2 Groomed by Villainy (1/2)
Imposing yet not threatening. This was Kilian's first impression of that man who, despite his real age, didn't look older than 20. With a finely chiseled face of disarming handsomeness, perfect eyebrows and shoulder-length black hair worn in curls, he appeared as the prince charming of many ladies' dreams. In Orloth, commoners and peasants wore their hair in dreadlocks while nobles kept theirs in curls. Still, high-ranking nobles didn't have to follow those customs, with some extreme cases donning extravagant wigs that almost trailed on the ground. Commoners, however, had no such choice.
As he stared at Kilian, gentleness shone in the man's blue eyes, yet in those eyes, Kilian could only see the repetition of the previous day's events. The slaughter replayed, the deaths clutched at his soul, screaming with their burning hands, and asking him why, why, and why.
Why did they have to perish in such wretched manners?
Why did he lead them all into damnation?
Why did he now lie on velvet sheets, alone occupying a king-size bed as their ashes and blood stench still rankled the north?
The questions turned into needles, pricking Kilian's brain from the inside out. The world around him spun, and he clutched his head with full force, howling in grief! Klaus made no move, still eying Kilian with the same gaze, and not missing the tiniest of his gestures as if it was a priceless jewel and not a grieving boy standing before him.
In that instant, Kilian felt something inside him snap. He couldn't name it, but it did. He thus raised his eyes at Klaus, facing that new father with a calm, inexpressive gaze. Without a word, Klaus stretched out his right hand, made a revolver appear out of thin air, and lowered it before Kilian.
”This is a toy I got from a technomancer friend. You might not have come across this sort of thing in your tribe, but it's a fully charged, lethal weapon. Fires faster than the average man's arrow, and kills with more certainty. I give you one chance to take revenge. I will not evade or block.
Choose carefully.” Klaus explained, making Kilian's eyes narrow for a second. Unlike what Klaus expected, he knew very well of guns' prowesses. The average bullet flew at around 760 m/s. Men could neither dodge nor block bullets. Therefore, on Earth, firearms soon replaced traditional blades.
According to Earth's logic, if the gun was truly charged, Klaus was putting his life in Kilian's hands. But surprisingly, although he recognized Klaus as the true root of his woes, Kilian's gaze didn't linger on the revolver for more than three seconds. He then pushed it back toward Klaus.
”Oh? Don't you want to give it a try? Don't you want to avenge your loss?” Klaus inquired with apparent amusement, more interested in the reasoning than the move.
”Your guard captain uses a sword,” Kilian coolly replied. And hearing such words from the 12 years old, Klaus couldn't help but nod in approval.
”Good boy. Indeed, trinkets like these are utterly worthless before the likes of us. Even for mere templars, they have no use. Only peasants and commoners could find a purpose for those tools. Alas, bottom-tier soldiers aside, commoners cannot even glance at them,” Klaus turned his head away from Kilian and stood up.
”You promptly learned to swallow your hatred, to put judgment before wrath, and make the rational call. Well done.
Remember, the first rule of vengeance is to bide your time. Follow my teachings, outpace me, and when you mature into the man house von Karsten requires, you can take my life,” Klaus declared, and with his arms crossed behind his back, stepped out, leaving a dumbfounded Kilian to seek the tricks in his words.
The Kingdom of Orloth had existed for over 3,000 years, ruled by the von Draken since its founding. Likewise, the von Karsten had been the dukes of Kars for 3,000 years, always ranking among the most powerful nobles of the state. But all changed in two generations, two names: Otto von Karsten and Klaus von Karsten.
Otto, Klaus' father, was the textbook example of the self-imbued, depraved noble. Abusing his power to oppress commoners and vassals alike, terrorizing men and taking their women—summarily slaughtering those that opposed him—and making an enemy out of the entirety of Orloth. As the closest cousin of King Erik, he enjoyed great privileges, with few daring to oppose him—outwardly at least.
In the shadows, however, disgruntled nobles plotted the destruction of the von Karsten, forcing the young Klaus, Otto's sixth son, to mature beyond his years. By the time he revealed himself as the number one magus talent of Orloth, Klaus had murdered all those that preceded him in the succession line, tried and beheaded his father in public, and assumed the scepter of duke. From that moment on, Kars thrived unceasingly, leaving behind even the king's demesne.