ã€ŠA Despot&#x2019;s Redemptionã€‹


 Chapter 1 FERRIC: Gang Encounter

    The roar of thunder filled Ferric''s ears, jolting him awake. Water dripped from his brow as he rubbed the sleep off his eyes. As his vision cleared, he noticed a ray of light shining through the hole in the wooden ceiling.

    His gaze shifted to the right. Severalshopping carts lay overturned, their contents scattered across the wet white tiles.

    This is the city''s main grocery store?What happened to this place?

    It was a far cry from the life of his previous host. The sight of the mansion remained fresh in his mind.

    He remembered himself at the banquet, enjoying the salty tang of the foreign cuisines before being dragged to a private room surrounded by his companions. Blood dripped from his mouth as they cackled and struck him with their heavy bats. He groaned in pain, unable to move as the sharp pain coursed through his wounded back.

    But that was in the past now. He had to move on. Ferric clutched his raincoat.

    His instincts were right, he was in a different body.

    This time it was a middle aged man dressedin a green raincoat, blue jeans and white shoes. He raisedthe cloth up to his nose and sniffed it. Ferric flinched. The jacket reeked of sweat and the shoes were caked in mud.

    He continued to make his way through the aisles of the grocery store as the lights flickered back and forth.

    On his right was the food section. Ferric grinned.I can finally get something to eat.

    He turned to his right and stopped dead in his tracks.

    Several bodies lay sprawled on the floor with entry wounds present on each. The scent of rotten flesh made Ferric sick to his stomach.

    It reminded him of the massacre that occurred in his town several years ago.

    Suddenly, memories of his past flooded back to him.

    The flames, the corpses, the screams of the dying and the roar of bullets echoing through the streets. All of this filled Ferric with unease.

    He sprinted to where the teller should have been, only to be met with the rottencorpse of a female employee with a folded parchment tucked under her left armpit.

    Ferric reached for the paper and began to unwrap it.

    It was a message to the police from a motorcycle gang to no longer interfere in their activities.

    His heart raced. It was no longer safe to stay here.

    He dashed towards the door beside him and clutched the knob. Cold wind whipped against his drenched raincoat, making it flutter like a sail. He hugged himself for warmth as the showers sent chills down his spine.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    In front of him was the city street where large skyscrapers towered abovethe ruined mall.On one side was the sign with the words ''bus stop'' etched onto it.

    He waited for a few minutes for the bus but it never arrived. He had to find shelter quickly otherwise the motorcycle gang would come after him.

    Ferric went to every house he could find. He knocked on every door but there was no response. All of them were locked.

    The sound of revving motorcycles echoed throughout the street. In the distance were the silhouettes of people seated on their bikes. His heart raced. Ferric''s instincts begged him to runbut he knew it would be futile.

    The gang membersbraked before him,clothed in dark leather jackets as raindrops streaked across their visors with machine guns strapped to their backs.

    "Who are you and why have you come to our turf?!" said one of the cyclist''s.

    "I''m just a homeless person trying to seek shelter."

    "Search him!" said one whose voice and bodily figure were definitely those of a woman

    The rest of the gang hopped off their bikes and began to examine him.

    "Well, anything of value?" she asked

    "Sorry Eva. He''s clean. Not even a single penny on him."

    Eva sighed.

    "Another old hermit. Very well. Let''s get him somewhere to sleep."

    Ferric breathed a sigh of relief as they hopped back onto their motorcycles.

    "Well, what are you waiting for?," asked Eva "Hop on!"

    30 minutes later

    Eva stomped her bike''s pedal, grinding it to a halt.Ferric eased his grip on one of the bikers and opened his eyes. Infront of him stood a building, similar to a fast food restaurant with cracks running down its concrete walls. On either side lay the remnants of battered cars parked near the sidewalk.

    His stomach grumbled. The savoury scent of soup caught his attention.

    He disembarked from the motorcycle and rushed to the the entrance.

    Eva clutched the door handle and pushed it open, revealing several people in tattered clothes resting under makeshift beds.

    "Who are these people?" asked Ferric

    "They''re refugees. Just like you."

    "Refugee? Was there a war I didn''t know about?"

    "Don''t tell me you haven''t heard of the border skirmish."

    Border skirmish. Wait, has my alternate self declared war?

    "I don''t think I have."

    "Well it''s really messed up things for me and Pike." Eva pointed to the cyclist next to her

    "Let me guess," Ferric chuckled. It''s harder to steal nowadays."

    Pike shook his head.

    "We haven''t always been crooks. There was a time when we had regular jobs just like everyone else."

    "Then why did you leave? Weren''t there other jobs you could choose from?"

    "Not any that pay well," said Eva as she sat down on the floor "Everything changed since the skirmish last month. Refugees filled the apartments, the rent went up, so much that our salary couldn''t make up for it. Pike and I got kicked out eventually. We had to make a living somehow , so we resorted to theft.''

    Ferric bowed his head. He imagined the echo of stomping boots growing louder and louder , the citizen''s shelters burnt to a crisp, all of this because of him.

    "I''m sorry about that. But that still doesn''t explain the bodies I saw in the grocery store."

    "We don''t talk about that"

    Suddenly, a light began to flash in Ferric''s jacket followed by the wailing of sirens echoing through the streets.

    "No way. You brought them here."

    "I didn''t mean to. It just went off on its own!"

    "Then get rid of it!"

    Ferric searched across his raincoat before pulling down the zip, revealing a black T-shirt and the flashing light underneath. He pulled the collar and checked his chest.

    He gasped.

    The device had been implanted deep into his body.Eva rushed to her machine gun laid on the floor and aimed it at his chest.

    "Sorry old timer. But we can''t have you revealing our location."

    An array of bullets ripped through his jacket. He fell to the ground, blood gushing from his wounds. Pike picked him up and tossed him out into the streets.

    The impact against the rough tar sent pain coursing through his body.

    Ferric glanced up to the dark night sky above him as the rain poured down on his raincoat. His vision blurred as the police cars came into view. But it was too late. The shots left him fatally wounded. His body grew numb until darkness engulfed him from all sides.

 Chapter 2 FERRIC:Enlisted

    In the blink of an eye, Ferric found himself gasping for air. He stood up and felt across his chest, looking for remnants of bullet wounds but found none.

    Ferric sighed. He wanted to believe he had just gone through a horrible nightmare. But that was far from the truth. His soul had simply been transferred to another body. All he could hope for was he would survive longer than before

    For the moment , he got off his bed and went to the nearby closet. He took some clothes to put on top of his white T-shirt, shorts and sneakers. On his right was a mirror that stood as tall as him. In the reflection Ferric caught a glimpse of his current body. His skin bore a light complexion along with unkempt hair and athletic build.

    The distant sound of glass shattered reached his room but he ignored it. He glanced to the window on his right and watched the red sun¡¯s descent to the horizon.

    His heart raced when he heard the slam of his door echo throughout the room. Behind him were three men dressed in green uniforms holding what seemed to be assault rifles and a middle aged woman whose eyes were overflowing with tears.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry son.¡± she said ¡°I couldn¡¯t hold them off.¡±

    Son. Wait? This is the host¡¯s mother.

    One of them bore a large golden insignia on his left shoulder. Ferric knew who he was. He was the sergeant of the squad.

    ¡°Who are you guys?¡± Ferric asked

    ¡°We¡¯re the press gang.¡± said the sergeant

    ¡°I¡¯m being conscripted?¡±

    ¡°Of course you are, the government ordered it a week ago.¡±

    ¡°But who¡¯s the enemy?¡±

    ¡°Have you been living under a rock lately? Our enemy is Ferric.¡±

    The mention of his name struck him like a bomb. He remembered the conversation he had with Eva. The refugees, the border skirmish, the coscription. It all made sense now. His alternate self had declared war on Pangea and now he was going to be forced to fight for the enemy. Ferric scanned the room for an escape. He was not going to die fighting for them.

    Outside the building and on the sidewalk was a green container filled with heaps of garbage bags. If he could jump out through the window, the bags might help to break his fall.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°Son no!¡± said the middle aged woman

    But it was too late. Ferric was already sprinting towards the window. He stretched out his hands and pushed it open until a searing pain coursed through his body and now he was falling from the building. His new body lay motionless on the street and his clothes were soaked in a lake of blood.

    Ferric opened his eyes for the third time and was unable to see beyond his bed. He reached out for the lamp beside him and turned it on.

    ¡°Well Ferric I have to admit that was the shortest life you¡¯ve ever lived so far.¡±

    Behind Ferric stood a ghostly figure, clothed in grey with wings sprouting from his back and a scythe present in his left hand.

    ¡°Raithiel!¡±. Ferric yelled

    He was the angel who sealed him in this dimension. All the pain and death he experienced was his doing.

    He gritted his teeth and ran straight towards Raithiel, his hands stretched out, ready to strangle him.

    The angel smirked at him and knocked the wooden end of his sycthe against the floor.

    Ferric sprang to his feet and leaped through the air. Suddenly, a cloud of grey smoke materialised infront of him. He slammed face first onto the blankets followed by creaking sounds as the bed bent under his weight. An acrid scent filled his nostrils, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

    The fumes that obscured his vision began to dissipate.

