The Last Stand of Carson Faraday

The Sightless Knights were supposed to always be there for the people of Sanctum Reach. No matter the problem, their light was supposed to shine bright like the sun. They looked beyond everything to bring hope and peace to the land, but in the darkest of times, they were failing. They were lost and scrambling and no one knew what they could do to fix things.

Carson Faraday, the leader of the Sightless Knights and bravest of them all, knew the day would come when the Knights would face a threat that they could not face. But he never thought that day would come at the hands of the townspeople. They gave everything to save. These people had asked them for help, had lured them in with food and sad eyes, and tales of a darkness they could not shake.

Carson had fallen for it. They had all fallen for it. The knights were picked off one by one until only a handful of them remained. Carson leading them back towards a more secure location, holding until he could make a plan.

“It’s like the shadows are fighting with them. How is that possible?” There was fear unlike anything he had ever heard coming from his second in command. Sarah was one of the strongest women he had ever met, having lost her father and brother to a war when she was young. But she still followed him into the world, followed with a smile and a laugh. She was a bright light among the Knights, but here she was, crying and fearful. “Are we going to do this?”

He didn’t know, so he remained silent. The others shifted, and he realized that his silence might have destroyed what hope they might have had left. But he honestly had no answer. He had never seen a creature like this. They had never faced something like the beast coming from the shadows. Tentacles of inky shadows, hissing out without warning to snatch them up without warning. His people’s screams would remain in his ears for the rest of his life.

“We will be able to. We have to believe in Anos and his light.” With their god’s name spoke, he could feel the energy shift around him. Even Sarah took a deep breath and steadied herself against her greataxe. The weapon was larger than she was, and people seemed to underestimate her based on that. She was smaller than the average human, but she could swing that axe fast enough to lop a man’s head off while they still laughed at her height disadvantage. “Sebastian, use your magic talents to summon the brightest light you can. We’re going to push that shadow beast back!”

Taking a deep breath, he pulled his own weapon from its sheath. He could hear the gasp from his people. He rarely brought out the greatsword, wishing to speak to their enemies before they went to blows. Sometimes a well-placed conversation could end a war before it even began. But in this situation, Whispering Reflection would need to be freed. The wind picked up around them and Carson closed his eyes.

“Ila, bless us roaming Knights in your guiding winds. Let us use our songs to keep our spirits soaring as we enter the darkness of the world.” A song seemed to come from the winds, his prayer being answered by something unseen before Carson opened his eyes. The rest of the Knights had followed his lead, and their weapons were now drawn.

Sarah and Carson hung back as their people ran forward, now full of life and bubbling with passion to fight the dark shadow beast that had appeared here.

“Can we really do this, Carson? Anos has never blessed us and even with Ila… it seems impossible.”

“We’ve done the impossible before.”

“Not like this, we haven’t.”

That was true. This was something they had never seen or dealt with before. But he had faith in their gods and in their people. He had faith in himself and his weapon. Even if this was his last stand, he knew Sarah would continue on. He had to make sure she was ready for it.

“Promise me something. You will never give in to the darkness that looms in your mind. That you will never believe those truths you joke to yourself about. You are worthy, more so than any I have ever met. You are a bright light in this world Sarah, do not let anyone or anything ever dim that light.” She looked up at him with confusion in her eyes, but the confusion dimmed as he pulled her into a hug. He closed his eyes before pressing a kiss to her head. “Live and carry on after this. I’m so sorry…”

With that, Carson jabbed the hilt of his sword into Sarah’s stomach and she gasped before her vision darkened and she sagged against him. He gently picked her up and turned to another figure, who was hiding in the shadows of the hut they were in.

“Please take care of her. She will hate me for this, but she has to live. I would never forgive myself if I lost her today… Kathryn, please. Tell her… Tell her I love her.” With that, he pressed another kiss to Sarah’s forehead and passed her body over to the larger woman standing there. The woman nodded sadly, covering the both of them in a mist before she turned and left the hut.

Carson closed his eyes again, tears clouding them before he turned and lifted his sword. He had a fight to join.

As he exited the hut, he was greeted with a sight that made his heart break. His Knights were gone. All that remained was a small human, surrounded by the inky black creature who had started this whole mess.

“The legendary Sightless Knight. It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Faraday.” The man bowed before giggling, lifting his head as a tentacle lashed out at Carson. With a simple move, Carson cut the black tentacle from the beast. The beast made a choking sound before pulling back its severed tentacle. Carson’s eyes narrowed at the figure.

“You have me at a disadvantage, sir, for you know my name, but I do not know yours. That is hardly fair.” He was playing for time, to give Kathryn and Sarah time to leave the area. He hoped they had enough time. The new man was unknown, but he knew he could beat the beast.

“Oh yes, silly me. I am Zephyr.” He bowed low as the beast seemed to gargle behind him. Zephyr giggled again before reaching out to pat one tentacle that was wrapped around the ground close to him. “Oh, don’t worry, you’ll get to eat him. We’re just talking. It’s been ever so long since I’ve gotten to talk to someone.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Carson wasn’t stupid. He knew there were other things in this world. He had seen Anos, he knew of Ila. The gods of this world thought they were nothing like the beast behind this man.

“Oh! Right. You Sightless Knights have only ever seen the Comet Brighter. You see this…” He pet the tentacle again and grinned, and Carson shivered at seeing that grin. “Is What Keeps The Night.” When the name left his lips, the whole being shifted and grew, like his name gave him more power. Carson found himself suddenly on the offensive as he fought back tentacles and flying debris.

It felt like an hour before a tentacle grabbed his foot, lifting him in the air. His sword dropped, one of his arms having been broken during his attempt to fight the beast. He watched the sword impale the ground and Zephyr skip towards it. But a wind picked up around it, and blasted the smaller man away from it.

“What the…” He wasn’t laughing anymore as he picked himself up off the ground. He was bleeding, but he didn’t seem to mind it and that might have scared Carson more than the enormous beast that was holding him high above the ground. “What was that, Faraday?”

“The blessing of Ila. You said you knew of the fey. Shouldn’t you know that only those who she trusts can use her blessed items?” Carson smirked and had to cough, blood rushing to his head. He had broken ribs, he was sure of it.

“Whatever. It’s just a stupid sword.” Zephyr looked and sounded like a kid who was just told he couldn’t have chocolate for dinner as he turned back to Carson and the beast. “Eat him. We’re done here.” Carson closed his eyes. This was it. He knew it was.

But it wouldn’t be for the Knights because Sarah was alive. She would continue his work, and hopefully someday, someone would find his sword again.