TITE: Justice

AUTHOR: Stormwolf Dawn

RATING: R for violence

WARNING: AU, Violence, Bad guy Jim

Summary: when a sentinel turns evil, a guide brings justice

Justice
by Stormwolf Dawn

James Ellison, Baron of Stone Keep, stood on the battlements of his fortress and stared down at the army that was gathering on the field beyond the castle. Lord Simon, Warden of the North, had gathered some five thousand men to try and take Stone Keep. Two thousand heavy
calvary, five hundred light calvary, a thousand bowmen, five hundred pikemen, and the rest were rabble recruited from his fields...all to bring a sentinel to justice.

James laughed at the thought. Turning on his heel he looked down at what was left of his own men. Thugs, James knew. Mercenaries, and thugs, men with black hearts or greedy souls ready to keep Lord Simon from taking the castle. James knew it wasn't enough, but it didn't matter. He would die with them, but he would die with the knowledge that Simon was too late...too late by one day.

James focused his attention to the South Tower wall, and grinned an evil grin. Hanging from the wall by iron shackles, crows making the most of their free meal, the corpse of Simon's son taunted the Warden of the North with its hideousness. The young man had been in Ravenskeep when James had taken it, his mercenaries that at the time had numbered three thousand having killed, tortured and raped the inhabitant of Ravenskeep. Darryl had survived only to die on the walls of Stone Keep as a warning to his father.

But then Simon had appeared on the horizon early that morning with his five thousand men, and most of the mercenaries had fled, only to die with arrows in their back...arrows from both North Keep and Simon's bowmen.

A noise reached his sensitive ears, and James turned his attention to the invading army. His sight automatically focused and enhanced the striding figure whose movement through the camp was causing a stir among the men. Curly chestnut hair bounced on broad shoulders as the young man dressed in dark grey strolled through the camp with a large silver wolf at his heels heading for the main tent which housed Simon.

James snarled even as he quivered inside from fear. A Guide. James pounded his fist into the stonework beneath him calling himself a fool. Of course they would have a guide...only they could pass judgment on a sentinel. Only they had the power to order the execution of James Ellison. In frustration, James stalked from the battlements down the winding staircase of the turret, and across the courtyard to await the messenger that Simon would surely send.

Lord Simon lifted his head as his tent flap opened to admit Guide Blair. Despite the grimness of the situation, Simon smiled at Blair, a man he could call friend, and who understood his grief.

"Blair I'm glad you came." Simon said gesturing to one of the folding chairs.

Blair took the seat gratefully, and the wolf sat on its haunches beside the young guide.

"You called me, of course I would come. I'm truly sorry for your loss, Simon, but I must ask what you plan to do?"

"I want to take the bastard alive, Blair. I want you here to stand in judgment. I'm going to ask him to surrender, but I doubt he'll agree. Its going to be a bloody battle, and if he survives, I want him to stand trial."

Blair nodded, "Good, I had hoped that despite what has happened you would retain your sense of justice. I'm glad to know that you are still the Simon Banks I know."

"I'll admit, I'm tempted to just put a sword in his belly and watch him bleed to death, but I know the law. I have followed the laws of this kingdom faithfully. My son would not like it if I got myself exiled for breaking the law." Simon bowed his head, eyes filled with tears.

"I must admit though I am afraid to send a messenger. I don't think that sentinel will abide by the rules of combat and allow a messenger to go unharmed. I don't want to order anyone to their deaths needlessly."

"Have a messenger read the proclamation aloud before the gates just out of bowshot...he is a sentinel...he will hear it." Blair suggested.

Simon nodded. "He won't accept, but I must give him a full day to decide as required. If he does not accept we will attack tomorrow. I already have my catapults in place. Soon, one way or another we shall see the end of his cruelty and insanity."

Blair nodded, then stood leaving the tent and heading for his own. Halfway there he stopped and looked toward the castle. James' father, William, had built that castle some fifty year ago from the labor of slaves who he then had crucified along the road that led to the castle...a tradition that James kept for as they had marched to the castle they had passed by the crucifies corpses of men and women, survivors from Ravensfell Keep. William had infected his only son
with his madness, and had refused to allow his son to be bonded to a guide. The Council had foolishly not forced the issue, and had allowed the young sentinel to stay with his cruel and insane father. Blair could only guess at what William had done to his son, but James' insanity was even worse than his fathers'. A sentinel corrupted was more dangerous than an ordinary man. Without a guide, the sentinel's senses would have driven him even more insane. The Council had allowed Blair to go upon Simon's summons, and ordered him to put down the rabid sentinel that they had allowed into being.

A few hours later, the messenger read the proclamation, ordering James to surrender and face trial. From the battlements, James had laughed, and two arrows had fallen short from where the messenger stood.

The next day, the attack commenced. Seven catapults bombarded the stone walls of the keep. Only once or twice did James answer with his own catapults. When the walls were down, the men attacked. Arrows answered them, and men fell screaming and dying, but the bulk of the army entered the Keep.

James fought in his hall before his banner, a rampant black panther on scarlet. He fought like a demon, snarling and growling, barely human, but he killed all those who opposed him.

Eventually Simon swinging his broadsword made his way to the snarling sentinel, and the two swords flashed and clanged as they met each other.