    Raithiel chuckled ¡°Oh Ferric. Even after all this time, you still remain the same.¡±

    ¡° Why are you here?¡± Ferric growled

    ¡°There is a squad downstairs that is about to burst into your room. Are you not concerned?¡± Raithiel answered

    ¡°You should know me by now, Raithiel. I¡¯m just gonna get out of the building and evade the authorities.¡±

    ¡°And get shot at repeatedly? Are you not weary of this cycle?¡±

    ¡° I can deal with it.¡±

    ¡°And let your alternate self endure the same torture. Do you not wish to spare him from trial?¡±

    ¡°I thought I can¡¯t alter the past.¡±

    ¡°You would be surprised.¡±

    Raithiel started to distort and flicker.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening with you?¡±

    ¡° The city¡­ is under siege. I have to make haste. Remember, fleeing will not help you here.¡±

    As soon as Raithiel vanished the door infront of Ferric swung wide open Ferric raised his left hand to shield his eyes from the blinding light that penetrated his room.

    He was only able to make out two silhouettes that stood beside the entrance.

    Ferric jolted back as a sharp pain hit his leg. He dropped down to the ground, groaning as his muscles continued to contract.

    Oh no. Not again.

 Chapter 3 FERRIC: Boot Camp

    Ferric fluttered his eyes open as he felt a sudden jerk to the right. He glanced to his left, noticing a transparent cylinder surrounding the transport and a series of rail tracks beneath its metallic wheels. He was on one of many trains used by the Pangean army to transport new recruits.

    Looks like I still got conscripted after all. Oh well, it happens. I''ll just have to play along until I find a way to escape this place.

    Several cadets roamed the aisles, each bearing names stitched onto their military uniforms. Most of them seemed to be in their late teens or early twenties.

    Ferric held his which read : Lloyd age 18 Rank: Cadet

    He could feel the train slowing down as it reached their location. After passing by the trees he noticed the multiple obstacle courses that dominated the field. This was it. This was the military training camp.

    The train door swung open and the recruits flocked to the exit. Ferric followed suit.

    He slowed down his pace and took the chance to enjoy the sweet scent of the grassy plain. It was just like all those years when he would be on the field with his parents. He remembered playing soccer with his father , always aiding him to master dribbling, passing and goalkeeping. His mother would always take him on horse rides across the vast grasslands. Each day she would teach Ferric on how to shoot and cook game.

    Every day he wished he could reunite with his mother and father. But his parents were no longer with him, and now he was surrounded by strangers who might not make it past their first day in battle.

    He sat down on the wooden bench next to him that was one of many dotted across the field. Beside him was a young man who bore a dark complexion and black hair clutching a book close to his face.

    His name "Timothy" had been stitched onto his uniform just like Ferric''s.

    "Hey Timothy, what are you reading?" Ferric asked

    " Oh nothing much. Just a book about military strategy."

    "That sounds interesting. Can I see it?"

    "Go ahead."

    Ferric traced his fingers across the book . The cover featured golden block letters patched onto its rough surface.

    It read :

    The Art of War

    By

    Sun Tzu

    He opened the book and flipped through the yellowed pages. It was full of quotes regarding tactics which he wished he used during his time as the ruler of Lumea.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    "Well, do you like it?"

    " I do. Where did you get this book?"

    "From our captain Emily. She said it came from some planet called Earth?"

    Ferric giggled. "She must be joking. There''s no way anyone would name their world after dirt. So where is she now?"

    "I''m not too sure. My friends said that they saw her going to the archives."

    "Oh no!" Ferric thought to himself

    He snatched Timothy by the wrist and sprinted off towards the nearby forest.

    "Wait where are we going?"

    "The captain you were talking about is a spy."

    " Really? How can you be sure?"

    "Just trust me, okay. We have to stop her from accessing the archives."

    Sweat trickled down their brows as they ran towards the computer centre. Their hearts pounding quicker with each step.

    They had to make it. Or else the other Ferric would get crucial information about the Pangean army.

    Ferric noticed a small building on the nearby hill. Its walls and roof had been painted in hues of green and brown to blend more with the surroundings. The two halted their run to catch their bearings. Timothy knelt down and clutched his chest.

    "Lloyd. I think this whole spy thing is too big for us. Couldn''t we just get our superiors instead.

    "I doubt they would listen . We''re just a couple of new recruits after all."

    "Fair enough. I just hope you didn''t make me sprint for nothing. "

    Ferric stretched out his hand and pulled Timothy up from the ground.

    He glanced at the window beside him and peeked through it. The room inside was filled with computers , each containing important information on the Pangean army.

    Seated by one of the desktops was a young woman whose long white hair flowed down her shoulders as she typed on the keyboard.

    Timothy''s friends were right. Emily did go to the archives.

    Ferric knew who she was. He remembered meeting her during his reign, where he formed an alliance with the Rapturians. She was sent to gather data in order to gain an edge in the war. But that didn''t stop Ferric from being defeated.

    Their supreme leader was better than I thought. I underestimated him, it won''t happen again!

    The two stayed silent as Emily unzipped her backpack. She searched for a few seconds and retrieved a glowing fist sized sphere.

    It was the orb used by the Rapturians, an alien insectoid race that had attempted to invade Asherah years earlier.

    Timothy stood outside and kept watch for any drill sergeants that might pass by. For now they were the only ones in the forest.

    Ferric pressed his hands against the window and slowly pushed it open. So far Emily hadn''t noticed them. He stretched out his hand for Timothy as they entered the room.

    Ferric sighed.

    "I thought I told them to keep everyone else from the computer lab. Shouldn''t you be doing drills right now." said Emily

    "Sorry, madam, but our commanders ordered us to find you." said Timothy

    "Do you think I was born yesterday? They would have called me ages ago. Admit it. You came in here without permission."

    "Maybe, but I''m a bit curious about how you got that orb." Ferric asked

    "From the battlefield of course. Can a captain not keep her own souvenirs?"

    "But it only interacts with humans raised by the Rapturians. Which means you must have been as well."

    Emily chuckled. Her tone changed from soft to a sinister growl.

    "For a new recruit, you know too much. Which is why we have to kill you,"

    Chloe held up the orb and whispered to it

    Serena I''ll let you have control for now. Let us deal with them before they expose us."

 Chapter 4 FERRIC: Interrogation

    "Serena, I''ll let you have control for now."

    Emily''s sphere flashed in response as the floor rumbled under their feet. A blue swirl of energy began to surround her followed by a bright aura that lit up the entire room. Ferric''s clothes fluttered like a sail as a powerful wind swept through the room. The wide grin on Emily''s face along with her glowing pupiless eyes shook Ferric to the core. Suddenly, a blinding flash of light filled the room. Ferric raised his hands to his face and closed his eyes.

    He glanced to the floor after the light had subsided. But Emily was no longer there.

    Ferric sprinted back to the window and leaped back into the forest. He followed Timothy through the forest and chased after her.

    As they ran stones and branches were hurled in their direction. Ferric winced in pain as the objects cut through his skin , leaving gashes on his arms and legs. But despite the pain they pressed on and took refuge at a nearby tree.

    Ferric lay down on the ground, his injured leg stretched out before him and ripped of a piece of his clothing before wrapping it around his leg.

    "When did you learn that you only came here today?"

    "My father taught me. He was a paramedic."

    Timothy reached for Ferric''s hand and picked him up. The two continued to chase after Emily who was sprinting towards the boot camp.

    Ferric reached for Emily''s wrist and tackled her to the ground. He attempted to snatch her orb but got tossed aside. Timothy found it hard to reach without getting struck by the flying branches. The two continued to exchange blows , their fists and kicks landing with force. The metallic taste of blood filled Ferric''s mouth with each strike that he received. Emily seized the oppurtunity and slammed Ferric''s head against the nearby pine tree.

    Ferric screamed in pain as his temple collided against the rough and sharp bark.,

    Timothy had finally evaded all that Emily had thrown at him and tackled her to the ground.

    Despite his disorientation , Ferric assisted him in restraining her as Timothy attempted to snatch her orb.

    As Timothy seized the orb from her grip, he felt its heat searing his palm, the sizzling growing louder in his ears. In a decisive move, he shattered it against the tough bark with the shards spewing small columns of acrid smoke that rose into the air. Emily let out a final scream before passing out.

    "Are these orbs really that easy to destroy?" Timothy asked while collecting the sphere fragments.

    "Yes, if you can get close enough but it will just reform and fly back to the wielder. Emily connected herself to it so she won''t be getting up for a while."

    Ferric ripped a piece of his shirt and pressed it against his bleeding temple.

    "So where do we keep it?"

    "Somewhere where she won''t have access , but we''ll have to get our superiors first."

    Timothy knelt down to pick up Emily and carried her on his shoulder. Ferric and Timothy made their way back to the fields and encountered two drill sergeants sprinting towards their direction.

    Both wore badges on their chest with their names etched onto its surface. On it was written George and the other Faraday.

    George inspected the dark burn on Timothy''s palm. It was nothing that the doctors couldn''t fix but what piqued his interest was the blue shards that he held."

    "Where did you get these from and what happened to Emily?" George asked

    "From her and Emily''s unconscious right now. She was trying to get info from our digital files , but we were able to stop her before she could leak it to our enemy."

    Timothy reached out for his pocket and pulled out a black hard d rive which had a symbol on it that resembled an ant.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "But how did you know about this?" asked Faraday

    "It was me. I told him." Ferric replied

    "Who are you?"

