《Hadrian: The Crucified》


 Chapter 1: Rebirth

    I do not remember how long I had been on the cross: how many days I languished there, how often I drifted in and out of consciousness, or even how long it was since I had seen another human face. What I did know was the reason. My own Legate condemned me to this fate. I had been nailed to the cross like some common criminal, undeserving of the basic sympathy that would be normally awarded to a citizen of the republic, let alone a centurion who fought for Roharim¡¯s honor. I fought for my republic and thus was awarded this fate simply over what Gods I chose to believe in. At that point, it mattered not. What mattered was that I was here ready to die. None would remember my name, or even know I was born at all. All that would be left of me would be the sun-bleached bones hanging from a dried-out wooden cross in the middle of the accursed blasted lands. A marker for all to see, though none would know the warning. At that moment, I contemplated letting go.


    But that would have been a weakness¡­ The iron nail that dug into my wrist burned worse than the blazing heat of the sun. What was I to do out here, alone? Even if I had escaped, the Blasted Lands were a vast, endless desert that stretched on for miles. Where would I go? What would I need to do? My once strong body began to slowly wither. No food and water. I should have been dead by that point, but the fire of my own will burn brightly then as it does now. I could feel my body urging me to let go; to give up the struggle, to let my story end there where none will remember my deeds. No¡­I refused. With the last bits of my body¡¯s strength, I began to pull. Trying to move my wrists, I pulled as hard as I could. The pain was tremendous, but my will was even greater. I remember screaming a primal yell that came from deep within my chest. I struggled as hard as I could, yet I felt myself waning at every passing moment. Then I felt something that gave me hope. I was making progress. The nail became loose in my right arm. I struggled further until at last, I ripped my arm from the cross, nail deep within me. I could at long last move my arm and was partly free. I looked down. My feet were blessedly only tied to the base. I would be able to walk if I managed to get that far. I took my now free hand and pulled my trapped arm. I made quick progress. As I pulled myself off the cross, I fell forward, my body weight no longer confined to the cross. I fell face first in the sand, my feet freed, having slipped out of their bondage.


    The grains of sand stung my wounds. I coughed the dust out. The agony was beyond anything I can recollect¡­but it was outweighed by a new sensation. Freedom. Slowly, I stood up and glared at the cross that was to be my tomb. I heaved, my throat was dry and my blood boiled. I clenched my fists despite the pain, and I let out a victorious cry. I swore I could feel the earth tremble at my feet. My war cry was answered by the uncaring, biting winds that began to howl louder.


    I turned to see a sandstorm approaching me slowly. I scowled. I needed to find some sort of shelter, yet where would I find such refuge? All there was before me was endless oceans of sand. Defiant, I marched forward, my back against the approaching storm. I walked and looked for shelter, yet would find no comfort. I used much of my energy to escape from the cross and stumbled like a drunken blind man. Still, I pressed on.


    The storm eventually caught up to me, and I walked without anything to shield me. I was naked, being whipped by the sandy winds like a disobedient slave. I was determined to go forth. I was determined to live. Yet even the best of us falter. I fell to my knees and groaned. I hadn¡¯t bothered to remove the spikes from my arm yet. I looked at them. I couldn¡¯t tell you why I did not remove them then and there, for that was not a primary focus at the time. It was hard to breathe within that storm. I wondered how I could persist.


    It was then¡­ I saw. Within that storm, I raised my head to see the silhouette of something large that tangled and shifted along with the dunes. Something massive that was shrouded in the haze. My eyes tried to focus on it, despite them being stung by the wind and sand. It was colossal. There were no mountains when I faced this area, yet this thing was taller than any mountain I had ever seen in my life.


    I could never see this thing clearly, yet I could feel it moving. The ground shook as it slithered closer. It towered over me through the dense cloud of dirt and sand. The great serpent that stood before me flicked its forked tongue. I was in awe. Was this the final hour of my death? Have I come face to face with the great serpent himself? Fitting then as it was to be on my knees in submission. The only thing I could see beyond the shape was the great golden eyes that shined brightly. It opened its fanged mouth and let out a loud hiss. It shook me to my very core and reverberated throughout my entire body. In my head, a foreign voice spoke to me with the wisdom of a serpent. One word. One simple word.


    ¡°Conquer¡­¡±


    My body couldn¡¯t handle this, and I fell forward, darkness surrounding me like a cloak. I awoke later, buried in the sand. I crawled my way up through the dirt. The storm had passed over me, and I could see something on the horizon. An oasis. My lips were cracked and split. I stumbled over. This was not just an Oasis. This was a river. I staggered, my body felt as if it were on fire, but I dragged on. Finally, I went to the riverside and drank. I gulped down as much water as I could take. When you have something so precious as water taken from you, its return is all the more splendid. I drank more, and at long last, I gulped down enough to sate me.


    I examined my surroundings. I was in some type of ravine with large canyons surrounding it. Huge red rocks that towered high. Trees were all around me, trees I could not recognize. But I needed something else. I needed shelter. I needed a place that could be my refuge and could make tools. As I was thinking about survival, I then felt my stomach growling like a lion waiting for its next meal. At that time, I was in no condition to hunt. I had to gather supplies. The most important being food. I found a tree that bore bright red fruit, almost like an apple, yet spiked. I was worried that this was poisonous. So I climbed up, picked a fruit, and cut it open using a nearby rock. Inside was a lime green fruit filled with juice. Before anything, I rubbed some of it on my skin. I knew that if it were poisonous, my body would react to it. I waited for several minutes. Nothing. I believed these were safe to eat. So once more I would eat my fill. I gathered as much as my arms could carry, and then scanned around. I found a cave that would suffice.


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    I gathered broken branches and bark from some trees outside and thus began to start my fire. I prepared myself for the worst part of this ordeal. The removal of the nails. I had gathered some leaves as a bandage. I placed a stick at my campfire so I could seal the wound. Once I pulled them out, I would start to bleed and would need to stop it. I placed another stick in my mouth, for it would be undeniably painful. Then I pulled. My first attempt failed, feeling a great jolt of pain go through my arm. I tried again, but the result was the same. I then had the idea to try to hit it against a rock. I lined my arm up and swung my arm. This caused the pain to be even worse, but I succeeded in my efforts. I pulled the spike out once I had a good grip on it. Immediately I burned my wound on both ends, which was the most painful moment out of all that effort to heal myself.


    I coated my arm in ash and then wrapped the bandage around myself. Now all I had to do was go through the entire event all over again. When that was done, I had bitten down on the wood hard enough to snap it. Wrapping up my wound, I felt dizzy and would fall back. The pain had finally ended, and I would at long last sink into a quiet blackness.


    This was the lowest point in my tale, here. I had been betrayed by my commander who I served faithfully. My years of service to the Republic meant nothing. I was cast out; abandoned like some unwanted child left for the wolves. But I was not defenseless. I had my mind, my sanity, and my will.


    I don¡¯t know how long it was when I passed out, but when I awoke, my entire body ached. My wrists were sore, and my skin burnt. I stood up and sought to cool myself off in the river. Stepping out of my cave, I greeted the setting sun with a newfound resolve. While I still had light, I would see what damage was wrought upon me. Looking at my reflection in the water, I could see that my long black hair was frayed and split. My hair shined once and was dulled beyond recognition. My beard had become a mess as if someone had ruffled my feathers. My once light skin had been reddened and blistered, sunburnt. Yet I could still see my bright green eyes, filled with determination. I had lost much of my body weight. I would need to fill myself up and become healthy and strong once again. I dipped myself into the river and felt the cool, refreshing waters coat my skin. I smiled and embraced the feeling. I relaxed content for the small comfort.


    It was there then that I felt a distinct feeling. The feeling of being watched. I was on full alert. They nailed me to the cross without so much as a loincloth. I was as naked as the day I was born. Humiliating, but the least of my troubles. I stood up and turned my back, walking away. I had my suspicions about what was watching me. I looked around for whatever might have been a suitable weapon. I found a rock that could fit in my hand very easily. I picked it up and continued walking. Then, my attacker sprang forward. It leaped at me with dagger-like claws and attempted to pounce. I turned to face my attacker and used the momentum of its weight to throw it aside. The creature growled and fell, tumbling about until it rose to all four feet. It glared at me. It was an animal that resembled a cougar. Being a nocturnal animal, It had fur, but also large bony armor plating around its back. Its fangs were elongated, nine-inch blades that could impale me. The night was getting closer, and the cold was coming. I could see the beast was hungry. Its blue eyes were glowing in the light of the sunset. It attacked again and clawed my leg, slashing my thigh. I yelled in pain and slammed my rock into its face.


    The beast roared and was in a daze. I puffed my chest out to try to make myself look like a larger threat, yelling as I waved my arms. That only made it angrier and more determined to devour me. It jumped on me and clawed at me, ripping my back and chest to shreds. It tried to bite me, yet I repeatedly smashed its face with my rock. I then had the ingenious idea to shove my fist into its mouth and trigger its gag reflex. It jumped off of me and threw up, where I was able to hit it again. I got overconfident, for I got within range for it to swipe my leg. It knocked me on my back and pounced. It ripped at me with murder in its eyes.


    It tried once again to bite me, aiming for my neck. I glared at the beast, pushing its head away, fighting for my life. I struggled as its spit drooled on me. I growled and saw the beast¡¯s tongue. I quickly grabbed it and pulled at it. It tried to run away, but I slammed my elbow into its jaw with enough force that it bit off its tongue. Disoriented, it cried out, bleeding. I took my rock and I bashed it in the head again and again and again. Every thunderous strike from my blows came down hard. With every hit, it jumped up until all life was gone from it. I stood up. I was injured greatly. I would need to bandage myself up yet again, and I would have many scars on my body¡­yet I survived. I stood over my kill and let out a victorious war cry.


    Finally, the adrenalin wore off and I fell to my knees. I huffed, readying myself to drag the beast back into my cave. I assessed my wounds and treated them. That night, I had the beast warm both my body and my belly. Its pelt made for good clothes, and its teeth would make for good daggers. As for the nails of my cross, I fashioned them as tips for my spears to hunt, making sure to sharpen them. I was victorious.


    I stepped out of my cave now fully clothed. My wounds were beginning to heal slowly, but I had arrived. My old life was over. Now came a rebirth that would start me on the road to greater things. When I came to these blasted lands, I had nothing. Nothing but two nails dug into my wrists. I looked at my wrists and sighed deeply. Legatus Tempest¡­ my former commander, afraid of me. Fearing the great serpent. Fearing change. I would one day meet him again, but it was not this day. This day, I was happy simply to have survived. With a new purpose and my will burning brighter than the blazing hot sun, I was determined to live. For this was the first step on the road to greatness. The road to becoming a king.

 Chapter 2: A friend

    Within the next few weeks of my isolation in the ravine, I fell into a routine. I woke up, ate whatever was left of the previous night''s meal, drank water from the river, and did my regular chores. When my body had healed from the predator¡¯s attack, I would exercise and keep myself in top shape. I trained my body to become as strong as it was before I had been nailed to the cross. At first, it was difficult. The wounds on my wrists were still fresh. I had to change my bandages daily so the wound wouldn¡¯t fester. Despite the pain of holding simple objects, I suffered quietly. I¡¯d rather be in discomfort than lose the use of my hands. If I could not adapt, I would be dead.


    My training within the legion had served me well, and continued to serve me. Yet for all the advantages I had, I had my share of disadvantages. I lacked many proper resources to improve my situation. I had limited training in forging thanks to my father, yet I lacked the proper ores to make something. Still, the beast was useful even in death. I decided to forgo using them as daggers and fashioned a crude pickaxe. I soon found that I was able to turn large boulders into gravel with enough effort. If I had enough food, I would forgo hunting in favor of planning a more suitable shelter for myself. I had the idea to build a primitive house. This was far easier said than done. I had no training in blacksmithing, and could do very little aside from planning. In hindsight, I should have focused more on looking for someone else. The Blasted Lands were where many prisoners were sent to die for some sin or another. I thought that perhaps I could find someone to talk to and keep my sanity. Yet I focused more on building my mud hut than finding companionship. We all have our hobbies I suppose. I remembered when my legion encountered mudhuts in the same vein that  I was building. I mocked them and belittled the huts, yet now irony was mocking me as if I were some fool dressed in brightly colored clothes and proclaimed myself king of sand. I was not mighty, not then at least, yet I fell hard all the same.


    At night, I would eat my dinner and then pray to my god, Ile Sathak. The great serpent who¡¯s worship was the reason I had been nailed to cross in the first place. Luverius was the Roharim patron God. He was the God of wisdom, and considered by my people to be the creator of mankind. My father believed in Wotan the Allfather. A being of great knowledge and power. I acknowledge both, yet I always found myself to never be a true believer.


    Ile Sathak was something else entirely. I was never satisfied with the answers my kin gave me about how the world worked. I never thought that they were lying to me of course. It was more akin to being given a meal, yet still feeling hungry. Not enough to keep you sated, so you looked for something else to eat. I hungered for knowledge beyond my own understanding, and Ile Sathak seemed like he would provide me with the perfect answers.


    My first encounters with the serpentine God were word of mouth. The intrigue of finally satiating myself with answers to my questions. The great philosophers of Roharim debated constantly about a riddle. An enigma. ¡°The Enigma of Steel¡± as it was called. It was the most puzzling thing. How can someone answer a question when not even the question is known? Before one could figure out the answer to this riddle, one must know the question first. The only clue was in the name: steel.


    In my quest to gather information about this, I heard of the cult of Ille Sathak. They promised knowledge and the prospect of becoming one with the universe. Like a moth drawn to the flame, I was under their spell. I met with them in secret, learning everything I could about them. I took part in their rituals, engaged in recreational herbs, and even partook in¡­shall we say, carnal rituals?


    Yet this gave me questions that I wasn¡¯t looking for. I was becoming frustrated, and this cult seemed to be no more use to me than all the other pantheons. I was about to give up, when I had my first encounter with Ile Sathak.


    I was but a Decanus at the time, well on my way to achieve a high status in the legion. We were to transfer our forces from beautiful Roharim, we had enough time for ourselves to relax, the rest of the legionnaires and myself. Those with families would spend the day with them as if it were their last. Others would simply indulge in drink and carnal pleasure. I myself snuck into what seemed to be a party of some sorts, blending in with the rest of the young men and women. I was much younger then, no more than eighteen summers.


    I drank enough to not dull my senses. A little intoxication, but not enough to make myself appear to be an idiot. I met a girl there. Her hair was a curly ashen brown, her lips were bright red like rose petals, her skin was soft and fair, and her eyes were a vibrant hazel. The way she batted her eyelashes at me stirred something within me that I couldn¡¯t resist.


    We drank, danced and flirted. She pulled me into the house. I remember that the busts and statues included depictions of her. It was clear to me that this was in fact her home. I believe she was the daughter of a wealthy merchant who was tired of the dull existence being confined to these walls, and thus wanted some type of distraction. Fortunately for myself that night, I was just the thing to entertain her.


    We enjoyed each other''s company for the rest of the night. After the pleasures of having known each other on such a level, we slept in the same bed, her body entangled with mine, satisfied with the adventure we took. I was exhausted more than I had ever been. She pushed me harder than any decanus pushed me in physical training. I slept soundly.


    That night, I had a dream. Though now that I think about it, perhaps a better name would be vision. I saw myself upon a throne carved in marble. It had sheets of Black marble in the sides just under the arm rests. The tall back bore a symbol on the rear. One that I recognized as my own, yet I never made it. It resembled that of a Lion¡¯s head. The mane of the lion was made out of multiple snakes like a hydra. The lion¡¯s head was flanked by two snakes coiled around each other in a tight braid, acting as a border around the Lion. The entire image was surrounded by a laurel wreath. The face of the lion was stern. Not angered, but more of an ever present vigil, as if awaiting a storm.


    The back of the throne also had a small arch. To my sides I saw two serpent statues jutting out of the floor made of obsidian. Their eyes were made of sparkling emeralds. Between the statues and my throne were two stone braisers that illuminated the throne room. Above the throne was a massive obsidian serpent like the others, yet its eyes were rubies. All around this throne room of mine were bright red banners with the same symbol as the one on my throne. Unlike banners of Roharam, these banners did not have eagle standards which was customary. Instead they had the image of a serpent as their standards, made out of gold. Before me was a small stairway that would descend to the floor itself. I had raised my throne and myself up to intimidate anyone who would meet with me, so that they would feel as if they walked into a lion''s den, waiting for the excuse to pounce.


    I was looking at myself as if I were another person in the room. I sat there motionlessly, unblinking. I was older. I had many scars upon my body, and a few on my face. My hair was peppered with gray as I looked more world weary. The older version of myself stared at me, unblinking. I felt frightened, not knowing exactly how to feel about my current situation. I judged myself. I could feel it in my bones. Then I felt something brush against my feet. I looked down and saw a snake. A python slither its way over to the version of me on the throne. It wrapped itself around my counterpart. Then another snake brushed past me. I soon found that there was an ocean of serpents that slithered to my older self.


    They wrapped around me, and I could feel them upon my own skin. They swarmed me and were enough to blind me, their bodies closing around my reflection¡¯s face, slowly concealing my eye. My own vision went with my reflections. I was afraid. What was happening? Were these snakes trying to strangle me? But I felt comfort. No. These serpents had not come to kill me. On the contrary, they embraced me. They protected me.


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    I had been chosen. I could feel it. I was chosen by Ille Sathak. I awoke in bed, still late at night, my lover sleeping soundly by my side. Upon looking at her again, I was half tempted to wake her up for some more carnal delights, yet I heard the all too recognizable sound of an angry father yelling at the party goers outside. I had to flee, lest I feel his wrath upon me and be held away before I was to venture off for my new post. I kissed the girl on her cheek one last time and fled through the window. It was sad. I never even managed to get her name.


    I continued to have that vision time and time again up until I was condemned to die by my legate. I could not dwell on how I came to be here. How I went from bedding the finest girl in all of Roharim, becoming a centurion with full honors only to fall so low and find myself in that cave, surviving on scraps. One morning in that cave, I awoke and would pursue my usual duties. On that day however, I craved something else. Something more precious than food and water. I desired companionship. I decided that I should explore my environment and see if I could anyone or anything. Loneliness can drive a man to insanity, and I had to be stern, else I would find myself talking to a rock with a face drawn upon it.


    I had to find some means for companionship. I couldn¡¯t have been the only one to have somehow survived in these lands, could I? I began my hunt by retracing my steps. Obviously I was not about to walk into the desert only to get lost and die, thus ruining all of my hard work to survive. Fortunately, I had a height advantage. I scaled the top of the red canyon side, climbing up to the top. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t as easy as I make it out to be. I had to climb up a very steep cliffside. I fashioned myself some gear; a crude pickaxe and some hemp rope to secure myself. I almost fell a few times, but I found myself peeking over the top.


    With a good lay of the land, I scoured for any signs of human life. I saw where I had come from on the horizon. The cross was so far away that I could barely see it. I was closer to this oasis than I thought. I hadn¡¯t noticed it when I was brought here. In my defense though, I was not focused due to the blinding pain of having large nails driven through my wrist and being stuck in the hot blistering sun for days.


    I could see that there were multiple crosses. Perhaps I could see if there was anyone else. I scaled down the canyon side and would prepare. I fashioned a waterskin out of animal hide, and I wore the armor I carved from the beast I slew. The strong bone-like material would do me well. Alas, it was no segmentata, but it was a start.


    I gathered everything I needed and soon, I was off. The water helped me to no end. Refreshed, I scoured around the crosses. They were spaced out from each other for quite the distance. Most of the crucified were already dead. Some were there for about a week and began to bloat, while others were loosely hanging skeletons where most of their body simply fell off after being pecked clean by carrion birds. I was about to give up when I heard something in the distance. Someone was being crucified near me. I ran to the direction and hid behind the ruins of some ancient statue half buried by the desert. I peeked over to see four men who just finished crucifying a woman.


    Yet she made no sound as the nails were driven deeply into her. She looked like she was in immense pain, yet she did not scream. Only a silent gurgle. Four men were responsible for the deed. They wore armor I did not recognize. They were desert dwellers to be sure. They wrapped themselves in cloth to protect themselves from the blistering sun, dressed all in white to keep the heat off of them. One of them had fresh blood over his outfit, no doubt from hammering the nail into the woman.


    I had the instinct and the desire to help, but I was outnumbered. I would need to catch them off guard.I had my makeshift spear in my hands, and a club. They had swords.I had one shot with the spear. I held it like a javelin and stepped back, then threw it with all of my might. It soared through the air and then pierced one of the men right through his chest. He yelled and fell down hard in the sand. His white clothes were stained blood red. The others quickly became aware of my presence and searched for me. I hid right after my throw and waited, preparing my club. They came for me with blades drawn and murderous intent.


    I laid in wait by that statue, gripping my club tight enough for my knuckles to turn white. Then, as soon as the shuffling of their feet against the sand grew louder, I struck. I stood up and let out a war cry and swung my club directly into an attacker''s face. I could hear the sound of bone crushing as I shattered his jaw like glass. Instantly his mouth exploded in broken teeth and blood. He fell down, clutching his mangled mouth as the other two warriors were startled by my surprise attack.


    One warrior swung his blade at me, aiming for my arms. I blocked every strike with my club, but it was apparent that I would not last long with two of them attacking me at the same time. I couldn¡¯t get a single hit. Every movement I made ¡ªdespite my many attempts to attack- was devoted to blocking and stepping back. I had to wait for the right moment to strike. Fortunately for me, one of them decided to do something bold. He pulled his sword back and tried to thrust it into my belly. Seeing this, I moved myself to the side where I could wrap my arm around his, and then use my club to shatter his elbow, bending his arm in the wrong direction.


    My attacker let out a scream and dropped his weapon. As he fell, the other would-be assassin swung at my neck. I ducked, killing two birds with one stone. I avoided his strike and picked up the other man¡¯s sword. Armed with both a club and sword now, I had the upper hand.


    Suddenly my assailant found himself on the receiving end of my blows. He managed to get lucky and cut my shoulder with his blade. In return I pressed the attack until he finally got tired. One last blow, and I cut open his belly. His guts spilled at my feet. He fell to his knees, trying to stuff his own intestines back into himself, yet his attempts were fruitless. I was about to finish him off when the man with the broken jaw sought to claim my life from behind. He made the fatal mistake of screaming before taking the blade and attempting to cut me down. I turned just in time for him to bring the sword down upon my shoulder. I¡¯d have been a dead man if not for the armored hide I wore. He cut me deeply, but it was only a flesh wound.


    I smashed his nose with my forehead, sending the man back before I showed the attacker how it was done. I chopped him with my sword as if I were cutting wood, my blade slicing through the clavicle of the bone and becoming stuck. The man was dead before he fell to the ground. Picking up one of the other swords, I inspected the man with the broken arm. He shook violently in shock and pain in a fetal position. I stepped on his broken arm and made him scream loudly. Tears ran down his face as he looked up at me. Using my other foot, I kicked him over to his back. He held his good arm out. He begged me for mercy.


    ¡°S-Spare me. Please!¡±


    I answered by stepping on his neck, choking him. His was the only outfit not stained by blood, and I wanted to keep it that way. Using all of my weight, I crushed the man¡¯s windpipe and broke his neck, killing him quickly. It would be nice to wear something to protect the sun, so I would quickly strip him of his belongings. I took his provisions, clothes and weapons. I looked around for a bag to carry all of my ill-gotten gains. Fortunately, one of them had a backpack. Stuffing everything inside along with whatever else was inside the bag, I then went to inspect the woman.


    She had passed out from the pain. The nails in her wrists were deep, but they were fresh. She had just arrived in this Godsforsaken place. You could say she was lucky that I happened to be around. At last, after finding some company, I would see to her wounds. Using the tools left beside the cross, I pulled the nails out of her wrist. She jolted up awake and let out a silent scream. Her eyes watered in pain as she looked at me. I could see the reason why she couldn¡¯t let out a single sound. She actually survived having her throat slashed apart. Her vocal cords were cut in this attempt. It appeared that when slitting her throat didn¡¯t work then crucifixion was the next best thing. I wondered why someone would go through so much trouble. Regardless, after I removed the second nail she passed out again. I wrapped her naked body up in one of the dead men¡¯s bloodied robes and then carried her. She would need my care of course, but it was better than being alone. She would heal over time, and I had just made a new friend. All in all, I would say that it was a very good day.

 Chapter 3: Introductions

    Like before on the cross, the girl let out a silent scream as I healed her wounds as I did with myself. I regret that I had nothing to dull the pain, for I knew first hand that it was truly unbearable. After I wrapped her bandages up, I gave her a drink of water. I sat in front of her as she quietly drank. My mind drew a blank as to how to communicate with her. She appeared to be from across the sea for she was not of my people. I had only seen her people in the docks of Roharim when they traded, bringing forth valuable goods such as spices and the finest silk I had ever seen. Her skin -albeit a little sunburnt- was a royal pale color. Her hair was jet black, Long and braided. Her brown eyes were slanted in a way that made her appear as if she were a clever, mischievous fox.


    I had no idea if she could even speak my language, so I improvised. I pressed my fingers upon my chest and spoke slowly and clearly to her.


    ¡°Hadrian. I am Hadrian.¡±


    She nodded. She could understand me. She began to move her hands around me. I stepped back, thinking she may be attempting to cast a spell, but no, that was far from the case. These gestures seemed to be some form of communication, though I had no concept of their meaning. I tried writing in the dirt, yet she couldn¡¯t understand my language in written form. I was puzzled as to how we could break this barrier. At first, we tried simple gestures. If she was hungry, I had her rub her belly and point to her mouth. If she was thirsty, she would pretend to hold a glass of water and drink it.


    Communication was the hardest aspect when dealing with her, yet despite the difficulties, I was content. The companionship I had boosted my morale, and I¡¯m sure the same would be said of her. At least I was far better company than the men who were nailing her to the cross, that much is certain. I had fashioned some robes for her out of the cloth left over from her assailants. The backpack carried rations, waterskins and a map of the area. It was a detailed map of the Blasted Lands. It showed me the names of many areas. From what the map stated, I was close to crossing ¡°The Blood River.¡±


    The titular river was long, winding and twisting around flowing from the east and towards the west where it would meet the sea. Eastward there was a settlement called ¡°Akari.¡± Beyond the name of the title and the crude drawing of a small city, I offered no information about the city, yet this was the nearest settlement. I was surprised. I heard that the Blasted Lands were inhospitable. Yet I shouldn¡¯t be shocked. The human spirit is indeed a strange, illusive thing. No matter how hopeless a situation seems to be, men will always find a way to defy the impossible, and do what needs to be done in order to prosper.


    More importantly, at that moment, Akari was a place where I could get resources. Yet, before I could even think about making the journey, my companion needed to be able to take it. I was not about to leave her here to fend for herself.


    At the moment, my companion was the higher concern. Afterall, there is safety in numbers. Never-the-less I would keep a mental note of Akari for my later investigation. For now,I had to focus on finding an easier way to speak to my companion. I couldn¡¯t even figure out her name at the time. A language barrier was terrible, but combined with her being a mute made things extremely difficult.


    When she was well enough to travel with me in hunts, I would try to get her to understand my actions. Drawing pictures was the best solution, though I was not the best artist when it came to my skills. It was about three months after our first encounter when we finally made a breakthrough. I decided to teach her my alphabet ¡ªunsure as to if it would even work¡ª as a means to break the barrier. Our tireless studies finally bore fruit when she drew her name in the alphabet. Cao Tzu. At long last, we had finally learned each other''s names. A momentous victory to be sure.


    In exchange, she would teach me her sign language. Cao Tzu revealed her intellect by not only her ability to learn from me, but to be an effective teacher in her own right. Whatever made communication an actual possibility. Slowly I taught her my language, and she taught me her silent speech. Counting the days on a tally score in the cave, I determined that it had been eight months since we arrived in the Blasted Lands. In that time, I was able to learn the basics of her gestures, and she understood the words I spoke.


    We hunted together and expanded our cave area. We constructed crude buildings. She was quiet about her past, yet she informed me that one of her skills was architecture. All she would tell me about those days was that she was commissioned to build her king a luxurious tower. This told me enough about her past. She was skilled enough to be noticed by royalty. We used her skills to our advantage, for we were able to build a small storehouse and a forge.


    I had a mind to work on my smithing and craft myself some better armor. Of course, the one thing I lacked was metal to forge anything. At first I considered melting down the spare swords collected from Tzu¡¯s captors. Ultimately we decided against it. You can never have enough swords out here. However, that did mean that metal would be extremely scarce. I thought about digging in the cave in search of metal, yet if I did I felt as if the entire ceiling would collapse on us.


    In the end, we did find a use for our forge setup in absence of metal. We crafted pottery to contain drinking water. We never knew when a drought might come, so it was better to prepare and have a storage of clean drinking water than nothing at all. It also allowed us to farm fish for later use. If not for the pottery, I would have felt like an absolute fool. Yet I believed I would find metal at some point, so it was better to have the smithy crafted then and not later.


    Then one day, I had a chance to use the forge for its intended purpose, though at a small risk to our health. The two of us tracked down an antelope-like animal made for the harsh environment that the Blasted Lands were. It blended into the arid grasslands west of the river. Its body was delicate and graceful. It was able to perfectly balance itself on high rocks, climbing up the steep mountain sides with the greatest of ease. Even on some cliff faces that would appear impossible to climb, ¡ªespecially for something like a frail deer¡ª it was able to scale the steep rocky angles with the greatest of ease.


    These ¡°arid antelope¡± as I called them defied logic, yet here they were. I spent the better part of four hours hunting one, and there he was, climbing the mountain side. I picked up my spear. As I had done countless times, I sharpened the spear tip fashioned from my crucifixion nail. I stepped back and aimed, waiting for the right moment to strike. I held my breath as the antelope darted up the cliff side. I wondered if I would be able to hit this creature or if it would just simply continue its ascent up until it vanished. Luckily it stopped. I had my one chance to bring the beast down and took it. I hurled my spear as hard as my body allowed.


    With one loud shriek it screamed and slipped, falling off and hitting the ground. It was dead instantly. I recovered what was left of my now broken spear; the force of the fall broke it in several pieces. Thankfully the spear nail was still intact. I recovered the nail, cleaned it off on the beast''s pelt and placed it in a bag tied to my hip. I was ready to hoist the antelope on my shoulder when I heard a sharp whistle.


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    To better communicate with Cao Tzu, we made a whistle out of bone so she could call me when she was far away. I saw her waving at me on top of a large hill. Behind her appeared to be a black cloud, yet I would soon recognize this to be smoke. I hoisted the beast upon my shoulder and climbed up to her. She pointed out a camp that had been ransacked. From that distance I couldn¡¯t see what might have destroyed the tent or even who these people were. We looked at each other and decided to venture down into the valley below and pick the camp clean. They weren¡¯t going to need their goods anymore.


    I took the antelope with me down the steep hill down towards the camp; I was not about to let the vultures or any other scavengers take my kill. After walking for a good number of minutes, we arrived at the encampment. This appeared to be some sort of military encampment. There were a number of factors that proved this: there were no children in this place, so these people did not live here; most of them were heavily armed and armored; there was a clear sign of military structure due to the formation of the tents, and the placement of the banners that dotted the area surrendering the camp. The camp also had what appeared to be some type of flotsam wall that surrounded the perimeter.


    The walls were heavily damaged by something extremely large bursting through. Splinters of wood dotted the north side of the camp, encompassing the interior of the camp. Similar splinters dotted the outside of the south western side of the camp as if something large had burst through and punched its way out again. It was as if some force of nature had burst its way into the camp unexpectedly.


    Many of the tents were left in ruin. They were either burnt, smashed beyond repair or a combination of the two. The area was littered with the bodies of these warriors. Some were burnt beyond recognition while others were mutilated by sharp blades ¡ªalthough later examination would show that these blades were more like the fangs of some great beast¡ª and crushed under a tremendous weight of some uncaring (or angry) thing.


    Much like the men who had sought to execute Cao Tzu, I could not recognize the uniform of these people. Gathering the most intact bits of armor, I was able to find that the armor was ornate in nature. Their visage resembled that of human skulls, though not exactly a one for one comparison. The lower ranks had armor that was made out of animal hide and leather, though it was tanned and in very good condition. Those that seemed to be in higher ranked and were more valued had better armor. It was a good strategy, not too unlike the Legion. This armor was more in line with steel. Of course, I was tempted with acquiring some of my own armor, yet that would have to wait.


    The colors of the armor were a muted violet with accents of gold. The armor hid much of their faces and skin color. No doubt that this was done on purpose to show exude fear. These people had a reputation somewhere in the Blasted lands and I was woefully ignorant of it. Yet the strangest of all armors was that of some of the people within this place. I found these people within the largest tent in the camp. Tents such as this within the legion were used for the commander, yet this appeared to be some type of church. To what God I did not know, yet the visage of the idol that laid within was haunting.


    It was the body of a multi armed woman. Eight arms adorned her like some type of spider waiting for prey to walk into her tangled web. It was clearly a woman, naked as the day she was born. Anatomically correct as well. Around her waist were the skulls and shrunken heads of her enemies. Groveling at her feet were dried husks of men and women that were dwarfed by her size. Several arms were empty, holding either a palm upwards or downwards. Yet in several of her hands she held some items: one arm cradled an infant that suckled on her breast; one hand on the opposite side held a dagger raised high in the air; one arm held a human heart, and lastly, one held a chain made into a whip. One colorful detail about this Goddess was what she wore as a necklace. She wore what appeared to be human ears, Fingers and a third specifically male body part that made my skin crawl. Lastly, her face was adorned in the skull of a great cat, not unlike the type I had slain upon my arrival. It bore a golden third eye in the middle of its forehead and its teeth were real bone with golden rings forged around them. The crown she wore had real peacock feathers, complete with those unblinking all seeing eyes.


    I was mortified when I first laid my eyes on this statue. Cao Tzu and I shared the feeling that this was some dark God that was  worshiped by degenerate, evil people. I felt sick to my stomach. I had seen the evil of mankind in the war, yet never saw something so grotesque and twisted as this black marble statue that stared at me with hatred. If I could I would have destroyed the statue and been done with it right then and there, yet alas, I did not have the time to do so. Whatever it was that Ile¡¯ Sathak  graciously called forth to slay these sick creatures might have quickly returned, and saw that I was as delectable as these people.


    I searched around the camp to find something that could be useful. Luckily, we found something that would prove to be a great asset. A wagon. I would need to pull the wagon, for all of the horses in this camp were dead, but that would be little issue. With the wagon we would be able to take whatever we wanted from this place; their metal that we could use to forge ourselves better armor and weapons; cloth and leather were valuable and went into the cart; Lumber would be ideal for us; their corpses had several bags of gold that would later prove extremely useful for us. It was a good haul. I may have felt like a thieving vulture, but my belly would be full and I would have the means to travel beyond the Blood River before the year was out. Cao Tzu was happy that she found such a treasure, and she would deserve every honor she got from that discovery had she been within the legion.


    Once the wagon was loaded up, I took the charge and would be the one to pull the wagon. I hoisted the wooden handles and would pull, taking one look at the encampments banners. The banners had the same colors as the armor of the soldiers. A faded violet color that was visibly striking. The image on the banner was that of a cat with a third eye in the middle of its forehead and adorned with a feather crown. I sneered at it. I didn¡¯t know it at the time, But this was my first brush with what would be my most hated enemy. Even more than Legatus Tempest, The ruler who these men worshiped as a God would be the one person I despised the most. A woman who was so vile and twisted, she made the average Roharim viper seem to be as tame and docile as a lamb.


    Her name would be one that I would spit at the very mention of to this very day: Lakashara. But, I am getting ahead of myself. At that point in time, the name had not yet violated my ear drums and my mind was clean from her influence. Yet even then I knew that these people were not to be trusted. As I pulled the cart , I nearly tripped. I stepped in what I first thought was a ditch. I looked down and saw what it truly was. A large footprint that ended in five thick fingers with sharp talon marks scraping the ground. Then I saw the remains of a trail of footprints. There was a large drag mark on the ground that laid between the feet. Whatever this thing was, it had a large tail that it dragged on the ground. I shook my head and continued on my journey. I knew very well that I would be seeing that creature soon. Everything in the Blasted Lands was designed to kill me after all.


    We took our loot back to the cave and immediately began to work. Cao Tzu began to make preparations on our next building project while I made plans of my own: I now had the steel I needed to craft myself a better set of armor; I had fabric and leather that I could use to bind and decorate the armor; There were several plants that I could most likely use to dye the armor in whatever way I pleased. I had to keep an eye out for the one that was the closest to a ¡°legion red.¡±


    Most importantly, It was time to give myself a new weapon. I would forge myself something that would be familiar to me. I had the metal and the will to do so. I could at long last make myself prepared. For as that year ended and a new one would shortly begin, all of the Blasted Lands would soon be made aware of my presence. I would soon cross the other side of the Blood River not as a survivor trying to live off scraps, oh no. I would arrive as a conqueror.

 Chapter 4: A welcomed Surprise

    Two months after we had gathered the armor from the unnamed army, we were ready to make our journey to Akari. Akari would be several days from our location and thus we managed to prepare ourselves for the long trek. Water would be no issue, for all we would need to do was follow the Blood River¡¯s banks for as long as we could. Akari was nestled at the base of the river and often used for travel using ships. We were able to tell upon closer inspection of the map when we noticed designs of ships near the base of the river where Akari was located. Currently, the River was too thin for any sizable boat to wade through, so we believed it must get thicker at some point down stream.


    We had forged ourselves some brand new armor. Gone were the days of us wearing animal hide and bony armor platings. Now we were prepared for greater combat. Using the steel we took, I forged myself some proper armor. It wasn¡¯t a perfect recreation of Roharim made segmentata, but it was a start, and offered better protection. I would hope that Akari would have better blacksmiths in the area to prepare something that was far more suitable for me. Under my main chest armor I wore a bright red tunic that was long enough to reach down to my upper thighs. Around my waist was pteruges, along with some Pteruges around my shoulders. I wore manica as bracers. For those of you who have no idea what I speak of, manica are made in the same way that the segmentata are, with different interlinking sheets of steel allowing me to move freely as well as ensuring that movement is not hindered.


    My legs were protected by greaves, and I finally was able to fashion myself a pair of sandals. No more getting cut on sharp rocks while hunting down prey. To protect myself from the hot sun, I elected to wear a cloak that would shield me from the harmful rays as well as to conceal my identity. I had no idea if the Roharim Republic were here, and I had already been denounced as a traitor to my people or not. A small part of me hoped and prayed to Ile Sathak that Legatus Tempest was in Akari, so that I would be able to plunge my new blade into his chest.


    Ah yes, I nearly forgot my new weapons. I fashioned myself a new sword. A Longsword that I could use to great effect. I had done away with the spears, yet kept the nails at my side. A memento, and something I could use later. I had made it my solemn vow that I would plunge these nails into Tempest¡¯s heart. I swore this to Ile Sathak.


    I fashioned some armor similar for Cao Tzu. She complained that the armor was too heavy, so I did what I could to lighten the load. Her armor was slimmer and she decided to forgo the manica and instead chose for simple hide bracers. At the time her weapon of choice would be a type of spear, though I would eventually discover that she could be capable of a far deadlier weapon.


    We took one last look at our cave. It was a shelter for us in times of need, but now we must part, and ¡ªmost likely¡ª never see it again. We ventured to where the Blood River was the easiest to wade through and I stood at the river bank. History is often defined by small, seemingly inconsequential moments such as that. When the destiny of not only the individual, but countless people are determined by one action a man takes. I would have no idea what impact my crossing of the Blood River would have. There were many variables for this to be insignificant now that I look back on it all these years later.


    Too many chances for everything to have gone wrong or turned out vastly different than what occurred: I could have died at any point between my arrival in the Blasted Lands and my crossing of the Blood River; I could have decided to go the other pathway and journey into the desert, taking my chances out there. However, Fate and the will of Ile Sathak guided me to this crucial moment in time. This fleeting second in time where the fate of the world hung in the balance, and my fate would forever be bound to the road I walk upon.


    I took my first confident steps and strode through the river and found myself on the other side, now having fully entered the Blasted Lands and sealing my fate. With Cao Tzu at my side, we followed the river downstream towards the east.


    We saw many strange creatures on our road to Akari. Large grazing herbivores mixed with the fast as lighting creatures that joined them. Each and every one of them had an ancient and forgotten look about them, as if they were somehow stuck outside of time. They were primordial and primitive. Yet nothing I saw in this trek had the exact same visage as whatever it was that destroyed the military camp. I must confess, it did put me on edge. After all, how could you feel comfortable knowing something that large and deadly could also seemingly disappear with the greatest of ease and was still lurking out there?


    It would take us a few days for us to arrive at our destination, so we would set up camp before dark. I was in charge of starting the fire while Cao Tzu built the tents. Mercifully I was able to set the fire up quickly so I would go and help her when I was done. That night I sat at the campfire while Cao Tzu slept peacefully. I stared into the fire, drawn to it like a moth. There was a sense of uneasiness before me. I experienced the same type of feeling just before my first battle back within the legion.


    My father was an auxiliary from one of the northern territories conquered by Rohiram. He taught me everything he knew about fighting. Before I was born, my father spent twenty years of his life to gain full citizenship in Roharam. With that done, He and my mother were awarded a plot of land and soon they had me. Being born to a full citizen of the republic awarded me a privilege to join the main legion. It was the highest honor any son could do for their father. My father prepared me early on, training me in the ways of combat that he learned from the auxiliary as well as his original tribe.


    He was in the northern tribes of what is now the northern part of Roharam. The tribes were not united under any circumstances. If the republic had not arrived, then my father, his tribe and all the other tribes would have most likely killed each other. When Rohiram came knocking, they were more advanced than my fathers people, yet they were not without strength. My fathers people were great warriors in their own right, and he trained me in some of their ways to ensure that while Rohiram ruled, the fathers of my father would never be forgotten.


    Even though I trained in this way, I was still nervous at my first battle. It was a minor engagement, a petty king had decided to rebel and seek for independence. We were sent to crush the rebellion swiftly. The first battle I was ever a part of happened on a night like the one I had found myself in. There was an eerie calm that washed over me, like taking one foot off of the ground before diving to a pool of water several feet below. The type of drop that you knew if anything went wrong, you would be dead.


    That night before my first battle I did the same thing I did when I was in the Blasted Lands at that campfire. I stared deeply into the flames, feeling its heat kiss my skin and warm me. The warmth did nothing for me before my first battle, but now I felt strangely calm. I reached my hand over the top of the flame, high enough to where I wouldn¡¯t get seriously burned, and yet close enough to feel the intensity of the heat more prominently on my fingers. I pulled my hand away and reached inside my segmentata to warm my chest up.


    I looked away for a fraction of a moment before I heard something. A loud hissing emanating in front of me. I tilted my head up and saw a shape dancing in the flame. I peered into the fire and saw something take form. It was that of a serpent made from that very same fire. It hissed at me and looked into my eyes with its own serpentine orbs ¡ªunblinking and determined despite not seeing them¡ª and for the longest time simply stared at me. Far from the great serpent that I had seen so long ago in the desert, it was small, but no less dangerous should I decide to anger it. If this is how Ile Sathak decided to appear to me, then I could not question it.


    After a short time, it rose up and hissed again. I heard no words in my head this time. There were no small nuggets of wisdom that the serpent wanted me to hear, yet I understood the intention. I could not doubt myself. I must not. I gave the figure a simple nod as a gesture for my conviction and it vanished soon after. I felt tired, calm now that my worries were put to rest. I had been in this scenario before, and I was afraid the first time. At that moment, I knew that whatever it was that faced me would be the one to know fear.


    The next day we tore down our camp and continued on with our journey. Around midday, the river cut through a dense jungle. We made a point to stay away from the river as we walked. Knowing what other gifts the Blasted Lands brought us, there was most likely some animal hiding in the water that would have seen us as either a threat or a meal. The jungle was alive with the sound of birds making their songs. The most annoying part was the bugs. We could feel our skin being chewed upon and our blood drained throughout the entire walk. Cao Tzu spotted something before I did. There were people here.


    It appeared to be some type of lumber mill that was harvesting the jungle wood, though it sounded as if none of the men working were doing their job. We figured that these people might be interested in trading with us. When we arrived we found that all of their work had been shirked, yet the encampment was not abandoned. We heard noises south of the logging area. We peeked through some logs and found that they had gathered around for a fighting pit. The men were cheering loudly as they watched a fight going on. We couldn¡¯t see the action, so we decided to scale the building. We climbed higher up on a large wooden structure and laid down flat to avoid detection. Thankfully the cheers and the drunken ramblings of the spectators was enough to drown out any noises that we made and everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the fight.


    There were four fighters in the ring. Three of them were not human. The three were a type of animal that I could only suspect was yet another denizine of the Blasted lands. They appeared to be some type of lizard, yet they moved around with the cadence and the stride of pack animals like wolves or large cats. They were slim and were colored bright red and blue. Their heads had the same shape as vipers with the fangs to match, revealed as they hissed threateningly at their opponent. Their tails were extremely long and whip-like, which they used to great effect against their enemy. Their claws were sharp talons that would put a jungle cat¡¯s to shame. They had spikes of alternating colors of blue and red along their back in a single row, much like an iguanas. Their eyes were a dark gold with circled pupils, almost like that of a wolf with forward facing eyes. Their vision was great, and it was very clear that these animals were the apex predators of the jungle.


    Though the enemy they faced was a giant among men. A man I realized I knew well. He was a hulking man who wore the remnants of legionary armor. Much of his protection had been stripped away either by the loggers who wanted to give the lizards a better chance to take the man down or after sustaining a great deal of damage. The colossal man was over eight feet tall and was composed of both brawn and muscle. One of the lizards lunged at him and tried to sink its fangs deep into him, but the brute dodged and picked up the lizard, raising him up in the air and body slamming it on the ground, thrusting his leg into the creatures neck and breaking under his tremendous weight. The other two lizards hissed and paced around like wolves waiting for their prey to tire.


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    I knew exactly who this man was the moment I laid eyes on him. Brutus Trikon. Brutus was my oldest friend in the legion. The mountain of a man was the largest I had ever seen with the heart to match and double the strength. I once saw him take an enemy warrior''s shield and smash it over his head with such force that the head was actually crushed down into the man¡¯s torso.


    I turned to face Cau Tzu and whispered to her.


    ¡°I know that man. Brutus Trikon. He was my friend in the legion. We have to save him.¡±


    I looked around for something, anything that could be used to free him. It occurred to me that if these men have three lizards in the cage, then they may have more. They couldn¡¯t have built all this for Brutus. Most likely, this is how the loggers passed the time, using animals to fight for their entertainment.


    I spied several cages a fair distance away from the arena. Security was light, and Cao Tzy and I had no issue in taking out the guard. Our concern was to stay hidden from our enemy. Thankfully, Brutus was one of the best fighters I had ever seen. He also had the flare for the dramatics in his own way. It was difficult not to focus on the fight itself now that I think about it.


    Brutus managed to grab one of the lizards in a headlock and rip out one of its fangs with his sheer strength, then used that fang as a dagger and pierced the beast right through its head, killing it instantly. He then used the dead lizard as a weapon, swinging it into the remaining animal and beating it mercilessly. At this, the spectators cheered loudly. Had it not been so obvious that these men had captured him as a slave, I would say that he had enjoyed himself at that moment. He showboated and taunted the crowd, daring them to give him a better fight. That fight eventually came in the form of a greater beast. The ¡°venom lashtails¡± as they were called stood no chance against Brutus, yet the next beast that had been placed in a cage that connected to the entrance to the arena circle would prove to be a far more challenging creature.


    The creature that charged in was large and a force to be reckoned with. The creature was massive with a thick armored hide, as if someone had improved the body of a rhino. It had four large tusks that were as long as a fully grown man, and sharp enough to impale one with little effort. It walked around on four legs that had three blunt claws on barely existent toes. It had a tail that the loggers equipped with a sharp axe head on the tip. The animal had clearly been abused with several gashes and cuts in its hide, and several spears lodged into its back. I would find that later these were gentle herbivores, but this one had been abused to the point of savagery.  Unfortunately for Brutus, its eyes were now squarely locked on him, and filled with thoughts of revenge.


    It flicked its tail from side to side as a show of anger and quickly charged at Brutus. Personally, if I were in his potion, I would jump out of the way of an oncoming group of horns. Yet Brutus was not as subtle. He grabbed the horns of the beast and pushed its head upwards. The beast¡¯s momentum was great enough to cause Brutus to be pushed, his feet making large trails as he slid in the dirt. Yet Brutus was a man of conviction and wrestled the beast with his bare hands. The crowd clearly had never seen anything like Brutus, and cheered loudly. It was a loud enough distraction that allowed me to dispatch the lone guard for the animal cages and take his keys.


    The beast continued to charge at Brutus and in return he would use his mighty strength to move the creature off to the side and avoid being run through with the saber-like horns. Yet Brutus was not invincible. He was slowly growing tired with each passing moment, and the beast was full of rage and would not stop. This was a fight to the death. It was then that I had flung the cages of the animals open and set them free. Each beast leapt out of its cage and began its attack. The spectators had no idea what was happening until it was too late. Several including the venom lashtails were released into the crowd. Cao Tzu climbed down from the roof and silently killed several of the fleeing enemies. I charged in and began to use my sword and shield to engage. Brutus must have seen that something was wrong as he was locked in the battle between himself and the beast. In a bid to try to end this fight, He would use all of his strength to break a tusk off of the massive creature. He tried to do the same move he did in the previous fight, yet the top of the beast¡¯s head was much thicker than the previous animal.


    Angered and now missing a tusk, the creature roared loudly and tried to trample Brutus. I charged in and cut down many of the spectators as they were ready to face me. They were no match for a fully trained warrior. They captured these beasts thanks to superior numbers, but when surprise was on our side, we fell upon them like scythes on wheat. The newly freed animals had their taste in blood. The lash tails used their namesake with extreme efficiency, with strikes powerful enough to whip the eye right out of the socket of one man. The bite from these creatures was also deadly, and any man bitten by the creature would be a dead man walking, and experience a burning pain in the bite. The venom was meant for much larger prey, so a human would die almost instantly from the powerful toxin.


    Cao Tzu showed off her great skill with her spear, running people through left and right with the greatest of ease. At that time, Brutus would decide to try to stab the beast in another way. He gambled that the animal had a softer jugular and tried to stab it there. He ended up winning the gamble, as blood shot out like a geyser out of the creature''s neck. It stumbled and fell down, bleeding out. Despite the brutal death, this creature would at long last find peace in its sweet release.


    Brutus then ran to the arena gate and would try to lift it. It was there I stood before him as I had reached the same objective.


    He looked at me with smiling eyes and chuckled loudly.


    ¡°Hadrian?!¡± He cried out with joy as he saw me standing there before him, separated only by a massive wooden gate.


    I smiled at him.


    ¡°Brutus! How do I get you out of here?!¡±


    He pointed at a lever that would activate a counterweight. If I pulled the lever, the gate would open and Brutus would be free. I went up to the lever but was halted by one of the loggers. He tried to strike at me, but I jabbed my shield into his throat and crushed his windpipe. He fell backwards and tumbled down the arena seats. A few more men came at me. I was in my element with my two weapons in each of my hands. My training kicked in, and I blocked their movements. I defended myself with the shield and struck with the sword. All they would be able to do was defend themselves. With great force, I struck the arm of one of my attackers with my shield and broke his arm. He dropped his weapon and allowed me to fully focus on the one remaining man. I beat him back with my shield and then thrusted my blade down the nape of his neck, and then used my strength to cut through the man''s chest.


    I went up to the lever and pulled it, and thus freed Brutus Trikon from his prison, and set him loose upon the remaining combatants. He threw men around as if they were children, and crushed them with his bare hands. At that moment, he would make every Roharim warrior proud. When the battle was over, most of the lumber workers were dead save for a small handful. Cao Tzu decided to kill the remaining ones by thrusting her spear into them as they laid down, and ensured that none of them would try anything that would put us in danger.


    While she did that, Brutus and I would catch up.


    ¡°Hadrian! My friend!¡±


    He said loudly as he wrapped his arms around me and squeezed tightly. A bear hug would pale in comparison to what Brutus gave me.


    ¡°Brutus Trikon! What the hell are you doing here?¡± I spoke with a pained expression on my face as he was crushing my ribs and choking the very life out of me.


    ¡°Looking for you! I heard what the legate did to you, and I had to find you and try to save you. I couldn¡¯t find you on the cross, so I looked all over for you. While I slept, these maggots drugged me and knocked me out. When I awoke, I found myself here getting ready to play their games.¡±


    ¡°You came all this way to save me? Well, it would seem that fate had the reverse in mind, where I save you.¡±


    Brutus chuckled and let go of me, setting me back on my feet and patted my shoulder.


    ¡°Well, now that I found you Hadrian, it''s time to return to Roharim.¡±


    My smile faded and I shook my head. I sighed deeply knowing all too well that returning home was out of the question.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. The legate would have surely told the others that I betrayed them somehow. They would kill me the moment I set foot in the city, and they would kill you for not doing the deed yourself.¡±


    Brutus frowned, realizing that my words spoke true. He sat down on the ground and took a rest.


    ¡°I see¡­ Well, Roharim is overrated anyway. I¡¯ve never had this much fun crushing the skulls of my enemies. And so many new things to kill, it''s glorious!¡±


    He raised his head up at the sight of Cao Tzu. He smiled and eyed her as she went from corpse to corpse, checking to make sure that they were indeed dead. He had a twinkle in his eye as he looked at her. Brutus not only had carnal knowledge in the most effective ways to kill a man, but he had a knowledge and desire for carnal pleasures as well, and instantly found an attraction to Cao Tzu.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the woman, Hadrian? She''s yours?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my companion if that is what you mean.¡±


    I gave him a stern look to ensure he knew not to touch her, though knowing Brutus, I would have to spell it out for him.


    He smiled, not even noticing my glare as he scanned Cao Tzu¡¯s body as if she were a race horse.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re not using her¡­¡±


    ¡°No one is using her, Brutus.¡±


    He turned to face me in shock. Although I was removed from the legion, I still held the same command over Brutus as if I were still a Centurion. He finally got the message and grumbled.


    I sighed and would sit down next to Brutus and try to comfort him.


    ¡°We are going to the city of Akari down the river. I¡¯m sure there are plenty of women for you to lust after, and who you can show your amazing manhood to. I am sure it will be the talk of Akari for many generations to come.¡±


    I spoke in a mocking yet playful tone with him, and his mood lit up.


    ¡°Very well, I can live with that. So what are your plans when you reach this ¡°Akari?¡± What will you do when you get there?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure I will find something to do. Mainly, I want to figure out who is in control here. Perhaps make some allies along the way and see to establishing myself here. Maybe I can find myself as the head of some tribe.¡±


    Brutus scoffed at the idea.


    ¡°Well look at you. Always so ambitious, aren''t you? Well, I guess there''s no beating around the bush is there? I¡¯ll join you.¡±


    Brutus and I both stood up and we shook each other''s forearms in friendship.


    ¡°Aye, Brutus. I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.¡±


    Brutus and I would look over to Cao Tzu and gesture for her to come with us. As we made our exit from that place, it dawned on me that I would need to go hunting very soon. Being a man of such an immense size, it would take a lot to fill Brutus¡¯s belly. Such was the price for two brothers in arms joining together once more.

 Chapter 5: Arrival at Akari

    The next couple of days during our journey went by at a brisk pace. Blessedly, not all days in the Blasted Lands were full of strife and a battle for our survival. Around the third day, it had become monotonous. Most of our time could be summed up with a single word. ¡°Walking.¡± Around the afternoon on the third day, we left the jungle and found ourselves marching through empty grasslands next to the great river. Once we were out in the open it became very evident that it was the beginning of summer, and the sun became unfriendly to us.


    At night beside the campfire, Brutus would tell stories of his escapades. A particular tale revolved around how he took the head of a great general. If a lesser man told this account to us, then I would call him a liar, yet Brutus was akin to an ancient hero of old, and thus if anything any story he did tell would be believed almost without question. One rumor that flooded the ranks during our time in the Roharim legion was that he was the product of Atreus: the Roharim God of war. Personally, I believe that he had been blessed at a very young age. At least blessed to have the means to slowly mold his body of clay into one of marble. There is an old Roharim philosophy: ¡°The greatest tragedy of a man is to grow old without seeing what beauty and strength his body is capable of.¡±


    In the morning, we made our final leg of the journey. Eventually, we saw the city on the horizon. I half expected a mud hut or some ramshackle hodgepodge of straw and sand, yet I was pleasantly surprised. The city was quite large. The river was wide and deep enough for large ships to sail through without effort. There was a large row of palm trees that rested at the river¡¯s edges. On the opposite side of the river were large fields of grain and vegetables being tended to. The city itself was protected with large walls made of sandstone that reached almost a hundred feet high. It made even Brutus feel small.


    I noticed that there were two types of guards patrolling around the city gates. First were the city guards of Akari. They wore bronze vambraces with hints of red painted on them that matched their greaves. They wore a white battle skirt around their waists that had the emblem of a fish woven into both sides where the hips rested. They wore bronze chest pieces that were decorated with the addition to fish tails that crossed each other. They wore helmets that would cover their face. The masks were made in the image of a fish, and they were all equipped with a long spear that seemed to be their primary weapon. On their backs was a round bronze shield, and on their hips was a curved sword. A ¡°Khopesh¡± if I remember correctly.


    The second type of guards that patrolled around the streets was none other than the same people who we found at that destroyed outpost. The ones that followed the multi-armed goddess. I instantly had a distaste for them but kept myself calm and focused. My objective was simple. I needed to figure out how things worked in the Blasted Lands, and this city was the perfect place to do just that.


    The guards let us pass without an issue and we proceeded beyond the wall. Our eyes were met with a vast vista of tall buildings carved in sandstone and decorated with bright colors. The banners of this city were blood red with the symbol of a fish swimming above the waves in gold colors. This city was wealthy and it showed. The river fish in this area was their main resource. This was displayed through many of the fish iconography: statues; graffiti; decor and even fashion.


    We soon found ourselves in the market district that was flooded with goods and services from all corners of the blasted lands. The streets were patrolled by both the River Guards as the main city called them, and the other soldiers who had a far more ominous name. ¡°The children of Ashara.¡± That was the name of their Goddess. I must have stared at them for a while, for Brutus tapped me on the shoulder and jogged me away from the distraction.


    ¡°Brother, what is wrong?¡±


    I turned to look him in the eyes for a moment before averting my gaze.


    ¡°It''s nothing. Something about those men put me on edge. I saw an idol of their Goddess, and was disgusted at the sight of it.¡±


    I made sure to lower my voice. As much as their goddess¡¯s appearance disturbed me, I couldn¡¯t speak out against it. These people appeared to be in charge ¡ªbeing able to bypass exclusive areas that the common civilian or even the noble were barred from¡ª and should not be engaged unless they gave me a reason to.


    We continued our trek into the town, bypassing many of the merchant stalls that offered us exotic goods of all shapes and sizes. Some of these sellers appeared to be legitimate while others tried to swindle me in multiple areas. One such charlatan tried to offer me a ¡°Cure-all potion.¡± I remember the man¡¯s name very clearly, for it was marked upon his stall and he continuously referred to himself and the stall as such. ¡°Salazar: The Magnificent.¡±


    He approached me first offering his potion. He was an overweight man wearing the finest of robes with multiple rings placed on each of his fingers.


    ¡°Good evening sir! How are you!?¡±


    Even now I can think of this man¡¯s voice. It was like the cry of a thousand cats being flayed alive to the tune of scraping metal. Even that short greeting was enough to make my skin crawl and my eardrums nearly break.


    ¡°Go away.¡± I politely said to him and tried to make my exit, yet he stood in front of me.


    ¡°I am Salazar: The Magnificent! Oh dear, sir! Oh, dear! Look at yourself! You look ill!¡±


    ¡°What did you just say to me?¡± I was in my physical prime and felt as healthy as a horse, and this man had the gall to say that I was sickly? He was already getting on my nerves, yet he continued.


    ¡°Well, my friend, I have the cure-all for you. Introducing Salazar: The Magnificent¡¯s cure-all potion! Perhaps you are feeling unwell and you need instant relief? Well, my tonic is just the thing you need! Aches and pains? Gone! Boils and sores? History! And that''s not even the least of what it can do for you!¡±


    ¡°Maybe you have trouble having a baby? Maybe she is infertile or you can¡¯t get it up anymore.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to¡±


    ¡°But none of that matters anymore! Now with my elixir, you will be able to be irresistible to women! You¡¯ll be having more children than the entire population of Akari itself!¡±


    He continued to blather on about his concoction. Fortunately for me, he was too focused on trying to sell me his garbage to pay attention to Cao Tzu. She snuck over to the stall and opened a bottle to examine it. She was immediately hit with a revolting stench. She then signed over to me before being caught by this con man.


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    ¡°Hey! Y-You can¡¯t be looking at that, you haven¡¯t paid for it!¡±


    It was already too late for him. Cao Tzu¡¯s message came to me loud and clear, and I silently gestured for Brutus to pick the round man up by the scruff of his shirt.


    He kicked helplessly in the air. ¡°W-What are you doing?! L-Let me go this instant!¡±


    I leaned forward into his face, so it would be the only thing that he could see as Brutus held him off of the ground.


    ¡°Cat Piss.¡±


    ¡°W-What?!¡±


    ¡°Cat piss. You were going to sell me a bottle of aged cat piss and call it a ¡®cure¡¯ were you not?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡­ What are you talking about?!¡±


    ¡°My companion over there opened a bottle and smelled it. She smelled the unmistakable scent of cat piss.¡±


    ¡°T-Thats crazy, you have no proof!¡±


    I took a bottle from Cao Tzu¡¯s hand and smelt it. It was unmistakable as I recoiled from the bottle and set it aside, putting the top back on it.


    ¡°You were going to have me drink that. I would have gotten very sick. And if I got sick, then we would have a huge problem. Brutus over here does not take kindly when someone puts me and my comrades in harm''s way. Brutus, tell the man what would happen if I got sick.¡±


    Brutus lifted the man to his eye level and faced him directly.


    ¡°I will rip your arms off and then beat you to death with them.¡±


    You should have seen the merchant''s face. It was priceless. The absolute terror was a thing of beauty. I gestured for Brutus to put the man down and he ran surprisingly fast for a fat man. I cackled like a madman as I watched him waddle all the way down the street.


    After our little escapade with the merchant, we decided to spend our coin at the nearest inn. I believed it was the most sensible thing to do at that point. I would be able to get information from the common folk while also keeping my ear wide open for business ventures. After all, our purses would get lighter as time went on. That was a fact.


