Jacob jumped up to clutch onto the doorknob, pulling it open.

Mister Briar was fast asleep. The loud creak of his front door opening made him stir ever so slightly in bed. Jacob was seven winters old. It didn’t stop him from pushing a stool half his size to the stove. He then hefted a log that was the width of his arms outstretched to either side.

He stumbled onto the stool to feed some lumber into the mouth of the stove. Inside was an empty pot hanging on a spit. With a ladle, he dipped it into the bucket that had been collecting rainwater from a leak in the roof.

He continued to cook, using the stool to chop vegetables and strip some chicken dangling from a string over the kitchen counter. Throwing it into the stew until it simmered, then he added onions and garlic cloves.

Satisfied with his work, the not so young boy sat on a chair by the doorway.

“Master Briar,” he announced, “ ‘Tis morning already. The sun’s up! The Lynns are waiting for you, sleepyhead.”

Briar groaned, turning restlessly in his bed. He couldn’t comprehend how Jacob could be so chipper this early in the morning.

“I’m up, I’m up.” Sleepily, he stumbled out of bed. Squinting his eyes, trying to shake off his bedhead, Briar Rose reached out to a peg where a cloak hung, wrapping it around himself.

He instinctively took the bowl held sweetly by Jacob. He then ladled some stew.

“Are you going to show Blanchette the sun trick?” Asked the eager boy.

The wizard raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

“You told her, didn’t you?”

“No, I didn’t, Master Briar. I swears it.”

He crossed his heart and brought his middle finger alongside his pointer like a priest’s blessing. But Briar hardly noticed.

He laughed and patted Jacob on the head. Finishing his stew, the wizard brought his heavy cloak around his shoulder. Meanwhile, Jacob cleaned the dishes.

“Now, where did I put it?” He wondered, patting down his pockets.

Drying his hands on a rag. Jacob ran over to a coat hanger. Upon one rung was an amulet, and beside it, the wizard’s staff. Using the staff, he pulled down the amulet. Then, facing Briar, Jacob held his hands out. One with the amulet. The other with the staff.

He rapped the staff, bringing the attention of the blind wizard to him.

“Thank you, my boy.”

He reached out tentatively until he grasped both objects in his hands.

“Well, Jacob. Let us start the day. What do you say?”

Jacob smiled from ear to ear, passing around the wizard to open the door. It was quite bright outside the din of the wizard’s hut.

“I brought Stella,” young Jacob announced, running around the cloak tails that bellowed in the wind. “She’s got a blanket on her now.” Jacob yelled out to give Briar, giving him an idea where he had left the ponies tied.

The chestnut, speckled mare with white flanks pounded the earth beneath her hooves at the sight of Briar.

“She’s excited to see you.” Jacob reassured the wizard. “You’ve only been here a moon. She’s already gotten so attached to you, Master Briar.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Muttered Briar as he patted the ground with the end of his staff to help guide him. In his mind’s eye, he saw the earth for a scant second as a bluish, green mound. With every tap, a faint memory of what it had looked like only a few months prior would surface to his thoughts. This was how he was able to move about so assuredly.

When he came alongside Stella, he brushed his hands upon the mare’s back, whispering a prayer into her ear so that she alone could hear. Stella snorted in response as Briar briskly mounted the pony.

Jacob not being able to reach out for Master Briar’s reins simply clicked his tongue, drawing the pony’s attention. The two then set off. Briar upon Stella. Jacob upon Borros, a darker brown pony who had an ill temperament. Luckily, Jacob was the only one whom Borros allowed to ride him.

It was a glorious morning that greeted the two of them upon their steeds. The sky above, though cloudy, parted ways to allow sunlight to stream down from the heavens, gracing the farms, ever-moving waves of grain, barley and berries with a soft tapestry-like feel. All of this, of course, was blind to Briar, who only heard the rustling of leaves from the trees above the trail.

Overhead, a falcon was swooping through the currents. Its eyes locked onto a hare that was making its way beneath the fences, surrounding Lyn’s Ranch. It bounded about, unaware of the bird of prey floating high above it.

“They are expecting us,” Jacob informed the young wizard. Someone had lovingly painted the farm’s entrance archway with bright yellows and oranges, making it visible across the road for at least a league. “Lady Evalynn and Master Lloyd, I mean.”

“Thanks for telling them.” Briar said as he lead Stella alongside the boy.

“No worries, Master Briar, no worries at all.”

The farmhouse was simple in design. Adorned with white paint with blue highlights along the supporting posts that held up the roof. It was low to the ground but measured at least the size of a small tavern. On the porch sat the couple on a swing set that rocked gently. It was Evalynn who spotted them first. She brought her hand held horizontally over her brow to make out the two of them.

She patted Lloyd upon the shoulder. It brought a wide grin to his cheeks as he waved them to the house.

“You two are late,” he scolded as he dusted his hands upon his breeches. Evalynn leaned on his shoulder with her head kneading into his neck. “Come now, Emily is waiting for you in the barn.”