Feral, insane, and deadly James fought with every ounce of his skill, but Simon was the better swordsmen, and he was in his right mind.

Simon managed to disarm the sentinel, who flew at Simon in a rage headless of the sword...a suicide attack. But Simon was quick, and a blow with the flat of his blade to the sentinel's head knocked James to the ground unconscious, bleeding from the blow.

Simon dropped the point of his sword and looked around to see that the battle was won. Only his men were left standing.

>From admidst the bloody warriors, Blair strolled toward Simon and the fallen sentinel, his own sword covered in blood, the wolf at his heel, blood sicoloring its snout. He stopped and knelt
beside the sentinel laying a hand on the man's chest feeling the heartbeat beneath his palm.

Blue tinged the world he found himself in. Beside him was his wolf, who looked at him, and then padded through the dense foliage of the forest they were in. Blair followed obediantly until they came to a temple of Bastet where a black panther awaited them. Behind the panther kneeled James, wearing the dark clothes of a sentinel.

Blair waited, and the panther shapeshifted into an older guide wearing ancient dark grey clothing made of leather. The older guide smiled at Blair. "We are hear, youngling to judge the sentinel for his crimes."

"Yes, we are Elder. But who shall speak for the sentinel?" Blair asked.

The wolf moved forward and shifted until he became a young man with short brown hair, and green eyes wearing the dark grey clothing of a guide. "I will speak for the sentinel." The young man said.

The Elder guide nodded, "So be it. The sentinel is charged with murder, rape, treason, and abuse of his powers."

"I plead for leniency, Elder." The young guide said. "The Guide Council failed in their duties by not forcing William to allow his son to be bonded. In doing so they left a sentinel child in the hands of an insane madman without the calming influence of a guide. Between his out of control senses, and his insane father, this sentinel had no chance. Both drew him down into the depths of madness, and there was no guide to draw him out."

The Elder nodded, "Yes, we agree that the Council failed its duty, do we not little brother?" The Elder turned to Blair.

"Yes, he is right. The Council failed. James was betrayed by the Council of Guides. However, his insanity has destroyed many others. We cannot allow it to continue.

The Elder nodded, "You are correct. Therefor James must die."

Blair was about to open his mouth, but stopped when younger guide placed a hand on his shoulder.

The Elder turned to look at the sentinel who knelt before them, chained by a gold collar to the temple. As the Elder stepped foward, the sentinel snarled, all trace of humanity gone from the man's face. It made Blair shudder.

The Elder unperturbed by the display, touched James forehead, and a glow surrounded the sentinel. When it dissipated, gone was the feral sentinel in chains. In his place stood a young boy, no more than six, wearing the belted tunic and leggings that children usually wore, but black for a sentinel. The boy with short brown hair looked up at the Elder and smiled. The Elder smiled back and tousled the boy's hair, then led him with a guiding hand on his shoulder to where Blair stood waiting.

Blair looked down at the boy, who looked up at him with the blue eyes that had once been filled with insanity and hatred, but now twinkled merrily with the light of innocence, and Blair understood. James was dead, and in his place was the boy he had once been before his father's cruelty, and the Council's betrayal.

"This is Jimmy," The Elder said.

James was dead, but Jimmy still lived. And Blair knelt down before his sentinel, for he knew that to be true, and reached out to clasp his hand on the boy's shoulder smiling. "Let's go home, Jimmy."

The blue world dissapeared, and Blair awoke into the real world, the smell of blood filling his own nostrils almost making him want to gag. He looked down at the one who had once been James. There was no physical change. The man's body was still there, but the mind was gone. Blair knew that. In its place was the mind of a six year old sentinel. Blair looked up at Simon. "We must talk."

Simon looked at Blair, and knew that something significant had happened.

He ordered James to be taken to the dungeon, but Blair forstalled him telling them to take the man to his chambers, and to not harm him. Simon was not pleased, but he said nothing. The guide was in charge now.

They followed the men who carried the sentinel, and once in the chamber, Blair dismissed everyone but Simon.

"What is going on?' Simon asked.

"James is dead, Simon. Justice has happened." Blair said.

"I don't understand." Simon practically growled.

"Guides and sentinel are able to walk another world, known as the spirit world. Wether you believe that or not makes no difference. The trial took place there, and the Elder, the first guide, was there. He passed judgement, and punished James. James is dead, but because the Guide Council betrayed James leaving him to his father and his senses, James was given a second chance. When he awakens, he will be a man in body, but a child in his mind. If it makes you feel more comfortable, you can say that your sword blow robbed him of his self, leaving behind the child. Do you understand Simon."

"I have seen that happen, Blair. The man had been kicked by a horse, and was like a four year old child. He didn't survive long."

"Jimmy will survive. I will be there, I am his guide. He will be allowed to grow up again to learn the gift that his senses are, and not the torture they were to him before."

"James will never come back?" Simon asked.

Blair shook his head.

"Then justice is served, and I am content. I will tell the others that it was the swordblow, and that James will never come back, and that he is now a child, and a sentinel, no more no less."

Blair nodded, and watched Simon leave the room, then turned back to his sentinel ready to face his destiny.

END

Hope you enjoy this. Since its not slash, I guess it can't be my dues. Oh well. I have a few days left maybe I can come up with somehting. And there probably won't be a sequel. Feedback welcome and appreciated.