General Brontes was a hero of the Second Great War. He alone had commanded forces throughout the Vicedonian theatre, while King Maximus and General Constantine were conquering new territories across the Great Sea in the New Lands. The Renzai had pushed hard into the southlands trying to gain ingress into the Vicedonian territories, but General Brontes had managed to fight them off at every incursion. His cunning and determination pushed him to begin his own offensive, forcing the Renzai armies back east past the River Fate. He attempted to push deeper into the heart of the Renzai Empire, but encountered too much resistance. He was too far away from his headquarters in the capital, and knew he couldn’t command effectively having his forces stretched out across the lands. He gave up on his decision to push further, and retreated back across the Hydas River. It was here that the current borders of both kingdoms came into existence, with the Disputed Lands remaining in between.
“He’s the one General Yagar doesn’t like to talk about?” Gama punched Kara in the arm at a not-so-subtle attempt to get her attention.
“Yeah. I’ve tried to ask him about what happened between them during that time, but he refuses to discuss it. I can’t even speculate on what it could be about.”
Gama chuckled. “Wow, to not even tell his own daughter. Must’ve been something heavy.”
Kara loved her father. He was everything a father could be. She had never known him to keep secrets from her, but something about Brontes struck the wrong chord within him, making him despondent at times, or angry at others. So she learned to never mention his name. Something inside her began to stir, she couldn’t help it, but she recognized the feeling. Hate. Hate for this man who had scarred her father so deeply. She resolved in that moment that she was going to make him pay.
“If I get the chance, I’m going to kill him.” She spoke with an iciness that both Gama and Raden had never heard before.
“That won’t be an easy task. The beast even seems intimidated by him.” Raden’s comment brought their attention back to the events unfolding before them.
The beast snarled and growled at Brontes, but he continued marching forward, unfazed. It was behaving like a wounded animal that had been cornered by its predator. Survival instinct had taken over. It lashed out violently. Tossing anything within its vicinity; metal wreckage from the mangled cage, broken chunks of rocks, discarded weapons from the Vicedonian guards, an endless assault of debris bombarded Brontes. The general still had not taken his trident off his back. He dodged, swayed, and rolled so quickly it shocked them as they watched. It wasn’t just his quick reflexes that made him a force to be reckoned with, it was something more. He had a presence about him, an aura that you could feel. Even while they hid in a bush high above the cliffs, watching in secret, they felt the air shift about them when he arrived. His presence was what the beast was reacting to, and it was terrified of Brontes.
Brontes came within a few feet of the beast now. Remaining completely still, he stared deep into its eyes. The beast saw within Brontes a coldness that it had never experienced before. Brontes’ glaring look indicated that he had seen, and perhaps even done, such horrific things in his life that even the power of a god could not faze him. The beast reacted by throwing a powerful punch, but Brontes caught the massive hand in the air. It tried again, but with the same result. Slowly, the beast’s body language began to shift. Its shoulders sagged, body hunched over, knees bent low to the ground. Soon, the beast had dropped to one knee, eyes downcast. It appeared to be crouching now.
No, it isn’t crouching… it’s kneeling, thought Raden.
The life escaped from their bodies. Gama, as usual, was the only one with an audible response. “You’re not killing anyone today, Kara. We’re in deep trouble.”
The Vicedonians had somehow done it. Through General Brontes, they controlled the Candidate, and with that, the possible demise of the Renzai Empire loomed ominously before them.
“We need to head back now, no more time to gather any more intelligence.” Raden was already preparing his equipment to leave.
“Wait… we still need to see what else the Candidate is capable of. We won’t get another chance like this, Raden.” Kara was almost pleading now for them to stay a bit longer, but Raden would have none of it.
“If we stay longer, we die. That, I know, is a fact. We’ve seen the Candidate. We’ve witnessed its incredible powers. We know what it is capable of. The mission is done. We need to get back and tell the Prophet everything.”
Gama chimed in. “I one hundred percent agree with Rad. I don’t want to fight either of those guys. Let’s get out of here, Kara.”
“But…”
Raden grabbed her by the arm. “Let it go, Kara! You can get your revenge some other time. We need to leave now! That’s an order!”
“You don’t have to tell me twice!” Gama pushed himself off the ground, but the ground beneath his right hand splintered apart, sending him and Oli tumbling down the mountainside.
Raden and Kara cringed as they watched them roll head over heels, Gama’s massive body gaining momentum as he tumbled wildly away from them. He would’ve cleared the entire mountainside, were it not for the fortuitous presence of rocky debris left behind by the smashed boulder. Gama dug his feet into the ground and reached for the rocks. He braced himself, pressing his body tightly against the coarse ground. He finally skidded to a halt, Oli still miraculously tucked in her pouch.
Raden and Kara were frozen in place. They had watched Gama come to a stop at the edge of the crater beneath where they hid. He turned back towards them and gave them a thumbs-up.
Kara was irate. “That idiot! How could he be so careless? The enemy must’ve noticed the dust clouds kicked up by his fall.”
Small cracks began to appear in the ground beneath Raden’s feet, splintering out slowly at first, but rapidly increasing in speed down the hillside. “It’s not his fault, Kara. The damage from the boulder earlier must’ve completely shaken the foundation beneath us. The ground was coming undone, and we didn’t even notice. We were too consumed by the Candidate.”