    Ferric checked the stitching on his uniform

    "My name is Lloyd, sir."

    "Alright Lloyd thanks for helping us. We''ll take you to the clinic so that the meds can patch up your wounds. As for Emily, we''re going to take her to a resting room so that she''ll be ready for interrogation tomorrow."

    Two weeks later

    Timothy and Ferric stood by the hallway as they waited for George and Faraday to arrive. Ferric glanced to the window beside him and watched the recruits practicing their battlefield drills. Everyone else had gone off for training except for him and Timothy whose burnt hand was still wrapped up in bandages.

    The walls , ceiling and floor were painted in white and right beside them was a metallic door that had been locked.

    Suddenly, loud footsteps echoed through the hallway. Faraday had finally arrived with his keys strapped beside his waist.

    "Have you been waiting for me this whole time? I thought you two were doing drills with the other recruits."

    "You told us that we would be going to meet up with Emily. So we waited here."

    Faraday sighed. He reached for his pocket and took a silver key which he inserted into the door hole. With a firm grip he clutched the handle and opened the door.

    Ferric followed Faraday into the room with the walls, floor and ceiling coated in black hues. To his right, stood a metallic table with Emily seated beside it whose long hair had been cut short.

    "So what did you get from her?" asked Timothy

    "Well we know that her real name is Chloe and she was sent by the Rapturians to steal our data , just like how Ferric described it."

    "But why do you need us?"

    "You two were the ones who stopped her so I wanted you to have time with her as a reward."

    Ferric went to the chair adjacent to Chloe''s and sat down. Shivers ran down his spine as he hugged his arms with a faint mist spewing from his mouth. A nearby soldier offered him a jacket which Ferric quickly put on.

    "So, Chloe, is there anything you would like to share with us."

    "Not with that type of voice. You will need to be far more threatening to get information out of me."

    "Here''s a remote." said Faraday

    "And what is this for?"

    "You see those restraints on her wrists, you can increase the tightness on them."

    "Is that how you''ve been getting information from her?"

    Faraday nodded.

    "Alright fine, I''ll talk."

    "Good, I want to get some knowledge of your past.""You mean when the Rapturians raised me.""No before that. Back when your parents were still looking after you."

    "I don''t remember that far back. The Rapturians abducted me when I was little."

    "I''m sorry to hear that. It must have been a rough childhood when all your guardians are insects."

    "Not really. There were some people of my age who I would spend time with. But it''s just not the same, they always look so menacing and if you attempt to leave they just take you right back."

    Timothy intervened and slammed his hand against the table.

    "Alright enough to talk about the past. What did you do to the real Emily?"

    Chloe chuckled "Emily never existed. It was just an alias to help me infiltrate the base."

    Without warning, the door beside them swung open, bringing rays of light that made them squint. Once their eyes had adjusted they noticed George standing by the entrance with a submachine gun in his right hand.

    "Sorry to disturb you, but the camp is under attack!"

    "By whom?!" Ferric asked

    "Mercenaries."

    The floor shook violently as the windows behind them shattered. Ferric raced to the table to evade the shards flying towards them. His heart raced as he heard a projectile cutting through the air.

    A burst of orange flame erupted from the wall followed by a blinding light that illuminated the room.

    The sound of ringing echoed in his ears as he squinted. Ferric gritted his teeth and painfully opened his eyes. The pain equivalent to his eyes being dipped in acid.

    With his blurred vision, he noticed a military jeep with a mounted machine gun towering above the heap of rubble.

    Ferric recognised the white scorpion markings present on the vehicle. They were the markings of the mercenary gang that raised him after the death of his parents. Chloe emerged from under the table and climbed onto the jeep.

    She glanced at the table where Ferric and the others were hiding.

    "I''m sorry Lloyd. I hope we meet again sometime."

    The driver revved the jeep''s engine and began to reverse. Ferric sprinted up to the rubble heap as the car drove off into the forest.

    His heart sank at the sight of the base. The field was scarred with craters and bullet holes along with large flames that ate away at the last remnants of grass and tents. He wrinkled his nose at the horrid scent of smoke and gunpowder that filled the air.

    He checked his pockets for the hard drive but couldn''t find it.

    "She must have taken it while I was still under the table."

    Ferric clenched his fists .Chloe had gotten away with the info on the base and was now heading towards the Rapturian colony.

 Chapter 5 FERRIC:The Family Reunion

    "What will we do now , George?" asked Ferric

    "We''ll search the camp for survivors."

    "And what if we find none? What will you do then?"

    "Then I''ll have to get in the contact with the nearest general. Hopefully they might be able to spare us a searching party."

    3 days later

    Ferric went to the nearby infirmary to check on the soldiers. He was still waiting for Faraday but he had not arrived yet. Shivers ran down his spine after he pulled back the curtain.

    In front of him were several soldiers laid in stretches with bandages soaked in blood and many of them moaning in pain. Several medics flocked the wounded , applying medicine , shots and removing shrapnel embedded deep into their wounds.

    Th He saw one man lying on the floor with his intestines poking out from his stomach as the medics wrapped bandages across his bleeding belly. The sight of it made him nauseous, forcing him to leave the infirmary.

    That was the worst sight I''ve seen in a while. All this death, because of me trying to get revenge on the people that burnt my village to the ground. But is it really worth it? Am I even better than they are? If this is what I caused then I need to end this war as quick as possible.

    Ferric shifted his gaze back to the forest where he noticed Timothy along with their drill sergeants standing in front of him.

    "So this is where you''ve been?" said George

    "I was looking out for the wounded." said Ferric "Have you found any soldiers for our retrieval mission?"

    "We have, they''re right behind us."

    The rev of a nearby car sent echoes through the forest, sending flocks of birds flying from the trees. The stench of the fumes filled his nostrils , leaving a bitter taste in Ferric''s mouth.

    Once the dust had settled a military jeep painted green stood before them with Faraday in the driver''s seat.

    "Like the jeep?" asked Faraday "You better cause this baby is the only one that can still function."

    "That''s great, but where will you be?" asked Timothy

    "I''ll be assisting the medics. But don''t worry about me. I gave you one goal. Find Chloe, defeat the Scorpios and bring her back. Do not let me down."

    Faraday reached out for the door and swung it open. He raised his hand and tossed the keys to Timothy.

    Ferric hopped onto the passenger''s seat and checked the new teammates. He noticed the golden badges pinned onto their uniforms. Each one bearing their 1st names : Micah , James and Leo.

    He glanced back to the screen on the jeep that showcased a red arrow and a cluster of trees shaped like a C. Ferric pressed his finger against the screen and checked for all the possible ways through the forest before setting the best possible route which led to the Rapturian colony. He stretched out his hands and took out a backpack left under their chairs.

    Timothy pulled the zip , revealing several weapons, grenades and other types of equipment needed for their mission. Once they were done ,Timothy hit the accelerator.

    Ferric clutched his chair as the jeep drove off into the forest. Timothy spun his wheel and turned towards the rocky road, the wind whipping against his dark hair. He could feel the vibrations from the jeep, making him sick to the stomach. After a few minutes the jeep''s shaking stopped. Ferric motioned to the plateau on their right.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    That should make a good vantage point for the time being. I did it I finally earned their trust. Now I just have to wait for the right time.

    Several hours had passed since they had left the base with dusk being just around the corner. Ferric swung open his door and disembarked from the vehicle.

    They had parked their jeep on the plateau that overlooked the rest of the woodlands.

    Ferric knelt down near the edge and took out his binoculars.

    He peered through and noticed a pillar of smoke rising towards the cloudless sky. With a swift motion, Ferric spun the handle and zoomed in.

    It wasn''t clear, but he could make out a few people standing by the fire.Ferric grinned. This was where the Scorpios would be resting for the night.

    "Have you found the mercenaries yet?" James asked

    He pointed towards the rising trail of smoke.

    "Great. We''ll raid them tonight. Do you want to go hunting with us Lloyd."

    "No, thanks. I''d rather keep watch."

    Ferric zoomed in further and noticed the leader Enyo stirring the stew in her makeshift pot. As he watched, he caught a glimpse of the braided bracelet on her right arm with each having a different colour from the last. It was the bracelet he had made for her back when he was a child.

    ******

    He remembered sprinting through the forest when he was 9 years old after his town had been burnt down to a crisp. Ferric dropped to the ground. He was exhausted after being on the run for several days. But before long a whiff of stew caught his attention.

    He crawled towards the source, his stomach growling like a beast. Once he had made it through the trees he noticed a blond-haired woman sitting on a log. Ferric reached out and held her shirt.

    He staggered back as she pulled out the knife from her pocket. She sighed.

    " Oh you''re just a boy. What are you doing out here all alone? Shouldn''t you be with your parents."

    "I , I don''t have any. Not anymore."

    "Oh sorry. I''ve had loved ones who also shared the same fate as yours. Don''t worry, I''ll take care of you from now on. Just be careful about some of my teammates. They''re not really fond of children, but I''ll make it work. I promise."

    Ever since then the Scorpios took Ferric under their wing and taught him everything he needed to survive. He felt the urge to return to them but was uncertain if they would embrace him again with open arms.

    Ferric changed his focus to his companions. Micah and James had returned from their hunt with two deer that they held on their shoulders,

    The two laid them down on the ground and reached out for their knives. After a few minutes the fur had been removed. Timothy snatched the cut up meat and placed it in the stew.

