Reignited flame
Hello everyone, Animeman73 here again. We’re down to the wire with Inessa Burnell’s #IBASwordtember challenge.
For Day 27, the word/subject is: Decorative
This one I owe partly to my girlfriend, who prefers to go by the pen name Peach Wookiee. Enjoy the goodness.
The party at Sir Harold Matthias’ estate was proceeding without any problem. Yet one person found themselves out of place amid the party goers. That person was young Ivan Varstalt, Sir Matthias’ youngest grandson.
Dressed in his royal attire he moved about the guests who were talking and laughing. Classical music flowed around the room from the string quartet. The guests continued to babble on.
Yet Ivan’s was a troubled mind. Did Grandfather get the message that I sent to him? The young man thought not for the first time.
“Excuse me Lord Varstalt.” A voice called to the 16-year-old.
He turned to see a middle-aged man dressed in the garb of the Matthias house guard coming his way. “Your Lordship, your grandfather dispatched me to fetch you. It's in regards to the message you sent to him.”
Ivan felt his mind relax in relief. “By all means, bring me to him,” the young man said.
The pepper-haired guard saluted.
The 16-year-old raven haired young man followed the guard past the guests and up a set of stairs. Ivan's only concern was the chance to see his grandfather again.
At the top of the stairs, they reached a set of double doors. The guard opened them and waved him through. “Your grandfather is in his study, and is expecting you,” he stated.
Ivan nodded, went through, and walked down a long hallway. At the end of the hallway was a set of double doors made of the finest oak.
Ivan opened those doors on to a two-level room. Shelves lined the room filled with various books. Two sets of stairs on either side of the room led up to the second level.
Outside the night sky rumbled with thunder and flashes of lightning. Rain fell against the stained windows. Yet a fireplace crackled with warmth and life.
Standing in front of the fireplace was an older man dressed in his military attire. And he was staring at the decorative sword hanging over the fireplace. “Grandfather, I'm here,” Ivan ventured.
Harold Matthias turned towards him. The man had a bald head, yet also wore a thick mustache. Despite his sixty years the man still had traces of life about him. “Ah, splendid there you are Ivan my boy. You said you wanted to discuss something with me?"
The young man walked up to his hero and bowed before the man. “My Lord, thank you for taking the time to do this.”
The older man waved it off. “It’s no trouble at all, you are one of my grandchildren. I am always pleased to see you.”
The two turned to look on the decorative sword with a sapphire blue jewel encrusted in the hilt. “It all seems so peaceful now doesn’t it my boy?” The long time Champion of the Yjanovir Republic commented.
“It does indeed grandfather. But, if I may be frank, I fear it won’t be that way much longer.”
The older man looked on him in surprise. “And what brought that up my boy?” he asked.
“Grandfather, you were the one who taught me to keep my eyes and ears open and my mouth shut until the time was right. I have applied that wisdom you gave me. And I’ve observed things that are very disturbing.”
“How do you mean disturbing?” The older man asked as his face furrowed.,
The young raven-haired man sighed in consternation. “These politicians for one. They continue to play their petty games of intrigue and make proclamations of virtue.
“Yet I see the corrupting rot they sew, like the recent law parliament passed. The one granting unlimited access to our country's institutions for that group. The ones called the Fellowship of Sacred Tenements as I recall."
“It’s safe to say you’ve uncovered some things my boy?” Matthias asked.
Ivan nodded. “I’ve read some of their literature, and there’s something about their ideas that unsettles me. Their open disregard for the Individual. Their open hatred of our beloved Aesir and Vanir gods.
"Also their single-minded fanatical dedication to this 'Oneness', I find very disturbing.”
To the young man’s surprise the older man sighed in relief. “Praise Lord Odin, I thought I was the only one who thought this.”
That took Ivan by surprise. “You’ve noticed this too?”
The older man nodded. "As I said eyes and ears open and mouth shut until the time is right. And I fear that the time for you may be coming soon.”
The 16-year-old turned to his grandfather a sinking feeling in his body. “Grandfather, what do you mean?”
“My boy I may have some fire left in me, but I am nowhere near the warrior I used to be. You have all the makings for a superb warrior. As your older brother has all the makings of an excellent War-Priest for Lord Thor.”
Ivan gaped at his grandfather. A moment later he recovered himself.
“My boy," The old warrior explained. "Even before your letter, I saw your parents, may the Gods bless them, had planned for you two all wrong. Your brother is more attuned to faith, you’re more likely to trust in a blade.”
His Grandfather waved his hand at the sword. “I want you to do something for me boy. I want you to touch Blue Flame.”
The young man looked surprised. “Grandfather, this is a change. You always told me not to…”
The older man put up a hand. “I know what I said, but times have changed. Lord Odin and the fates have something important in store for you. Go on, touch it.”
Without another word Ivan turned towards the sword and reached out. He wrapped a hand around the hilt.
An aura of flame enveloped him. To the young man’s surprise the flame didn’t burn him, instead he felt a powerful presence enter his mind. It was a benevolent force that looked over him and accepted him.
Ivan released his grip on the sword and looked at his grandfather who smiled. “As I suspected. To make a long story short my boy, Hel and Surtur’s followers are coming back, albeit in disguise. I’ll talk to your parents about getting you proper warrior training.”
Ivan’s eyes lit up in relief. “Thank you, grandfather you are a wise man.”
“Age and experience made me that way Ivan. Meanwhile trust in your brother and your immediate friends. You'll need them for what’s coming boy.”