by Zac Atie
Despite his speech and his threats of death, he didn’t win all of the Domini to his side that day. 12 of them refused him, thinking their own ideas of honour were worth more than their lives, and they were killed for it. The others, whether they wanted to join him out of his ideals, or their lives, were tasked with taking the bodies back to Northern Cross and hanging them in the town square, for all to see, and to demoralize them from thinking they can desert their legion. The bodies of the wraiths were left in the airbase to show any freedom fighters not to try and take justice for anybody that dear to them that was lost in the slaughter. He’d have rather that nobody that didn’t need to have died, but what happened couldn’t be changed. They left Hollow Crest in the Zolkan battleships, which were large air-based transports with weaponry and defences installed in them, and were used for attacking and defending in the air. They could easily hit targets on the ground with high power. Even though the ships they had stolen from Zolka were powerful, he knew if he used them on areas around Hollow Crest, the Aquatic isles may be inclined to ask Kirall for help, and Kirall had far superior airships to the Domini’s. Draynar was in his private chambers, drinking juice and looking at maps of Zolka, to see which place would next be best for attacking. Domini were joining, and leaving their Legion every day. There were days where the Legion would be strong and powerful by a huge boost, and there are days where they’d lose a chunk of their men. The ones that slip away in the night to go and find entertainment, or perhaps a peaceful life elsewhere were not the ones that concerned him. It was the large amounts that run away in packs, like bandits, looking for slaughter. Glackan was in charge of managing and keeping records of the men they had, the men that left, and the men that joined, not that there were not women who joined too. Each gender varied in the depth of their lust for combat. He always came to the same problem when he read the maps. Zolka had lost a lot of their population, army, and wealth in their wartime. They used to have the most population, with the largest army. That all changed after the Metholian Civil War. After the war, that dwindled away, leaving Zolka in bankruptcy. They blame Metholi, even though Metholi’s hand was forced in the war. However, Zolka still had enough power to defend some of their states, even if it was barely enough. They were also getting supplies from Metholi, as some pathetic apology letter. Draynar could take some states with haste, but it would end the same way. In the long run, he didn’t have enough men, especially if another country intervened. If he waited too long, Zolka would have enough help to take back the states they had lost, and perhaps even close the portal. He had to defend the portal, and he had to act. The war was simply taking far too long. The only reason it’s been going on for this long is because Draynar was careful, and the war was rather uneventful. There was hardly any chaos, like burning buildings. He had to keep that to a minimum, and his army had split opinions about it. He could either continue taking orders from his secret lord that only a select few Domini knew about, or, what he himself wanted, take over Zolka entirely, and make it a Domini-controlled country. He didn’t know how other countries would react, or how his own people would react. He didn’t even know if he could pull it off. He was in a dilemma, and his decision had to come soon. In the middle of his contemplations, a knock came to his door. “Who is it?” He asked.
“It’s me.” A familiar voice said.
“Ah. Come in.” He answered. He smiled as a little girl hopped into his room, smiling. “How was your trip?” He asked.
“Easy.” The little Japanese girl said. “You know teleporting is nothing! Nor did I have to hide from anybody.”
“I'm sorry, Hime.” He said. “Come, sit next to me.”
“I heard you made a speech.” Hime beamed. “What was it about?”
“Oh, just a few words of warning, telling the lost that they were weak for letting temptation take control of their body, and a quote or two from my father.” Draynar said.
“Your father?” Hime asked, cuddling into Draynar. Ivorian was interested in humans to experiment on, but Draynar had denied him these pleasures after finding Hime as a baby in his lab. He had promised Ivorian one test subject when Draynar allowed, before they were finished on earth, and took Hime into his care. Hime saw Draynar as her father, but she was soft, unlike him. Draynar did what was necessary, and Hime tried her utmost best to live up to his expectations, but sometimes she let her emotions get the best of her. Hime was often mistaken at a glance for a halfing, half Ispii and half Cazrian, but at a closer inspection she would have been seen for what she really was. Human. Luckily, she had the luxury of mainly being around Draynar and Glackan, and she had power over teleportation. Hime loved to hear stories about Draynar’s own father, even though a lot of them didn’t have happy endings. “What quotes?”
