by Tripp Ellis
Nolan frantically searched around, looking for a lever or actuator that might trigger the slab to open. There were a series of faint markings etched into the stone. They were almost imperceptible. Small hieroglyphics. Nolan placed his hand over the markings. He didn't know why, the idea just popped into his head. It seemed natural. Suddenly, he felt the palm of his hand grow warm, and a slight glow of energy radiated between his hand and the stone. The massive slab slid aside, revealing the passageway that bore deep into the mountainside.
"How did you do that?" Caleb asked.
Nolan shrugged.
Tanc arrived just as the passageway revealed itself. He had planned on pummeling Nolan, but that didn't seem appropriate anymore. Instead, Tanc just scowled at him. It was hard to tell if he was more frustrated with Nolan for failing to obey an order, or because Nolan had been right.
Tanc shouted into his comm line, "Captain Avar, I found a passageway into the Citadel. Send the rest of Thrasher platoon this way."
Nolan gritted his teeth, disgusted by the big oaf taking credit.
Caleb rolled his eyes.
Tanc pointed his sword at Nolan's throat again. "Don't you ever disobey another order. You understand me?"
"Yes, Sergeant.”
Captain Avar arrived with the rest of Thrasher platoon. Punisher and Crusher platoons joined them, while the rest of the battalion maintained its frontal assault.
"Nice work," Captain Avar said to Tanc.
"Thank you, sir."
"Take point,” she commanded.
Tanc looked astonished. He had no desire to be the first one to charge into a dark passageway. "Excuse me, sir?"
"You found the entrance. Now lead us to victory.”
"Yes, sir," Tanc grumbled.
Nolan and Caleb couldn't help but grin.
With his sword drawn, Tanc marched into the passageway. The rest of the platoon followed.
"Move! Move! Move!" Captain Avar shouted.
Nolan and Caleb followed the swarm of troops into the dim passageway. The obsidian black walls were illuminated by flickering blue flames that emanated from wall sconces. It was eerie and unnatural. It didn't take long for the Soturi to encounter a few Citadel guards in the passageway.
Swords clashed, echoing off the tunnel walls. The Soturi quickly overwhelmed the small number of guards.
The tunnel weaved through solid rock, traveling underneath the walls of the Citadel. The Soturi stormed into the court, taking the Citadel forces by surprise. There were, at most, two platoons of troopers remaining to guard the Citadel. The majority of forces had been deployed in the initial standoff. It left the interior of the fortress vulnerable. By this time, the frontal assault had taken over the battlements and hordes of Soturi were descending into the court. The remaining Citadel forces were quickly overwhelmed.
The Soturi stormed through the Citadel in their usual fashion, wreaking havoc and chaos among the citizenry. Several civilians attempted to resist, but they were met with swift and violent action.
Nolan gritted his teeth. His face flushed with anger as he watched the Soturi devastate the Citadel just as they had done to his homeland. The air was filled with shrieks of pain and terror and wails of agony. Blood splattered. Guts spilled into the street. Limbs were severed. Swords sliced flesh, exposing muscle, tendons, ivory bone, and gristle. It was one thing to fight against armed soldiers, quite another to slay unarmed civilians, and Nolan wanted no part of it.
21
"To the keep!” Captain Avar yelled.
Thrasher platoon marched toward the stronghold. Su Vu Jwon would have likely fortified himself in the Great Hall. A platoon or two of his personal guards would likely be inside, ready to make a last stand.
As the Soturi approached, enchanted arrows from slits within the keep rocketed toward the invaders. The reign of glowing projectiles took out several members of Thrasher platoon, piercing armor, sending the warriors crashing to the ground.
Nolan used his shield to deflect the enchanted arrows as he marched forward, but one of them pierced the armor. It drilled through the shield and streaked inches away from Nolan's face. These arrows were made with powerful magic.
Nolan cast his shield aside as it was useless against the superior firepower. He continued to storm forward, twirling his blade, using it to deflect the oncoming bolts with precise accuracy. It was impressive to watch. His skill with the blade far exceeded anyone in Thrasher platoon, even that of Captain Avar.
