few honest citizens left in the town were beginning to fear for their lives, baring their doors and closing their shutters. However even those precautions could not help some as violence roamed the streets.

High about the town, Juston looked at the night’s happenings, noting, with righteous anger, the many evil acts that were being committed below. With a steel hiss, he drew his sword and raised it high above his head.

“Is everything ready?” he asked his two Captains.

“As always,” Cresto replied, stringing an arrow into his bow.

Seilos nodded, unlimbering his shield and lance. “Give the signal Juston.”

The young prince smiled and nodded. Rising up in his stirrups, he grasped his sword with both hands, “for justice!”

With the sound of a roaring dragon, fire erupted from the hilt of his sword. The flame rose in dual ribbons up his blade and beyond, lighting up the entire night sky. The sudden brightness shone like the sun on the town of Verly, and even from their height, the young nobles could see men and women stare up in confusion and terror.

Already Seilos and Cresto had began their descent, each dropping like a stone.

All around them in the night sky, balls of flame appeared as other young men answered the call of their leader. Their light filled the air, showing a dozen other nobles from the other major cities, each riding a flying horse and wielding fire at their command.

“Charge!” Juston bellowed as he leveled his incandescent blade at the enemy. Truth took the hint, and folded his wings, sending the pair of them into a steep dive.

The exhilaration of acceleration was always a thrilling experience for Juston, especially right before battle. Clinging tightly to his reins, the young prince swung his flaming sword out behind him in preparation for the first attack. In his wake followed his men, the Scions of Destiny, hand picked for their willingness to fight injustice.

The fight was spectacular. Fire flashed from hands and weapons alike, filling the town with light and explosions of heat. The battle screeches of Pegasai mixed with the shouts of men as steel rang on steel and arrows filled the air.

Truth galloped over the ground, keeping his precious wings in tight, constantly on the watch for danger and enemies. Juston rode, wielding his blade, now a lance of pure fire, with dexterity, searing bandits left and right, yet nimbly avoiding the thatching of the houses.

In a short while, the battle was over, what few bandits left already running for the forest.

Slowly Juston rode to the centre of the town where the other Scions waited. They sat atop their steeds, positioned in an almost fully closed circle, expectant of their leader. Each wore armor of some sort, with the crests of their families on their coats. Some carried bows with arrows that still flamed, others spears and shields. Only Juston wielded a sword, and he sheathed that as he approached, filling the gap.

“Truly today we had a great victory,” he began, looking each of the 14 other warriors in the eye. “Be encouraged, but also alert, for until the end of days, evil and injustice shall always be our enemies!”

“AYE!” the Scions responded in a might shout. “For Justice! Toward Adventure! To find Destiny!”

As one the Pegasai snapped their wings down, causing the Scions to rise as a single unit, the complete circle spiraling upwards.

Below them the townspeople began to stream into the streets, looking up with awe and waving their thanks. Juston smiled, inwardly touched by the show of gratitude. He knew that such a reception would not greet him on his return.