The Corn Fields

A Chapter by Nlugner

Sensei and Student reunite.

"Call me Alex." The boy said, eagerly shoving his hand forward. Clive laughed, not a throaty laugh, but a big belly laugh at the boys eagerness. He crouched down, taking the boys small hand in his large calloused fingers, tough as wood compared to the cotton he had in his hand. "I'm Clive, little man."He said, in his deep, yet soothing voice. It poured out of him like a gentle river, powerful, but restrained. They shook, and Clive stood up. "Now I never forget s face..." He began, looking at the boys fair blonde hair, and sparkles blue eyes. "Now there can't be a doubt in my mind that your father is Fawkes." Clive watched as the child's fair face wrinkled in confusion. "How'd ya know that?" He asked. Clive laughed again, almost scaring the boy from the sudden burst of jovial youth coming from the man with greying hair.

"A long time ago, your father was my number one apprentice."He said. "We scoured all 5 continents, battling bandits and fighting dragons". He said with a wink, watching the boys face turn to joy. "You mean Papa slayed Dragons?" The boy asked, jumping up and down. "Tell me more, did you ever fight an ogre"? He grabbed onto the tattered black cape that almost touched the floor. "Papa has one like this, did you give it to him?" He said, looking up at Clive with expecting eyes, He rubbed his stubble. "Well we had on-""What about my mom, did you ever meet her?" "Olivia?" He asked. The boy nodded. "Did you ever get to meet the king? I bet you had to-" he was cut short by a hand gently, but firmly dropped onto his head, and ruffling his thick hair. "Slow down boy, I can't answer your questions if you keep asking em."

Alex looked disappointed, but he stopped pestering Clive with questions. "Now did you ask about a giant, no, an ogre right? Yeah we had a nasty run in with a few ogres once. Delightful bunch,but dreadful breath". He said seriously, as Alex started giggling. "We didn't fight them though, we fought with them." He explained. The boys head cocked to the right again. "I thought ogres were bad though." "What in Gods name gave you that idea!" Clive said, his voice raising with excitement and nostalgia. "Ogres are some of the most loyal creatures to walk the earth, great story tellers to. I mean, Hell, I'd be dead now if it wasn't for an old ogre shaman who healed me. Great bunch, you should go to there forest and visit them. Tell em' who your the son of and they'll welcome you like a hero!"

The boy remained confused. "Ogres live out in the wilds. They don't have a forest". Clive looked down at the boy. "Are you sure you and me are talking about the same bunch of ogres? Big, blue, carry pine clubs around, around 8 feet tall?" Alex nodded. "Yeah they live in the wilds outside the kingdom." Clive rubbed his stubble. "No that can't be right. After the concord they were permitted into the kingdom, given a patch of forest to build there own town." Clive bent down again, and he was still quite away from being on eye level with the he four year old. "Do you remember when this happened, Alex?" He asked. The boy fidgeted, kicking the dirt up at his feet, as birds flew over head.

"Out of all the people to meet on my humble farm, I would have never excepted it to be the mighty Clive." A voice called out from a nearby hill. "Papa!" The boy yelled, running towards the hill, towards the silhouette."Well I'll be damned." Clive said, as the figure started walking towArds him. "And I never thought the Fearsome Fawkes would be tending a farm in his old age." The figure began to illuminate. From his hair,to his eyes, to his half upturned grin, his son was a mirror image of him. The boy tailed behind him, hopping about. The two got closer and hugged, patting each other on the back as Clive let out another belly laugh. "Ah friend, I see these 15 years haven't treated you well." Fawkes said, noticing his masters grey hairs. "Eh, appearances can be deceiving. My sword arm is just as strong as it's ever been." He said, hitting him playfully on the shoulder.

"What about you, farming corn all day. When's the last time that hand touched a blade?" He asked. Fawkes bent down, picking up his son and putting him up on his shoulders. "No blades here old friend, only the comfort of a sickle and a hoe."Clive snorted. " Talk about a demotion if I've seen one". Fawkes sneered at him. "So what is it Sensei, I can't imagine after 15 years you just came for a check up, it's been a few too many years for that." Clive gazed out at the fields of corn, scarecrows with crows sitting patiently on top of them. "I wish it was that simple friend." Fawkes raised his eyebrow. "No, I suppose for us it never will be." Alex, perched patiently on his fathers shoulders sat silent, listening to the interesting man speak. "Come, the who use is just over that hill." Fawkes said, pointing with a dirty hand to the horizon. "We can catch up there. Though I don't think Olivia will be pleased." He added as an afterthought.

Clive began striding towards the hill, passing the houses owner. "How is that old girl? Last time I saw her was before the raid on Fort Ebony." He said. "Sensei please stop." Fawkes said firmly. He put Alex down. "Go run up the hill and tell mommy that a friend of daddy's is coming, but only for a quick visit". He said. The boy nodded. "Watch me run there Papa!"He yelled, as he zipped off through the rows of corn. "Why the sudden hesitation," Clive asked, as he saw the stress in his friends eyes. "When we had Alex, Olivia made me make a promise. Never go on some journey again. Your days of being a reaper are over, leave it to the next generation. After 15 years of not even a letter from you and you appear in my corn fields?"

Fawkes looked at his Sensei with sad eyes. "I know this isn't a social trip. Something is happening isn't it?" Clive looked at his student closely, and a silence enclosed them. "Apparently more so than I thought. Our ogre friends are living in the wilds while you farm corn." He said quietly. Fawkes flared up. "Theres nothing I could do. Fights broke out, people died in town. The people wanted the ogres heads. They got banished for a reason Clive. They caused trouble." Clive gave his student a half smile. "We caused a lot more trouble and pain back in our day, and the humanity isn't paying for our sins". He said. "Remember the Reckoning." A silence came over the crops, as the crows flew away, leaving the two alone. "Remember."