    On our way to the nearest inn, we came upon a sight that would seem insignificant at first, but would later prove to be very fortuitous. As we were about to exit the market district, we found a slave auction. These slaves were captured from all over the Blasted Lands. They varied in size, strength, and race. Some were of Cao Tzu¡¯s people while others were not. One slave stood out above the rest. Like me, he was of Northman descent. He was strong and handsome, like most Northmen. He had a full beard of dark brown hair. The sides of his head were shaven while the top of his head would form a long tail-like braid down his back. His eyes were hazel and his left eye had been scarred with a diagonal slash sloping from the top right of his bow to the bottom left of his eye where it met with the cheek. His back was an extremely grizzly sight. He had been whipped to the point that bone was visible.


    I had never seen a feature in any man since that had this man¡¯s look. His eyes were somehow aware and yet not. The candles were lit and someone was home, but the door was locked and refused entry from any outsiders. I looked at this man and I pitied him.


    Now, as a warrior of Roharim, slaves are not new to me. The republic had many slaves throughout all walks of life. Yet while others may see slaves as nothing more than beasts of burden, ¡ªif even to call them that to dignify them as living creatures and not a machine¡ª I saw slaves for their true potential. When you take everything away from a human being, you set them up to be remolded. When someone knocks you down a pitch-blackened pit and leaves you to die, you have only two options. You can languish there and die, leaving yourself forever shamed and your abuser free to do his crimes yet again, or you can climb up and take your revenge. I would give these slaves their revenge. I would see that man again.


    Brutus nudged me on my shoulder to get my attention. I had been apparently staring for a short while and held him and Cao Tzu up. I nodded and walked again. I turned to look at the auction once again and took a mental note of the slave masters.


    We arrived at the Inn. It was a hovel but it would do. We went inside and found several examples of the worst humanity had to offer. Criminals made their dealings in that place while whores offered their bodies for the right coin. I spoke with the innkeeper about our rooms. A silver for a night. A gold coin bought us a hundred nights. He bit into the coin to make sure it was real and was delighted when it was genuine. We ordered drinks and sat at a booth at the corner of the inn.


    It was the first drink I had since I was nailed to the cross, and I savored every sip. Even this cheap watered-down swill was something that I enjoyed. I took these simple pleasures for granted before. The first thing I wanted for myself as soon as I got to a city was the pleasure of drinking alongside the good company. I took another healthy swig of ale before I sat the mug down. I examined my arm for a moment and took some of the armor off to get a good look at my wrist. Even after all this time, ¡ªespecially now that I tell you my story¡ª I can still feel the pain in my wrists. It lingered then as it does now. Some nights I feel the pain all over again: the agonizing throbbing of the nail first piercing my wrists; the pain of ripping my arms off of the cross; the burning of the hot embers sealing my wounds. The pain will never truly leave me.


    I sipped my next drink and enjoyed a nice quiet evening to myself over the brutal struggles I¡¯d experienced previously. Little did I know that I was being watched.


    I never saw her. I learned later that she had been watching me, yet even today I don¡¯t know when. Did she start watching me when I first entered the Inn, or was it sooner? Had she seen me dealing with the merchant or had she been watching me since my arrival? Perhaps she was there when I found that destroyed camp and followed me ever since. I do know now that she had been watching me for a while. Even if I saw her at that moment, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed her or seen her features.


    I was never aware of being watched at all. She sat there silently among the crowd; her eyes transfixed on me and my fellows for quite some time. She watched me like a hawk or a wolf examining its prey. If I had seen her eyes, I not only would have seen the radiant beauty of their violet colors but the sharp intellect behind them as well. She was in no way, shape, or form an idiot. Anyone who deemed her so would be woefully mistaken and sign their own death warrant.


    She was like a viper in tall grass. It was impossible to see her, but she saw me. I can¡¯t even begin to tell you what she was thinking, whether she wanted me dead or just to study me like a racehorse. Yet if I had seen her I would have recognized the threat she posed. After all, the most beautiful serpents are the most venomous.


    Yet I did not see her so my night was blissfully ignorant. I learned about this when I finally met her, but that would be getting ahead of myself. My point is that she saw me long before I saw her.


    After our drink and a warm meal, we went upstairs to discuss the plans for the next day. We would share a room together, though to ensure Brutus did not try anything with Cao Tzu, I gave him some gold from my purse to ensure that he would spend it on those who freely opened their legs up. Before letting him leave, I spoke of my intentions for the next day.


    ¡°I noticed that there were plenty of slaves in the city. I wish to free them.¡±


    Brutus Gawked at me. ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because if we free them, who do you think they will thank?¡±


    ¡°I thought you said you wanted to learn about how the people live in the Blasted Lands.¡±


    ¡°I do. The best way to do that is to get allies. We will cover far more ground with more than just the three of us. Cao Tzu can¡¯t even speak and I don¡¯t believe there are many people who can understand her.¡±


    ¡°Well alright then¡­ What happens after you get your small army?¡±


    I smiled brightly and gave Brutus a gleefully determined look.


    ¡°A very good choice of words, Brutus. A very good choice of words.¡±

 Chapter 6: A night to remember

    The night was exceptionally dark. In the distance a storm was brewing. We saw flashes of lightning far across the sky as if there was a battle high above the heavens that was slowly approaching us. The wind was getting stronger by the moment, and we could hear the distant sounds of thunder roaring far away.


    They kept the majority of the slaves near a large temple that worshiped the same multi-armed goddess we had previously seen before. This temple was guarded like a fortress, and was its own private section in the walled off city. Only those who truly worshiped were allowed to enter those tainted halls. A large small number of guards patrolled the walls high above at the top of the walls. In the cover of darkness, we arrived. We avoided wearing our armor so that we could be lighter and not make a sound. Instead, Cao Tzu dressed me in dark clothes to hide my features. Simple robes that would allow me to move freely unencumbered.


    Brutus used his great strength to throw a makeshift grappling hook we made out of rope and a pickaxe. The one made from the fangs of the great cat. I can only imagine the guard who came to inspect the strange sight of a pickaxe wedged on the wall. Curiosity got the better of him as he walked over and peered downward. All that he saw was my blade running through his face, killing him before he fell to the ground. Reaching the top, I gestured for Cao Tzu to climb up next as I kept guard. I tossed the body over the side, warning Brutus to step away just before. Brutus¡¯s weight made his climb difficult, but not impossible. We were worried that the rope would break, but it held true.


    Though the rope was far from our concern. Brutus¡¯s fingers slipped and he slid down the rope, burning his hands in the process. I gestured for him to wait, and I would open the way for him. He was dissatisfied, but what other choice did he have? Cao Tzu and I crept silently along the battle ramparts. We moved as quietly as possible and our weapons were drawn. I with my sword and Cao Tzu with her spear.


    We came upon a patrol of two guards. They hadn¡¯t noticed us, so we hid behind the archway where they were coming from. As soon as they passed us, Cao Tzu and I attacked at the same time. She speared her target in the back of the neck while I grabbed the other one and wrapped my arm around his throat. After a short struggle, I twisted my arms and broke the guard¡¯s neck. They were heavily armored, but even the best defenses have their weaknesses.


    We reached the main gate. The outside was guarded as we peered from the ramparts prior. We scaled down the walls down a small flight of stairs. Cao Tzu knocked on the door to the guards door in the gate itself. Curious, one of the guards opened the door to see what was going on. They must have assumed that we were there to change their shift. What the guard didn¡¯t expect was a swift swinging strike at his head, separating it from his body while Cao Tzu rolled out from the door and then thrusted her spear in the man¡¯s throat before he could call for backup. She then signaled for Brutus to come over. With his entrance secured we hid the bodies and continued along our mission.


    Our goal was to discover where the slaves were being kept and free them. When we searched, we found that the interior of the temple had lights in the windows and was guarded. I told Brutus to search for the other slaves while Cao Tzu and I ventured into the temple. Perhaps there were more slaves inside, and that tonight held some sort of sacrifice to the multi-armed goddess. We came upon the side of the temple and waited for a patrol to pass before we used our grappling hook to scale the wall and climb into an opened window.


    We could hear chanting from inside. My assumption seemed to be correct. We journeyed further down the temple, silently killing guards and hiding their bodies as we crept along further into the unholy tabernacle.


    Meanwhile, Brutus was locating where exactly the slaves were. He found them in a large walled off area that was essentially a ghetto. He found that the slaves were kept there where multiple families of slaves were boarded up in a single room under extremely packed environments. The slaves were kept in two large categories. There were the worker slaves who were subjected to brutal beatings and forced to do backbreaking work, and the sacrificial slaves who were kept like racehorses in peak condition. One must not give the Goddess a paltry sacrifice it seemed.


    He learned all this from one of the slaves he rescued after prying the gate open with his great strength. A proper slave revolt would begin, but not before Brutus told them when. Brutus was waiting for my signal.


    Cao Tzu and I continued to make progress as we journeyed deeper into the temple. As we made our way into the inner sanctum, we heard the ever present chanting growing louder. We hid in the shadows like rats darting from pillar to pillar as we witnessed a ceremony.


    The participants in the ritual had gathered many slaves. The sacrifices had no chains around them, but did not run away. They were in some sort of trance as the head priest of this temple continued to speak in a language I could not understand at the statue of the multi-armed goddess. This statue was far larger than the one in the camp that we saw, towering high into the ceiling that reached several feet up. The priest¡¯s chants echoed loudly as music was being played. Several young girls wore only a long silk loincloth that covered their sex. Their chests were painted in a shining gold and were painted all along their bodies. They spun around as the white silk waved in the air, in a hypnotic way. They all wore a golden mask in the image of their goddess. A golden cat with a third eye.


    The head priest was on his knees with his hands placed together, looking up to the statue. His eyes never left its gaze and remained unblinking throughout the ceremony. His robes were white, including a tall hood that bore a mask much like the girls, save for one difference. The third eye placed at the forehead had a shining red jewel rather than the orb being simply painted blue like the masks on the girls.


    The music that played was ethereal in origin. Those that were playing it seemed to be lost in their own world. It was as if the music was playing them instead of the other way around. Then we saw the first sacrifice.


    A young man was in a trance. His body had many strange symbols all over it that glowed bright green. He stepped forward and had his robes taken off of him, stripping him completely nude. He was lured onto an altar and laid down. The priest spoke louder. The eyes of the statue began to glow bright blue. Several different shapes appeared out of the eyes like sentient smoke. It slowly came to the young man and took the form of a woman made of the blue smoke. It mounted the young man and engaged in carnal desires. It moaned loudly. It leaned down to kiss him and the young man was fully awake and out of his trance. He began to scream in her embrace as his youthful vigor was being drained. His skin turned pale and his strong muscles vanished, leaving behind a skeletal frame. His once youthful full blond hair turned white and fell out.


    His life force was being drained before our very eyes. It didn¡¯t stop until the flesh turned to dust and all that remained was a skeleton that crumbled away, vanishing into smoke. The blue figure vanished and danced around in the air as it waited for its next victim. It was the slave I saw before: the Northman who was under the same trance as the previous victim. I looked at Cao Tzu and she at me. We gave each other a knowing nod. I took my blade in my hands and I stabbed it through a large banner and used it to break my fall. Yet before I could separate the priest¡¯s head from his body, he cast a vile spell at me. Without even looking at me, he waved his hand in a single gesture and I found myself unable to move of my own will. I felt like a puppet on a string. The priest looked at me. He must have thought I would have made a good sacrifice, but before he could throw his plans into action, Cao Tzu¡¯s spear found his chest and pierced him all the way through.


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    At the moment of his death, the blue figure screamed and vanished into nothingness. The sacrificial slaves snapped out of their trance and began to attack the captors. Now free from my bondage, I slew several of the cultists and guards. One drew out his dagger and charged at me.


    ¡°Unbeliever!!!¡±


    He tried to stab me in the back, but his cries alerted me. I thrusted my sword into his chest, using his momentum to throw him over my head and into a large brazier where his robes caught on fire. Already dead, he couldn¡¯t escape the flame even if he had enough life left in him to try and crawl out.  Cao Tzu grabbed a banner and slid down to aid me in my fight. The Northman from before picked up a dagger from a fallen cultist and aided me. He struck down a cultist as I cut through more. Those that were able and willing to fight would give no quarter to our enemy. Their united fury was felt within the walls as men and women alike who were to be sacrificed unleashed their hatred on the cult.


    I used my strength to throw a brazier over which caused one of the tapestries to catch fire. This started a chain reaction that would see the temple turned into smoking embers. We burst out of the temple and the revolt had well and truly begun. As the temple began to glow with flames, Brutus took that as a signal and began to charge with his detachment of slaves. While the security was distracted, They saw too late that Brutus and his people bashed against them. The children were taken to safety while Brutus unleashed his strength on the guards, flinging them around as if they were nothing more than childrens toys.


    We joined up with Brutus and engaged in glorious combat. Ile Sathak must have dined well on that night. Unfortunately, our engagement was cut short after one of the cultists rang an alarm bell. We knew that the entire city would be in an uproar. I looked at the Northman and yelled at him.


    ¡°Get your people out of the city! Now!¡±


    His eyes burned with fury at the enemy, but regarded me with a sense of respect. As I said before, when I first looked into his eyes, they showed an absence of something, yet at that precise moment I saw a fire reignited. We burst down the gate of the temple and the slaves fled into the night. In the confusion: Brutus, Cao Tzu and I vanished into the crowd of people and hid in the alley ways. Some of the slaves were not fortunate, but the majority had escaped with their new freedom. We watched the flames of the temple rise once we reached the balcony of the inn.


    That night I realized that the cultists were weak. Whoever their lord was and however they achieved their power, then this paltry legion of sickly soft children in bath robes was not their main force. They were in Akari to establish a rule of fear, otherwise the citizens would have revolted against them long ago. It made me wonder who this enemy was: why they held such a strong rule over people; what dark powers were I not privy to; and exactly what awaited me in the darkness ahead of me? I had no idea who their leader was, but I did know this: they were dangerous, and I couldn¡¯t afford to do another grand stunt like that. At least not so soon.


    Two nights after the revolt, we had a trio of visitors ask for us at the inn. At first we thought that perhaps, we were found out by some means, but no. It was the Northman and two other companions with him. They wanted to speak with me, and I obliged on the condition that it would be private.


    We went into our room with Brutus guarding the door to make sure there were no evesdroppers listening in to our conversation. The Northman lowered his hood, and his companions followed suit. The one on the right was a younger man. He had light dark skin with short hair and brown eyes. At first I saw him as only that, but I could sense a type of untapped potential within him. He had been in captivity for most of his life, and now had a taste of that elusive concoction of freedom.


    The other man was older than myself. His hair was peppered white and black and his full beard matched. He bore many scars across his body. He bore the visage of a man who had seen much conflict in his life. Even at his age he was in peak physical condition. Looking at him gave me hope that I too could maintain my body¡¯s strength at his age.


    The Northman looked at me with something on his mind, yet he didn¡¯t speak right away. There was some hesitation on his part. I raised my eyebrow and waited for him to speak after a long moment of silence.


    ¡°Are you not going to speak?¡±


    He stammered for a moment. ¡°F-Forgive me. I do not know how to properly¡­ thank you for what you did.¡±


    ¡°I would imagine not, but you are most welcome.¡±


    The Northman cut his eyes to the man on his left and gestured to him.


    ¡°This is Mil¡¯Tuk. He is the youngest of us. He was a hunter of his people until he was captured by the cult of Ys¡¯tar. Now he finds himself here. And this is Straden. He¡¯s an old gladiator who found himself in the sacrificial pits.¡±


    Ys¡¯tar. That was the name of the multi-armed goddess. Now I had a name for that creature, and knew who to curse. I tilted my head at the Northman and smirked.


    ¡°You told me their names, but not yours.¡±


    He stammered for a moment before looking down in shame.


    ¡°I¡­have no name. I have been a slave for so long, I had forgotten my real name.¡±


    ¡°Well then, would you like me to give you a new name?¡±


    He was taken aback for a moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±


    ¡°Would you like a new name?¡± I reiterated in a stern voice as I crossed my arms. ¡°You must have a name, and I can give you one that will make your enemies quake with fear.¡±


    He lowered his head and looked aside. He swallowed hard, the prospect of a new name overwhelming him. This man had been denied his freedom and basic human dignity his entire life, and now he would know true freedom starting with a new name. He only nodded for a moment as an answer.


    I thought of many names for him, but one felt just right.


    ¡°Gallus¡­ From now on, your name is Octavian Gallus.¡±


    This would mark another historic moment for my legion. When one joins the legion, their old life is over, and they will have a brand new identity. A new name and a new purpose.


    Octavian smiled and knelt down before me. Mil¡¯Tuk and Straden looked at each other and knelt down beside Octavian. Octavian kept his head lowered as he addressed me.


    ¡°Thank you, my lord.¡±


    ¡°My lord?¡± I thought to myself. I rather liked the sound of that. I gestured for them to rise up to their feet.


    ¡°Brothers. Today marks a new day for you. Today, you are free men, and you have no masters but yourselves. This is a glorious day for the Blasted Lands, for we will make a name for ourselves in due time. Now, We must keep our eyes on the future.¡±


    I walked over to the window of the tavern and smiled, looking out at the city. I had big things planned for Akari. Little did I know that ¡ªas before¡ª I was being watched. Those violet eyes had not left me for a moment. She knew what I had done, and could act at any point. However, she didn¡¯t. She continued to study me and wait. The lady who watched me had plans of her own.

 Chapter 7: Sacrifices must be made

    I decided it was best to have our new group lay low for a while. Obviously if I were to start another incident like the liberation of the slaves, I would have been easily caught. Instead we hid and proceeded to act normally. At least as normally as people like us could. It quickly became apparent that we needed to find shelter for ourselves, and it was not in a tiny run down inn that could barely hold the likes of Brutus.


    When we were able to, we would do smaller jobs. After all this time it''s hard to imagine myself taking on the work of a bodyguard for a rich noble in the city compared to where I am now, but everyone has to start somewhere. I was not one of those sickly soft kings who only earned the position because my father bedded my mother and they happened to be royalty. I worked hard to get to where I am today.


    Brutus was very good at getting jobs to be a bodyguard with me. It almost felt like I was offering him up as a prized bull. Not that he cared of course. Brutus was more than happy to have an excuse to knock some heads and show his strength off. The giant of a man knew exactly how to make himself look like the most formidable opponent.


    Cao Tzu became my closest confidant. Thanks to our unique method of communication, any secrets we had were strictly kept between each other. Though I could sense that she was getting somewhat restless. Since I met her, I had the feeling that something had crippled her. Not just the nails going through her wrists, but something else was done to her that she couldn¡¯t ¡ªor wouldn¡¯t¡ª elaborate on. She had been handicapped in some way as far as abilities went. Aside from her lack of ability to speak, she was perfectly functional as a warrior.


    Mil¡¯Tuk seemed to have a natural affinity towards animals. Stray dogs and cats gravitated toward him. He quickly trained the local dogs to be our guards. They proved to be every bit as loyal as a dog could ever hope to be. He had a closer kinship to animals than those of his fellow men. Men were complicated creatures that backstabbed and quarreled with each other. You know where a dog stands if you train and raise it right.


    Straden was the eldest among us and knew the insides and outsides of battle. He was a man after my own heart. When the time came to recruit new members of our legion, I would task him with training the new blood in the art of war. At that time however it was only the six of us. In those days he provided military advice and support during combat. For an old man he was very spry and fully capable of fighting any of us one on one. Even Brutus had slight difficulty in defeating him in a sparring match.


    And then there was Octavian Gallus. Octavian showed his skill right away as being a man of strong conviction and loyalty. He was a perfectionist in all things and skilled in combat. I admired him. He proved himself in many difficult situations in our time in Akari. He showed no fear or hesitation when it came to doing a mission. I asked him to carry out an order, and he did so without question. Very quickly he became something along the lines of my right hand. If our situation were to change, then Octavian would step up and take care of the problem.


    Our lives became more complicated one day when we encountered a grisly scene. We were on our way to gather food and supplies for our small gang when we witnessed a crowd gathering. Curiosity struck and I ventured to get a better look. Joining me was Cao Tzu and Octavian. We waded through the crowd like a thick jungle and managed to get a decent enough view of what was going on. Three men were bound, stripped naked and bound by their arms and legs. They were severely beaten as evident to the bleeding scars from whips on their backs and more personal beatings on their faces. Their eyes swelled and some might have even been missing teeth. Keeping the crowd from interacting with the men were the guards from the temple of Ys¡¯Tar. Behind the men were the true muscles of this force.


    They were taller than average men. As tall as Brutus even. Their armor covered every inch of their bodies in darkness. Their plate armor was silver with hints of bright blue. The tips of the fingers on their gauntlets were in the shape of sharp claws, and their helmets almost resembled lions. Around the back of the helmets and their necks was a thick black mane. They each carried large two handed swords that they pointed downwards in a guard pose.


    A priest of Ys¡¯Tar stepped up to the front of the stage and held his hands out. He spoke with a voice that I would imagine would belong to a worm.


    ¡°Citizens of Akari! A great evil has been committed and must be corrected. There are some within this city who have sinned greatly against mighty Ys¡¯Tar, and her holy prophet: the high priestess of Ys¡¯Tar; the most holy of holy; the queen of kings; our fair lady, Lak¡¯Ashara. Her grace has been greatly displeased with this city''s lack of willpower to enact justice upon those responsible for defiling our temple and murdering our worshipers!¡±


    I could feel my stomach wretch at every syllable that spineless old cur said. If I had my way I would have slit the man¡¯s throat right then and there for the lies he was spewing, yet that would be just as useful as slitting my own throat. He continued to prattle on.


    ¡°These men you see here today have failed their holy lady. Because of their carelessness and their incompetence, they allowed barbarians to flee into the night without any form of punishment. Because of this blunder, great and mighty Ys¡¯Tar has gone without the correct amount of sacrifices. To rectify this, we must punish those that failed their lady.¡±


    The old man lifted up a gnarled warped finger and then pointed down in a quick motion towards the first condemned. The armored warrior raised his sword in the air and plunged it in the first man right in his spine. The man screamed violently as the sword ran him through and pinned him as one would pin a butterfly. The sword began to glow and siphon the blood out of the man like a leech. He screamed all the way through as the blade greedily drank from him until he was a husk. Then he burst into blue flames as the warrior pulled his sword out and resumed his position. All that remained of the man was a burnt skill that glowed with a strange blue light. I could swear I saw the man''s eyes in those empty sockets and felt his undying fear.


    The priest pointed at the second man and the abhorrent scene began all over again. He turned to address the crowd.


    ¡°Their life¡¯s blood quenches the thirst of Ys¡¯Tar, and their souls feed our blessed lady! But one thing is left to appease our anointed queen! There must be a proper sacrifice to appease the goddess. It is with a heavy heart that we must begin a mass sacrifice!¡±


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    That last sentence was punctuated by the death of the third prisoner and his screams. The crowd around us murmured in fear, knowing that any one of them would be selected to be the next victims of this death goddess.


    I didn¡¯t see where she appeared first, but I felt something brush past me. Her shoulder brushed against mine. It grabbed my attention and I saw her for the first time. She stood next to me for a fraction of a second, but I felt as if time stopped. She wore a red hood over head and a black face mask that hid everything below her nose. She wore a type of head cloth that concealed her hair and had a fashionable jewelry design of silver and gold chain linked beads that went down her forehead and split into two rows of beads that loosely hung on her cheeks and wrapped around towards the back of her head.


    Her eyes were marked with dark eyeliner to accentuate the beauty of her eyes. Her eyes were a brilliant violet color that dazzled and sparkled in the right light. The longer I stared the more entranced I felt as I lingered at her gaze. Not only were they the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen, but I could see the intellect behind them. The very act of being caught in her sights was enough to command respect, and even now I must admit that in that brief moment of contact, I was intimidated.


    Her skin was a gentle sun kissed light olive color. The clothes she wore revealed that much. Her clothes were practical and yet showed much of her body. It was tight around her and allowed her to move freely. Her boots and leggings reached only up to her upper thighs. The rest showed off more of her skin. She wore a belt that had several pockets attached to it as well as a long cloth that covered her front and her backside, yet left very little to the imagination. Her midriff was revealed and showed off her alluring curves and well toned muscular body. Her chest was covered up with armored hip gussers that kept her modesty, and her shoulders were bare as opposed to the bracers she wore.


    For the moment it appeared that the world melted away and the only ones in the black void of nothingness were the two of us. I focused on her eyes and she on mine. Was there some sort of connection at the start? It was hard to say, but I¡¯ll never forget that moment.


    She gracefully walked up the steps to where the old man was, her hips swaying and entrancing me. I almost felt like Brutus for a moment when he saw a good looking woman, and I was fascinated by the woman with the violet eyes. She walked up to the priest and whispered in his ear. He regarded her with a sense of awe and respect. The priest raised both hands in the air and spoke again.


    ¡°The gracious lady Ys¡¯Tar shall take the lives of all who are chosen. You will be selected by a lottery. However, If one were to find the perpetrator for the terrible atrocity that occurred, then his or her soul would be all that is required to sate Ys¡¯Tar¡¯s terrible hunger.¡±


    As the priest continued to drone on, the woman stepped down and walked past me again. We locked eyes once more and I swore I could see a sly smirk behind her mask. I did of course see her winking at me before she continued walking and soon vanished within the crowd of people. With just a few words in whispered tones, she bought time for Akari and its people. I was impressed. ¡°Who was this woman?¡± I thought to myself and kept looking to where I had last seen her. My eyes returned to the stage before I gestured for my companions to leave.


    Octavian spoke to me once we were out of earshot from the guards and cultists.


    ¡°Sire, I have no idea what game that woman was playing with you, but I don¡¯t trust her.¡±


    Octavian clearly witnessed the small interaction between the woman and myself. I continued to walk and kept my voice low.


    ¡°Keep your voice down, Octavian. We don¡¯t know who may be watching.¡±


    ¡°That woman, obviously.¡± Octavian stated in a matter-of-fact tone.


    ¡°She obviously knows about us yet she didn¡¯t point us out.¡±


    ¡°There is a reason for that.¡±


    ¡°What possible reason could there be? She had plenty of opportunities to turn us in, yet she didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what her motives are, but I don¡¯t trust that they are entirely for our benefit.¡±


    ¡°I understand your caution, Octavian, but we have few allies as it is right now.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me my lord, but not when they have the best chance to plunge a dagger in your back.¡±


    Stopped dead in my tracks and looked at Octavian.


    ¡°We will discuss what to do about this woman later. For now, we must figure out what to do about our present situation.¡±


    Octavia raised his finger in the air. ¡°Perhaps that is the reason.¡±


    I cocked my eyebrow and tilted my head.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It is very obviously a trap, my lord. We go to stop the sacrifices before they begin only to get captured ourselves.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t argue with that logic. Octavian was no fool and I had to agree that it did seem like a trap meant to goad us and see us all captured.


    ¡°See? I speak the truth, do I not?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny that it''s all too convenient. But suppose we do nothing, what then? We simply allow people to die for us as we hide away in the sewers like rats?¡±


    Octavian was about to argue when Cao Tzu raised her finger up in the air. She signed to me and Octavian was left in the dust.


    ¡°What is she saying? Can this not wait?¡±


    I listened intently to what Cao Tzu had to say. My eyes lit up at the idea.


    ¡°Do you think it will work? Do we even know where they will begin their next sacrifice?¡±


    She shook her head no, but she did have an idea that would cripple the temple and save the citizens before anyone were to suffer. I looked at Octavian and smirked.


    ¡°Gather the others. We need to get our plan ready to be put into motion. We have limited time, but if Cao Tzu¡¯s plan works out, then no one will have to see us coming.¡±


    Octavian nodded, now knowing that a mission had truly begun. As for me, I figured that I would be easily recognizable should I pull another stunt like we were about to. So I decided to change my appearance for a short time. My long shoulder length hair had to be trimmed short. My thick full beard also needed to be cut down. I cut it back to be a goatee, clearing my cheeks up and separating my mustache from the hair on my chin. I instantly looked younger compared to what I had previously. I felt like a new man and was ready to take on the next challenge.


    I stepped out of my room and told the group about Cao Tzu¡¯s plan. We had to be prepared for the worst because it was both dangerous and foolhardy. But what type of man would I be if I allowed others to die in my place? A coward. We had a small time frame, but I believe we had what it took.

 Chapter 8: Crashing the party

    There were several steps in our plan. The first part was simple enough. We had to figure out exactly where they would begin the sacrifice. The temple was in ruins after our raid and was not going to be rebuilt in a few short days. For this mission, I selected Cao Tzu to spy on the worshipers. Her mission was to simply blend in and become just another face in the crowd. After giving her some robes that Straden and Mil¡¯Tuk ¡°liberated¡± from a priestess of Ys¡¯Tar, she was sent to where the faithful were the most numerous. Even that was not as easy as we would have liked it. With only one temple in the city, where was a priest to go?


    While Cao Tzu was trying to uncover that particular mystery, Straden and Mil¡¯Tuk were tasked with the second part of the operation. Mapping out the sewers while Octavian and I needed to kill two birds with one stone. First was getting a map of Akari, that was easy enough. With a map of the city we would align it with the sewer map and pinpoint any location we desired. Straden and Mil¡¯Tuk had their work cut out for them. The sewers were a labyrinthian nightmare that had the added bonus of having a smell that would wake the dead. I pitied them. Yes I did send them in there in the first place, but it brought no joy to me. We all make sacrifices.


    Once Octavian and I were done, then came the real hard work, and far more dangerous than wandering around in the sewer. I went to learn everything I could about alchemy. I was searching for something potent. In my homeland, one of our weapons of war was an ingenious concoction that made for a power that was often mistaken for the wrath of the Gods or the shock and awe of thunder roaring in the heavens. Thus it was given the name ¡°Roharim Thunder.¡± I wanted to replicate the explosive, yet that was easier said than done. It was one thing to use that power to blow apart a ship and reduce it to rubble, but it was something else entirely to actually make the concoction.


    Even more so when you consider that I had no previous knowledge in making said explosive. Naturally I couldn¡¯t simply walk into a store and ask the merchant with the same naive candidness one would ask a fishmonger if they had halibut. Even if I could simply ask, I¡¯d have no idea how to properly mix it. All I knew for sure is that when personal experience fails, gold can buy you just about anything. Octavian and I searched high and low for someone who knew what they were doing and were willing to take a risk and create this dangerous concoction. Fortunately, we found just the individual.


    We heard stories about him through the small ¡ªless than savory¡ª communities within the alchemical world. There is an almost invisible line between genius and insanity. This man crossed that line on a daily basis. They called him Vatrez. No one who told us about him knew where he came from or what he did before he came to the blasted lands. All anybody ever truly knew was that he was a type of mad genius. If you needed something built, Vatrez was said to be your man.


    He lived in one of the more run down parts of the city. The type of place that was dangerous to be in. I had no qualms about going into the slums of Akari, for Octavian and I could handle ourselves well enough. The issue would have been getting Vatrez to aid us in our little project. From what they told us of him, he was resistant against authority. Eventually we tracked him down to his lair outside of Akari. We bought ourselves some horses and rode out. We found his home nestled in a canyon wall to avoid other people. It was a bizarre structure that I had never encountered before.


    It was as if someone jammed the foundation of the building deep within the rock face and kept it from falling down as if to spite gravity itself. I couldn¡¯t see any way to climb up the cliff without some tools that we were lacking. We hadn¡¯t expected to come across anything in this nature. I looked over to my right side and found a type of platform. I inspected it and examined it. As I knelt down to brush my fingers along the platform, I heard a voice call out to me.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    I whirled around and tried to find the source of the voice, instinctively pulling my sword out and getting ready for a surprise attack.


    ¡°Over here, dumbass¡­¡±


    I turned to find what looked like some type of box with a funnel sticking out of it. I stepped forward and tapped it. The voice came from the box, sounding annoyed the longer I inspected the strange creation.


    ¡°Yes, that''s where my voice is coming from. What do you want?¡±


    Momentarily in awe over the pure genius of this invention, I spoke into the funnel after a short pause after searching for my words.


    ¡°Hello. I am looking for Vatrez.¡±


    ¡°Speaking¡­¡±


    I would have asked how he was able to speak without even being there, but I didn¡¯t want to waste his time or mine. I leaned into the funnel closely and spoke clearly.


    ¡°I heard that you are a brilliant man. I need to speak to you about a project I need help with. Something I need your expertise on.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    That was all there was. Just a flat ¡°no¡± without so much as an explanation. I spoke again.


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®no?¡¯¡±


    ¡°I mean I¡¯m not interested in working for you, or any one of Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s goons. Go find someone else to be your lackey. Oh, and if you try to force me, then there are plenty of defenses here that can put you six feet under.¡±


    I glanced at Octavian and he crossed his arms, clearly annoyed by the man. I tried to keep a level head.


    ¡°I think there''s a misunderstanding. I don¡¯t work for Lak¡¯Ashara. I serve myself.¡±


    ¡°And I care, because?¡± He trailed off for a moment, expecting my reply.


    ¡°I can tell that you don¡¯t like Lak''Ashara very much. Can I assume that you¡¯re not too fond of this Ys¡¯Tar goddess she worships?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be correct. What''s your point?¡±


    ¡°Well, I believe we have a common enemy. There is supposed to be a mass sacrifice in Akari. I want to stop it.


    There was a long, painful silence that grew louder with each passing second. Finally, we heard a noise. A large man sized box descended from a rope onto the platform. As I made my way to step inside, Octavian grabbed my shoulder.


    ¡°My Lord, please reconsider. This man may be¡­unhinged.¡±


    I stared at Octavian for a moment before I gently took his hand off my shoulder.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°What other choice do I have?¡±


    I stepped into the box and was elevated up, leaving Octavian down below to watch for anyone coming our direction. I suspected that there were eyes following our every movement. Whether they were the violet eyes that lingered in my mind or a set of new eyes, I had no idea.


    The box arrived at its destination. I looked down and saw Octavian far below the cliff side. I held onto the railing tightly, lest I fall to my death from the height. It would take a madman just as crazy as Vatrez to attempt to scale the cliff face, and that man had better be endowed with a luck that only a gambling addict could only dream of.


    I found the front door and ventured beyond its threshold. Inside I found a workshop full of strange items and artifacts. Inventions that Vatrez made. To my mind, these objects were as alien to me as if a man who couldn¡¯t speak your language was attempting to tell you the nature of the universe. Even if you could understand the words, your mind couldn¡¯t comprehend all facets of that knowledge.


    ¡°Watch where you step.¡±


    I spun on my heel to the direction of the voice and saw a man working on something on a table. I looked down and saw that there were still strange items on the floor. I carefully made my way to the man, assuming that it was Vatrez. I was correct in that. Vatrez was wearing some type of eyewear to magnify his view. He appeared to have a sharp tan, though it was not the sun¡¯s light that had given it to him. It was more of the type of darkening one would get from diligently working at a forge and alchemical works. I could see his blonde hair and face stubble from where I stood as Vatrez peered at the object he was tinkering with. I couldn¡¯t quite tell what exactly he was working on, nor do I think I¡¯d have been able to know if he explained it to me.


    ¡°You can stop staring and get to the point.¡±


    Vatrez snapped me out of my stupor and I cleared my throat accordingly.


    ¡°Ahem, yes.¡±


    ¡°So you said you weren¡¯t with Lak¡¯Ashara and her cult?¡±


    He didn¡¯t even glance up at me for a moment as he was focused on his work.


    ¡°No. Far from it, actually.¡± I stepped closer to get a better look at what he was doing. Still no response from him.


    ¡°So what do you want?¡±


    ¡°You clearly are not friendly with the cult of Ys¡¯Tar. They don¡¯t know my name, but I made them my enemy. They are planning on conducting a mass sacrifice, and we need your help.¡±


    ¡°My help? You still haven¡¯t answered my question. What exactly do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°I have been told that you are very skilled in creating things. Especially in creating alchemical concoctions. I need something to disrupt that sacrifice.¡±


    For the first time since I arrived, he looked up at me through those large goggles on his face that magnified his eyes.


    ¡°What, like some poison?¡±


    I gave him a coy little smile and stroked my goatee.


    ¡°Actually, I was thinking something along the lines of¡­shock and awe.¡±


    Vatrez gave me a mischievous little smile and took his spectacles off and set them aside.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d say I¡¯d like your style. But what exactly is in it for me?¡±


    I shrugged, thinking of some reward for him.


    ¡°I have plenty of gold I liberated from some coffers.¡±


    Vatrez thought for a moment and stood up to pace back and forth.


    ¡°I have no interest in gold, but what I do want is just as precious. I want revenge.¡±


    I gave a nonchalant nod and rolled my shoulders.


    ¡°Name the target. Who do I need to kill?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it''s nothing like that, my friend. Our targets are the same people. The High Priest of Ys¡¯Tar will be conducting the sacrifice himself, yes? I want you to promise me that no matter what, his blood will be spilt. Do you understand?¡±


    I bowed my head in understanding.


    ¡°Consider it done. Now, will you help me?¡±


    Vatrez quickly went over to an alchemical table and began to work.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have it ready for you before tomorrow. Just tell me when you want it and how much you want.¡±


    I grinned wickedly and looked at Vatrez right in his eyes as I leaned forward on his table.


    ¡°Enough to blow a hole through the sewer walls. As for when, I¡¯ll contact you when we find the right place.¡±


    Thankfully, I didn¡¯t have to wait long for that revelation. A few days after I arrived back in Akari, Cao Tzu returned with information. The priests were going to the market square to begin their lottery. The citizens would be forced to put their names in a great urn. The urn would then be mixed up and the names pulled out. Those unfortunate enough to have their names pulled would immediately be sacrificed to Ys¡¯Tar.


    All we had to do was wait. The time to strike arrived, and Vatrez had delivered the payload. In the dead of night, we snuck several barrels into the sewer, each barrel filled with the concoction. If all went according to plan, then the crowd that would gather could see a different execution.


    We waited for the right opportunity to strike. The day of the sacrifice, a crowd was forced to gather into the market square. We all hid in the sewers, waiting for our chance to shine. The barrels of explosives were placed in the correct areas. Cao Tzu poked her head out of the sewer entrance on the ground and watched as everything fell into place. The crowd was large, the sacrifices would be many. The old priest from the previous announcement had arrived, and began with his black sermon.


    ¡°Good people of Akari! Ys¡¯Tar¡¯s wrath is great and terrible, but we can avoid it! Some of you may not approve of what we do here today, but this is for the betterment of all of you! What we do today will be as sweet as a summer''s breeze compared to what great and mighty Ys¡¯Tar will do to us if we do not appease her!¡±


    Cao Tzu climbed down the sewer ladder and signaled us to begin the operation. Octavian nodded and was the first to take a torch. We had tied cloth to the barrels as a fuse. We lit it on fire and the cloth burned with added speed thanks to the oil we dipped the cloth in. Topside, the sermon continued.


    ¡°We have been blessed this day, and we will appease our lady and her chosen priestess! Now, brothers and sisters, we will begin!¡±


    The priest pulled out the first name from the urn and looked carefully at it. It was the name of a young girl. She was picked to be the first sacrifice. Thankfully, before the guards were able to apprehend her, our bomb was set off. There was a loud rumble in the ground that shook the surface. From our perspective, we were nearly deafened by the explosion as we scurried out. The bombs were placed in a way that wouldn¡¯t cause an explosion topside. Rather, the area where the sacrifice was to take place would cave in and create a large sinkhole. By the time the ground began to dip, it was too late. The crowd panicked and the cultits were sucked into the abyss and then crushed to death by the rubble. We made it to where those that died were of the cult, and the civilians were unharmed.


    It was an immense victory for us, and one of my proudest moments. That night, we celebrated with a round of drinks and good will. Even Octavian was in good spirits.


    Then, when morning came we were all hungover from the night of revelry. The once cheerful bar was not filled with people too intoxicated to move and too hurt to do anything. That''s why we were so easily found by the city guards. To our misfortune, someone had witnessed us carrying barrels into the sewer. The witness had waited until after the deed was done to alert the guards. Even now I¡¯m kicking myself over how easily we were caught.


    When they came, I tried to pull my sword out, but dropped it and began to clutch my head in agony. One of the rare times I allowed myself to drink that much. An important lesson to be sure. Even mighty Brutus was unable to fight thanks to his night spent drinking and whoring. Not that he was arrested of course. While the commotion at the bar was going on, he was sound asleep with several women wrapped around his arms. This was one of my more embarrassing moments¡­


    Thankfully, this was not the end of the story. In fact, this turned into a blessing. For when my hangover finally lifted, I was to meet a queen.

 Chapter 9: The Queen and the Bull

    Like unwanted garbage, I was tossed into a cell with no care for my well-being until I sobered up. I couldn¡¯t even support myself to get up. The thing that was the most painful was not the headache that felt like my brain was attempting to grow legs and crawl out of my skull. It was the sheer humiliation that I had been captured so easily after all the effort I went to. My stomach turned at the mere thought of that, or maybe that was just the previous night''s revelry coming back to haunt me. Either way, I was stuck here.


    Slowly I regained my senses and waited in that darkened cell for some sign that I had not been forgotten. I thought about escape, yet the more I thought about it the more I saw that there was an ulterior motive to my confinement. They captured me, and I was at their mercy. At any time they could have dragged me out into the street and publicly executed me. They had their man and they didn¡¯t seem like the type to give me a fair trial after committing acts of terrorism that spat directly in their faces.


    As far as I was aware, Brutus was still out there somewhere. I could only hope that he managed to avoid trouble. By the time the guards came for me, I was sober enough to walk and talk. They escorted me up to the throne room. It appeared that I was to have an audience with the ruler of Akari. When I arrived, I found that I was not alone. Joining me in bondage was Cao Tzu, Mil¡¯Tuk, Staden and Octavian. Still no Brutus. Perhaps my hope of his escape was true. I was brought before the throne with shackles binding my wrists in front of me. The throne itself was empty, and we were left waiting for the ruler. As I waited, someone entered the room. It was her¡­


    The same woman from the cultist¡¯s demonstration, staring with her violet eyes. I turned my head to Octavian, who regarded me with a glare that simply said ¡°I told you so.¡± Suddenly it clicked in my head. I turned to face the woman with realization. It was her that was the witness. She tipped off the guards to what we were doing. Only this woman who had evaded our detection before could have been the eyewitness to our rebellious act. I suddenly felt very small in that instance. In that moment, I realized that I was but a pawn in a larger game of hers. To what end goal, I knew not what, but the fact remained the same. I believed that the day I was brought before the throne room was to be my last day among the living. She said not a word as she sauntered in and looked up to the throne, waiting just as patiently as us. I saw the royal guards leaving a hallway and stood at the sides of the entrance. I could hear footsteps coming down the hallway, and began to count them like the final grains of sand that were the time I had left to live.


    Exiting from the hallway was a beautiful woman in fine silk garments. Her dress was long and flowing, yet I could see the silhouette of her body moving, revealing but not incredibly so. Her light almond colored skin appeared soft. Her arms were clearly visible and covered by only the thinnest veil of silk so details could still be seen, such as the dark blue paint on her arms that depicted fish scales. She wore a jeweled headdress. It was stripped with blue and gold and had intricate patterns of scales on the blue stripes. The centerpiece was a golden fish with sapphire eyes that glistened brightly in the light. She had the face of a living Goddess and carried the authority of one as she walked.


    I knew right away that this was the ruler of Akari. Queen Ankarama the golden. She sat down on her throne and placed one leg over the other. The masked woman stood next to her as an advisor. I had no idea what my immediate fate would have been, but it didn¡¯t appear to be favorable.


    With but a gesture of her slender fingers, the queen ordered her guards to ¡°escort¡± me to the foot of the stairs leading up to the throne she sat high upon. With amber eyes she examined me for a moment or two before she finally spoke.


    ¡°My associate here said that you had a giant of a man in your employ. Where is he?¡±


    They hadn¡¯t found Brutus. A small sense of relief washed over me. My first instinct was to cover for him.


    ¡°I mourn his loss. He died during our last¡­incident. A simple accident claimed his life when we tested our explosives.¡±


    It was pointless to hide our actions. Most likely the masked woman had more than enough evidence on us. Still, I made an attempt to protect Brutus. If he was still out there, he might have been able to provide a means for our escape before we found ourselves on the executioner''s chopping block.


    At least that was the plan until mere moments after my sentence, Brutus was dragged in with chains. He had apparently taken out several guards before foul sorcery was used to subdue him. He was led into the room by three robed figures who served the queen. Each had a small gem in their hands of different colors that matched similarly colored gems on Brutus¡¯s restraints. He tried to strike at them, but one of the robed figures simply raised the gem aloft and Brutus was struck as if by lightning. He fell to his knees and clenched his teeth.


    The queen gave a sly smirk and a cocked brow, clearly amused.


    ¡°Well, it seems the Gods favor you, warrior. You have been blessed by a miracle. Your giant has returned from the dead.¡±


    Every word she spoke had the familiar venom of sarcasm soaked in it. Just like that, my hopes were dashed yet again. I thought to myself ¡°Ille¡¯Sethak, please kill me now.¡±


    She rested her hand on her cheek and her elbow on the arm of the throne. Her leg gently kicked in the air.


    ¡°So you are the so called ¡®heretics¡¯ that have disrupted Lak¡¯Ashara and the cult of Ys¡¯Tar¡¯s practices. I imagined there would have been a lot more of you. You¡­what is your name?¡±


    She lazily pointed her foot at me, and I answered.


    ¡°I am Hadrian Damoclesian.¡±


    ¡°Hadrian Damoclesian¡­¡± She repeated my name and leaned back, her foot still kicking lightly. She switched the positions of her crossed legs to get more comfortable.


    ¡°Do you know how much trouble you¡¯ve given me? Several slaves from the cult of Ys¡¯Tar are still unaccounted for. Many of the cultists lay dead, and now even the high priest in the city has been killed. My city is under threat from Lak¡¯Ashara, who has personally made it clear that she is displeased.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were the queen.¡± I spoke out of turn, and a guard immediately punched my stomach, and sent me down to the ground.


    ¡°Be Silent!¡± The guard spoke with contempt.


    Ankarama raised her hand and the guard stepped away.


    ¡°As much as speaking out of turn offends me, Damoclesian has a point. I am queen, but the power of Lak¡¯Ashara has made my rule a client one.¡±


    She rose from her throne and descended the stairs. When she stood over me, the guards made sure that I remained on my knees.


    ¡°I have enough power to maintain order in my province so long as I abide by her demands. Unfortunately I¡¯m unable to do so thanks to you. You¡¯ve poked a hornet nest and now you got stung. How does it feel?¡±


    I held my head high in defiance and stood up, resisting the guards. The queen raised her hand and silently ordered the guards to let me rise. I stood at my full height, where her head met my chest. She looked up at me and gave the most subtle of smiles as I answered.


    ¡°Believe me, your highness: I have been stung much worse.¡±


    I raised my shackled wrists. If she could see the scars of my crucifixion, she¡¯d know how true that statement was.


    She smiled as she looked up at me, yet still held an air of command befitting a ruler.


    ¡°Nevertheless, your actions since your arrival here have been detrimental to the safety of my people and my city.¡±


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    ¡°Ah, so you sacrifice your people to protect your people.¡±


    I¡¯d almost expect her to slap me for that comment, but she was cool under the pressure.


    ¡°It¡¯s better than the alternative. What are the lives of a handful of slaves compared to a city¡¯s destruction?¡±


    I cocked my eyebrow. ¡°Is this Lak¡¯Ashara really that petty?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that failure is not an option when the high prophet of Ys¡¯Tar is concerned.¡±


    We stared at each other for a few moments ¡ªour words hanging in the air for a short time¡ª before she spoke once more.


    ¡°You are an interesting man, Hadrian. After knowing about Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s reach, most men would submit themselves. But there''s a Defiance in you that will get you killed one day.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m simply not so keen on sacrificing my own people in some grand lottery to save my own skin.¡±


    She placed her hand on my chin and turned my head to examine me.


    ¡°I could just have you executed and be done with it. Otherwise I could send you into slavery and you can hope for the best. But¡­¡±


    She trailed off, placing a thumb on the corner of my lip. She smiled mischievously as she toyed with whatever ideas that hatched in her head. The masked woman came down from the throne and whispered to Ankarama. The queen sighed and nodded to her advisor.


    ¡°Oh, but you¡¯re right, aren''t you? You¡¯re always right. Still¡­I¡¯ll keep the idea open~.¡±


    She bit her lower lip and gently patted my cheek before turning away to the side and paced.


    ¡°There is one thing that you can do that would make all of this go away for me. I let you live, and you do this task. If you die, then Lak¡¯Ashara will be pleased and the situation will be forgotten. If you live, then you proved yourself worthy and you would have removed a very troublesome thorn from my side, and the side of Lak¡¯Ashara. Either way, I am in the clear.¡±


    ¡°And all that it will cost you are the lives of myself and my compatriots.¡±


    ¡°Oh I wish it were different. A specimen such as yourself would do well as a consort¡­or a gladiator. Whatever the case, it''s better for me to secure the lives of my people than to satisfy my own carnal desires. If you happen to survive however, I might just reconsider.¡±


    The masked woman rolled her eyes and shook her head. I however was not interested in the queen''s advances, no matter how beautiful she was.


    ¡°And what exactly is this task you would have me do?¡±


    The Queen turned to me and crossed her arms.


    ¡°I have an issue that I need capable men to deal with. Lak¡¯Ashara demands tribute every year from all of the leaders of the different ¡®clans¡¯ as she calls us.¡±


    She stepped away from me, flicking her finger in the air as a gesture that commanded the guards to unshackle my wrists. I rubbed them, though my scars stung me as the air hit them. The masked woman took note of my wounds and tilted her head. As if hearing her thoughts, the queen turned and came closer to examine my wrists. Her fingers traced where the nails dug deeply into my flesh.


    ¡°Fascinating¡­¡±


    She clearly recognized my wounds and the origins of them. No doubt she had seen ¡ªmuch less ordered¡ª a few crucifixions in her rule. She removed her hands from me and continued.


    ¡°I have previously sent my tributes to Lak¡¯Ashara, but we have encountered a problem. A small wastrel tribe has decided to raid my tributes. Normally I¡¯d have no problem dealing with wastrels, but every time I send a force to take their heads, I am sent the heads of my own warriors instead.¡±


    ¡°And you want me and my people to eliminate them?¡±


    ¡°Correct. I don¡¯t know much about the history of this tribe. Most of them are pretty much the same anyway. Hostile in every definition of the world. Lak¡¯Ashara is throwing another lavish party. I am expected to go there. My tribute will come with me. You will guard me. Should these savages show up, then you are to deal with them.¡±


    ¡°And if I refuse, you¡¯ll execute us?¡±


    ¡°You catch on very quickly.¡±


    I was not interested in shady ¡ªunderhanded¡ª dealings. What choice did I have though? My refusal would not only condemn myself, but everyone in my group before we had a chance to really do anything. I let out a short sigh.


    ¡°What exactly can you tell us about this tribe?¡±


    ¡°I can tell you that they are great warriors in their own right. Almost everyone I sent to eliminate the tribe was butchered. Only a handful of survivors were left, all reported the same thing. Their leader was a vicious warlord. A barbarian of unmatched strength and tenacity. We don¡¯t know his name, but they call him ¡®the bull¡¯ because he wears a horned helmet. They say the bull killed several men by himself with nothing but his bare hands.¡±


    I instantly thought of Brutus in that regard. A worthy match to be sure, but even so. This ¡®Bull¡¯ sounded like a barbarian that would make even the legions of Roharim think twice. I resigned myself to this fate and took it in stride.


    ¡°Very well. We agree to your terms. As long as you give your word that nothing befalls my people.¡±


    She gave me a coy smirk before ascending the stairs and sitting on her throne.


    ¡°My word is my bond, Hadrian. Do well, and this may be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.¡±


    Another simple gesture and a flick of the wrist and she had the guards release my companions. She leaned over to the masked woman and whispered a private conversation to her. To fight for a queen would not be the worst way to die. Yet I had no intention of dying. My ambitions would only be stoked. I was making headway.


    With a simple nod that I gave to the queen I signaled that I was ready to leave. My eyes met with the masked woman¡¯s violet eyes for a fleeting moment. Whatever game she was playing, I was forced to be the pawn. Eventually though I¡¯d set out to become a prime player.


    We were allowed to return to our place at the Inn to gather our effects and speak among ourselves. Octavian was not entirely pleased with the entire situation.


    ¡°So now we are in the service of this queen, who herself is subservient to some other ruler. The layers here are thick with irony.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t really complain about our status now, can we? It''s better than having whatever foul magic turn us into lifeless husks.¡±


    ¡°Even still, it''s rather humiliating. Now we are indentured to this fish queen when greater things are in store for us. And before you say anything, my lord, I know this will probably bring favor to us. I get that. But it doesn¡¯t mean that I have to like or agree with it.¡±


    I crossed my arms and sighed, pondering for the moment. I looked around and saw the faces of the rest of my companions. Everyone was uneasy. Everyone that is, except Brutus. Brutus was primed and ready for another fight. He quaked with anticipation about facing off against a worthy foe.


    I crossed my arms, raising my hand up to wrap my index finger and thumb around my chin to think.


    ¡°I¡¯m in agreement with you, Octavian. I don¡¯t enjoy my life or the lives of my people being bartering chips. We put ourselves at risk fighting a war that is clearly not ours. If we don¡¯t then our lives are forfeit. Damned if we do, damned if we don''t. Simple as that.¡±


    ¡°I fear no Bull! Bring him to me, I¡¯ll find the perfect place to shove that ¡®horned helmet¡¯ of his.¡± Brutus said with all the bolster and gravitas of a bar full of patrons learning that someone had paid for a free round of drinks for everyone.


    ¡°Let''s not be hasty, my old friend. We need caution. We need a plan.¡±


    Brutus grumbled at my suggestion and began to walk off.


    ¡°I have a plan. I fight the Bull. I win. End of story.¡±


    Callously he then used his great strength to pick up a barmaid and hoist her over his shoulder. That Barmaid had become Brutus¡¯s favorite partner in carnal desire, and she clearly had no complaints.


    Octavian shook his head and sighed. ¡°Forgive me, my lord but He clearly thinks with one head more than the other.¡±


    I turned to face Octavian and sighed through my nose.


    ¡°But we still can¡¯t deny his use. Let him have his fun. We will see who Ille¡¯Sethak favors when we face this so called ¡®Bull¡¯ and deliver this prophets tribute.¡±


    Octavian grumbled and rolled his eyes.


    ¡°That''s another thing. It makes me feel filthy that we are handing this tyrant her tribute when she doesn¡¯t deserve any of it.¡±


    ¡°Agreed, but it''s out of our hands. All we can do is wait for our next opportunity.¡±


    At that moment, we could hear the sound of Brutus and his barmaid lover in carnal passion above us. I shook my head and went to the balcony, in a sudden need of fresh air. I leaned on the balcony and looked up at the stars. What had I gotten myself into? Clearly I was way in over my head, but what else could I do? Not much else, that was certain.


    Even without her there, I still thought about the mysterious woman who had been watching us for some time. I couldn¡¯t deny that I found the entire thing attractive in a way. My curiosity got the better of me and I imagined what might be under that mask. The enigma was attractive to me as my journey to discover Ille¡¯Sethak was so long ago. Who was she, and what was her role in all of this? These questions confounded me, and they kept me awake. Time ¡ªas it ever did¡ª would reveal all before my journey ended. All I could do was be patient.

 Chapter 10: Here there be Monsters

    The day of our journey to meet with Lak¡¯Ashara had arrived. Since we already had weapons and armor, our benefactor didn¡¯t see the need to give us anything more. We supplied ourselves with extra supplies like food, water, bows and arrows. We could have attempted to escape into the wilderness, but if they found us before they would do so again, if we even made it beyond the main gates in the first place.


    I gathered everyone downstairs at the inn before we joined Ankarama''s forces. There was however one person who was not there. Cao Tzu was absent from the group. I told everyone else to wait downstairs while I fetched her. I knocked on the door, yet there was no answer. I knocked again, slower yet firmer. I checked the door handle. It was unlocked, and I opened the door. What I saw shocked me.


    Sitting in the middle of the floor was Cao Tzu in meditation. Her eyes were closed and her hands were palm up, her thumbs and index fingers looped in a particular stance. Sitting in the exact same pose directly facing her was the mysterious woman. Once again she had appeared when I least expected.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±


    I spoke out with anger and shock, both at the woman and Cao Tzu. She had never once in all the time I knew her to go over my head.


    ¡°It''s called meditation.¡±


    The woman finally spoke since I first encountered her. Her voice held a type of power and authority that would make lesser men kneel. I however was not lesser in any way. I strode over to her and knelt beside her.


    ¡°You come here to meditate with her? Why?¡±


    ¡°She has a gift locked away inside her. I intend to unlock her potential. You can consider this a gift if you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°A gift? It''s not a gift when you expect something in return.¡±


    ¡°Would I expect anything?¡±


    She let the silence hang in the air for a moment.


    ¡°Then again, you really shouldn¡¯t complain. Your assistant here has a power within her that has been severed, and I am trying to fix the connection.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked her with a firm tone and stared at her.


    She opened her violet eyes and turned to look at me. A mischievous smile hid under that mask of hers.


    ¡°Because you need all the help that you can get.¡±


    I huffed and sat down next to her. I rested my hand on my knee and looked at her firmly.


    ¡°And I suppose you¡¯re doing this out of the kindness of your own heart?¡±


    ¡°Look at you. So hostile, and we¡¯ve barely spoken a word to each other. How about we finally bridge that gap?¡±


    She reached behind her head to unravel the silk that shrouded her face. At long last, she revealed herself to me. To match her violet eyes she had long, pale blonde hair that was in a fishtail braid that reached all the way down to her lower back. Her neck was painted black in an intricate and detailed way. Around the edges below her neck and up to just under her the base of the head was a border of strange runes I could not understand. Their purpose was not lost on me, however. She was a Sorceress. Judging by her presence there, She was training Cao Tzu to become one as well.


    She was incredibly beautiful. That much I was unable to ignore. She flashed her pearly white teeth at me with a smile.


    ¡°I am Lady Cora.¡±


    I knew I didn¡¯t have to introduce myself ¡ªseeing as how she already knew my name¡ª but it felt like the polite thing to do.


    ¡°Hadrian Damoclesian. At least we can finally know each other.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. It was getting very tiresome not speaking to you. I wish we could do it longer but alas, I can''t.¡±


    She stood up and helped Cao Tzu to stand. Cao Tzu bowed her head to both of us and then left the room, leaving Cora and I alone. Cora turned to face me.


    ¡°We can speak more after you arrive at Lak¡¯Asharas palace.¡±


    ¡°You think we¡¯ll make it that far?¡±


    I had no doubt in my own abilities, but she surprised me with her confidence. She looked at me before she wrapped her head up in the silk to hide herself once more.


    ¡°You¡¯ve surprised me before. Perhaps you¡¯ll do so again.¡±


    She gave me a sly wink before she left the room. Just like that, she was gone again and I found myself lingering. A small nugget of truth was given to me. I finally had her name. The small morsel of information was like bait at the end of a hook, and it was getting harder to resist each time she flashed those eyes at me. And those soft lips¡­


    I shook my head to regain my senses. Here I was acting like a boy with his first crush. I couldn¡¯t afford to let any distractions come my way. For all I knew, she wished nothing but harm for me, and I was walking right into her trap. I had to tell myself not to become entranced by her.


    I left the room with a furrowed brow and my weapons close beside me. We left the inn, and made our way towards the meeting place where Ankarama was waiting. Outside the city walls we stood alongside a detachment of the royal guards, yet no queen to be found.


    ¡°Was this a trap? Had we been double crossed?¡± These were questions I asked myself silently.


    We suddenly felt something. The ground rumbled lightly and increased at a steady pace. I looked down at my feet and saw the small stones on the ground jump in the air, higher with each time the earth shook. In the distance we began to hear what sounded like thunder rolling across the sky, yet there was not a cloud in the sky.


    It was then that in the distance we saw it. A massive hulking creature slowly lumbered its way towards us. Every step it took caused the earth to rumble under our feet. The closer it came the greater the quakes became. By the time the beast arrived, every step was like a miniature earthquake that brought me to my knees. This beast was a large turtle like creature that strode across the blasted lands with few rivals. The great creature towered over us like an ancient statue. Its scales resembled mossy cobblestone and its large shell was like a mighty plateau. On the shell rested a large man made structure that rested on the creature''s back.


    The thing on the animal¡¯s back was a small fortress that was made to look luxurious. The creature stood with little to no regard for us as the Queen arrived with Cora at her side. She smiled like the cat that swallowed the canary and waited for the beast to slowly lay down.


    ¡°Magnificent, isn''t it?¡± She said with a grin as her servants pulled up a large portable set of stairs for her to climb up on. I said nothing and watched as she ascended. Subtlety was clearly not her forte. Cora gave me a look that suggested a mild irritation towards Ankarama¡¯s actions. Nevertheless she climbed up the stairs, leaving us on the ground. While the queen was safe in her gigantic fortress, my fellows had the undesirable position of walking. Not that the turtle could outpace us of course, but we were not even given the luxury of horses.


    As the turtle creature lifted its massive body up to begin walking towards its destination, I and my companions could feel our legs aching before our trek had even begun. It was either that or most likely be executed in the most painful way imaginable, so we resigned ourselves to our fates and we continued our journey.


    The passage to Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s dwelling took us to the rocky canyons that were labyrinthine in nature. The path was wide enough for the turtle beast ¡ªwhat we later learned were called Land Striders¡ª to go through without much trouble. Throughout most of the morning the canyon was quite cool in the dry air. Nights were freezing, and most of us had to huddle to our fires for warmth. Yet everything changed when high noon rolled in. The sun would eliminate all shade besides the turtle. If we lagged behind while under the turtle in any way, it would crush us as one would squash a bug with his foot. It was better to roast in the heat, yet even so, this was a hard passage.


    Combined with the slow pace of the land strider and the maze-like canyon walls, it took us twelve days to get through the path. Each day and night was the same repetitive motions again and again and again. Every day was the same thing: we woke up, ate, walked, ate, walked, survived the damning heat; walked again, and finally when night came we slept. All the while, Ankharama lounged about in her fortress above us enjoying luxury even in that godsforsaken place.


    All the while we noticed that around the fourth day we were being watched. We each saw shadowy figures high up upon the canyon ridge and had the overall feeling of eyes keeping track of us. We could never get a good glimpse of our stalkers other than sprinting silhouettes of figures high above us whenever we checked to see if the sun was about to hang overhead and expose us to the unrelenting heat, or if we tried to take a quick glance at the stars and moon at night. We knew that they were there, yet we couldn¡¯t do anything about it. The queen¡¯s guards were on edge. They feared a coming attack from any and all sides. I sensed that this was the enemy''s plan all along.