“A Domini is worth two Arcanas. One for the Domini, and one for his Cazrian dog.” He said.
“Cazrian dog?” Hime asked, confused.
“It’s a euphemism for Wraith.” He explained.
Their airship landed back in the Zolkan airbase it took off from, which the Domini had taken over. The Domini in Draynar’s Legion were from all sorts of backgrounds, some were war vets while some were mere farmers. Draynar did not have a capital warship yet, as it was undergoing maintenance back on Dominion. When the ship landed, people were offloaded in an orderly fashion, and the Bodies were taken by the former-rebels to hang up themselves. “What now?” Hime asked.
“You took the blood to Ivorian, didn’t you?” Draynar asked.
“Yes.” Hime answered. “He told me he’d run tests and get back to you.”
“Alright.” Draynar said.
“Why don't we go and have fun? Have something to eat?” Hime asked. She often tried to get Draynar in a good mood, and pull him away from all the carnage. Draynar appreciated the thought, but it couldn’t be helped.
“It’s hardly the time.” Draynar said. “There’s war to be done. You don't understand, anything could happen at any moment. More could desert, Metholi could join the war, hell, Zolka could launch a counterattack, and the only time frame that I can be certain none of that could happen is now. I have to use this chance to prepare.”
“You’ve been preparing for ages.” Hime moaned. “You don't look as if you’ve slept, and you don't look as if you’ve ever taken your mind off business. An hour, just an hour to relax and eat.”
“I can’t.” Draynar said.
“You think your father didn’t?” Hime asked.
“It doesn’t matter if my father did or not. I was with my sisters back at that sham of a palace.” Draynar scowled. “But...” Hime began, but she was interrupted by Glackan.
“Is something the matter?” She asked, approaching.
“Draynar’s pushing himself too hard!” Hime moaned.
“This is nothing.” Draynar said. “If I'm not devoted, what’s the point?”
“If you’re too devoted, it’ll kill you.” Glackan said. “Same goes for Loyalty, and faith. Look at Xita and Duty, they were killed by taking things too far.”
“That was different.” Draynar said. “Duty had some vendetta, not to mention he was so mad that he tried to kill his sister, and Xita loved her country enough to get blown to bits for some random citizen. They were both stupid and crazy, like all the Elrics.”
“Not sleeping is stupid and crazy!” Hime moaned. “People spend half their lives sleeping! It’s needed!”
“You don't sleep enough, either.” Glackan scolded Hime.
“That’s different, I'm human! I don't NEED to sleep as long as you do.” Hime retorted.
“Alright.” Draynar gave in. “Alright, enough. I’ll eat. Where?”
“Over here.” Hime said. She took out her staff, stood between Draynar and Glackan, and then slammed her staff into the ground. They disappeared with a sharp shudder and a loud whirring noise, although it wasn’t mechanical. When they reappeared, they were elsewhere. “This is... Zenix.” Draynar said. Zenix was the second state to fall to the legion, just w
est of Northern Cross. Memories of battle here were not the prettiest. This is when... “Why in the void did you bring me here!?” Glackan asked. “You were supposed to take Draynar!”
“You helped me persuade him.” Hime said. “I assumed...”
“Is something wrong, Hime?” Draynar asked, as Hime stumbled a little. Glackan caught her and adjusted her upright. “I'm ok... I'm... I'm ok...” Hime said.
“You’re overdoing your teleports.” Draynar said. “I told you to stop when you felt it start to take a toll on you.”
“Sorry...” Hime apologised.
“Never mind.” Draynar said. “Let’s go and eat. Our hour starts now, no complaints.”