    Its scent sent smiles across everyone''s face.

    After some minutes the deer was finally ready. Ferric smiled as he ate the meat and sipped the remaining stew. The tender texture reminded him of Enyo''s cooking during his childhood.

    He moved his eyes to check on his teammates.

    Alright. They''re all distracted. This is my chance.

    Ferric put his plate aside and snatched the nearby assault rifle.

    He squeezed the trigger, sending an array of bullets towards their direction. Timothy had returned and dropped his plate as the bodies of his teammates lay motionless on the ground.

    His heart raced as he realised the culprit. It was his companion Lloyd.

    "Why are you doing this Lloyd?" asked Timothy

    "Sorry to tell you Tim, but I''m defecting."

    "But why now of all times? Wait, are you saying that you manipulated us this whole time?"

    Ferric nodded. He raised his assault rifle and aimed it at his chest. Timothy searched around his belt looking for something to deter him.

    "I''m sorry Timothy. But I can''t have you interfering."

    Timothy raised his right hand and tossed a green device into the air. Ferric flinched. A hand grenade had been thrown in his direction.

    He darted to the nearest rock and hid behind it. Hands pressed against his ears for the loud explosion that was about to come. But all he heard was the revving of the jeep nearby.

    White smoke enveloped around him, blurring his vision.

    Ferric cursed. "It was just a smoke bomb."

    Tears welled up in his eyes as the fumes travelled down his throat, making him cough.

    He jumped over the rock and sprinted to escape the cloud. His throat aching more and more with each passing footstep.

    A ray of moonlight cut through the smoke and shone into his eyes. Regardless, he continued to run to the end of the plumes.

    The acrid scent was finally gone and replaced with the smell of sweet green gas and fresh air.

    He looked to his left and found a pathway of track marks left by the jeep''s tyres. Ferric was now all by himself, with nowhere else to go except for the mercenary camp below.

 Chapter 6 FERRIC: Confronting Daniel

    Ferric continued to navigate the forest , his breaths becoming more laboured as he cut through the leaves and branches that stood before him and the weight of his three dead teammates pressed heavily against his shoulders. He wrinkled his nose at the scent of his uniform that clung to his chest, drenched in sweat by the fierce humidity.

    Every step felt eternity until he noticed the large column of smoke towering above him. Ferric grinned. He was just a few metres away from the campfire.

    He reached out for the last branch that obstructed his path and pushed it aside

    The Scorpios stood up and aimed their machine guns towards his direction. Ferric raised his hands to the air to signify his surrender.

    "You won''t be needing those weapons, I''m not your enemy."

    "Then why are you here and who are you?

    "I am Lloyd, a former member of a searching party sent to bring Chloe back to the Pangean army. But I have decided to switch sides and join your group instead. And if you are still skeptical , then here''s my evidence."

    He knelt down and slowly lowered down the bodies that he carried on his shoulder. Chloe sat on the nearby log, her eyes filled with shock.

    "Lloyd, did you really kill all those soldiers just to get to me?" she asked

    Ferric nodded.

    "And I assume you took out Timothy as well."

    "No. He outsmarted me. Timothy''s on his way back to the camp."

    "But why, why did you betray them?"

    "It''s a long story. Let''s just say the Rapturians have something that I need."

    Ferric glanced back to the squad as they inspected the bodies.

    "So do you trust me now."

    "You don''t seem to be much of a threat," said Enyo the leader, " but we will keep your weapons for now, just in case."

    "I guess we should introduce ourselves."

    "No need," Ferric answered. " you''re Enyo the leader, those two beside you are Luna and Michelle and the guy there is Jake."

    "How do you know all of this?" Chloe asked

    Shivers ran down Ferric''s spine; he had to come up with a lie , fast.

    "I found them in the archives." Ferric answered

    "Very well , we''ll let you rest with us for tonight but don''t think we''ll let our guard down."

    10 minutes later

    Ferric laid down on his back as he nestled deeper into his sleeping bag. He glanced upwards to the sky above him , enjoying the twinkling stars, the comets streaking by and the full moon casting a bright light that illuminated the forest.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    The hooting of owls and crickets echoed through the woods, filling him with comfort. He glanced to the side where Jake lay right by him.

    "It''s beautiful isn''t it." said Ferric

    "You know my former buddy and I would go to explore the woods at this time. It''s a shame that he left us back in the palace. Now he governs an entire nation with an iron fist but has no one to share it with. It must feel so lonely . Being stuck in that mansion and not having his teammates right by him. I wonder if he ever regretted it."

    He sure did. It''s kinda weird talking to him about myself though.

    "I believe he does. But how has Enyo been doing? And do you know where she is? I''d like to talk with her, face to face."

    "She hasn''t been coping well with Ferric abandoning us. Just try not to be too blunt, okay."

    Jake pointed towards the campfire that the Scorpios had set up. Enyo sat by the flickering flames, stroking a crumpled photograph from his earlier days.

    Ferric stood up from his bag and went to join Enyo by the fire. She noticed him and quickly tucked the picture back into her pocket.

    "Shouldn''t you be sleeping now Lloyd?"

    "Probably, but I saw that photo you had and wanted to know if you miss Ferric."

    "Miss him? I loathe him, we treated him as our child , making sure he knew how to survive without us. And what he do, he left us behind , just so that he could be the right hand man for the president."

    Ferric gulped. He recalled the day when Enyo, him and the squad stood in the presence of the president''s office. The nearby officials flocked to the exits as they entered, fear etched across their faces. Infront of them was the Lumean president seated behind his desk along with bodyguards standing beside him.

    He grinned as he sat up and went to confront them.

    "So you must be the group responsible for eliminating my generals.

    "Indeed, but why did you bring us here? You better have a good reason."

    "Oh I do. You see the Shaikiran tribes have banded together as one nation to achieve one goal. Conquer Lumea, subject its citizens and expand from there. You may be pondering why we have a problem with them , after all their technology is inferior to ours. And that is true. But their tactics have left our army in shambles. My generals have no experience with the hit and run strategy they use and we need someone who is familiar with it."

    "So you want to hire us to lead your army?"

    "Correct Enyo, but I only need one. And the one that I need is you, Ferric."

    From then on he worked as his commander for the army and soon became the new ruler once he had died.

    "Don''t worry about it." said Enyo calmly "Just go back to sleep."

    The yellow sun began to rise from the horizon casting daylight over the forest. Clanging of metal echoed through the camp, jolting everyone awake.

    Ferric opened his eyes to the sight of Enyo standing in front of him with a pan in both hands. Her long blonde hair shining in the sunlight.

    Once everyone was awake and had their breakfast she proceeded to lay down her bag and took out a roll of paper. She placed it down on the ground for everyone to see and unfurled it.

    It was a map containing all the different pathways across Asherah.

    "Hey Jake, you want to help us find the shortcut."

    Jake crawled forward to analyze the map. He was the navigational expert after all.

    After discussing a bit with Enyo , he pointed to a line that went up to a large black mountain. That was where the Rapturian colony was built.

    The squad gathered up all the pots cleaned by Luna and Michelle themselves and hopped onto the jeep.

    Three hours had passed since they had driven off and now they were closer to the colony than they had before.

    Vibrations resonated across the jeep , making Ferric and Chloe sick to the stomach. He turned his head around to the boot where a cloud of dust was being thrown up behind them. Ferric pulled the collar of his shirt up to his mouth, not willing to inhale any of the dark fumes or dust spewing out from the car.

    Without warning, the jeep came to a grinding halt. The tires send out an ear piercing screech mingled with the neighing of a nearby horse.

    "Steady now Phoebe!" said a young man on top of his white mare.

    He was of dark complexion with a scabbard strapped behind his back adorned in red and yellow decorations. The man moved his eyes towards them as he clutched the reins of his horse.

    Ferric''s heart raced .His irises bore a shade of dark red which contrasted with the black sclera present on his eyes.

    There was no doubt about it; he was part of the Restless, an android race posessed by human souls and they had no mercy for trespassers.

 Chapter 7 DANIEL: Meeting Aliens

    Daniel maintained his grip on the submachine gun , the weapon steady in his hand as the mercenaries kept their aim on his. With swift movement, he used his artificial eyes to scan them one by one. Profiles popped up on his display , revealing the names and background of the members.

    He discerned the fearful expressions present on their faces. Daniel grinned.

    "It''s the eyes isn''t it. But you don''t need to worry about them. The Restless are no longer my companions."

    "What do you mean by that?."

    "When does a Restless ride alone?"

    "All my days, not another riddle." said Jake as he

    "It''s a long story , but I''ll need some oil first."

    Daniel rode off to the back of the jeep.

    "So, where do you keep it?

    "In the boot."

    Enyo clutched the jeep''s boot and swung it open, revealing large blue canisters filled with oil.

    "I''ll let you take one and one only, understood."

    Daniel nodded as he disembarked from his horse. He smiled in satisfaction as he removed the cap.

    "But how does he use it.? Does he spread the oil across his joints or something?" asked Jake

    "No!"

    Daniel raised the canister and began to drink from it.The musky scent of oil filled the air mingled with the sound of the liquid flowing down his metallic throat. Jake glanced away, repulsed by the sight of him drinking their oil.

    After a few moments of silence, Daniel sealed up the canister. He brushed his hand against his mouth to wipe away the last remnants of oil on his face.