    To make us paranoid and constantly looking over our shoulders. Fear was a powerful weapon, and it made men into nothing more than quivering children. I was aware of such ambush tactics, because in my days in the legion, we did something not unlike that. We stalked our enemy for days (even weeks at a time) to cause as much paranoia as possible. In a way, we were not too dissimilar to ancient huntsmen who practiced persistence hunting. It was a remarkable method where the hunter would relentlessly stalk the prey and never let the animal rest long enough to regain its energy. At that point when the beast was utterly exhausted, either the hunter let the exhaustion claim it or put it out of its misery.


    Recognizing these tactics, I made sure to keep a watchful eye for an attack. Once our troop looked weak enough, they would come for the kill. This however did not concern Queen Ankharama. While her men were paranoid, she was arrogant enough to believe that her fortress was the key to her victory. While Cora had the decency to come down and train Cao Tzu in the ways of sorcery, Ankharama enjoyed the good life up in her fortress. She enjoyed sweet fruits and shelter, a comfortable bed that was able to sway when the turtle moved, not unlike a hammock on a ship but more relaxing. She ate fine food and sipped fine wine. She even had the gall to sunbathe while the rest of us suffered in the heat.


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    There were moments where I thought about quitting that entire venture, climbing up to the fortress, fighting my way through her royal guards, and then throwing her under the massive foot of the turtle to watch her get crushed. Alas, I was unable to. As much as I desired to kill her at that moment, I confess that if I had, we would have been trapped in that canyon pass with no way of knowing where the exit was. It was maddening.


    On the tenth day, we were reaching a boiling point. The midday sun was particularly scorching. The heat radiating off of the rocks could cook an egg. With no shade in sight save for the underside of the turtle. At that point we believed it was better to be crushed under the creature''s weight than to slowly be baked by the unforgiving sun. We went under the beast and enjoyed our shade. Little did we know that this simple act to save ourselves from the hateful sun saved our lives.


    At that moment, the guards on the turtle fortress were shot with arrows from above the canyon ridge. Some managed to duck behind their shields but others fell. The attack had finally begun. While the guards were scrambling to figure out what exactly was going on, we who were under the turtle took a moment to assess the situation. Atop the turtle, Cora unleashed her arcane powers against the enemy. She made gestures with her hands and her eyes began to glow brightly. One of the barbarians that repelled down to the turtle struck at her, and she dodged it effortlessly. She enchanted her eyes to be able to see almost exactly what he was going to do. He swung with his sword at her right, she blocked it. He tried to thrust his sword into her throat, and she crouched down moments before the blade could touch her, and returned his strike with her own sword that she conjured out of thin air. She pierced right through the man''s belly and he fell down off the turtle¡¯s side.


    Distracted for a moment, a lucky archer managed to hit her shoulder. She glared and then used an alternative method. She placed both of her arms together as if to block an attack coming towards her face. She then went as stiff as a board and fell backwards onto the hard stone that paved the way to the fortress. The rock clung to her body, and when she arose she was covered in a thick layer of armor. It slowed her down, but arrows wouldn¡¯t find any purchase with her.


    We knew that the top part of the turtle was where most of the fighting took place, so we decided to climb. Fortunately for us, the spaces between the beast¡¯s massive scales looked like they were perfect for climbing. We had to be careful where we placed our fingers, for if we didn¡¯t move our hands away from scales where the skin stretched the most, either it would crush our fingers or not give us any space to grab on. This was the gamble we had on our plates, yet still we pressed onward.


    I was the first to climb while the others went behind me. It was a slow ascent, but not entirely impossible. High above the cliff side was the leader of these barbarians. The leader of these barbarians wore armor made from the hides of many beasts. Scaly leather taken from the backs of animals not unlike the turtle. He painted the armor with black stripes and decorated it with spikes made from the teeth of the beasts. His shoulder pads were adorned with the largest of the teeth. The only thing that was entirely made of metal was his helmet. A black iron helmet with large horns pointing inwards. This was the Bull of the Blasted Lands. Like the others of his war band, he repelled down the mountain side and onto the turtle.


    We were nearly to the top, though as the turtle continued to move ¡ªcompletely indifferent to what was going on its back¡ª we found it difficult to continue upwards. The scales clamped down against one another for the longest time. I thought I had my timing mapped out perfectly, though as I reached out to grab one of the scales, something must have happened. A slight muscle spasm maybe? Perhaps someone on the shell did something to cause the creature a moment of pain? Whatever it was, the creature limped for a moment and crushed my fingers. The pain was excruciating and as soon as the beast let go, I almost fell down to my death. My hand hurt like fire, but I persisted onward. Despite the pain, I continued to climb, and my comrades followed me. Eventually we made it to the top to engage with our enemy.


    I pulled my sword out, but felt my hand burning. My sword hand was injured, but I still had to fight. As we engaged the enemy, everyone showed their skills. Octavian was a man of my own heart. His weapons of choice at that point were a shortsword and an axe. He used the axe to block incoming enemy strikes as well as catching the enemy¡¯s weapon in order to disarm them. He¡¯d then use the sword to finish them.


    Straden and Mil¡¯Tuk used bows for this engagement. Mil¡¯Tuk¡¯s shots were quicker, but Straden¡¯s aim was better. Mil¡¯Tuk peppered enemies with arrows and kept them down while Straden fired calculated shots and found his marks. The two almost seemed to make a game out of it, keeping score over how many one of them killed. Straden had the lead.


    Cao Tzu first attempted to use her new sorcery and tried to remember what Cora taught her, but under the pressure, she was underperforming. She pointed at a man with two fingers and attempted to produce a small flame, yet it fizzled out as if it were a candle. She tried again, but before she could use the spell the man rammed into her and stabbed her leg. She let out a hoarse, guttural noise in pain before the man raised his sword and attempted to strike at her. She placed her fingers in front of her mouth and then breathed out, sticking her tongue out as if breathing fire. Fortunately her attempts finally bore fruit, and she unleashed a blast of flame right at the man''s face. He grabbed his face and dropped his sword. She then picked the sword up and stabbed him through the heart, throwing him off the edge of the turtle. She hissed in pain and grabbed her leg. She placed her hands on her wound and burned it to stop the bleeding. She then attempted to do more cover firing using her spells. They were like small bolts of fire that shot out like arrows. Perhaps it was not what she was going for, but it was effective.


    Brutus showed off his magnificent strength by taking on multiple men at once. With no sorcerers to play tricks on him, he was able to fight them off. One man tried to run him through with a spear, but he grabbed the spear, and then used his free hand to strike at the weapon, breaking it in two. He took the spearhead and then thrusted it into the man¡¯s throat and then threw him off the turtle. Another man shot him with arrows, but they were a minor inconvenience to him. He laughed loudly as he unleashed his might upon the enemy. He was busy for a while, and couldn¡¯t help anyone else. He became the focus of the attacking warriors.


    Cora meanwhile was facing the Bull on her own, still covered in thick stony armor. She punched the Bull in the stomach, yet he didn¡¯t even flinch. She tried again, but this beast of a man was far more brutal than we thought. He grabbed her shoulder and punched her in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Without her concentration, the stone armor fell off of her. She spat up drool as she coughed and clutched her stomach tightly. He then attempted to kick her, but at the last moment she grabbed his leg and her hands began to glow like a red hot poker. He growled before kicking her off of him. She stood up defiantly. She was down, but not out. The Bull was done playing and pulled out a greatsword and slashed it at her. She dodged just in time for only a few strands of hair to be cut.


    She kicked him in his knee to try to bring him down before conjuring two ethereal swords in her hands. She blocked his oncoming strike with her blades. The sheer strength of the Bull was enough to push her back. He slammed his forehead into hers and knocked her back. She stumbled in a daze, bells ringing in her ears before he kicked her right in the chest, sending her flying backwards. Still dazed, the Bull didn¡¯t waste a single moment as he lifted his mighty blade in the air to try to cleave her in two. Yet before the blade could cut through her skin, I jumped in and hit the Bull in the head with the hard metal rim of my shield.


    He was sent back reeling from the pain. I looked at Cora and shouted at her.


    ¡°You owe me one!¡±


    Before she could return any banter, the Bull charged at me and nearly knocked me down as I was distracted for a single moment. I swung my blade at him but he grabbed my arm. As quick as I could, I thrusted my knee into his belly. It took several kicks before he finally let go. I placed my shield in front of me to block most of his attacks. I stepped closer, he blocked and I retaliated. I thrust my blade at him yet he deflected or dodged. I tried to stab him again, but he grabbed my hand and twisted my arm. The sudden jolt of pain on my already injured hand caused me to drop my weapon.


    The queen was hiding in her fortress. She had her elite guard barring the doors as the attackers began to storm the fortress. One of them had a large and heavy axe. With a mighty swing he hacked into the door. With much of the guards having been killed by the initial arrow fire, she had a small handful of guards. Her forces were outnumbered. They must have known that as the ¡°mighty¡± queen hid in her closet. That was when Straden and Mil¡¯Tuk let loose their arrows and shot the man with the axe. They covered the door, making sure that the queen was protected. While we did indeed desire to throw her off of the turtle ourselves, it was in our best interest to keep her alive.


    The Bull swung his greatsword at me, but before he could sever a limb or worse, I raised my shield up. His sword bit into my shield with enough force to cut deeply into it, and even cut through my arm. Fortunately, my shield was thick enough that my arm wasn¡¯t severed. More importantly, I caught his sword and twisted my shield to wrestle his weapon away from him. He had a tight grip on his weapon, but couldn¡¯t pull the blade out. I quickly kicked his leg and made him stumble. I had to be quick in order to get my sword. I reached for it, but the Bull saw my intention and pulled me away. He ripped the shield right from its leather straps, almost ripping my arm off in the process.


    Before I could run for my sword, he punched me in the stomach repeatedly and forced me against the wall. I was unprepared for such a level of brutality. He came at me like a wild animal from the most violent pits of hell itself. The only thing that stopped him was Cora slashing him with her conjured weapons.


    He turned to her and went to assault her once again. She gave me enough time to grab my sword. Suddenly we had the advantage. She flung balls of white fire at him as I tried to stab him. He managed to pick Cora up and was about to throw her off of the turtle when I plunged my blade in him from behind. Yet he didn¡¯t die. To this day I still don¡¯t know if I had missed something vital, or if he was something other than human. He simply turned to face me and stared angrily into my eyes with his own. I couldn¡¯t see his face behind that black helmet. The eyes as far as I knew were as black as coal. He looked down at the sword poking through him. He then threw Cora at me. We both tumbled backwards. He effortlessly pulled the sword out of his body and threw it aside over the turtle.


    I would be lying if I said I did not know fear. I was utterly terrified. This man was clearly not human. I pushed Cora away from me so I could take the brunt of the Bull¡¯s horns when he came for me. With shaking knees, I stood up defiantly. I was afraid, but I would not die a coward. Before we could continue our engagement however, we heard a loud roar that gave pause to even the landstrider. The bull glared and then retreated with his brethren, repelling down from the beast and moving away. Brutus himself was annoyed that the fight ended so soon, but there was a new enemy that appeared. It crawled down from high up the canyon ridge. It smelled the blood that was spilled and found a meal. It was only a little shorter than the Landstrider itself.


    It resembled that of a large lizard. It was heavy with a single row of spikes trailing down from the back of its neck all the way down to its tail. Its forward facing eyes and sharp teeth meant one thing. This was a predator, and the turtle (and by extension us) were the prey. It had green scaly skin like a crocodile, and claws that were as large as a fully grown man.


    The beast ran up and bit the turtle creature on its neck. The landstrider was not quick enough to pull its head in the shell. It bit down hard on the beast and thrashed. Cora and I were injured from the Bull, so Cao Tzu thankfully thought quickly. She placed her hands together and twirled them around one another and produced an orb of fire like a miniature sun. The massive predator was trying to put the land strider on its back. The last thing we needed was to have the entire weight of this animal crash down on us.


    Cao Tzu hurried as fast as she could, but we felt the ground shift under us. The beast was slowly lifting the turtle up on its hind legs and we were close to falling off. Yet at the last moment, Cao Tzu hurled the large ball of flame at the attacking creature and hit its eye. It let go of the strider and unleashed an ear splitting shriek of pain. We covered our ears as the large animal retreated up the cliff side and slowly vanished. The earth trembled as the turtle landed on its front feet again. It ducked into its shell to hide itself away.


    Battered, but not broken, we sat down and let the moment pass to catch our breath. Between panting breaths I looked at Cora and asked her ¡°What the hell was that thing?¡±


    ¡°Rhaedasaur.¡± She replied simply, obviously feeling lightheaded herself.


    ¡°They¡¯re brutal creatures when hungry.¡±


    I nodded and then laid back, feeling the weight of the world crash down on me. I closed my eyes and trembled. The battle was won, just barely.


    Ankarama sheepishly opened a window in her room and poked her head out.


    ¡°Is it over? Have we won?¡±


    I could only nod in reply. She shook her head and retreated back into the fortress. Cao Tzu felt Octavian pat her on the back and congratulated her on a job well done. We sat down and waited for the turtle to climb out of its shell. After a few minutes, the land strider stood up once again and then began to move on its own accord.


    With many of her elite guards now dead, Ankarama ¡°graciously¡± allowed us to enter the fortress and guard her. It was a nice change of pace for us, and we were ready to reap the benefits.


    Guarding both the queen and the tribute that was to be delivered to Lak¡¯Ashara, we continued on our way. The next few days passed uneventfully, and we were finally free of the canyon. There was nothing left between us and Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s city. As the time began to creep in on us ever more, we looked at each other with bated breaths. The time where we would be face to face with the most powerful person in the Blasted Lands was drawing ever closer. I had no idea what to expect. If I could go back and tell myself what I know now, I assure you, I would not have been anticipating the meeting as I did on the final days of our journey.

 Chapter 11: The City of Lust

    I found myself in a black and endless void. I was completely naked. The ground under my feet felt like only a few inches of water. I was running. I was running as fast as my feet could carry me, yet my movements were slow. It felt like I was a drop of water trying not to freeze and escape the clutches of winter itself. I was in a full sprint yet time forbade me from making an impact. I turned my head to look behind and a colossal hand of a woman reaching from the darkness. It was unmistakably a woman''s hand, complete with jewelry befitting a queen. I was filled with a sense of dread. Somehow I knew that if the hand grabbed me, I was dead.


    I looked ahead and saw something glowing. It was my banner. It shone brightly like a beacon, calling to me. No matter how far I ran, it felt like I was never going to reach it. I heard a crunch under my feet and looked downward. To my utter horror I found that I was standing on top of a mountain of corpses. They were dried up husks that now I can¡¯t recognize even if they were standing here with me. Yet I knew them. I knew who these people were. They were my friends.


    I was so horrified. I tried to run, but the hand grabbed me. It wrapped around my body and pulled me into the darkness. I tried to wriggle free and felt my body being crushed. The last thing I saw was the woman¡¯s head turning into that of a panther¡¯s head. The creature opened its mouth and revealed rows of sharp needle-like teeth down its throat.


    I jolted awake. My body was sweaty and my heart was racing. I was out of breath as if I really had been running. I swallowed hard and ran my fingers along my face. I stood up from the sleeping roll I laid on the ground and went out of the building to get some fresh air. It was a few days after our encounter with the bull. We were out of the canyon and the land strider continued with its mission. Ankarama was fearful of another attack, and allowed my troupe to sleep in the barracks.


    I stood outside in my bed clothes. A simple loin cloth to be comfortable. The night air was cold. I shivered, but felt like I needed to have the chill drown my nightmares. I leaned on the wall of the fortress and watched the night sky. There were brilliant shades of violet and blue. I could see the infinite number of stars hanging over my head. The beauty and wonder that I saw made me humble. Alone with my thoughts, I wondered what this ¡°Lak¡¯Ashara¡± was like. There were some things I had to admire about her. One woman led the many different tribes in the entirety of the Blasted Lands. That in itself was worthy of admiration. Yet even still, I was concerned. A pit in my stomach began to form.


    No ruler had ever maintained an empire by keeping their hands clean at all times, and I was about to see that Lak¡¯Ashara was no exception. Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s capital city, ¡°Enkoro¡± was just ahead of us. What lay ahead of me was a city unlike I had ever seen before, and I pray to never see again. The exterior of the city was promising enough. It was far more grandiose in comparison to Akari. It was much larger and spread out. Its magnificent exterior was on par with Roharim. The buildings were pure white marble with their tiled roofs in a pyramidal shape with corners that curved upward.


    At the road leading to the main gate was a colossal bronze statue that towered over the landstrider. Each leg of the statue was on the different sides of the road like a massive archway. The statue was that of a woman. She was clad in a ceremonial armor that resembled Ys¡¯tar. Around her shoulders was a lion¡¯s mane. Her hand was held up high above her head. The palm faced upward and resting inside was a large flame. We went under the massive statue and the gates opened. That was where my admiration of the city ended.


    The city itself was beautiful, but it''s people¡­ that was another story. There was degeneracy wherever I looked. People were fornicating in the streets without a care. They simply went over to each other and took their own twisted gratification. Men simply took women and pushed them against the walls while they defiled them. Several orgies were being conducted in the parks and on rooftops, all announcing our arrival with animalistic moans and grunts.


    Everywhere I looked, it was vice and depravity. A mixture of lust and violence paraded the streets with no hesitation in sight. I will not dare describe in detail what horrors I saw, for I see them every waking moment of my life. What I will say is that their lust and gluttonous want for pleasure and pain knew no limits. They fashioned parades that promoted this wickedness. Each citizen acted as if there was a contest to see who could insult all five senses as well as basic human decency. Lustful profligates competed to show that it was they that were the worst that humanity had to offer.


    The rest of my fellows were stunned. Even Brutus ¡ªwho had the libido of a rabbit on the verge of overdosing on aphrodisiacs¡ª was repulsed by the sights of wanton degeneracy. Everyone else returned indoors so as not to witness the vulgar sight. Cora seemed numb to the sight. She looked to the ground. I could see that this was one thing that Cora refused to take part in.


    The sight of all of that disgusted me. Whatever good first impressions I had of Lak¡¯Ashara were now outweighed by how she ruled. Her people were immoral, and I couldn¡¯t wait to be done with this place. In the middle of the city was a massive Temple. A titanic ziggurat structure that towered over the rest of the city. It doubled as both a palace and a temple to Ys¡¯Tar. The statues adorning it depicted more carnal acts. This city had the potential to be something magnificent, but with every passing moment, it became more undesirable. This was no civilization. This was an orgy that fetishized every degenerate act you can imagine. Nothing ¡ªand I mean nothing¡ª was too taboo or sacred.


    The land strider finally stopped. It laid down to finally rest. The remaining guards Ankarama had rolled out a rope ladder in order to get a movable flight of stairs. Of course there was no way such a delicate and fragile woman would descend from the ropes. Joining her down the steps, we made our way to the ziggurat¡¯s main entryway. Meeting us at the flight of stairs was a scantily clad male servant. Eye candy for Lak¡¯Ashara of course.


    He spoke to us in a servile, monotone voice.


    ¡°Lak¡¯Ashara welcomes Queen Ankarama and her guests.¡±


    Ankarama smiled confidently, as if she had not been cowering in her fortress on the turtle several days prior to this meeting.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare miss this for the world. Her eminence always knows how to treat her guests well.¡±


    The servant eyed me and my companions up like lambs getting ready for the slaughter.


    ¡°Your weapons. You will not need them.¡±


    Begrudgingly, we had handed over our weapons. Though it wasn¡¯t as if I needed my sword to kill anyone. I was capable of doing so with my bare hands.


    The servant escorted us up the stairs. They were long but I have been through worse. Inside Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s palace is where there was much of the same that had gone on outside. It was the aftermath of an orgy. Warriors and servants were laid around each other. They slept in a massive pile of flesh. Some were slumbering peacefully, others wanted to go a few more rounds. There were still animalistic grunts and moans that filled the air, but the worst had passed long before I arrived.


    As we made our way to the throne room, one of the other lords of the clans was here. Gorbus. He was a very fat man that was more whale than human. This man had sores on his body and could only move with the aid of servants carrying him. He traded his pride long ago in exchange for security and comfort. He was among the most perverted in the area. His greasy maw exchanged kisses from unwilling victims of both sexes. You could see the pain in their eyes as they were forced to do far worse to sate this man''s endless hunger.


    I turned to look at Cora. How could she let something like this pass? How could she be a part of this? She could feel my eyes judging her and she lowered her head. We shared a look. I could see that in her eyes this depravity was not who she was. This was Lak¡¯Ashara. Cora was simply here to keep the peace and maintain what little order there was. She was the first one to turn her head away, knowing that this was not right, yet despite being given much power through sorcery, she couldn¡¯t do anything to stop the degradation of this society.


    The servant led us to the throne room, opening the large doors inside. At long last, we saw Lak¡¯Ashara. As it was before, all over the floor -save for a clear pathway that led from the door to the throne itself- was full of the aftermath of an orgy. Bodies draped over one another lazily in post coitus slumber. Sitting on the throne before us was the lord of all that she beheld. The high priestess of Ys¡¯Tar and the undisputed ruler of the Blasted Lands. Lak¡¯Ashara sat on a blackened marble throne. The arm rests were carved to be in the form of Sphinxes, though instead of a man¡¯s head, it was Ys¡¯Tars multi eyed cat face with its mouth hung opened. Each had a tongue that coiled and slithered like a worm, forever frozen in place. The back of the throne had a massive skull made out of the same type of marble. The eyes of the skull were made of gold and gemstones that formed multicolored eyes that almost seemed to follow us as we walked.


    Sitting in her throne she was dressed in a regal blue dress. It was far from royal robes for important matters. This was something she relaxed in. Her leggings were a sarong that was two sapphire blue pieces of cloth that covered her front and her back, kept on her body by only a fragile little string made of gold. Her shapely legs were exposed up to her hips where there was very little to the imagination. She wore only a set of anklets that were decorative jewelry. Her midriff was exposed and showed off her perfectly maintained hourglass figure. Her chest was wrapped in a blue silk that concealed her generously sized breasts that activated that primal part of a man¡¯s brain, just as it did with Brutus who I caught staring at her in disbelief. It was as if he were witnessing the arrival of a goddess.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Her arms were adorned in golden bracelets that had sapphires embedded that sparkled brightly in the light. Her slender fingers were each adorned with a ring, and her nails were perfectly painted with a deep blue. Her upper arms had ornate golden plates on them, depicting the face of Ys¡¯Tar. Around her neck was a golden chained necklace with a large sapphire in its heart that emanated with a strange glow. She wore a tiara around her head that was dotted with sapphires and paired with two earrings that used the same gems. Shrouding her face was a chained mask adorned with golden coins. One would expect a belly dancer to wear such a veil, yet Lak¡¯Ashara wore it with confidence. She had beautiful fair skin and bright white hair. Even standing a good distance away from her, I could tell that her skin was soft to the touch.


    The most alluring thing about her was her eyes. They were a bright blue that glowed brightly. This was not because of any light, but something within her. Something primal like an animal that watched you as you slept in the middle of night. Hungry eyes that stared at you, looking deep into your soul and could discern your deepest secrets with but a mere glance. As I recognized with Cora, Lak¡¯Ashara was no simple ruler as Ankarama was. She was the real deal. Her very presence commanded an air of respect that all must abide by, or suffer the consequences. Without even speaking to us, we knew that her word was law, and she held the sway of every man and woman in the city.


    When she finally spoke, she did so with a regal voice that gave a tone of superiority. You could not help but hang on every word that came from her lips.


    ¡°Cora my darling. I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡±


    Cora walked up to her throne and bowed her head. She kept her hands behind her back.


    ¡°I apologize for keeping you waiting, high priestess. Ankarama and I had some issues that have been dealt with.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?~¡± She spoke with a sly grin on her face as she looked at Ankarama. The queen of the blood river stepped forward and bowed her head graciously.


    ¡°Your grace. I thank you for your invitation and your hospitality. It is an honor to be in your court once again.¡±


    Lak¡¯Ashara crossed her legs and shifted in her throne to make herself far more comfortable.


    ¡°It''s about time you showed up, Ankarama. I was beginning to think that you weren¡¯t coming. I hope the barbarians in the canyons didn¡¯t give you too much trouble.¡±


    Ankarama shook her head as she kept herself low submissively.


    ¡°N-Not at all, your grace. I thought my life was in peril, but I was saved by my companions. These are-¡±


    ¡°I know who they are¡­¡± Lak¡¯Ashara spoke with a commanding and dismissive tone. Ankarama¡¯s voice fell silent upon its utterance. Lak¡¯Ashara then turned her attention to us. She sat on her throne and gently kicked her foot in the air.


    ¡°You are the ones who desecrated my temple at Akari. You killed my servants, and stopped us from conducting our holy rites and honoring our lady Ys¡¯Tar with a worthy sacrifice. By all rights I should have you paraded around the street naked and be publically flayed alive for the crowd¡¯s amusement. You defiled my holy temple with your filthy footsteps and made a mockery of my priests.¡±


    Octavian slowly reached for his blade. Yet his blade flew out of his scabbard as if lifted by an unseen hand. The blade landed against his throat, not cutting it, but enough to be a warning.


    ¡°And you would draw your weapons on me before I finish speaking? Tsk tsk¡­ Such a shame. As far as first impressions go, you are found wanting.¡±


    My companions and I all looked at each other. We had no idea if we were about to fight or be slaughtered. Had our gamble been in vain? We waited for an uncomfortable few moments before the sword fell to the ground, and Lak¡¯Ashara spoke.


    ¡°And yet¡­you risked your lives to protect Ankarama and come here, knowing that it might not save you from my wrath. Admirable if not a bit foolish. It amuses me. And clearly you have been successful in your endeavors, otherwise we would not be speaking here today. You showed off your skills as warriors and faced a terrible thorn in my side and lived to tell the tale. You have my focus.¡±


    She looked over to Ankarama and dismissed her with a gesture.


    ¡°Ankarama, go and make yourself at home. You and I will discuss other matters. For now, I wish to examine your¡­choice of friends.¡±


    Ankarama simply bowed her head and then left the room to be pampered.


    I looked at Lak¡¯Ashara. She had just subtly dismissed a queen. As if reading my mind, Lak¡¯Ashara spoke my thoughts aloud.


    ¡°Ankarama is useful in maintaining order in Akari, but lacks the full capabilities of what a true ruler should be. She¡¯s a better puppet than a queen.¡±


    She stood up from her throne and walked over to face me in person. She was slightly shorter than me, but no less dangerous. She departed from me for a short time to examine my comrades. She looked at each and every one of us as if inspecting a race horse. All in all she appeared to be impressed with each of us. I can not say for certain what went on in her thoughts, but I doubt it was anything truly for our benefit. She eyed up Brutus in particular. Brutus as I said before was a perfect specimen of a man. Taller than the average warrior, stronger, and more durable. Qualities that no doubt impressed her. Brutus meanwhile almost took delight in being examined by her. It was like he was a young child being looked at by his crush. I quietly disapproved before she returned her attention to me.


    ¡°And you¡­Hadrian Damoclesian. You¡¯re not like any of the other men in this land, are you?¡±


    I remained silent as I looked at her. Her voice has a seductive tone to it. Alluring and inviting. She moved closer to me and I could see her eyes glowing like diamonds, hypnotic in a way.


    ¡°You have no idea how¡­dull many of the men in the Blasted Lands are. Their ambitions are so simple. Many of them would commit the most barbaric atrocities mankind has ever seen for me. They would go out of their way to engage in any form of slaughter just so they could spend a few short hours with me. They desire pleasure more than anything¡­but not you¡­¡±


    She was trying to read my mind with her sorceries. There was no other explanation. She attempted to manipulate me and worm her way in my head, pouring sweet honey into my ear in the hopes that I would bend the knee.


    ¡°You were crucified. I can feel your scars as if they were mine¡­¡±


    She picked up my wrist and uncuffed my bracer, revealing my scars to her. Even now the wound was as sensitive as it had ever been.


    ¡°You were nailed to the cross by men who couldn¡¯t understand you. Men who feared you. I understand that better than anyone. I know what it''s like to be ostracized by your own people for what you believe in.¡±


    I tried to focus on something else. I hated having the privacy of my mind being invaded. Lak¡¯Ashara was used to simply taking what she wanted, and I would make her fight for it.


    ¡°You shield your mind from me¡­¡± She said as she opened her eyes wide with a surprised tone in her voice, yet her lips curled up in a smile.


    ¡°No matter. Your character also tells me everything I need to know.¡±


    She pressed herself against me, biting her lower lip and placing her hands on my chest.


    ¡°You have enough willpower to track down the men who hurt you and kill them. You could rid the world of them in a few short years if everything went according to your plan. But you¡¯re staying here as an exile. Now why is that?¡±


    I refused to answer, but for Lak¡¯Ashara, that was a rhetorical question.


    ¡°You¡¯re dissatisfied with the republic of Roharim. The senate is set to devour itself and there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop it, is there?¡±


    It was true. I had my own misgivings about the Republic. I was loyal to my people, but the leaders slowly began to be corrupted by their own nepotism and vanity. Senators that should have stepped down ages ago instead grew too fat for their own good. Weak men were leading the strong to their deaths. I predicted that Roharim would fall to war unless things changed. Ile¡¯Sethak was a means to hopefully reform my country. The knowledge he provided could prove valuable to saving my people from themselves.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been placed here as a punishment, but where your enemies see exile you see opportunity. You think you can create a kingdom that can be greater than Roharim if you are given the change.¡±


    I shook my head. I grew tired of these mind games the more that she played them. I pushed myself back from her, yet she was still smiling wickedly.


    ¡°Oh you don¡¯t need to fear what I say. I only speak the truth? And do you know what else? I can help you.¡±


    She stepped back and spun on her heel.


    ¡°Cora. Be a darling and escort Hadrian to my chambers. He and I have a lot to discuss.¡±


    Lak¡¯Ashara spun around again to look at the rest of my companions.


    ¡°Oh, and take the others to some of the best rooms we have. See that their every need is tended to~¡±


    With a heavy heart and her face lowered, Cora took my hand and escorted me up the stairs to follow Lak¡¯Ashara while my companions were taken elsewhere. We were both wordless as we ascended the flight of stairs. Cora took off some of my armor so that I could be more comfortable and ¡°presentable¡± for Lak¡¯Ashara. I didn¡¯t Resist Cora. She spoke to me and gave me the rules that I must abide by.


    ¡°Be on your best behavior. The high priestess does not like to be offended, and it may be your last mistake.¡±


    Before Cora could answer any questions ¡ªor before I could even utter a word¡ª she left the room. My battle skirt and sandals were all that remained. The rest of me was exposed for Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s benefit. There I would wait in the jaws of the beast, wondering what Lak¡¯Ashara had planned for me. I could only imagine what would go on in her mind as she prepared for our private meeting.

 Chapter 12: In the jaws of the beast

    There I stood in Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s chambers, waiting for her return. She took her time in changing, and thus gave me enough time to explore her room. The had many small figurines of Ys¡¯Tar located in various parts of the room. A shine in the far corner had a mural dedicated in Ys¡¯Tar¡¯s honor. I stared at it for a moment and the mural told the story. A woman being whipped by skull masked men and she shed tears into a river. Then the woman ascends up a flight of stairs leading to a throne. This followed the woman sitting upon her throne and ruling all that she saw before her. As I inspected the piece, it became abundantly clear that this was the life of Lak¡¯Ashara. But there was one thing in the mural that was not depicting the past, but rather something that I at first thought was purely artistic. The image of Lak¡¯Ashara and Ys¡¯Tar joining in hands and morphing into one.


    I had no idea what exactly this entailed. Spiritual enlightenment perhaps? I couldn¡¯t know for sure exactly. Of course that was not the only opulent thing in her bed chambers. A fine patterned carpet littered the floor depicting abstract shapes in multiple colors. There was a balcony area where you could look out at the entirety of the city. While it was beautiful to look at in the evening with all of the lights and sounds, I had my fill of the city¡¯s sights after witnessing the public displays of degeneration.


    The bed in the chamber was quite large. It was very obvious that the primary use for this extremely large bed was not for sleep. I continued to be kept waiting for several minutes until finally I was graced with the curtains to a private area opening and revealing Lak¡¯Ashara. She had changed out of her queenly attire and dressed in something more seductive. The cloth that covered her front and rear was replaced with something shorter, yet similar save for a white color with golden borders. Much of the jewelry on her arms had been removed. Golden chains were placed on her torso that were linked in a pattern that resembled a ribcage. Her breasts were covered by a thin stretch of silk that left little to the imagination. She had also left her mask behind so I could see her face full for the first time.


    Her face was absolutely beautiful. The word ¡°perfection¡± could barely scratch the surface of how immaculate she was. She had the face that would make men go weak at the sight of it: beautiful, flawless, full of splendor. Her skin was fair, and she had a mane of wavy and curly hair that adorned her head that was as white as snow. Her eyes were bright blue that radiated with power, even without her queenly garb.


    While I hate to tell you this, I felt a tingle in my spine and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on their ends. She came to me with two wine glasses in her hands. Her lips were colored with a darkened orchard brown with black eyeshadow that made the crisp color of her eyes pop more. A few strands of her hair barely covered one of her eyes as she smirked wickedly. She placed one of the glasses down on the table next to me and poured the two of us some wine. She placed the bottle down and raised her cup, gesturing for me to raise mine. She took a sip first and as a courtesy I took a sip of mine.


    We exchanged a glance at each other as we took in the wine. Like everything the wine tasted like perfection. The longer I tasted the wine, I felt that I had tasted it someplace before. When realization finally hit me, my eyes widened and I pulled the glass away.


    ¡°This is Roharim Red.¡±


    With a sly smile she nodded wordlessly and took another sip. Roharim Red was a wine that was considered elegant. I could tell by the taste of it that it had been aged for several years. The taste was exquisite.


    Lak¡¯Ashara set her drink aside to comment on it.


    ¡°It has been aging for several years. I figured a taste from home would be something to please you.¡±


    It was no surprise that she correctly guessed my nationality. Hadrian Damoclesian was obviously a Roharim name, and the way that I carried myself as a legionnaire also proved this. Despite her ability to do so, she wouldn¡¯t have needed to read my mind with whatever magic she had.


    ¡°Very considerate of you.¡± I spoke, rubbing my mouth to hide a wry smile on my face. These were merely formalities before the business proposition after all.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like the city of desire. I can see that clearly in you. You find it repulsive. Why?¡±


    I did not hesitate in giving her my answer. I let her know exactly why.


    ¡°Why? Because this city is a degenerates haven. You call this a city of desire? I call it a city of debauchery and disgust. The people here care only about one thing and one thing alone; themselves. Their desires. They seek ever more debased sins and wants. They degrade themselves in the streets for all to see. Their bodies are subject to others desires. They take what they want and do the most vile things I¡¯ve ever had the misfortune of seeing. The horrors that I¡¯ve seen: what you do to the men, the women, children, animals, It is all rancid!¡±


    She simply looked at me with a smug look, like a mother listening to her child rant and getting everything out of his system.


    ¡°Oh my dear Hadrian, I didn¡¯t take you for a prude.¡±


    ¡°Prude?!¡± I snapped back at her. I couldn¡¯t believe the arrogance she possessed.


    ¡°Yes, a prude~. You would deny people¡¯s desires? You would shame them for how they think and feel because they are different from you?¡±


    ¡°I should shame them because they are doing shameful things.¡±


    Lak¡¯Ashara scoffed. She crossed her arms and smirked at me and cocked her brow as if she couldn¡¯t believe what I was saying.


    ¡°The teachings of Ys¡¯Tar explain that passion is a natural thing. We must indulge ourselves in our desires to become closer to Ys¡¯Tar. Only through experiencing all of life¡¯s gifts can you truly be free.¡±


    ¡°So you call selling your body to the highest bidder and degrading yourselves freedom?¡±


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    ¡°To not take part in the wonders that Life offers you would be a waste of life.¡±


    She looked at me with a vicious smile, as if that alone could convince me. Alas, that failed. I remained unmotivated towards her cause.


    ¡°And you would force others to experience these so-called ¡®pleasures¡¯ regardless of their choice?¡±


    ¡°I give others the choice to do what they will. That''s the point. But I see that you are a man of simpler tastes. Carnal desire is not your end goal¡­¡±


    She slowly walked around me to examine my features. Her fingers traced along my broad shoulders as she bit her lower lip.


    ¡°I must confess that you intrigue me. Any man in the Blasted lands would have leapt at the chance to join me when I offered them all the pleasure they could want. You however are a different breed. You do not so easily bend like a reed in the wind. I quite like that. You would make a good ally.¡±


    ¡°Like Ankarama is a good ally?¡±


    She must have known that I didn¡¯t hold Ankarama in the highest regard. The lady of Blood River would sell out her own people to save her own skin.


    ¡°Oh no~. Not like her at all~¡± She gave me a seductive little smile and ran her fingers along my chest, massaging the contours of my body and tracing along the definitions of my muscles.


    ¡°You would hold more power than her. She is air headed. She¡¯s a useful idiot who¡¯s value hangs by a thread. You however would be a far preferable ally. You are strong and intelligent. I need someone of your high quality by my side.¡±


    ¡°Only the best for you, is that it?¡± I furrowed my brow at her as she spoke. She gave my chest a tight squeeze as she bit her lower lip.


    ¡°Exactly. I can give you power beyond your wildest dreams. I can give you a kingdom worthy of you. You could rule beside me, and together we would have strong and healthy heirs. You could even stand beside me as I ascend~.¡±


    ¡°Ascend?¡± My eyebrow perked up. What did she mean by that? Was this just the riddles of a sorceress as those who¡¯s magics addled their brains are wont to do? Who could say?


    ¡°All in good time, my Hadrian. All in good time. For now, focus on what I can truly do for you.¡±


    She stood in front of me and then brushed her fingers through her hair to fluff it up before reaching behind her, untying the knot behind her back and letting her top fall off, revealing her generous breasts. Then with a simple flick of her fingers, she untied a string from her side and let the cloth fall to the ground, revealing herself fully to me. She was wearing nothing but a seductive smile on her face, naked as the day she was born. She stepped closer to me and pulled my face into hers and she kissed me.


    She twisted her tongue along with mine and sucked, holding my cheeks as she indulged herself with her base desires while also attempting to seduce me. At that moment I felt powerless to her charms. She offered everything I could have ever wanted; to rule a kingdom of my own, to have power beyond my station, and to take the most beautiful woman as mine. I would be lying if I were not tempted. If you had been in my place, could you have resisted? Could you have looked her in the eye and pushed her away from you? For a moment, I almost gave in.


    ¡­


    Yet even still, I couldn¡¯t bend like that. I stepped away from her, pulling her off of me. The look on her face was that of pure shock. No one had ever said no to her before. No man had ever resisted her, yet I stood before her. My base desire was known, but I couldn¡¯t let myself fall to that level. To become as degenerate and corrupted as Lak¡¯Ashara and her people. I rubbed the back of my forearm across my lips to get rid of the taste of her lips against mine. I raised my head up high and let my intentions be known with a simple look.


    In that instant she knew that I would not falter. I could see the disappointment in her eyes, yet I could also see a hint of something else. She was impressed that I did not back down so easily. She pouted and raised her fingers up in the air and snapped. Her clothes levitated off of the floor and wrapped around her, dressing herself completely once more.


    ¡°A pity. But I am resolute and patient. You will see things my way in time. You and your companions will stay here for the evening. You¡¯ve had a long journey, and you are tired. I owe you this for delivering Ankarama and my tribute to me. After that, you are free to leave. You will leave the city of desire and find your own way in the wilderness.¡±


    I crossed my arms, happy with the situation. Just one night and I wouldn¡¯t have to come here again. Though the prospect of living in the wilderness was not a good comfort, it was better ¡ªin my opinion at least¡ª than staying in these degenerate halls.


    ¡°Am I free to join my companions then?¡±


    I tilted my head and crossed my arms and watched her carefully.


    ¡°You are. Though you disappoint me, Hadrian. I had hoped that you would at least join me in my bed tonight¡­It gets so cold at night, and nothing warms me better than a strong man¡¯s arms wrapped around me~¡±


    She made one last attempt to seduce me. I clenched my fist tightly and sighed through my nose.


    ¡°You hope was misplaced then.¡±


    I would have taunted her and told her that it was a fool''s hope, but I was not in the position to make idle taunts. Lak¡¯Ashara bowed her head and looked away from me as I walked out the door. I could feel a tinge of anger stabbing at my back through her eyes as I shut the door and walked down the hall, not even willing to allow a guard to show me to my companions. I needed to be away from her. To cool myself off and not lower myself. As I turned down the hall to my right, I noticed Cora. She seemed surprised to see me. She was wearing a type of night gown made of silk that hid her body, yet was suggestive.


    We stared at each other for a few moments.


    ¡°You¡­you are not with Lak¡¯Ashara?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m not.¡± I said coldly in an affirmative tone. Cora was shocked. It was clear that no man had ever rebuffed Lak¡¯Ashara before. She stared at me as if I were something strange like a pink elephant with two trunks and wings on my back.


    She was at a complete loss for words. For a moment we looked at each other in silence before she pointed me to the direction of my fellows.


    ¡°They¡¯re waiting for you down the hall here. Fifth door on the left.¡±


    I bowed my head to Cora and began to walk away. Before I could leave, Cora stopped me.


    ¡°Hadrian. Wait.¡±


    I turned around. She peered her eyes at me and examined me. She didn¡¯t look at me with lustful desire like Lak¡¯Ashara did, but with some other look. A type of curiosity I suppose?


    ¡°No one has ever turned down an offer from Lak¡¯Ashara¡­¡±


    I held my head high and smiled.


    ¡°Then it honors me to be the first.¡±


    I turned around and walked away to my destination. Cora might have wanted to ask me more questions, but she withheld them at the time. In the morning I would leave. If Octavian was correct, then there were other freed slaves that had fled after our sabotage in Akari. Perhaps It was time to meet with them. Still¡­ as I walked through the empty halls of the palace, I felt Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s eyes on me. It was as if I was being stalked by a panther in the dark jungle. Time would tell if I made the right choice.

 Chapter 13: Leaving the garden of Debauchery

    I had found my companions and ran them up to speed on what Lak¡¯Ashara wanted and my decision. Most of my companions had agreed that the city place was not ideal. Octavian wholeheartedly agreed that Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s ¡°paradise¡± was an illusion. A utopia. The thing about utopias however is that by their very definition they are perfect places that can not exist. Cao Tzu of course could say nothing, but her look told me everything I needed to know. That place made her as uncomfortable as it made me.


    ¡°Are you serious, Hadrian?¡±


    Brutus made his objection. I sharply turned to look at him. He was pouting with his arms crossed. I raised my eyebrow in interest and placed my hands behind my back in a formal position. One that I always do in times where I need to show my authority. I don¡¯t need to tell anyone that I am the leader. I show them.


    ¡°Do you have an issue, Brutus?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve come all this way to escort a queen who acts like a spoiled princess and we finally get to a place that isn¡¯t in the hot blistering sun all to just leave the first chance we get?¡±


    I furrowed my brow and kept the aura of leadership, staring Brutus down as if he were an angry bear ready to strike me down.


    ¡°This place is not for us, Brutus. This is a place for debauchery and lust. True sons of Rohiram would never embrace this place.¡±


    ¡°True sons of Roharim would take this city for themselves! If you dislike her so much, why not just kill her and be done with it? She is only a woman, after all.¡±


    ¡°A very dangerous woman who has us in her clutches. Never underestimate her, Brutus Trikon. Are you forgetting what you saw out there? Are you forgetting the debauchery that you recoiled from?¡±


    ¡°All I am saying is that we are passing up a great opportunity. Lak¡¯Ashara wants to give us everything we could ever want; food, riches, power, pleasure. How could you say no to that?¡±


    I stared deeply into Brutus¡¯s earthen brown eyes with my own emerald green eyes and pursed my lips in frustration and annoyance.


    ¡°The best way to imprison a man is to give him everything he¡¯s ever wanted in life.¡±


    I tried to make my point with him. However, I didn¡¯t know if I could get through to him. Brutus was always hard headed to the point of self destruction. I needed to stand my ground with him and let him know that I was not going to back down.


    ¡°What the hell does that mean? Why do you enjoy speaking in riddles so much, Hadrian?¡± Brutus said with a scowl and a great deal of dissatisfaction.


    ¡°What it means, Brutus, is that the best way to enslave someone is to give him everything he¡¯s ever wanted in life and everything he would ever  want. If you give someone everything, they are a slave to you. They are dependent on you until they stop being useful.¡±


    Brutus crossed his arms, unimpressed by my assessment. He was a man of pride as much as he was a man of strength. I walked up to him and looked deeply into his eyes, challenging him to override my authority.


    ¡°Do you have a problem with my command, old friend?¡±


    Brutus and I locked eyes with each other until he was the first to look away. His arms dropped to his sides as he frowned.


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I turned away sharply and looked around the room to make sure that everyone else was on the same page.


    ¡°Tomorrow we will be leaving. Octavian, you said that the other slaves fled from Akari. Where do you suppose they would be by now?¡±


    Octavian tilted his head to the side and looked up at the ceiling in recollection as he tried to remember where they were. It only took him a second.


    ¡°They said they would go as far from Akari as possible. There is a Savanna to the north east from here. It¡¯ll be a journey of three, maybe four days, but we can make good time.¡±


    ¡°Bah!¡± Brutus said as he threw his hand up in the air with a dissatisfied grimace on his face, clearly annoyed.


    ¡°Then that is where we will go. We will meet with our people and then we will establish ourselves.¡±


    Octavian crossed his arms as he stood attentively, focusing on my words. He stroked his beard out of curiosity.


    ¡°And what then, my lord?¡±


    I pondered for a moment before I gave him my answer. ¡°Then we carve ourselves a proper kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Then I am at your side, My lord.¡±


    Octavian knelt down before me, lowering his head in submission. Soon, Straden and Mil¡¯Tuk knelt down beside me. Cao Tzu smiled  and then graciously bowed before me, all with their heads bowed down and averted their gazes. The only one who did not readily submit to me was Brutus. Brutus grumbled, still fuming over my dismissal of Lak¡¯Ashara. I gave him one look. He must have realized that he was outnumbered, for when I looked at him he too knelt down.


    This was but my first taste of my kingly right, divinely bestowed upon me by Ile¡¯Sethak. I felt something that was like honey on the tip of my tongue and relished in the taste. What was it you ask? Pride. I felt pride build up inside me. I felt like I was beginning to see my true potential in that room there. I felt the satisfaction that I would not just lead a small band of warriors to hell and back. I would command armies. I tempered my pride for the moment. I couldn¡¯t get lost in the dream of ruling before I had even managed to unite with freed slaves. That night we slept in separate rooms.


    I must admit, I felt a sense of unease wash over me after saying no to Lak¡¯Ashara. I could hardly sleep due to the thought of someone slipping in my room with murderous intent. I took the liberty and stole away a candlestick and hid it under my pillow. They thought that they could take my weapons so easily, but in my experience, anything can be used as a weapon. Even the things that seem mundane and unimportant.


    ¡°You know if she wanted you dead, she would have done so already.¡±


    As quick as a bolt of lightning, I shot out from my bed to look at the stranger, holding my makeshift weapon and prepared to club my would-be attacker over the head¡­only to realize that it was Cora. Cora had bypassed the door and came in through the balcony window. She crossed her arms and smiled at me like a cat that just caught a bird. She looked at my weapon and chuckled lightly.


    ¡°I have to give you this at least, you are resourceful.¡±


    ¡°Cora¡­¡±


    I lowered my weapon and set it aside on the bed. I didn¡¯t have any fear of her attacking. I was usually so careful and precise with my self preservation, yet there I was eager to give her the benefit of the doubt. She walked closer to me and smiled lightly.


    ¡°I take it that you¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be correct in that assumption.¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s probably for the best. Lak¡¯Ashara has never been refused before. Not by anyone.¡±


    ¡°Then it pleases me to be the first.¡± I smirked, feeling more prideful as I held my head high in triumph only to be greeted by Cora¡¯s smile turning into a frown for but a moment.


    ¡°Hadrian¡­ You are a very strange man. You are either very brave or you are very foolish. I¡¯d say that there is a fine line between the two.¡±


    ¡°And which line do you think I am on?¡±


    Her smile returned, eager to give me a type of retort. Something witty perhaps.


    ¡°And you don¡¯t simply cross that line, Hadrian. You skip back and forth on it.¡±


    ¡°Well, think of it as trying to keep my enemies guessing then if that''s how you¡¯d prefer it.


    She smiled lightly for a moment and then began to walk around the room a bit more. She snapped her fingers and suddenly the candles flickered on with new life. With her back facing me, she turned her head and cut her eyes at me.


    ¡°You are indeed an interesting man, Hadrian. One that I¡¯ve never seen before. You galavant along like you own these lands. You would see yourself as a king. Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ambitious~.¡± I gave a sly smirk, masking my motives, yet she saw through me.


    ¡°You could have joined with Lak¡¯Ashara and she¡¯d have given you anything you wanted. You would have been a king. She¡¯d probably see you as good enough stock to be her king. Yet you refuse her. Why?¡±


    I paused for a moment. Enough with the banter and jokes. Enough with dry and ¡°witty¡± humor. It was time for business.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you. I should probably go out of the Blasted Lands and find the one who condemned me to die in the first place.¡±


    All I was wearing in bed was a loin cloth. Cora noticed the scars where the nails dug deeply into my wrists. Very tentatively walked up to me and took my hands and examined them. The scars were ugly and not fit for the sight of others. She looked up at me in surprise.


    ¡°How are you even able to hold a sword without feeling any pain?¡±


    ¡°Who said I couldn¡¯t feel the pain?¡± I replied sharply. It''s true that sometimes when I hold a sword, I swear I could feel the nails digging into me once again just as I did that fateful day when I was bound to the cross for days. The weight of my own body added to the pain.


    For a moment there was pity in her eyes as she listened and understood. She looked at my wrists and frowned. At that moment, she brought the scars up to her lips and lightly kissed them. My skin tingled and turned into gooseflesh. My scars were sensitive to the touch, and hers was no exception. Lak¡¯Ashara tried very hard to tempt me, but Cora had the same effect by using less. She let go of my wrist and stepped aside for a moment.


    ¡°Tell me, Hadrian. What will you do now that you will be free of us?¡±


    I stood in compilation for a moment. I bit the inside of my cheek and gestured for her to follow me to the balcony where she had come from. We stood out in the cool night and looked out at the multitudes of stars high above us. I leaned on the balcony¡¯s railing and looked at the city. WHen it was not consumed by lust and wanton pleasure, it was extremely beautiful. The many lights in the city glittered in the dark like stars on the earth.


    ¡°I will establish myself in the west. There I shall forge a new kingdom by my own hands. If I ventured back to Roharim, they would put me to death. So I shall remain here and remake the glory of Roharim in my own image.¡±


    ¡°Your ambition is greater than I thought, Hadrian. And what will you do with Lak¡¯Ashara?¡±


    She stood beside me to marvel at the beauty of the stars with me. I turned to look at her, raising my head high and giving her my answer.


    ¡°I do not seek to make war with her. If she brings war to me, then I shall retaliate with the intent to match her. As long as she leaves me in peace, I shall not act against her. I wish to remain independent.¡±


    She thought for a moment and looked at me to discern if I was telling the truth or not. She was satisfied and smiled lightly. I had no interest in pursuing war, especially with only a handful of people with no base to call my own. As much as I disliked Lak¡¯Ashara, I would not be the one to start any conflict.


    ¡°You are a very strange man, Hadrian. I like you. You¡¯re not like any of the people who serve Lak¡¯Ashara. They either serve to indulge their own pleasures and pursue their own interests, or they do so out of fear for their lives.¡±


    ¡°And which one are you?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask. It might have been a mistake. I might have insulted her, but she simply gave me a sly smirk and a wink.


    ¡°The secret third type~.¡±


    She hopped up on the railing and sat there, perfectly balancing herself with all the grace and flexibility of a cat. Never fearing that she would fall.


    ¡°And what is the third type?¡± I asked, my interest raised, yet she denied me an answer. She simply sat there and smiled, lazily kicking her foot in the air.


    ¡°I¡¯ll aid you however I can. I think I know one way, but it will take time. Do you trust me?¡±


    Ah, now there was the rub. Should I have given her my trust or simply denied her? She was my only ally so far aside from the hermit Vatrez, who I had not seen since our encounter near Akari. I turned around and thought.


    ¡°We have a saying in Roharim. The deadliest of vipers are often the most beautiful¡­but with that said, I don¡¯t believe you are a viper.¡±


    She smiled and continued to kick her foot in the air for a moment.


    ¡°Maybe I just haven¡¯t bitten you yet~.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Would that be so bad now?¡±


    She didn¡¯t reply. She gave another sly smirk before leaning backwards, gracefully flipping over the railing and letting go. I thought she had slipped and I tried to catch her, yet when I made it to the railing, she was gone. Vanishing like morning mist. I couldn¡¯t see any trace of her. I pushed myself off of the railing and went back to my chambers. I knew I would see her again.


    The next day would affirm this idea. As we began to leave the city, we received our weapons and were about to depart when Lak¡¯Ashara and Cora came. The queen of this city desired to speak with me before we could leave.


    ¡°Hadrian. Before you leave I simply wish to ask you something. Are you sure this course you take is the right one? Are you not worried that you are marching to your death out there?¡±


    I sheathed my weapon once it was returned to me and turned to face Lak¡¯Ashara.


    ¡°Why would I need to fear death? Death comes for us all in the end.¡±


    Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s lips curled into a smile and placed her hand on her hip, cocking it to the side.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to. I have powers that can laugh in the face of death. You would have no need for wars. You would live a life of comfort. You would have security and more than enough people to worship you as their king.¡±


    I shook my head and crossed my arms as I stared down Lak¡¯Ashara.


    ¡°Your people live a life of comfort, but no meaning. You do not struggle here. Struggling is what makes us who we are. If we are simply handed our victories then those victories mean nothing. You would have me serve you, but in service to you I would end up losing far more than just some burdens. The answer is no. I only ask that you allow me to remain independent and we will have no worries.¡±


    Lak¡¯Ashara was angered. Twice she had offered me a place by her side, and twice I refused. Yet she kept herself calm and collected. She would not let her annoyance and anger cloud her judgment. She simply gave me a sly smile.


    ¡°Then I wish you the best of luck, Hadrian. It has been interesting. And when you come back ¡ªand I do mean when¡­¡ª I will offer you a place again. And next time, I do hope that you will take my offer.¡±


    She turned away and climbed back up to her temple. Cora looked at me for a moment and bowed her head. The veil covered her face save for those shining amethyst eyes. They glittered brightly in the sunlight. It enraptured me that when she turned to leave again, I found a small part of myself longing to look at her eyes again.


    And with that, I set off yet again. We left despite the jeers and mockings of the crowds that took part in their ceaseless pleasure seeking. I ignored the debased scenes that were displayed in full view for us. When the sight of their perversions was gone and the west was laid bare before me, I felt a sense of relief. It was like I had almost suffocated in a terrible fire, the smoke poisoning my lungs, and finally was free to take in the crisp clean air of freedom. Without hesitation, we ventured on. Before the city was completely gone from sight, I turned to look back. I did so not because I longed for their debased pleasures, but a far more simple one. I looked back and thought about Cora, who even then danced and spun in my mind. Elegant and free. The one bright spot in all of that so-called ¡°City of desire.¡± Debauchery I call it.


    I thought about Cora as we traveled. One last look before the city was gone. I had nothing else but what laid before me. A part of me wanted to linger just a little while longer. It was then that I realized the bitter truth. A truth that tore into my heart. I was falling for Cora. The way her mysterious nature tugged at me. Every little thing attracted me to her: the way she spoke, the way she moved, the way she dressed, the way she smelled. All seemed to have been crafted to draw me closer to her like a moth to a flame. Was it doomed to fail? I wouldn¡¯t know if I never saw her again. And so I swore to myself that I would see Cora again in the hopes that her presence would not haunt my dreams for too long.


    Yet as you are no doubt aware by now, that hope would almost certainly not come to pass.

 Chapter 14: Getting the short stick

    Several days passed on our journey to the savannah. The trip became monotonous: we walked for several hours a day, we searched for food, we gathered as much water as we could find, we continued walking, we made camp, we rested, we got up, and we walked again. We did this day in and day out nonstop. Days melded into one another. It wasn¡¯t the heat that got to us, nor any lack of food. We had plenty of food and there was plenty of shade.


    No, what got to us was the boredom of it all. The repetitive nature of our walks. Cao Tzu was not exactly used to all of the walking, but Octavian, Straden, Mil¡¯Tuk and myself were more than acquainted with the feeling of aching feet and wobbly legs. One day, the situation became a bit less tedious and more serious. We climbed up a rocky plateau and reached its surface. Our intent was to find a pathway around the huge rock face, but Octavian noticed something that was even better. A Large pathway made up of naturally made spires that could support our weight and lead us through the plateau and cut our journey much shorter and save us time on that day.


    The issue was that the spires had a very small surface. They were flat and easy enough to stand on, yet there was only space enough for us to have one foot on one spire, meaning we would have to hop from place to place. Further still, we weren¡¯t sure that all of the pillars were able to support our weight. The sudden force of us jumping on them could cause the pillar to topple over if given enough force. Time was of the essence, and if we walked around the plateau, it could take weeks. We had no idea what state the survivors were in, and needed to get there as soon as possible. We all agreed, yet with our course of action set, it was time to decide who would go first.


    We came up with the tried and true method for deciding one¡¯s fate. We drew straws. Cao Tzu gathered the straws and we sorted them accordingly. Once they were mixed up in her hand, we gave everyone a firm look and then drew our lots. We held them in our hands and one by one we opened them. The straw rested neatly on my palm. We examined the others. Mil¡¯Tuk sighed in frustration. He ended up drawing the short stick. He grimaced and we patted him on his shoulders, wishing him the best of luck. Mil¡¯Tuk two tentative steps towards the first pillar. He looked back behind him, judging the distance between his jump and the pillar. He adjusted himself accordingly and then looked at the pillar. He took a deep breath. He knew the dangers of the jump, but ever brave, he wouldn¡¯t let fear defeat him. He had a running start and leapt forward, landing one foot on the pillar. He waved his arms around for balance, trying to keep himself steady. He leaned back, almost falling. He tried to adjust himself, almost losing his footing in the process! Yet finally, he was perfectly balanced. One pillar down, several to go.


    He hopped from one pillar to another with the same careful stride. Making one mistake would send him falling to his doom. Another jump, and another. Then he made one final leap, almost falling backwards, but he had done it! He crossed the dangerous pillars. His knees were wobbly and his nerves shot. He sat down to get a rest. He deserved it.


    We decided who would go next by drawing lots again. Another jumbling of the small bits of straw and then a pull. Octavian was next. He cursed under his breath for a moment or two before he made his attempt. He took a running start and leapt to the rock and landed on it, but he nearly tripped. He had overshot it. He could feel himself slipping, so he had little choice but leapt forward. Without much time to plan his jump, he narrowly missed his landing. He grabbed onto one of the pillars. Climbing back up would have been extremely difficult. Instead, clever Octavian shimmied himself along to get himself a better angle. He had only a few chances to make it to the other side with Mil¡¯Tuk. Once he was at the right angle, He pulled himself up as high as he could. Then, he kicked himself off of the pillar and quickly turned to grab at the other. Every time he did so we felt a knot tightening in our bellies. Each jump was more perilous than the last. Ille¡¯Sethak blessed him that day however. With one final jump, Mil¡¯Tuk was able to grab him by the forearm and pull him up.


    The rest managed to go through one by one until it was just myself and Cao Tzu. We drew lots for the final time, and she was the one to go next. Everything went well at first. The first jump was easy enough, but the second one proved challenging. After the constant jumping from pillar to pillar by each of us, the fragile stone gave way with each weight applied to it. Cao Tzu unfortunately was the straw that broke the camel''s back. As soon as she landed on the pillar, everyone heard a loud crack, and the pillar began to sway. Cao Tzu¡¯s attempts to balance herself only made the pillar shift even more.


    Seeing little choice, I jumped on one of the pillars. As soon as I did however, the one I leapt on started to topple. Like a house of cards the pillars were falling apart. Cao Tzu was barely able to hold on and maintain her balance, even with her burgeoning magic. She tried to cast spells with hand gestures to try something (anything) to not fall to her doom. She raised her hands up, and several stones from the base of the pillar jutted out and fused with the part of the pillar that was breaking apart. This worked, but the pillar was weak and the sudden movements of the stone breaking made it brittle and it simply broke at another part, making her efforts useless.


    As my pillar began to topple, I leaned forward in an attempt to cause it to fall towards Cao Tzu. Both of our pillars smashed against one another. At that moment, I yelled at her.


    ¡°Jump!!!¡±


    With only a second¡¯s hesitation, she jumped onto the next pillar, and I jumped on hers. I could feel the pillar under me buckling and heading towards another one. Cao Tzu managed to leap and was grabbed by Straden and Octavian. The second pillar crashed into a third one, and I moved accordingly. The entire collection of these stone towers were falling apart in a chain reaction. I leapt forward, but had misjudged my jump. I was dangling, barely able to hold on with the tips of my fingers. Behind me the pillars fell down and coated the ground with dust and debris. I could feel myself slipping. Brutus grabbed my wrist just in the nick of time. With his great strength he pulled me up and set me aside. We had made it to the other end of the gorge, with the way back lost to us.


    Had Brutus been a second too slow, and I would have fallen to my death. The Rocks would both crush every bone in my body and bury me all at once. Perhaps walking around the plateau was not such a bad idea after all. Still, we have all made our choices and we must face the consequences of them.


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    We proceeded to walk through the plateau¡¯s pass, still coming down from the rush of adrenaline that pumped through Cao Tzu¡¯s and my own heart. With shaking knees and a new aversion to nights, we continued. When we arrived at the slopes off of the plateau and towards our destination, there was something that felt wrong. We didn¡¯t know it at first, but there was a sense of unease that filled us as we continued down the slopes.


    Cao Tzu turned to me and signed with her hands and lips at me. Octavian had not yet understood the meaning of these gestures.


    ¡°What is she saying?¡±


    With a grim look on my face I looked around in silence, trying to look for something. While searching, I finally spoke.


    ¡°Do you hear that?¡±


    Octavian tilted his head to the side and scanned the area with his ears.


