Chrysalis

by Kayne Sampson

  Erisda let out a laugh. “Oh really? Is that what she told you? You do realize you weren’t actually on Teforian soil at the time. She holds no jurisdiction until the moment you step through the border. I guarantee you any loyal soldier that spots you three on their lands unannounced will attempt to bring you into custody.”

  “Like I’d be afraid of Xegin or Humans,” the younger Demon said, but even he sounded skeptical, like he was beginning to comprehend their situation.

  Erisda was growing tired of all this nonsense. “Look, I’m not here to make enemies. Neither will I allow you to simply traipse through my country as you please. But, if you come with me, I can at least vouch for you and hopefully escort you to where you need to go.” He needed their cooperation right now, and he’d prefer to not have to fight them all. Information on this had to get back to the Administrator.

  “It does seem like a better plan than running around with no direction,” the larger Demon pointed out, turning to his comrades. They began to discuss it amongst themselves, and Erisda turned and made his way back to the wreckage.

  There was something about all this that didn’t make any sense. If Milaryna had been waiting for Keta and his companions, there would have been no need to attack the Xegin. Something was going on. What could they be up to? He was missing the big picture here.

  A voice got his attention. He turned around to see Keta, flanked by his Demon friends. “General Walker, we talked it over and we think it’s best to accompany you for a time.”

  Erisda was actually quite pleased for once. First he had avoided a fight with Milaryna and now he wouldn’t have to throw down with Keta and his team. It’s too bad the massacre here would be blamed on him and his army, he thought with a sigh.

  Still, he had to find the good as he could. Keta and his friends could prove useful somehow. “Fabulous. I’m glad we’ve got that all sorted out. All right then, let’s be on our way. Oh and...welcome to Teforia.”

  4

  Tianna was the newest Imperial General of the Xegin military.

  It was still fresh in her mind. Sephiel’s encouragement had been enough to persuade her to accept the position. After all, the void in the army had to be filled, and it was her duty to her country.

  “Tianna?”

  The voice dragged her out of her own thoughts and she looked up. She was being given a check up at Zelrega’s hospital at the request of Delta, due to her extended time away from Teforia. She felt fine, but she knew the importance of making sure.

  “Sorry, doctor. Just have my head in the clouds,” Tianna apologized, sitting up.

  The doctor smiled. “Don’t worry about it, we are almost done here, anyways. But I have to ask you something. The guard on duty reported that you were quite low on aether when you returned.”

  Tianna nodded. “It’s no big deal. I still kept my emergency aether pack with me. I managed to conserve my energy supply while I was out. There was only one skirmish that required engagement.”

  The doctor looked at the clipboard in her hand and frowned. “And you were authorized on this mission?”

  “General Gamma granted me permission.”

  The doctor shook her head. “That one is quite young...to have the title of Imperial General. I fear she does not fully grasp the severity of certain things. You are aware of what will happen should you be depleted of aether, yes?”

  As if any Xegin could not be aware. It was one of their crippling weaknesses. But Tianna wasn’t about to let herself be caught off guard. “I appreciate your concern, doctor. I will be more careful in the future.”

  This satisfied the doctor, and she concluded her assessment, giving her the go ahead to return to the field. She thanked the doctor, and gathered her things, heading for headquarters. The other Imperial Generals were waiting for her.

  Tianna had reached out to Delta early in the morning, informing him of her decision. He had been happy (or as happy as she had ever seen him in a time. The man rarely smiled these days) and had invited her to the scheduled meeting with the other Imperial Generals.

  When she arrived, the others had congratulated her, and then the meeting had promptly begun. Tianna was a little shocked, as she took her seat. She didn’t realize it before, but she had been expecting something more grand. Like the moment she accepted her duty, her armor would transform into gold.

  Oh my god, don’t ever let any of the other generals know you had been thinking that, Tianna thought to herself, embarrassed. She had refocused and had made it through the rest of the meeting, absorbing all the information. And so, when the meeting concluded, she had a general idea of the strategy going forward.

  Yet even now, as she looked over the battle plans, she had doubts. “You’re going to attack Imperial Gate?” Tianna asked.

