by Rai Aren
“Setar, you must come here,” Traeus said, holding out his hand. “You are not safe with him.”
Setar stood his ground. “No!”
Zhek felt a swelling of pride. “Well, now that is ironic, since your wife killed his mother. You married her knowing that. You married a murderer. Now you are going to try and kill his father,” Zhek said, his rough voice rife with malice.
Setar gasped, a look of terror crossed his face.
Zhek played into it. “See, Setar, that is who these people really are. They are murderers. They wanted your mother and me dead so they could have you all to themselves.”
Traeus was horrified. The damage Zhek was doing would soon be irreversible, if not already. He had to say something. Do something.
“See,” Zhek laughed sarcastically, “he cannot deny it. Now he will try to make some excuse like your mother deserved to die, that Mindara had to kill her.”
“Zazmaria was a traitor, she was poison to this family!” Traeus said, now enraged, taking the bait. “She would have killed Mindara. She had no choice! Mindara was only defending herself!” His chest heaved. “She deserved what she got!” He immediately regretted saying some of those things in front of Setar.
Setar was aghast at what he was hearing.
“Honestly, Setar, you cannot believe anything this man says. He has done nothing but lie to you. He did not tell you that I am your true father and that Mindara murdered your true mother. Now you can see him for what he really is. He is the one that is evil. As I told you, my injuries,” Zhek said, once again putting a hand on his son’s shoulder, “are his fault as well. I did not always look like this. His weapon did this to me.”
“It was not a weapon and besides you tried to steal it!” Traeus yelled. “Your interference caused the accident! It was your own fault.”
Zhek seized on the opportunity. “Always blaming others. Pathetic. Tell me, where is this dangerous thing now?” Zhek challenged him. He wanted to forever ruin Traeus’ status in Setar’s eyes.
“Destroyed, along with nearly everything else that day,” Traeus shot back.
“Lies,” Zhek said, “I do not believe you. It was the cause of the accident. Something that sophisticated and deadly would not be designed to end up a casualty of its own power.”
“Believe what you will, Zhek, I do not care.”
“Just like you did not care what that device could do to your people! What kind of King creates something so lethal and hides it from his people? Letting them walk into such a merciless trap?”
Traeus glanced over at Setar, he saw the look on his face. “It was never meant to harm,” Traeus said to the young boy, trying to reassure him.
“Tell us what it was for then,” Zhek said, taunting him. “What was its true purpose?”
Traeus hesitated, caught in a difficult position.
“So little courage, king?” Zhek said, sneering at him. “You cannot even admit the truth of your horrific mistakes?”
Silence.
“Tell us!” Zhek shouted at him.
Setar cringed.
Zhek squeezed his young son’s shoulder, trying to steady him. He could feel the boy trembling.
“No!” Traeus said. “I will tell you nothing. I will not bow to your demands.”
“What are you really hiding?” Zhek asked. Without waiting for an answer, he bent down and spoke in Setar’s ear, “You see the kind of man he is? Secrets and lies. It is all he knows. That makes him the most dangerous man our people have ever known.”
Setar looked from Traeus to Zhek, scared and confused. He did not know what to say or what to think.
“I have said all that I am willing to say to you about it, Zhek,” Traeus replied.
“If you will not answer, king, then you are both reckless and ignorant, in addition to caring nothing about the welfare your people,” Zhek said, zeroing in on his enemy. “And completely unfit to be either King or a father.”
Traeus knew he was losing this battle. He was desperate. “Zhek, move away from him, this is your last warning.”
“No!” Setar screamed. “You will not hurt him!”
“Setar, please, do not do this,” Traeus pleaded. “I love you, Mindara loves you…”
“You lied to me! All of you! Leave me alone. I hate you!” Setar’s face was now turning a bright shade of red.
Traeus was panicking inside. “None of us knew the truth at first,” he said to Setar. “I did not find out until shortly before Alaj died. We had confronted Lord Draxen and he revealed to us that Zhek and Zazmaria had an affair. The Draxens had used and manipulated your mother to further their political gains. Even though Alaj knew you were not his son by blood, he still loved you and it was his dying wish that I take care of you like you were his son.”
“More lies,” Zhek spat, keeping a firm grip on Setar’s shoulder. “It does not matter though,” he said. “What matters is that Setar is my son. He is my flesh and blood.” Zhek scanned the soldiers facing him. The tension was evident on their faces. He had to play this situation carefully. He took his own sword out, his knife still tucked into his belt. He took hold of Setar’s hand. “Stand behind me, son. I will protect you.”