“My apologies,” Briar said as he dismounted quickly. Evalynn took his hand while behind them, Jacob was still slowly descending from his perch on the pony’s saddle. His rucksack bounced upon his back comically as he chased after them.

Emily had bright orange hair just like her mother. She was kneeling upon the ground with her body leaning against a sickly cow who lay upon the grass. Her hair lay splayed against the round body of the young cow. She was hardly paying attention to them as they approached.

“What’s the matter?” Briar asked, sensing the concern in the air. Lloyd, at a whisper, answered him. Not wanting to disturb Emily.

“One of our cows, Sue, has contracted a fever.” Lloyd replied sadly.

As if noticing them for the first time, Emily stood up, brushing the reeds from her knees absently. She wore blue overalls with a green sweater beneath that hugged tightly to her body.

“Her breathing’s been shallow, Pa.” She informed him as she looked over to the two visitors. “Oh, it’s good to see you, Jacob… Briar. What brings you down this way?”

“Actually, to see you,” Briar admitted. She blushed innocently at his words. Then there was a slight pause, which made Briar’s own cheeks burn as he realized what he had said. “I mean to speak to you…” He added quickly, trying to salvage his dignity. “About purchasing some chickens. Your father suggested you knew just the pair.”

He quickly caught his breath as all of it came out in a rush. He was always like this around Emily. She flustered him so.

“Oh, of course.” She seemed a bit disappointed in his words. Briar was too dense to know why.

The two of them made their way to the chicken coop. Emily’s parents, with knowing glances, gave the two young adults room to themselves, grabbing Jacob’s hand as he had made to follow. The young boy was confused. Lloyd just gave him a stern look, and he followed suit quickly enough.

“The two sisters here are good egg layers,” commented Emily as she made to grab one chicken for Briar. “They are only two years old the both of them.”

“Perfect.” Briar said as he reached, his hands briefly brushing against hers. She hardly noticed. “Perfect.” He said again, unknowingly. “How much do I owe you?”

She smiled at this.

“The normal price.”

Confused, he looked at her inquisitively.

“Who told you?” he wondered.

“Your secret is safe with me, Master wizard.” She said teasingly.

“Is it Blanchette again or Jacob who spilled the barley.” He asked her with half a smile. Briar hated having to keep this secret from the others.

“Well, I’m not a tattletale myself… so I’m not sure.” she said with a smirk.

“Don’t be cute.” He replied.

“Well, are you going to show me or what?”

“Very well, very well. A deal is a deal.” He submitted as he opened the door to the coop. Emily placed the two chickens into two respective cages.

“Someone showed me this trick long ago. But I warn you, every time I cast a spell, I lose a bit of myself. My memory, I mean. So if you ever catch me with an absent mind, at least you’ll know why.”

She nodded as they made their way out to the pasture. The sun was now low in the sky. Which made it all the easier, thought Briar.

He stood between her and the sun, his features backlit by the sun’s streaming shine.

She clapped her hands briskly as she waited for him to perform the trick.

Taking a step back dramatically, he brought his hands around the outline of the sun. With a slight flourish, he seemed to pinch a bit of light between his fingertips and drew a piece of the sun away from the sky. It was blindingly bright. Briar put his hands around the sunlight to dim its glow. Between his clasped fingers, light streamed out in all directions.

“In my lands, there is a stone known as the sunstone that is buried deep within the mines of Jaste.” He explained as he drew the light into one clasped hand, bringing it before her. Her smile was wide, ear to ear. In her eyes, her pupils contracted against the brightness. Her expression in complete awe.

“One such stone could provide light for eons. We use them in our lampposts.” A bit of sadness turned his expression sour for just the briefest of moments. “But here it is a mystery. For such magical things don’t exist in Klendar.”

Whispering words of runes, the light dimmed even more. He then opened his hand so she could see the sunstone itself. It looked like a yellow ember.

“So it is true, you are a magician.” Emily said accusingly.

“No, not a magician, a wizard. I don’t do tricks. My magic is true.”

Reaching out, he searched for her hand as he placed the stone in her palm. She brought it before her eyes, inspecting it. It was beautiful. Within the stone, she could see swirls of color from reds, oranges and yellows.

“It’s yours now. It’ll glow dimly at night. Brighten during the day.”

“Oh my, thank you so much, Briar.” She said, hugging him suddenly. He was so surprised he held his hands open out at her sides. Not sure how to respond. But before he could return the hug, she backed away from him with another silly smile upon her lips.

“I’ll cherish it forever, I promise you this.”

Briar shrugged. “It’s nothing, really. We should really get back to your family. Where is your brother anyway?”

“Oh, Tomas, you know him. He does his own thing.” Emily offhandedly brushed off her younger sibling often enough.

The two of them returned to the house. Hand in hand as she guided him to her home.

“We’ve left a letter for these two to bring to Old Man Rimes. He’ll know what to do with Sue.” Lloyd said as he brought his arm around his daughter’s shoulders.

“You two should be off. You’ve many other errands to run. Lady Anne is waiting for you next, no?”