The platoon inched forward, taking cover as best they could. A blistering arrow careened through the air, headed straight for Captain Avar. She attempted to bat it away with her shield, but it pierced the armor plating, boring through the metal, narrowly missing her flesh by inches.
Another bolt streaked in her direction. There was no way she could react in time. Nolan moved with lightning speed, blocking the bolt with his blade. He had stopped the enchanted arrow less than a foot from Kira's face. The arrow bounced away with a clang and fizzled on the ground.
Kira's eyes were wide with terror. She exhaled with relief and gave Nolan a nod of thanks.
The Soturi continued to storm the keep. At the main entrance, a Soturi jammed his sword into the heavy wooden door. Each enchanted sword's ability was different. This particular blade acted like a cutting torch. The Soturi sliced through the thick material like it were butter. He carved a rectangle large enough to fit through, then kicked it open. The Soturi poured into the keep and charged the Great Hall.
It was a cavernous space with vaulted ceilings and two rows of Doric columns that ran the length of the hall. The ceiling was ornately decorated. Rows of statues in between the columns created a path to the throne. They were detailed sculptures of warriors, chronicling the history of the Citadel, depicting each of its rulers.
The Soturi clashed with the last of the Citadel forces. Swords clanked and clamored. Armor rattled. The air was filled with grunts and groans and war cries. The sounds of metal blades puncturing flesh, slicing through bone, and eviscerating organs filled the chamber. The Soturi were fighting Su Vu Jwon’s elite guards. These were the toughest and most skilled warriors that Valdovar's Soturi had encountered yet. They put up a hell of a fight.
Nolan was exhausted. His sword felt like it had tripled in weight. He hefted it through the air with all his might, blocking and stabbing. He twirled and slashed and gashed. Despite his exhaustion, he continued to fight with skill and precision, neutralizing every opponent that attacked him. He plowed through the remaining platoon like a hurricane, leaving a wake of devastation. Nolan emerged from the forest of fallen soldiers and squared off against Su Vu Jwon.
The Great Hall was silent. All of the Citadel warriors were either dead or wounded. Su Vu Jwon was a powerful wizard and wasn't going to go down without a fight. He stood at the end of the Great Hall, gripping his sword. The horde of Soturi crept forward with caution, not sure of the power that Su Vu Jwon wielded.
Slowly, the horde of Soturi closed the gap.
With the wave of his hand, the wizard sent the entire company of Soturi crashing to the ground. It was like they had been hit with an invisible wave. The force knocked them from their feet, launching them several yards back. Some were slammed against walls, knocked unconscious with concussions.
Nolan felt like the wind had been smacked out of him. He shook it off and staggered to his feet. But before he was fully upright, a glowing ball of energy was streaking toward him. The wizard had summoned the energy in his palm and sidearmed it across the Great Hall. It blazed between the two rows of columns, between the onlooking sculptures of past warriors, heading straight for Nolan.
He barely had time to react. His eyes widened with a mix of awe and terror. He had never seen anything like it before. It was powerful magic indeed. Nolan twirled his sword and deflected the ball of energy in the nick of time. It dissipated as it impacted his spell blade. Before he could catch his breath, another was on the way.
Nolan was the only one standing. Th
e others were still gaining their wits about them. Nolan deflected the second attack then rushed to take cover behind the nearest pillar.
The wizard flicked his wrist again, sending an invisible force in Nolan's direction. Once again it leveled the Soturi who were barely climbing to their feet. It was like an invisible wall crushing them, flattening the company like dominoes.
Nolan made himself slim behind the column. It seemed to protect him from the wizard’s force. He lobbed energy balls at Nolan as fast as he could summon them. They impacted the column, showering bits of marble and debris. Each impact chipped away at the massive column until it snapped, toppling like a great redwood tree.
The column tilted slowly at first, then gained momentum. It plummeted to the ground. Nolan dashed to the next column as the pillar hit the floor, shattering into thousands of pieces. Dust and debris filled the air. Fragments of the ceiling collapsed and tumbled down, crushing some of the Soturi. Before the company could stand, the wizard hit them with another force wave.