Setar hesitated.
Zhek grabbed Setar and pushed the boy behind him. He held out his sword. “You will step aside and let us leave, or I can assure you, you will greatly regret it.” His eyes narrowed. His face was grim.
Zhek’s threat was cold. Commander Maraeven suspected what he meant by it. If he could not escape, he knew he would be killed, so he would see that Setar did not go back to the Royal Family, one way or another.
“Your Majesty,” the Commander said, “perhaps we should just back away.”
“What?” the King asked incredulously.
“I do not think this situation is safe for anyone,” he said, giving him a knowing glance, then motioning to Setar. He shook his head.
“At least someone here understands what is at stake,” Zhek said, a cold glint in his eye.
Traeus understood his meaning. His blood ran cold. He could not risk harm coming to Setar. He knew Zhek was capable of anything.
Just then, Anjia and Tramen came running down the opposite end of the hall, inadvertently blocking Zhek’s exit.
“Anjia! Tramen!” Traeus shouted. “I told you two to stay put in your rooms! Where are your guards?”
“We saw fighting in the Palace, some of the prisoners had escaped,” Anjia said. “The guards went to help contain the fighting. I sensed Setar was in trouble.” The energy from her pendant was firing wildly against her chest. She looked at Zhek. “Let him go at once!”
“I do not take orders from you, Chosen One,” Zhek said. “You will not stop me this time.”
“Setar, step away from him,” Anjia said, her voice even, steady. She held out her hand. “Come to me, please. You are my brother. I love you. I would never hurt you.”
“No! He is my father!” Setar cried. “You have all lied to me!”
“Setar,” Anjia said calmly. “Sometimes people hide the truth from us, to protect us and keep us safe. I too had to live a life hidden from the truth, my identity disguised. Just as with you, there was no other choice in spite of the pain it caused.”
Tramen stood beside her. He drew his sword protectively.
“We wanted to protect you, Setar,” Traeus said. “We are your family, you must trust us.”
Their words were having an effect on Setar, but he was torn, confused. Zhek tightened his hold on Setar.
“Do not believe their lies, son!” Zhek shouted. “They proved that you could never trust them again.” Zhek motioned to his men to position themselves in a defensive manner, while they tried to back their way out of the Palace.
“Setar, listen to me, you know you
can trust me. I am your sister.” She took a step towards him, holding out her hands.
“Stay away from him!” Zhek yelled. He could not take her presence any longer. He had waited a long time to be rid of her. “Kill her!” he ordered his soldiers.
“No!” Setar cried out.
Jonar lunged at the Princess. Tramen quickly intercepted the blow with his sword. He parried his sword and cut Jonar’s arm, leaving a deep gash. The man dropped to his knees crying out in pain.
Setar, horrified at what was happening, pulled away from Zhek’s grip and ran towards Anjia. She quickly pulled Setar to her, shielding him from seeing what was about to happen.
Traeus seeing that Setar was free and Zhek distracted, attacked Zhek. Commander Maraeven and his men took on the rest of Zhek’s soldiers.
“Get Setar out of here!” Traeus shouted to Anjia and Tramen, as he deflected a blow from Zhek’s sword.
Anjia nodded, and took a hold of Setar’s hand and ran down the hallway.
Jonar, full of pain and rage, picked up his sword with his good arm and attacked Tramen. Tramen saw the blow coming and quickly ducked, clashing his sword onto Jonar’s. He stood his ground against Jonar’s onslaught. When he saw his chance, Tramen thrust his sword into Jonar’s side. Jonar inhaled sharply, then slumped to the ground. Tramen retrieved his sword and raced after Anjia and Setar.
Commander Maraeven swung his sword at Rembes. Rembes struck back forcefully. The two men were engaged in fierce combat. In the hallway, the other Royal soldiers were engaged in their own fight to the death.
Zhek’s attacks were merciless. One of his swings cut Traeus’ arm. Traeus stepped back, grimacing in pain.
“You took my son from me,” Zhek said, his voice hoarse. “I will take your life.” Zhek lunged and thrust his sword towards Traeus, who managed to shift slightly. The blow, aimed at his heart, cut deeply into his shoulder.
Traeus screamed in pain, dropped his own sword and fell to his knees. Zhek, standing over him, smiled smugly as he bent down to pull his sword out of Traeus’ shoulder. Traeus, in a moment of pure desperation, pulled the curved dagger fastened to Zhek’s belt and in one swift move, thrust it up into Zhek’s stomach. Zhek gasped. His eyes went wide, as he fell to the ground.