    They were all anxious about what he was really planning. He understood how they felt ,after all the Renegades were always seen as ruthless killer.

    "So Daniel , why have you left the Renegades?" asked Enyo

    "Like I said I was exiled."

    "The Renegades don''t just exile their own members for the sake of it. What happened that led them to expel you."

    "I attempted to kill my mentor."

    "But why?"

    Before long, memories of that dreaded night flooded back to him. Daniel remembered himself scouring in a distant city as he wore a hood that concealed his face. Inside the house was a room patrolled by several masked guards armed with machine guns and bearing a white insignia on their black leather jackets.

    He burst through the door, shooting down every person that stood in his way. The sight of his glowing red eyes sent shivers down the guard''s spines , prompting them to retreat. Daniel scanned the rest of his room, his clothes ridden with bullet holes. He had been sent by Lupa to eliminate a member said to be responsible for his death.

    However the target turned out to be his old friend. But it was too late to save him. His one edged sword had cut through his chest like a knife through butter and there was no medical aid in sight.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Daniel knelt to the ground , tears streaking down his face as a lake of blood formed around his friend''s motionless body. He snatched his katana and rode back to the Renegade''s home town to confront his mentor Lupa, the leader of the Renegades.

    A fierce battle occured between the two with Lupa emerging as the victor. From then on Daniel was no longer part of them and was forced to fend for himself.

    "And that''s how I got exiled." said Daniel

    "I''m sorry about what happened to your friend." said Enyo as she held him by the shoulder

    "From now on you''ll be part of our team. We''ve all lost someone important to us."

    "Thanks. So where exactly is your team going"

    "To the Rapturian colony. We brought back an associate of theirs and are returning to get our pay. Don''t worry we''ll make sure you have a share of our spoils."

    A few hours later

    .

    Daniel shifted his gaze to the ruined desolate landscape stretched ohut before him. He took in the crater marked plains dotted with splintered tree stumps. He looked back to Chloe, seated in the jeep, with a box that she clutched tightly to her chest

    "What was in it?" he thought to himself

    Without warning, the jeep lurched to a stop. Hescanned his surroundings and noticed a group of creatures approaching them.Daniel stroked his horse , trying his best to calm Phoebe down.

    Beside them stood monstrous insects taller than him and everyone else on board. He fought the urge to grab his assault rifle as their compound eyes locked onto him with saliva dripping from their mandibles.

    The cgreature shifted their attention to Chloe. A bone chilling screech tore through the forest, sendin shivers down his spine along with Ferric holding his nose at its horrid breath.

    Chloe responded to the insects with a series of sharp clicks and fierce hisses. The rest of the squad stayed silent as she communicated with the Rapturians.

    After a long exchange of alien sounds, the insects finally went to open the gate. Daniel sighed in relief as he eased the grip on his weaponry.

    "That was close." Daniel whispered "Maybe they''ll let me stay here for a while."

    However, his relief was short-lived.

    "Everyone get your guns now!" shouted Chloe

    The creatures dashed towards the jeep, their appendages studded with dagger-like spikes.

    Enyo slammed the brakes and drove the jeep in reverse. Jake and Ferric sprang up from their seats and unleashed a hail of bullets from the mounted heavy machine gun. The deafening ratte of gunfire echoed through the woods as the bullets bounced off the creature''s exoskeletons.

    Michelle slammed on the brakes once again and spun the jeep into a tight U-turn and drove as far as she could from the colony.

    The moon began to rise as Lupa hit the brakes. Leaving a trail of dust billowing behind them . Daniel glanced to his right as he switched his vision. He scrolled through the options before reaching heat vision.

    Before long , the darkness that consumed the forest was replaced with several animals adorned in yellowish hues with trees glowing brightly against the bright blue backdrop of the cloudless sky. For now, they didn''t seem to be any sign of the Rapturians.

    Daniel sighed in relief as he disembarked from his horse. On his left was the edge of the plateau overlooking the vast stretch of buildings that dominated the landscape.

    "That city should make a good place to get some extra canisters" Daniel thought to himself "but why hasn''t the rest of the squad disembarked yet

    "He glanced back at the jeep and everyone was still in their seats." Enyo sat before the steering wheel as she fought the urge to sob"

    What do we do now commander?" I don''t know Michelle just don''t know Lloyd, Daniel, Chloe you can all go now There''s no point in you staying

    "The nearest town is a few miles down from here. If you''re lucky enough you may find a place to rest."

    We''re not going to." said Ferric with a smile

    He glanced back at them, wondering what they meant.

    "The Rapturians betrayed us, so will we return the favour." said Chloe "We are travelling to the Shai desert."

    "Why there?" Daniel asked

    "There''s a man there who can help us. His name is Shammil, a prince who is doing his best to reclaim the throne. His army might be good enough to help us."

    "But that is an entire continent away. It will take us weeks to get there.

    Chloe reached out for her pocket and took out the fist sized chest that she had been carrying this whole time. She slowly felt across the surface and opened the case revealing glowing blue shards dotted across the bottom. With a deep sigh she lifted the shards as they levitated around her as they swirled around her head and rematerialised into an orb Chloe grinned. Despite the cracks present on its surface it was still functional.

    "Sorry it took a while , repairing orbs is a very tedious process."

    Chloe clutched the orb and pointed towards the horizon . Her eyes glowed a bright blue as a gust of wind swept past them A giant portal formed near the plateau''s edge with what seemed to be clouds swirling around the glowing centre.

    "You want to come with us?" asked Ferric

    "I''m an exiled man and have nowhere else to go." Daniel replied "So I will join you."

 SHAMMIL: Reclaiming the Throne

    A fierce gust of wind sent clouds of dust hurtling east.

    On a nearby dune perched a man on horseback , clad in armor and a blueish head cloth that shielded his head from the scorching sun.

    He glanced over his shoulder to the rest of his army stationed beside the nearby dunes. They were ready for their attack on the town. Before long, a young woman of dark complexion rode towards him, her black hair tied into a bun. The lady grinned as she nudged him by the shoulder.

    "So this is where our campaign ends, Shammil. At the town of Alumina."

    "Indeed Dalia, after all these years of strife , our kingdom will finally be reunited. Have you thought of a strategy on how we''ll capture this town?"

    Shammil motioned his finger towards the town in the horizon. The town was surrounded by walls, sandbags and turrets with soldiers patrolling the roofs for any imminent attacks.

    "Our spies reported that our enemies possess weapons powerful enough to rip through our tehranamite armour. If we want to avoid this we will need to find a way to obscure their vision. Fortunately for us, the wind is on our side. A dust storm is coming in this direction and if we are lucky, it might obscure us enough in order to take the town.

    "But we don''t know how long it will last."

    "That is true. Which is why I had all the armour plates painted to match the desert. Including yours. We''ve also got explosives that we acquired from the nearby towns"

    "I regret not making you the commander cousin."

    Chloe smirked back.

    "I''m just a strategist. But I can''t lift their spirits up like you do. You''re the face of this campaign and as long as you''re the leader, they will follow you to every battle."

    Shammil sighed as he dashed off towards his camp. His heart raced in his chest as he prepared to deliver the speech to his men. He discussed the death of the great conqueror Sammayad to the fragmentation to his empire, to the death of his mother and finally them arriving here to finish her promise of uniting the kingdom.

    Shammil''s army readied themselves for the attack as they loaded their firearms. Dalia reached out for the bag slung across her shoulder and retrieved the horn.

    The horn''s exterior resembled pure marble with golden patterns etched onto its surface. She took a deep sigh as she held it to her lips and blew into it.

    Shammil grinned. That was their signal. He proceeded to wrap a cloth around his face as the imminent dust storm hurtled towards them.

    With a swift motion, he raised his gun to the air and descended down the steep slope. Adrenaline coursed through him as his army rode towards their target. Before long, an array of bullets came their way. Men dropped from their horses as the bullets ripped through their tehranamite armour.

    He glanced over his shoulder and ordered his troops to split up. "Get the explosives, now!" shouted Dalia

    "Yes maam." said one of her squad members as he retrieved a hand grenade from his belt.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    He then proceeded to toss it towards the nearby sandbag.

    A ball of fire erupted from behind the compound, sending sandbags hurling across the town.

    Dalia reached out from her bag and took out what appeared to be a small pistol.

    She raised it above her head and pulled the trigger, sending the projectile upwards before exploding in a flash of red light that illuminated the street.

    Shammil glanced up at the sky and saw the signal. He motioned to his army to ride to the source while tossing explosives towards the enemy''s defences. Smoke filled the air mingled with the scent of blood as they rushed through the town.

    A few hours later

    "Do not worry my brothers. We are almost at the palace."

    Shammil gazed upwards at the golden building that towered over the rest of the town. In  that palace was the last ruler who opposed him.

    He glanced to the nearby houses, treading with caution as they evaded the turrets perched on the windowsills.

    "Hold your fire!" shouted a voice from the tower. "Shammil , I know you have come for me and I wish to surrender."

    "Will you offer your territory to Shammil in exchange?" asked Dalia

    "Yes I will, just don''t kill me."

    "Very well." said Shammil "Come out and show yourself!"

    The sultan Hasha heeded his command and descended down the tower. Shammil tightly clutched the reins of his horse as he readied himself for a potential attack.

    Without warning, the palace front door swung open. Shammil sighed and eased his grip.