Draynar took Hime and Glackan to a fast food restaurant called the ‘Stallion’s Froogles’. There were more Domini here than usual, as some Zolkans were racist to Domini back before the DomiCazrian war, due to their banditry, but now the Domini were in charge of Zenix. Strict laws were put over the Domini after Draynar had taken over, as he knew they would take advantage of the new ownership of Zenix. Draynar had the law’s captains and commanders replaced with trusted Domini, and they were told to treat everybody fairly and justly. If any law enforcer were found to be taking advantage of his position and decided to be brutal to either Cazrian or Domini, they would be killed, and this was a permanent law. This attracted more people than he had expected. The Domini here were only here because they didn’t fear being discriminated against anymore, not to take advantage of the new ownership, and that made Draynar glad. Draynar and Glackan took a seat at a table alongside Hime, who had her eyes locked onto an empty gaming booth, and a waitress came by to order food. “How ma-“ The waitress began, but then realised who she was talking to. “Uh, oh, umm... How may I s-serve you?” Hime decided to order Draynar’s food for him, as she knew that he would either take his time, or not choose at all, and Glackan chose her own, and the waitress walked off with their orders. Draynar could hear her talking to her co-workers behind the wall that his seat was against, though he wished he couldn’t. “You won’t believe who’s here!” She hissed.
“Who?” The man asked.
“It’s the bloody Godslayer’s kid! That, err... Draynar person!”
“No way.” Another woman said.
“I can’t believe somebody of such importance decided to come here!” The man said.
“No, that’s not the point!” The first woman hissed.
“Though, wasn’t he supposed to be crazy? Y’know, one of the lost?” The man asked. Draynar twitched at the accusation, but kept his cool. Memories of the battle that took place here flashed through his mind.
“It’s bad enough that we have Domini coming in here, acting all smug and happy because they took over Zenix, but we have to serve their leader? I mean, it was awkward enough, but now we have to serve the man who killed Overlord Hausen himself?” The other woman said, getting all angry. Draynar recalled Hausen, and how he had foolishly charged at Draynar, thinking he could end the rebellion before it even started. They slammed Arcana for ages until Draynar lost himself in madness. After a while, Draynar found a spot to strike him at, and cut his arm off. His words of defiance and vows to stop the suffering of his people turned to sobs and pleas for mercy. Draynar showed none, and had the wraiths rip him apart. “I think I'm going to move.” The woman said.
“It’s not that bad.” The man said. “I think you’re overreacting.”
“Over-reacting?” The woman said. “They attacked us for no damned reason, and walk around like they own the place. They’ve been attacking us for no reason for centuries!”
“That was only a select few.” The man said. Eventually, the woman came back with their food and laid it on the table, no glancing at any of her customers. “Is what they’re saying bothering you?” Glackan asked. “I could teach them not to badmouth you.”
“No.” Draynar said. “Their veiled insults won’t stop me from taking over Zolka.”
“Taking over?” Glackan asked. “But-“
“Not here, okay? Since I'm being forced to eat food a state away of where I should be, I’ll do it in peace.” He snapped. The insults did bother him. They made him out to be the bad guy, and he was, he just didn’t like to admit it. He had done evil things, and they weren’t going to get any better. Draynar never stayed angry at Glackan. He’d fast forgive her for anything, as she has been around him as long as he could remember.
Hime finished her food and walked off to the gaming booth, playing the latest ‘Void Crusader’ at the gaming booth. Draynar and Glackan watched her having fun. “We’re like an odd family, aren’t we?” Glackan asked.
“Why, are you the grandmother?” Draynar chuckled.
“Well, I never!” Glackan huffed. “Oh, but, your own mother...”
“Barely noticed me.” Draynar said. “It’s alright. I don't really care.”
“You say the most dark things.” Glackan sighed.
“Her and my father both. They had bigger problems than my crying and tugging.” Draynar said. “Luckily my twin, Mirage, was mature enough to look after me.”
“Do you love them?” Glackan asked.
“Sure.” Draynar huffed.