Nolan wasn't sure how the wizard’s power worked, but the column continued to protect him from the invisible wave. Su Vu Jwon could control the air. He had full command of the elements.
With the flick of his wrist, the wizard created a wall of fire between himself and the company of Soturi, separating himself and Nolan from the rest of the warriors. Amber flames rose to the ceiling, dancing wildly. The orange glow bathed the Great Hall in a warm light, flickering and crackling.
It was just Nolan and the wizard now. No one was coming to help him.
22
The wizard continued to pummel the column with balls of energy as fast as he could. It didn't take long for the massive pillar to crumble, tumbling down. The ground shook as the towering column slammed against the floor, showering debris in all directions. One of the statues toppled over as the column fell on top of it. More chunks of the ceiling collapsed.
Nolan dashed for cover behind another statue. But this time the wizard didn't attack. He held the ball of energy in his palm but he didn't throw it. At first, Nolan didn't understand why. Then the realization came over him. The statue he was hiding behind was of Su Vu Jwon himself.
Instinct led Nolan to believe the statue held significance. He reared his sword back and swung with all his might. The razor-sharp blade severed the statue’s legs, toppling it from its pedestal. It slammed to the ground, breaking one of the arms.
The wizard fell at the same time.
Nolan lifted his sword overhead by the hilt and stabbed down into the heart of the statue. It shattered into pieces. Nolan's eyes glanced to the wizard who lay dead in the center of the Great Hall.
The wall of flames that had kept the rest of the company at bay vanished.
Nolan stepped from behind the pedestal and marched to the wizard’s body. The rest of the Soturi cheered and hollered as Nolan hovered victorious over the wizard’s corpse.
Crimson blood oozed into the marble floor from the gash in Su Vu Jwon’s chest. It was as if Nolan had stabbed him directly.
Nolan didn't feel like a hero. His heart ached with regret. He knew nothing of this wizard, or the people of the Citadel. He held no animosity toward them. He was a mere tool of destruction for Valdovar. Maybe, over time, it would get easier. Perhaps he would go numb to the sensation. But the thought of serving the Dark Lord for the next 20 years sat in his stomach like acid.
Captain Avar lifted the visor to her helmet as she stepped to the corpse of Su Vu Jwon. Her blue eyes glimmered with excitement. "Nice work, Private Jamison!"
"Thank you, sir," Nolan said in a toneless voice. No one had seen how he defeated the wizard. The wall of flames had obscured the battle.
"I don't know how you did that," Kira said. "But it deserves recognition." She knelt down and snatched the Ring of Zutaal from Jwon’s finger. She gazed at it as if she was holding a precious jewel. Valdovar wanted the ring, along with Jwon’s head.
"Take the body back to the dreadnought," Kira said. She slung her arm over Nolan's shoulder. "Valdovar will be pleased."
She turned her attention to the rest of the company. She displayed Nolan proudly. "This is what I expect out of all of you. His first mission, and he puts some of you veterans to shame." Kira's eyes fell disapprovingly upon some of her seasoned NCOs.
Tanc grimaced. His eyes blazed into Nolan.
Kira patted Nolan on the back. "Tonight, we celebrate!"
The Great Hall erupted with cheers.
Nolan forced a grim smile. He tried to put the events in perspective. Just stay alive, keep fighting, and maybe one day he would get close enough to Valdovar to exact his revenge. He was going to have to block all other thoughts out of his mind. Killing Valdovar was the only way to spare countless other civilizations. The free galaxy was at stake. If he had to do some distasteful things to achieve that end, perhaps it was ultimately worth it. Still, it was a bitter pill to swallow.
Commander Xule stormed into the Great Hall with a disappointed look on his face. He, and his company, had stormed the Citadel the old-fashioned way. They had scaled the walls of the fortress and arrived to the party a little late. He had hoped to take victory for himself and bask in the Emperor's praise.
“Victory is ours," Captain Avar shouted.
"I see," Xule said, trying his best to hide his scowl.