Kara stared down at the ground where she and Raden stood. Her face went white. “Oh no…”
The ground completely buckled, and before they knew it, a full-on landslide was sending them careening down the mountainside. Raden grabbed a hold of Kara, covering her with his body. Gama grabbed a hold of Oli as they rolled down the hillside. When they finally came to a stop, they found themselves staring at the sharp points of a dozen spears.
“Aww great. My bad, guys.” Oli’s ears folded down, as if to echo her master’s sentiment.
The Vicedonian soldiers took them away. They confiscated their weapons and led them directly into the open field where General Brontes was standing along with the Candidate.
“What do we have here? Renzai spies? You’re a long way from home.”
“We’ve seen everything, Brontes. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can really control that thing.” Raden knew it was a lie, but he didn’t know what else to say. Kara, on the other hand, knew exactly what to say.
“I’m going to kill you, you bastard.” Kara spat at him.
Unfettered, Brontes wiped the spit from off his cheek. “And why would you want me dead, young lady? What have I ever done to you?”
“For my father, General Yagar.” Kara spat again, this time at Brontes’ feet.
Brontes stared at her face, examining it carefully. The recognition dawned on him.
“You must be, Shishi. Yagar’s precious little girl.” Brontes touched Kara’s chin softly, holding it between his fingers. Kara cringed from the touch, but more from the fact that he had called her Shishi. Her father had given her the nickname when she was a child. Only when they were alone would he refer to her as Shishi. Even now, she still adored the name. It always made her feel like she was five years old again, wrapping her little arms around her father’s massive shoulders. How General Brontes knew the name escaped her, but it filled her with even more res
entment.
“It’s a shame we had to meet like this, Shishi.” Brontes turned towards the guards. “Take them away.”
The guards jabbed their spears into the prisoners’ backs, forcing them to walk. Raden wasn’t sure where the guards were leading them, but he knew he had to do something quick. We came so far. We completed the mission. We have to get back to headquarters and warn the Prophet. I can’t let it end like this. Not after everything we’ve been through.
Raden suddenly tripped and fell to the ground. The guard pointed his spear at Raden’s head. “Get up and keep walking, filth.”
Raden refused to move.
“I said get up!” The guard kicked Raden violently in his ribs.
Raden absorbed the kick, but managed to grab a hold of the guard’s foot. He swept the guard’s leg, sending him crashing to the ground. Raden picked up the spear and stabbed the guard nearest to Kara in the neck. “Run, Kara!” He pulled the spear out, turning towards Gama’s jailer. He pulled his arm back, ready to thrust the spear with all his might, when the blunt end of a sword connected with the back of his neck. Raden collapsed to his knees, his head throbbing in pain.
Gama and Kara were forced down to their knees as well; even Oli lowered her head in compliance now. The sharp end of objects pointed at them seemed to have multiplied in an instant.
Brontes, still looking at the Candidate, began to speak.
“These soldiers are from the Renzai Empire. They have been our sworn enemies for centuries now. They’ve conquered our lands, killed our soldiers, made slaves of our women and children. These faces—” Brontes grabbed a hold of Raden’s hair, lifting his face up. “This is the face of our enemy. Of your enemy.” He released Raden’s head and kicked Gama in the stomach. Gama fell forward, clutching at his gut in pain. “They cannot be allowed to live. If they do, they will harm me, harm you, harm all of us Vicedonians. They know nothing of mercy or grace. Hatred fills their hearts, just like this young one here.” Brontes nodded at Kara. “See how she wants to kill me, despite never meeting me before? She only wants me dead because I am Vicedonian. A savage, cruel, and narrow-minded people they are. I think we should do something about it, don’t you?”
The beast stood up, towering over the kneeling prisoners. It beat its fist against its chest, preparing itself for battle, Raden assumed.
“Put them in the pit. Let’s see how long they last against true power.”
The guards directed the prisoners towards a large pit nearby. Brontes grabbed a hold of Kara’s shoulder.
“Except this one. Hold her outside the pit. Let her watch her comrades try and survive against the power of God.”
“NOOOOO!” Kara shouted as the guards moved her towards the edge of the pit.
Raden and Gama were thrown in. It was a large and deep opening in the ground covered in dirt. No weapons, no doors, nothing. The two of them looked around for an escape route, but found only dirt walls. Brontes bent down to pet Oli, but Oli snapped at him, muzzled pulled back, baring all her teeth.
Brontes laughed. “I know a changeling when I see one. Go join your friends you mutt.” Brontes kicked Oli into the pit below. Oli hit the ground, letting out a painful yelp. Gama ran over to check on her, but Oli had already begun to transform. In an instant, Ripper leaped out of the pit at Brontes, but the Candidate tackled her in midair, sending them both crashing into the rocky floor of the pit.
Brontes continued. “Let it begin. These are your enemies! Know them! Kill them!”
Brontes ordered the guards to throw down the confiscated weapons. “You might need these, although they won’t be of much help.”
Raden and Gama grabbed their weapons as the trio prepared themselves. The beast paced back and forth, no chains to restrict it now. It beat its chest again savagely before lunging at the three of them.
Kara screamed in horror as she watched the beast swipe at Gama’s head.
Chapter 32