    It was just the sultan and his bodyguards.

    The sultan stood before them, adorned in purple garments that glittered in the sunlight along with a white turban with a golden strap wrapped around his head.

    "Now drop your weapons!" said Dalia

    The bodyguards raised their machine guns and aimed at them. But before they could pull the trigger a round of bullets rained down on them from the nearby buildings.

    Cold sweat dripped down the sultan''s brow. Shammil had his forces stationed the whole time.

    The sultan raised his hands up for everyone to see.Shammil motioned his hands for his army to go in to capture him. Hasha''s heart raced as Shammil''s troops circled around him and locked him in a nearby house.

    He could feel the sun beating down on his neck as they marched towards the custody room with rotten fruit being tossed towards him.

    Shammil raised his fist to the air, signalling to his troops of their victory.

    He then ordered for everyone to be served food by the citizens and not to harm them in any way.

    "Dalia, make sure the army enjoys their time while I''m gone." said Shammil as he hopped onto his horse

    "And where will you be going?"

    "I have reunited an entire kingdom after 20 years of division. I need some time for myself after this achievement."

    Shammil smiled back at Dalia before setting off for the nearby dunes. The cold evening breeze filled him with comfort.

    He remembered back in his childhood years when he would race with his mother across the desert and back to the village. He imagined her perching on the blood red sun sinking towards the horizon, smiling at him for reuniting the fragmented empire.

    He was ready to go back until a swirl of blue light appeared below him.

    Shammil disembarked from his horse and lay on his belly to avoid being spotted.

    "So ,this is the Shai Continent." said Daniel "I thought you said we would be sent to the town."

    "Not exactly, the orb teleports us near to the person we are searching for. In this case it''s Shammil." answered Chloe

    "So he must be nearby." said Ferric

    Shammil slowly crawled away from the dune and went towards his horse.

    "I can see a lifeform perching on the dune above us. That must be him."

    "Don''t worry." said Chloe "We''re only here to talk."

    He listened to their request and showed himself to them.

    "And what do you want me to assist you with?"

    Ferric knelt to the ground.

    "The Lumean ruler has declared war on the Pangean nations and might attack you next. We came to request for an alliance between you and Alaric. Do you accept it?"

    "I will think about it. I''ll let you stay as guests for today and make up my mind tomorrow."

 Chapter 9 SHAMMIL :The Negotiation

    Ferric and his companions followed Shammil to the nearby town, his cousin Dalia who was on horseback rode beside him. She had just found him arriving with these strangers and still had no idea of their motives

    Despite that, Dalia agreed to Shammil''s decision.

    Dalia shifted her gaze to the book resting on Chloe''s lap. It consisted of a brown crumpled cover with golden letters patched onto its surface that read "The Art of War by Sun Tzu"

    "What''s it about" Dalia asked

    "It''s a strategy book. Since you''re a tactician I thought you may find it interesting."

    "Thanks for the offer. I''ll look into it in my spare time."

    After a few minutes of riding , the town of Alumina finally came into view. Several buildings towered above them , each with glassless windows carved into its clay exterior. Shammil grinned as the pleasant scent of spices caught his attention. It reminded him of the several meals that he shared with his mother back in his youth.

    He whipped the horse''s rein and rode off towards the source.

    Dallia and the others followed suit.

    Turning left, he passed under a giant archway and found himself in a bustling marketplace where a large array of spices ranging from sweet purple to savoury orange were available for purchase.

    "How much are the tasters?" asked Shammil

    "About 10 shillings, but you can take them for free. You are of royal blood after all."

    Shammil shook his head

    "No thanks, I''d rather pay."

    He offered the vendor his coins and bought tasters for him and his companions.

    "Hey Daniel" asked Dalia "Would you like some."

    Daniel shook his head "I wish I could, but I can''t taste anything, not as long as I''m in this android body."

    "Can''t you just leave it and get another one."

    "No , all the others have been demolished by now and if I do leave I''ll just become a wandering soul. I''ll be stuck roaming around the Earth for all eternity."

    30 minutes later

    Shammil turned the knob and opened the large door infront of him, revealing the sultan''s room. The room was several metres wide with a table covered in purple linen along with vases of colourful columns.

    He took delight in the sweet scent that filled the room. It was just like the sweet purple spice that he had eaten earlier.

    On either side, massive paintings lay pinned to the walls, displaying the sultan''s predecessors in glittering garments and scabbards decorated with gold and diamonds.

    But one caught his attention more than the others.

    It depicted an armoured horseman of small stature perched atop a grassy slope.Beside him stood the Shaikiran soldiers on horseback, each raising their fists behind the backdrop of the blood red sun sinking down to the horizon. Shammil knew who he was. It was the great Sammayad the conqueror who had briefly united the Shaikiran states before him.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Shammil bowed his head and gave a soft whisper.

    "Sammayad, your empire has been in shackles ever since you left this world. For years I''ve been fighting in your name to achieve what you did. To reunite with our fellow Shaikiirans.

    But at a great cost and the price, my loved ones. But after 20 years of seperation , I have finally done it, I have finally brought back the Shaikiran empire."

    "Alright then." said Shammil, " let us start the negotiation."

    Shammil gave everyone the chance to find a seat beside the table. Ferric and his companions took off their backpacks and placed them near the door.

    Shammil listened as Ferric explained to him about his team. He told them about his defection to the mercenaries, the Rapturians betraying him as well as encountering Daniel. Shammil nodded and shared his story as well.

    He told them about the death of his father who was stricken with disease and the feud between his sons that would last for years to come.

    "So you lost your mother at a young age as well." said Daniel

    "Indeed," Shammil nodded "But that at the present moment is of little importance. What matters now is what Lloyd wants from us.

    Ferric stood up from his seat

    "Like I said before. We need your army in order to defeat Ferric and assist Pangea.

    "And why should we help them? They never supported us when Sammayad passed."

    "Because Ferric will attack your nation next."

    Shammil turned away from his balcony and stood in front of him.

    "And how can you be so sure?"

    "Because I''ve met someone who once worked with him. He believes that you might be a threat to his regime and wants to get rid of you as quickly as possible."

    "And what do you plan for us to do? Attack him? Our country has been fractured for more than 2 decades and if we take part in this war that will only lead to more instability."

    "Not if you leave someone in charge while you''re gone. Trust me, if you don''t partake in this war then you might be the next target."

    Shammil stood up and walked towards the balcony. He stretched out his hands and clutched the rails as the desert wind whipped against his blue turban. It had taken him his whole life to establish peace in his kingdom and he was not going to forsake it now.

    "Dalia." Shammil said calmly "Please escort our guests to their rooms. I need some time to contemplate their proposal, but let Daniel stay.

    Dalia nodded. After a while she glanced back to Shammil and closed the door, causing the noise of the slam to echo throughout the room.

    Daniel picked up the scabbard beside him and once again strapped it behind his back.

    "That''s an impressive sword you got there. Where did you get it?" said Shammil

    "Oh this? It''s a kytherium blade. Sharp enough to cut through any metal."

    "Any metal? Even tehranamite?."

    "Only one way to find out." Daniel grinned

    Shammil took Daniel on a tour through the hallways. On either side were paintings of predecessors pinned to the metallic walls beside them.

    After a few minutes they encountered a door on their right. The top of it was etched in runes written in a language known only to the locals of the Shai Continent.

    "Do you know what this means?" asked Daniel

    "I do, it''s in a different dialect but I believe it is where the armour for the sultan''s bodyguards are kept.

    Daniel stretched out his hand and clutched the knob. He was struck with awe. Several cases of armour were stacked up against the walls, their swords glinting in the sunlight that filled the room.

    Shammil slowly walked by a few of them and knocked on their breastplates. The vibrations coursed through the entire armour giving off a sound akin to a gong striking a cymbal.

    "So this is tehranamite armour."

    "Indeed, now you see how durable it truly is."

    Daniel grasped the katana strapped to his back and pulled it out from its scabbard. Its blade shining as white as snow in the sunlight

    He tightly clutched his handle , ready for the swing and went at full strength, aiming for its breastplate. A large thud echoed throughout the room, causing Shammil to flinch.

    The blade shattered on impact and its shards scattered across the room. He moved his eyes to the breastplate where a large circular dent was visible along with several cracks that branched out from it.

    In just a few seconds the pieces of the breastplate began to fall out as the armour crashed down with a loud thud,

    Daniel glanced back at what remained of his sword and tossed it aside

    "Good thing that I only used my spare blade." he said to himself "I guess tehranamite really is the strongest metal."

    Before long the door they came from opened with Ferric, Chloe and Dalia standing beside it.

    "Is everything alright?" said Chloe "We heard a noise coming from this room and-"

    "We''re alright Chloe, my sword just broke, that''s all."

    "Shammil, have you thought about my plan?"

    "I have Lloyd and I have decided that I will join you. Tell my second in command that he will be in charge of the town , we have to get our army prepared for another war."

 Chapter 10 DANIEL Journey to Lumeya

    "Sir, are you sure about this?" asked Saffavid "You know that we need you to govern this state."

    "I understand your doubt Saffavid. But you are also the governor of the neighbouring state. You are one of my few generals who has experience with politics. Please, do not make me regret my decision."