"Give me the wizard’s ring. I will present it to Lord Valdovar myself."
Kira's face tensed. "There's only one person presenting the ring to Lord Valdovar. That's the man who took it from the wizard." Kira gently ushered Nolan into Xule’s view. "If you have a problem with that, we can take it up with Lord Valdovar himself."
Xule glared at her, but he knew better than to make an enemy of Captain Avar, despite the fact that he outranked her. She could be cunning and treacherous, and she had the loyalty of the Soturi. Xule may have had command of the Legion, but he was despised by all.
"Let us all enjoy the spoils of victory,” Kira shouted in a cheerful voice.
The company of Soturi erupted with more cheer. Hoots and hollers echoed off the vaulted ceiling of the Great Hall.
Commander Xule ordered several Soturi to secure the area and plunder any resources. Kira and the rest of Thrasher platoon marched through the streets of the Citadel toward the main gate. Bodies lay strewn everywhere. Rivers of blood trickled through the gutters. Citizens wept and moaned over the corpses of their loved ones. It was a devastating site. One that made Nolan's stomach turn.
Kira seemed unaffected.
"Doesn't this bother you, sir?" Nolan asked in a tentative voice.
Kira's sharp eyes met his. "What do you mean?"
“All this death and destruction. These innocent people."
“I stopped letting that affect me a long time ago. You may find this all distasteful. And it is. But disobeying Lord Valdovar is not conducive to one's longevity." Kira could see that her answer didn't quite satisfy Nolan. "It's best to put it out of your mind. Do your time in service to the Emperor and have a chance at life. I guarantee you, if we weren't here fighting this battle for Lord Valdovar, someone else would be. There are just some things you can't change." Kira smiled, hoping to lift Nolan's spirits. "You've won a great victory. Enjoy the moment. Tomorrow holds no promises."
Nolan sighed with resignation. Tomorrow held no guarantees, and he knew it. He was lucky he made it through today.
The skies were filled with Imperial ships. The wizard’s death had brought down the spell shield. The Soturi marched through the front gates and loaded into the dropships waiting outside the Citadel.
One by one, the vessels lifted from the blood-soaked ground, angling to space, rocketing back to the dreadnought. Despite the heavy casualties, the mood on Nolan’s dropship was lively. The surviving members of Thrasher platoon congratulated one another and recalled the heroics of the battle.
Nolan sat in his seat with a solemn face.
"So, tell us, Nolan. How did you take down the wizard?" a Soturi asked.
&n
bsp; Nolan shrugged. "Just lucky, I guess."
There were boos and jeers of disappointment.
"Come on. Don't hold back. That's valuable tactical information," another Soturi said.
There were chuckles among the platoon.
"Does a magician tell you how he does his tricks?” Nolan asked.
There were more jeers.
“You are no magician," a Soturi said.
"To take down a great wizard all on his own…? Seems like a magician to me," Kira said.
23
"Are you nervous?" Kira asked.
"Why would I be nervous?" Nolan responded.
"Most people are when in the presence of Lord Valdovar.”
Nolan was outwardly calm. But inside, his heart raced, and his stomach churned. His skin felt alive, and adrenaline coursed through his veins. This was his opportunity. He was moments away from being up close and personal with the Dark Lord. With his sword at his side, a simple attack could kill the evil ruler, under normal circumstances. But there was nothing normal about the circumstance. He had sworn a magical oath of allegiance to Valdovar. Assassinating the Dark Lord was impossible. No weapon that Valdovar had enchanted could harm him. And he personally used his magic to enchant all the weaponry afforded to his troops. Now was not the time to strike.
Nolan and Kira stood in the corridor outside of Valdovar's throne room, preparing to present the ring to him. Two of his Royal guards stood beside the hatch, protecting the entryway to his chamber.
Nolan gazed at the ring. In a hushed voice he asked, "Why does he want this?"
Kira's eyes cautiously flicked to the guards. They didn't appear to be listening. They stood, unmoving, with eyes faced forward. Nothing could ever distract them. But they were well within earshot, and were probably clinging on every word.