“Setar is my son now,” Traeus said, shaking, but holding the dagger in a fierce grip, his face covered in beads of sweat. “You can die with that as your last thought.” He spat at him.
Zhek tried to speak, but blood gurgled out of his mouth. He coughed. He struggled to get up, but his strength was rapidly leaving him. He collapsed in a heap.
Traeus kicked Zhek’s sword away. The King, bleeding badly, stepped closer to his enemy, now dying at his feet. He ignored the pain he was in as he took in the sight before him. His mortal enemy felled, at long last.
Zhek looked off into a distance only he could see, then whispered, “Zazmaria…”
The King watched Zhek’s deeply scarred face until his grey eyes turned glassy, and the spark of his life flickered and died out.
Chapter 55
Bombardment
COMMANDER Maraeven quickly called for medical attention for the King and the Royal soldiers who had also been injured. None of Zhek’s men had survived the encounter.
Once treated, Traeus decided to go in search of his family. He knew he had to get back to the battle, but he needed to ensure their safety first. He ordered the Commander back to the front lines where he would join him shortly.
The King found his children huddled together in a room. Setar, holding onto Anjia, looked at Traeus as he approached.
“Father! You are injured!” Anjia exclaimed, seeing the bandages, already soaked with blood.
“I will be fine. I am so glad to see you are all safe. There is still fighting outside the Palace. Let us find Mindara and Alaj,” Traeus said.
Setar visibly tensed at the mention of Mindara.
“Father, is Zhek…” Tramen did not finish his question, as the look in his father’s eyes told him everything.
“Did you kill him?” Setar asked, as his heart jumped to his throat.
Traeus’ face again betrayed the truth.
“No…” Setar said as he began to cry.
“Setar, I had no choice. He was trying to kill me. Look, ” he said as he pointed to his bandaged and bloody shoulder. “I was only defending myself. He was killed in the process. There was nothing I could do. Remember, he came into our home with weapons, not the other way around.”
Anjia put her arm around Setar and held him close as the young boy sobbed.
“Come now,” Traeus said as he gathered his children, “there will be time to talk later.” Along with the Royal soldiers, they set out to find Queen Mindara. They found her and baby Alaj hiding in a room, safe from the fighting. The Royal family quickly embraced each other.
Anjia stopped suddenly, her eyes distant. Strong energy waves pulsated continuously from her ankh pendant. Her heart was pounding. Her instincts screamed danger.
“Anjia? What is it?” Tramen sensed there was something very wrong.
Her eyes went wide. “Oh no, take cover! Everybody get down. Now!” she shouted.
Seconds after they all dove to the floor, a massive explosion rocked the Palace. They felt the shock of the impact and the walls started to crumble. Then, more explosions were heard and felt outside of the Palace. “We must get out of here!” she said.
“What is going on?” Traeus asked. “I do not understand. I did not think Zhek’s army had such powerful weapons.”
“I think I can explain later, but we are not safe here,” Anjia insisted. “We must get as far away from the Palace as we can.”
“No, we should remain inside and find cover!” he said, shaking his head.
Anjia shook her head. “No, we cannot remain here. The Palace could be destroyed.”
Traeus was about to protest, but realized his daughter had a powerful intuition and chose to trust her judgment. The walls and ceilings shook as more blasts hit the Palace. Stone and wood debris rained down on top of them. This made no sense to him, how could Zhek’s army be doing this with what he had seen them armed? They had no information either that indicated such powerful weaponry had been developed.
He pushed those questions away. Whatever the cause, it was happening. “Go!” Traeus shouted, placing a protective arm over Mindara.
The family quickly navigated their way through the halls and rooms. A fiery ball smashed through the roof and exploded in front of them. Anjia and Mindara shrieked, as the roof crumpled and nearly pinned them.
A piercing scream was heard.
“Setar!” Anjia yelled.
Setar’s leg was trapped underneath the debris. Just above him came a loud creak and moan. Traeus knew what that meant, and in a split second he was at Setar’s side. He frantically worked to free Setar’s leg. Once free, Traeus lifted him up and pushed him out of the way. “Run Setar!” he yelled, then he turned to follow. With a loud bang, a section of the ceiling gave way in a huge crash. Dust and debris turned the world into a hazy, chaotic scene.