    ¡°Hear what?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. There''s no sound; no birds, no animals, nothing. This place sounds dead.¡±


    Instinctively we all drew our weapons. The Blasted Lands were home to many foul creatures. So far we had seen giants that could change the landscape with just their footsteps. What other terrors were waiting for us? What was watching us with cold uncaring eyes while we stumbled around in that great wide slope? Cao Tzu and I came to the conclusion that other animals were afraid to venture here. The same fear that gripped animals when shown fire had been present here. Yet if this spot was so dangerous, where were all the bodies?


    As I walked, I had no idea that I passed something that was akin to a trap door made of dirt that began to lift up. Something was following us. I turned to look behind me for just a moment and was met with large mandibles that would have punctured me had I not raised my shield in time. What was attacking me was some underground ambush creature. It resembled a dirt colored centipede with a large protective shell covering the back of its head like some large shovel. Its fangs were large and dripped with a thick liquid. As it tried to bite me, I used my shield to my advantage and plunged the sword deep within the base of the neck. The creature bled and fell down on the ground, writing in pain and hissed, wiggling its body before curling up into a ball, dead.


    By the time the others had turned to aid me in the attack, the creature was already dying. It seemed easy enough, but I knew all too well that fate was a fickle creature. Sure enough, more of those creatures began to pop up from trap doors. I sighed in frustration.


    Evidently I had drawn the short stick this time as far as fate was concerned. We had little choice but to fight. These bugs outnumbered us ten to one. Fortunately their greatest advantage had been destroyed, the element of surprise. How it was time to deal with their second greatest advantage. Numbers.


    One came up before me and struck at me like a cobra trying to bite at me. I dodged out of the way and swung my blade down, only to find that I had simply scratched the surface of the bug''s harder shell. It tried to strike me again, and I waited for a perfect moment to strike its underbelly before alerting everyone.


    ¡°Our weapons can¡¯t pierce their hide! Cut them from their bellies!¡±


    Octavian did as instructed, taking his blade and swinging upwards at one of the creatures just as it tried to bite him.. Its head was severed and the body writhed while the head rolled, the jaws of the creature still moving. The creatures hungrily bit and tore at Octavian, but his shield provided him with the greatest of protection.


    Brutus let out a vicious war cry and charged into the horde before they could bite him. With his great strength, he took one by the head and pulled, He ripped its head off with bits of its yellow gore taken with it. He threw the head and caved in another creature¡¯s own head. He picked up the body of the centipede creature and began to swing it around, using it as a weapon. He brought it high above his head and flattened one into a fine paste.


    Straden and Mil¡¯Tuk were back to back with each other, keeping each other¡¯s guards up. One blocked incoming attacks which gave the other time to strike.


    ¡°Try to stay alive, boy! Don¡¯t want to be killed by a bug, do you?¡±


    Straden smirked as he playfully taunted Mil¡¯Tuk as if he were training him. Mil¡¯Tuck responded by bashing the head in one of the bugs and then looking back at Straden.


    ¡°Better these bugs than old age.¡±


    ¡°Bah! I may be old, but I can still slaughter my fair share of bugs!¡±


    ¡°Wanna bet?¡± Mil¡¯Tuk then started to count how many of the bugs he had killed. ¡°Five! Six! Seven!¡±


    Straden saw what Mil¡¯Tuk was doing and quickly tried to kill as many as there were in response.


    Cao Tzu used her new found magic to cast spells at the creatures. She made several gestures before bringing her hand to her throat and then breathed fire upon the bugs. I was there to strike at those that were getting too close to her. With the scent of burning bugs in the air, we first felt like victory was assured, However the tide of battle turned. There were simply so many of the bugs. Too many to count. It seemed like when one was killed, another took its place. With each strike and each blow dealt to the creatures, more showed up. We were being backed up to each other. I then made a grave error. I tried to swing at a bug as it was trying to strike me, but I had missed and aimed inches too high. The creature bit down on my leg and I could feel a great deal of pain as if my blood was on fire. I retaliated with a kick and a thrust of my blade into the creature''s mouth.


    Suddenly, there was a small explosion. A loud ¡°poof¡± and smoke began to rise. The centipede creatures chittered and screeched loudly as more of these smoke bombs dotted the area. The creatures retreated and hid back through their trap doors. My vision began to turn cloudy as I saw the few figures that were slowly advancing on us. I held my hand in front of my face to block the sun, but no matter how hard I tried to strain my eyes, I couldn¡¯t see who our saviors were.


    I felt tired and despite my best efforts to stay awake, the pain in my leg was too great. It was as I feared. They had a powerful venom in their bite. I tried to focus but eventually the entire area started to spin rapidly. Without realizing it I fell down on my side and drifted off into blackness. The world melted away before my very eyes as I sank into nothingness¡­

 Chapter 15: Fevered Dreams

    I remember that it started with darkness. Even now, recalling the details in crystal clarity is difficult, but I shall try my best. There were very brief flashes of lucidity that went by as fast as the beat of a fly¡¯s wing. I remember being carried away like a child being taken to bed. I felt my body being lifted and taken to some place. I could see faces, but they were twisted and deformed. It was like their faces became a twisting dark void, swirling into nothingness. I couldn¡¯t recognize anyone. When I first faded in, I could see the large natural archway out of the slopes, and the pale blue sky overhead. Above my head I could see someone in dark robes. Like the others, the face was a dark void of emptiness. I felt pain in my leg and groaned before everything faded.


    A few seconds passed and I faded in again. I saw the sky had shifted. The sun had reached as high as it could go, and I saw trees, yet the faces were still voids. I felt a hand on my chest and saw that the robed figure, yet the face was nothing but darkness. I strained my eyes to try to find some trace of a human visage, but I felt like I was fading again.


    I woke up and soon found myself standing in front of a white building of marble. Great statues depicting heroes of old stood guard in front of it. I realized where I was. I was home. I was in Roharim. Everything was as silent as the grave. There was no sound: no wind, no chattering of birds, no hum of the nearby river, no sounds of people greeting each other and the fall of footsteps. I stared at the building for a moment before I felt myself fall backwards. I passed through the ground as if it were mist and found myself rightside up again. I was now in a training yard inside the building. There were boys as young as ten years fighting. Each child was equipped with a wooden shield and sword. They fought each other in combat that resulted in large bruises and drawing blood. One boy was knocked down into the dirt. The teacher who was instructing the boys how to fight went over to the boy. The man stood the child up and then struck him in his face with his ring hand.


    ¡°Again!¡± The man yelled loudly, enough to echo through the halls. The boy did as was instructed and faced the other boy again. He held his shield up firmly and waited for his opponent to strike. When he did, he used his own momentum against him and flipped him over his shield. The boy on the ground groaned loudly before the victorious child dealt a final blow which broke the loser¡¯s nose, causing blood to rush through him. He cried and was yanked up and pushed aside by the teacher.


    ¡°Roharim Warriors do not show weakness!¡±


    The teacher struck the boy and then pointed to a bench where other wounded children were. The victorious boy watched with an uneasy knot in his stomach before the teacher raised his arm in the air.


    ¡°You did good. You did not show weakness. Show even an ounce of weakness and you will lie on the ground with your entrails spilt. Do you understand?¡±


    The boy nodded. The teacher left and the boy was left to find another opponent. He was not supposed to stop until only one child remained. The boy flashed me with bright green eyes, and I recognized them as my own. That boy was me. I remember countless times where I had found myself on that bench with new wounds and filled with shame. When boys in Roharim reached ten years old, they could choose to undergo these trials. They were called ¡°The Lessons of Roharim.¡± Once a boy had chosen this path, there was no going back. They never told us about the struggles you face when learning the lessons.


    From a young age we were taught that weakness should be eliminated and strength is all that matters. Weakness was for politicians and diplomats. We were soldiers first and foremost. We were raised to enter the house of war. We were taught that the most important thing anyone could ever do was to serve Roharim. If you were a man, then it was your duty to fight and die for Roharim. If you were a woman, then the greatest achievement was to die in childbirth, for both men and women would have died so that Roharim could live. This is why only these two types of people were allowed to have tombstones.


    I was reliving the lessons from the perspective of an outsider. I saw the difficulties my younger self was a part of. Weakness was not tolerated for any reason. When one boy showed even a hint of cowardice or hesitated for even a moment, then we were expected to correct the problem. We bullied, beat, and humiliated the weak one. Otherwise we were the ones who were beaten. Many times we were taken out to the wilderness in order to try to survive as long as possible. Our goal was to kill a wolf and bring back its fang. This was considered the final test of a Roharim boy, and many did not survive the attempt.


    I remember when I was hunting. I had just turned thirteen. All I had with me were a few rations, my sword and shield, a spear, and my willpower. I was sitting under a tree when the moon was full and bright as the sun. I looked at my younger self and sat beside him. I wanted to comfort him. I wanted to tell him that it was worth it, for I knew the thoughts that dwelt in his mind. He was homesick. He wanted to see his mother and father again. I reached out to try to touch his shoulder, but he turned his head towards me. I thought that he could see me, but then I remembered that it was not me that the boy was looking at, but the wolf that thought it could have an easy meal. It leapt and bit at my younger self, ripping into his flesh. I felt the scars on my back that the wolf had made by raking his claws along my tender skin.


    My younger self tried to spear the ravenous beast, but it grabbed the spear and broke it, sending the spear head away from me. In a desperate panic my younger self grabbed a rock from above his head and slammed it against the wolf¡¯s face. This got the wolf off of him for a moment before he ran to pick up the spear. The disoriented wolf lunged at child me, and pinned me down while gnashing its fangs at me. The boy had only one chance to survive and that was to thrust the spear head into the beast¡¯s throat. I had stabbed over and over and over again until the wolf stopped moving. Fire had burnt through my young veins and I could feel pride and yet sorrow. The beast had fought well, but it was either me or him.


    It was in the wolf¡¯s final moments that I understood the final lesson. Always be prepared for an attack, for you can not trust the world. The world has no respect for you, so you must make it respect you.


    I brought the wolf¡¯s pelt back to my teacher, and only then was I finally recognized as a man. The rest of my years were spent training harder. My parents were so proud of me. I often wish I could have seen them more. But alas, the last time I saw them was before my encounter with the young and beautiful noblewoman. I had not seen them in a great many years. I wondered if they would have been proud of me then, after my banishment to the Blasted Lands.


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    After that vision, everything had gone dark again. I was in a void, wondering what would happen to me next. What more visions would I have to endure in my envenomed stupor? What creature from my deepest nightmares would taunt me? I got my answer soon enough.


    ¡°Hadrian¡­¡± In one instant, thousands of voices spoke in unison. Thousands of voices, yet one mind.


    I turned around and saw Cora standing there. She had no mask on and was dressed in a comfortable, relaxing outfit. I peered at her. She was still as beautiful as ever.


    ¡°C-Cora?¡±


    Her eyes were closed and she wouldn¡¯t move. She was as frozen as a silent statue in a graveyard. I stepped closer towards her. Her eyes opened, but they were not the beautiful violet eyes I saw before. They were golden serpentine eyes with three slitted pupils. There was a sickening crack that came next like the snapping of twigs, or as the case was, bones. Her throat undulated and pulsed as if something was moving inside. I stepped back in horror and knew that this was some sort of trick.


    She fell to her knees as a long black shape burst through her mouth like a pike. The force of which ripped the teeth right out of the jaws as her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Her head went limp as the creature slithered out of her. It was as tall as a fully grown man as it raised its body up. I looked at me through its golden eyes, the same that the vision of Cora had. I knew exactly who this was.


    ¡°Ile¡¯Sethak¡­ my lord.¡±


    I knelt down in reverence. Ile¡¯Sethak had appeared before me. His forked tongue flicked in the air. His voice was like a long painful cut of a blade being dragged down from the base of your neck to your lower back.


    ¡°Hadrian. My chosssen.¡±


    I kept my head low. I was in the presence of a God. It was also my first one on one meeting with him. I had to make a good impression.


    ¡°Where are we? Am I dead?¡±


    ¡°No. Not dead. You are between life and death. You shall live becaussse it is my will.¡±


    His tail flicked about as the form of Cora crumpled away like used snakeskin in the wind. As he moved, I could hear the all too familiar noise of a rattle at his tail. His Cobra hood fit him like a great crown, and was a symbol of his authority. His fangs were sharp like a blade, and practically dripping with a venom that could kill instantly. His black and gray scales were rigid and heavily armored and the spaces between his scales glittered like gold. One would attribute him to be a dragon if they only caught a glimpse of him.


    ¡°Hadrian. Hear my words and obey.¡±


    I kept my head low, waiting to hear his command. Every word the great serpent spoke was done so with a hiss.


    ¡°I am new to the world, and have naught the strength to usher my will upon this world. As such, I have chosen you to be my prophet. You have already suspected this to be the case.¡±


    ¡°Then why tell me what I already know, my lord?¡±


    ¡°For I have new information that will aid you in this task. Also, I would hate for you to be distracted by earthly pleasures before the work is done.¡±


    I swallowed hard. Suddenly the reason for his dramatic entrance became crystal clear.


    ¡°My lord, surely you don¡¯t mean-¡±


    ¡°I only will speak the truth to you.¡±


    He let out a loud hiss as warning for speaking out of turn.


    ¡°She serves as a distraction. She will interfere with your noble conquest.¡±


    I lowered my head, not wanting to believe it. I had grown to trust Cora over our short time together. I respected her. Ille¡¯Sethak continued to speak, noticing my disbelief.


    ¡°You do not think this is so? She serves Lak¡¯Ashara, the harlot queen. Her very existence is a liability. She served her lady for many years. Do you honestly think that a woman like her could change her loyalties so easily for you?¡±


    I remained silent. I had no retort to say. I figured that if I simply let him speak, then he would get on to the point. As much as I revered Ille¡¯Sethak, our first proper meeting was him simply scolding me for being distracted by a pretty woman. Needless to say, I didn¡¯t worship him simply to be lectured to.


    ¡°What is your bidding, my lord?¡±


    I made sure to keep my head as low as I could. Despite the lecture, I still showed Ille¡¯Sethak my deepest respect. One must not anger the gods.


    He hissed and rattled his tale, those golden eyes peering into my very soul before he finally spoke to me.


    ¡°I am new to this world. As such, my power is limited. There are those however who''s faith in me is absolute, for I have made them in my image. In your travels, you will meet with my children. They are known as the Ophidians. They shall aid you in your task.¡±


    ¡°How will they help me, my lord?¡±


    ¡°They shall give to you my greatest gift, Hadrian. A mighty weapon, forged when I first came to this world. A blade that knows no equal.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose that it¡¯ll be easy, my lord. I assume there will be a test?¡±


    ¡°You will always be tested, my chosen. That is what life is. A series of trials that will mold you into what destiny demands of you. Our time grows short. Seek out the Ophidians as soon as possible, for fate will test my children soon enough. The world of the living awaits you. Do not fail me.¡±


    With that, I felt as if I was being lifted up after being submerged in the sea, rising higher and higher as fast as I could be pulled. I saw a bright light above me, and I felt like I was about to breach the surface.


    I awoke, coughing and wheezing and nearly falling off of the stone bed I had found myself in. My head pounded and my body ached. Most of my clothes besides a loin cloth had been removed so the healers could inspect my body without my armor getting in the way. They were startled by my sudden lucidity, and the one wearing the mask spoke to me after rising from their seat. They looked at me as if they had seen a ghost. Truth be told, they almost did. The masked person came up to me and placed their hand on my chest to lay me back down.


    ¡°Welcome back to the land of the living, warrior.¡±

 Chapter 16: The Uchanti

    Aside from the strange person wearing a mask in front of me, I was mostly alone. I had no idea where I was. I admit I was a bit¡­disoriented. Which is why it should come to no surprise that when I found a stone knife near me, I grabbed it and pointed it at the masked individual.


    ¡°Who are you?! Where am I?¡±


    The masked person held their hands up and spoke again.


    ¡°Calm yourself, Hadrian. You are among friends. Put the knife down.¡±


    ¡°How do you know my name?!¡±


    The person continued to hold their hands up. Slowly, they took the large tribal mask off. The mask itself was of a design I could not recognize. It was a multicolored elongated mask that had a small mouth stretched downward to the chest. The mouth and eyes were small slits. The mouth was the smallest, to where only a coin could enter it. The eyes were a bit larger, but not by much. The nose of the mask was pronounced and angular. Meanwhile the forehead was stretched and was bulbus. It was heavily decorated and painted and even had a mane of fur acting as the hair. The mask itself was a very large size. It was more comparable to a shield rather than an ordinary mask, with a large cloth that draped over much of the body. My best guess was that this was used to intimidate the enemy and especially the bugs that had bitten me. The same principle of making oneself look larger than they really are, but in a constant form.


    When the mask was lifted and set aside, I could see that it was a woman. Her skin was a dark shade of ebony that had many encounters with the sun over the years. She was young and beautiful. The sides of her hair were shaved off, leaving a strip of dark hair in a mohawk-like manner with braids going down from the back of her head like a horse¡¯s tail. She wore loose fitting robes that draped over her hips. It was plain in color, and the sleeves only reached down to her elbows. She was adorned with many trinkets around her neck and her wrists. They were made of metal disks and beads that clung off her body by small leather strings.


    Her short robe¡¯s skirt left little to the imagination as I was able to see her hips and her exposed legs. The only thing she wore around her legs besides the cloth that kept her modesty were anklets that clung to her. For someone who had been living in that wasteland for most of their lives, she hardly had any blemish on her. She was incredibly beautiful to behold. I was still weary to put down my weapon, but I was calmer. For a moment I looked down at my bandaged leg. The pain was still throbbing in my limb as I stood. I looked at the woman, still holding the weapon tightly in my hands.


    ¡°Who are you? Where am I?¡± I repeated from before, not as frightened but still alert.


    The woman held her hands up in a non threatening way. She made no attempts to move any closer than I would allow her.


    ¡°My name is Jes¡¯Talali. I am the healer of this village. We are the Uchanti. The children of the shifting sands. We are peaceful nomads. We made our camp here and I was looking for herbs to use as medicine when I saw you and your group being attacked by the Desert Devils. Had I not saved you, their venom would have killed you.¡±


    I sensed no ill intent from the woman. Her desire to heal was genuine, and I owed her my life. With what little dexterity I was granted while I was unwell, I flipped the blade around with the spine of the knife on my hands and the handle pointing out towards her. She gingerly took the knife from me and set it on the table where I had laid down. With the situation calmed, relief washed over the both of us.


    ¡°Thank you for not trying to kill me, Hadrian.¡± Jes¡¯Talali said with an alleviated sigh now that the danger had passed. ¡°For a moment I was thinking that things would get ugly.¡±


    ¡°They could have.¡± I said as I massaged my thigh. My leg was bandaged up with a fine layer of linen wrappings that were bathed in some type of salve. I tried to take a step, though only at that moment did I feel the sharp pain go up my leg. She came over to see me and sit my back down on the table.


    ¡°Easy there. You are still wounded from your encounter with the Desert Devils. It will take some time to heal properly.¡±


    She left my side for a moment and began to make a fresh batch of some concoction I would no doubt be forced to drink. She mixed the ingredients in carefully and precisely. The way she moved clearly showed that she had been doing this for all of her life. She maneuvered her hands and her tools in a way that demanded the greatest of discipline and fortitude. The sound of stone crushing the ingredients into a fine powder and filled the room with strange odors best not described.


    She mixed all of the ingredients into a small bowl. The contents were very earthy and dark green. It was as if someone had condensed an entire swamp into a bowl. Even now my stomach churns at the mention of that elixir. I looked up at the physician with pleading eyes, silently asking if drinking that potion was really necessary. She gently shook the small bowl in her hand as confirmation.


    I sighed and then took the cup. To get the event over with, I shot the drink as far back as I could as if taking a quick drink from fire water. The taste was almost vomit inducing. It tasted like rancid fish that had been left out in the sun for a month and featured several maggots writhing around to add to the flavor. I forced myself to drink the entire cup before setting it aside. I coughed violently as if I had been poisoned. For a moment, I thought that was exactly what was happening. Jes¡¯Talali patted me on the back and stroked me to help me get through the misery. She filled up a cup of water to wash the vile taste out of my mouth. I sloshed the water around my mouth and then spat to the side away from the healer. I rubbed my forearm across my lips to wipe away what residue and saliva still clung to my mouth.


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    ¡°The medicine will help you overtime.¡± Jes¡¯Talali said in a comforting, motherly tone. ¡°It tastes revolting, but it will help you get better. There is still venom in your body. This will help to purge it.¡±


    I used my teeth to scrape my tongue and spit on the ground some more, finally getting over the horrid taste. Despite the foul flavor of the drink, I trusted in her that she would help me recover.


    ¡°How long have I been unconscious?¡± I asked tentatively, worried about what answer I would get.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been laying here for two days.¡± She said plainly. A relief washed over me. But two days of being in the darkness of my mind took its toll on my body. I needed food and water. Thankfully, Jes¡¯Talali made sure to give me plenty of these.


    I was in no condition to travel yet. I needed at least a few days to recover my strength. Such was my lot in life.


    ¡°Where are the others right now?¡±


    ¡°They are waiting outside of this chamber. I¡¯ll lead you to them if you wish.¡±


    I nodded, taking it as an excuse to get a better look at my surroundings. The nomads of the Uchanti had carved alcoves into the rock to hide from the desert devils and all other manner of creature that treds through the wilds. These alcoves had been carved into the stone over the course of centuries each time the Uchanti returned to that place. Over the years, the Uchanti would carve more structures into the rock to expand in greater numbers while other areas were improved upon. The alcoves were nestled carefully in walls in a secluded canyon that protected the Uchanti from the harsh sandstorms and predators. Bridges were connected from point to point between the walls so that transportation was easier on the tribe.


    My companions had been taken to an alcove where they could relax during the day. It was deep enough into the stone to accommodate them all when not sleeping. When I arrived, Octavian and Cao Tzu were the first to come close to me to inspect me while Brutus hung around in the back with Straden and Mil¡¯Tuk.


    ¡°My lord, you¡¯re finally awake!¡± Octavian exclaimed happily as he saw my approach. A sense of relief washed over him.


    ¡°I live.¡± I told him with a straight face and a stoic tone in my voice. ¡°These ¡®Desert Devils¡¯ as Jes¡¯Talali¡¯s people call them are deadly, but Ille¡¯Sethak smiles upon us this day.¡±


    Jes¡¯Talali tilted her head as she looked puzzled at me. ¡°Ille¡¯Sethak? Is that your God?¡±


    ¡°Indeed he is. The great serpent has guided me to this place. All that and more.¡±


    I limped away and ventured to sit down. I had been limping almost nonstop, and my leg already ached.


    ¡°Jes¡¯Talali, If you¡¯ll allow me to rest for a bit and speak with my comrades in private, I will be grateful. I won¡¯t be long. I simply wish to catch up with them.¡±


    The healer woman simply bowed her head. ¡°Of course. I understand. I will return shortly.¡±


    She left us there, crossing the bridge to some other part of the labyrinth of alcoves. I leaned forward and spoke to my fellows in a hushed voice, making sure that Octavian and Cao Tzu were the closest to me.


    ¡°Octavian, Tell me. Do you know anything about a group called the Ophidians?¡±


    ¡°Ophidians, my lord?¡± Octavian cocked an eyebrow and crossed his arms. So far for easy answers.


    ¡°I saw him, Octavian. I saw Ille¡¯Sethak as I laid there in my slab. I will explain in greater detail, but the serpent has commanded that we find his people, the Ophidians.¡±


    ¡°But what of our people? The escaped slaves?¡± Straden interjected as he leaned forward on a table next to me.


    I said ¡°They are a priority. However, Ille¡¯Sethak would not give us this task were it not important. He stated that the matter is urgent and we should find them as soon as possible. Before he could tell me, I began to wake as if from a dream.¡±


    Brutus would add his own two copper to the table.


    ¡°What does it matter? We will do what Hadrian says, as always.¡±


    ¡°Do I hear a hint of discontent, old friend?¡± Any smile I might have had was gone at that point. I do not enjoy being questioned, especially by those who would call themselves my friend. Brutus had truly begun to test our friendship with the constant questioning of my command.


    ¡°Forgive me, Hadrian. What I meant to say is that it doesn¡¯t sound right. We should focus on the people we know will be there. Not some people who may be there. You did hear this information from a dream, after all.¡±


    ¡°It was the words of Ille¡¯Sethak.¡± I said, raising my voice slightly before I felt the throbbing pain in my leg again. ¡°Do you truly wish to question a God?¡±


    Brutus paused for a moment. His fist clenched as he held back his annoyance and then shook his head. ¡°...No.¡±


    ¡°Then we shall seek out the Ophidians. Think about it. If we get them to ally with us, then our armies will swell.¡±


    Mil¡¯Tuk was next to offer up his own opinions, placing his fist on his hip.


    ¡°Hadrian, we have potential allies here. These people. The Uchanti¡­I feel a kinship with them. They may even be my own people. I was born into slavery. I don¡¯t even know who my parents were, but this place? This place makes me think of a home I never knew. We should make alliances with them first.¡±


    ¡°I intend on doing so.¡± I said, feeling calmer than I had been before. ¡°Who knows? Perhaps our new friends here will give us the answers I seek. They know the lay of the land better than we do at the moment. After saving me, I intend on seeing that they become a great asset to our people.¡±


    Negotiations were indeed on my mind. The Uchanti had saved my life, and for that I owed them a debt. For bringing me back out of the darkness within my mind, I intended on giving them something more than gold. I would give them glory. I would give them strength, and I would give them security. In order to survive, my legion needed to grow, and the Uchanti would be some of our first recruits.

 Chapter 17: Sun and Moon

    Over the course of the next few days of my recovery, I learned more about the culture of the Uchanti. Their culture was rich with an oral history of their people. The women all had ¡°Jes¡± in their names, while the men had ¡°Mil.¡± These were titles. Jes was a shortened version of ¡°Jestariungo¡± which meant ¡°daughter of the sea.¡± This was because the women of this tribe were beautiful but also dangerous, just as the sea was. The sea can be beautiful and full of life as well as danger. Like the sea, it was not wise to upset the women of the Uchanti, for they could be just as deadly as the ocean itself.


    ¡°Mil¡± by contrast was short for ¡°Milkahlikata¡± which meant ¡°Son of the mountain.¡± Men in the tribe had a great responsibility for their homes. They had to be the rock of their tribes. Men had their sacred duty to protect their families and their tribesmen to the death. The men of the tribe had to be as strong and as unmoving as a mountain. Their resilience was something to behold. In order for the boys to be considered men, they had to go through a trial. They would need to climb a long pole mounted to the top of the canyon walls where they had to balance themselves on one foot from sunrise to sunset ¡ªstopping only for rest¡ª for the next three days.


    If they could do that, then they were considered a man. It was an exercise of discipline, especially when sandstorms came through. Having been in a sandstorm since my arrival in the blasted lands, I knew well how difficult it was to stand up on two legs while in a storm with no protection. The wind cut into my wounds like flying daggers shredding my skin, and I felt like if the wind were just a little stronger, I would be carried off like a child¡¯s kite. The thought of having to do that on one leg on top of a poll made it sound less favorable.


    While recovering I was able to witness one of these trials. The determination on the boy''s face was inspiring. No weakness, no faltering. Just sheer willpower. I saw myself in the boy and knew that these people would be a great asset to my forces. Mil¡¯Tuk had a good point. The Uchanti would make fine allies.


    One of the most interesting parts of their culture was a legend they told. There were once two brothers. Ashua, the sun, and Moshua, the moon. The Uchanti claim that in the beginning there was no night. The world was always lit up by the light of the two brothers, who always cared for one another. They did everything together: hunt, fish, forage, and lived in perfect harmony with one another. The brothers were great heroes and defended humanity from great beasts. Yet while they lived in a world without night, darkness was still ever present in caves and shadows. The darkness wanted to rule the world, yet the constant day kept it at bay.


    If darkness wanted to rule the world, then the brothers needed to go away. The darkness had a clever idea. He crept under the shade of a mountain where a waterfall was placed, and disguised himself into a beautiful woman. There it waited until Ashua and Moshua arrived. The brothers saw the woman bathing in the water. Her hair was a shade of black they had never seen before. Her long hair wrapped around her body like a cloak as she bathed in the cool and refreshing waters. After that, the brothers began to argue with one another.


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    Each brother professed his love for the woman, but she would toy with them. She proclaimed ¡°If I am to belong to a man, then he must show me that he is worthy. Who is the richest and owns the largest house?¡±


    The brothers who once lived in only a single home began to fight. Using their great strength, each brother built a house using nothing but the trees around them and the stones of the mountain. In what would take a long time to make, the brothers built magnificent homes in no time at all. Each brother showed the woman around their houses. They were no small huts but beautiful homes that were like palaces.


    Of course, the woman refused yet again. She pretended to admire each of the homes. As magnificent as they were, none could match the prize that the darkness was after. And so, the woman said ¡°I will only be with the one who forges the beast weapon.¡± The brothers then searched all over for the best metals one could find. With their bare hands they dug into the earth to find the purest metals. Each brother forged a great and terrible weapon the likes of which no man has seen before or since.


    They returned ¡ªblades in hand¡ª to the woman once again. Each blade was more beautiful than any other in the world. They were crafted to perfection. Yet as before, when the woman saw the blades, she refused them. The woman once again said ¡°If I am to be claimed, then let the strongest man claim me.¡±


    The brothers turned on one another and fought a bloody battle. It was brutal beyond comparison. The fight lasted for several days until finally, Moshua felt the sting of Ashua¡¯s blade in his chest. Moshua clenched his fist and held the blade tightly. He fell backward into the dirt, stone dead. At the moment of his death, the sky grew black, and the woman transformed into darkness himself and named his new kingdom ¡°night.¡± Realizing what he had done, Ashua fell to his knees and wept for his brother. He carried his brother''s body to every medicine man he could find and begged to restore Moshua to life, yet none could. Ashua cried and pleaded. ¡°Please! Anyone! Help my brother! I will give anything!¡±


    Ashua then heard a strange sound coming from above. The great eagle, the avatar of the Sky God Emenuweh, came down. The eagle spoke to Ashua. ¡°Why do you cry?¡±


    ¡°It is my brother!¡± cried Ashua while holding the body of his brother. ¡°I have been tricked by darkness, and have killed my brother! I am lost without him. Please, help me!¡±


    The great eagle took pity on Ashua and Moshua. Emenuweh made a pact with Ashua. He would restore Moshua, but he may only embrace him twice a year and only for a short time. Ashua agreed, and Emenuweh gave Moshua life again. Moshua turned white as a ghost, and became the light of night. Darkness consumed Moshua until he became nothing, but he would always return, becoming full again. Since the deal was made, Moshua may only embrace his brother twice a year. Once in the day, where Moshua covers up Ashua with his body, and then at night where Ashua embraces his brother, and the blood of Moshua runs along his body.


    Of course, Roharim and my people have a different idea on what the sun and moon are, but I believe you get the gist about how unique the people of the Uchanti are.

 Chapter 18: A Friend in need

    By the time I had fully recovered, my group was aching to leave. It was past time for us to be on our way, yet I did not forget Mil¡¯Tuk¡¯s insistence that we try to ally with the Uchanti. I looked for Jes¡¯Talali and found her tending to a sick old man. The old man was suffering from a very mild illness most likely caused by overworking. I discussed the possibility of an alliance with her and her people.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s quite possible. The Uchanti have been alone in the Blasted Lands since our ancestors first found themselves here.¡±


    ¡°You say it''s possible, but that''s not a definitive answer.¡± I crossed my arms and raised my eyebrow, knowing full well that there would be a catch to an alliance. A favor for a favor. Same as it ever was.


    ¡°Quite simple, Hadrian. We did you a favor by healing you, and you do a favor for us.¡± She worked on getting some medicine for the old man as she talked. Ever the professional, she made sure that the old man¡¯s care was her immediate priority.


    ¡°And what do you want me to do then? I¡¯m sure I can very easily pull something off.¡±


    Jes¡¯Talali finished brewing something for the old man and placed it in a small clay cup and helped the old man to drink it very slowly. She helped him tilt his head back and ensured that he didn¡¯t drink too fast and risk choking.


    ¡°Several of my people have gone missing as of late. They ventured beyond the canyon to the hidden valley. They were supposed to be back days ago, but haven¡¯t returned. It''s been long enough that the rest of the Uchanti are worried that they may not return at all. Bring us closure, and  you will have your alliance.¡±


    I pondered for a moment. What other choice did I have? I knew that the Uchanti¡¯s numbers would only bolster my ranks. I needed all of the allies that I could get. So I agreed. I owed them a debt of gratitude after all, and I always repay my debts. I had determined that it was time that we departed anyway.


    The Uchanti¡¯s goals aligned with mine. Their hidden valley was towards the same direction as the savannah where my people took refuge. It was a very easy decision to make. I rejoined my fellows and told them what our next course of action was.


    ***


    We gathered resources for the journey to the valley later that evening. I was placing fruits in a sack when I noticed Mil¡¯Tuk leaning on a wall in an alcove. His mind seemed to be elsewhere as he leaned back, one foot on the wall and his arms crossed. A look of hopeless longing rested on his face. I could sense the thought of him thinking to himself that something was far beyond his reach. I turned my attention to what he was looking at, and immediately I understood.


    Jes¡¯Talali was on the other side of the canyon, looking up at the night sky as she leaned on a bridge¡¯s rope railing. I knew then what tugged at Mil¡¯Tuk¡¯s heart. I set the sack of fruit aside and walked over to him with my arms behind my back. He hadn¡¯t noticed me.


    ¡°Something on your mind?¡± I announced my presence while giving him a coy little smile. He was startled, flinching back and quickly turning to my direction before he calmed down.


    ¡°H-Hadrian. I didn¡¯t see you there.¡± He relaxed and leaned back on the wall as I took his attention. I stood next to him and looked at Jes¡¯Talali and smiled.


    ¡°How could you with such a rare and beautiful flower to occupy your vision?¡±


    Mil¡¯Tuk shrugged uncomfortably as I looked at him. His eyes darted to the side as his cheeks flushed. There was no use in hiding it. He let out a deep sigh before returning his gaze towards Jes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say. I feel like I should talk to her, but I have a gut feeling that I¡¯ll fumble on my words. There''s so many mistakes that I could make that I can¡¯t even consider going up to her. I¡¯d just embarrassed myself.¡±


    I leaned on the wall just behind Mil¡¯Tuk and took a deep breath, trying to choose my words very carefully.


    ¡°It''s true. You could fail. However, could doesn¡¯t necessarily mean will. The way that I see it, you can go over to her and she will tell you no, or she will say yes. On the other hand if you choose not to say anything, then you¡¯ll always be left wondering what you could have done. It''s better to try and fail rather than not try at all. At least then, failure will teach you what not to do in the future.¡±


    Mil¡¯Tuk contemplated my words very carefully. He took a deep breath and looked at Jes¡¯Talali. His lower lip quivered and he swallowed hard. He took a deep breath and stepped forward. He spoke with Jes¡¯Talali and left me smiling, content that I was able to help him in some small way. I took one last look before I made my way back to the sack of fruit and resumed packing them up. I took one fruit out of the bag and started to snack. I figured I deserved it for my counsel.


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    ***


    The next day we were gathered to the top of the canyon side and took one last look. We gathered all of the provisions that we could carry and set off towards the hidden valley. It was a day¡¯s journey to the valley, and we would safely arrive by the next morning. On our trek, we passed by ancient ruins that time had forgotten. The faces of the colossal statues that were now partly buried in the earth lost all human features. The sands beat against the stone with such force that it smoothed out the faces to an almost complete blank with barely a trace of who they were. Any names that might have rested on the bases of these statues were long gone.


    As I made my journey through the Blasted Lands to become a king, would my kingdom be ruined like this? Were all the works of men destined to lie in the same place? Would I be different somehow? Or was I doomed to undergo the same tragedies as that laid before my predecessors? How many of these forgotten kingdoms died within the first few years of their founding? Was I looking at the ruins of one empire or multiple? Even today I still don¡¯t know the answer. What I do know is that even if my kingdom is fated to die one day, sooner or later, it would be criminal of me to be intimidated and stop.


    In order for an empire to die it must first be created. Afterall, like I told Mil¡¯Tuk, the worst thing that could happen is that I failed. To never try at all, that would truly be a disservice. Yet even still, there was a sense of trepidation there. Something that worried me.


    We continued on our trek towards the hidden valley. As we approached we found what appeared to be a caldera that was overgrown with age. A large flat area where once boiling magma and death ruled was now a lush green and vibrantly colored land. The dead volcano had become a source of life with mineral rich water and trees that were unlike the rest of the Blasted Lands. Indeed, the very word ¡°blasted¡± did not even seem to apply to this valley. As we approached, our arrival was heralded by the sound of birds cawing and singing. There were many varieties of such animals. Blue parrots with a golden crest like a cockatoo were the dominant bird in this area.


    We explored our surroundings in the valley. There was a lot of ground to cover and not enough daylight to search. We scoured the area as best as we could, searching for any signs of Uchanti presence. Our search led us to an encampment. It seemed like it was a scouting camp for the Unchanti. Though I¡¯ve seen the state of the camp before in another form. There didn¡¯t seem to be any bodies around here. There seemed to be fighting. Large grooves in the ground were evident of something massive crawling on the ground.


    I remembered seeing destruction like this before. The destroyed tents, the large footprints, and even the lack of bodies were all familiar to me. These were done by the same type of creature that had destroyed the camp back when I saw Ys¡¯Tar¡¯s idol for the first time, and found Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s people. I recognized the tracks as those belonging to the giant lizard beast that we had seen on the Land Strider on our way to the City of Pleasure. I believe the beast was some sort of offshoot of dragon. Whatever it was, it was the apex predator of the Blasted Lands, and had killed the Uchanti in this camp. It occurred to me that if I could not rescue any survivors, then I would avenge them. I would have to kill the beast. Yet, as you may already be aware, to kill such a creature is easier said than done.


    ***


    That night we camped out In an elevated place just under the rim of the caldera where hopefully such a large beast would have trouble getting to. It was there that we were trying to piece together exactly how to kill such an incredibly large creature.


    ¡°I¡¯d suggest a pit trap, but it would take too much time.¡± Octavian said as he poked our campfire with a stick so as to stoke up the embers. ¡°We could never make such a large hole for the entire body of the creature with just the six of us.¡±


    Brutus took the lead from an animal he hunted and cooked and ripped the meat off with his jaws while it was still on the bone.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to have a pit trap that could take its entire body. Just something the size of its foot. We¡¯d need to plant multiple traps just to make sure that it steps in at least one.¡±


    If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say Brutus was excited about the chance to kill such a legendary beast. That was the Brutus I knew. Not the man who sulked and wished to go back to Lak¡¯Ashara. The chance to earn some glory seemed to have knocked some sense into him at long last. He had taken a branch from a tree and already started to make a spike out of it with a blade.


    Mil¡¯Tuk knelt down to the fire, throwing bits of wood and tinder into the flame to keep it going.


    ¡°We should try to find out where its lair is. Learn all we can about the beast and find any weaknesses it has. We can learn a lot about a creature if we know how it lives. Study it for a while before we strike.¡±


    ¡°Very good idea, Mil¡¯Tuk.¡± I said as I sat on a seat we made from a log. I was sharpening my blade. The whetstone sliding across its edge made my weapon sing in anticipation. ¡°Our group is small enough to where we¡¯ll be able to stalk the creature.¡±


    Cao Tzu signed off at me, moving her hands in her method of communication. She wondered if her magical fire could be of any assistance. I leaned forward and pet my goatee, pondering her words for a moment.


    ¡°Perhaps. All animals have a natural fear of fire. We may be able to use it to our advantage. Mil¡¯Tuk, Straden, I want you to scout the valley out when morning comes. If the beast¡¯s home is indeed here, (which I¡¯m hoping it is,) then we¡¯ll be able to find it if we cover enough ground. Octavian. You and Brutus get lumber and make spears. Cao Tzu, I want you to meditate like you¡¯ve never done so before. We¡¯ll find out where the beast roams. Study it to the best of our abilities, and when we¡¯ve learned all that we could from its patterns¡­¡±


    ¡°We stick the lizard and watch it bleed!¡± Brutus stood up, thrusting his spear in the air. He laughed heartily and beamed with anticipation.


    ¡°And watch it bleed¡­¡± I repeated, a smile appearing on my face. In truth, I was anticipating it myself. I couldn¡¯t imagine very many people having killed one of these beasts. It would be interesting to see what the creature was made of.


    ¡°And what will you do, My lord?¡± Octavian asked, pointing his makeshift fire poker at me. I simply smiled, sharpened my blade at least a few more times and then stood up, placing the weapon at my hip.


    ¡°The most important duty of all, dear Octavian. Try to get inside that beast''s head¡­¡±

 Chapter 19: Tickling the Dragons tail

    As far as I knew, the beast was the apex predator of the Blasted Lands. It was the largest predator we had ever seen up to that point. Its strength and pure size were something to be admired by all. Alas, the great tragedy would be that for the safety of the Uchanti and my allies, the beast needed to be put down. I would have loved to use its great size to my advantage, but the animal was far too dangerous and too large to attempt such a thing.


    We would spend days doing research on the animal. Yet you would be surprised to know that finding the creature¡¯s home was more difficult than one would assume. Anyone with half a functioning brain would immediately suggest following the massive creature. After all, It was big enough to fight and nearly kill a literal walking fortress. Yet the lair was difficult to get to. The beast made its lair at the center of the caldera where there was a massive lake. The creature was not aquatic, yet when it went under the water, it was just gone.


    I began to suspect that the reason for the creature not surfacing was because that, since this was the site of a former volcano, that there are several underground chambers under that lake. The beast must have used one of those chambers as its lair. There was only one way to be sure.


    Using my sword, I sharpened a large branch into a sharp spear. I took off most of my armor so I wouldn¡¯t sink. All I had to protect me was my weapon and my undergarments to protect my modesty. I would dive down into the lair once the beast had left. Straden and Mil¡¯Tuk would watch the beast and gather information while I dove down into the depths of the lake to find its lair. I realized I might not have had a lot of time for breath. Yet if I was correct, then there were many air pockets down in the caverns, and I had to rely on those.


    Beside me, Cao Tzu gestured her hands upon me as if to bless me. She then signed to me, wishing me good luck. I gave her a swift nod and then dived into the water. The fresh water stung my eyes as I tried to see. Everything was cloudy, but the water was almost clear. At least transparent enough for me to navigate myself. I swam further down into the waters, holding my spear tightly in my hand. A school of fish saw my approach and scattered in all directions at my approach.


    As I continued to swim deeper into the massive lake, I could feel my lungs burning. The tightening of my chest and the feeling of imminent doom approaching. If I tried to swim back to the surface, I might not have made it. I continued to fight myself, my willpower keeping me alive. I saw a tunnel and swam towards it. My chest was on fire, tightening as I was getting closer to being out of breath. I could feel my vision fading as I swam harder until at last, I saw an air pocket. I reached for it and took long, gasping breaths. I coughed loudly and took a moment to adjust myself. I breathed the air and it healed my lungs. But even still, I had no choice but to dive into the water again.


    I took another deep breath and dove back into the water, swimming through the tunnel. I continued to traverse the dark reaches of the underwater tunnels, unsure of what I would find down there. I might as well have found my own death. I felt around the tunnel as the water began to heat up. I tried to find another air pocket. Luckily, I found one just in time. This pocket was much larger, and might as well have been a room. I decided to climb up into this chamber so that I could rest.


    The place was very dimly lit ¡ªilluminated only by the glowing traces of magma that still pumped through the dormant volcano like a heart pumping blood¡ª and I tried to find the means to give myself light. Unfortunately, I had nothing save for my spear and the loincloth. I explored my surroundings. I could see that though dim, the place had room enough to rest. I placed my hand on the walls as I traveled to feel my way through the darkness. The walls were warm to the touch. As I continued, I touched something and immediately felt something fall on me. I used my spear to knock it away and prepared for a fight only to see that what had grabbed me was already dead.


    A skeleton from a time long forgotten had clung to the wall and now was scattered along the floor. It appeared human enough, though the only thing that might have suggested otherwise was that it was unusually tall. Perhaps I am remembering it wrong or I could not see it clearly since it was so dark, but I could swear that the skeleton was larger than that of a human. I placed my hand on the rib cage of the creature and felt its bones were thicker than a normal mans. I couldn¡¯t tell you how large it was exactly, but I can tell you that I¡¯ve never heard of humanoid bones that large before.


    Then a thought occurred in my head. Where did this skeleton come from? I continued to feel around, and sure enough there was a crevasse in the cave. Too small for the skeleton but perhaps it was large enough for myself. I knew the dangers of going down in that place. I could end up getting stuck and end up like my large friend, but then I would be at the mercy of the waters again and have to sink or swim anyway. No matter what I did, I would be in danger. I was in danger standing there in that room. I had to press on. I squeezed myself into that crevasse. I could feel the sharp stones digging into my flesh. As I continued to suck in my gut through the tight walls, I could see some light on the other side. A smile came across my face.


    I knew then what it was like to be in a giant mortar and pestle. I felt the stone grinding at my body as I moved forward. I hissed as a bit of gypsum gemstone cut into my abdomen. It felt like a paper cut, but If I was not careful I would suffer a death of a thousand cuts. I pushed myself more, trying to get out of the grip of the earth. The more I pushed, the more I felt myself being squeezed tighter, as if the very stones themselves were pinching me between their fingers like one would crush an ant.


    At last, my hand could feel an opening, and I would be able to make it through to the other side. I fell to my knees, exhausted by the ordeal. I looked down and gently rubbed my fingers on my cuts. Some bled more than others. I closed my eyes and tried to ignore the pain. I rose to my feet and could feel the heat had risen in this place. Some small remnants of the ancient volcano who¡¯s corpse I had entered included large pools of magma to the distance. I could feel myself drying off rapidly in no time at all. I explored my surroundings, my spear pointed outward and my nerves alight with anticipation. I had no idea what else lay in those darkened chambers.


    In the complete blackness of those chambers, I felt very small. I was an intruder in an alien world that no man in my age had ever seen. As I explored, it felt as if the heat built up.


    The cavern I found myself in had a large ceiling. I wished I had a torch and could see much further than I could, but alas I had no means. It was extremely difficult to see in the chamber. I used my spear as a blind man would use a cane and felt around to protect myself from tripping over something. I eventually came across a small area where there was more light thanks to the magma nearby. It was here that I was able to find some sense of my whereabouts. In front of me laid a large pool of water that was cool to the touch and offered relief to the heat. I checked my surroundings before I took a dip. Something immediately caught my attention.


    I saw a large collection of rocks that radiated with heat. Not enough to burn to the touch, but warm enough. Inside the circle of stones was something large. Although I had never seen one that size before, I knew without a doubt that it was an egg. It was as large as a full grown man. With a little bit of luck, I managed to find the creature¡¯s lair. Furthermore, I had discovered that the creature was also female and a mother. I could not begin my examination. After all, the best way to learn about someone is how they keep their home.


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    I looked around and saw the leftovers of great beasts that fell prey to the creature. Their bones were scattered along the nest. I did not expect to find any remains of the Uchanti in the nest. Surely they would have all been devoured by the creature in one massive gulp. However, I did find some things that the creature may have spat out or vomited up. They reeked of bile and stomach acid. All that I could recognize were the weapons and some jewelry that were unmistakably Uchanti in design.


    I paused and gave the remains a moment of silence. However, the quiet was broken by cracking. I jolted with my spear raised and aimed at the cracking. The egg was hatching. I went into the nest and prepared to strike as soon as the creature¡¯s spawn emerged. The egg opened like one would expect a snake¡¯s egg. It was soft and leathery. What was left of the egg membrane spilled out into a goo on the ground as the animal inside breached and took its first breath of fresh air. The thing in front of me was a large creature that was the size of a fully grown man. Unlike its parent which had a dull gray color, this lizard thing seemed to be albino. It was pure white with red eyes.


    The infant slithered out of the egg and flicked its forked tongue in my direction. I held my spear at it, ready to stab it with all my might. I refused to be this creature¡¯s first meal. However, it just looked at me for a moment. Its tongue continued to sense me as it eventually came closer. I pulled my weapon, preparing to strike but it just sensed me. It then rubbed its body past my leg as it explored the area. I stood there, watching the creature for a moment before it turned to me and tilted its head expectantly. I was confused. It made some strange chirping noises at me like one would imagine a crocodile hatchling would make if it were scaled up to a ridiculous size.


    It brushed up against me again, and I realized what had happened. It imprinted on me. The large reptilian hatchling believed that I was its parent. As amusing as it was, I knew that I couldn¡¯t stay here forever. The creature persisted in following me. I had to think of something quick. I went over to some leftover food the mother had left behind. It was the carcass of another reptilian creature. The standard form of life in the Blasted Lands I had come to find. The meat clung to a rib bone. I snapped the bone off using my strength. Thankfully the battle that ended the meal¡¯s life resulted in a few broken bones.


    I threw the meaty bone at the hatchling and it began to devour it. Without any trouble, its serrated teeth ripped into the meat and tore it up. I believed I had learned everything I could from the lair of the beast, so I saw it fit to leave. No doubt the large pool of water was where the mother creature entered her lair. Though as I prepared to swim for my life, I noticed the water begin to rumble. Instantly I realized that the mother had returned. I hid behind the leftover bones and meat as the water ruptured and the mother crawled out of the water. In her mouth she carried a dead animal. A Large rodent like creature whose fur was matted with blood. The mother looked and sensed the area after dropping the corpse.


    It looked around and saw that the egg was hatched, yet the baby was nowhere to be seen. Little did I know, the baby had followed me behind the bones. I turned to see it looking at me curiously, as if asking what I was doing. I pressed my fingers against my lips, hoping to keep it quiet. Unfortunately, the hatchling let out another chirp for its parent. The larger beast pulled the bones away from my hiding spot and saw me. There I was, looking up at the monstrous creature. Huge spikes ran down its back in a singular line like an iguanas. It had razor sharp claws and dagger-like teeth. Its yellow eye stared down at me curiously as a smaller reptile would look at an insect.


    Immediately it reached down and attempted to stick its tongue out at me so that it could grab me and bite down on me. One bite, and I¡¯d have been dead. So just as the tail was about to grab me, I stabbed it with my spear. The creature let out a loud screech and reeled back. I ran as fast as I could and dove into the water. The creature roared and looked around for me as I swam.


    I kicked my feet and stroked my arms as hard as I could, more than I had ever done before as I swam. I had limited time to get out. But the creature dove in after me. It opened its mouth and attempted to bite down on me. I was to be swallowed whole by the creature. Yet just as it was about to chomp down on me, I pointed my spear upward. As it swam. The speed of the creature swimming was great. Its mouth hung open as I held on to the spear for dear life. Water entered the creature¡¯s mouth, and it too had no choice but to get air. It swam up with me barely able to hold on.


    I could feel the creature moving faster in the water, trying to save its own life before it could die. I was barely able to hold on, my fingers slipping as the creature shot up the tunnel like an arrow being pointed at the sky. Then at last, the creature breached and spat out water. I had but one chance. Abandoning my spear, I dove into the lake again and swam away while the creature was focused on getting my spear out from the roof of its mouth. I swam hard, the water would thankfully hide my scent as the creature pulled the spear from its maw and then looked around for me. Thankfully I was such a small target for it that it ignored me and dove back into the water to its lair.


    I swam to the far banks of the lake, exhausted. I crawled through the mud and sand until I had reached the grass. I was exhausted, trying to control my breathing as I laid back against the trunk of a tree. I watched just in time to see the tail of the beast sink down into the waters. I was visibly shaking. Once again I had been so close to death. I took a note of the scars on my wrists. I had survived worse. I stood up just as Octavian and Straden found me. Straden chuckled at me as Octavian helped me up.


    ¡°By the Gods, Hadrian. You sure do know how to make an entrance.¡±


    I arched my back as I could feel the adrenalin leaving me. I would be sore the next day, but it was worth it.


    ¡°Ile¡¯Sethak has protected me this long. I don¡¯t know how else I could have survived.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just lucky, Hadrian.¡± Straden smirked and crossed his arms as he teased me playfully.


    Octavian stood me up and put my arm over him. ¡°Come on, my lord. We need to get you back to camp.¡±


    As we were about to leave though, Something popped out of the water. It was the albino hatchling. It saw me and went towards me. Straden pulled out his weapon.


    ¡°Here comes a little one! I¡¯ll take care of it quickly!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I shouted loudly. Straden paused and the reptilian creature came forward. It looked at me as if I was hurt and showed¡­affection to me. It attempted to jump up on me. It knocked me and Octavian down. Octavian was about to strike first when I stopped him.


    The creature laid its head on me and looked me in the eyes with its own bright red orbs. I¡¯ll admit, there was a connection there. The creature continued to look at me. I reached my hand over to pet it, and it cooed, making the same noise as before. Now that it''s true mother was far enough away, the call wouldn¡¯t register, especially under water. I stood up and the hatchling looked up at me in a way that reminded me of a puppy dog.


    ¡°Well, little one. You¡¯re very friendly, aren''t you?¡± I said to the hatchling as I pet her head. The reptile made more cooing noises. I smiled and then looked back at the water. It suddenly dawned on me. I had been given a rare gift. I had one of those great reptiles in my possession as an ally. I patted the lizard on the back of its head and smiled. While I would still plan on killing the great lizard, this hatchling would prove to be quite the boon.

 Chapter 20: Dragons Bane

    Later that night, Mil¡¯Tuk managed to hunt and kill a stag. The majority went to us and was properly cooked, but the remains went to my new ally. The lizard creature was friendly enough. It took some convincing for the creature to be friendly with the others besides myself. You know what they say: the best way through an animal''s heart is through its stomach. Each of us shared some meat with the hatchling, and as the reptile ate its fill, we all had to decide one of the most important aspects. What to call it.


    ¡°How about smoke?¡± Asked Mil¡¯Tuk as he threw some meat at the creature who accepted food from anybody.


    ¡°Smoke?¡± Straden questioned as he spoke with a mouth full of food. ¡°Why would you name it that?¡±


    ¡°Well, because the pure white reminds me of smoke.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you want my opinion, why don¡¯t we name it something fearsome? Like ghost?¡±


    Mil¡¯Tuk shrugged and shook his head. I tried to think of a name. A name hit me and I started to burst out laughing. Octavian looked at me very strangely, wondering if I had hit my head in the previous fight with the beast¡¯s mother.


    ¡°My lord?¡±


    I dried my eyes from a few nostalgic tears as I explained myself.


    ¡°My mother. When I was a child, my mother took in a stray dog. Its fur was pure white like snow on a mountain.¡±


    Mil¡¯Tuk raised his eyebrow and crossed his arms. ¡°Oh, so we should name it snow? No offense, but I think that¡¯s too predictable.¡±


    I wagged my finger and drank some water before I answered. ¡°Oh no. That''s not the name. The dog was very affectionate. Kind, sweet, loving. So, my mother gave it a very fitting name. Sweetroll.¡±


    Brutus laughed and slapped my back as he grinned. ¡°Sweetroll? You wanna name that lizard Sweetroll? The thing almost bit me when you brought it into camp! Hardly sweet.¡±


    I grinned wickedly and winked. ¡°Ahh but that''s the beauty of it. How humiliating do you think it has to be to be killed by a creature named Sweetroll?¡±


    Octavian shrugged, a very subtle smile appeared on his face. Cao Tzu signed to me that she approved of the name. And so, we named the lizard Sweetroll. A new addition to our group. One day, this lizard would become large enough to break down city walls. The idea that our enemies would meet their doom at the claws of this creature only to know in their final moments that it was named ¡°Sweetroll¡± would be a very fitting insult.


    Yet that would be the future. Sweetroll needed to get larger first. I could not risk the hatchling¡¯s involvement with fighting its mother. Such a creature at a small stage in life would easily get crushed. To that end, I made sure that Sweetroll was fed a lot of food and tied to a tree. I felt bad having to leave Sweetroll behind, ¡ªeven more so when it started to make those crocodile-like noises calling for its parent. Calling for me.¡ª but I had little choice when the day of our hunt arrived.


    ***


    We laid out in the jungle foliage for our prey. We made several pit traps during the days the beast refused to climb out of its hole, no doubt saddened by the disappearance of her hatchling. We covered ourselves in mud so that our scent was masked. Each day we waited we would coat ourselves in dirt and grime. Yet even still, the beast did not appear for six days. Upon the seventh day however, hunger or some other primal instinct had taken over the creature, and it had no choice. We heard a rumble and saw the waters bubbling up until the creature rose out of the lake like some sort of breaching whale, or more appropriately, a sea monster.


    The beast dragged its massive body on the ground. It had gotten thinner the last time I saw it, though not by much. It was still a strong and capable beast, but hunger had weakened it only slightly. Perhaps it had been weakened enough for that small difference to matter. It is often the tiny things in life that cause the greatest changes. A simple lost hour of sleep can change the entire outcome of a battle. A small little sickness can impact the whole world as we know it. Even the tiniest crack in the wall can be a weakness. You know the old saying. ¡°A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.¡±


    The beast lumbered forward, towering over the tree line as it looked for a suitable prey. It didn¡¯t notice us, and we barely made a whisper. We held our breath as it passed over us. It might not have heard us since we were so small compared to it, but why give way to chance? Each step the creature took was massive. The earth shook under us with each movement. It felt like an earthquake had begun right under us as we laid down flat. The traps we laid out were large enough for the feet, but all that remained was waiting for it to step on one. With enough luck, the beast would have cleared the trap field without even noticing. So we simply waited.


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    Every step the creature took rumbled through the earth. Its long tail dragged on the ground and kicked up dirt as it moved forward. Just a little bit longer and it would eventually set off a trap. Just a bit longer. Then, as it raised its right leg into the air, everyone held a breath. It planted its foot down right on the spikes, the force piercing its foot. The creature let out a pained roar, and we sprang in for the attack.


    ¡°Now!!!¡± I yelled loudly in a war cry as everyone else charged. I stood up with a spear in hand to signal those who could not hear me. The creature tried to pull its foot out of the trap as it noticed us, but it was stuck. Most likely the creature saw us as ants. But these Ants had stingers, and we weren¡¯t afraid to use them. Octavian, Straden and Mil¡¯Tuk threw their spears at the beast. They found their mark and became embedded in the creature''s back. It roared loudly before ripping its hand off from the spike, not unrestrained.


    It used its gigantic tail to whip at the trio, knocking them far back with great force, as if they had just been hit like a bug being smacked by a man¡¯s finger. Cao Tzu went up close to the creature and reached her hands out, producing a stream of fire at the beast. It roared in pain and stepped back. That animalistic fear of Fire kicking in, giving me enough time to get onto the creature''s back. As I crawled, it bucked against me attempting to throw me off. I gripped on to the row of spikes on its back. My body flailed in the air as I tried to get a good grip. Octavian was the first to stand up and go for the other spears while Brutus charged in with his makeshift club.


    Octavian held his breath as he prepared to launch the spear. He took a deep breath before getting a running start and launching the spear at its eye. The reptilian tyrant hissed and roared, using its good foot to paw the spear out of her eye. Brutus growled and used his strength to his advantage. With a mighty roar he swung the club at the creature''s leg. It roared in pain and forced some scales off. It used the arm to fling Brutus aside while I tried to climb up its back. I had reached towards the shoulders when the lizard showed off some of its intelligence.


    It moved to raise one leg in the air and then another, trying to roll over on its back to flatten me. With no choice, I had to jump off of the creatures back moments before I could be flattened. The creature¡¯s rolling managed to miss the other traps and had moved to a safe place beyond the borders of the trap field. Brutus quickly got up and started to charge at the creature again. He leapt onto the creature''s wounded arm and squeezed tightly, gripping the beast tightly and biting at him like some sort of wild man. It took a moment for me to reorient myself. The massive animal violently shook its arm while I got back onto the creature. It flung Brutus off of its arm and then turned its body to where it could try to bite me.


    It opened its fanged mouth in an attempt to swallow me whole, yet I quickly grabbed my spear and thrusted it into the roof of its mouth. It yelped out in pain and hissed at me as I leapt onto the top of its head. It ran wildly around as I raised my spear high in the air and then plunged it into its head, yet to my dismay, the scales on the head were hard. My spear didn¡¯t go through cleanly. I drew blood, but I was only able to get a couple of inches into the beast¡¯s thick skull. The beast roared and tried to shake me off. It was more intense than trying to ride an angry bull. At least the bull couldn¡¯t eat you whole once it threw you off.


    It continued to buck and move around, slithering as Brutus kept a tight grip on the leg. Thanks to the spear that Octavian threw, the beast was disoriented. As Brutus climbed up the beast¡¯s leg, I found a new target. I took my spear and blinded the lizard¡¯s other eye. It yelped, and was not completely sightless. It ran through trees and mowed them over, uprooting them from the ground. Brutus and I were in for a difficult ride. Brutus and I joined together to kill the beast, but its hide proved difficult for our weapons. Our spears and blades couldn¡¯t cut through the flesh alone.


    Brutus and I looked at each other as it charged closer to the waters, unintentionally aiming to throw itself off into the water. He offered his sword, and I grabbed the handle with him. We each knew exactly what to do in a last attempt to take down the beast. With both of our united strength, we plunged Brutus¡¯s sword into the creature¡¯s head. Its limbs stopped moving just as it moved toward the water, but its speed was simply too great. Before we could jump off, we were all thrown into the water. Brutus tried to get the sword out of the creature but found resistance. I looked down at him as I floated in the water. He was sinking down to the darkened abyss of the water.


    I swam to him, trying desperately to get him to safety. More and more, I pushed my body to the limit. Brutus was running out of air. He figured that the sword was not worth drowning over, because he quickly started to swim up to me. I grabbed his arm and we both moved our arms. Our lungs burned with the lack of air, and we were quickly losing consciousness. Brutus went out first, and I was close behind. As my vision faded, I felt something grab me. It looked humanoid. Was it Octavian or Cao Tzu? I couldn¡¯t see, but I was being helped. That was all that mattered. There were more humanoid shapes in the water that swam.


    Rather than going to the surface, they took us to an underwater cave. They were remarkably fast, and before we knew it we were in one of those air pockets like the creature had lived in. Brutus and I coughed up water, laying down on the ground. Our chests hurt and our lungs worse, but we were alive. I sat up to try to thank our saviors. Though quickly I realized that they were not any one of our fellows. Rather, they were strangers of the highest category. They had humanoid shapes, but their legs were digitigrade ¡ªdouble jointed¡ª and they had tails.