“That’s true.” Briar said, half forgetting that he told her, he’d meet her this afternoon at the orchards. “We must be on our way. Emily. Lloyd. Evalynn. Thanks for everything.”

“Anytime, my boy.” Lloyd said.

“Come visit again.” Emily added.

Evalynn simply scuffed up the mop of hair he had on his head lovingly.

“Be safe.”

Briar and Jacob nodded in unison.

On their way back to the ponies, the same rabbit from earlier was following along the hedges beside them.

They hung each of the chicken cages on hooks on either side of his saddle before mounting.

Suddenly above, the falcon dove, snagging the rabbit between its talons. Drawing the attention of both riders. As it climbed high into the sky. Briar couldn’t help but feel an odd, familiar feeling come to him.

“All is fair, save life and death, Briar.” The words haunted him as he looked to the sky. A blood droplet fell from the heavens to splatter against his cheek.

And all he could think of was one name.

***

“Kaygen…”

Briar sat across from his teacher, fiddling with a hinge - waiting for Kaygen to finish his work. His teacher’s workshop was in the recesses of the palace. One he used daily, though many guards wondered why. His job was simple after all, yet he put a lot of effort into what he did.

“Yes, young apprentice.” The man replied as he continued to wrestle with bending back a latch for a steel lock. A recent unfortunate incident had gotten it broken. “Eerrr, something you are curious about?”

“Actually, yes.” Briar said, leaving the hinge behind to look at the progress his master was making. “Why’d you become an executioner?”

With a grunt, he made slow but sure progress. It bent with each effort he placed against the pin, trying to fix a broken latch. Smiling, he turned to Briar.

“Well, that’s simple enough,” he replied as he beckoned Briar to follow him. “Someone has to do it. I just happened to have a knack for it.”

Bringing a flat-headed plier he screwed the latch into place. Satisfied with his work, he turned about, raising his hands then gesturing to all that was around him.

“Plus it pays well. I do what I enjoy. To top it off, I get to serve the one true god, our emperor, in the finest of fashions. Now, would you be so kind as to help Maggie with bringing out our first victim?”

“Yes, sir.” Briar did as he was bid. Maggie beside him followed after with a chain, trailing behind her manacled neck. Reaching the nearest cell, Briar gave the keys he had in his pocket to the slave. Maggie, without a grunt or a muffle, opened the cell door. Inside was a young woman huddled against the farthest corner of her cell.

Maggie, with steely indifference, grabbed the woman by the arm. She dragged her kicking and screaming from the cell. The slave tossed the key back to Briar, who locked the cell after them. The three of them then made their way back to Kaygen.

Grabbing the girl from Maggie, Kaygen with a cold, calculated and callous manner shoved her into the iron maiden they had just repaired.

“Please, please. Master Kaygen, I didn’t know…” The girl screamed hollowly within the metal casket. She was trying her best to keep away from the razor, sharp spikes on either side.

“Now for my favorite part. You see, most iron maidens allow their prisoners to bleed themselves out. Mine is far more efficient. Dare I say, possibly even more satisfying.”

He then turned another dial. His iris went to the corner of his eye as he tried to measure just how much pain he wanted to administer.

“And now, Natalie… what exactly was it you didn’t know?” He asked, with his ear against the casket, trying calmly to hear her confession. But within only screams continued to ring out. So he turned the dial once more, with slight adjustments back and forth. This one was at eye level. “Natalie... You wanted to say something.”

“Kaygen, for the love of the gods, please let me out. I swear I didn’t know… AHHHHH… I didn’t know it was supposed to be kept away from Rikor. Please! He told me that his lordship ordered it. How was I supposed to know!?”

Kaygen nodded against the metal maiden as he listened intently.

“My dear, Rikor is but a simple brute. He does not work in the palace. You and I both know this.” Kaygen turned the dial ever so slightly. The scream she let out then curdled Briar’s blood.

Before she could respond, Kaygen turned to Briar.

“Now this is the control spike.” Kaygen pointed to the largest dial at the center of the maiden, just above the navel. “You now have the honours, my boy.”

Briar took a hesitant step forward. Passed Maggie, who was gazing upon him. He placed his hand into the center dial. Maggie’s screams still, reverberating off the dungeon walls.

“Now it is up to you, my boy.”

Just then something splattered against his cheek, Briar looked up. And there he saw countless bodies hanging from the ceiling upon hooks.

“Quick or slow.”

***

“Briar?” Jacob asked worriedly.

The wizard snapped back to the present, wiping the blood from his face. It felt like ages ago since he’d been home. The memory, once awe-inspiring to him, was now mired in disgust and horror.

“Briar?” Jacob asked again, bringing Borros alongside him.

The wizard turned to the young, innocent boy. So much like he was Briar at that age.

“It’s nothing…” He said as he wiped at the tears that had fallen unbidden. “Come, we have a long journey ahead of us. Lady Anne is waiting.”

With that, the two made their way onward.

The chickens in the cages squawked incessantly.

So close was it to the sound of a scream…