“What about the little girl?” Glackan asked. Draynar didn’t answer, he wasn’t very outspoken about his feelings. He had once told Glackan that he must learn to lose his feelings if he was going to succeed. The day may come where he would have to choose to lose Glackan or Hime. “Still just a child. 14 and she’s rather strong.” Glackan said.
“In spirit. She still has a ways to go in terms of mercy and reality.” Draynar said.
“I wonder...” Glackan said. “She reminds me of...”
“Tundra?” Draynar asked. “Yeah. She reminds me of her too. She has the same smile and laugh.”Glackan paused.” Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought up your daughters.”
“I still remember the day.” Glackan said. “As if it happened a mere minute ago. I still remember every detail of the day they left, and the day I found them.”
“Glackan...” Draynar sighed. “You torture yourself.”
“Their father... He came back, and my daughters screamed and laughed in glee when he entered the door. But... he was drunk. Wild eyed, and drunk on blood. He told them all that he’d make Domini women of them, against my wishes, and dragged them off to war.” Glackan said.
“You don't need to continue.” Draynar said.
“He dragged them off to war, and I didn’t stop him. Ages past, and I never heard a thing from them. I scoured battlefields all over, and I found them, each among the masses of bodies in separate battlefields, some hanged, some with their faces smashed in, some dismembered, until I found Tundra with her father. She wasn’t herself anymore. Killing had become part of her. Sorrow and anger had corrupted her, turning her playful, juvenile behaviour into one of devoid of all emotion but anguish. I killed him, ripped him apart... and she ran.” Glackan said.
“She’ll come back someday.” Draynar said.
“She could’ve gotten herself killed in some other battle.” She sighed.
“She’s smarter than that.” Draynar said. “She survived all those battles because of her wits.”
“Damn that man.” Glackan sighed. “But, I have you left. And I’ll be damned if I let anyone take you. You should’ve let me kill Sancterus and sail you back to your palace.”
“You’d have died.” Draynar said. “The man killed my father, and has won every battle he’s ever fought.”
“I suppose.” Glackan said. Hime came running back.
“Have you finished?” Hime asked.
“Quite.” Glackan said, smiling.
They rode back in an airship in the nearest airbase and returned to their headquarters, which was the skyscraper Draynar liked to look off of. The insults that the waitress had made had buried themselves deep. Draynar used to be one of the lost, after he had killed Sancterus’ bride. He went insane in the delight of vengeance, and went even so far as to order S
ancterus’ baby son killed. Glackan couldn’t obey the order, and ever since, Glackan had been trying to mend the wounds that the insanity had on him. Draynar hated the insanity, and usually could fight it back, but there were times it would break through, and before he knew it, a large amount of time would have passed... And he’d remember the horror within it. When he got back, Ivorian had finished his scanning and came to find him. “Dreadlord.” He beckoned. “I have something for you.”
“What is it?” Draynar asked.
“He’s dead.” Ivorian said.
“Oh good, that’s a load off.” Draynar said, turning his back to him.
“I meant King Daviid.” Ivorian said. Draynar turned, eyebrows raised.
“Is this some sick jest?” Draynar asked. “And how exactly did some pre-puberty boy kill the King of the Magi? Is your technology failing you?”
“The blood is as you said.” Ivorian said. Ivorian began to rub his hands, thinking of ways he could extract torment out of somebody so special and rare as the boy who dubbed himself Sebastian Elric. “I see...” Draynar pondered. “So... so that’s how he killed father...”
“What should we do?” Ivorian asked.
“If it’s as we suspected, then why are we killing him? Wouldn’t he be better alive?” Glackan asked.
“Perhaps...” Draynar pondered.
“Don't let the Equilibrium hound you, sire.” Ivorian said. “His death would be smart. Didn’t you say you’d try and take over Zolka for the Domini and ignore them?”
“I don't know, damn it.” Draynar said. “Kill the boy. I’ve always wanted him dead, in my gut, I’ve always figured that he’d be better off dead. If we turned up with him, it’ll be obvious we took time out of our conquest to hinder Sanctum’s progress, and Sanctum’s progress is still the Equilibrium’s.”