    "But sir you have finally reunited your grandfather''s former empire. Don''t you want to take the time to rule it?"I will when I return. But know this, if I get slain in battle and Dalia still does not wish to become queen, then you shall be the one in charge of this empire."Saffavid bowed his head "I understand Shammil. My state helped to supply weapons in times of trouble, now it is my time to return the favour,"

    Daniel hopped back onto his mare Phoebe who he had left to rest in the palace''s stable. He glanced back to the outcrop of dunes that towered above him as the sun''s heat surged through his synthetic skin. He had spread water over his body but to no avail.

    But that didn''t matter. The journey back to the Eastern continent was about to commence and he could finally get away from the scorching desert heat.

    Beside him stood Chloe , clutching the glowing orb that rested in her palms.

    "Don''t worry Serena." said Chloe as she stroked the sphere "Everyhting will be alright."

    "Why are you whispering to it?"

    "Because it speaks to me."

    "Speaks? Wait, that thing can talk?"

    "Only to its owner."

    As if on cue, Ferric clad in tehranamite armour rode straight towards him before coming to a halt.

    "Took you long enough." said Daniel

    "You ready?" said Ferric

    Chloe nodded and took a deep breath. The tang of gritty sand lingered in her mouth as she closed her eyes.

    Chloe''s eyes shone a bright blue that matched that of the orb followed by a howling wind that swept through the desert. Shammil''s army staggered back , raising their arms to shield themselves as the nearby pebbles flew towards them.

    Suddenly, a chasm of blue energy began to form and swirl. Daniel grinned. The portal was finally ready.

    Daniel''s horse neighed uncontrollably and almost knocked him off the saddle. The journey by portal was a horrible moment for her and she didn''t want to experience it again. Despite that, he was able to hold on and patted her soft jet black mane, calming her down.

    He glanced back to Shammil who slowly approached the portal. With a final sigh, Shammil raised his voice once more.

    "For Samayyad!" he yelled

    Shammil''s army let out a final cry before dashing towards the entrance. The portal swallowed them , soldier by soldier, horse by horse until only the swirling vortex remained.

    Ferric soon followed suit and rode through as well. Daniel clutched the reins of his horse as he rushed to get Chloe. She was kneeling on the ground with blood flowing down from her mouth.

    "Chloe, are you alright?"

    "I''m fine, it''s just a side effect."

    "Will it be alright if I carry you?"

    "Sure, but make it quick , the portal is closing."

    He took a deep breath as Chloe held onto him. The portal was right in front of him and he quickly jumped through it.

    He could feel the wind whipping against his black jacket along with streams of blue energy completely surrounding him. A moment later he found himself and Chloe in the forest.

    The ear piercing roar of thunder was gone and replaced with the chirping of birds in flight. The place was adorned with several trees of different sorts from pine to mahogany and even redwood.

    On his left stood Shammil''s cavalry adorned in armour with assault rifles strapped to their waists.

    He grinned. Shammil''s army had made it. His horse let out a loud neigh as Daniel raced towards them with Chloe tightly holding him by the chest.

    "Daniel you have arrived." said a distant voice. It was none other than Ferric

    "I''m so glad you made it." said Ferric as he hugged DanielFind this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    "So where''s Lumeya?"

    Chloe motioned to a giant slab of stone in the distance. Shammil reached for his binoculars and placed them in his line of vision

    He smiled. It was the city of Shankoa. He glanced back at his troops who were finishing the last of their morning rations. Dalia had set up a map on a nearby log which contained the map for the landscape of Asherah.

    It displayed the large Shai desert continent on the left with a vast ocean that split it from the Pangean continent.On the southern side was where the city Lumeya was located.

    Dalia motioned her hand to the city which was surrounded by a large circular wall.

    "This wall is meant to prevent Shaikirans like Shammil and I from attacking."

    "They were responsible for halting my father''s progress during the campaign at Lumeya''s outskirts."

    "So how do you plan to invade it?" asked Daniel

    "We need to get information about the rest of the city." said Chloe

    "And how do you plan to do that?" asked Shammil

    Dalia sighed, "Daniel will have to go."

    Daniel felt shocked at first but realised it was a good decision. The members of the Restless were allowed to look for their killers and as long as he wasn''t caught killing any of the locals then he would be alright. Ferric glanced back at him

    "Daniel, do y think you''re ready for this type of mission."

    "Don''t worry too much Lloyd, this is not my first time here."

    Daniel dashed back to his horse and climbed onto its back. He rode off towards the large walls towering above the rest of the forest, each section adorned in marble and clay that contrasted with the cloudless sky above.

    Daniel dashed back to his horse and climbed onto its back. Lasers spewed out from the walls, scanning his body from head to toe. A large echo filled the forest as the gate opened right infront of him. He rode his horse through the wall.

    Several lasers checked his equipment knowing that the Restless were not tolerant about their weapons being taken away. He breathed a sigh of relief as a bright light shone through the gate.''

    He had finally made it past the security systems. Daniel reached out for his waist and took out a canister of oil as he rode through the town. The streets were white as chalk with citizens passing by the markets. This was the market hub , a no-car area for anyone willing to take a stroll and buy some valuable food.

    He gritted his teeth, knowing that he couldn''t have any of the food nearby. He missed the whiff of fresh bread that his parents would give him , the ability to smell and taste had vanished ever since he entered this body.

    But here he was stuck in this vessel for ages until it rusted away. Despite that he continued to explore the city. The citizens stood by in silence as he passed.''

    Everyone hated the Renegades after all.

    Now all he had to do was to get information about the city. He glanced at a nearby cafe adorned with vines and grapes that had been erected on his left and a squad of men clothed in green stood by the door with assault rifles strapped behind their backs. Daniel smiled. They were part of the military squad patrolling the city for threats.

    The soldiers looked at Daniel with an awful gaze. They were aware he was part of the Renegades but weren''t interested in starting a fight.

    Daniel slowed down his horse as he disembarked from its back.

    "What lie should I come up with now?" Daniel thought to himself "It has to be something convincing. Ah, now I got it."

    "What are you doing here , Renegade?" asked the sergeant, " This is a cafe , I thought the only thing you robots enjoy is oil."

    "That''s not why I''m here commander. There''s someone I''ve been looking for. A gangster who was responsible for my death. You know where I can find them?"

    The soldiers looked back at each other and nodded to Daniel''s question. A few minutes had passed and he and the squad were strolling by the alley.

    Daniel checked his surroundings, making sure no one was around to witness what was about to happen. The sergeant stood in shock as Daniel knocked them to the ground.

    He stepped down and checked for their pulse. He sighed, they were still breathing. Daniel moved his eyes to the sergeant , a grin forming on his face. Before he could react he found himself pinned to the brick wall. He grit his teeth in pain as the back of his head collided against the cold wall. The sergeant felt his breath leave him as Daniel pushed his arm against his neck.

    He desperately reached for his walkie talkie only for it to get tossed aside and crushed by Daniel''s foot.

    "Why are you doing this?" asked the sergeant.

    "That''s none of your business, tell me where the main forces are."

    "What makes you think I know?"

    "You''re the sergeant are you not, you must be familiar with the military camps."

    Daniel pulled his katana from his sheath and embedded it into the nearby wall.

    "That''s exactly what will happen to you if you don''t reply soon."

    "Okay fine, they''re on the southwestern side of the city."

    "Anything else?" said Daniel as he bashed him against the wall

    "There''s an air force base stationed there that is sent to take down any threat that comes by. And there''s often infantry that are stationed on the ditches outside the wall but I''m pretty sure you''re familiar with them."

    "Thanks , that''s all I needed to know."

    Daniel clenched his mettalilc fist and sent it straight to the sergeant''s jaw. His arms fell from the hand grabbing his neck. He was now unconscious. Daniel glanced at the nearby bin and tossed him there.

    He fought the urge to pierce his katana through the sergeant''s chest. Ever since his friend died , he never wanted to claim another life ever again.

    Daniel hopped back on his horse and raced towards the gate. A large beep occurred on his ear and Daniel reached out to touch it.

    "Daniel , have you gotten the info about the bases?"

    "Yes Lloyd and I''m about to come back soon. But there''s something you need to know."

    "I''m listening."

    "It''s the Restless. The town will know that I was the one who snitched on them and Ferric might launch an attack on the Kytherium Alps."

    "But why are you concerned about the Restless? Are they not responsible for your exile?"

    "No. It was just Lupa. I still have friends there and I don''t want them to get killed because of my actions. Don''t tell anyone else about this conversation , got it."

    "Alright."

    Daniel pressed the button on the ear device and continued to dash towards the gate. He could feel the wind whipping against his jacket as he passed through the town.

    Once he passed the gate he found himself in the clear and ready to return to the army.

 Chapter 11 FERRIC:The Battle of Shankoa

    Ferric watched from his binoculars as he waited for Daniel''s arrival. He zoomed in onto the city gate where several vehicles lined outside as lasers scanned their equipment.

    A soft breeze swept throught the forest , carrying with it the scent of perfumes, soap and other home remedies from the nearby transports

    Ferric checked the time on the top portion of his binocular screen. It was 2:45 pm meaning it had been 45 minutes since Daniel left.

    "What was taking him this long?" Ferric asked himself

    Before long, a figure on horseback came to his view. Ferric grinned. Daniel had finally returned.

    As Daniel approached them he proceeded to disembark from his horse.

    "So Daniel, what have you found." asked Chloe

    Daniel told them everything from the air force base to the soldiers stationed by the ditches and the turrets hidden in the walls.

