#hjalte

“Why are you here?” Allistor demanded, drawing his sword. Hjalte looked up from the massive peach in his hand, eyes drifting lazily over Allistor. His body shimmered on the edges and the fading sunlight seemed to go right through him. “You aren’t really here, though, are you?”

“No, not really,” Hjalte said. “It’s a simple illusion, one that works quite well for me.”

“And, why are ‘you’ here?” Allistor asked. 

“To offer you a deal. Join Me,” Hjalte said, beckoning with a finger. 

“Why?” Allistor asked, running his thumb over the jewel in the hilt. “I’m not Awakened like Arthur, my blood is useless to you. Also, you’re trying to destroy humanity.” 

“You and a small amount of humans of your choosing would be protected. You’d be revered. The last of the Berserkers and a Seer. Of course, you’d have to be Awakened, but that’s an easy fix. One quick ritual, and then you’d be basically unstoppable.”  

Allistor adjusted his sword in his sweaty grip and looked back at the city walls. If he yelled, there would be guards there in a second, ready to protect him and even die for him. His hands were shaking and he had to remind himself that this wasn’t really Hjalte. It was just an illusion, an illusion. He swallowed the lump in his throat. 

“As tempting as having the Sight is, I don’t want that,” he said quietly, keeping the shaking out of his voice. “I don’t want that,” he repeated, confidence creeping in as he remembered what Arthur had told him earlier. “But, I do have an offer for you, Seachtinius.”

“Oh?” Hjalte’s face soured quicker than milk on a warm day. He let go of the peach and it vanished from the illusion. Allistor nodded slowly, tightening the straps on his shield. This was gonna probably hurt.

“Get out of my great-uncle and leave our family alone.” 

Hjalte blinked. Allistor held his breath, bracing for an attack, a shriek, a curse, anything. He slowly took a step back, adjusting his stance. 

Nothing came.