    Their tails were incredibly thick like one you would see on a boa constrictor. Their skin was made up of scales. They had clawed hands that ended in four fingers, and their heads were like¡­serpents. Their forked tongues sensed the air as they looked at me and Brutus. I had no other weapon on me. Brutus and I were defenseless. I picked up a rock, thinking that these creatures would come forth and attack us. Yet one of them stepped forward. It was a slender one that was smaller than the others, yet it wore strange robes. Its bright red scales were visible, even in the dark, illuminated only by more running magma that dotted the cave system.


    In a voice that was unmistakably female, the red serpent woman ¡ªdressed in something that looked quite seremonial¡ª stared at me in awe before she spoke.


    ¡°I-Its you! The one our great father prophesied would come! You are the prophet of Ile¡¯Sethak!¡±

 Chapter 21: The Serpents den

    There I sat on the cold rocky ground in the cave with Brutus by my side, being spoken to about the will if Ile¡¯Sethak by his children. By what seemed like an accident, we had come face to face with the ones my lord spoke to me about. The Ophidians were serpent men that looked upon me with awe. The red female knelt down and offered her hand. I took it and helped Brutus up. Her scales were smooth to the touch. She looked at her hand and mine as her yellow serpent eyes flickered in the dark. She lowered her head to my hand and used her forked tongue to sense me.


    She looked up at me, her tail wagging happily like that of a dogs while her serpentine face had a large serpentine smile upon it. The slits of her eyes had become round and black with just a bit of color around it.


    ¡°It''s you! It¡¯s really you! You are the Kai¡¯Sar!¡±


    One of the other Ophidians walked up to her. He leaned forward and spoke in some strange language.


    ¡°Sylithra. Hissara en venkra kralesh, arlin en skaar?¡±


    ¡°Hira! Ile''Sethak kralesh en arlin venkra coilithek!¡±


    The language was strange to me. It was exotic and yet beautiful. Kingly in a way.  At the time I had no idea what they were saying to me. Eventually I would get a detailed lesson, but at the time, all I could understand was the basics. The mention of Ile¡¯Sethak was perhaps the only piece of the language I understood. The serpent girl turned her attention back to me and examined me. I didn¡¯t know if she was just excited to see me in general or if she had never seen a human before in her life.


    ¡°My name is Sylithra. I am the Mystrenthra. What your people would call a storyteller. The earth rumbled like thunder and we heard loud roars from the beast above! You killed it! No one has ever managed to kill the beast until now! There''s no doubt about it; you are the Kai¡¯Sar! The Prophet of Ile¡¯Sethak has finally come! I never thought it would happen in my lifetime.¡±


    She moved around me and examined every inch of me as if she were trying desperately to make sure that I was not part of a dream she was having. Satisfied that I was in fact real, she moved her attention to Brutus.It was clear that her people knew what humans were, but she herself had never been around one, let alone two, and especially on the same day. She poked and prodded him, never having encountered a being so large and muscular. If her passion was humans, then she would have no better apex specimen. Though quickly, her attention fell to me again. Like some excited young girl, she grabbed my hands with both of hers and pulled me.


    ¡°Come on! We have to show you to the Venkra¡¯Thral.¡±


    ¡°The what?¡± I asked in confusion as she pulled me along with her, guided by her as she hurried along with my arm in tow.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ How would your people call it? He is in¡­¡± She struggled to find the correct words. There were limits to her common speech. ¡°He guides us and gives us commands. Not like Ile¡¯Sethak, but for our people.¡±


    ¡°Your chieftain then?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± She squealed excitedly at my answer. ¡°Yes! Chieftain! That is the word! Thank you, Kai¡¯Sar! I will take you to our Chieftain! Then you will begin to teach us!¡±


    ¡°Teach you?¡± I raised my eyebrow. Was this the plan that our lord had? The noble task that he wanted me to do? Teach these serpent men what humans did? ¡°What about my companions on the surface? They¡¯ll think Brutus and I are dead.¡±


    Sylithra turned her head to face one of the warriors next to her and spoke in that language. ¡°Hissara, arlin skaar Kai¡¯Sar kraleshra. Kai¡¯Sar en kralesh en Ile¡¯Sethak kralesh.¡±


    With a simple nod, the armored serpent man quickly looked around for an exit area and took it, climbing up to the surface. Sylithra then turned to me and spoke yet again.


    ¡°Rykos will speak with your companions in the above world and bring them here. Until then, you can meet the Venkra¡¯Thral.¡±


    Sylithra led us lower into the caverns where her people resided. I was curious to see what type of people lived down in the deep dark of the world. The type of people the Ophidians were and what the culture was like. My mind raced with many questions. These creatures were created by Ile¡¯Sethak. The effort such a feat used must have drained the serpent god. He did say that he was new to my world, and was not strong enough to do something like that again. Still¡­ I thought of a particularly interesting question that I kept to myself at the time. What use was there for a God that couldn¡¯t do much of anything? If Ile¡¯Sethak was indeed a God, then he shouldn¡¯t get tired.


    We continued to snake down the massive caverns ¡ªpun intended¡ª until we saw some lights up ahead. The mouth of the exit grew larger as we approached it until we found a vast underground city. For me, it was quite a strange scenario. The buildings were carved into the walls, yet they had the craftsmanship and appeal of buildings made in Roharim. I would have felt like I had walked home were it not underground and populated by serpentine humanoids. I got to experience what life was like for some of these people as I passed them by on the streets.


    In the proper lighting, I could see the Ophidians in their proper attire. The similarities between Roharim and that dwelling ended with the architecture. Those that intended to go outside of these city walls were dressed in thick clothing. Flowing robes with a strange kind of silk and even gold woven into the hems. They came in all kinds of vibrant colors. These robes protected them from the oppressive heat of the desert sun. Even cold blooded creatures had to seek shade every now and then. I didn¡¯t even know if the Ophidians were cold blooded themselves. As for those who stayed behind, many of them wore more revealing clothes. The heat of the rocks in this city was noteworthy, likely from the heat of the magma.


    Large glowing crystals dotted the ceiling of the large city which gave off the same light a rising sun gives. I could see there was plenty of diversity in the Ophidian world. Vibrant colors dotted their scales in many patterns. Some of them even used some type of body paint to accessorize. Physically they had traits that belonged to different types of snakes: some had horns just above their eyebrows, some were larger like constrictors, others had longer tails and some had cobra hoods.


    It appeared that Ile¡¯Sethak had taken a great number of serpents from all over the world and had shaped them into men. The women were thinner than the males and had the general female shape. Strangely enough they even had breasts. I still have no idea what they are for. Venom sacks? I¡¯ve never really asked. Anyway, before I go on a tangent, I continued to explore the city as Sylithra showed the city off to me. We arrived in the middle of the city when my eyes fell upon something that shocked my heart down to its core. The world seemed to freeze right there as I saw a sight that I never thought I¡¯d see in my wildest dreams. There was an ancient statue. It was large and made of marble. It shone brightly even in the dim light of the cave. I could not comprehend how old that statue must have been. It was an impossibility. The age suggested that it remained there for thousands of years. Yet what made it impossible was that it was a statue of myself. The statue depicted me in the armor that I was currently wearing, though more regal. The chest armor was different. Rather than the makeshift lorica segmentata I was wearing, I was depicted wearing anatomically correct lorica musculata. The armor was modeled after my own muscle structure.


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    There were many thoughts that raced through my mind. How long had Ile¡¯Sethak been planning this? Why me? Why was I chosen to be these people¡¯s prophet? What made me special enough for this? More importantly, had I a choice in any of this? Where did Ile¡¯Sethak¡¯s influence begin and my own skill end? Had I survived this long thanks to the machinations of the serpent lord or my own prowess in combat? Did my parents meet by chance or were they guided by Ile¡¯Sethak in order to create me? How far back did his influence go?


    At that moment, my mind was filled with self doubt. I wondered what my life was truly worth. Was I truly going this far of my own volition or was I simply just an actor on a stage reciting lines I had memorized since I was in the womb? I felt like I was nothing more than the character of a story. The pawn in someone¡¯s book meant to entertain themselves. I¡¯m sure Ile¡¯Sethak thought that he was flattering me, but instead I felt something more potent. Emptiness.


    I turned to Brutus and saw him staring at the statue as well. There was a touch of awe but mostly¡­ resentment. He looked at me and we exchanged a simple glance at each other. The comradery that we had over slaying the great lizard had diminished at that moment. It would be a discussion that we would have in great length later in private. At that moment there was simply no time to stand around and talk about our issues. We couldn¡¯t just butt heads with each other and squabble. Whether by choice, fate or machinations of a serpent god, it mattered not. All that mattered was that we now had allies potentially.


    Sylithra paused for a moment when she realized we had overstayed our welcome at the statue and turned to face us when we did not follow her. She placed her slender and soft hand on my shoulder and smiled, her tail flicking happily from side to side.


    ¡°Is something wrong Kai¡¯Sar?¡±


    I shook my head and furrowed my brow before turning my attention away from the statue.


    ¡°Y-yes I am. This statue. This is how you are able to recognize me, obviously. It looks so old. How long has it been here?¡±


    She tilted her head in confusion like a dog trying to understand a strange sound. She blinked her large round eyes and flicked her tongue out in the air at me.


    ¡°I do not know, Kai¡¯Sar. The statue has been here long before I was even born. It has always been here. Do you like it?¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to tell her how I truly felt. He breathed in deeply and cleared my throat, stroking my beard as I tried to find a means to articulate my thoughts into words that would not ruin a potential friendship with her people. I may not have enjoyed the idea of being Ile¡¯Sethak¡¯s puppet but I was not enough of a fool to raise my voice against a God in his own holy city.


    ¡°It''s certainly eye-catching. I never expected to see a statue of myself here, much less anywhere. I guess you could say it''s¡­flattering?¡±


    Sylithra smiled, still holding my hand and looking at it, examining it very closely. She was trying to study me very closely. The guards meanwhile stood vigilantly by our sides as if they too were statues. Their focus and determination was painted all around their reptilian faces. Sylithra pulled my hand with her.


    ¡°Come. We must not keep the Venkra¡¯Thral waiting.¡±


    I obeyed. It was time to make an alliance with the chieftain of these people. Needless to say I was looking forward to it.. We ventured up to a slope in the cavern until we saw a massive stone palace. Grandiose in its design with a large pond in front of us that was hand crafted out of beautiful white marble. It was immaculate. Splendid. Strangely enough it even had some strange species of fish that must have lived in some of the deepest parts of the lake. Their bodies were luminescent. They glowed brightly like tigers with exotic stripes. The stripes on these fish were mostly blue.


    Then there was the palace itself. Mighty pillars that were decorated with the history of these people. The monsters they slew, the wars they waged, and of course tributes to Ile¡¯Sethak. They were massive. It would take some time to circle just one of those massive columns. Once we entered the chambers, there was a large serpentine throne. A throne that had caught my eye before. It was the same serpentine throne I saw in my vision. The one where I was surrounded and constricted by serpents.


    Sitting upon that throne was an old serpentine male. His scales were dulled green and bore many scars on them. Clearly he had once been a strong and mighty king, yet the greatest enemy of all great kings had come to face him. Time. Old age had beaten him and was slowly killing him with the slow passage of time, like someone dragging a knife on someone¡¯s flesh, hard enough to draw blood but not to kill. A death by a thousand cuts.


    He wore fabulous robes. His crown was modeled after a Cobra hood, yet he didn¡¯t seem to have a natural one himself. He had a beard ¡ªor at least what I can only loosely describe a beard in the case of an Ophidian¡ª that resembled many ends of a rattlesnake. His ¡°hair and beard¡± all made subtle sounds each time he moved his head. He yawned in a quiet and docile manner as he showed his fangs. He was missing a few, perhaps losing them in battle too.


    Salythra went up to the chieftain and bowed her head. She went to his side and whispered into his ear hole. His head shook with age, as if the slightest breeze would knock him over. Sylithra would make sure the chief knew exactly who I was and what I was doing here. I assumed she explained our deeds to him, since she was speaking in Ophidian. Her words were filled with the instinctive hisses within the language. The old snake then turned to me with a shocked expression. He shook as he tried to stand up. He stepped closer to me to examine me with his tired eyes that had yet to focus.


    He took one good look at me and sure enough he recognized me as the statue in his city that seemingly had come to life.


    ¡°Hira! It is him! The choice of Ile¡¯Sethak. The Kai¡¯Sar¡­¡±


    The old serpent tried to bow, but nearly fell down. I placed my hand on his shoulder and looked into his ancient eyes.


    ¡°Enough. Stand. I don¡¯t want you to grovel before me.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, Kai¡¯Sar.¡± The old serpent said as he used Sylithra for support, who looked all too happy to be of service. ¡°For many years we had been waiting for you. We¡¯ve met with many humans, hoping and praying that you would arrive. And now you are here. You slew the great dragon!¡±


    At that time, the guards brought forth my companions from the surface world. Octavian tried to rush, but the guards held him back.


    ¡°Hadrian! My lord! What is going on?¡±


    I smiled at Octavian. I looked around the serpent men who appeared to hang upon my every word, waiting in bated breath for my words. I turned to Octavian and smiled like the cat that caught the canary. He raised my head up and placed my hands behind my back.


    ¡°Isn''t it obvious, Octavian? Ile¡¯Sethak is good on his word. I am to meet with these people. And with them, our lost people will have an even stronger force behind them.¡±


    Octavian was about to speak, perhaps asking what I was talking about, when the Chieftain spoke.


    ¡°Anything you require, Kai¡¯Sar, we will provide for you. Skalthra Kai¡¯Sar!¡±


    The Ophidian guards then raised their spears in the air and chanted the same word.


    ¡°Skalthra Kai¡¯Sar! Skalthra Kai¡¯sar! Skalthra Kai¡¯sar!¡±


    It didn¡¯t take me long to realize what they were saying. They were praising me. In my heart I knew exactly what that word meant. I smiled. I had forgotten all about my existential moment of weakness as I realized what they were saying. I raised my head up in the air pridefully. I took in a deep breath and smirked.


    Here they were, chanting the same thing over and over again. They simply said ¡°Hail Kai¡¯Sar. Eventually they would change it to something else once they would adopt Roharim into their language.


    Soon two words would be on the lips of every Ophidian, nay, every citizen of my new kingdom that I was destined for. Soon, they would all chant in unison ¡°Ave Hadrian.¡±

 Chapter 22: The Blessed Blade

    Hammer beat against metal as the blacksmith rounded out the rough edges of the armor to get it into the perfect shape. The bronze armor was heated and forged to look perfect. While the general shape of an anatomically correct chest piece of armor was being made, another craftsman carved decorations that would be fitted to the armor. These decorations ¡ªwhen my armor would be finally completed¡ª would depict my slaying of the great dragon that the Ophidians feared. A lot of care was put into the creation of the musculata, and would be eye catching as well as protective.


    The Ophidians ensured that every one of my needs was taken care of as we spent a few days in the city to create a plan. We ate and drank well, we were entertained with song and dance. The most beautiful Ophidian females ¡ªat least what could be considered beautiful to Ophidians versus what I could find, but to their credit they weren¡¯t bad on the eyes¡ª brought forth wine and fruits they had grown. Apparently they had hidden groves on the surface that allowed them to harvest grain and other produce. While my armor was being prepared by the crafters, I and the rest of my group were considering our options.


    I spoke with their chieftain about all manner of strategies. The Ophidians wanted to move all their people to join me in a mass migration that would see them join the surface world with their ¡°Kai¡¯Sar.¡± Naturally, I used that to my advantage, yet there was trouble. Obviously the entire city could not be moved in a single day. There were simply too many Ophidians to move and the effort would take longer than I had wished to stay. The freed slaves were still out there somewhere, and they needed our help. Double that with the fact that I had no idea where we would settle. Thankfully there was a much simpler option.


    ¡°Moving the Ophidians away requires more effort than we have at the present time.¡± I said as I stood over a war table that depicted a map of the Blasted Lands that were known to the Ophidians. I traced my finger from the capital city of the Ophidians to where the freedmen were most likely to be.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take a Century of the best fighting Ophidians. They will be adorned in the best armor that you can craft for them, as well as the finest weapons. My people will improve them. Have your people fought in many battles?¡±


    Their chieftain meekly rubbed his hands together as he explained. ¡°Yes, Kai¡¯Sar. We have experienced many battles with the great beast that you have slain. We¡¯ve also had our encounters with the many wastrels that were not as benevolent as you, your grace. My people know how to fight.


    ¡°But do they know how to conquer?¡± I smiled and raised my eyebrow at him, giving him a knowing glance. I wanted to improve the Ophidians and give them the means to become the building blocks to my conquest.


    The chieftain bowed his head again while Sylithra poked her head around the table, fascinated with everything we were doing. Her serpentine eyes glittered in the candlelight as she wanted to experience everything there was about humans. She picked up a stone figurine on the table that was made to represent a warrior.


    ¡°Is this how the surface world wages war?¡±


    ¡°This is how we plan for war, yes.¡± I clarified and smiled. I felt like a teacher at that point, and was all too happy to impart my knowledge to the girl. ¡°Your people know how to defend themselves. I will teach them how to take land.¡± I reached down to pet Sweetroll who was rubbing her face against my leg as I spoke. The curiosity of Sylithra fascinated me, and I would oblige her. Afterall, the greatest sign of intelligence is asking many questions.


    Brutus was leaning on a wall and eating some fruit. Since our arrival in the Ophidian¡¯s city, he had returned to his malaise and his envious glares. I could sense that he wanted to say something to me but refrained from it at that moment. He was content to bottle it up and leave it right down in the pit he had made for it. I was distracted for a moment before Sylithra retook my attention with yet another line of questions.


    When the topic of human weapons came into the conversation, I remembered something. When I last spoke with Ile¡¯Sethak, he mentioned that the Ophidians would grant me a weapon. ¡°One that knows no equal¡± as he described it. I raised my hand to Sylithra to stop her from talking for a moment before speaking to the chieftain.


    ¡°Chieftain, when I spoke with Ile¡¯Sethak in my dreams, he mentioned that you had something for me. A sword. A blade that knows no equal. Do you have such a weapon?¡±


    He looked puzzled for a moment before his eyes widened with realization. In the same amount of time it takes to snap one¡¯s fingers, he understood what I was talking about.


    ¡°Yes, Kai¡¯Sar. In all this excitement of having you here with us, I forgot about the sword. Come.¡±


    He gestured for me to follow and I did as he bade me. Sweetroll never left my side as we walked the streets. Brutus also followed, though not blindly so. He went beside me and whispered in my ear.


    ¡°Might I ask if you have a moment to spare? I want to speak with you.¡±


    ¡°First I want to see this sword.¡± I said in a hushed tone, not wanting to disturb the chieftain and delay him. ¡°After that we can talk. What is on your mind?¡±


    ¡°Not here. Alone.¡± He clarified. Before I asked him what the matter was, he pulled back behind me. I thought it strange but paid no mind to it.


    We walked down the streets of the great Ophidian city ¡ªbobbing and weaving through the many stalls in the marketplace and the citizens that populated it¡ª until we came across the temple where this artifact was ¡ªI presumed¡ª laying in wait. The temple was a ziggurat that was carved into the rock side. It was one of the only other structures in the city that was around the same height as the palace where the chieftain resided. Climbing up the treacherous stairs, we arrived at the top of the mighty structure. There in the chamber was a great statue of Ile¡¯Sethak. It stood as high as the tall ceiling would allow with its head nearly scraping it. At the base of the great serpent was an altar. Resting on that altar was a magnificent weapon.


    It was a longsword unlike any I had ever seen before. It had a crossguard and a rounded pommel. The blade was a blackened metal that was strangely reflective. The head of the blade and the fuller was a shining golden color. It didn¡¯t appear to be two separate metals but instead the same piece, like a gold vein in the rock. Yet the veins did now seem to be randomly placed. It was uniform; symmetrical even.


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    Upon the guard of the sword was a language I had never seen before. I recognized it from the writings of the Ophidians that this was their language. I couldn¡¯t understand it at the time, so I asked the chieftain to translate. The words on the ornate sword translated to a simple phrase. ¡°With this sword, conquer.¡± The chieftain stepped back from the sword and bowed his head. I turned to face him and questioned him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen any blade like this. Where did it come from? How did you forge it?¡±


    The chieftain stared at me for a moment as he recollected the tale. ¡°When our people were young, some of those who tended to the crops above watched a star fall out of the sky and crash beyond the valley. They reported it and a small group of warriors found the crater it had left. The rock that we found inside was unlike anything we had ever seen. Still hot, the warriors waited until it cooled before returning home. They presented the strange metal. The weapon took months to forge. When the work was completed, the words appeared as if by magic. It has been used by many Venkra¡¯Thral before me. We¡¯ve only used it for dire situations, for my people fear the power locked inside this blessed blade.¡±


    I peered at the blade for a moment, my eyes lingering upon it for some time before I found my hand reaching for the hilt. I pulled my hand back and turned to the chieftain.


    ¡°Is there some test I¡¯d need to complete before taking the blade?¡±


    The chieftain smiled happily and shook his head. ¡°You are the Kai¡¯Sar. There is no more qualification needed. And even if you were not Kai¡¯Sar, then killing the great beast was more than enough.¡±


    Reassured, I looked at the blade and reached for the hilt. I grasped it in my hands and lifted the blade up. I marveled at its craftsmanship and stepped away from the others so I could do some practice swings with it. A little flourish of the blade and I could see why it was so revered. The blade was perfectly balanced. Without missing a beat I placed the sword on my hip, securing it on my belt. I¡¯d have to have someone make a scabbard for it later.


    Brutus leaned in and whispered in my ear. ¡°Can I speak with you now?¡±


    Without any more delays, I bid the chieftain to wait a moment while I spoke to Brutus in private. Immediately he spoke first.


    ¡°I want that sword.¡±


    I stared at him flabbergasted. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You heard me. I want that sword.¡±


    ¡°These people see me as their messiah, I am their Kai¡¯Sar.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t get this far if not for me.¡± Brutus said as he crossed his arms and puffed his chest up.


    ¡°And what exactly do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°You know damn well what I mean. When we fought for Roharim, you and I always had each other¡¯s backs. I pull my weight, you pull yours. When Tempest was in command, we were a team. Now that you¡¯re in charge I feel like I¡¯m just another one of your lackeys like Octavian.¡±


    ¡°Brother, you¡¯re not-¡±


    Brutus interrupted me, clenching his fists tightly. ¡°Do not call me brother. Not now. I want recognition for my achievements. I helped you this far, but you make me feel like I am just some dumb ape who tags along with you so I can crush your enemies. We are not brothers. I am simply a tool to you.¡±


    ¡°Brutus, that''s not true and you know it.¡±


    ¡°Then give me the sword, Hadrian.¡±


    The Venkra¡¯Thral stepped between us and looked at Brutus.


    ¡°The Sword belongs to the Kai¡¯Sar. He has been chosen by Ile¡¯Sethak, and to take that away from him would bring down the wrath of the serpent upon you!¡±


    Brutus stamped his foot on the ground and yelled loud enough to echo in the chambers. ¡°Then I will slay the serpent if I have to!¡±


    His words hung in the air as silence prevailed against everything else. The old chieftain stared him down with the last embers of strength being stoked in his heart. He stepped closer to Brutus and glared.


    ¡°Sacrilege¡­The sword will never be yours.¡±


    The chieftain angrily stepped out of the chamber and I turned to join him. Brutus blinked. He didn¡¯t say a word. I took one more look at him. The conversation was done. Jealousy had reared its ugly head and Brutus was its victim. Perhaps I should have talked to him more, but I was angry and disappointed with my friend. My brother. I figured we would have more glorious adventures as we made our way to the Freemen, but as I look back upon it now, that was one of the last times I could salvage our friendship.


    Once I stepped out to the city, the people saw me pass by and recognized the blade. Upon the very sight of the holy weapon they knelt down and bowed their heads. Some reached out to try to touch the blade in a gesture of reverence and awe. Many believed that if they could touch the blade while I wielded it then their illnesses would be cured; their fortunes changed, their wealth increased, and their lives in general made all the better. I turned back to see Brutus staring down at us, the envy being all to clear in him. I looked away and returned my gaze to the palace.


    ***


    Out in the crater near the lake, a hidden door that had not been touched since ages long past finally began to open. Millennia¡¯s worth of dust shook off as it slid apart. I was the first to greet the new day. I shielded my eyes from the sun¡¯s blinding brilliance. It shone down upon me like the lights of a stage as I made my exit from the Ophidian¡¯s world. I was in my new armor. My lorica musculata. I wore a bright red cape to go beside it as my fellows joined me, each with new armor fitting their station.


    Behind them, I had a Century of Ophidians that marched out of the entrance to see the sun. Some were blinded by its brilliance while others kept a stern face as they marched out and moved past us. Their uniforms were modeled after my instructions. Under their armor they were their thick desert like robes, though the hems were shortened to give them more mobility. My contribution was that now they were fitted with lorica segmentata: segmented armor that gave them defense and flexibility. They carried their spears proudly with them. Their shields were held at their sides and their swords rested in their scabbards.


    From the small detachment were additional Ophidians. Two scouts who would go to the Uchanti and inform them of what happened to their fallen brethren, and present them with several fangs taken from the mighty beast that the Ophidians swam down to collect from the bottom of the immense lake as well as the remains of those that could be salvaged from the beast¡¯s lair. With the Uchanti being informed, my list of Allies would only grow. With Sweetroll beside me as well, I could one day harness the power of such a beast if I kept her alive and trained her well. That day, I was full of limitless potential.


    I pulled the blade from my side and pointed it to where we were supposed to go, and my small army marched forward. It felt good to be in command of a Century again. I placed my sword in my scabbard again and marched along with them. Brutus lagged behind. I could sense that he was still angry, but I didn¡¯t know how angry he truly was. He watched me and the Century with envious eyes and several thoughts dancing in his head. I had no idea at that moment¡­ that my best friend had dark thoughts dancing around in his head like a thief in the night. Worse still, I had no idea how he would act on those thoughts.

 Chapter 23: Expedition

    While most of the animals in the Blasted Lands seemed to be reptilian in nature, there were others that were unrelated. Large clawed feet dug into the hard soil. The creature was as large as a fully grown man. It appeared to be some type of flightless bird that was covered in feathers that blended in with the desert background. It featured a long brush-like tail that served to balance the creature. The bird was completely covered in feathers above its legs. It had a crest of feathers on top of its head that lowered and rose depending on the situation.


    A gust of wind blowing and letting out a low whistle in the air startled the animal. It stopped its digging and its crest rose up in the alert position. It looked towards its side for a moment. It swiveled its head from side to side to look out for predators, but all that it saw was a few dry bushes and some rocks at the edge of the perimeter. The crest lowered and the animal once again started to dig. After a few moments, water began to spring up from the dried lake bed. In the more inhospitable areas in the Blasted Lands, it paid to be intelligent enough to find water. However, even the brightest minds can be easily snuffed out. The animal let out a loud screech as it suddenly fell to the ground. It kicked its powerful legs and tried to get up.


    Poking out of its side was a spear that forced its way deep into its vital organs. Blood poured from the bird like a spring as it desperately tried to pull the spear out, unable to realize that its death was all but assured. Its attackers came out of their hiding places near the dense bush. Myself and Octavian. I tilted my head towards Octavian and smiled at him.


    ¡°Impressive aim.¡± I said, having been privileged to see his skills in combat matching mine in many ways. I had just witnessed him hurl that spear in perfect form.


    Octavian simply smiled at me before he took another spear from a hand made holster on his back and aimed it at the gigantic bird. One swift thrust from the spear and he put the animal out of its misery. He pulled both of the spears out, swinging them downward to shake the blood off of them before placing them back into their holsters. Wanting to feel useful I knelt down to pick the bird up, though it was clear that the both of us were going to have to carry this massive creature back to our camp. As I picked it up I let out a surprised groan and had to adjust myself so that we could both carry the creature easier.


    ¡°Heavy bastard, isn''t he? Ohh, he weighs a ton.¡±


    Octavian nodded in response as he carried the bird with me. We marched forward and he replied.


    ¡°That he does. Funny, he¡¯s heavier than he looks. Where does he keep all that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± I strained and almost dropped the bird, but I found my footing and proceeded to do my part in transporting our meal. ¡°Maybe his meat? I look forward to having this thing for my meal. Roasted over a fire with all the Herbs and Spices Cao Tzu managed to find.¡±


    ¡°Ahh yes.¡± Octavian smiled happily as the idea of the meal whetted his appetite. ¡°Forgive me my lord, but you should probably stop talking. All this fantasizing about food is making me hungry.¡±


    ¡°Say no more, my friend. Say no more.¡± We continued on with our journey to our camp.


    ***


    The great flats was an area in the Blasted Lands which was one of the most desolate places in the entire area. The few places that were worse had only the smallest forms ¡ªif not completely devoid of¡ª life. It was a challenge to survive here, and yet there were plenty of creatures that had to migrate past this area in order to survive and reach their nesting grounds. I sat by on a rock, eating my food as I watched life roam throughout the harsh area. Afterall, what else did I have to do besides practicing and traveling to our destination?


    The first great creatures that I had seen were large animals with lots of body weight. They could alternate between walking on four limbs to their hind legs, preferring to use their hind legs only when running. There were a plethora of different breeds and sub species in the area that mingled with each other. Many of them had large crests on their heads where the different groups each had their own unique calls. It was like their head ornaments were each a special trumpet that played a different song for each group. Each animal had large flat beaks where they could gather as many plants as possible.


    Not only were there creatures of great size, but also ones that were smaller. More of the birds like the ones Octavian killed. There was one that was smaller than the great beaked giants by comparison. They were tall as men, but were the furthest thing. They had very tiny arms that seemed useless to me. Their hind legs were large and they were great sprinters, but their front limbs were puny. They looked more like a toe with a single claw than an actual limb. The real star of their features was their horns. They were like a ram¡¯s horns; thick and broad, and made out of dense bone. The females had no such weaponry on their heads. It was distinctively a male feature. Of course, like many men they settled their disputes with only one course of action: violence. They headbutted each other to compete for females, bashing their skulls against one another with loud, sickening slams.


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    They ran at each other with the full force of a chariot pulled by six horses and collided, yet neither died. It was quite fascinating to watch their little duels. I imagined placing them in an arena for the whole world to see, having scores of crowds cheering them on as both males battled fiercely to see who would get the females. Every crash felt like it would be the last, yet they continued despite the injuries they developed. Eventually one would bow his head like a gentleman and leave in defeat while the other one crowed in victory.


    Then there were the animals that were slow, but also very heavily armored. They resembled large turtles with spikes adorning their cheeks that pointed backwards. Their back had a large, protective shell that kept them from danger at the hands of larger predators. And if that didn¡¯t work, their tail ended in a large thick club adorned with spikes. It was as if a morning star were attached to these creatures. Even from afar on the rock I sat on, I knew that one swing from that club and any man would be dead.


    Each of these great beasts made loud melodic noises as they cried out in a language that only the animals could understand. As I watched the scene unfold, Cao Tzu sat beside me. She had been continuously practicing her magic through deep meditation and careful focus. As my vantage point was a fair distance away from the camp and the most peaceful at the time, she sat beside me in order to take full advantage of the tranquility. She cleared her mind and tried to sharpen it to a razor.


    As she focused on her meditations, she furrowed her brow. She tried to concentrate, but her mind was still racing with thoughts here and there. I watched as she grew increasingly more and more frustrated by the second. Eventually she threw her hands up in the air and leaned back, looking dejected. I looked at and finally interrupted the silence by eating some purple fruit we had found earlier in our travels. It had the same crunch and thickness as an apple. I smiled as I chewed and spoke.


    ¡°Can¡¯t concentrate?¡± I offered her a bite of the fruit. She shook her head, refusing. She signed to me that she was rather frustrated. She was told to meditate and the wisdom of the universe would be laid bare before her. I chuckled at her and took another bite of my snack.


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re overthinking it.¡±


    She didn¡¯t like that too much. She made some angry sign gestures to me and grumbled. She asked ¡°What do you know about the nature of the universe?¡± I thought for a moment. I leaned back and asked her the same question so that I may better understand what she wanted me to say.


    She claimed that the arcane forces were vast and incomprehensible. To use the arcane was to pluck at the very fabrics of reality, and she needed to think and learn how to use them. Yet her mind was filled with so many questions; theories, and other nonsense that her mind was too muddied. She wondered if she could ever even hope to master such a force.


    I simply looked at her and thought. I leaned back and gazed at the animals walking along the road. Their footsteps kicked up a large cloud of dust that masked many of them as the massive herd made their way into a large area that had nothing but dried sand. I watched them and noticed something peculiar. They started to dig in the ground. It was sandy and cracked, yet they continued to dig for some unknown purpose. Then I saw that they pressed their full bodyweight in and started to drink water. At this observation, I began to formulate my thoughts.


    I said: ¡°I think overthinking the universe is the first mistake. Our minds aren¡¯t made to grasp the infinite. We live our lives as well as we can, but we dream of complexities to the point where we overlook the simple. Take those animals over there. When we were traveling in the desert together, I doubt we would have survived without the blood river. Yet there they are finding water underground. And they are simple beasts with no concept of infinity. No capability of understanding how water can seep into the earth in a desert and where to look, but there they are, drinking water effortlessly.¡±


    She tilted her head at me and made some more signs. ¡°Maybe that used to be a watering hole that dried up and they are so used to drinking over there that it''s just built into their minds.¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± I continued. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t doesn¡¯t explain how they managed to figure out that they needed to dig. If you or I came to that watering hole, we would be so distraught of having no water that we would haven¡¯t even thought about digging. Yet there they are with such simplistic lives and they understand. Perhaps the question is not ¡®how can I understand the universe¡¯ but ¡®how can I make things simpler?¡¯ Maybe we should be asking ourselves: ¡®What is the simplest, most straight-forward answer that I¡¯m overlooking?¡¯ We obsess over the grand complexities of life, but we should also take the time to focus on the small things. Perhaps the key to life¡¯s mysteries is easier to solve than we make it seem to be.¡±


    Cao Tzu slowly nodded at my words and contemplated them. Sometimes I think I ramble a bit too much. I am no philosopher. The Rharim training days of my youth were my house of learning; my trainers were the stoic philosophers, my sparring matches with the other children were the debates I had, the dusty tomes of ancient battles were my historical texts and references, the sowing of my wild oats, my academic pastimes.


    I am no poet and I have no intention of attempting to be one. I am simple minded in that aspect. I know how to shed blood just as well as any man in a debate would use his sharp tongue. I know the library of battles and strategies that rest in my head as well as any master of the written word. I know every volume of war and their particular genres; the glory of battle was my romance, defeat was my horror, enemy defeats were comedy, I understood this very well.


    I am far more skilled with my blade and my shield than I shall ever be with a pen, and that led me to ponder. What exactly can I create? What is it that I can introduce to the world that could make it better? Even my task to build my own kingdom led me to question.


    Am I truly creating something, or am I simply taking what I want?


    Ah, dear¡­ A thousand pardons, I seem to have rambled and gotten off track. Allow me to continue.


    Cao Tzu stood up and signed at me and moved her lips. She told me she had a lot to think about and left me alone with my thoughts. I looked back at the scene in front of me. The herd of animals walking to and fro. There was just something nice about watching the animals move about their lives with hardly a care. I think that in many ways, animals are blessed not to have destinies as great as men. Packs of wolves hold little sway over the fate of the world, but there have been stranger things.


    I watched the animals for a bit longer until finally I stood up and went back to camp. There was still a long journey ahead of us, and we needed to be ready to travel.

 Chapter 24: The Horns.

    It was our fifth day traveling towards our destination. The hot desert gave way to tranquil yet humid forest. It was a good place for the Freedmen to stay. There was a lot of game, shelter and resources. An untamed land with untapped potential. Octavian and I scouted first. We climbed up the tallest tree we could find to get a better view of the surrounding area. I remember feeling somewhat jovial that day. I was going to meet up with the Freedmen, and we would finally establish our own area. A place where I would be free to grow a kingdom I built. There, I could build my armies. With enough time I could establish an empire far greater than Roharim. You would have said it was impossible, but not for me. I knew that if anyone could bring order to the Blasted Lands, it would be me.


    We climbed up to the highest point of the tree. Octavian was the one to first notice the smoke rising in the distance. It was too thick and dense to be something as innocent as a campfire. I recognized those clouds as the only thing they could be; that being the fires of a raid. Perhaps there were tribes in the area that were fighting amongst themselves and stealing each other¡¯s belongings. Worst case scenario that could happen was that the Freedmen were being attacked by some tribe. Luckily for them, we had some backup. We climbed down the tree and I relayed the situation over to the Ophidian legion. As they began to prepare, I noticed the young Sylithra getting her weapon ready. I placed my hand on her shoulder to get her attention.


    ¡°No.¡± I said in a very stern tone. ¡°You will not be joining this battle if there is one still left to fight.¡±


    Her eyes grew wide as she stared at me in disbelief and surprise.


    ¡°B-But someone has to catalog your fight!¡±


    ¡°Not this fight. Not while you have no training.¡±


    She looked at me with pleading eyes as she grabbed my arm with both hands. Her tail instinctively coiled around my leg as she pouted.


    ¡°But I can learn while watching you and the others!¡±


    ¡°No. You go to a training ground to learn how to use a weapon. You don¡¯t learn how to fight while on a battlefield. It would be suicide.¡±


    ¡°B-But-¡±


    I glared at her and grabbed her wrist, lifting it off of my arm.


    ¡°I am your Kai¡¯Sar, am I not? That means I am the chosen of Ile¡¯Sethak, and you will obey me.¡±


    She hung her head low, obviously unhappy with my choice. I looked at Straden and Mil¡¯Tuk.


    ¡°See to it that she doesn¡¯t make any foolish decisions. Keep her here.¡±


    I whistled for Sweetroll to join me while Sylithra stood behind Straden and Mil¡¯Tuk. She would be safe with them. I didn¡¯t want her death to be on my conscience. She was young and idealistic. She was far from ready to engage in war.


    The rest of the century marched towards the rising smoke. It rose high into the clouds as if it were some black pillar that stretched on beyond what the eye could see. As we drew closer to the village, we could hear the all too familiar sounds of a sacking. Women and children screaming amid the crackling of fire and the clanging of sword against sword. Then we made it to the village. We watched from the sidelines to see who was attacking who. Octavian, Brutus and I went to investigate. If we were to engage, we would sound the horn. If this was just some tribe fighting another tribe, I didn¡¯t think it would have been worth our time.


    Much of the fighting was outside of the village, though some of the invaders had managed to break the battle lines and start ransacking, setting huts ablaze. One of them had a young woman, dragging her by the hair as she kicked and screamed. Obviously the man had ill intent for her. He came down our way and would surely see us. As he came closer, I charged from the side of the hut and thrusted my blade down from the base of his neck and shoulders and ran him right through. It was the first instance of my new sword tasting blood. I pulled the blade out and the man fell down, dead. The woman ran away, sobbing and crying.


    After that distraction, we continued to make our way through the village. It was chaos. Huts burned, the elderly were slaughtered, and the women and children subject to senseless slaughter. We peered closely from one of the buildings. We had to know for sure. As I looked out from the window of the hut we were in, Octavian tugged at my shoulder and pointed at one of the dead men on the ground. He recognized him as one of the Freedmen all the way back from Akari. So that was it then. Many of the Freedmen must have been fighting at the heart of the battle. That tribe must have taken them in and paid dearly for it.


    I saw something in the distance. A Windmill by the look of it. I figured that would be a perfect place where my horn would be heard the loudest. I relayed my plan to Octavian and he silently nodded. Brutus was more than ready to deal with these men. At my command, we sprang into action. Sweetroll sprinted out and quickly bit one of the foe on his leg and started to slash him with her razor sharp teeth. Octavian charged with his sword and shield, slamming into an invader and knocking him on the ground. Before he could react, Octavian thrusted his blade into the enemy¡¯s throat and silenced him. Brutus used his great sword to effect. With one mighty, thunderous swing, he sliced into one of the invaders and severed him in two.


    I charged forth and cut as I could. I slammed my shield against one invader¡¯s face and stabbed him. Another came at me and I defended myself. His attack was deflected and I thrusted my blade below the belly and then slashed him across, spilling his guts on the ground. He let out pained screams before I granted him mercy and slit his throat with my blade. I ran harder, my lungs burning through the smoke as I went atop the windmill. It had survived the far, and I used it to my advantage. I climbed atop, though as I reached upwards, an arrow had only just missed my hand. I pulled my arm back and turned. An enemy archer targeted me. He pulled back for another shot when Sweetroll charged at the attacker. She leapt onto him and started to bite his throat, ripping it to shreds. She hissed loudly. Her blood red eyes glowed brighter than any flames that surrounded us that day.


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    At last I reached the top of the windmill. I took my horn, pressed it against my lips and sounded the call. It echoed loudly in the air. It distracted the attackers and rallied the defenders as my century marched to defend and reinforce the Freedmen. From afar, the attacker¡¯s leader watched as a new army had joined to defend the Freedmen. My century carried their banners high and proudly as they engaged with the foe. The enemy leader looked back at the village where the horn came from and must have decided that it would be better to cut the head off of the serpent.


    As I was about to climb down from the windmill, some of the attackers climbed up to meet me. We had little space to fight and they wanted to use that to their advantage. One grabbed my ankle and tried to pull me down, only to get my sandal in his face in return as I kicked him, sending him down to the base of the windmill. Another attacker came to my front and tried to strike downward at me. I blocked it with my shield. I tried to strike, but my footing was bad, and I nearly slipped off. He sliced at me again. This time he slashed against my chest armor. It deflected the attack, but nevertheless it was still painful. Rather than be cut, it felt more like someone hitting me with a thin club. I felt like I could fall at any moment. That was when I had an idea as I looked behind me. I had to act fast. He struck at me again. I leaned backwards and allowed myself to fall. My attacker¡¯s momentum betrayed him and we both fell. He fell into a burning building through the thatch roof while I fell on the hard ground.


    I groaned loudly and tried to get up. It was a risky move, and I might have injured myself badly, but I lived. I managed to stand up, feeling my body ache in pain only to be attacked by another barbarian. He charged at me and let out a loud battle cry only for me to quickly dodge out of the way and pierce his back with my blade. The effort of my attack though strained me. I clutched my chest. I prayed that I had not broken a rib.


    Then, as if fate itself conspired against me, The leader of these attackers emerged from the nearby flames. I recognized him by his armor. It was the Bull. His horned helmet and the fire made him look like some sort of demon from the black abyss. I swallowed hard and readied my shield and sword, despite the pain. The Bull glared at me from the blackness of his helmet ¡ªhis eyes were like a black void full of nothing but contempt and the love for slaughter¡ª and held his two handed blade aloft. I was the first to speak with him as he prepared to attack.


    ¡°I was hoping I¡¯d get another chance at you, Bull. That beast won¡¯t interfere in our battle.¡±


    Through the bull¡¯s dark eyes I could feel his intense glare as if he were staring directly into my soul. He gripped his blade tightly and positioned it in front of himself with his sword pointed behind him as if he were ready to slash right then and there.


    ¡°This is not a battle¡­¡± He said to me as he stood guard. ¡°This is swatting a fly.¡±


    He approached first and I raised my shield up. He swung hard enough to knock the shield into me. I could feel the shield almost breaking with that one attack. It hurt my arm, but I was just beginning to fight. I made two quick jabs with my blade. He moved from side to side and readied to strike me again. I rolled out of the way and slashed his leg with my blade. He growled at me and then swung his blade again. I blocked it with my shield but this time it broke. He knocked me aside and pulled my shield away. He grabbed me by the throat and thrusted his blade forward. Just in the nick of time, I smacked his sword away and then slammed my shoulder against his chest to push him away.


    Now without a shield, I had to deflect his attacks very carefully. If I missed, I would lose a limb or worse. That holy blade had to be worth something. He struck at me again and I parried the strike and moved forward. We traded blows as I tried to back him into a corner, but he moved just before I could trap him. Our swords continued to clang in the air. They struck with such force that sparks flew off of our blades. He swung at my head. I ducked quickly and then hit his belly with the pommel. He stepped back and for the moment, I had an upperhand. I struck his blade several times before one more slash and I broke his sword.


    The metal shards flew in the air and rained down on the ground, leaving him with a crude dagger. Yet even then, he would strike. He tried to use the broken sword to stab me. I dodge, but he was quick enough to get me in the leg. I yelled out and he overpowered me to the ground. He grabbed my sword arm and tried to force the blade to cut my throat. It was a great strain on my body. I was already wounded and his strength was great. I could feel my own sword being pressed against my throat. Yet before he could slice my throat or cut my head off, I took the broken weapon in my leg and pulled it out before thrusting it into the Bull¡¯s side. He let out a yell before I kicked him off of me, wrenching my sword from him.


    He stumbled backwards as I stood up. He pulled the weapon out of his side and growled. Mustering all the strength I had at that moment, I tackled him and forced him back with my blade. He tried to thrust his broken weapon into me, but I managed to dodge. I hit him in the side of his helmet with the pommel of my sword and forced him back even more. Behind him was a burning hut. With one loud battlecry, I thrusted my blade at him. He dodged enough where I couldn¡¯t hit his chest, but I got him in the shoulder. My blade went through the gap in his armor and ran him right to the other end. I then took my foot and kicked him off of my sword and into the burning building.


    His body vanished in the inferno. He made no scream or any sound of agony. I was worried that I had not finished the job. As the seconds dragged on, I began to feel like he was well and truly dead. Then, the broken blade was thrown at me from the window. I hit it with my sword and knocked it away. Just then, The Bull leapt out of the burning building. Flames clung to him as he let out a bestial yell. It was like some unholy creature that wanted nothing more than to end me. He tried to gore me with the horns on his helmet. I managed to grab them and push him away. Then I felt something more severe. He had punched me with all the force he had. My wounded rib was now definitely dislocated. I coughed for air. The Bull then grabbed my throat and started to strangle me. I could feel the life leaving me as he had me at his mercy.


    I was so close to him now that I could see his blazing red eyes, full of hate and fury. His fingers gripped tighter as I tried to pull his hands off of me. My vision began to fade. Just then, Octavian saw me. He picked up the bow from the archer Sweetroll devoured and notched a bow. He pulled it back, yet the Bull noticed. He rolled to his side and used me as a human shield just as Octavian launched the arrow. It hit me with force enough to pierce my armor. Yet even this movement gave me time to breathe. The Bull stood up and then kicked me in my wounded rib before he glared at Octavian. I groaned in pain. The Bull took one look at the surroundings.


    He had already won this skirmish. His men had taken all of the valuable items from the village and burnt the rest. The duel was no longer worth it. He looked at Octavian and glared at him.


    ¡°Live with the humiliation today. Face me again, and I will end you.¡±


    He then made a retreat, limping. At that point, some of the Ophidians found us. They issued their orders and put up a shield wall to defend me while Octavian pulled me out of the battlefield. The Bull and his barbarians made their retreat while leaving me humbled and humiliated at the battle. The man had been into a roaring fire and was still strong enough to best me. I was gasping for breath, trying to stay awake. Cao Tzu was in the back acting as a healer. When she saw me, she quickly got to work. As she did her best to heal me, my mind tried to stay clear from the pain. Instead, I focused on the Bull. I was beginning to think that the Bull was not human; that he was conquest made flesh. A true warrior. What''s more, I had been beaten by him. The vision of his eyes were burnt into my brain, and all I could feel was hatred¡­and fear.


    I let out a loud yelp of pain as Cao Tzu reset my rib. The battle had been won, and we forced our enemy to retreat. And yet, pain was the only thing on my mind. I was fortunate to have survived. When the time came, I would take more drastic measures to assure victory. But at that moment, as I laid there being bandaged up by Cao Tzu, I was helpless. And yet, even lying there with a broken and battered body, my will was burning brighter than the fires of hell itself. I swore I would have my revenge.

 Chapter 25: Assessment

    Assessment


    The day after my encounter with the bull, we started to rebuild. The tribe that we found the Freemen residing with praised us for our quick arrival. Of my personal century¡¯s casualties, twelve were injured and eight were slain. As for the Freemen, the sustained heavy casualties. Of the original group of slaves that fled Akari, only a small handful survived. Less than a fraction of what I hoped. The tribe that they had found took them with friendship in their hearts and were cut down as a result. It appeared that the Bull and his warband had discovered the village accidently. I don¡¯t know if I had made an impression during our first battle in the canyon, but after that recent battle, I was all too sure that he would remember me in the future.


    I did not go unscathed in the battle of course. My body was bruised, battered and beaten. Despite my body wanting to fail, I refused to use any type of crutch. I wouldn¡¯t let myself waste away in some bed like uneaten fruit in a bowl. I would be bold as a lion and just as defiant. None would see me in my weakened state. For all anyone ever knew, I was alright. Though my anger towards the Bull only grew from there. It laid within my heart, entangling and choking it like some weed strangling the life out of a plant. At the mere thought of facing the bull again I felt like I had to repay every bruised rib; every slash from his sword, every single offense he gave me.


    Do not mistake me. It wasn¡¯t fear that gripped at my heart and caused me to think about that barbarian nonstop. I didn¡¯t fear him. It was a quiet rage. A consuming thirst for revenge that hounded me. I would get my revenge, and I¡¯d refuse to let myself be humiliated like that ever again. But that was the future. At that time, I had to assess what I had lost. After the dead were buried, I made my way to the chieftain of the tribe that took in the Freeman in their hour of need. The old chieftain was killed by the bull in battle. His son was now the head of the tribe. He was a young man who barely had any idea of what leadership was truly like. One surviving elder as old as the dirt and stone under his feet gave him guidance. I was flanked by two Ophidian guards.


    When I entered the new chieftain¡¯s hut, he was praying to his idol that was made of wood. Ever more apparent was the fact that the buildings themselves ¡ªthough damaged¡ª were still newer compared to the chieftain¡¯s hut. The Freemen were responsible for things like the windmill and the new architecture of the village. The main resource those primitives had was themselves; manpower above all else.


    Next to the young chieftain was the elder who coddled him and comforted him. He petted the young man¡¯s back with a withered gnarled limb that looked less like a body part and more like the branch of a dead tree. I gave them a few moments before I let my presence be known to them. The young man dried his eyes and turned to me. He tried to form the words in our common tongue together, though he spoke with low confidence.


    ¡°Never¡­ got chance. Me thank. You¡­¡± He trailed off, having gotten lost in his words for a moment. He snapped his fingers and found it. ¡°Hero. You hero.¡±


    I crossed my arms behind my back and looked around the hut. I admired the ancient wood carvings of this ancestral hut. It was a primitive display of talent, but a display nonetheless. Though it pained me, I walked towards the young chieftain, but the elder stood between us. The young chieftain looked down at the ground sheepishly. I had a good look at the chieftain. He was no man. Despite his age, I saw no man standing before me. Only a child. A boy who was a pale imitation of a nobler man. That boy was no warrior. The only spear he chucked or club he swung was at imaginary enemies and his teachers. When the chieftain looked back up at me, I could see his eyes. He hadn¡¯t even killed a man. He must have been hiding some place. But the boy could learn. He had to.


    The elder spoke to me in his native tongue. I couldn¡¯t understand it. It was like the jibberings of some drunken old fool. This man was more of a scarecrow rather than a fighter. He might have been mighty back in his prime, but those days were long dead. Now the man that stood before me seemed far more helpless and frail than I had ever been. My ribs were bruised and even standing still I could feel a dull pain in my body, and yet even in my current state all that I would need to do was gently sneeze on the old man and he¡¯d fall down like a lame horse freshly put out of its misery.


    The chieftain tried to translate.


    ¡°Nuuru blame outsiders. Nuuru say you go.¡±


    I shook my head in denial. This ¡°Nuuru¡± was wanting to blame everyone and everything since the culprits fled, and I was the only one who could have a finger or two pointed at them.


    ¡°The Bull would have come forth and slaughtered you all anyway. It''s because of my warriors that you¡¯re all still able to breathe. Because of me, you¡¯re all able to see another sunrise tomorrow. You should be thanking me.¡±


    Nuuru the elder just continued to blather up a storm. He continued to yell and chant and scream everything he could into my ear. Even if he had been speaking my language he would still be difficult to understand over how fast the old man spoke. Finally, the young chieftain cleared his throat.


    ¡°People belong you save us. Nuuru says you leave. No come back.¡±


    I looked at the old man and glared at him. He needed to be careful. His rage could cost him very dearly. I sighed through my nose, trying to contain my own rage. I had not survived my hard fought battle just to be nagged at by some old codger. I let my frustration out in a sigh and then looked at the chieftain, not even interested in talking to the old man.


    ¡°Your people will die without me. Worse than dying, in fact. Without my protection, the bull will return and will lay this village to waste. Your women will be dragged by their hair and defiled while your children are forced into slavery and what''s left of your men slaughtered like sacrificial lambs.¡±


    After I put the fear into the young chief, he gulped hard as if he were swallowing stones. He came closer to me and looked deep into my eyes.


    ¡°What you do? What we do? How you help?¡±


    ¡°Simple.¡± I stated in a simple matter of fact tone. My lip curled in a little smile. ¡°Serve me. I will uplift your people to staggering heights. This tribe will be no more. From the ashes of this village, a new city will emerge. A new empire.¡±


    ¡°And what will happen to our people then? Hm?¡± The old man sneered at me, finally speaking in the common tongue.


    ¡°Ah!¡± I said as I turned to the withered goat. ¡°So you can speak. I was beginning to think you were the village idiot, or just a foolish old man speaking gibberish.¡±


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    ¡°I speak my language because I dislike dirtying my tongue with yours. After what your warriors brought upon us all. You bring death; destruction, pain, and evil upon all of our heads!¡±


    ¡°It was not my army that burned your village. In fact: if I remember correctly, I think it was my army that actually saved your people from total destruction.¡±


    ¡°Oh please¡­¡± scoffed the elder. ¡°You are just like them. We simply trade one conqueror for another. You want us to bow to you after saving our lives?¡±


    ¡°You need to change. You need to evolve.¡±


    ¡°We need you gone. That''s that.¡±


    ¡°N-Nuuru¡­¡± The young chieftain said as he placed his hand on the thin withered arms of the elder, only for the elder to shake the chieftain off of him.


    ¡°I can see it in his eyes! He is evil! He speaks of peace and bringing order, but those pretty words mean nothing! My people suffer, and you speak of turning my tribe into something else! Into what?!¡±


    ¡°As I said, old man¡­ you will be made better. Stronger. This village will be the birthplace of a new kingdom. Your old ways are no longer working. You need something new. Something that will last long after eternity¡¯s end.¡± I paced around the room, envisioning my rule. Oh I had gone far beyond my station. My ambition soared higher than the clouds could touch. At that moment, I thought to myself: ¡°Who could touch me when I stand so high? Who could bring me down?¡±


    ¡°You are a madman.¡± The old man said through gritted teeth and clenched fists. ¡°The world is not for you to rule. Your arrogance will be the death of you.¡±


    I placed my hands behind my back and gripped my wrists tightly. Even through the pain of what the bull had done to me, I could feel the spikes of my crucifixion nails burn in my flesh.


    ¡°You have no choice but to adapt. If I leave, the bull will come and destroy not only your people but your very way of life. It would be the same as if your people were to never have lived at all. Through me, your history is preserved.¡±


    ¡°Preserved?! You would erase what makes my people unique! We would simply vanish in your numbers, drowned out by your gluttonous shadow!¡±


    ¡°I would be careful if I were you.¡± I warned Nuuru. My patience was slowly ebbing away like sands in an hourglass. Despite my warnings, the old man continued to protest.


    ¡°I know what lies in your soul. You would crush our throats with your foot. You would turn our ancestral home into an idol for yourself. You are no savior. You are no champion of the people. You are a tyrant in the making.¡±


    I scowled. My praetorian guards quickly rested their hands on the pommels of their blades. I stood firmly as I glared at the old man who barked at me like a rabid dog. My anger continued to build. I wanted to shut that windbag up. How dare he condemn me after I saved his people? How dare he belittle me in front of my guards and call me a tyrant? He was as ungrateful as they came. He continued to babble on with his condemnations.


    ¡°My brothers would be alive if your people had not come here to begin with! You think you are like the eagle, soaring high above the clouds, untethered to the ground, but you will be made humble. Your wings will be clipped. If we are to fade away, then we will do so with our heads held high. For the Gods will know of our sacrifice, and their memory is prized beyond any mans. You would do far worse to us than butcher us. You would destroy our souls.¡±


    Would that old man not just be silent? All I heard was constant complaining. "Oh poor Me. Oh my poor people. How could it come to this?" He came closer to me. I could smell his feted breath as he spoke. The last threads of my patience slipped further and further between my fingers. Yet he persisted.


    ¡°Go. Slither back from whence you came. We may die, but we will die free.¡±


    He then spat in my face. At that moment, all reason left me. Any trace of civility flew out from the tent. I growled and rushed forth, pinning the old man to his precious idol. With my free hand, I pulled my sword out and thrusted it within his chest, piercing through him and the idol. I stuck him against the wall like a proclamation. My proclamation. The young chieftain let out a scream. He backed away and his heart pounded in his chest.


    I stood there for a moment, enjoying the sight of that old fool¡¯s eyes showing me fear and pain. I imagined that same look in the eyes of the Bull. Whatsmore, I imagined seeing that look upon the face of Legatus Tempest as I repay him for nailing me to a cross. That delicious look as I would pin him against the solid wood and drive my own nail through him. The life from the old man¡¯s eyes finally left him. I stepped backwards. I had not only stabbed the old man, but the idol.


    I panted loudly after that experience. I looked downward at my hand and saw that it was crimson red with the elder¡¯s blood. I continued to pant and try to catch my breath. The praetorians relaxed and stood firm. With maddened, wild eyes I turned to face the chieftain. With my bloody hand outstretched, the palm facing down on the ground, I raised my hand up and then lowered it as he stared at me with an awe struck fear.


    ¡°Kneel¡­¡±


    The boy quivered as he looked at me. Fear welled up in his eyes and his legs shook. Finally, he knelt down before me. I walked over to him. I placed my hand on his cheek, smearing the old man¡¯s blood over his face and looked at him deep into his eyes so that he would never forget my words.


    ¡°Serve me, and I will make you into warriors. Whatever your people were before, they are now part of something greater. Do you understand?¡±


    He simply stared at me and nodded. I stepped away. I turned to the old man who was pinned to the idol still like a grim reminder of my words. I placed my foot on the wall and used it as leverage to aid me when I wrested the sword out from the old man. He fell to the ground and a pool of blood formed under him. My sword was coated red. I swung the sword and splattered blood over the damaged idol and the chieftain. I gestured for a praetorian to come forth. I took a bit of his cloak and used it to dry my sword off just a bit more before I placed the sword back in its sheath.


    I gestured for one of the praetorian¡¯s to carry the old man¡¯s body while the other took the chieftain aside. We all stepped outside to meet a crowd. They had heard the commotion from within and now saw the result. Their last elder lay dead in the arms of the Ophidian guard. I snapped my fingers and pointed to the ground in front of me. The old man¡¯s corpse was tossed there. I whistled and Sweetroll came. She looked at me and wagged her reptilian tail. I showed her the corpse of the old man, and instinct naturally followed. As Sweetroll started to eat, I looked at the chieftain.


    ¡°Translate every word that I say.¡±


    With that small command, he obeyed. He repeated my words to those who could not understand me. I would give them a very important lesson that day.


    ¡°Change is coming. We fight against it and yet it arrives all the same. The choice is yours if that change is for good or ill. The Bull, the one who attacked you for my sake, will return one day. We will be ready. Your elder refused to change. He would have seen you die off and fade from existence. I will see you uplifted. You will be trained: you will fight, you will be armored, you will be given our finest weapons, you will gain victory for our new station. We are independent, and we will establish ourselves as a mighty empire.¡±


    ¡°The old ways served you well, but like your elders, those days are dead. You must move beyond the current weakness you have. I will make you strong. I will make you great! I will make you invincible!¡±


    With the wisdom of the great serpent, his words were my words. It was as if he spoke through me. I was filled with confidence and unbreaking resolve. They feared me, and yet they respected me. My words were reaching them.


    ¡°Whatever tribe you belong to, you are part of something greater now. Rather than live in huts of straw and wood, I will give you a kingdom of marble! From the ashes of the Bull¡¯s humiliation of us all, a new people will rise! You will know victory after victory! In fact, I say that you will grow sick and tired of our constant victories! I will drown you with glory!¡±


    ¡°My name is Hadrian Damoclesian. I am your Kai¡¯Sar! Serve me; serve the great serpent Ile¡¯Sethak, and I promise you that you will prosper. We will find the Bull, and we will have our revenge!¡±


    And thus my ears were filled with the sounds of cheers. How easily they forsook their elder and his backwards thinking. The sight of my pet devouring him became less shocking and more of a spectacle. Who would be foolish enough to deny what I offer? It would be the same as a man dying in the desert and meeting a man with water, only to knock that water out of his would-be savior¡¯s hands.


    In all my days, I remember that to be one of my most fond memories. The day that the first of those tribes bent the knee to me. The first to know what true glorious conquest would be like. Others would follow in time, but you never forget your first. Sweeter than any wine, more succulent than any rich man¡¯s meal. At that moment, I had finally risen from a condemned prisoner doomed to die on a cross to something more. Pride filled my heart, as I built my new kingdom.


    I told the praetorians to send a message to the other Ophidians back in their subterranean world. By the time they arrived, that lowly village would be the cradle of something entirely new.

 Chapter 26: The Blessed March

    Two months of hard and diligent work paid off after the transformation of the tribe had taken effect. What started as a simple backwater tribe living in ramshackle mudhuts quickly became the image of progress. Much of the forest that encroached the village had been cut back and taken advantage of. Buildings were made of thick lumber and stone rather than sticks and grass. I had brought progress to the tribe. The armor collected from the dead invaders was reforged into something more uniform. Lorica segmentata adorned their bodies. The weapons of our fallen enemies were also taken and were outfitted with the newest recruits. Octavian and Straden both trained them.


    It would take time before the Ophidians arrived in the area, and most of my efforts were spent preparing for their arrival. Of course, one must take the time to enjoy the fruits of one¡¯s labor, and I did so. I watched the young maidens dance for me as I sat upon a makeshift throne. Many of the tribe¡¯s most beautiful girls moved like gently flowing rivers. My only regret at the time was that they were not dancers of Roharam. Indeed, Roharam women were all dancers. There is no hiperbole in that statement. If anything, I undersell the importance of a Roharam woman¡¯s ability to dance. As all boys learn how to fight, all girls learn from an early age. It''s often said that Roharam girls learn to dance before they walk.