  The gate had been lost in the early part of the war. Apparently it was there that Epsilon was killed. It was the only reason the Humans had not already been defeated. That gate blocked all entry to their colonies. Taking it back was going to be no easy feat, especially considering Tianna had just heard Alpha suffered defeat there not long ago.

  “We will not fail again. I want you to lead the advance forces,” Delta responded. Tianna opened her mouth to speak, but Delta interrupted her. “Stop. I do not want to hear any more protests from you. I’ve done the calculations. The chances of victory with you at the lead are higher than any other scenario. Every battle plan is precise.”

  Tianna knew better than to try and argue with the man any longer. After all, he was known for his stratagems. And besides, she was a loyal soldier of the Xegin. She was duty bound to assist her people to the best of her ability. Even if that meant returning to a position of leadership.

  “I appreciate your decision to join us, Tianna. The others were worried that your previous incident would make you wary to accept, but I knew that you were a true Xegin,” Delta said, as if reading her mind. He walked forward with an extended hand.

  Tianna beamed with pride and shook the man’s hand. “Of course. I will do my best to not let you down. But if you must thank someone, thank Sephiel for convincing me of my duty.”

  Delta gave her an odd look. Gamma was the next to speak though. “I am sure you will wish for Sephiel to join your squad. As hard as it is to lose the both of you, I have agreed to the transfer. You two work too well together.” Tianna nodded in gratitude to the younger woman.

  Tianna moved to look over the maps on the table once more. A route by water had been charted out, circling past the gate and attacking their flank. But that would not work at all. Their limited naval vessels were ill suited for transporting enough soldiers for battle, even as a surprise attack. That is assuming the Human army didn’t sink their ships from land of course.

  The only viable option was for them to attack the gate head on. She frowned. They would have the gate well fortified. A siege could take days, maybe even weeks to break through. It would leave many casualties on their side.

  Delta moved over to her. “You don’t approve of the plan?” He asked simply.

  Tianna considered her words carefully. This man was for all intents and purposes the most influential soldier in the Xegin army. She wasn’t sure if the best thing for her career as an Imperial General was to criticize their leader.

  But on the other hand, this was an opportunity to be heard, to make a difference. She remembered the day when she had commanded her own squad. And the disaster that occurred. No, she couldn’t dwell on that right now. Rather, this was her chance to prevent further atrocity.

  Tianna tapped on the map with her finger. “If you send forces here, they will be slaughtered. This isn’t like fighting enemies with martial weapons. They have guns like us, crude as their models may be,” Tianna explained.

  “Erisda Walker, the general of the Human army is quite powerful. I read the report, he bested General Alpha with ease. Imagine what would happen if we were to come up against him in a scenario he controls.” Most of the Imperial Generals knew Erisda from his v
isits to the capital. Tianna knew the man more personally. He would be a thorn in their side.

  Delta didn’t look fazed by this at all. “Don’t be troubled. I have secured the appropriate measures to ensure our success. And as for that Human swordsman, I suppose we should introduce you to our secret weapon before we head out. We have accounted for everything.”

  “But…” Tianna started to say before Gamma placed a hand on her shoulder.

  “Tianna, your caution is appreciated as always. Rest assured, General Delta has never let us down before. He was Commander Tyrannes’ most trusted ally, so he was forced to run the country in his absence. Now that he is joining the fray, this war is as good as over.”

  Tianna rarely saw emotion from the young woman who had been her commanding officer until this morning. But she could hear the confidence in Gamma’s voice. Perhaps it was due to the time as her subordinate, but Tianna was content to trust her.

  They talked strategy for a little longer, before Delta dismissed them. He motioned for Tianna to remain when she started for the door. “Yes?” She asked.

  He began to walk, nodding for Tianna to follow. She joined him and they walked through the halls in silence, eventually exiting the building to the training grounds outside. Many of the soldiers were doing drills, last minute practice before the new operation began. She would need to visit at some point, as she’d been away for some time. The only combat she’d seen in that time had been the engagement in the Frostclaw Village. And that had been over fairly quickly on her part.