    "That;s all I was able to get the sergeant."

    "Then we must get ready to attack." said Shammil

    Daniel hopped back onto his horse and glanced back at the troops.

    "Daniel , where do you think you''re going?" asked Chloe

    "I said I came here to assist you not to partake in battle. I''m done with fighting, I don''t want to harm another soul ever again. I''ve given you all the information you need, now you must continue without me.":

    Chloe''s orb started to glow but Ferric stretched out his hand to stop her.

    "Let him go Chloe, we''ll let him do his own fight. For now we need to come up with a strategy.

    A few minutes had passed since Daniel left and the rest of Shammil''s forces had assembled themselves in the forest. Dalia reached out for the map placed behind the tree and unfurled it onto the nearby log.

    "Alright so from what we know the airbase is in the southwestern portion of the city.Soldiers have been stationed in and outside the walls."

    "And how do we plan to counter them?"

    "Chloe will use her orb to destroy the weapons and the ariforce but we will need to lure them in. Ferric ,Shammil , you will lead the charge."

    "You heard her men, it''s time to assemble."

    A few minutes had passed since they had made their strategy with Shammil and Ferric clutching the reins of their horses. The scent of grass filled the air as they saw the machine guns laid out behind them. Ferric clutched his chest as his pulse began to quicken. The attack on Shankoa was about to take place and if they failed, Shammil would lose all his trust in him.

    Shammil raised his first to the air , signalling the start of the attack. A multitude of horses charged towards the wall. The clattering of hooves caught the army''s attention.

    Ferric braced himself as the soldiers dashed to their turrets mounted near the edge of the long ditch that stretched out before them.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Dalia called her troops and ordered them to split up.

    A moment later, a loud screech echoed throughout the field followed by large shadows that swept past Shammil''s forces. Ferric gazed upwards as a fierce gust whipped against his armour. His heart raced.

    Above them was a fleet of hover jets diving down for a strafe. The shape and swiftness of a jet fighter along with the hovering of a helicopter made them a formidable weapon in Lumea''s air force.

    But before it could launch a missile a blue aura formed around it and the other jets.

    Ferric grinned. Chloe had gotten control of the air force. The jets began to fly back and sent missiles flying towards the nearby soldiers.

    Clouds of dust filled the air as missiles rained down upon the trenches and nearby walls. Parts of the wall began to push aside revealing the turrets hidden inside. Despite this they were no match for the air force under Chloe''s control and a moment later the missiles came flying towards them.

    Regardless , they continued to charge. Ferric pressed against his earpiece to call Chloe.

    "Chloe, it''s time to blow up the wall."

    A moment later the jets swooped by the wall and sent a missile that blew up the gate. Ferric could feel his heart race as his horse dashed towards the gate. Once inside they found themselves surrounded by several turrets that fired down on them. Several soldiers fell from the saddles as the rounds exploded on impact.

    Despite that the army continued to push onwards and made it past the gate and into the city.

    The locals looked in fear and rushed back into their homes. They had finally made it into the city. The rest of the soldiers stood by and fired down from the houses, only for their bullets to bounce off their armour.

    Shammil''s army yelled in triumph as the fleet flew past them. Suddenly, a beep rang in Ferric''s earpiece, prompting him to answer.

    "Chloe, what do you need to say?" The sound of coughing sent shivers down Ferric''s spine.

    "It''s the jets, they''re no longer under my control. They''re swooping in to attack you now.

    His heart raced. He pressed against his earpiece , this time talking to Shammil.

    "Shammil, get your army ready to disband. The air force is no longer under Chloe''s control."

    But it was too late a missile had been sent towards his company, sending men and horses flying across the street with a trail of blood flowing across the road. Dalia rushed by and rode beside Ferric.

    "We need to get out of the aircraft''s range." said Dalia

    "And where do you plan to go?" asked Ferric

    "We have to split up and go into the alleys."

    Ferric nodded and followed her to the nearby alley. He glanced up to the sky, looking for any jet that might potentially shoot down on them. Fortunately for them the gap was too small for the jet to aim and it was forced to fly elsewhere.

    Ferric breathed a sigh of relief. He looked back to Dalia whose black hair had been tied up into a braid.

    The two halted their horses for a moment as they reached for their backpacks.

    "You remembered to bring those RPGs right."

    "Yes, we knew that Chloe would lose her control so we made sure to bring RPGs from the sultan''s army. The only thing left is to fire it."

    Dalia pulled a side lever that opened up the scope for the rocket launcher. After that she aimed it at a nearby jet passing by. The scope flashed red, indicating the target had been locked on and now she squeezed the trigger.

    The rest of Shammil''s army followed suit and several of the rockets came flying towards the jets.

    Once they felt it was secure they rode out of the alley and into the open town. Ferric motioned to a giant tower that stood above the rest of the town. He grinned. That was the home of Shankoa''s governors. They checked both sides and noticed a group of horsemen in the distance. It was what remained of Shammil''s group after the airstirke.

    His right arm was covered in wounds and the armour had shattered like glass. But that didn''t matter , they had to reach the tower. Shammil and his squad orchestrated a plan to get to the tower as the aircraft tried to evade the missiles being sent towards them.

    After a few minutes Shammil rallied what remained of his army and went to surround the palace. Ferric looked back up at the sky and saw that the jets had been taken control again by Chloe and were circling the tower.

    Ferric rode his horse to the nearby tower where the governor and his wife looked down at them from the balcony. He could see the concern on the governor''s face and that he had lost the battle. The majority of his air force had been destroyed and those that remained were aimed right at him along with tanks being blown up by the nearby RPGs.

    The governor took a nearby microphone which he had placed on the balcony and spoke to the whole of Shankoa.

    "Fighting men of Shankoa. You have fought valiantly today, but unfortunately the enemy has gotten the advantage. Therefore we urge you to lay down your weapons for we have resigned our position and will be moving the power to Shammil."

    Shammil and Dalia cast off their turbans high into the air as yells echoed throughout the street. A nearby soldier came by and hugged Ferric tightly. They had done it, they had won the battle of Shankoa.

 Chapter 12 Vol 1 Epilogue

    Daniel sat firm on his horse as he rode across the vast grassy plains. On his right stood the Kytherium Mountan Range whose peaks pointed upwards like daggers that pierced through the clouds above.

    He glanced back to the forest on his left. Daniel grit his teeth. This was where he had lost to Lupa weeks prior. He clutched the katana strapped to his back as the wind whipped against his black jacket, remembering the death of his former friend.

    Now was the time for a rematch. Daniel clutched his reins and dashed off with his horse Phoebe to the forest. He stopped by a nearby tree where he used his vision to scan the woods. Several animals popped up on his feed, from birds to rodents to ants until it locked onto a young woman wearing a straw hat and a horse chewing the grass beside her.

    Daniel clenched his fists. The woman was none other than Lupa. He slowly tread through the forest, avoiding the dry crumpled leaves and twigs which covered his path.

    Daniel stood up from the nearby log and smirked at her as he hopped over.

    "So Daniel, you have decided to come back. But why, why fight a battle you already lost?."

    Daniel refused to answer and reached out for his scabbard. Lupa did the same.

    A cold wind whipped through the forest as they raised their blades. A moment later they began to fight. The sound of the blades clashing sent echoes throughout the forest and flocks of birds flew from the trees as a result.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    The vibrations from each strike coursed through the blade as Daniel blocked and parried Lupa''s attacks. He used his eyes to check for the weakest points only for all of them to get blocked.

    A moment later a sharp pain went through his shoulder. He glanced down and saw that oil was spewing out of his wound. Lupa grinned and continued to sending blow after blow towards him. Daniel continued to fight with one hand on his blade cut.

    He tried to look for other ways to solve the problem but couldn''t. Until he noticed that every attack he did was taught to him by Lupa.

    "That''s it." he thought to himself "That''s why no one has defeated her. She trains us moves that her eyes know how to block. Which means I will have to go unorthodox."

    Daniel kicked Lupa and began to swing his blade towards her against what he had been taught. Soon Lupa started to lose the advantage until her blade got swung away.

    Lupa laid down flat on the ground with both Daniel''s and her sword before her neck.

    Lupa smirked

    "Congratulations apprentice, you''ve finally defeated me. Go ahead , exile me, you vowed not to claim another life right."

    "I did. But you''re the exception. You are the one who sent me to kill my friend and now he''s gone forever. Your body is just a mere vessel like mine and you know what happens when we lose them."

    "Wait, don''t you dare."

    Daniel lifted his blade and pierced it straight through her chest. Oil leaked from her mouth as she let out a brutal cough , her eyes filled with shock. Luna let out a final sigh as her body became motionless.

    Suddenly, a wisp of grayish smoke spewed from her mouth. It twisted and turned in front of him, until it finally materialised into a humanoid figure.

    It was none other than the soul of Lupa.

    She glanced back at Daniel and let out a loud shriek that sent shivers down his spine before vanishing into the forest.

    Daniel sighed. The duel was over and he had won. He knelt down and picked up the metallic vessel that Lupa once possessed.

    After a few minutes he arrived at the Renegades'' camp.

    They noticed the body of Lupa that he carried on his shoulder and gasped in shock.

    "Yes Renegades. I have eliminated Lupa and from now on , I will be your leader."

    [END OF VOLUME ONE]

    Stay Tuned for Vol 2