A Fate Worse Than Death

By: Trevor Richmond-Jordan

On a dark night many years ago there lived a married couple. Their names were Rosa and Trevor, they were asleep in their home when the front door was slammed open and a man wearing armor and wielding a broad axe stormed in. “Who are you? What do you want?” Rosa asked. “Who I am is none of your business.” the stranger replied, “But as for what I want.” He smiled at her in a lustful manner. “I should think that fairly obvious.”

He strode across the room and grabs her by the hair and begins to drag her away. “Leave her alone!” Trevor yells and lunges at him. The stranger swings his axe and grazes his side and as Trevor lay on the ground bleeding Rosa Screamed “No!” and clawed at her captor when her nails tore at his temple. His response was to swing his axe and bury it inside of her chest. The stranger looks at the two and sighs, “Why must they always resist?” he sheaths his weapon and leaves believing that the both of them are dead.

What he failed to realize was that Trevor was still alive and after he left Trevor crawled over to Rosas body and wept. “I promise you my love that I will make him suffer for what he has done.” His eyes glimmered with a fire so intense that they seemed ready to burst into flames. After he buried her, he went into his house and pulled out a chest that was under his bed. In the chest was a collection of spell books, a ruby ring, a medallion shaped like a dragon, a sword, and a red out fit with a red hood. He put on the attire and packed the books into a satchel and fastened the swords sheath around his waist.

Just before he leaves, he takes a look in the mirror and says, “Time to visit an old friend.” He leaves the house locks his door and begins his journey to the mountains that lay across the valley from his home. After two days of travel he reaches the mountain and finds a worn-down path that leads to a cave. Before he enters the cave, he pulls out a book with a dragon on the cover and says a certain phrase in an unknown dialect. After he finishes there is a sort of hissing noise followed by a voice that sounds like thunder “Who dares to enter my domain.”

“It is I old friend.” Trevor says, “I need your help”. There is silence for a couple of seconds then there is movement as a head emerges from the shadows. It is the head of a red dragon whose presence emanates power. “So, you have returned,” the dragon mused “How long has it been five years”. “Ten actually Smok,” Trevor says, “Why visit me after all this time?” Smok asks.

“Rosa is dead” Trevor explained “and I want vengeance for what has happened”. Smok lowers his head in a sympathetic manner and says “I see, what did you have in mind? Shall I burn down villages, boil rivers, bring mountains crashing down?” he asks. Trevor nods his head no “I have something else in mind.” “What?” Smok asks. “The blood binding ritual.” Trevor replies. Smok rears his head up in surprise “That spell is strictly forbidden.” He roars, “you know what will happen if you cannot handle the power involved. It will explode from you in a fiery blaze killing everything it touches, and you want me to risk my life performing this spell?!?!” he asks with a worried look on his face. “Since when have you ever played by the rules?” Trevor asks, “I know the risks I was there the last time someone performed the spell and yet I am still willing to do it if it means avenging Rosa!” he yells with tears streaming down his face. “My life ended when hers did now all I can do is get the bastard who killed her before he hurts anyone else. So, I ask you again will you perform the spell with me?” he asks while looking Smok in the eyes.

Smok considers what Trevor has said for a moment and says, “Very well but if anything goes wrong it will be on your head.” “That’s fine by me.” Trevor replies, “Now shall we get started?” Smok rears his head up and with his talon makes a slit into his scaly hide. Blood begins to pour out and Trevor collects it in a small vile. “Thank you, my friend.” Trevor says and he begins carving symbols into the ground while uttering strange words. He unsheathes his sword and while holding it in one hand he drinks the blood from the vile.

For a moment all is still then a pillar of fire erupts and consumes Trevor. After the fire vanishes there is a hooded figure who stands up and pulls his hood back revealing him to be transformed into a draconian. He looks at his scaly hand and whispers “It worked.” He raises his sword and yells “I AM THE SWORDSMAN!” a fire ball erupts from his mouth and he sheathes his sword. “Goodbye old friend” Trevor says to Smok “Farewell” Smok replies before vanishing back into the cave’s darkness. Trevor then picks up his satchel and flies away to the nearest village where he is certain the man he seeks is hiding.

He reaches the town by nightfall and pulls his hood up to prevent people from panicking at the sight of him. He wanders the streets until he finds what he’s looking for a brothel by the name of “A Touch of Venus”. He goes into the brothel and stumbles upon the manager who is in a drunken state. “Can I help hic- you?” he asks. “I’m looking for someone.” Trevor began when the manager laughed and said “of course you are! Everyone who comes here is looking for someone.” He laughs.

“The one I seek is a man in black armor with a broad axe and a scar on his temple.” Trevor explains. The manager turns pale and says, “you don’t want to find him.” Trevor replies “Yes I do” he places a gold coin on the counter which the manager picks up. “He’s upstairs last door on the right.” He says “Be careful he’s not someone you want to mess with” “Nor am I.” Trevor replied before heading upstairs. When he reaches the door in question, he places his ear against it only to hear snoring. “Too easy.” He says with a smile on his face before drawing his sword and barging into the room.

Inside the room on the bed is the stranger from before sleeping with a blonde girl next to him. “Leave” Trevor says to the girl before turning his eyes towards his enemy. After the girl leaves the stranger asks “Who are you? What do you want? ““Who I am is none of your business.” Trevor replies. “But as for what I want, I should think that fairly obvious.” The man’s face pales in realization “You!” he whispers and reaches for his axe. “Yes me!” Trevor replies and swings his sword down and cut off the man’s arm before he can raise his weapon.

He screams and clutches his side and looks at Trevor fearfully. “Don’t kill me please!” he screams in a pitiful manner. “Oh, I’m not going to kill you, but when I finish with you, you’ll wish I had.” He swings his sword again cutting off both of the strangers’ legs. “Ahhh!” he screamed and raised his arm to protect himself. Trevor then cut off his arm leaving him a helpless wretch. Trevor cleans his sword and sheathes it.

He then picks up a knife that was on a table in the room and kneels next to the man. “Why?” the man asks as he slowly bleeds out. “Because I wanted you to spend every day for the rest of your life feeling helpless like I did when you killed my wife.” Trevor said with a predatorial grin on his face. “Now all I have to do is make it to where everyone sees you the way I do.” And with that he grabs the man’s tongue and cuts it out. “Now no one will ever have to hear what you have to say again!” he cackled maniacally.

He then brandishes the knife and begins to cut into the man’s face until it looks like a patchwork job. He leaves the eyes and ears untouched. “Every time you look in a mirror or see how people react to you, I want you to remember what you did to deserve this and just to make sure you don’t bleed out or get infected.” He breathes fire all over the man’s body closing the wounds and killing off infection before leaving the room while smiling to the sound of his screams.  

Biographical note: Trevor Richmond-Jordan or as his friends call him “The Swordsman” is 21 years old and hails from a large family. He has been writing since elementary school and is an avid movie and music lover. He likes dragons and sword fighting and prefers fantasy to science fiction. Hence the magic in this story.