    Why do we have such importance on dancing? There are many reasons. First, it keeps women thin and agile. Our warriors are the first line of defense when it comes to protecting the homeland. Women ¡ªour mothers, sisters and daughters¡ª are its last line of defense. The first and greatest mistake that anyone can make is underestimating a Roharam woman. Typically they are not as physically strong, but they are far more agile, and far more cunning. They are faster and their reaction time is just a bit faster. Any small advantage is enough to turn the tide. An invader will often try to take advantage of women. Spoils of war and all that, but they would make a fatal mistake when trying to rape a Roharam woman. She can sensually lure them in, almost inviting them. The man ¡ªtoo foolish and battle drunk to know any better¡ª advances, thinking he will get an easy conquest. He gets closer to her. He¡¯s distracted by her scent; a sweet perfume of fruits and flowers or her natural god''s given scent.


    He has no idea that she¡¯s holding a ceremonial dagger from the temple, or is one of those with a special ring coated in a viper¡¯s venom. He feels a love bite, and then falls to his knees. His lungs collapse in his body and he dies right then and there. As for the dance itself. It teaches our women discipline and control. It molds their bodies into the very pinnacle of perfection. There is no room for weakness in Roharam. Unfortunately, those girls that I watched had no such discipline.


    They were out of sync. They were not agile enough to bend in the proper ways. They stuck with what was safe and sheltered. They could learn over time, but they would never have the same skill and strength as a Roharam woman in her prime. Indeed; Roharam women were more masculine than any man born in this tribe¡¯s entire history. Yet that was the hand that I had been dealt with. To uplift those wastrels into the new instruments for my path to conquest, and the spreading of Ile¡¯Sethak¡¯s faith. Even the clothes of the girls dancing was not ideal. They were common cloth when they should be clad in the finest silks. The kind that caress their bodies like a lover cradling them, leaving little to the imagination as their forms are on display, glorifying the gifts bestowed upon them.


    Still, their clothes were serviceable enough. Their dance was unique, and I enjoyed myself. Each girl that danced had her own allure to her. Each kept some small aspect of their tribal identity by painting themselves in exotic war paints; whatever to make them look more wild and desirable. The fairest of them all approached me with her own alluring dance. She waved her arms around her body as if they were serpents ready to strike. She ran her fingers through her curled hair and gave me the most seductive smile and wink. Her hips gyrated at me, rising and lowering like the tide that threatened to pull me in. She turned her back to me and then bent her back towards me, showing how flexible she was. I could see much of her magnificent form and I admit, I would have been tempted.


    I thought that perhaps this flower hiding in a jungle would have made a perfect concubine. I could see the look in her eyes and smile that she thought the same thing. Afterall, I was the conquering hero who uplifted the tribe. It only made sense that she would want to secure her future in my good graces. Better me than any of my men. You would have to give her that at least. She knew exactly who to come to as her world changed. And to be perfectly transparent, I was tired. It seemed like every few days I fought for survival. I was either coated in the blood of my enemy or painted with fresh new scars. Why shouldn¡¯t I want to indulge myself?


    She spun on her heel and turned to face me, her hair whipping around her head. She came closer to me, moving her hips more sensually and invitingly. She closed her eyes and continued to dance as if daring me to touch her. Just a small, simple touch. I reached forward and gently brushed my knuckles against her soft, velvety skin on her belly. She continued to dance but let out a joyful little gasp and moan. I smirked and continued to trace my fingers on her. It wasn¡¯t long before I placed my hands on her hips. She continued to dance throughout all of it. As the music became more intense, she sat on my lap to give me a more enticing dance. She threw her head back in rhythm to the drum beats and flutes whistling in the air. Her slender hands touched my cheek and embraced me as she let her desire be known.


    She leaned backwards, perfectly balancing herself on my lap as she made a dramatic finishing display. It was then my eyes caught a glance at Brutus. Throughout all of that, he had sat next to me. Rather than the jovial man who would have loved to be made merry by women fawning over him, he rested his chin against his cheek and seemed dissatisfied. I thought it was all strange. When the music was done, the girl smiled. Her breath had quickened its pace as she had come out of the trance of her alluring dance. I leaned forward and whispered quietly in her ear.


    ¡°Wait for me in my tent.¡±


    She smiled and stood up. From her tribal dress she plucked a feather and placed it just above my ear before she left. As the rest of the tribe and soldiers applauded the dance, I leaned over to Brutus and whispered to him.


    ¡°Will you stop with your brooding? I thought organizing this little festival would cheer you up.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Brutus rolled his eyes at me. I thought he was like a pouting child. My hands slid to the arms of my throne and I turned toward him.


    ¡°Brutus Trikon. We have had this discussion before and quite frankly it bores me. I am trying to make amends to you. You like watching pretty girls dance? There they are. Do you want to bed any one of them? They stand waiting to be taken. Drink wine, eat until you are full, whatever it is you want to do, then do it! What¡¯s stopping you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s stopping me is that we are not celebrating my victory, but yours.¡± He leaned forward and looked me in the eye. ¡°I want my time in the sun, Hadrian. You may be this ¡®Kai¡¯Sar¡¯ everyone¡¯s calling you, but we are still brothers in arms. I deserve that respect.¡±


    I chuckled and shook my head. I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes, laughing at the entire thing. I could feel Brutus¡¯s eyes stabbing into me.


    ¡°You¡¯re mocking me, Hadrian?¡±


    ¡°Mocking you?¡± I repeated. ¡°How can I not at this point? You are like a child crying out for a toy.¡±


    Brutus looked as if he were about to strike me right then and there, but I simply raised my hand and he halted for a moment.


    ¡°And I mean that in no disrespect, brother. How long have we known each other? Years. Since I was first in the Roharam legion. You are a grown man, Brutus. You¡¯ve killed scores of Barbarians left and right without batting an eye, yet you winge because you¡¯re not getting enough attention?¡±


    ¡°I deserve my due, Hadrian. I feel as if I am overcome by your shadow now. Back when you were a Decanus, even the simple act of me breathing was enough to send chills down the enemy¡¯s spines. Now it¡¯s you that they want. To hell with the women. I want people to be chanting my name for once.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and leaned back on my throne. I let my short hair grow out at that point and was able to curl my finger around a lock of my hair absentmindedly. ¡°Like I said, Brutus. You¡¯re a child. But I will grant you what you want. I will find a way to let the blasted lands learn of your legend. You have my word.¡±


    He stroked his chin and paused for a moment. He breathed in deeply and let out a sigh. ¡°Fine, Hadrian. I will play this game one more time¡­¡± There was a sense of finality in those words. A hint of a last chance. At the time, I was too preoccupied to notice it. Or maybe I did, and it¡¯s only now that I look back at it that I understand the gravity of my own failings.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Octavian approaching. I had assigned him the task of preparing for an upcoming battle. We were preparing to march to a rival tribe. The former tribals called them the ¡°long necks¡± after some of the beasts that regularly patrolled the jungles to eat trees. Lumbering lizards to be exact. Octavian was tasked with looking over a map of the area and providing me with intelligence. I stood up promptly and looked at Brutus for a moment.


    ¡°Duty calls; pick a girl, have some fun, lighten your load, whatever it is you do, do it without brooding.¡± I greeted Octavian. We walked and talked as I followed him to the map.


    ¡°My lord, I have the map of the tribal village as you requested.¡± He stood firm like a statue, waiting for my command.


    ¡°What are the pros and cons, Octavian?¡± I asked him simply and plainly. I wanted to have a quick rundown of the situation.


    ¡°The long necks numbers are at least seventy, not including children. We have the advantage at a hundred and fifty as well as better armor and weapons. However, the wastrels claim that the long necks have a large beast in their employ. A well placed arrow shot might be able to take it down. Either that or Cao Tzu¡¯s magic, assuming she can muster something that could take it down.¡±


    I peered at the map and had a solid thought on it. I felt an idea pop into my skull and my lip curled to a sly smirk.


    ¡°It would be such a waste if any of our men were to die on this relatively easy victory. Even more so if we were to slaughter the tribe. I want them to submit not to annihilate them.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you suggest, my lord?¡±


    ¡°Simple, Octavian; very simple. Brutus will be our claim to victory.¡±


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    ¡°Brutus?¡± Octavian scoffed and rolled his eyes. ¡°You mean that oaf has decided to quit his moaning and make himself useful?¡±


    ¡°Brutus was complaining that he is being overshadowed by me. If he wants to prove himself to the Ophidians and the men, then he¡¯ll have his chance. I have full confidence in him.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say, my lord. Ever since I¡¯ve met him, he¡¯s been flipping back and forth with this strange obsession of his. I¡¯ve seen the way he jealously looks at you when you outperform him.¡±


    I dusted my shoulder off and cleared my throat. ¡°Your opinion is duly noted, Octavian. Noted and ignored.  I know Brutus as if he were my flesh and blood brother. Give him the means to prove himself and he¡¯ll be able to do so with flying colors.¡±


    Octavian grumbled and lowered his head. There was not much he could say or do otherwise. ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡±


    I cleared my throat again and glanced at my tent. ¡°Now, if there''s nothing else, I¡¯d like to retire for the night before we march. I want the men to be ready by tomorrow morning.¡±


    Octavian placed his fist on his chest and then extended his arm outward in a traditional Roharam salute. ¡°As you command, Kai¡¯Sar¡±


    I turned towards my tent and entered. It was no grand palace with bed chambers, but it was a start. A wooden bed with warm furs to keep myself warm at night. I unstrapped my top armor and set it aside on a makeshift armor rack. The natives prepared a fermented berry drink not unlike wine for me. It was popular for the tribe to drink, and I needn¡¯t waste any good hospitality from my new subjects.


    I poured the container of the drink into a wooden cup. I swirled the goblet around slightly before I took a drink. It was a strong flavor, but not overpowering. I would have loved to have tasted it when it was aged. The cup met my lips and I only took a sip before I heard something.


    ¡°Kai¡¯Sar~¡±


    A curtain divided this living area of my tent from my bed. I remembered then the dancer I sent to wait for me. I moved the curtain aside and saw her. The cloth she wore was neatly placed beside the bed. She laid down on her side in a seductive pose. Her fingers walked down her hips and gently rested on her side. She had received many great gifts from her parents. Well endowed by the gifts her mother must have granted her at birth. She revealed herself fully to me without any shame or shyness.


    It was fortunate then I had already started to remove my armor. I gently removed what little I had left. There we were in all our splendor as the Gods had made us. I walked over to the bed and I could see the excitement in her eyes; the way her breath quickened and the way she bit her lower lip.


    I got into the bed with her effortlessly, moving over to greet her. Our bodies were close to each other. Without even touching her I could feel the pace of her heart quicken at my approach. The slight fear of me was outweighed by desire. I could hear the gentle panting from her lips as the waiting was killing her. My eyes scanned her body. I was eager to enjoy the perks of my new conquest. Our bodies shifted in the bed as we prepared for the inevitable. She looked into my eyes and allowed me to move just a little bit closer, my lips inching closer to hers. My hands touched her body. It was soft like silk and cream.


    And there she laid before me, on her back with her legs ready to be parted. That last look of anticipation appeared as her chest heaved with every breath she took, now far quicker than before. There was that moment where we stared at each other. That moment where there was no stopping that act, and we both knew it. It had been so long since my arrival in the Blasted Lands that I would finally sink my teeth into something truly worth enjoying. The small yet very important moment came the moment just before someone dived into water. That moment of waiting before steeling oneself carrying out the deed.


    She chose her mark well.


    ***


    The next morning we trudged through the jungle clearing. Some light rain must have passed through the night. The ground was slick and wet. That didn¡¯t dampen the hearts of the Ophidians. They sang a song in their tongue. You could call it an old hymn. It was called ¡°The Blessed March.¡± An old song about their Kai¡¯Sar marching with them to glory. The journey was long and arduous. A lesser man would have felt his legs burning at the end and felt the need to collapse. Fortunately, I was not such a man. We pushed onward, forging our path ahead the trail until we saw smoke rising from the distance. The long neck tribe¡¯s home.


    As we drew closer to the village, we noticed that there was a large force ahead of us. Most likely they heard the sound of the Ophidian¡¯s singing and mustered their forces accordingly. I allowed them to continue to sing. Afterall, what is more frightening to an enemy than to hear your army singing in a tongue you don¡¯t understand? That tiny trace of terror that filled their hearts was bound to be worth something.


    Behind me our banners flew high in the air, resplendent in their red colors. My forces took their positions accordingly and made the proper battle formation. They knew we were a larger force, and we had to display that. It was thus: two rows of legionnaires flanking both of my sides to make us appear broad and fat, a single row of archers behind each side for long range, myself and my praetorian guard in the center, along with Octavian, Cao Tzu, and Sylithra who had insisted on documenting the battle. I had a plan and figured that it would be accepted by all. She was in no real danger. Behind our forces were our reserves where I had Brutus purposefully wait. Had I not told him my plan then he would be furious. The long necks seemed to be more advanced than the other tribe. Their armor was passable if a bit outdated. Still, it was no less dangerous.


    At the side of the army was the most dangerous force these people had. They had a tamed long necked creature. It was similar to the ones I had seen before my encounter with the bull. Its massive legs were like tree trunks. Like some type of bird it had loose skin it could use to inflate its neck. The animal used that to intimidate rival males. Now it was used to intimidate us. On its back were rows of spikes that were themselves large enough to hold onto. The beast let out a trumpeting horn call that caused our entire bodies to feel like jelly. The urge to fall down was great, but we resisted. The tail could be used to whip our forces and cause massive damage. If there was to be a fight there, that beast needed to die.


    I stepped forward and called out to the enemy.


    ¡°I will speak with your chieftain!¡± I waited for a while. I was beginning to think that they didn¡¯t understand me when the center of their army parted and two figures approached. With Octavian by my side, I met with their chieftain. He wore a tribal helmet made of bronze that was in the shape of the long necked beast¡¯s face. He took the helmet off and revealed the face of an older man. With tired eyes he glared at me.


    ¡°Who are you? What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I am Hadrian Damoclesian.¡± I proclaimed with my head held high. ¡°Kai¡¯Sar and chief of chiefs. I bring the light of civilization to you. I bring progress and salvation from the simple lives you live. Submit, or you will be made humble.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know your name, but I know what you are, boy.¡± The elder scoffed, though he was not the withered husk as the elders from the previous tribe. He was aged, but there was still a fight in him. ¡°You are not the first to proclaim yourself as lord of this land, and like the others you will die.¡±


    ¡°Will I?¡± I questioned him. I suspected I¡¯d hear many such speeches as I continued my conquest of this land. I sighed. ¡°Then how about we make a deal? A wager? I trust that you don¡¯t want your men to die in a pointless battle. You may very well win, but I will not relent and I will take as many of your people with me. On the other hand, I may win, and I lose many of my men to your beast. I¡¯d prefer not to let that happen.¡±


    ¡°Then what is it that you suggest, Damoclesian?¡±


    ¡°Simple. My best warrior against yours. One on one. We let the Gods decide it. If your Gods prove their worth, then my best will be slain. On my oath, I will depart from your village and I will never return without righteous cause.¡±


    ¡°And if your man bests mine?¡± The old man said as he stroked his salt and pepper colored beard with his worn and wrinkled hand.


    ¡°Then you swear fealty to me. I bring order to your people; I give them more advancements from the outside world, and I make them stronger than they could possibly imagine.¡±


    I sensed hesitation in his gaze. He was unsure. Perhaps there was that little thought in the back of his head that told him that he could beat me in a full battle. I assured him that it would be unwise.


    ¡°Or perhaps you wish to start a fight and let these brave men of yours die when they had a chance to live?¡±


    The chieftain grumbled and looked away. I got him. He turned to face me and spoke with a heavy heart. ¡°Very well then. Let the Gods decide the fate of this day.¡±


    I smirked. I then let out a triumphant yell.


    ¡°Brutus!!!¡±


    My army cheered as he arrived at the front of the battle. They cheered his name proudly and raised their weapons in the air as they prepared to watch the spectacle in front of them. Still, the long necks had their strongest man. The chief turned his head and called for him.


    ¡°Anwe!!!¡±


    The long necked tribe cheered loudly at the approach of their man. To my surprise, he was actually larger than Brutus. Muscle bound and intimidating, Anwe was a staggering eight feet tall! One of the largest men I¡¯ve ever seen. He looked down at Brutus and growled. With a confident smirk, the chieftain placed his fists on his hips and stood proudly.


    ¡°Anwe, tell this invader what you will do to his best man.¡±


    Without missing a beat, the giant of a man answered. ¡°I¡¯m going to feed him his own heart.¡±


    I turned to face Brutus who was absolutely elated at the idea of fighting a giant man like that. The gleam in his eyes and the brutal smile were infectious. One thing you had to admire about Brutus, he was always confident in his abilities. Both of our forces parted and let Brutus and Anwe fight. The crowds cheered loudly at the coming battle. Brutus was given a shield and a spear. Anwe¡¯s weapons mirrored his. They circled one another like two predators locked in a cage together. All that was left was waiting for the signal to act.


    ¡°Begin!¡± I yelled. With that, the battle was on. Brutus charged at Anwe with the spear. Anwe swung his weapon across to slash at Brutus. Brutus dodged, sliding on the ground with his legs as the spear narrowly avoided him. Anwe was large, but too large. His movements were slow compared to Brutus. Brutus struck the first blow with a spear to Anwe¡¯s thigh. Anwe growled and used the back of his fist to smack Brutus aside. The force of that must have felt like taking a battering ram to the face.


    Brutus was knocked down on the ground. He lifted himself up and dragged his arm across his mouth and noted blood. He tongued a loose tooth in his jaw. He reached inside his mouth and yanked it out, throwing it to the side and then spat blood on the ground. Even though he was in pain from that hit, he smirked. Meanwhile Anwe snapped the spear in his leg as if it were an arrow. He ripped the spear from his leg without even flinching. He threw the broken spear aside and growled before he attempted to gore Brutus.


    Brutus used his shield to block the strikes, yet the force punctured holes through the wooden protection as if it had been made out of butter. Brutus turned this into an advantage when he lifted his shield in an awkward way, twisting Anwe¡¯s hand and forcing him to let go. Without a weapon, Brutus leapt onto Anwe, positioning himself on the giant¡¯s back and started to punch his face repeatedly with hard blows after another. Anwe¡¯s face turned bloody as Brutus tried to repay the warrior for the tooth.


    Anwe reached back and slammed Brutus on the ground. He lifted his elbow high in the air and attempted to drop it onto Brutus¡¯s neck. Brutus just barely dodged out of the way. The giant¡¯s elbow made a small dent into the ground. The force of the blow hurt Anwe enough that he let out a grunt.


    Brutus saw his chance to get a weapon. A broken spear was better than no spear. He rushed over to pick it up just as Anwe reclaimed his spear, forcing the shield off of it and then charging at Brutus. Brutus timed the advancement perfectly as he rolled to the side  out of the spear¡¯s path. He lunged forward and used the spear head to stab into the back of the giant. Anwe yelled and swung his weapon madly at Brutus yet again, only for Brutus to hold on to the giant as if he were a wild stallion that needed breaking. As Brutus advanced, He used the spear head as if he were climbing a mountain and stabbed Anwe higher and higher. Anwe growled and tried to once again rip Brutus off. Before he could do that, Brutus reached the giant¡¯s head and stabbed him in the eye. Anwe screamed louder than before and threw Brutus off of him again. Anwe painfully ripped the spear head out of his eye and threw it to the ground.


    Brutus crouched down with a mad glee in his eyes as he panted, taking a moment to breathe. He spat out more blood as Anwe was ready to charge. Brutus gestured for Anwe to come closer. ¡°Come on!!!¡± He shouted proudly, baiting the giant to come closer. Anwe took the bait like an overly greedy fish.


    Anwe charged and let out another hellish war cry. Brutus ducked and rolled away to the giant¡¯s side, kicking him in that wounded leg of his. Anwe was brought to his knees. In that instant, Brutus leapt onto Anwe¡¯s back and pulled him down, wrapping his arm around the giant¡¯s throat in an attempt to strangle him. Even so, the giant was still so strong. He grabbed at Brutus¡¯s arm and tried to pull it away from him. Losing his grip, Brutus bit down on Anwe¡¯s hand, yet even still the giant wouldn¡¯t relent. Brutus noticed the spear head on the ground. He reached for it with all the strength he could muster. He could barely touch the spearhead with his fingers. If he didn¡¯t get it in time, Anwe was sure to turn the tide of the battle.


    Yet Anwe tried to shake Brutus off of him, ironically moving Brutus closer to the spear. Brutus grabbed the spear and then plunged the blade down into Anwe¡¯s chest repeatedly. Brutus let out loud yells with each thrust, burying the blade into the giant. The giant let out pained shrieks of his own as Brutus continued to stab him, over and over and over again. At last, Anwe¡¯s arms fell limp. He still lived, though barely. He could scarcely breathe. Brutus climbed out from under Anwe and saw the giant struggling to breathe. His chest was a crimson red and spat out blood like a broken fountain. He wheezed loudly as he looked at Brutus. Brutus simply raised his foot in the air and stomped on Anwe¡¯s skull repeatedly until he no longer twitched.


    With that victory gained, he raised his fist in the air and let out a victorious war cry. Our men chanted his name with lavish praise as the long necks couldn¡¯t even comprehend what happened. I walked over to Brutus and patted his arm, letting him revel in his victory. He was coated in Anwe¡¯s blood, and my hand was dirtied after contact. I faced the old yet again and confidently raised my head, crossing my arms.


    ¡°It seems the Gods favor me today. I am a generous lord. You will keep your leadership of this tribe¡­but you answer to me.¡±


    The chieftain stood silently, dumbfounded by the duel. I opened my hand with the palm facing down. Anwe¡¯s blood painted my hand as I gave the old man a simple command.


    ¡°Kneel.¡±


    A moment¡¯s hesitation was all that it took before he knelt down. My men were able to enter the village without any fight. We would occupy the village and absorb it to our forces. Brutus was elated. It was as if he were in an arena and he won the most important fight of his life. The praise he gained from the men sated his lust for glory. With another tribe loyal to me, that success would prove to be one of my most important early victories. People would hear about Brutus of course, but they would also know of the man behind him. They would all learn about their future Kai¡¯sar soon enough.

 Chapter 27: The Visitor

    Months passed since our first victory. The long neck tribe had been absorbed. Its people were relocated to what would one day be the capital of the new kingdom I was creating. As their transitional period between tribal and civilized went underway, our forces continued to build and expand. With more people, more homes needed to be built. Very quickly, the tribes that bent the knee enjoyed the benefits of my rule. Industry had arrived in a crucible of fire once a proper blacksmiths warehouse was constructed. Day and night shifts for builders created ceaseless working conditions, halted only by rain or some other unforeseen event. No longer would simple grass huts or ramshackle dwellings be enough. My people would have proper homes.


    I resigned myself to reside in my tent until all of the major buildings had been constructed. Only when my vision for the future capital was met would I construct a better home for myself. A palace does no one any good if the resources to make it can¡¯t be refined. It was not as if I was living in squalor. I was quite comfortable in my tent. I had everything I required at my fingertips: A map room that charted out the Blasted Lands to crystal clarity, an armor stand and weapon rack so I could equip myself as fast as possible, and of course a bed where I spent my nights. It was during one of those particular nights that I felt a certain urge that all men feel. I told my concubine to wait for me and prepare. After arranging to meet with Octavian, Straden, Brutus and the rest of my council the following morning, I went to my tent. I washed my face in a bowl of water and cleansed myself. I wanted to be fresh and relaxed.


    I undid the straps of my chest armor and hung them on the stand. I placed my sword in its proper place and finally came to my bracers. I unstrapped them and once again beheld the scars on my wrists. I know you¡¯re probably tired of hearing me speak of my scars. How do you think I feel,constantly aching every moment of my life up to this point? Sometimes I awake at night after feeling them being driven into my wrists all over again. I¡¯d love to be free of that.


    After that brief moment of contemplation, I brushed aside the curtains that separated my bedroom from the rest of my tent. I had thought that my concubine would once again greet me in her usual manner. She¡¯d wear jewelry around her neck that sparkled in the candlelight, a smile that was infectious, and nothing else. She would be fully displayed for me, ready and waiting for my attention. However, on that evening, she wasn¡¯t even laying on the bed. She stood beside the bed covered in her normal robes with someone else. She looked at me with a frightened glance and went to me, grabbing my wrists.


    ¡°My lord. Master, please.¡± She said in a pitiful voice with her eyes large and full of concern. ¡°I have no idea how she got in here. I tried to make her leave.¡±


    I looked up at the woman next to my bed. She was dressed in a thick purple coat. She turned to me and pulled her head back revealing a very familiar face. Cora. I hadn¡¯t seen her in ages and knew that this visit was far more important than I had realized. I looked at my concubine and patted her shoulder.


    ¡°Fret not. I will summon you later. Go.¡±


    She took one look at Cora and nodded, quietly moving out of my tent while I continued to keep my gaze on her. I smirked and walked over to a bottle of wine. One of the many luxuries I acquired when we started farming the fruits of the forest. I procured two clay cups and poured ourselves a drink. She had caught me in a vulnerable state. I had no armor on. Only my loincloth gave any protection, and that was simply for my modesty. I took the cups and offered her one. She smiled, her red ruby lips curled as she took a sip.


    ¡°I apologize for the wine. It''s not aged to perfection yet, but it gets the job done.¡± I smiled and nodded to her. I raised my drink and then took a sip.


    Cora let out a slight laugh before lowering her cup.


    ¡°My my. I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you in such a way. Do you wish for me to come back after you¡¯re done?¡±


    I chuckled. ¡°Oh no, no. Please, stay. I prefer having all of my business sorted before I indulge.¡±


    ¡°And here I thought that when you went to Enkoro you were disgusted with all the debauchery going on, yet here you are partaking in a little of your own~.¡±


    ¡°That''s different.¡± I argued before sipping more of my wine. ¡°I¡¯m not out in the streets while I¡¯m doing it; I don¡¯t wallow in a disoriented mound of flesh, and I surely don¡¯t partake in anything in the likes that the citizens were doing.¡±


    She nodded and sighed, taking another small sip of wine into her lips.


    ¡°I agree. It''s detestable over there. Why do you think I seek to leave it so often? Though the way you reacted, I figured all lustful acts were too much for you.¡±


    I set my cup aside on a nearby table and then walked around the room to stretch my legs. I took hold of a crude wooden figurine I had carved of a soldier. It wasn¡¯t done yet. The intent was to make something for the map when I launched a full campaign.


    ¡°Not at all. In fact, it can be most enjoyable. And it serves a higher purpose.¡±


    ¡°A higher purpose?~¡± She cocked her eyebrow and gave a slight smirk. ¡°Well I do suppose morale is a factor that needs to be addressed.¡±


    ¡°Oh it''s far more important than just morale.¡± I said as I quickly turned to her, raising a contrary finger up. ¡°It¡¯s about securing the legacy of this new kingdom I¡¯m forging.¡±


    She looked at me with a puzzled look. She crossed her arms and remained silent, expecting me to continue my train of thought.


    ¡°I need a uniformed army. One that will be groomed to be the finest warriors the Blasted Lands has ever seen. At an early age they will be brought up to be intelligent and fierce. I will take the lessons I learned from Roharam, and improve upon that foundation.¡±


    She paced around and nodded. She approached my armor stand and admired the armor that was crafted for me. It was an ornate armor made of bronze that was anatomically correct. It featured abs as well as serpentine carvings on the pectorals, combining into a large serpent on the chest. Her fingers traced the contours of my armor.


    ¡°So you are planning on breeding your army. That''s one way to get new recruits. Shame it would take several years for you to get this army though.¡± She smiled, having pointed out that small flaw in my design.


    I turned around and raised two fingers in the air before I gave her my counter argument. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen my full force yet, my dear. But you¡¯re right. It will take time. But they will be loyal to me. What does it matter if it takes twenty years for an army to come. When it does, they will be loyal to me. To them, Hadrianopolis will be their father.¡±


    Cora chuckled at the mention of the name. ¡°Hadrianopolis? City of Hadrian. Makes sense I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t it?¡± I questioned her, crossing my arms behind my back and walking up to her as I gave her an inquisitive glance. ¡°I liberated this village from the Bull and his ilk. I uplifted them from straw huts and gave them homes of stone. Before I die, I will make this not a city of wood or stone, but of marble. That is what I have envisioned for this place, and so it shall be.¡±


    ¡°As ever, you prove to be ambitious and forward thinking. Yet I notice that you¡¯re including yourself as far as concubines and breeding goes. What of the child you give her? Afterall¡­¡± She reached forward to touch my body in the same way that she touched my armor. ¡°You strike me as a man who loves his work so much, he tends to get lost in it. It should be something you¡¯ve considered, no?¡±


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    I stood still and smiled plainly at her, crossing my arms as she touched me. ¡°Does the child have to know that I¡¯m the father? At least with this first generation, their father will be Hadrianopolis and its people. The contrary would be irrelevant.


    ¡°I see.¡± She gently removed her hand from me and then took a glance at my blade. Its reflection was captured in her violet eyes.


    I watched her intently before I stood next to her, taking the sword in my hand so I could admire it and give her a closer look.


    ¡°Yet you¡¯re not here to talk about sex.¡±


    ¡°If I did¡­we wouldn¡¯t be talking.¡± She smiled as he gave me her retort and a sly wink in her eye before she turned to face me. I smiled and put the sword back.


    ¡°Then to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?¡±


    ¡°I thought it would be in both of our best interests to inform you about what Lak¡¯Ashara is up to. That, and I have a special gift for you.¡±


    ¡°A gift?¡± I repeated and smiled at her, truly surprised. ¡°Color me intrigued. What exactly is this gift?¡±


    ¡°First, Lak¡¯Ashara. She¡¯s planning something. I don¡¯t know what exactly, and that¡¯s the problem. She usually tells me everything, but the fact that there''s something she¡¯s hiding has me concerned.¡±


    Puzzled, I stroked my beard lightly and crossed my arms. ¡°Do you have any theories?¡±


    ¡°I had my friend Gravith try to discover the truth, but he found nothing.¡±


    ¡°Well what can I do? I can¡¯t exactly help without knowing anything.¡±


    ¡°I don''t think there''s anything you can do.¡± She corrected me. ¡°It just alarms me that there are things she is keeping quiet from me. I know only so much.¡±


    As Cora began to tell me what she knew, I had a strange sense that someone was listening in to the conversation. I pressed my finger against my lip and then looked around. I listened closely to the thin fabric walls of the tend and tried to discern any noise. I was cautious. I had no idea the true depths of Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s power. Did she have powers of observation where she could see and hear everything we were saying? Was there a spy here? I pressed my hand against the cloth to try to feel something. A body perhaps? There was nothing. As far as I knew, we were safe.


    I waited for a moment longer before I gestured to Cora and let her speak.


    ¡°Right. Well, I know that she¡¯s throwing some sort of gathering before the year is out. She does so every year, but this time it''s different. This one is a far grander spectacle than before. Usually it''s her inner circle including myself, but more of her followers are coming.¡±


    I had a question in my gut, but I dreaded asking it. I, however, had no choice. ¡°What usually happens in these gatherings?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll spare you some of the more lurid details. Usually there''s an orgy, ritual chanting and then a sacrifice. I think that since this one is somehow special, this upcoming meeting will feature a mass sacrifice. I figured you would be interested.¡±


    I crossed my arms for a moment as my eyes lingered on her. I stroked my chin before I turned around so I could sit comfortably down on the bed.


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid of what Lak¡¯Ashara needs with all these sacrifices. Ys¡¯Tar is a very demanding goddess I see. What do you suppose she wishes to buy for such a heavy price?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but ever since the start of this year, she has become more and more¡­difficult. Unpredictable even. I fear what she has planned. It¡¯s within both of our best interests that we should do something about it.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. We should.¡± I crossed my arms again. I felt thirsty so I reached for my cup of wine on the nearby table without having to get up and took a few more sips. ¡°We can work on the details of it as it develops. If there is weight to your concerns, then it''s indeed within our best interest to rectify them.¡±


    She nodded and gave a slight bow before she walked over to the pitcher of wine to refill her cup with a small sum. ¡°Thank you. Lak¡¯Ashara underestimates you. She thinks you¡¯re nothing more than a dumb brute. But you have everything so calculated, don¡¯t you?¡±


    I raised my cup in the air at the compliment. I take a final sip before I sit the empty cup on the table. ¡°Now then, what of this gift you spoke about?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, that. It¡¯s not here yet, but when you see it, you¡¯ll know.¡± She smiled and set her cup aside and turned to face me once more.


    ¡°How?¡± I asked and stood up from the bed to watch her approach me.


    She raised her hand in front of me to show me her ring. ¡°With this. Take a careful look. It¡¯s the violet lotus. I¡¯ve left this mark on your gift. When you see it, you¡¯ll know. Now¡­I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t stay here forever. Lak¡¯Ashara will wonder where I am. Care to see me off?¡±


    I nodded. I took a moment to put on my tunic and I followed her out, passed the tent and through the main gates. To my complete lack of surprise, even the guards didn¡¯t remember seeing her enter. Everyone watched her move about as if she had just appeared out of thin air like a specter. I could sense that she took a little pride in that ability as she waved at everyone and gave them a coy little smile. The only sense of surprise I saw in her was when she noticed the Ophidians. The look in her eyes told me plainly that she had never seen their ilk before. Perhaps that was for the best. Once we were outside the walls, Cora turned to face me.


    ¡°Well Hadrian, it was nice catching up with you again. I look forward to our next visit. Oh and remember: I¡¯d be very careful with a woman¡¯s heart if I were you. Even concubines have feelings.¡±


    She snapped her fingers. One moment later a large form picked her up and grabbed her before I could do anything. I watched as she was carried off by a large bird, laughing all the way as she vanished into the night. Magic was a strange thing that I didn¡¯t want to deal with. Was the bird some kind of magic construct or did she summon it from some place? That was more of Cao Tzu¡¯s domain.


    ***


    It was a couple of weeks after my encounter with Cora that I found myself hunting. I and a few of my guards had spears as he prepared to hunt some large animals to feed everyone back home. We laid bait on the ground and hid, ready to throw our spears at any moment. We attracted some boar-like creature that waddled its way to the bait. It oinked and trotted around in search of a meal. I had to be very careful. On the boar¡¯s back were sharp quills that resembled a porcupine¡¯s though not as dense.


    As it ate, I slowly raised my spear, aiming for the beast¡¯s side. If I could have had the perfect swing I would have struck its heart and it would have been dead before it hit the ground. Yet as I prepared to launch the spear, we suddenly heard yelling. The boar, and thus dinner ran off. Angered, I and my guards ventured towards the noise. Eventually, we found the source of the noise as the yelling grew louder. From a distance we couldn¡¯t figure out what it was, but as we approached it sounded like a fight. Peeking behind some trees we saw the carnage in front of us.


    Several tribal bodies were scattered on the forest floor. I didn¡¯t recognize the armor. It had been from a tribe I had not yet encountered. Their weapons were distinct. Rather than use metal, these warriors used obsidian glass. Frightfully sharp and deadly. Several corpses had been slashed with what looked like their own weapons. The gore was palpable in that area.


    Standing in the middle of that fierce battle was a woman clad in armor that I recognized only too well. Her helmet was nowhere to be seen and her face had been bruised and slashed. Her skin was lightly tanned and her short black hair was exposed, some streams of blood trickling down her temple. Her right arm dangled uselessly by her side, broken and limp with many cuts that were like crimson mouths gaping wide and dumb. Her leg was bleeding and had clear signs of having recently been shot with arrows. Her left arm clearly wasn¡¯t her dominant one, yet it gripped onto the head of an obsidian spear tightly like a dagger.


    Her chest armor was anatomically correct, though there were no decorations on it. Her battle skirt and leather straps that dangled downward were damaged. Her sandals were caked in a mixture of her blood and the blood of her enemy. Instantly I recognized her for what she was. She was a Roharam woman. It was no wonder she lasted that long. Against her were the three remaining men out of that group. In total, I¡¯d say she fought at least fifteen men. She panted loudly as she clenched her teeth. It was like she was a wild animal that simply refused to die. The anger on her face was striking. She bore her fangs like an angry wolf, ready to strike at her attackers.


    The most striking thing I saw about her were her eyes. The brightest shade of sky blue I had ever seen. Her pupils were constricted, full of rage as she panted loudly. Before I could react, one of her attackers charged her with a weapon made of wood and shards of obsidian. She ducked out of the way and rammed the spear up his jaw and kicked him away. Another attacker tackled her, pinning her against a tree she had been using to support her body. Before he could strike, she kicked her legs up and wrapped them around the man tightly before she let out a growl and bit into the man¡¯s neck, ripping flesh off and causing his neck to spray like a geyser.


    He tried to kick her off, but she was on him like a leech, using every part of her body like a weapon. The last man standing yelled and charged at her, trying to slash at the woman. She noticed and rolled, moving her legs out of the way so her attacker only slashed his comrade. She kicked the body aside and leapt onto the last man, using her spear head to repeatedly stab him in the nape of the neck. She growled loudly as she was full of rage.


    After she made sure that he was dead, She stood up. She planted her back against the tree and breathed heavily. She closed her eyes and tilted her head upward as the rush of adrenalin was wearing off. Yet it wasn¡¯t over yet. The man who had been stabbed in the jaw tried to sneak up on her and strike her when she wasn¡¯t looking. She heard a yell and turned to face her attacker, ready to finish the job, yet she paused in shock. Her attacker did yell, but not from attacking her. He yelled because my sword had just been run through his back and popped out of his chest. He fell to his knees. I pulled my sword out and with one swift stroke, and I lopped his head off.


    His head rolled on the mound of corpses until it hit the dirt. The woman saw me and my armor. We looked at each other and both felt a kinship. For once, two children of Roharim had finally met in the Blasted Lands after much hardship. We stared at each other. It was then that I noticed something on the ground. It was her helmet. It was made in the style of Roharim, but not of origin. Her armor was custom, and upon the woman¡¯s helmet I found the unmistakable mark of a violet lotus. Cora¡¯s gift was at last revealed to me.


    ¡°Did Cora send you?¡± I asked her as I cleaned my blade and seethed my sword.


    She looked at me very weakly and nodded. ¡°Hadrian¡­¡± All of the fight then left her body as she collapsed. I turned to my guards and glared.


    ¡°Carry her on your shields. Now!¡±


    Quickly they stammered to pick her up and carry her up on a palate made by their shields. She had little time and had lost so much blood. I refused to let her die. I swore to Ile¡¯Sethak and all the gods that I would not let one of my kinsmen die that day.

 Chapter 28: Kallista

    One of my guards sounded a horn to announce our arrival. They hoisted the woman on their shields. They carried her down towards the center of the village. All of the inhabitants watched us as we made our way down the dirt road and brought her to Cao Tzu. She was in the middle of praying to an idol of Ile¡¯Sethak when we arrived. Alarmed, she quickly rose to her feet and signed off to me, asking me what had happened.


    ¡°We found the woman in the jungle.¡± I replied to her while my focus was maintained on our new guest. Cao Tzu signed again, waving her hands about in gestures that only I could understand. She asked me if I knew who the woman was.


    ¡°I know of only two things: I know that she was sent to me by Cora, and I know that she is Roharim.¡±


    She signed to me with a worried look on her face. Cao Tzu had grown to be adept in magic and healing, but she was no miracle worker by her own account. She remarked that the woman should be dead, and that her wounds would be fatal. I simply smiled at her and leaned forward, with an ever determined look in my eyes.


    ¡°This woman killed fifteen warriors. She didn¡¯t fight her way here just to die on this table. Besides, you should know by now that Roharim men and women are exceptionally hard to kill.¡±


    Cao Tzu did everything she possibly could to treat the woman¡¯s injuries: disinfecting her wounds, bandaging the scrapes and cuts up, stitching gashes, and putting her broken arm in a sling so it could heal. All that remained was to simply wait for the woman to wake up. Cao Tzu doubted that she would, given her injuries. Yet I reminded her that I survived a similar situation when I faced the bull. If I could do it, then so could that woman.


    I kept careful watch over the woman for the next few days. Her body had been battered and bruised. She had not woken up from that deathless sleep she had found herself in. Then one day while Cao Tzu was changing the woman¡¯s bandages, the woman finally awoke, feeling groggy and in a daze. Cao Tzu quickly alerted me. Together with Brutus, we were both eager to see another child of Roharim.


    The cuts and bruises on her body were more visible thanks to time. Her tanned skin had mixtures of purple, red and yellow. Much of the swelling had died down, yet her body was still in the long and difficult process of healing. It would take time to fully recover, especially her broken arm. Cao Tzu did everything possible to nurture her. Her eyes opened half way as she became aware of our presence.


    ¡°Hrgn¡­ugh. W-wha-?¡±


    I could see the look on her face that everything appeared hazy. Her eyes tried to focus on Brutus and me.


    ¡°Easy there.¡± I said as I placed my hand on her shoulder as delicately as I could. ¡°You are among friends.¡±


    She grabbed her aching head with her good arm. She sighed and lifted herself up. Though it must have caused her pain, she hid it well.


    ¡°Hadrian¡­¡± Her vision cleared as she recognized me from the jungle. She adjusted herself on the slab to sit down with her legs dangling over. She then stood. I was about to help her if she fell, but she only stumbled once. I was impressed. Even the regular Roharim citizen would still show off a great deal of pain. I gazed into her eyes again. They were like pools of sapphire water that shone brightly in the light. Yet behind those eyes I could see her struggling to keep herself from showing any discomfort. It was as if she were willing her entire body to obey her and show no hint of weakness.


    Brutus chuckled and crossed his arms as he gazed at her form, his eyes scanning her every curve.


    ¡°Impressive~.¡± Brutus leered at her for a moment longer before I cleared my throat and would introduce myself and Brutus.


    ¡°Yes, I am Hadrian Damoclesian. This is Brutus Trikon. The three of us are Roharim. A rare privilege when we have been so far from home for this long time.¡±


    She slowly nodded. We were all kinsmen afterall. One of the Roharimae people¡¯s core virtues is that of comradery and kinship. We all suffered and went through great struggle and perseverance to reach adulthood. Our training and strict doctrines cull the weak from our society. Whoever sired the woman and trained her did so with expert skill. She was a perfect example of Roharim strength.


    ¡°My name is Kallista.¡± She said as she rolled her shoulder, trying to get a feel for the sling. She felt some more discomfort but refused to show any more than a grimace.


    ¡°Kallista.¡± I watched her as the name left a sweet taste in my mouth like a fine wine. ¡°You traveled a great distance and fought in many battles to get here. I commend your bravery. May I ask why you¡¯ve come? What brought you to me today?¡±


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    She paused for a moment. She adjusted herself on the floor to find her footing easier. Her legs were sore but her will was strong.


    ¡°I have nowhere to go. Roharim is closed to me. I can¡¯t return to the homeland. From what Cora has told me, you are creating something that isn¡¯t too far off from home. If you would have me, I would be honored to join you.¡±


    There was a tinge of pain in her eyes ¡ªthe first she actually showed¡ª that wasn¡¯t hidden behind her high defensive walls. Whatever set her on that path towards me weighed heavily on her heart. There are many reasons one can have Roharim ¡°closed¡± to them. Perhaps she was like me and exiled.


    ¡°When one is offered a finely crafted blade they would be a fool to refuse. Your skills are impressive. Fifteen men all on your own. The three I saw you killed while you had a broken arm. You are determined to live no matter what comes your way. I respect and admire that.¡±


    She gave me a slight nod before she limped away from the bed. Brutus looked at me while her back was turned and gave me a slight wink before following her. I watched Brutus as he had set his eyes on a new target before I felt someone else¡¯s gaze upon me. I turned my head to see a figure peeking through the entrance to the tent. It was my concubine, Domia. She hadn¡¯t noticed my gaze yet. Her eyes were transfixed on Kallista. I could see the envy in her eyes. At that point she was pregnant with my child for many months. She was due to give birth at any time.


    As I said before, Domia came to me for protection. As Kai¡¯Sar, I was the most powerful man in the tribe. She was one of the first to accept a new name. It became a common practice for newly conquered tribes to abandon their old names and be given new names inspired by Roharim. I couldn¡¯t tell you Domia¡¯s original name because she never spoke it. Being one of the first, she enjoyed many privileges. One being my first concubine. However, as I watched her stare at Kallista and rub her belly, I saw the signs of a hidden ambition. I saw the wheels turning in her head and the look of concern on her face. She was worried about losing her position and everything that meant. She caught me looking at her and then stepped back, slinking out of the tent.


    I returned my gaze to Kallista and Brutus. Already he had moved in to try to woo her, however Brutus was far more adept in capturing the heart of a prostitute with his words, for she knew that she would get paid. On someone on Kallista¡¯s levels, he wouldn¡¯t have much effect. As he flirted with her, I walked over to where her armor had been placed. I examined her helmet and saw the violet lotus emblem just above the brow. All along the brow and sides of the helmet were vines that were not too far off from a laurel wreath. Cora had outdid herself. The armor was effective as it was beautiful, though the sides of the helmet had been damaged due to heavy sword swings.


    ¡°How did you come to meet Cora?¡±


    Kallista turned her head to my direction sharply. She tilted her head and blinked. Her answer was a slight ¡°Hmm?¡± as she tried to ascertain what I said.


    ¡°How did you come to meet Cora?¡± I looked at her as I held the helmet. I tapped my finger on the lotus for her to see very clearly. Kallista nodded as she understood.


    ¡°When I arrived in the Blasted Lands, I didn¡¯t know what direction I was going. Everywhere I looked was flat, a sandy desert as far as the eye could see. Even a mirage would have been a welcomed sight. At least then I could have had a fool''s hope of survival.¡±


    She licked her lips at the thought of being in that dry and unforgiving hellscape. It was enough to drive anyone insane through heat and thirst.


    ¡°I kept walking, half mad and my brain on fire. I then felt something touch my legs. A River. I thought I had gone insane, but I touched it and started to drink as much as I could. I felt such relief, I didn¡¯t notice when a few warriors came to me. At the time I didn¡¯t know it, but they served the sorceress Lak¡¯Ashara. They brought me to Cora who treated my ailments. When I recovered, I heard about you. How you conquered several tribes these past few months. I wanted to be a part of it.¡±


    I smiled at her and walked over to her. I placed my hand on her shoulder and patted her, trying to be gentle enough not to hurt her.


    ¡°Heal up first, then you will taste glory.¡±


    She smiled at me before I turned and left the tent. Kallista would need to recover before she was of any use. Time would tell. I brushed the tarp door away and took a breath of fresh air. I caught Domia off the corner of my eye and turned to look at her. I moved out of the way of the door and gestured for her to follow. She did just so.


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid.¡± I said coldly and straight to the point.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what you mean my lo-¡±


    ¡°Yes you do. You¡¯re a terrible liar. Have I not been good to you?¡±


    She stammered slightly, afraid to give the wrong answer. She cleared her throat and nodded.


    ¡°You have been very good to me, Kai¡¯Sar. Few men could ever hope to compare to your strength and generosity.¡±


    ¡°Then why do you doubt me, woman?¡± I turned to look at her, stopping in my tracks. She almost bumped into me. ¡°I¡¯m going to end this before it begins. You have the protection of my army. You have servants to tend to your every need, you even have my child growing inside you which makes you more important than any other woman in this place. Yet, you are a concubine. That is your role. That is the role you chose when you threw yourself at me. If I desire to take a woman as my queen, it is my choice. It may be you, it may be someone else, but at the end of the day I am still Kai¡¯Sar. You will know your place and you will do as I command¡±


    ¡°My lord¡­¡± She tried to speak further, but I raised my hand to silence her.


    ¡°Enough. I am not a stupid man. Your choice to be with me was a calculated one. You swooped in when you did. You are an intelligent woman. That is why I admire you, and why you carry my child. But never¡­and I mean never make the mistake that you are more clever than I.¡±


    I turned and left it at that. Perhaps I could have handled it better, yet at the time I said what I needed to say. There was no illusion of control she had, and if there was I had to shatter it.


    I decided then to examine the other women. The ones who the men of my legion bedded. I was thinking about the long term. I needed warriors for the future. Warriors that were specifically bred for their new kingdom. Following the examples of Roharim, they would be trained to be loyal to their Kai¡¯Sar. I couldn¡¯t be very picky in those early days, But I would refine it. The men and women fighters in my legions would pick out their sutors and they would give their kingdom many sons and daughters.


    The child I had with Domia would be one of these children. She perhaps assumed that our child would be my heir. My intention however was to be neutral. The child would not inherit my throne. They wouldn¡¯t even be told who sired them. They would be with the other children of my empire. To all of the children, their Kai¡¯Sar was their father and their empire was their mother. The banners of our armies would be their swaddling clothes. Their daily lessons would be how to fight and kill. Just as I had been trained since birth to fight and die for Roharim, so too would the children who at that day still rested safely in their mother¡¯s bellies be trained to fight and die for their empire. To fight and die for their Kai¡¯Sar.


    Domia was not the only one with high ambitions, you know.

 Chapter 29: Envious eyes

    A few weeks flew by as if they were nothing. Progress in my conquest of the jungle region had been halted by the stubborn persistence of a tribe of wastrels. My scouts reported that this tribe had been the most successful. They had access to some ancient ruins from a civilization long dead. Every encounter my men had with them was always hostile. They proved to be adept in guerilla warfare. When we entered their territories they ambushed us.


    When some of my scouts entered the area, they were ambushed. The enemy had several hidden pockets underground where they hid. When they sensed our arrival, they waited for us and then kept themselves hidden for a lengthy amount of time before they sprung in action. It was as if they were demons popping up from hell itself. My men retreated with heavy casualties. Since then, I needed to adapt a new strategy. With that goal, I commanded Straden to hand pick the finest men and train them for stealth combat. You know the old saying. ¡°Fight fire with fire.¡± I would do just that.


    As for the tribe themselves, We never really had a chance to learn about their history. What we did learn was that they dwelled in the ancient ruins of the aforementioned civilization. The ruins were carved into a cliff side near the pathway out of the basin. The tribe had no means to repair the walls. They were like rats living in the halls of a long abandoned house. Vagrants that had no capacity to understand history. Hence, I named the people and the ruins themselves the ¡°Broken wall.¡± We knew where their city was, but they had the advantage of knowledge. They knew all of the best hiding spots and set traps in the jungle.


    As far as the faith in our people was concerned, converts to Ile¡¯Sethak had grown rapidly. Cao Tzu became quite adept in writing down scripture and tennents. Periodically, Ile¡¯Sethak would speak to me and dictate to me the proper rites and when he demanded sacrifice. Usually it was done with a lamb. Much of our time was spent strategizing on how to proceed with the war effort. We couldn¡¯t get near the ruins of the Broken wall without stepping into traps.


    As I waited for effective strategies to be brought up at the next war council, I walked among my people. Life had been slowly but surely adjusting to my rule. The conquest of the smaller tribes had been fairly easy up to that point. Their tactics were simple compared to ours. Rushing for our flank on one side and/or hiding their reserve troops on another waiting for a perfect moment to strike. Our methods were more robust and refined. They threw themselves against our shields, believing that they could take us down with overwhelming numbers. In those cases it was a close victory. I replaced the dead with the newly conquered tribes. I put the fear of Ile¡¯Sethak into them. The question was who did they fear more, the enemy in front of them or myself at their back?


    The passage of time was hard to determine in those early days of my empire. It didn¡¯t snow as it did in Roharim during the winter. I often missed the feeling of the frosty mist. The cool chill against my skin as the cold season had finally arrived and the pure white blanket that covered rooftops and trees. But what I loved most about winter was the quiet. The peace and serenity I found while walking in the fields after they had been harvested, and all that was left was vast oceans of snow.


    Instead, here I was in the jungle where it felt like summer all year round. You can imagine what it must feel like to live in only one season.


    In one of those endless summer days, ¡ªI believe two months after meeting Kallista¡ª I went to see her. She strained against the bindings on her arm, feeling restless. She sat down on a large stone overlooking the legionnaires training against each other. She had a yearning look on her face as she massaged her arm. With her limb still mending, she was unable to fight. As much as it pained her, she was stuck looking on. She instinctively scratched the wrappings, silently praying that if she had but undid the bandages she would find that her arm was healed and once again she could make herself useful.


    Taking a loaf of bread for my lunch, I thought it was a good excuse to share food with her so I could speak. I knew not what of, but I admit that Kallista fascinated me. Her prowess was unlike anything I had ever seen before. If more of my legion were like her, I would conquer the Blasted lands in no less than a single year. I sat down next to her on the rock and broke my loaf of bread in half, offering it to her.


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    She cocked her eyebrow, almost puzzled for a moment before she took the loaf with her good hand and started to eat while I tore off a small crumb and popped it in my mouth.


    ¡°You envy them, the fighters.¡± I said in between chewing. ¡°I can hardly blame you. If I were in your position, I would go mad with boredom and waiting. And trust me, I have been in that position.¡±


    She wordlessly tore off a piece of her meal and ate. She chewed and finished her bite before speaking to me.


    ¡°I should have known that they were there waiting for me. I should have known I was being hunted. I feel stupid for not seeing it sooner. They caught me off guard and now I can¡¯t do much of anything.¡±


    Her complaints made me think about my own station when I was made infirm after my encounter with the bull. The thought of laying there helpless was enough to send shivers down my spine. Forced to stay in bed and feel my body waste away due to inactivity. We Roharim believe that our bodies are sacred. It''s an incredible waste of one¡¯s life if they never see the full potential that their body is capable of.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have known.¡± I assured her, wanting to ease her tension and lessen if not fully remove the blame on her shoulders. ¡°There were many of them and you were one. You killed them all in a display that would make even the Gods feel a cold sweat. I would say that it¡¯s very admirable if not worthy of being placed in your very own saga.¡±


    She simply bit into the bread again, feeling her stomach rumble and practically begging her for sustenance. She stared at the training grounds, her fingers still stroking her bandages.


    ¡°I just want to be rid of this so I can train again. It''s like I can feel my arm atrophy as we speak. I come all this way, and I feel like I am dead weight.¡±


    ¡°Dead weight? Far from it.¡± I corrected her and gave her a stern look. ¡°When you are healed, you will be highly valued. Anyone who can kill that many soldiers on their own and live to tell the tale is worth ten times their weight in gold.¡±


    She smiled very lightly. I almost couldn¡¯t see it. She turned her head away from me so I couldn¡¯t see her reaction.


    ¡°It¡­wasn¡¯t that many.¡±


    I chuckled lightly and patted her shoulder. She needed some comfort, and I was there to provide it. However, not all was still in my kingdom. I didn¡¯t know it then, but Domia had been watching. Weeks prior to my talk with Kallista, she had given birth. She had given the legion a son. She was blessed with the privilege of having the first son of the legion born. As such, he was named ¡°Optimus.¡± The destiny I laid out for Optimus would be simple. Not knowing who his father was, He would become a leader of men in the new generation of my empire. But he was nothing more than an infant cradled in his mother¡¯s arms. A mother whose eyes lingered on me. She wanted to be far more than a concubine.


    She left just as I turned around to see her walking, having felt her eyes upon me but not the reason. I continued my talk with Kallista and enjoyed the precious few moments with her.


    ***


    After a while I walked with Kallista so she could get a better view of the training. She saw men and women alike being pushed to become better versions of themselves. Hardened warriors that wouldn¡¯t know the meaning of the word ¡°retreat¡± and to whom, fear was as foreign as a concept as a man in our time walking on the moon.


    She stared at the training dummies for a while, eager to get her arm free from its bindings before it was too late. I saw her anticipation and decided to try something. I picked up two wooden swords and handed one to her. She took it in her good arm and then cocked her eyebrow. She looked up at me and gave me a confused look.


    ¡°Train with me.¡± I gave her a sly little smirk before I put the sword in my left hand. I wanted to train my skills with a blade so that I could copy her.


    She simply looked at me. Perhaps in ordinary circumstances, she would not even bat an eye to it. However, she had been restless and desired at least a small crumb of levity. She took a battle stance and prepared to strike. I admit, I didn¡¯t think I would be able to do much, and of course, I was right. The moment I made the first move, she swung her blade and knocked the sword out of my hand. I was stupefied. I expected to lose but not that quickly. She smirked at me and flicked her wooden blade at me.


    I walked backward, moving to where the sword was. One must never turn your back on an enemy. I crouched down, picked up my blade and assumed the position again.


    ¡°Once more with feeling.¡± I smiled as I positioned myself again. This time, I wouldn¡¯t let myself be disarmed so easily. She tried the same strike again. It was hard since I wasn¡¯t using my dominant hand. Her blow against my blade hurt, but I refused to let go. I parried and blocked, though she had the advantage of being perfectly able to use both hands. I knew I could never match her, but I would be prepared if my arm was disabled. I¡¯m not so vain that I would say that I¡¯ve learned everything. A true sign of wisdom is admitting that you don¡¯t know everything.

 Chapter 30: A rude awakening

    Several nights later, I slumbered safely in my bed. I curled up carefully, dreaming of Roharim. I dreamt that I was standing at the massive gates of the Helios wall.  A great defensive structure that surrounded the inner city and capital of Roharim. I was alone, but beyond the gates I could hear other people. I could hear chanting. They were calling me by my name.


    ¡°Hadrian! Hadrian!¡± They boldly stated as they welcomed me, not as a tyrant but as a conquering hero. A liberator who had come to root out the corruption of the old senate and establish something new. As the gates opened, my vision darkened. What I saw was something else entirely, as if I were a toy that had been placed from one child¡¯s room to another. Below me, I saw endless hordes of writhing serpents slithering and entangling. I remember having great difficulty walking in the knee deep pit of vipers. With each step I felt them constricting me. I instantly knew the cause. That was no longer a dream, but a message.


    Soon, the ground began to quake and the serpents slithered away. I was then blinded by a bright and blinding light. My eyes stung as the light of day struck me. Before my eyes could focus, the wind kicked up and I was once again bathed in a sandstorm, just as I had when I began my journey. The sand shifted at my feet, and the grains began to twist and form into the image of Ile¡¯Sethak. I knelt down in supplication before the serpent god.


    ¡°My lord.¡± I bowed my head, averting my eyes until spoken to by the man sized snake.


    ¡°Hadrian. The time is nearly at hand for your final conquest of the jungle. The broken wall tribe will be made to bend to your will and serve us.¡±


    I raised my head up to see the serpent god. I lifted my hands up in praise to him. ¡°My lord, their defenses are unlike any I have encountered before. They hide in the jungle and slay my men. The Ophidians have not yet arrived. They are still having to uproot their entire civilization to follow me. If I send more people in there now, they will be slaughtered.¡±


    Ile¡¯Sethak simply stared at me, flicking his forked tongue in the air and letting an audible hiss escape from his lips.


    ¡°This is true. If you go through their land now, you will surely die. But I shall extend my will and let your people see my glorious power. Go and find silver. Melt it down and craft it into a staff that resembles a serpent. Give it to the priestess Cao Tzu. When you are ready to march, have her at the front of your army with the staff. Command her to raise the staff and then plant it in the ground. Then you shall see my wonders.¡±


    I listened intently. At long last, the serpent would perform a miracle for us. It was a huge favor for the serpent. He rarely flexed his mighty power in our favor. The old snake must have been growing rather restless. It was safe to say that I could not expect another boon for a time.


    ¡°Thank you, my lord. I will make it so.¡±


    ¡°One last thing, Hadrian. The Broken wall tribe are formidable. You will need to be at your full strength to face them. There is one among them who is unlike any foe you have faced before.¡±


    ¡°Unlike any I¡¯ve faced?¡± I repeated, dumbfounded. Was there something far worse than the bull? ¡°What do you mean, lord?¡±


    ¡°He will know of no fear in his heart. He will not run from you. You must slay him. This is my will, Hadrian.¡±


    I will admit, I was fearful. A foe that was potentially worse than the Bull? There was an innumerable amount of terror that ran up my spine at that notion. However, if this foe would not run from me, then I refused to run. I would be in for the fight of my life. And if I could kill this foe, then the Bull wouldn¡¯t be able to stand a chance.


    ¡°As you command, my lord. I will do your will.¡±


    ¡°Wake now, Hadrian¡­while you still can.¡±


    I awoke and found myself in an awkward position. It was still the dead of night and I was in my tent. Sitting on top of me was Domia. She had a crazed look in her eye and a dagger at my throat. The tip pressed lightly against my skin. I was wide awake.


    ¡°Domia¡­what in Ile¡¯Sethak¡¯s name are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I will not be just some plaything, Kai¡¯Sar.¡± Domia glared at me as she pressed the blade firmly against my throat. She had a crazed look in her eyes. ¡°The mighty Hadrian¡­ at my mercy.¡±


    I swallowed hard. With a knife at my throat, there wasn¡¯t much I could do. I was helpless. If I alerted the praetorians, I would have my throat turned into a red fountain.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


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    ¡°The warrior woman, Kallista. I want her gone. Banish her. Tell her never to return here for as long as she lives. Make me your queen, and make Optimus your heir. I love you Hadrian. I can¡¯t risk losing you.¡± Said the woman who had a knife at my throat.


    It was hard to feel any sort of love with that knife at my throat. Her paranoia and delusions drove her over the edge. That cleverness that I liked about her was absent. This was the actions of someone who was desperate.


    ¡°Domia¡­¡±


    ¡°Say it. Say the words, Kai¡¯Sar. I gave you all of me: my body, my allegiance, my soul, my child. I want something in return. I don¡¯t want to be just a concubine. I want to be your queen. Your wife. Tell me you love me, Hadrian. Tell me you love me.¡±


    She pressed the blade harder against my neck. She drew blood and I winced. I looked up at her. I breathed in deeply and exhaled. I had no choice.


    ¡°Domia¡­I love you.¡±


    A smile appeared on her face. A happy smile. A smile that I loved deeply. She bore that look on her face when she first danced for me and I made her mine. She was a beautiful woman. Even with a dagger pressed against my neck, she was radiant as any sunrise. She pulled the dagger away.


    I grabbed her wrist and yanked the dagger out of her hand and placed it against her throat. The force of the tackle sent her on her back. She let out a gasp. That smile turned into a look of fear as I pressed the blade against her throat. The cut on my neck allowed blood to trickle down and plant a few crimson dots on her face. She placed a blade against my throat and could have killed me. By all rights, I should have killed her right then and there. She had shown that she was dangerous. Who could blame me? Yet as I looked into her eyes as they were filled with fear and tears, my heart overruled my mind. I lifted the blade off of her throat and tossed it aside.


    I leaned down and kissed her, holding her trembling body in my arms. She dug her nails into me. I sat her up and gently stroked her cheek.


    ¡°You are my favorite concubine. You have given me a son. A son who will be the first in the legion, and a leader of men.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll make me your queen?¡± she said, leaning against me and clinging to me tightly.


    ¡°No. My queen must be strong. You¡­are delicate.¡±


    She lowered her gaze and tears streamed down her cheek. Her hopes dashed. It pained me to see her like this. I placed my finger under her chin and lifted her face up towards mine.


    ¡°That is what I love about you. I meant what I said. As my concubine, I will protect you from any dangers. You simply have to trust me.¡±


    ¡°But Hadrian¡­¡± She said with trembling lips and eyes that sparkled with tears. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you to someone else.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t. You¡¯ll have your days in the sun. No matter what happens, you will be chief among the concubines. Your word is law, and our son will be a great warrior one day. But if I wish to have a queen, and that queen is not you, then you must accept it. But I won¡¯t ignore you. There will be days where you have me all to yourself.¡±


    I tried to reassure her. To let her know that everything would be alright. She simply had to have faith in me. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but she had no choice in the matter. She nodded wordlessly to me. She moved up closer to me and stroked the back of my head.


    ¡°My Kai¡¯Sar¡­¡± She wanted to apologize to me, but I simply placed a finger on those luscious lips of hers.


    ¡°Shhh. Don¡¯t say another word.¡± I silenced her with a passionate kiss. Our tongues danced and twisted around, and our breath mixed as we held each other. She was wearing a very thin silk robe that left little to the imagination. You could see the silhouette of her body. I might have gotten a bit too overboard when I placed my hands on that thin fabric and ripped it apart with all of my might, exposing her chest and the ample mounds that it concealed. She responded with a sharp and excited gasp. The loss of the robes was insignificant compared to the lust and passion she experienced.


    Feverishly, I stipped down as fast as I could until once again we were united in the throws of passion. Her animalistic moans encouraged me every step of the way as our flesh mingled together. Our limbs entangled like two trees merging together in an embrace like no other. Her soft skin began to glow brightly with sweat under what miniscule light there was. She wanted me to show her that I loved her? I granted her wish throughout most of the night.


    I know what you¡¯re probably thinking. You¡¯re thinking ¡°Hadrian, you have feelings for Cora, Domia, and now Kallista! You have a problem!¡± Well yes, as a matter of fact I do. I never could ignore a beautiful face. I¡¯ve always been very passionate in all that I do; I love fighting, I love slaying my enemies, and I love women. Out of all the creations the gods have created, women can be the most beautiful of all. A man can conquer the entire world, and yet it won¡¯t matter in the slightest if he has no woman who he can share his time with.


    Entire wars have been fought over women. When a newly married soldier is in the very bowels of hell itself, knee deep in mud and his face is caked in blood, most likely the only thing he¡¯s thinking at that very moment is ¡°when can I see my sweetheart again?¡± Women have a power over men that makes us weak. Strong men who rarely show any emotion at all will often giggle like small boys when a woman calls them ¡°handsome¡± in the right tone of voice. Trust me when I say that the old saying is true: behind every great man is a great woman.


    Now you¡¯re probably asking, ¡°but if you love women so much, why did you refuse Lak¡¯Ashara? She was a beautiful woman. And what about the queen of Akara, Ankarama? Did you not desire her?¡± To answer the latter, I did desire her, yes. Had I not been alone with only a small force available to me, and had an army at the time that was sufficient to conquer Akari, I probably would have claimed Ankarama as a concubine or something. However, she was too servile for her own good. She was a puppet queen with no more authority than any slave. She was Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s pet on a throne. I doubt there was an original thought in her entire head.


    As for Lak¡¯Ashara, that creature was a perversion. The acts of debauchery and sadism were unholy to my eyes. That and she used her charms to corrupt and twist people into doing her bidding. If I indulge in anything of hers, it wouldn¡¯t be real. I would be nothing more than a lap dog for her.


    But when a woman opens herself up to me ¡ªtruly opens herself up¡ª then I will match her passion with my own. I will protect her until my dying breath. Domia may never be a queen, but I saw it fit to treat her as one. Yes, she did pull a knife on me, but I doubt she actually would have used it.


    By the time Domia and I were done with our love romp, we were both exhausted. Her long hair clung to her face in messy tangles as her chest heaved with every breath. She had a satisfied smile on her face as she rested her wrist on her eyes. I sat up, leaning forward while looking at my handiwork. My shoulder would be sore for a while. Domia¡¯s passion overtook her and she bit me, though I hardly minded.


    ¡°Maybe you should pull a knife on me more often.¡± I chuckled as I joked. She removed her arm from her eyes to look at me and took her pillow, throwing it at me as she giggled lightly.


    ¡°You¡¯d like that, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You know I would.¡± I smirked and leaned down to give her another kiss. I pulled the covers over us. As I laid on my back, she crawled over and planted herself on top of me, her chin resting on my chest. She gently closed her eyes and the world began to fade for a moment. I laid back and would enjoy the company. As we slowly drifted back to sleep, The horn sounded, signaling that it was morning. The sun was rising, and Domia and I didn¡¯t get much sleep.


    What better way to spend your night?

 Chapter 31: Strategies and Miracles

    Miners were tasked with searching for veins of silver. They scoured most of our territory for suitable locations. Fortunately for us, the other tribes in the region had some small knowledge of metal. We searched for pure silver all over the jungle region. During that time, we received word from the Ophidians that they had finished their preparations, and the great migration had begun. The blessed march was approaching. The solution to both problems was ultimately the same: patience. We could do nothing more than to wait for the results to bear fruit.


    We waited patiently for the results. In that time, we had to defend from raids from the Broken Wall tribe that stuck at villages within our control. Wooden watchtowers and fortifications were made to counter these, but they struck hard and fast. Never striking the same place twice, they were adept in sneaking into our lands and hampering us. They stole resources like armor and weapons. They began to slay us with our own swords and spears. Evidently they had some small love for irony.


    The Broken Wall tribe was relentless in their pursuit, however I was just as ¡ªif not more so¡ª ruthless in my aim to subjugate them. Days turned into weeks with little to no progress as far as finding silver. And when weeks turned into months, I did the only thing that I could do while the scouts were off searching. I trained. Kallista¡¯s arm had healed somewhat, and she desired to train with me now that her wounds were almost gone.


    All I had on was my battle skirt and sandals. I invited the danger, and Kallista was a kindred spirit. She had a battle skirt, sandals and some wrappings around her chest to hide her modesty. We circled each other like two beasts in a cage, just waiting for the other to strike. The only instruments in our hands were a pair of wooden shortswords, one for each of us. No shield; no armor, nothing but training weapons and our witts. Eventually, Kallista made the first move. She charged in with her sword for a quick strike. I barely managed to deflect the attack with my wooden blade. The sound of the oak timbers clacking together filled the air as we traded blows.


    For a lot of the time I was simply defending. I deflected every blow she sent my way at the price of not being able to strike at her. Then I felt it. The tip of her wooden blade poked my chest right where my heart was. She pulled her blade back and then examined her weapon.


    ¡°This round is mine, Kai¡¯Sar.¡±


    ¡°So it is.¡± I replied. It wasn¡¯t a hard strike, but it did wound my pride only slightly.


    We separated and then engaged again. We circled one another until she struck at me again. Like before, I deflected while she attacked. Her speed was great, and she was using her healed arm to great effect. Though my strategy had finally paid off. She gradually became more tired with each strike. Her strikes came slower and slower. Then I made my move. A single dodge to my right and then a thrust to her gut. I smiled and twirled my blade.


    ¡°And that leaves us tied¡­again.¡± I winked at her. But she wasn¡¯t ready to give up the fight just yet. Soon, we engaged again, and this time her attacks were more furious. She struck at me and this time we traded blows. She got wise to my strategy and switched between offense and defense. We were evenly matched.


    A crowd had gathered around us. Kallista and I showed them how true children of Roharim fought. Every strike was harder and harder. For a moment, I feared that we would shatter our blades and splinters would fly. Then I saw my moment. I lunged forward with my blade and deflected her strike. I grabbed her arm and pinned her to the ground. My blade pinned against her throat. Pridefully, I smirked and chuckled.


    We both froze there after our duel. Our breaths mixing in the air as swear made our bodies shine in the sun. I leaned forward and winked at her.


    ¡°And with that, I win our duel~.¡±


    She looked at me with a sly little smirk and half closed her eyes and moved her face closer to mine.


    ¡°Have you?¡±


    I blinked in confusion. She then gestured her eyes towards my left side. Just under my armpit, the tip of her blade hovered, ready to stab me. Had that been a real fight, we would have both died. As such, a tie. I shook my head and laughed, tossing my sword aside and then stood up, offering my hand to help her up. We both stood, brushing the dirt off of our bodies.


    ¡°Impressive. Now let''s not delay anymore than we already have.¡±


    Octavian had some new strategies emplaced that he wanted me to review. I walked over to my tunic and draped it over my body so I could cover myself. I had to maintain some form of modesty. Kallista and I went to the war tent where a rough map of the region rested. Octavian stood there patiently waiting for us along with Brutus and Cao Tzu.


    ¡°Ah, my lord. Glad you could make it.¡± Octavian said as he gently patted a rod on his hand and then held it behind his back as he stood firmly.


    ¡°Octavian. What do you have for me today?¡± I asked while I took my tunic and patted myself down to dry myself off from the sweat.


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    ¡°My lord, the broken wall tribe has continued to be a thorn in our sides. Slowly, they are bleeding us like stuck pigs. I think it''s high time that we take a page from their book.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Simply put, my lord: we need to lay traps of our own.¡±


    He reached down under the table and placed a few wooden carvings and then taught us what they were.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯ve taken the liberty to set up a new trap. This outpost that we have here is situated on elevated ground. The main way to get through here with a large enough force to raid it is through one path here. Now these large blocks here are containers. They will hold gallons of oil.¡±


    I cocked my eyebrow in confusion. ¡°Oil?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve gathered enough over our months here to fill these two containers up. We simply pop open these nozzles at the base and let the oil flow. It flows into a special canal that we dug that leads them right between us and the enemy. As they march up, we light it with a flame and fwoosh! Our enemies burn brighter than the sun.¡±


    I liked Octavian¡¯s plan, but there was one thing I noted that looked like an issue.


    ¡°That''s all well and good, but there¡¯s just one problem; what makes you think that they¡¯ll attack this fortress at all?¡±


    ¡°Because, my lord¡± Octavian raised a finger and assured me. ¡°I¡¯ve made it enticing for them. I¡¯ve made it no secret that this base holds many weapons and armor. With that many weapons they would surely have a leg up.¡±


    ¡°And if the Broken Wall tribe manages to get the weapons?¡±


    ¡°The greatest joke of them all, my lord. The weapons are purposefully made to be as shoddy and useless as possible. One smack against a solid shield and armor, and the weapon will shatter. And their armor couldn¡¯t protect them against a light breeze.¡±


    I smiled and rested my hand on Octavian. ¡°Octavian Gallus¡­you are a genius.¡±


    ¡°You commanded the results my lord, I will provide them.¡± he said in a simple matter-of-fact way. Brutus of course wanted to say his peace.


    ¡°All well and good, but it sounds like a lot of waiting for a battle that might not happen at all.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± Octavian asked as he patted his rod on his hand. Brutus paused for a moment, silent. He knew that the tribe was not easy to attack. He wasn¡¯t dumb enough to suggest attacking an enemy we couldn¡¯t engage with. He then thought of another way.


    ¡°How about we just set the forest on fire? If they want to hide in trees so much, then let them be kindling.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a bad idea. Its simplicity was something to be admired.


    ¡°An interesting idea, however once the fire is let loose, We wouldn¡¯t be able to control it. The last thing we need is to burn ourselves in a wildfire. A good effort.¡±


    Brutus grumbled and threw his hand up in the air. A suggestion, but he seemed to take it personally. I let him leave the tent. If he wanted to pout like a child, then who was I to argue? A simple no and he huffed off. I didn¡¯t let it sour my spirits. As far as I was concerned, the strategies were good. I turned to face Octavian and gave him a gentle nod.


    ¡°Make it so, Octavian. I want us to be ready.¡±


    Just then, one of my scouts had returned. He was tired and out of breath. He knelt down and lowered his head.


    ¡°Kai¡¯Sar! We found it, my lord! We found it! We found silver!¡±


    I smiled wickedly. Our plans bore fruit. I looked at Octavian. While he had his strategy to implement, I had mine. All that was left was to wait for enough silver to be gathered and then, all of the jungles would witness a miracle from Ile¡¯Sethak.


    ***


    The silver mine was being dug, but I only needed enough to make the silver staff. Weeks of great effort went into digging the mine out. In the bowels of the earth, my workers managed to acquire enough silver. Blacksmiths worked day and night in the furnaces to melt that raw silver down. They removed any impurities. My craftsmen shaped and molded the silver from a rod of molten metal into a proper staff. Etchings on the staff made decorations. Painstaking detail was added so that the figure of the staff resembled that of a viper. A cobra with its fangs bare. At last, it was time to unleash the wonders of Ile¡¯Sethak.


    I gathered some of my army towards the borders of our land and that of the Broken wall. Cao Tzu stood ready. My men waited with anticipation. They stared at the border with a sense of dread. Many of our people died attempting to cross the border, and many more were murdered in retaliation. A hushed murmur fell over the crowd as they watched. How many tribals were hiding in the thick grass, watching us and studying our every move as intently as a child studied insects crawling on the ground? I gestured to a soldier who bowed his head before picking up the staff and offering it to Cao Tzu. She closed her eyes and nodded in silence. She took a deep breath. She was nervous about the entire situation. She was no fighter. Her magics helped her in the past, but that would cost a lot of time and energy in order to fight back the whole horde, and even so, there was no telling where or how many wastrels hid behind our sight.


    Cao Tzu held the staff aloft. Doing as I instructed, she raised the staff in the air, proudly. Then with one swift and strong motion, she planted the staff into the ground. She waited, and yet nothing happened. We were confused; our goddess didn¡¯t respond to our pleas and nothing seemed to be working. Right then, Cao Tzu started convulsing. She fell to her knees and groaned loudly, grabbing her throat. She was in a lot of pain as she let out gurgling noises that flooded our ears. Was she poisoned or something? Perhapssome barbarian shot her with a dart? Far from it.


    From her mouth, a new tongue was forming. It was painful, yet she grew something that was not unlike a forked serpent tongue, albeit slightly thicker than normal. She fell to her knees and coughed, almost vomiting on the ground. She let out loud hacking coughs as she tried to compose herself. She stood up. I stepped forward with concern in my heart. If you had been paying attention to my story, you would know that she was the first person I saw after I had been crucified. I needn¡¯t tell you about the effect her death would give me. She raised her hand to stop me. She was supposed to be in front afterall. Her eyes shot open and revealed slits. I spoke to her.


    ¡°Cao Tzu? Are you alright?¡± I grew more worried with each passing moment. Soon, she unburdened me from my fears when she spoke.


    ¡°Ile¡¯Sethak has granted me my voice.¡± She said with a hiss. She then turned to face the planted staff and then she chanted something. It was Ophidian. She murmured about calling her brothers and sisters to aid us. Suddenly we felt something brush against our legs. Many of the men were startled by the slithering of vipers, yet they didn¡¯t bite us. Tens became hundreds. So many vipers coming from seemingly nowhere. They hissed and slithered all the way to several hiding spots where the Broken Wall tribe hid. The serpents were rooting out every last barbarian out of their hole and turning their hiding spot into their grave.


    The serpents continued to march as the screams of the tribesmen echoed through the jungle. I looked at my soldiers and I grinned wickedly. A miracle had been revealed, and my men cheered. I pulled my sword out and grabbed my shield from off my back. I then pointed my sword down towards the pathway made by the serpents and I grinned wickedly¡ªso widely I felt as if I nearly broke my jaw¡ª and spoke.


    ¡°Put them out of their misery! Slaughter them all!¡±


    My men charged at my command and yelled. We took our blades and struck those that still had life within them despite the venom working deeply into the tribes. At long last we gained ground and would establish ourselves a foothold. At last, my people bore witness to a miracle from their new god. The first of many.

 Chapter 32: The Serpents tongue

    Two weeks after the miracle of Ile¡¯Sethak, my legion had made its way deeper into the Broken wall¡¯s territory. They were a crafty bunch. They had entire hidden fortresses buried deep under the earth. Miles of tunnels under the ground right below our feet. I explored one such place. They could plan everything down there without needing to come up at all. That and several chambers allowed them to love in some of the most basic forms; a place to eat, sleep, defecate and of course spy. They were formidable hide outs that I could learn from. Thankfully, even with their ingenuity and planning, they were unable to stop the plague of snakes.


    This allowed us to establish a foothold in the territory. We secured one of the more intact ruins of the area and reinforced it with lumber. Those ruins acted as our base of operations in the province. The abundance of serpents made the Broken Wall tribe¡¯s greatest strength moot. The serpent¡¯s wouldn¡¯t harm me no matter how close I got, but once they were in the holes, only my personal guard was able to follow me inside as no one else would get through without a venomous kiss from the serpents. Sylithra continued to write down all that she saw. She had never seen the works of Ile¡¯Sethak such as this before. She must have felt like she had truly been blessed to be born around the time of my coming.


    While the rest of my people scouted the ruins out, ensuring that there were no spies or stowaways watching our every move and plotting our doom, I took the time to check on Cao Tzu. She had been blessed with a tongue granted by Ile¡¯Sethak. It was difficult for her to find her voice again, though it was far more alien in sound than what her true voice must have been like. Her voice at times was raspy with a pronounced lisp like a serpent¡¯s hissing. She was able to speak the Ophidian language as if she had done so before she could formulate the common tongue while in the womb. All at once, the removal of her tongue had been corrected and her ability to use sorcery elevated drastically.


    Having been so used to speaking to her through signing, I motioned my hands to ask if she was willing to speak.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that, my Kai¡¯sar. I¡¯m fully capable of speaking.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I said, trailing off lightly, forgetting myself and spoke to her not as a lord but as a friend. ¡°I do still like to use it. I believe it adds a bit of security. A language that only you and I know of.¡±


    She nodded and then went over to a table. She had been cleaning it off, intending on using it to prepare spells. She now had access to more powerful forms of sorcery than ever before. She would make use of them.


    ¡°I see.¡± She said plainly and softly. I could tell that there was something on her mind that was biting at her heels. I stepped closer to her, full of concern.


    ¡°Something troubles you?¡±


    She hesitated for a moment, but knew that I wouldn¡¯t relent until I knew exactly what the problem was. She took a deep breath and sighed.


    ¡°It''s just¡­I never really expected anything like this. We¡¯ve come a long way, haven¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I suppose we have. We¡¯re long beyond hunting for our own food in a desert where everything wants to kill us. Now we¡¯re hunting in a jungle where everything wants to kill us.¡±


    She chuckled lightly. She leaned heavily on the table and relaxed.


    ¡°It''s not just that, Hadrian. Look at where we are now. We both were nailed to a cross, our would-be executioners believing in all likelihood that we would die, and yet here we are. I can speak again and have access to sorcery and you? What do I need to say about you?¡±


    ¡°It has been a long road, yes. One that''s not complete yet. This tribe here is the last one that stands in the way of total conquest. Then once we establish ourselves here properly, and only then will I seek my vengeance against the bull.¡±


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    At about that time, one of our men ran into the ruined building. He knelt down and bowed his head to me. He kept his head lowered in submission.


    ¡°My Kai¡¯Sar. A Band of tribesmen is approaching the ruins. They look like Broken wall. They don¡¯t appear to be attacking us.¡±


    I thought for a moment. I turned my head to Cao Tzu and nodded to her before I turned my attention to the soldier.


    ¡°And now they wish to talk. Soldier, assemble the archers and have them trained on the tribals. If one of them so much as scratches his nose the wrong way, send them to their gods.¡±


    The soldier nodded and went around the ruins to issue my orders. I turned to smile at Cao Tzu and got ready to step outside.


    ¡°Let''s see what they want.¡±


    We stepped outside of the ruins and saw the small band of tribals walking towards us. My legionnaires stationed on the roof readied their bows while my Ophidian guards stood beside me and Cao Tzu. The warriors that arrived had armor that was pilfered from the tombs of the ancients. It was a segmented bronze armor that reached down just above the knees. They wore sandals and bronze greaves that reached up to their knees. Bizarrely it had a large collar around the neck that was wide enough for them to turn their heads around yet tall enough to hide their mouths. Their helmets were almost cone shaped with their leader having a plume to signify his status. His head crest was made out of what looked like lizard scales and feathers that were stripped White and Blue. The leader of this group raised his head high and spoke with a voice that was old, gruff and as deep as the tunnels his people made.


    ¡°Bid orch ba hars mogoi-iin zereg.¡±


    Not understanding what his barbarian tongue was uttering, I looked to Cao Tzu for a moment. She closed her eyes, using her sorcery and praying to Ile¡¯Sethak before her forked tongue slithered out from her lips and she hissed.


    ¡°He asks to speak with the ¡®master of serpents.¡¯ He wishes to speak to you, Kai¡¯Sar.¡±


    I smiled, now having a translator. This minor trick would do well. A blessing from Ile¡¯Sethak, albeit it was a temporary one.


    ¡°Tell them that I am Hadrian, and I shall hear them talk.¡±


    Without missing a step, she spoke their language as if she had known it from the moment of her birth.


    ¡°Zereng-maa end bol mogoi-inn zereg. Ter chi-tai yar-na.¡±


    The leader raised his head up and spoke defiantly as he looked at me.


    ¡°Chi orch ba ene gazar-d avch ir ukhel bol s¨¹irel. Chi haij baina avch avah chi-nii bish. Bid shaardaj baina chi bolon chi-nii mogoi-d endees darui gar, esvel chi tulgar-na tenger-iin uur khilen. Bid-nii ariun gazar chi-aar gishgekhg¨¹i.¡±


    Cao Tzu quickly spoke and gave the translation.


    "You have come to these lands bringing death and destruction. You seek to claim what is not yours. We demand that you and your serpents leave here at once, or you will face the wrath of the gods. Ours is a sacred land that will not be trodden upon by you."


    I glared at the Chieftain and walked towards him. My guards followed me very closely and I leaned forward to the leader¡¯s face.


    ¡°Cao Tzu, Translate everything I say.¡±


    I glared at him and let Cao Tzu translate everything.


    ¡°You demand¡­I am to uproot my armies and return from whence I came because you demand it? You are an utter fool. You slaughtered my people as you hid within tunnels like rats, and now that your tunnels are no longer your own, only do you wish to treat with me. It''s not so easy when it''s your men who are dying and we¡¯re on equal footing. Don¡¯t insult me. You¡¯ve come practically begging for your lives because now there are kinks in your armor and they are visible to all. If you wish to make deals then I offer you this; have the chieftain of your tribe surrender to me. Do that, or leave. We will face you in battle soon enough.¡±


    The warrior stared at me in disbelief before he muttered something.


    ¡°Solihun¡­¡±


    He turned around and walked back the way he came. I looked at Cao Tzu. She sighed and translated.


    ¡°Madman. He called you a Madman.¡±


    I raised my brow and nodded quietly.


    ¡°Did he, now?¡± I paused for a moment and then looked at the guards. ¡°Kill them. Bring their leader to me.¡±


    My Ophidian guards went after them to seize them. They were hard to take down, given their armor, but we had more men. Once the bloodshed was done, the Ophidians brought the messenger to me and forced him to kneel. I smiled and watched him put on a brave face as I reveled in the sight. Cao Tzu bowed her head.


    ¡°What do you wish to do with him, Kai¡¯Sar?¡±


    I smiled and knelt down to the leader. I gently placed my hand on his chin and then stood up. This nobody, this no named messenger would be the first of something truly special. Something I save for an occasion where I need to send a message.


    ¡°...Crucify him.¡±


    He was stripped of his armor and carried away screaming. As they were taking him away, I yelled out to the Ophidians. ¡°And make sure to remove his armor and put him where he can easily be seen by scouts.¡±


    If I was mad, then that is what I would use to instill fear into the hearts of my enemies. They saw me as a monster that would stop at nothing to crush them and subjugate them. I would use that moniker. Once the lumber was gathered and the nails brought forth, the Ophidian guard began to hammer away into his wrist and feet. His screams echoed loud in the jungle. Once that was done, he was placed just off to the side where a future road would be.


    I stood under the cross¡¯s shadow and looked up at the man. I felt my own scars burning with white hot intensity. When I started my journey I was crucified¡­ but from that point on, I would be the crucifier.

 Chapter 33: A point of view

    Now, I¡¯m going to be doing something a little different here. This is a personal account not from me as what has been the case, but from Cora. The events in question were during my exploits in the jungles. I¡¯ll try my best to ensure that the story is as accurate as possible.


    The account begins in Enkaro,the city of pleasure ¡ªand I use that word very lightly¡ª during one of the blasted land¡¯s more particular beautiful days. Lak¡¯Ashara was doing one of her more ¡°modest¡± activities. She laid on her side on a ¡°lounge chair¡± in front of a pool. She wore her most opulent clothes that were silk and colored a beautiful sapphire blue with golden trimmings. Her midriff was exposed and the wrappings did very little to hide her cleavage. Rather than wear her usual jewelry and her golden mask, she was relaxing that day. She had a bowl that was filled to the brim with large white pearls. They were the size of grapes freshly picked from the vine. She examined the pearl with her dainty fingers.


    In one slow and sensual moment she placed the pearl in her mouth and then smiled before spitting it out again. She held it up in front of the women who sat down kneeling before her. Between the women and Lak¡¯Ashara was a pool that was filled with a mixture of milk and honey. Like lap dogs the women waited for their master¡¯s next movement. With one quick flick of her wrist, she threw the pearl into the pool and the women scrambled to get it. It was some sort of hedonistic, decadent game that Lak¡¯Ashara liked to play with her subjects. Whoever got the pearl first would keep it. The women fought hard, pushing and shoving each other to try to feel around and find it. Lak¡¯Ashara derived such pleasure from it that she could have done it all day, forcing scantily clad women to play for her. Meanwhile the men were also in diminished and humiliating positions. That lounge chair mentioned earlier? That was no wood and fabric, but flesh and bone. Two men ¡ªtwo slaves¡ª were forced to lay in awkward positions and be her living furniture.


    All they had to wear were the slave collars around their necks and the loin cloths that hid their shame. Their bodies oiled and glistened in the sunlight to suit Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s desire. Each man was well toned, forced to be in physical perfection and built up like a racehorse. She especially loved to dehydrate them so that their muscles appear more defined and pronounced. All of it was meant to satisfy Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s perverse pleasure. She used it to force her dominance on all subjects. They were nothing to her but playthings that could be used and would inevitably break.


    One of the women hopped out of the pool of milk and honey and presented the pearl to Lak¡¯Ashara. The queen inspected it and then smiled.


    ¡°Very good, little one. Very good. It''s yours.¡±


    The woman smiled and ran out of the pool, placed the pearl in her bag and then ran back into the pool. Lak¡¯Ashara then presented two pearls and threw them in to begin the game all over again.


    Cora entered the chambers and bowed her head while the women in the pool splashed around.


    ¡°You summoned me, mistress?¡± She gave Lak¡¯Ashara a low bow as a sign of respect.


    Lak¡¯Ashara turned to face Cora as she held a pearl between her index finger and thumb, casually playing with it by rolling it on her fingers. She giggled to herself before her bright sapphire eyes looked up at Cora and the corners of her lips curled into a smile.


    ¡°Indeed I did, Cora. I wanted to get your opinion on something. You see, I¡¯ve been troubled by something.¡±


    ¡°What is wrong, your grace? Anything I can do to help?¡±


    Lak¡¯Ashara bent forward and moved her hair out of the way of her shoulders. A silent command for Cora, as powerful as a sorceress as she was, to lend her fingers to more physical work, massaging her shoulders. Cora obliged and began to rub Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s shoulders, massaging them to the best of her abilities. The queen leaned into Cora¡¯s fingers as she closed her eyes and relaxed.


    ¡°You see¡­I was relaxing the other day under the sun when word came to me that you had ventured to see Hadrian.¡±


    Cora stopped and stepped back. Many thoughts raced through her mind. Cora had always been so careful when doing her own business.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been spying on me¡­¡±


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    ¡°Spying is such a harsh and ugly word, Cora~.¡±


    Lak¡¯Ashara said as she stood up from her human chair and patted the men on their backs.


    ¡°That''s enough, boys. Go wander off to some place. Mommy needs to talk to aunty Cora.¡±


    She smiled before taking the bowel of pearls and dumped them all into the pool, letting the girls fight among themselves over the many riches. She walked over to Cora and placed her hands together. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so surprised. I find him interesting too. His actions with the wastrels entertains me. And yet, what I don¡¯t understand is why you wouldn¡¯t tell me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to tell you everything all the time, Ashara.¡± Cora said as she raised her head up, feeling Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s fingers on her body.


    Lak¡¯Ashara went behind Cora and started to massage her shoulders this time, gently chuckling as she leaned in just a bit closer.


    ¡°True. True. I watch him, you watch him, we all enjoy playing our little games, but I know that you¡¯ve actually helped him. You did far more than simply observe, darling. You¡¯ve dipped your finger in the pie and thought I wouldn¡¯t notice.¡±


    As she massaged her, Cora could see the girls in the pool of milk and honey become more violent as they were greedily grabbing pearls. Those pearls were more than just something they could use to buy and sell. They were a key to their own personal freedom. Each girl was willing to fight tooth and nail for that. Hair was being pulled, punches were thrown, and even several bites happened. That creamy pool of milk and honey soon had a third ingredient; blood, as the white milk slowly turned pinkish red. Cora hissed a bit as she felt something on her shoulder. She looked down and saw that Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s sharp nail had cut her. She stepped out from Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s embrace and looked at her.


    ¡°Forgive me, my queen. I¡¯ve obviously offended you.¡±


    ¡°Offended me?¡± Lak¡¯Ashara repeated as she placed the tips of her fingers over her lips. ¡°Oh no. You haven¡¯t my darling Cora. I just want to make sure that we¡¯re still very good friends. Do you remember before we took Enkaro for ourselves? How we both started with nothing but scraps? Do you remember how every day was a struggle to survive? I still remember how everyone looked down at us like we were worth less than the dirt under their nails. Through all of our struggles, you and I made it through everything.¡±


    Cora thought for a moment in quiet contemplation. It was true that they had worked tirelessly to get to that point. Though Cora remembered that Lak¡¯Ashara was once very different compared to the queen she was at that moment.


    ¡°I remember, Ashy.¡± Cora used an old name that she called her in happier times. ¡°Can we move past this now?¡±


    Lak¡¯Ashara stood there for a moment before she gently and subtly bowed her head in acknowledgement.


    ¡°Yes. Of course. I didn¡¯t just want to talk to you about our friendship. There is something far more important.¡±


    Cora raised an eyebrow and placed her hands behind her back and stood at attention. At that time the Slave girls had gathered their things. Those that were content with what they had limped out of the room with their pearls and several cuts and bruises. One girl in the pool was not so lucky. During the mad fight for the pearls one of the girls floated on the surface. Someone had drowned her in the chaos and stolen her pearls.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had a vision, Cora. A vision from our lady Ys¡¯Tar. I must move quicker. We must move quicker. Enemies rise against us. They spring from everywhere like weeds that seek to choke out our dreams. After everything we struggled for, we simply can¡¯t lose now. Ys¡¯Tar has a plan for us. Ys¡¯Tar shall provide.¡±


    Cora bowed her head. She understood the gravity of the situation. Like me, Lak¡¯Ashara was burdened by her own goddess. All of us however were kept ignorant of Ys¡¯Tar and Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s motives.


    ***


    Cora would later come to me and explain everything in detail. She thought that I deserved to know the machinations of Lak¡¯Ashara and how she was becoming more and more unhinged by the day.


    ¡°She¡¯s never threatened me like that before.¡± Cora said as we sat together on the ruined rooftop of a long forgotten building, my camp in the distance. ¡°It wasn¡¯t exactly what she said, but how she said it. Her tone of voice was almost accusatory. She made me feel like just talking to you was like stabbing her in the back¡­¡±


    I leaned back and looked up at the stars that night. They were incredibly beautiful. They sparkled like gems. In Roharim, it was often said that stars were the glittering jewels in the gods'' treasure hoard.


    ¡°When some people don¡¯t have attention lavished on them, they see it as a personal attack. They¡¯re not very good friends.¡±


    Cora turned to me and sighed deeply, lamenting about what was.


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t always like this, you know? Long ago we were just a couple of young girls. I was a thief stealing bread just to survive. I was out on my own in the streets. Lak¡¯Ashara was a slave girl. Bought and sold from distant lands, changing owners as much as the seasons changed and ended up in the Blasted lands to be part of a depraved man¡¯s harem. Her life was hell¡­and yet we found each other. I sprung her free and we were on the run. Eventually we both became sorceresses. She became a queen and I, her follower.¡±


    She paused for a moment. Her violet eyes tried to scan the past, attempting to locate where it all started to go wrong.


    ¡°Then power began to corrupt her I suppose. Ys¡¯Tar became her obsession. And then anything that wasn¡¯t hers, she wanted. Anything.¡± She reiterated that last word. A sense of loss was as clear as glass in her voice. Lak¡¯Ashara took something from her and still professed to be her friend after the fact. I hesitated to ask before I decided to leave well enough alone.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve come here, Cora. You chose well. Tomorrow is the big day.¡± I was referring to the impending attack. We had pushed the Broken Wall tribe back to their ruins. When the sun rose, I would take my final steps into unifying the land. A kingdom created by my own hand, and as Ile¡¯Sethak proclaimed, I would face a foe unlike any I¡¯ve ever fought before. I¡¯ll admit, I was nervous.


    ¡°So I heard. Hadrian the conqueror marches. I just want you to be careful, Hadrian. Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s eyes are on you. Don¡¯t be too quick to make enemies.¡±


    Cora then stood up. She walked to the edge of the roof and then spun on her heel. She gave a small wave before she leaned back and fell backwards off of the roof. I rushed over to the edge only to see her be lifted up by the same creature she had used before. It carried her off into the night and left me alone.


    I climbed down the roof and made my way towards my tent. I needed to sleep. The next day would demand all of my focus and strength.

 Chapter 34: The Siege of the Broken wall

    They said that the broken wall was originally built by an ancient race of giants that once ruled the jungles. Back then, the jungles had been an ancient city that spanned from one side to the other. And yet when I arrived all that remained of the giants were their ruined buildings. The Broken Wall was the only thing that stood as a reminder. One area of the wall had crumbled long ago and been replaced with thick wooden walls. That was the titular broken part of the wall. The rest of the wall stood tall, connecting from one side of a mountain wall to another. The city was lage, but the most impressive sight was the wall itself.


    To start off, in front of the wall was a large ditch that surrounded the walls. At the opposite side of that ditch was a retaining wall that stood as tall as fifteen feet. Above that wall another wall made of thick mud and bricks that stood as tall as twenty six feet high. The very size of those two walls atop each other was enough to intimidate any invader, but even so, there were more defenses. If somehow we managed to get past those immense walls, then we would be in the lower city. The lower city rested atop a sloped earth embankment rose up to forty six feet. Despite a few buildings, the lower city was sparse and didn¡¯t provide enough cover. At the end of that forty six feet gap and at the top of the ramp was another wall much like the previous one, standing high at twenty six feet, and six feet thick. At the top of that wall were ramparts where archers would be able to have total coverage of the lower city.


    A straight on attack would be suicide. The combined height of the retaining wall and the thick wall made up to forty one feet would need a siege tower to climb those walls. However, that was where the problem with the ditch came in. If we made siege towers then they would have just rolled forward until they hit the ditch and the weight of the towers and the sudden drop would send it toppling down and turn it into a smoking ruin.


    In short, the only way that we would be able to get through the walls would be either the main gate or to break the wooden reinforcement of the wall. We had enough time to create siege engines. We built three large ballistas, four catapults and one large siege ram. The ram was large enough that it required sixteen people to push and operate it. The ram was covered so that any arrows wouldn¡¯t touch those inside. That ram was our best shot into the city, but the only one. I had a trump card ready. I had hoped that the Ophidian forces would have arrived at the point of the siege, but their journey still took longer than I hoped. Sylithra, our Ophidian scholar, had been our record keeper for some time up to that point. She would stay in the back while the battle was fought.


    With my plans made, I climbed up to the top of the ram so that I could give my orders to my armies, and Sweetroll climbed up to cling next to me, her claws dug deep into the wood. I looked at all of the brave faces. The legionnaires and officers who hung upon my word. Brutus, Octavian and the others watching as I prepared to speak. The only one who wasn¡¯t there was Kallista. She was my trump card, and she had her part to play, and it was not here. Her task was far more important.


    I let the army stay silent and then let them hear their Kai¡¯sar speak.


    ¡°Brothers. Sisters. Today is a historic day. Look upon the wall. See how magnificent their city stands. They say giants built it to last. The only damage that it has is that one spot on the outer wall. But upon this day, the walls will be completely shattered! There they stand, hiding behind their wall. They think that because rock and stone separates our swords from their throats, they will be safe from us. They will not remember this day because we will throw them off the tops of their own walls. They will cry out in sweet lamination when their walls shatter!¡±


    ¡°Our feet shall trample upon their broken bodies, and they shall be ill prepared for what awaits them. Fight well, for we are under the eyes of Ile¡¯Sethak! With the great serpent on our side, we shall strike them down, and turn their mighty walls into gravel!¡±


    The men cheered my name and I lifted my head high. Hadrian, the chanted. Kai¡¯sar they yelled! Their cries resounded in my heart like music. It was then that one of my scouts arrived. He knelt down in supplication and kept his head low.


    ¡°Kai¡¯Sar! The enemy chieftain has sent a message. He wishes to speak to you directly.¡±


    I felt a small, sly smile come on my face. I leapt down from the siege ram. Sweetroll came to my side and licked my hand before I, Octavian and Brutus went to face the chieftain. We arrived at the battle line before entering the Broken Wall tribe¡¯s territory. The massive gates to the city opened part way where three people rode in on one of the jungle''s larger creatures. Two legged bird like creatures with the jaws of reptiles. Large and feathery with exotic colors fit for displaying to females. Mouths that were filled with razor sharp teeth, and two large sickle-like claws. The warriors of the Broken Wall rode them like horses, and their leader had the most colorful one.


    The chieftain himself had many sharp piercings that adorned his hace. Like sharp blades they pierced through his brow and cheeks. He wore a necklace of bones around his neck; fingers, claws, and other smaller fossils. He wore an armor that was from antiquity. It was far older than anything his warriors were currently wearing. It looked regal and made of metal, yet ancient and forgotten. The man stared at me with his piercing gaze and spoke.


    ¡°You are the warlord who comes to my city?¡±


    I spoke boldly and smiled while I pet Sweetroll¡¯s head. ¡°I am Hadrian Damoclesian. Behind me is my legion.¡±


    The chieftain scoffed at me and looked around at my legion. He laughed, as did his men soon after. He shook his head and returned his gaze to mine.


    ¡°Is this all you managed to bring before me?¡±


    ¡°They are all I need.¡±


    ¡°Madness. Simple Madness. You are no different from any other warlord who has come face the wall. The men in the jungle are nothing compared to the wall. That is the real test. Go home. Be satisfied with what you have. Leave my lands now and you may yet live.¡±


    ¡°All your people seem to love hiding. You hide in the jungles and now you hide behind your wall.¡±


    ¡°My men hide in the jungle and kill intruders because we grew tired of always having to clean up after a siege. Your kind has always come here seeking to take what doesn¡¯t belong to them. Warlords who wish to take the whole of the jungle. In the end, it''s always the same. You break upon the wall and never make it past the first gates. All that will happen here is that you will slaughter yourselves on the walls, and the animals will feed on your corpses.¡±


    ¡°You forget. I have Ile¡¯Sethak, the great serpent god at my back. It is by his divine will that I am here today, and it is through his will that I shall crush your walls.¡±


    ¡°Oh please. You think you are special because you summoned a few snakes? Nothing more than cheap tricks. I see no great serpent here to fight your battle.¡± He sighed and shook his head with a confident smile and taunted us like a parent moments before educating their child with a hard spanking. ¡°Do you truly wish to test the walls?¡±


    With a confident smile I spoke boldly to the chieftain.


    ¡°I will not test the walls, no. I don¡¯t need to. Your gates will simply open for me, and I shall be welcomed into your city as I should be. As your king.¡±


    Another chuckle came from the chieftain and a disappointed smile and shake of his head followed.


    ¡°Oh my~. You truly are the confident one, aren¡¯t you? It is always the most confident who breaks the most on the wall. But have it your way. If you truly wish to die then at least have the decency to die with honor. Fare well¡­king Hadrian~.¡± He chuckled loudly as he said my name in a mocking tone. He went back to the safety of his walls. However, I knew that his walls weren¡¯t safe.


    You see, there was one problem with the Broken Wall¡¯s defenses. Had the city been completely surrounded by the wall then it would be a fool¡¯s errand, yet the Broken Wall¡¯s city was not. Half of the city was protected by the wall, but the other half was inside of the large rock formation. Most of the city had the rocks on top of them. It made sense of course. The broken wall on my side meant that the only way to enter the city was through the walls and gates, and they would have no enemies come to their rear unless the enemy army decided to tunnel into the mountain which would ultimately end in failure.


    However, the thing the ancient architects of the Broken Wall never imagined was that there would be an attack from above. That was where Kallista was. She and her small force slowly climbed down the mountain side to hover over upper walls. We had ¡ªcorrectly¡ª deduced that the enemy would focus on the first wall. Afterall, it was just as the chieftain had said. No army ever managed to get past the first wall. I looked above the city to the mountain range knowing that Kallista was up there, climbing down slowly as she and her forces could. They were my key to the city.


    After rejoining my fellows, It was time to begin the siege. I strode across the field with my sword and shield in hand. Once I got to a point, I took my sword high into the air and slashed downward. At that moment, the catapults fired their payloads at the city. The large boulders flew like swift birds in the air before crashing against the wall. Even after untold lengths of time, the walls held as if they had just been freshly made. The wall itself would not easily crumble, so our catapults aimed higher.


    Meanwhile I had several lines of archers aim high and launch a flurry of arrows. Most of the arrows couldn¡¯t reach over the sheer height of the wall, but several did find their mark. Though their archers had better elevation than us. Their arrows found their purchase in our shields just as much as they did in our soldiers. A legionnaire next to me received an arrow in his neck after he failed to raise his shield in time. He was dead almost instantly. We pressed forward as our catapults launched the large rocks at our enemies. Those that hit the wall were as effective as throwing an acorn against a mountain. Those that went over the wall had more success, finding their marks in the homes of the tribes and taking several archers out at once, swatting them as effectively as one would swat flies.


    The ballistas gave us some much needed covering fire as they targeted the archers. One such bolt flew over us and rammed into an archer and sent him flying into the upper wall and pinned him there like a proclamation. We continued to march along with the siege ram. The men inside pushing the engine of war were among the strongest within the legion. They grunted and huffed as they pushed, rolling the contraption along the path. To counter its approach, the enemy had the bright idea to throw some rubble down at our siege engine. Some missed their mark and others hit my men and left the ram untouched. The worst part however was when the large rocks were thrown in front of the wheels, and we had to stop and move it out of the way just to continue the path.


    The tip of the ram was capped in a metal figurehead. The figurehead was axe shaped that had been sharpened and ready to break down the wooden gates. On each side of the blade was the etchings of a snake¡¯s head ready to strike. We marched forward to the sound of drums. They beat in rhythm with our marching. To stop meant death, so any obstacle they threw at us needed to be removed post haste. A whooshing noise past my left ear was all the warning I got. I raised my shield too late, but I was thankfully not the one to be dealt with the fatal blow. A decanus behind me had been struck in the eye. The arrow hit the metal of his helmet on the other side of his head. The decanus was dead before he even fell down.


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    A lucky shot on the part of the tribals. Had the arrow hit his helmet he might have survived. Though an arrow glancing down my helmet soon after reminded me of the shock and pain that even an armored strike caused. We pushed further and further into the enemy lines. Each passing second we drew closer to their gates. The tribals continued to throw rocks at us, Some were fortunate enough to keep their shields up and deflect most of the damage, while others simply weren¡¯t lucky at all and were crushed under their weight. Several boulders hit the sloped roof of the siege ram with a loud thud. The defenses held and we pressed on. Then, at long last, we arrived at the gates.


    There was no time to lose. The men inside planted themselves down and put blocks behind the wheels of the ram so it wouldn¡¯t roll away. Then they pulled the mighty ram back further and further. As they did, I raised my sword in the air and yelled loudly at the top of my lungs. ¡°Heave!¡± The men inside the ram struggled to pull the heavy log. Dirt kicked up from their feet and the sound of rope tightening like a thick cord. The ropes were taut and the ram was pulled as far back as it could go. With one quick motion, I slashed downward and yelled again. ¡°Ho!!!¡±


    The men let go and the weight of the ram came crashing down with full force. It slammed into the gate and slammed into it, the sound ringing out like the clap of thunder, followed by the cheers of the men in the ram. I raised my sword again and gave the command to pull the ropes. Try as they might, the broken wall tribe¡¯s rocks were almost ineffective against the design of the ram and its roof.


    Cao Tzu meanwhile was outside of the battle with our reserve troops. She and a handful of other officers were keeping an eye on the battle. It was Cao Tzu who climbed as high as she could to scout the area. Upon the horizon she saw something that would have spelt doom for our forces. Underground passageways under the walls had opened up! Tribals spewed forth from them like a swarm of ants. They meant to surround us and put our backs against the wall. Cao Tzu quickly climbed down from her perch as fast as humanly possible, letting herself fall after a point. Her knees nearly buckled from the fall, but she had her mission. She rushed to a horn and blew on it hard.


    We heard the call amid the claps of the ram against the gate. I assigned several legionnaires to guard the ram at all costs. We couldn¡¯t let them box us in. The rest of us moved to defend the ram. The ballistas gave us some covering fire while our archers and infantrymen attempted to block the enemy. Their numbers were great, but our training would serve us well. A few broke through the infantry lines and made it to us, charging with spears and shields. One of the spears was thrust towards my head. I dodged the strikes twice before I swung my blade. If it were only an ordinary blade then I might not have cut through it. Yet I wielded a weapon blessed by Ile¡¯Sethak himself, and the spear head was cut off like pruning a tree limb.


    I then thrust my blade at the warrior, but he managed to raise his shield up just in time. We defended the ram as we locked into a shield wall, keeping our enemies from breaching. It was a stalemate on the field. We weren¡¯t breaking them and they wouldn¡¯t break us. They beat against our shield like the ocean against stone, chipping our defenses layer by layer. We began to grow weaker and more tired as the day went out. However, we would not budge. We refused to give an inch. Our foundations were as hard as the base of mountains. They tired us out and we wore them down. Then, the first break appeared. One of the legionnaires was stabbed in the leg, and an opening in our defenses appeared. Another spear and the soldier was dead.


    We had to fight harder and with more determination than before. With a second wind we pushed them back, all the while the battering ram slammed against the wall. Rocks were ineffective against our siege engine, so instead they decided to use boiling oil. They poured it over the ram. The roof once again saved the Ram, but the men inside could feel the heat licking at the backs of their necks. Blessedly, the fires went out. We simply needed to give the ram time.


    ***


    Meanwhile, Kallista and her people scaled down the mountain side until they reached the jumping off point. They needed to be many things; brutal, efficient, but above all things they needed to be quiet. If they set an alarm before we were ready, then her forces would be slaughtered. It was a dangerous mission. A gamble. If anyone caught them before they could carry out the mission, they were dead. If the gates were not sabotaged in time, we would be dead. Kallista¡¯s efforts were the difference between months of siege warfare and a single victory that would end the struggle before it would become a drain on our resources.


    She and her fellows crept quietly, as silent as the grave, and reached the top of the upper walls. Fortunately for us, our hopes were true. The majority of the broken wall tribe¡¯s forces were either defending the first wall or engaged with us on the field. They were properly distracted. They had armored their front with impenetrable armor, but left their backsides exposed to the world. Kallista silently stalked a guard stationed on the wall. His attention was focused on the destruction that my legion caused. The catapults sent not only boulders into the city but also balled up plants that were drenched in the oil we had made. The lower city caught fire after a few of the fiery balls slammed against the houses. The stone foundation was strong and wouldn¡¯t buckle, but the wood inside the homes and the supports were baptized in the flame.


    Kallista moved behind him, matching his steps exactly so he wouldn¡¯t suspect that she was even there. When she was close enough, she took her sword and thrusted it into the nape of his neck. He gurgled and spat out a few bits of blood, but any scream was muffled by her hand that gripped his face tightly. Within moments he fell limp, and Kallista gently laid his body down. She looked up to her comrades that were still climbing down and gave a whistle. It was a signal that they were safe to land and begin the operation. Then the plan was set into motion.


    With weapons drawn they silently stalked the ramparts as they made their way through to the upper gates. Silently and expertly, they killed what few guards there were unaware of just how much danger they were in. They killed them and hid their bodies as best as they could until they finally reached the gate house. There were only a few men inside. They stood guard over the wenches that locked and opened the gate. Kallista slowly snuck inside. She grabbed one of the guards and slit his throat and threw him to the ground. He gurgled just as the other soldiers could witness before her warriors silenced them. A sixth soldier from upstairs heard the carnage. He quickly lunged upstairs so he could warn everyone. He quickly lunged and grabbed the loud war horn at the top of the watchtower and pressed his lips against it, but instead felt Kallista¡¯s blade pierce through the back of his neck and out of his throat. She pulled him back and sent him tumbling down the steps.


    Kallista stood and watched the battle from afar. Now all that they had to do was wait.


    ***


    Cao Tzu saw a torch light from the gate tower blink three times. That was the signal we had been waiting for. In response, Cao Tzu pulled a mirror out and raised it high towards the sun so she could move it up and down. As I defended our position at the main gate, I caught a small glimpse of the light and a smile came across my face. Kallista did it! Just a bit longer and we would win the day. Then, another baptism of flaming oil came down on the ram. This time, the fire bit into wood and the roof roared. Some of it fell through the cracks caused by the rocks and injured one of the men. He screamed loudly in agony as burning oil drenched him.


    I couldn¡¯t lose. Not at the moment of victory. I refused to be defeated! I broke formation to head back to the ram and I took the injured man¡¯s place. It took every ounce of strength I had to pull back the ram. I could feel my feet dragging in the dirt. Every muscle in my body was on fire until the ram head couldn¡¯t be pulled anymore. And then I let go. Time froze for a moment as I waited with bated breath. I could hear them up above getting ready to pour more oil and hurl more rocks at the roof. The ram wouldn¡¯t be able to survive another dip of oil and rock. The heat licked at me as if I had stepped into my own funeral pyre. I was trapped with my men, waiting.


    CRASH!!!


    The gate tore open violently with all the rapturous sounds of a mighty tree being felled! A great silence filled the battlefield for a fraction of a second before I yelled!


    ¡°Charge!¡± I cried out with righteous fury and a hunger for glory! The enemy had become demoralized! For the first time in thousands of years since the walls were erected and the miserable wastrels claimed the city as theirs, the walls meant nothing! I smashed through the gates! I broke through their defenses. That momentary distraction allowed my legion to have a second wind, and we pushed ourselves into the walls. We killed the defenders that tried to block us and sent them retreating to the second wall. We poured into the city like a great crimson flood, our red banners blazed through the buildings with flame at our backs. The shock and awe from our entrance was glorious, and yet they still had the second wall.


    But Oh, my friend¡­ the look of absolute horror when they saw their own gates opening up without their consent. Their fall back position was ruined when Kallista¡¯s forces launched arrows into the crowd, firing madly. The Siege engines stopped and a full charge was set in motion. It was a slaughter. The tribe''s homes were ransacked and we showed them without mercy. When we finally arrived at the main fortress, all morale had faltered. All but the chieftain and his personal guard.


    ***


    After several hours into the raid, I and my legionnaires bashed through the door to the keep. Their army laid broken and scattered. Those that were smart enough to survive did so by fleeing into the jungle while the rest died amid the ruins of their adopted home. Some that had not yet fled surrendered, begging for their lives. I left that judgment to Octavian. The makeshift throne room had been turned into a battlefield where the great chieftain knelt down. Before him was his lizard mount that had its side pierced with a spear and laid lifeless on the ground. He himself had broken heads of spears dotted around his back. He was weak, yet his fire still burned brightly.


    He could fight if his body did not betray him. He knelt there, weakened and battered. The spirit was willing but the flesh failed his every command. At the start of the day, he mocked me when I proclaimed myself to be his king. When the sun began to set, there he was kneeling before me just as I had envisioned. I must admit, I was drunk on the glory.


    ¡°Woe to the conquered, chieftain.¡±


    The chieftain groaned and looked into my eyes. His glare was full of disgust and hatred towards me. Yet all I could feel was the kind joy one gets when misery befalls someone else. An indescribable feeling that was sweeter to me than any wine I had tasted.


    ¡°More trickery. You won through dishonor.¡±


    ¡°You lost through hubris.¡± I shot back. Sweetroll hissed as she stood by my side, flicking her tail and licking the air with her forked tongue.¡±


    ¡°It doesn''t matter. One day, you will find yourself in my position. Kneeling down, half dead and unable to stop the destruction of your people. When that day comes¡­ when the walls you built crumble, I will look back at you from the pits of hell, and you will hear nothing but my endless laughter.¡±


    I simply leaned forward and whispered to the chieftain. ¡°That day will never come. And no one will even remember your name~.¡±


    I stepped aside and snapped my fingers. Sweetroll charged at the chieftain and attacked. She clamped down on his head and his muffled screams were audible through her jaws. I breathed in deeply. When Sweetroll continued to bite the chieftain, a scream was heard from upstairs. My guards quickly ran up and caught the source. A young woman dressed in fine jewelry and clothes, no doubt captured from many raids. They brought her down and forced her to the ground.


    ¡°Well, what have we here? One of the chieftain¡¯s concubines? His chieftess?¡± I reached down to hold her chin up so she could look at me. Her eyes were full of hate and running with tears. She gritted her teeth like a wolf ready to strike, yet her eyes cut over to Sweetroll devouring the chieftain. Her gaze lingered on the now chieftain of corpses. She looked back up at me and tried to bite my hand. I pulled my hand back just in time. My arm shot forward and I grabbed her by the throat. A strong will on her. I didn¡¯t choke her, but she felt my iron grip. I let go of her and looked at my guards.


    ¡°Take her prisoner. I will find a use for her.¡±


    I gestured for Kallista to follow me. Alone, we climbed up the steps.


    ¡°You did well. You followed my orders to the letter without even the slightest hesitation. You are to be commended.¡±


    ¡°I simply did as you instructed, Kai¡¯Sar.¡± The greatest emotion on her face was not joy nor pride, but fulfillment. Her mission had been completed and a great victory had been won that day thanks to her.


    ¡°Nevertheless,¡± I said. ¡°You performed beyond my wildest hopes. You are skilled in combat, you led your team without fault. You deserve the highest commendation. If it is in my power to give you, what would you desire?¡±


    She thought for a moment as we walked up the steps to the second floor of the keep. When we reached the top of the stairs, she finally gave me her answer.


    ¡°To better serve you, my lord, I would prefer if I were to lead the Praetorian Guard.¡±


    I simply bowed my head as I reached the balcony.


    ¡°Then you shall have it. Sweep around the city more. I want to make sure that Ile¡¯Sethak¡¯s will is done.¡±


    Kallista bowed her head and left. It was then that I took a good look at the broken wall. My banners were raised high. The standard of Ile¡¯Sethak soared overhead and cast a long shadow over the city.


    My greatest victory to date was achieved. After over a year in the jungle, I have united it under my banner. The smaller tribes were conquered. It was an easy enough feat, but that was only the first step of my journey. The next step would be to expand. I would turn the jungle into my capital. As for the city of the broken wall, it will be left as a ruin. I¡¯d much rather not have to deal with my own strategies used against me.


    ¡°Hadrian¡­¡±


    I heard a whisper in my ear. A hiss. I turned to see the carving of a serpent. It spoke to me and I felt its gaze. Ile¡¯Sethak was speaking to me. I bowed my head low before the great serpent.


    ¡°Great Ile¡¯Sethak. I have taken the city.¡±


    ¡°You have indeed, but your task is not yet complete.¡± The serpent engraving hissed. I swear, I could see its tongue flicking.


    ¡°I remember, lord. The foe ¡®unlike any other.¡¯ I am to kill him. Where is he? Why does he hide from me?¡±


    ¡°He isn¡¯t hiding from you, Hadrian. He¡¯s waiting for you. Go down the hall on your left. Walk until you face the final door. Your foe waits in there. Kill him, and you will save yourself from future destruction. Obey.¡±


    I drew my blade and marched forward. I did as Ile¡¯Sethak instructed. I opened the final door¡­and to my horror I saw the foe that I was meant to slay. Suddenly, all of my hubris flew out the window when I saw and understood what Ile¡¯Sethak demanded of me. ¡®A foe like no other¡­¡¯ That was what he said it would be. A foe like no other. I never expected to see it.


    In front of me was no great warrior, no mighty prince waiting for me with enchanted weapons and invincible armor. I saw, to my horror, a crib. A crib with a small, insignificant child. A baby. Even now, the noise that haunted me most¡­was the child''s giggling. How in the Hell could Ile¡¯Sethak expect me to carry out that task? What was I to do?

 Chapter 35: An enemy unlike any other

    And there I stood, looming over the child who slept in his crib. He couldn¡¯t have been more than a year old. The chieftain¡¯s son laid there without a care in the whole world, unaware that I stood there. Ile¡¯Sethak had commanded me to do the unthinkable. He bid me to murder that innocent child. ¡°An enemy unlike any other.¡± That''s how he described it. I was a fool to expect anything more than this. I envisioned a great and mighty warrior. But then of course, I would have met them on the field of battle, wouldn¡¯t I? I was such a fool.


    ¡°Do not hesitate, Hadrian.¡± Ile¡¯Sethak¡¯s voice was so close to my ear, I could feel his forked tongue licking my skin. ¡°This child stands in the way of your ascension. Kill him, or he will kill you.¡±


    ¡°It¡­it''s only a child.¡± My voice trembled as I uttered the words. Ile¡¯Sethak was quick to reprimand me.


    ¡°For now, but children grow. You fed his father to your pet. His mother is being taken away, her fate yet undecided. Perhaps you will set her free. Perhaps you will force yourself upon her and put a child in her. It matters not what is done with her. What matters is what is done with the child.¡±


    ¡°But that''s just it, my lord. I can¡¯t hurt a child. This tiny thing can not comprehend what is happening now.¡±


    ¡°The child will grow. He will become a man and learn about what was done here today. He will gather his own armies and comrades, and in the end he will slay you. All that we have built. All that you have done will crumble away into dust, and none will remember your name other than being a footnote for humanity.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t need to be like that. I can raise him as my own son. He can be a shining beacon for our empire. He can-¡±


    ¡°He will learn the truth eventually. Your lies will not be able to save you. In his rage he will slay you and you will have none to blame but yourself.¡±


    ¡°I can send him away. Far away. I can travel out of the land and take him to a dock. He¡¯ll be given to a captain and taken far away beyond the sea.¡±


    ¡°He will travel all across the world and learn the truth. If you let him live, then his destiny will ultimately be your death. If you kill him now, then you will not feel his blade at your throat. What is one life compared to all of your kind?¡±


    Tears fell from my eyes as I listened to the serpent god. The gravity of what I was contemplating weighed heavily on my soul unlike anything I had felt. I closed my heart when I nailed my enemies to their crosses, but a child? A child who has never even taken his first steps let alone hurt someone? It was unimaginable.


    ¡°For your empire to thrive, Hadrian¡­ for humanity to have one shining light that I have orchestrated into the world, you must take this life. You¡¯ve slain so many people and subjected them to so much pain already. What is one more skull on the pile?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I can''t¡­¡±


    ¡°You must!¡± The serpent god yelled at me, shaking my body with his loud and furious roar. Yet it seemed like only I heard him, for the child was not disturbed. ¡°I have delivered my creations into your hands as their Kai¡¯Sar! I have them worshiping at your feet! Your city will outshine the broken wall a hundred times over! Centuries will pass, millennia even, and people will still be singing the praises of Hadrian! Hadrian: the indomitable! Hadrian: the great! Hadrian: the crucified! Hadrian: the emperor! All of these things, I have forged for you, so don¡¯t you dare defy me now! Obey!¡±


    I felt the presence of Ile¡¯Sethak leave me at that moment. I fell to my knees and placed my hands on my face. I wept over the terrible command. My eyes were wet and my heart ached. And then I heard the soft cooing of the child having just woken up from a nap.


    My heart sank as I stood and walked over to the crib. To this day I remembered exactly what he looked like at that moment. His eyes were a beautiful sky blue, where if you looked closely you could see hints of green. He had brown curly hair that was soft to the touch. That of his people his skin was a more olive color, albeit soft in complexion. I looked at the child with a sense of awe, as if I had just a son I never knew I had.


    Slowly, I reached over to the child and picked him up. He cooed at me and looked very curious at me. His eyes were just so full of wonder. Had I not been here, he might have grown to become a scholar. He reached over to my armor and touched it, my bronze chestplate being modeled after my own flesh. His hands just kept exploring. He gripped my finger so very tightly. I sighed and sat down with my back against the wall.


    What was I doing with my life? What was the point to all of this? What would my empire look like if I carried out this terrible task? My heart ached at the thought of it. Contemplating the murder of that innocent who even at that moment regarded me with a look that only a son would give to his father. Who said that fate had to be written in stone? There are many stories out there of men who defied the will of the gods and came out all the better for it, aren¡¯t there?


    If my empire was to be founded on the blood of an innocent child, did it truly deserve to come into existence? I thought to myself intently and begged the question. What was fate? What was destiny if not a proclamation foretold by the gods? Did I not have free will? Could I not just disappear? Perhaps I could have let Octavian take my stead? I could forsake everything I worked for in that moment just so I wouldn¡¯t have to be the one to kill the child.


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    The infant continued to look at me. His toothless smile did more damage to my heart than any weapon would have. He reached up to hold my finger. He was so tiny, my one finger was larger than both of his hands. How could I even consider hurting him?


    And so I did it. I defied my destiny. On that day, I vanished from the history books. My legion was left without their Kai¡¯Sar. I took the child as my own and I raised him as my son. I watched him grow from such a tiny infant to a man. I saw him become a warrior, one that I could be proud of. We lived alone where no men nor gods could ever find us. I would never be seen again, but at least I would have saved the most precious of lives.


    ¡­Oh how I wish that was true, but this was not one of those stories. Despite how much I wish it was, I did not follow my heart. Outside of those walls I had the beginnings of an empire. Thousands of people relied on me. Could I truly abandon them for the life of one soul, no matter how innocent it may be? Ile¡¯Sethak said that it was not just for my sake but for the sake, but humanity¡¯s. The whole world would one day look upon my works and imitate me. Though we lived in jungles, I would turn it into marble. I would lay the groundwork for generations to follow after me so they too could stand in the light of my glory. They would be witnesses to a new people. One that will prosper for ages to come.


    I stood up, carrying the child in my arms and walked down the hall. Every step I took felt like a knife being plunged into my back and pulled downward before a sharp twist finished the deed. With every step I was betraying my own sense of morality. But one man¡¯s sense of right and wrong means nothing in the grand scheme of things. I reached the threshold to the balcony and saw my armies sacking the city. Flames rose high in the air as all that these people worked for would turn to ash by the next dawn. Screams of citizens rang out in the distance and echoed loudly under the roof of the great cave that most of the city was under. They sounded like the howls of hell, and it was then that I realized the true weight of crowns and empires.


    I looked down at the youth in my arms and felt my soul leave my body in disgust as the infant reached up to hold my hand. Such tiny hands. I reached the railing of the balcony and steeled myself with an inhuman resolve. Below the castle I could see the faces of my legionnaires barking orders and capturing the citizens to be used as slaves. I saw the face of my blackened heart stare back at me through their actions. But if humanity was to survive thanks to my actions, then let people judge me not on my own words but my deeds. That is why I tell you both the good and the evil I have done. I bid you to judge me harshly but fairly. It is the most I deserve.


    The wife of the chieftain was led out of the keep with her arms bound behind her back. She turned to look at me as if fate demanded it, and the sounds I heard wrenched my heart more than anything before. She let out a wild mad scream like a wounded animal. It would have been a far better mercy for her if I had flayed her alive and thrown her in boiling oil, anything other than what I was about to do.


    I looked at the infant in my arms. He looked at me with those sparkling eyes that shone with such innocence that only the most depraved and sickest of creatures would scoff at it. I placed the cloth of the infant¡¯s wrappings over the face of the child and then grabbed the cloth with one hand. A tight clenched fist and dangled the child over the railings. It was there that all of my men could see, as even they were in disbelief of what I was doing. I could only imagine the horror that went on through their minds. Octavian, Cao Tzu, Kallista, Mil¡¯Tuk, Straden, and Brutus. I knew not what they thought about me in those moments¡­nor do I wish to know.


    All of my men watched with bated breath to see what I would do. Do the ends truly justify the means? How far is a man willing to go to ensure the survival of his race, his species? How many like that poor child need to die so that a better world can be created? Did Ile¡¯Sethak really have the best intentions for humanity through my empire? Alas, In that regard I am ignorant. Especially at that moment, for I was young and stupid. I stared at the swaddling cloth once more and saw a hand reaching out towards me. I shall never forget that image, nor the feeling of self hatred and disgust I felt after I had done the unthinkable. The deed had been done. I let go.


    ***


    ¡°You killed me¡­¡± The wife of the chieftain said with no emotion. That was the worst feeling of all. There was no hate, no fury, just an emptiness that burned hotter than any righteous anger. She sat alone in her cell. We had moved back to our camp to let the Broken wall burn. Even the wooden structure that had replaced the wall was quietly smoldering as night fell upon us. She was sitting down on the ground, her eyes stained with tears as she looked vacantly away. They were almost completely soulless, empty and filled with a vast pit of blackness that knew no end.


    ¡°You can leave if you wish.¡± I assured her, perhaps in a pitiful attempt to clear my conscience. ¡°My men won¡¯t pursue you and you can live in peace.¡±


    She scoffed. A single chuckle escaped her lips as she shook her head in such a manner that it was barely noticeable, as if she lacked the energy to do otherwise.


    ¡°How merciful of you¡­¡± Her tone dripped with contempt, ire and venom. It mocked me, and I deserved it.


    I said nothing. What could I say? I had done the unthinkable. I could ¡ªrightfully so¡ª point out that she left the child undefended. But that mattered little in the grand scheme of things I suppose. You might have a hope beyond hope that your child will somehow be safe.


    ¡°You killed my son and now you want me to live? Where would I go? How would I survive? No. You don¡¯t get to be merciful now. My chieftain¡¯s flesh is consumed by your pet, and you cast my child down from the keep. You¡¯ve taken everything from me. I was wrong, you haven¡¯t killed me. You¡¯ve done far worse. So do whatever you wish. I care not.¡±


    Again I had nothing to say. I did far worse to her than I would my own enemy. I utterly destroyed her. What use was it for her for me to admit my sorrow? I couldn¡¯t restore the child back to life, and no amount of apologizing in the world could help.


    ¡°You could do anything you desired: you could kill me, you could feed me to your lizard as you did my chieftain, you could turn me loose and let me die in the jungle, you could even have your way with me. You could be the barbarian that you are and rip off all of my clothes and defile me. You could even plant your own spawn into me. I wouldn¡¯t care. You¡¯d never get any form of satisfaction from me. I am dead. I know not what evil I¡¯ve done, but if this is hell then I must have done something to deserve it. My life is hell now, and you¡¯re the demon that rules it. Hate can not even describe what I feel for you. I don¡¯t even know what I feel is anger or sadness or anything. I just¡­am.¡±


    I turned away. The truth of her words stung far worse than anything I¡¯ve felt. Even my own crucifixion paled in comparison to the pain and guilt I was feeling. I imagined a world where I had died on that cross. That world sounded far more sweeter than I had imagined. If I was willing to go that far, then what hope was there for me? I could very well take the woman up on her offer and make another child. How low would I sink then? I killed her child and replaced it with my own. Yes. That would be depraved, wouldn¡¯t it? But no. No, that was far too wicked.


    That night, I took no comfort. No carnal pleasures from my concubine, no drink or meat. Everyone else celebrated our great victory. The jungle lands were united and I had brought order to a lawless place. The tribes were united and bowed at my feet. Now I could consolidate my power and prepare for my rematch with the bull¡­and yet I laid there feeling as if I fought a battle that would have been better if I had lost. I am not a man who wallows in his own choices for long, but that day became my greatest regret. I prayed that I would never have to make another choice like that ever again. Yet even so, I knew one thing for sure. Ile¡¯Sethak was indeed a cruel god, and I expected that he would have me do something like that again. I told myself that if that were to happen, then let an arrow find my black heart before I commit to the foul deed.

 Chapter 36: Heavy is the crown

    The Ophidians had finally arrived, regardless of when I needed them or not. I would have much preferred having them come to my aid during the siege of the Broken Wall, but history rarely gives us what we want. No Ophidian army came to my aid at the last desperate hour to snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat. No righteous heroes charging into doom with the sun at their back. All I was given was the Ophidian army and its people coming to settle into the new lands I provided for them.


    At that moment, victory had a sour taste on my tongue. My banners flew in the air in all places. The jungle area had officially become mine. In over a year, my forces and through the will of Ile¡¯Sethak, I conquered an entire region. With the Ophidian civilians, building fortifications and landmarks would be easy. In constant day and night shifts, we could turn the overgrown jungle into a thriving paradise for my people. Freed slaves served me with unquestioning loyalty. And yet, I felt hollow. Most of all, I felt the eyes of our prisoner upon me at all times. Kin¡¯Thara. The woman who¡¯s infant I threw off of the mighty fortresses walls. She herself said that I could do anything I wanted with her, for spiritually, she was already dead inside.


    A lesser man would have used her for their own pleasure. The defeated chieftess turned slave was quite a prize indeed. Beautiful and regal in all aspects, but I wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to touch her. She deserved better. Whatever the case, she was a prisoner now, though I didn¡¯t need to put chains on her. She stayed right where she was. Where could she go after all? I had killed all that she loved, and she didn¡¯t care if she lived or died. If she were a slave or a free woman. She didn¡¯t even care if she had the chance to get revenge upon me or not. Nothing mattered to her. Anything could happen.


    Brutus was far more distant to me than usual. I felt that even he, as violent as he could be, doubled back at the sight of me dispatching a child. I didn¡¯t know what went on through his mind, whether he feared me or was disgusted by me. After all, If I could kill someone so small and innocent, then what would I do to a friend?


    Sylithra and the other Ophidians functioned well in their new home. They adapted quickly to the new location, trading their dark subterranean dwelling for a jungle paradise. With all the tribes united under our banner, the sky was the limit. They set up their tents and prepared to settle in to the land that Ile¡¯Sethak promised them. Those first nights were filled with music and celebration. Their instruments flared as they danced by the warm fire and bathed in its glow. The female Ophidians, including Sylithra danced in a special kind of rhythm. It was beautiful to watch them completely lose themselves to the music. The way their fingers traced up their scales, their tails curled around and their eyes flashing brilliantly in the light of the fire.


    Octavian and Kallista were far more receptive. Octavian said that my actions had secured a kingdom. Never before had a conquest been more successful. Kallista still had a great deal of respect for me. I shouldn¡¯t dwell on what happened, but look towards the future of our people. Straden and Mil¡¯Tuk trained new legionnaires and animals respectively. Straden trained the men and practiced with them while Mil¡¯Tuk took the local wildlife and attempted to tame them. Soon, we would have beasts like them in our employ. Creatures both great and small being used for our cause.


    And yet I still questioned myself. I questioned my purpose and my faith. How far would I go in order to achieve peace in the blasted lands? How much was I willing to do in order to gain victory? How much blood was I willing to spill to ensure that mankind thrived in this hopeless world? The gods watched us fight wars and murder each other as if we were simply pawns in some grand cosmic game. But if I indeed was just a piece on the board, then why not be the one that beat the game?


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    After a lengthy period of time in self doubt, I crawled out of that pit I made for myself. It wasn¡¯t easy. When I closed my eyes, I could still see the child¡¯s smiling face before I sent him to his doom, but in the end, If Ile¡¯Sethak charged me with bringing order to the world, then so be it. I would be a benevolent ruler to those that swore allegiance to me, but to my enemies, they would see just how cruel I could be.


    I ordered new armor to be forged. Specifically, a new helmet. Something that would strike terror into my enemies. I had used fear tactics with the crucifixions before. It only made sense that I should look the part. My new helmet was still in the Roharim style. Resting on the temples of the helmet was a laurel wreath crown forged into the helmet. Protecting my face were large cheek guards that reached down to just under my head. The forehead of the helmet had my symbol adorning it. On the top of the helmet was a vertical plume that was solid red. Lastly, there was a mask that protected the majority of my face. I saw it fit to have the mask fitted into the shape of a skull. It was meant to evoke terror in our enemies. My helmet would be the last thing they saw, and I must admit, I reveled in the thought of it.


    With a new helmet made, I could play up the reputation that I had developed. If I was to do anything necessary to bring order, then so be it.


    ***


    Several months passed, and I enjoyed the rule over the jungle area. As such, I gave a new name to the region. The nameless jungles would be reborn. In the end, we settled on the most obvious. Hadriana. A simple name, but effective. Our borders were drawn. Our land was full of rich resources, and there was much work to do in order to establish us as a proper power in the blasted lands. I didn¡¯t sit idly by and rested on my laurels. I was preparing for the hard work, but fate had spun a different path for me.


    My scouts reported seeing outsiders. They were battered, bloody and beaten. Only a handful of them were left, obvious survivors of an attack. They were brought before me without much delay. The trappings of their garments was a telltale marker of who they were. They were the Uchanti tribe. I had not forgotten how they helped me in my time of need. Perhaps it was finally time to return the favor.


    Before me stood all that was left of their force. Two able bodied people, a man and a woman. The rest were injured and taken to be healed.


    ¡°Well met, Uchanti.¡± I greeted them, glad to see friendly faces, but mournful over their predicament. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that you have many injured in your ranks. They will be taken care of. What happened to you?¡±


    The man was still injured, but at least he was able to stand. He had been battered with cuts and bruises that had dried and semi-healed. His eye was swollen and blackened with that ugly purple and yellow hue. The eye itself was red with blood.


    ¡°The one your people call ¡®Kai¡¯sar.¡¯ Our people helped you not long ago. Now we come to beg for your help. Our people have been found by a brutal warlord. We are losing the war against his tribe. He slaughters us without mercy and pity. We ask you. We beg you. Please, help us defeat this barbarian and save the Uchanti people. If you don''t, our people will surely fall. We¡¯ve been hounded by them, and traveled great distances to meet you. Please. Help us.¡±


    They had saved my life, and it was high time I returned the favor. A chance to do some relative good. I was eager to do my part. Besides, I needed all of the allies I could get. Saving the Uchanti would hopefully create an everlasting peace.


    ¡°Your plight stings my heart, Uchanti. Your people suffer. I owe your people a great debt. I will come to your aid. Who is this enemy that would attack friends of Hadriana?¡±


    ¡°A vicious warlord¡­¡± He said as he remembered the slaughter. I could see behind his eyes how he was recalling every terrifying moment. It was as if I was inside his head. I could hear the screams that he heard for a moment. ¡°He wore armor as black as night, and he had the horns of a demon. So many of my friends and family died. I had never seen so much blood.¡±


    The bull! I knew the description from anywhere. Not only had I been provided with the chance to help allies, but also to take revenge against my enemy. A chance to repay him for the humiliation that he inflicted upon me. I swore that things would change. That when next I face him, it would be him who crawls in the dirt with broken limbs and a battered body.


    I looked to my side and saw Kallista acting as my guard. Once again we would be thrust into the theater of war. This time, my forces would be ready. This time, the horns of the bull would be broken under my heel.

 Chapter 37: A long awaited reunion

    It took us over a month to take our forces from Hadriana to the lands of the Uchanti. Marshaling one¡¯s forces ¡ªonce sufficiently large enough¡ª took time and effort. Many of the more dangerous beasts left us alone due to our numbers. The full might of the legion had come to the Uchanti lands. More than four thousand warriors including myself and my command. Both human and ophidian marched shoulder to shoulder to defeat a common enemy. I wanted to make sure that the Bull¡¯s forces were overwhelmed. They took down large caravans and small tribes, but against the full force of my legion? Even the bull had to be sweating at the idea of thousands of men all united against him. If not the bull, then someone in his ranks would have surely felt that tug of doubt in their heart.


    Sweetroll, my trusted companion, loyal as always, followed me as I rode my mount at the head of the legion. I familiarized myself with the sounds of a legion marching. Our footsteps were not unlike the rolling of thunder and the quaking of the earth. Appropriate, would you not say? For my revenge on the Bull was like an approaching storm that no shelter could protect against.


    My heart weighed heavily on what I would find in the Uchanti dwellings. They had saved me and in return they felt the bull gore them. An oath was an oath. I would do what I could to save them, but how many of the Uchanti people were left to save between the survivors coming to inform me and my return to the canyons. The thought of being too late dawned on my mind. My fears were all but confirmed when I saw smoke rising from the distance.


    We made our way further towards the canyon where the Uchanti lived. I could see the ramps leading down into the canyon floor. Immediately I knew that if I had my entire legion down there then the Bull ¡ªor rather, any would-be predator¡ª would take advantage of the situation. I raised my hand in the air to stop the march. I summoned Mil¡¯Tuk and Straden to my side. When they approached, I gave them their orders.


    ¡°Straden. Take your forces to the right side of the canyon. Mil¡¯Tuk, you take the left. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious and give us cover. I don¡¯t want to be surprised.¡±


    ¡°As you command, Kai¡¯Sar.¡± Mil¡¯Tuk said as he bowed his head and saluted me. Both men pulled their weapons out to get the attention of their respective units and split from the main army. They marched and went their separate ways, leaving us to travel through the lowest points of the canyon. We marched onward, traveling cautiously through the ravine. Much of the ancient river that carved through rock and stone was gone, having been dried up for Gods know how long. The Uchanti must have gotten their water elsewhere from some hidden place. How else could they have survived?


    We continued to move our patrol deeper into the canyon pass. As we drew closer to where the Uchanti lived, an all too familiar sound echoed through the land. Silence. Not even the sound of wind disturbed the harsh stillness of what remained. With a heavy heart I understood what had happened. If there were any other survivors they weren¡¯t here. Soon we found the bodies that were thrown down  from the bridges the Uchanti made. Their limbs were twisted and mangled from the fall, and their bodies painted a large red stain on the ground as if someone had mercilessly stamped their thumb on an ant.


    I prayed that there was someone out there who was still alive. I got my wish in the most horrid of ways. I saw a figure coming close to us. A lone silhouette of a woman walking towards us. One of the Uchanti, but something was wrong. As she drew nearer to us we saw that she was practically a walking corpse. She stumbled on bloody feet, almost tripping over the corpses around her. Much of her body was covered in blood; a sickening mixture of her own and that of her friends, neighbors and family. She had been stripped naked save for a loin cloth that lazily clung to her. Red stains adorned it prominently both in front of her and at her rear. The most terrible thing about her that I noticed as she moved closer was the axe embedded in her head. It was planted firmly in her skull as dried blood marked her head. Her left eye ¡ªthe same side where the axe was¡ª was blood red from a hemorrhage. As she came closer we could hear the terrible sounds she was making. A gurgled and shook, trying to formulate words.


    She babbled nonsense with no pattern in her speech, just endless dribbling, popping and other inhuman noises. She had defied death and been left in that terrible state between the grave and life. She stopped right in front of me, feeling my presence. I don¡¯t think she could have seen me. Her eyes darted around as if they were covered by a terrible fog trying to locate me. Her appearance told a story that was all too common in that world of violence and death. Some of the Bull¡¯s men must have defiled the poor wretch and then failed to kill her. She kept making those horrid popping noises as she struggled to breathe and speak to me. I pitied the poor creature. I reached out and touched her cheek. She was startled but calmed when she realized I wouldn¡¯t hurt her. She looked at my direction and gurgled something. A single word. ¡°Help.¡± I knew exactly what she needed me to do.


    I went behind her where the axe handle stuck out. Then with a quick motion I pulled the axe out of her head. Blood spurted out of her head like a geyser once the pressure was released and she died before she even hit the ground. I dropped the axe to the side. I turned my head back to the path ahead of us and saw that the Bull¡¯s men were coming. However, there was no sign of the Bull himself. Not yet anyway. It seemed like the force that did this was merely a simple raiding party, not a part of the Bull¡¯s main horde.


    For one brief moment I took a single look at the body of the woman who¡¯s mercy I granted. I said nothing as I turned around to look at the army legion. They knew exactly what to do. I walked back in line with them and we raised our shields up. I gave a loud order that rang through the crevasse.


    ¡°Shield wall!¡±


    Octavian took a whistle and blew it hard. The men went into their positions and raised their shields high, interlocking them and made a mighty wall. The horde of raiders threw themselves at our shields. I noticed that something was off. A gut instinct that told me that there was something more to this. But deep thoughts about the nature of the enemy are worth very little in an active battle, so we simply did what we came for. To kill the Bull and his men. We marched forward and cut down the enemy one by one.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    They sought to overwhelm us with their great numbers and brutality, only to be met with our blades cutting them down effortlessly. It was no great battle, but a slaughter. One of the warriors tried to strike me with a two handed axe and missed. The axe bit down in the ground. It would take only a few seconds to wrestle it out of the ground, but I made sure that those precious moments would not come. I raised my sword high and with one quick stroke I severed both of the man¡¯s hands by the wrist. He screamed violently before a second swing severing his neck silenced him.


    Kallista stood by my side and helped me in my defense. We made a good duo together, working off of one another like a dance in perfect synchronization. I slammed my shield into an attacker and pushed him in Kallista¡¯s direction where she immediately thrusted her blade into the man¡¯s chest like a serpent striking its prey in its most vital area. Another man came to Kallista with a one handed axe and tried to sever head, but she blocked the blade and then kicked his knee. It bent backwards and he fell, kneeling right in front of me where I instantly finished him off with a slash across his throat. A large warrior charged at us with a sword and shield. He appeared to be a half giant, given his size. His shield alone was larger than myself.


    Kallista and I both reacted. She slashed at his leg and I, his torso. I bashed his leg with my shield and she struck his sword arm, severing it. Left exposed, Kallista and I both plunged our swords deeply in his chest. He fell over, dying and wheezing. We shook our blades hard to remove some of the blood off before we continued. Our legion was like a well oiled machine. Meanwhile on the canyon ridge, enemy raiders were going to drop rocks on our heads, until Straden and his men found them first. Rather than stone, it was screaming men falling from great heights, only to hit the ground hard. Some landed on their heads and blood sprayed everywhere, painting the ground crimson. We within the canyon didn¡¯t pause to look or question. We simply fought tooth and nail.


    Eventually we came across one lone raider. He had lost his courage and turned to run, yet I noticed something about him. His axe. It was the same craftsmanship as the one in the woman¡¯s head. Without even thinking, I took a rock on the ground and threw it as hard as I could. It hit his head and the man was knocked over. I walked over to him and examined him. On his left hip was a holster for an axe that was empty. At last. Justice. I turned him over onto his back and I pressed my foot on his neck. I took his axe and threw it away before he could think to use it. His legs kicked around and he punched my leg as I pressed my foot harder on his throat. I bore the pain and put my weight on that raider¡¯s neck. Then I heard a loud snap and felt something shift. With that, the raider was dead.


    All was quiet for a moment until I heard a voice from above.


    ¡°Hadrian.¡±


    Glancing upward, it was the Bull, standing on a bridge between the canyons that the Uchanti used. Many of his men with him aimed their bows at us, ready to strike us at so much as an untrustworthy twitch.


    ¡°You¡¯ve crawled out of the jungles to lend aid to these wastrels. I was beginning to think that you were content ruling over your kingdom of sticks and stones.¡±


    ¡°The Uchanti are under my protection.¡± I yelled back at him loud enough so he could hear me.


    ¡°And what an admirable job you have done so far, wastrel king.¡± The Bull returned with a sarcastic remark. He leaned forward and gripped the ropes of the bridge. ¡°Most of them lay dead now. What little treasures they had belong to me now.¡±


    ¡°Your men didn¡¯t fare any better, Bull. My legion slaughtered them as if they were nothing.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± The Bull raised a finger in the air and shook his head. ¡°You merely fought against the lowest of the low. No better than tribals with sticks. They were not real warriors. They lacked discipline. Focus. Had they obeyed my command, then this village would have survived. It was not worth my time. I had come here not just to take what little spoils the Uchanti had, but to also punish the dissidents. All you have done today is save me the trouble of finding a large enough tree and gathering enough rope to hang them all. It seems the gods have granted you to me as my aid.¡±


    I scowled at him, not amused in the slightest by his nonchalant pandering.


    ¡°Are you going to talk me to death or are you going to face me with what little honor you have?¡±


    The Bull raised his hand in a gesture to calm me down.


    ¡°Do not be so eager to throw your life away for the sake of revenge, ¡®Kai¡¯Sar.¡¯ I have no further business here. You may tend to the survivors of this place if you truly think that the wastrels are worth anything. This is not where we will face each other. We will fight on equal ground. But for now, I leave the fates of these tribals in your hands.¡±


    I could have given the order to attack then and there. Perhaps I should, but they had an advantage being over us. Straden and Mil¡¯Tuk might have been able to fight. They might have, but at the time I believed it was better to hold off until we were on equal footing. The last thing I needed was a fool hardy attempt for the sake of revenge. I looked down at the corpse of the raider who I had still stood on that entire time and then stepped off of his throat. I waited for the Bull and his men to leave before we continued.


    ***


    Once they were gone, My legion regrouped and we searched for survivors. The Uchanti lands were devastated. Bodies of men and women were strewn about. The renegades of the Bull had left their mark. Everything was gone; their history was defaced, their people butchered, and their homes turned to rubble. We searched high and low for survivors, and things looked rather bleak. Mil¡¯Tuk himself was disheartened by the lack of life. I worried for him. It was a part of him that had been violently torn from him. That was until I went over to a ruined alcove. Nothing looked particularly out of the ordinary until I saw something. A small, barely visible seam on the wall behind a boulder.


    I ran my hands along the boulder and felt something. It was hollow. A fake stone to hide something. Kallista stood beside me and I moved the boulder aside. Once I did, I heard a yell and saw something approaching. I moved slightly to my left, dodging the tip of a spear just in the nick of time. It gave me a slight cut and blood poured from my wound. Kallista drew her blade and was ready to strike, but I held my free hand out to stop her. My attacker was none other than Jes¡¯Talali herself, wounded, battered, but alive. Upon recognizing me, her hands shook and she stepped away, dropping her spear.


    She wordlessly scanned me to make sure that I was not a figment of her frightened imagination. If she had truly struck me or continued the attack, then both she and I would have been dead, as evidenced by my sword that I had drawn just as she thrusted her spear and pointed at her belly. I sheathed my blade as Jes¡¯Talali shook. She just grabbed hold of me and cried. I sighed and closed my eyes, giving her all the comfort she required. I took my cape off and wrapped it around her and then went inside the cave. The old and the infirm laid in several beds. Children huddled up against the wall, and wounded men laid there, unable to fight. Mil¡¯Tuk walked in from behind and saw the devastation. This was all that was left of the Uchanti. There were so few, but for now, they were safe.


    Jes told me everything. How the raiders came without warning, and though they fought valiantly, there were simply too many. They killed with reckless abandon and slaughtered innocents. The screams, ¡ªJess told me¡ª were the worst sounds she had ever heard. For several nights while she protected these people, those left outside suffered. It was as if Hell itself was right outside her door. She was clearly traumatized.


    The bodies of the fallen were gathered up and each was prepared in the way that the Uchanti have buried their dead for ages. They were wrapped in cloth and entombed in the burial alcoves. Most had been desecrated by the renegades. We repaired as much as we could and then sealed up what remained. Later, when the sun began to set, we set up camp in the ruins. That would be their last night in the ancestral lands. There was nothing that remained. Nothing of value that was not defiled. Home was no longer safe.

 Chapter 38: The wisdom of a serpent

    The remnants of the Uchanti were distraught and ruined. Their ancestral home which their people thrived in for centuries had been decimated in only a few days. Everything they knew and were was almost erased. The Uchanti¡¯s future was in my hands. At that moment I was uncertain as to what I should have done. If I had left them alone to fend for themselves then death would claim them. Some might have considered that a mercy killing. A lesser man would have seen the Uchanti as dead weight; something to cast aside like worn out garments and let nature take its course.


    I am not a lesser man. There was potential to be had with the Uchanti. Yet I lacked guidance. I needed the right words. I decided that the best course of action was to commune with Ile¡¯Sethak. I needed his wisdom to guide me. In moments such as that, it is always best to pray and meditate. I ventured off into the wilderness to be as far away as possible. Could anything go wrong? Yes, of course. There were many ways that disaster could have sprung forth from my need to pray; a wild beast could have found me and tore me limb from limb, or the Bull¡¯s men would just so happen to find me in my most vulnerable moments and execute me without me being aware of their presence.


    Yet, alone I went all the same. One can not allow fear to overtake one¡¯s heart. Not there in the Blasted lands. You had to be absolutely sure of yourself; to second guess your actions would be like offering your neck for the butcher¡¯s knife.


    I found a place where I could meditate. A rocky formation filled with fossils of long dead creatures that once ruled the vast deserts in ages long forgotten, now left as reminders of titans that once were. I found a smooth stone to which I could sit down and pray. I crossed my legs, rested my hands on my knees and began to pray.


    If you are the type who acknowledges any sort of god, you know that when you pray, you do not always get an immediate answer. That does not mean that they do not listen. Especially when you commune with your god as often as I did. You may pray for hours and yet not get anything. Is that alone a sign that they are not there? No. Think of it like this: imagine the first time you did anything. The first time you make love with someone, even if they do not end up being your lover. Perhaps something as simple as the first time you ate your favorite meal. The first time is always memorable and the most intense. First impressions, of course. The more you indulge, the less potent it becomes, but that doesn¡¯t mean that it''s not there. Those that need divinity the most will feel as if on fire, but even if you feel nothing, do not stop. For prayer and meditation is well worth it.


    I prayed for what felt like hours, meditating on all that had transpired throughout my time in the Blasted lands; From my arrival, to being nailed to the cross, to finding Cao Tzu and Brutus and the others, gathering an army, conquering my realm and beyond, and all of it guided by the machinations of Ile¡¯Sethak.


    I calmed myself and slowed my breathing to focus. I couldn¡¯t afford to let my mind wander aimlessly. All I could do was continue my praying. As I sat there silently, my senses were enhanced and the air itself became alive with the sounds of nature; I could hear the almost indiscernible pitter patter of lizards crawling around on the sands, the scattering of dust under their feet. The buzzing of insects filled my ears as if they were flying right next to my head. I could feel a gentle breeze flowing over my skin and rustling the small hairs on my arm that sent shivers down my spine as I continued to focus.


    I had to ignore most of it so I could focus. Before long the sounds faded as if I was being carried off on some distant journey. I was treated to a loud and deafening silence. Eventually the quiet was broken up by the sudden emergence of hissing and the feeling of something coiling around my body. I once again felt the cold and rough embrace of Ile¡¯Sethak, and heard him whisper inside my head.


    ¡°The Uchanti as they once were are naught but ash. Like clay from the earth, all that is left has no shape or form of its own. We must guide them.¡±


    My head turned to where I felt the flicking of a forked tongue on my cheek, yet I remained focused on meditation. My eyes firmly shut to keep away all distractions.


    ¡°What am I supposed to do with them? All that is left of them are injured men, women and children. They can hardly defend themselves.¡±


    ¡°They do not need to defend themselves, Hadrian. They simply need to bend the knee. They have nothing now. Their gods have abandoned them.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I said, perplexed. ¡°Why would their gods abandon the Uncahti to this fate? They did not spurn them as far as I am aware.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, my Kai¡¯Sar, gods can be fickle creatures. One day they could raise a nation up to glory only to then flood that nation and let the ocean swallow them whole.¡±


    I cocked my brow, yet still kept my eyes closed.


    ¡°And are you as fickle as other gods?¡±


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    ¡°Be careful, Hadrian.¡± Ile¡¯Sethak warned me carefully with a calm, yet firm voice mixed with a droning hiss. ¡°I am not so easily¡­dismissive of my servants. You are my chosen; my prophet. As long as you do what I have asked of you, then you will prosper. Think not of it as a threat, but a warning as one would warn a blind man from walking off the edge of a cliff.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Tell me, my lord: what must I do with the Uchanti?¡±


    The serpent god whispered to me. I listened carefully as the words burned in my brain. I acknowledged him and listened as carefully as one would listen to a parent. By the time Ile¡¯Sethak was done, I heard another voice speak.


    ¡°Hadrian.¡± I turned and opened my eyes to the direction of the noise. Instantly, the sound of the world flooded my ears and I was met with the gaze of Kallista. I stood up and faced her.


    ¡°Kallista. What news do you bring?¡±


    She stepped closer to me and led me back to camp.


    ¡°Our scouts captured a man and a cart. He¡¯s a strange one. I¡¯ve never seen his ilk before. I didn¡¯t know if he could be a spy from the Bull, so he is our prisoner. I figured you might desire to speak with him.¡±


    ¡°Indeed I will, Kallista. You did well.¡± A small curl formed on my lips, though not only of the good news, but of something¡­more. I followed her and looked ahead, with a determined glance. ¡°I will speak with this prisoner later. Right now, I must speak with the Uchanti.¡±


    Kallista acknowledged my statement and followed closely behind me. I found a good position to stand at so the Uchanti would hear me. I settled for a rock that had to be carried by a few men. It didn¡¯t grant me the greatest height, but it helped nonetheless.


    ¡°Children of the Uchanti. Look around you. Your homes are reduced to ashes, rubble and broken memories. Good people died here without warning or mercy. This came about because the Bull couldn¡¯t control a few of his barbarians. Like rabid dogs they flew off their leashes and slaughtered your people down to this.¡±


    ¡°It is regrettable that this had to happen. There are many questions that linger, chief among them being: ¡®why did this have to happen?¡¯ I¡¯ll tell you. It is a bitter drink to swallow, but your gods have abandoned you. They failed to protect you or even give you any sort of warning about the atrocities that we find ourselves in.¡±


    Some of the elders of the Uchanti whispered to each other and questioned, but they chose to keep their objections to themselves. Their silence made it all the easier, and Ile¡¯Sethak was well pleased.


    ¡°Look around you, brothers and sisters. Look at what has become of your once great people. Your shrines to your gods are defiled and your priests lie crumpled like refuse. Your idols are little more than pebbles not even fit to be thrown into a lake to see if they can skip. I am sorry, but your gods abandoned you. Fickle little creatures as they are.¡±


    I placed my hand on my chest as I scanned around, making sure that each Uchanti could look into my eyes and feel as if I am speaking directly to them.


    ¡°But not me. Not my lord Ile¡¯Sethak. I come here because of his grace. Your old gods may abandon you on a whim, but Ile¡¯Sethak will not. We will avenge your people with all the fury and anger that all your dead feel at this very moment. Stand with me, submit yourselves to Ile¡¯Sethak, and revenge will be yours! The Bull¡¯s degenerates are dead, but your dead will not rest until his reign of terror ends! My warriors will lead you back to my capital. There you will recover, but not as the Uchanti. The Uchanti the world knew was murdered.¡±


    They could feel my words ringing in their chests, harmonizing with their spirits. Broken, beaten and nearly dead, they understood that they could start again as something brand new.


    ¡°Join with me, and you will never know the sting of defeat again! You will never be degraded, abused and brought to this point again. The Uchanti may die, but the children of Ile¡¯Sethak protect their own. And all you have to do ¡ªthe only thing you need to do, ¡ª is to kneel.


    Many hesitated. However, one by one, they all knelt down in supplication until only Jess¡¯Talali stood. I looked firmly at her and she stared into my eyes, though we were far apart from each other. She could see at that very moment, it was the end. If the Bull¡¯s rejects were the knife that plunged into the Uchanti¡¯s heart, then that moment where they bent the knee was the final breath leaving the carcass. Jess¡¯Talali shuddered, an icy shiver ran down her spine before she made her choice.


    If there was anything she found wrong in my speech, she would have said something ¡ªanything¡ª to stop me. But she and I both knew that her silence was louder than anything she could have said, and just like that, she knelt down as well and lowered her head. The Uchanti were mine. Simple as that. I turned around and gave the orders to escort the Uchanti back home while I would speak with the stranger my people captured.


    ***


    The wagon that the Ophidian Praetorians found was a ramshackle mess. A hastefully put together thing that was meant to have function over form. It could carry a lot. A man¡¯s entire life could be placed into that thing, everything from his trade to his memories. And there, shackled by the Ophidians so he could not flee was a familiar sight. I remembered him quite well. The mad genius that helped me so long ago freeing the slaves back at Akari.


    ¡°Vatrez!¡± I said as my eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, and my arms opened even wider to embrace him. The look on his face was one of relief like a prisoner being told: no. It was not, in fact, his day of execution and he would be pardoned.


    ¡°Vatrez. What in the name of the gods are you doing out here?¡±


    ¡°Hadrian! You have no idea how happy I am to see you! You¡¯re a sight for sore eyes. Here I was expecting to be flayed alive or crushed under foot by the beasts of burden. I¡¯m pretty sure these¡­ugh¡­lovely gentlemen were discussing how to eat me. I don¡¯t know, their language is unfamiliar to me.¡±


    ¡°Ssethiss ekhirrath iss''skara. En ssethiss venkrass ki''issath vressar skethis shasskath.¡±


    <This one never stops talking. He is as annoying as a hatchling who has not grown his fangs.> The Ophidian said in his native language. I nodded and smiled before turning to Vatrez.


    ¡°They don¡¯t want to eat you, they just find you annoying.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­is that all?¡± Vatrez gave a weak laugh and looked around. I gestured for the Ophidians to free him. They simply nodded and unlocked his shackles. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Vatrez. Answer my question, please.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, Lak¡¯Ashara¡¯s people eventually traced your efforts back to me. What with you blowing up their stuff. After I made a¡­quick diversion tactic, I fled my home. I wanted to be secluded, but here I am. Though I have to say I feel much safer now knowing that you¡¯re here rather than some warlord.¡±


    A thought popped into my head and I had a burning question. With half hooded eyes and a wry smile on my face, I gently placed my hands on Vatrez¡¯s shoulders and tilted my head.


    ¡°Vatrez¡­is it possible for you to, oh I don¡¯t know, make more of those explosives?~¡±

 Chapter 39: Where there is smoke

    Vatrez quickly became yet another boon for our cause. His genius could only be rivaled by his unorthodox methods. Using the same methods that he employed so long ago, he supplied us with more of that flammable brew. We had several artisans craft and prepare clay pots to contain the putrid gunk. There were plenty of soldiers who started out making pots, urns, vases and other earthly items as their trade before they were pressed into service.


    However the most revolting task still laid in front of us. We had to gather ingredients ¡ªa task that would, though not extremely difficult, prove to be dirty¡ª and combine them into one thick homogeneous sludge. To the west of our encampment was a field of sulfur that was one of the ingredients. The putrid area was toxic. A thin layer of poisonous gas flooded the air. Fortunately for us, Vatrez had us covered. While we stood there at the edge of the field, He reached into his bags and pulled out strange masks. They looked like they belonged to some gnarled bird. They came attached with some hoods to drape over our heads, and the inside had the strong odor of wildflowers.


    ¡°Put these on. I designed them myself.¡± Vatrez said as he handed myself, and one of my praetorian guards each a mask. ¡°I¡¯ll need to make more of these for more workers. We can¡¯t stay in there for too long. The gasses will suffocate us. I only need a few samples.¡±


    Reluctantly I put my mask on and followed Vatrez. What followed was the most toxic, putrid, awful stench that had ever invaded my nose. Slogging through the difficult ground, I could feel the hairs in my nose curl as the overpowering scent of rotting eggs entered the mask, despite the protection. If that''s what I could smell with the mask, then I shuddered to think what it would have been like if I ventured off into the fields without any protection. Soon, I found the result of something that was less fortunate than I.


    I tripped, my foot having been caught by something my mask prevented me from seeing clearly. My Guard caught me before I fell and I saw the obstacle that caused me to nearly fall. A dead animal was left to decay. Its nose was filled with a thick, white mucus while its eyes were almost pure white. Vatrez found a suitable place to mine for Sulfur and chipped away at it with a tiny pick and collected it in a small container. When we finally left that dismal area, I had to find some sort of water, or else I would have been stained with that smell for gods know how long.


    ***


    Later, Vatrez studied, ensuring that the particular sulfur could be used in his brew. After having been cleaned, I wandered around the camp. I took the time to check on the Uchanti refugees. My soldiers were preparing for the journey back home so that the Uchanti would have a chance to grow and be integrated into our society. With her culture left in ruins, Jes¡¯Talali had the difficult obligation to lead her people and help them to adapt.


    As her people gathered supplies and loaded them into wagons, She stood on the sidelines with a defeated look on her face. Uncertainty flooded her eyes and she did very little to hide it. Her mixed feelings hung in the air prominently as if she were standing in a field of flowers. I walked over to her and stood beside her.


    ¡°Your people will recover. Not as they once were, but as something more.¡±


    She jolted slightly at the sound of my voice. Her mind had been a thousand miles somewhere else. She placed her hand on her chest to calm her heart. It took a few moments, but soon she spoke to me.


    ¡°Hadrian. You startled me. I¡¯m sorry, I was¡­elsewhere.¡±


    I crossed my arms behind my back and tilted my head to the side as I spoke. ¡°I apologize for disturbing you. I only meant to give you some reassurance.¡±


    She nodded once again, but did not speak. There was that look once more. That look of uncertainty. I watched her for a moment and breathed in deeply before I turned directly to face her.


    ¡°You are not fully on board with your people evolving.¡±


    ¡°What gave that away?¡± She said with a deflated tone. She looked at me and finally spoke her mind. ¡°Our people have lived the same way since time in memorial. Since our ancestors first came to this land when it was still green and vibrant. Even as the very lands changed right under our feet, we were as constant and as immovable as a mountain. And in only a few short days, all of that history and culture is ruined. It''s something that should have been impossible to have happened at all.¡±


    ¡°And yet, here we are.¡± I said as I gestured my right hand over to the wagon as her people packed their things. Everything that they could salvage.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense though. Our gods have always protected us, even when the worst came. They would not just abandon us like filth.¡±


    ¡°Gods are fickle creatures, Jess¡¯Talali. They play with mortals as long as they like, weaving fate like tangled webs only to forget about us at the worst possible moment.¡±


    She turned to face me, her eyes peering into mine as she spoke. ¡°I do not believe that. They have always been a constant. A fact. Why abandon us now?¡±


    ¡°I do not know. But Ile¡¯Sethak has come to do what they did not. Your people are safe under the serpent god¡¯s sight.¡±


    Her eyes traced downward and turned to face the wagon. Her hands wrapped around her shoulders to embrace herself, trying to comfort herself where my words had obviously failed to. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.


    ¡°And if your god decided to abandon us, what then?¡±


    Before I could attempt to give an answer, she walked to the wagon to help her people. I don¡¯t believe I could have answered her even if she had stayed and listened. I said it myself, that the gods were fickle creatures. Even I had my doubts. But Ile¡¯Sethak had not abandoned me¡­not yet. Still, I made a mental note to prepare myself for that event.


    I was about to leave when I saw Mil¡¯Tuk working on his own steed while absentmindedly looking at the Uchanti people. He lightened the creature¡¯s load but his mind focused on other matters. He was a younger man who was at that age where women were a constant thought. I could tell that he was relieved that Jess¡¯Talali had managed to survive, and in one piece. Who could blame him? She was a beautiful woman with raven black hair and skin that was loved by the sun rather than simply kissed by it.


    He reminded me when I was barely reaching my twenties, and I figured I would do him a solid favor. I approached him as he was focused on working.


    ¡°Mil¡¯Tuk!¡± I shouted with a thunderous voice filled with authority, and Mil¡¯Tuk snapped into attention and stood as firm and rigid as an oak.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°K-Kai¡¯Sar!¡± his blissful look on his face turned into that of a frightened child.


    ¡°Just what do you think you are doing idly standing about when you could be making yourself useful.¡±


    ¡°M-My lord, I was just-¡±


    ¡°I think that there''s only one course of action. One that ensures that you keep your eyes focused and that you¡¯re not slacking.¡±


    ¡°My Kai¡¯Sar, please. I was only-¡±


    ¡°My decision is final. You will accompany Jess¡¯Talali and guard her very closely. Keep your men close to her at all times, and you will act as her personal guard.¡±


    Mil¡¯Tuk was about to protest again, yet before he could even speak he realized what I had done. Rather than some overboard punishment, I had granted him a chance to be alone with Jess¡¯Talali. I knew that he fancied her, and I figured that the opportunity was too perfect to pass up. He stood there stunned, his mouth agape, hanging open as if his jaw had locked.


    I gave him a coy, mischievous smirk as I let the fact sink in. Instantly he jabbed my right arm and shook his head.


    ¡°If I may speak freely, Kai¡¯Sar.¡±


    ¡°You may.¡±


    ¡°You are an ass.¡±


    I opened my arms wide, guilty as charged as I smirked.


    ¡°Perhaps I am, and yet I am a generous ass, am I not? Go. Take your chance with her. She is troubled and in need of comfort. It would do her well to have someone to cling to.¡±


    Mil¡¯Tuk sighed and shook his head before he marched over to Jess¡¯Talali and spoke to her. My gift to my young hunter. A chance at love.


    ***


    When Mil¡¯Tuk and his men made their journey out of the camp, I found a position on some high rocks. They were a short distance away from the encampment. When night came, the lights of the tents glittered like stars in the night. Conquest was on my mind. Conquest and revenge. I pictured the Bull lying broken on the ground at my feet ¡ªhis tribal raiders scattered aimlessly¡ª.


    My bloody daydreaming was interrupted when I heard someone approach from behind. It was Kallista.


    ¡°My lord.¡± Business as usual filled her tone. She stood by my side overlooking the camp while I sat down.


    ¡°Kallista. I assume you have some news to tell me?¡±


    She gave a slight nod before speaking. ¡°Scouts have reported back with some information. There''s a village not too far from here. Tribals by the look of them. They appeared to be gathering riches to pay homage to the Bull. I recommend that we raid the village by morning, leaving the Bull with nothing. With the siege weapons your mystic Vatrez constructed, we will make quick work of them. Our own casualties will most likely be minimal if any.¡±


    I leaned back and stroked my beard in thought. I hummed to myself, acknowledging her suggestion.


    ¡°A village¡¯s baptism by fire being the debut of our fire jars. A little overkill, but undoubtedly effective. You would think that the siege of the broken wall would be enough to spread fear to our enemies. Still, I see no harm in increasing the level of terror. Make it so.¡±


    Kallista nodded. She turned around and was about to leave, but before she could take another step, I called her name. She stopped and focused on me again.


    ¡°Sit with me, just for a moment if you would.¡±


    She said nothing. She looked confused for a moment before she obliged me. She sat down next to me and looked at the camp.


    ¡°Where does your mind wander tonight, Kallista?¡±


    ¡°My lord?¡±


    ¡°A simple question. I wish to pry for a moment. Let me indulge. I admire you in many ways; your strength, your tenacity, your willpower. You are what a true woman of Roharam should be. Yet I must ask, who is the woman behind the armor?


    She was taken aback by my questions. ¡°My lord, I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡± I sighed deeply, trying to break through the shield she crafted for herself. ¡°Lets have none of that. There is no one up here besides the two of us. Hadrian will do just fine.¡±


    She paused for a moment, uncertain as to what I was doing. We had spared before and interacted, yes. But that was the first time I had ever had a direct one on one conversation with her since we met.


    ¡°Very well¡­Hadrian.¡± She nodded slightly before she looked out at the encampment. ¡°My thoughts lie on our goals for the future. Let''s say that tomorrow ¡ªor some time soon¡ª you slay the bull. What then? Where will your sword strike next?¡±


    I pondered for a brief moment and then smiled. ¡°Akari. I believe Akari will be my next goal.¡±


    ¡°Akari? But Ka- H-Hadrian. Akari is a client state to Lak¡¯Ashara! Ankarama-¡±


    I cut her off. ¡°Is a puppet. A useful one at that. I have every intention of letting her live, keep her throne and all that. She would only be trading masters.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­¡± Kallista pondered and bit her lip lightly. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy. You would need to prove to her why she should bend the knee to you and not to Lak¡¯Ashara. Lak¡¯Ashara is a powerful sorceress; more powerful than Cora herself. She watches all within her domain and her presence is felt even in lands where she does not directly rule. Not even the Bull is mad enough to attack her directly.¡±


    ¡°You are correct. Her name is on the lips and dreaded thoughts of people everywhere. If I am to unite the Blasted Lands, then I need to be the better alternative. She brings decadence, debauchery and filth to her kingdom, I bring order, security and strength. I¡¯ve been to her ¡®city of pleasure¡¯ and saw how she governs it. The things I¡¯ve seen¡­it sickens me. Every debased act that you can imagine was out there, publicly in the streets.¡±


    ¡°Cora never showed me what the city was like.¡± Kallista spoke as she stared out to the camps. The fires of the camps flickered brightly in those soft blue eyes of hers and made them sparkle like diamonds.


    ¡°You would be sick to your stomach.¡± I said, feeling nauseated at the very idea. ¡°Orgies rampant in the streets, people fornicating with animals, and far worse things you can imagine. I truly mean it when I say that the city is nothing more than a gigantic whore house. A den of twisted, hideous, perverted fantasies of which the very thought turns my stomach. Should I visit the city again, I wouldn¡¯t know if I should spare it or raze it to the ground.¡±


    She stared at me as I ranted. She could see that I was very passionate. Even so, I could see a question forming from behind her eyes. A question that burned in her heart. I had a sinking feeling as to what it was. Unconsciously she looked at me with pleading eyes as if to get my permission to ask her question, of which I nodded and consented silently.


    ¡°The¡­child. The one from the broken wall. Why did he deserve death? He was no degenerate; no pervert who whored himself out. He was an innocent child, unable to talk. Why did you kill him?¡±


    I felt a cold twist in my heart as she asked. I swallowed hard and would give her an answer. ¡°Ile¡¯Sethak spoke to me. He said that if the child were to live, he would be destined to destroy the empire we are building.¡±


    ¡°That¡­is cold. But what else can you expect from a serpent? Why do you serve him? Why are you his champion?¡±


    ¡°I searched for him because I believed that Roharam was becoming stagnant. The gods of our people are said to squabble with each other like angry hens. I wanted to bring order. I am his champion because He chose me. He saw that I could survive being crucified with nothing but my will, and he uses me as his greatest tool. I am burdened with a great and terrible destiny. Was this entirely of my own will or has Ile¡¯Sethak guided me all my life so I could fulfil this purpose? Seeing the statue of myself at the Ophidian city has given me reason to pause.¡±


    She nodded and looked up at the night sky for a moment. She leaned back and pondered.


    ¡°Be very careful, Hadrian. You may be the serpent god¡¯s chosen, but you and I both know that gods can be fickle creatures. You are their favorite one minute, and the next you are forsaken.¡±


    She looked at my wrists. I had my arm bands on so she couldn¡¯t see my scars. She leaned closer to me.


    ¡°Hadrian¡­show me your scars.¡±


    I looked at her with a confused look, but I relented. I took off my bracers and showed her my scars. They had healed well since I was nailed to the cross. I felt her hands exploring my wrist. Despite being a warrior through and through, her hands were still that of a woman: soft, comforting, sweet to the touch. I couldn¡¯t help but treble lightly at her touch. My scars were sensitive. She explored my wounds front and back.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never met anyone who survived crucifixion before I met you. I had no idea the extent of the damage. It''s a miracle that you¡¯re able to hold a sword at all.¡±


    I tightened my fist and flexed my fingers. The memory of the hammer falling down on the long sharp spike haunted me still. The burning pain of the cold iron being driven into my flesh.


    ¡°Sometimes I still feel it, especially when I am waking up. Legatus Tempest barking orders and the hammer driving the nail deeper, pinning me to that death tree like a proclamation. Even when I fight, I can almost feel the nails still dug inside me.¡±


    I had never seen her be tender before, but tenderness is what I got from her. She stroked my scars with those electrifying fingers of hers and soothed my pain. She brought the scars up to her lips and kissed my wrist. I was surprised, and she was too after the deed was done. She stood up and cleared her throat.


    ¡°I¡­should leave you alone for now. We have a big day. There will be blood that needs to be spilt, and we can not afford to have you lose any sleep.¡±


    ¡°It''s quite alright. Thank you¡­this was very¡­enlightening.¡±


    She was about to walk away again when I stopped her for the final time.


    ¡°I would love to talk again soon.¡±


    She paused for a moment. She didn¡¯t turn to face me, but I could swear that I saw a glimmer of a smile.


    ¡°¡­Perhaps.¡±


    Without any further delay she left. I was alone again, but I felt¡­strangely warmer.

 Chapter 40: There is Fire

    We arrived at a village that offered tribute to the Bull. A small detachment of my legion joined with us while the majority rested at camp. Among the forces we brought to the battlefield we brought three centuries of men. Three hundred men against a smaller village. Followed by one cavalry unit and two catapults that had Vatrez¡¯s concoction. Combining his brew with the oil we harvested from the jungle lands, the effects of the weapon would hopefully prove useful. A proper demonstration to show the Bull and all those who served him the true might of my legion.


    I rode my mount closer to the village with Octavian and Kallista by my side. Octavian held our banner high and proudly. It fluttered in the wind gracefully. Kallista stood ready, eager for anyone who would dare strike at me. We stood a safe distance away from the village, but well within an archer¡¯s range should one be bold. It was a risky move, but I had to give them a small chance to escape this fate.


    ¡°Hear me!¡± I shouted at the top of my lungs so none of the villagers wouldn¡¯t be able to misunderstand my words. ¡°I am Kai¡¯Sar Hadrian Damoclesian. I am chosen for the great serpent, Ile¡¯Sethak. No doubt you have heard of me. I have contended with your master the Bull several times now, and I am displeased. He does not think me worthy of his time. He skulks about, hiding and letting the unwanted fight me. Yet I am no wastrel akin to the ones he butchered before.¡±


    ¡°I ride with only three hundred men and women at my back. All of those who would risk their lives to serve me and my cause. We bring the light of civilization and order to the Blasted Lands. Abandon your master now and bend the knee, and I shall be merciful. Even more, I shall make you rich men. For I bring prosperity, and soon, the Bull himself will kneel. You will have countless victories under my banners. Submit, and you will share my dream of bringing peace to the lands and reap the rewards. Refuse, and you will serve as a message. A proclamation to the legion¡¯s power. What say you?¡±


    A great silence flooded the scene. Perhaps for a brief moment they contemplated my offer. I soon received their answer when the all too familiar ¡°twang¡± of a bow releasing an arrow broke the silence. Before I could even react, Kallista threw her arm to the side and used her shield to block the arrow. The small missile embedded itself into it, and from the other side I could see the small protruding tip of the arrowhead that would have hit me between the eyes had it not been for Kallista. In an instant I looked at her. The moment of chaos broke and she allowed herself to breathe again. She glanced back at me and then gave me a subtle smile. She pulled her shield away from my head and we rode back to the rest of our forces. Once we made it back, I turned my mount around and glared at the village. Sensing my anger, The beast I rode responded in kind. The large feathered lizard-like creature frilled its feathers up. Its eyes were bright red where it should have been white. A row of sharp teeth was revealed as my mount puffed up and let out a fearsome roar. At the same time I pulled my sword out and raised it in the air, and then slashed downward, launching the attack.


    The tops of the barrels were lit with torches before the catapults came to life with the throw of a switch. The gears of the machinery roared loudly as the counter weight dropped, and the barrel flew overhead. It looked like a falling star as it left a trail of flame behind it. Then, with a thunderous crash it burst through the roof of one of the houses and immediately erupted into a great and terrible blaze. Screams quickly rose just as the second catapult¡¯s payload hit one of the wooden walls. It too splashed flame everywhere.


    Right after that, the catapults were wound back to prepare a second volley, all the while the villagers tried to put the flames out. The beautiful thing about Vatrez¡¯s creation and the oil we harvested combined into something that was truly a weapon of destruction. As they poured water on the flames, the flames only went higher! I could hardly believe it as I watched life giving water have only the opposite effect on its natural enemy. The rest of my forces could only watch as they saw fire fall on the village yet again. Many of them were grateful that they had submitted, rather than to have found themselves on the receiving end of the all consuming blaze.


    A third volley soared through the air, streaking across the sky and falling down, crashing spectacularly and spreading the flames more. I lifted my fist in the air. The village had enough. We paused and simply watched as the fires continued to spread. Try as they might, they were powerless to stop the fire. Many of the villagers fled. The front gates of their wooden wall burst open and several people poured out rather than be consumed. I looked at Octavian and gave my orders.


    ¡°Round up the villagers. The women and children mostly. Kill any who resist.¡±


    Octavian nodded wordlessly before he went to one of the cavalry units and a squad of legionnaires. All the while the screams of the people inside the village that were unfortunate enough to not escape in time filled the air before slowly fading. Am I particularly proud of that moment? No. But there are a lot of things that I am not proud of that I still did in the name of keeping order. I told myself plainly that it was for the greater good, and hardened my heart. As if to search for a second opinion, I glanced at Kallista. She had a different expression.


    She sat on her mount, watching the flames slowly die down. Perhaps there was a questioning glance that appeared on her face for a brief moment. Perhaps she thought that there was no honor in this act. If she did think that, she kept it hidden. She stood stalwart, stoic. Whatever she was thinking at that moment, I couldn¡¯t tell you. I breathed in deeply before I focused on the task at hand.


    ***


    Eventually after a few hours, the fire died down. All that remained of the village was burnt wood and desolation. Survivors were gathered, forced to kneel down and have their hands on the back of their heads. Those that were wounded and dying weren¡¯t considered important, and were granted mercy through the spear and the sword. It''s hard to forget what burning human flesh smells like. Indeed, killing those that the fire didn¡¯t consume was a far better fate than leaving them in that state.


    Despite the hint of regret I had over committing that deed, our mission was a success. The village became a pyre that the Bull wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore. It was a demonstration of our power and military might. The Broken Wall would go into legend for sure, but one must always present themselves as consistently. The stacks of dead men that my legion trampled on when saving the Uchanti would act as mere whispers compared to the proclamation the village became as it announced my arrival. I would not be ignored by the Bull, and this would send a message not just to him, but to all of the tribes that served under him. I had arrived. This village was offered as a burnt sacrifice to signal my coming. Those that did not bend the knee would either burn or be nailed to a cross.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    I looked over the many prisoners that were left from the village. Elderly, women and children all formed their ranks. After the wounded warriors were mercifully killed, The eldest of the males was a boy who looked no more than sixteen years old. Oh, but when I looked into that boy''s eyes, I saw a bit of myself. I remember very clearly what the boy looked like. He had blackened curly hair with some stubble growing around his chin. The ghost of a beard that he had been working on, yet in truth showed how young he truly was.


    He had olive skin that was kissed by the sun to a darker complexion than my own. He had only just started to become a man, and yet his eyes were striking. They had that same willpower that I had. A bright flame that even I could feel the intensity of. He looked at me with such hatred and yet I felt no shame. I felt pride. I had become the most important man in that boy¡¯s young life. I looked around and saw that the fight had left everyone else. Sullen, sunken in faces greeted me with terrible awe. After drinking it in, I finally spoke.


    ¡°Remember this day. It is now the most important of your entire lives. I offered you a merciful path. You could have been made wealthy beyond your dreams. I could have turned this village of yours into something beautiful. But instead, you chose¡­this.¡±


    I turned and gestured my hand at the burnt out village. Even then, some of my soldiers were looting what was still valuable and unburnt. The villagers could only look on.


    ¡°Your village burnt; husbands, brothers and sons lay dead and dying, and you will be made to serve. But you can still avoid slavery. I offer you a chance to follow by choice. Perhaps your warriors did not speak for you. You could still kneel¡­so who will do it first?¡±


    I walked down the row of prisoners, looking at them intently. Most hid their faces away from me out of fear, but not that boy. That boy continued to look at me. I stopped in front of him. It was as if we shared the same mind for a brief moment. I knew what his response would be before he even knew. I smiled at the thought as I asked him.


    ¡°What about you, boy? Will you kneel?¡±


    From under his sleeve, he managed to hide a small knife used for skinning animals. He pulled it as fast as he could and charged at me. His spirit was in the right place, but he lacked the skill. Before he could stab me in the chest, I dodged and grabbed his wrist. I crushed it as hard as I could and twisted, forcing him to drop the knife before I punched him in the stomach. The boy coughed loudly and clutched his belly, falling down to the ground. The wind was knocked out of him with such force that he was unprepared. That might have even been the first time he had ever been punched.


    It all happened so fast that Kallista had just barely pulled her sword out before it was all over.


    ¡°I like your spirit, boy, but you¡¯re clumsy.¡± I dusted my hand on my tunic. A woman rushed over and shielded him with her body.


    ¡°Artesh! Artesh no!¡± She cradled him as he coughed and tears fell down his cheek. He still groaned and writhed in pain. Before I could ask the woman who she was, she answered. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him! He¡¯s my son. He has his father¡¯s spirit. Please, He¡¯s all that I have left!¡±


    The woman was older, but had aged like fine wine. Despite her years, she still looked youthful and beautiful, despite her own tears that welled up in her eyes. Between the gasping and coughing, the boy uttered: ¡°mother¡­don''t¡­¡± She looked up at me while holding her son. She gently laid him back and then went over to me, throwing herself at my feet.


    ¡°I beg you, my lord! Spare him. Please. I¡¯ll do anything that you ask of me. Just no more. No more death, please!¡±


    I tilted my head at her and then looked at the rest of the prisoners who all had that sense of fear on their faces. They were worried about those two in particular. I glanced back down at the woman and smiled.


    ¡°And why should I let him live? He just tried to kill me. I¡¯d have every right to nail him to a cross for all to see right now.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± She grabbed my legs and looked up, groveling before me. ¡°My son is all I have. I promise, he¡¯ll never do anything like that again. Spare him, Kai¡¯Sar! He has a great temper, but in time, he can control it!¡±


    ¡°Mother¡­no¡­¡± the boy said, weakly as he clutched his stomach. I looked into the woman¡¯s desperate, pleading eyes. I looked at Kallista and pointed at the boy.


    ¡°Get him to a healer.¡± The mother held my feet in gratitude and wept.


    ¡°Oh thank you! Thank you, my lord! Merciful Kai¡¯Sar!¡±


    ¡°Do not thank me yet.¡± I said as I raised my hand up to silence her. ¡°I am putting my trust in you. If that boy should ever strike at me as he did today, then I promise you the cross will be a mercy compared to my wrath. Is that understood?¡±


    The mother nodded as Kallista and several guards carried the boy away. His muffled groans were inaudible, but he looked at his mother as if she had just stabbed him in the back. The others submitted, and I commanded my men to gather them up and find work for them. Before the mother could stand up, I looked back down at her and tilted my head.


    ¡°And you, my dear. What is your name?¡±


    ¡°A-Abessa, Kai¡¯Sar¡­¡± she answered hesitantly, the fear of her son nearly dying radiated through her core.


    I must confess: I believe I said that I had a particular weakness when it came to the fairer sex. I gently held her chin and ran my thumb along her lower lip as I took the moment to enjoy the sight of her body.


    ¡°You love your son very deeply. A devoted mother indeed.¡±


    Her eyes widened at that moment. She stared at my thumb, sensing my desire. Her breathing heightened. There was fear in her heart as well as something else. Perhaps she was steeling herself for what was next, or maybe she was even feeling something else. Something hidden that she tried to deny, but was also there.


    ¡°Yes, Kai¡¯Sar. He is a good boy. Faithful. Give him time, and he will serve you well.¡±


    I continued to stroke her lip. She shivered. I could sense the turmoil in her. She couldn¡¯t decide if she wanted to slap my hand away¡­or embrace it. The conflict in her mind ¡ªa forbidden desire¡ª flooded her.


    ¡°What would you do in order to protect him?¡± I asked simply with a smile on my face.


    She looked up at me with trepidation. One foot in the threshold. She could say no at any point. I had said earlier that they were not slaves¡­technically. Though to be fair, I didn¡¯t tell her that she had a choice. She shivered and her breath shook for a moment. She was silent for what felt like an age before she finally spoke.


    ¡°Anything¡­anything.¡±


    ***


    What followed that night was within the throws of desire and passion. She might have felt a hint of regret during our¡­time together, but she opened her heart up to me. Like a caged, lustful animal that had been denied for so long and was finally able to run free. She was quite a woman. Her husband clearly neglected her in that aspect, or perhaps something in her snapped and her fear quickly turned into wanton lust.


    Her son may have thought that he would end my life that day. But as fate would have it, he had inadvertently given me the chance to give him a little sibling.


    Once the night was over, she clung to me with a satisfied smile on her sleeping face. While away from my city, Abessa provided a lot of¡­entertainment.