  Delta continued to lead her in silence, and she was about to ask where they were going when she noticed something odd. In the clearing ahead, several soldiers were gathered around. Two people were sparring. One was a Xegin soldier, but the other was a Demon.

  He was armed with a greatsword, a weapon that not many used. A simple longsword was the most common of weapons, and though the greatsword had more power, the spear possessed a longer reach without the extra weight. So it was odd to see one being used. Much more so in that the man using it was wielding it with one hand.

  She took a good look with her mind’s eye at this Demon. Most Demons lived rugged lives, so they were built quite powerfully and this man was no exception. Most Demon swordsmen kept their hair long, but he kept his black hair short. And what a handsome face. Most soldiers did not have the luxury of keeping their face pretty.

  The Xegin soldier was trying to get strikes in with quick lunges, but the Demon was moving that giant blade with such speed and grace. It was as if he was whirling about a dagger. Tianna noticed that the Xegin was suited up in full armor, but his opponent was in civilian clothing. What was going on?

  As the fight continued, Tianna was more and more impressed. To the trained eye, it was quite obvious that the Xegin soldier was outmatched. The Demon was merely toying with him. The way he held his sword, the stances he held and quickly swapped to. The idle pose he kept his left hand in, as if at the ready for anything. This was a true warrior.

  The Xegin began gasping for breath as the Demon finally began pressing him. And then, he was disarmed. It wasn’t a fancy disarm like they had been taught at the academy either. No, this man simply struck his enemy’s weapon so hard, he could not hold on to it. The Xegin stumbled to one knee, cradling his hand.

  The Demon bowed to his opponent, showing him a wide grin and offered a hand to help his opponent up. At least he was friendly, Tianna noted. As the crowd began to disperse, he seemed to notice her and Delta, and began walking towards them, resting the flat of his blade on his right shoulder.

  “Your soldiers lack the ability to fight against true swordsmen, General. If you really want to be effective, you should offer them up to me for training. Though of course, the fee for such a thing would be enormous.” The Demon’s eyes danced wickedly to match his grin. It had been a while since she had last seen the red glow of a Demon’s eyes.

  Delta crossed his arms. “The might of the Xegin army comes from our mastery of small arms and assault weaponry. Every soldier, however, undergoes basic training with both melee weapons and hand to hand for close quarters combat. We cannot be defenseless in an up close fight after all,” Delta said.

  The Demon chuckled at this. “As official an answer as ever. But then, why do I expect anything else out of you, General? You are basically a walking rulebook,” the Demon said. His attention shifted to Tianna. He placed his sword into the ground and leaned on the hilt, letting out a sharp whistle. “And who is your pretty friend you’ve brought to see me?”

  Pretty friend? Tianna closed her eyes and shook her head. So this young man was one of those types. The ones who would flirt with every new person they ever met if they were easy on the eyes. Just like Jessica, she thought inwardly.

  Delta grunted, his voice muffled by his helmet. “This is Tianna. She is the newest of the Imperial Generals. I’d suggest you not try anything coy with her. She might be too much to handle.”

  “Ah, damn it all. All the pretty ones are either above my station or royalty or something like that. Seems I’m an unlucky one indeed,” the Demon said, running his hands through his hair absentmindedly. He kept his eyes on her however. “Well then, General Tianna. My name is Xuan. What is it I can do for you?”

  Tianna winced at this. “Just Tianna or General will do. I have not yet received my Imperial name.”

  Xuan stared blankly at her. “What do you mean Imperial name?”

  Tianna gasped. Then she remembered that he was both a Demon and not of Teforia. There was no way he would know that when a person ascended to the Imperial Generals, they relinquished their name and were born anew. It was a great honor, but it was also quite a change. Admittedly, she found that at least privately between the two of them, she would always refer to her friend as Jessica. They were too close not to. No appointment to the Imperial Generals would change that.

  When she had explained this to Xuan, he took it in stride. “I see, I see. So you metal men-sorry, metal men and women- will just surrender yourselves to the persona? Interesting,” Xuan said.

  Tianna responded with outrage. “Metal men and women? It sounds to me like you are showing disrespect to the Xegin people. If that’s the case, then honor demands that I…”

  Delta threw a hand in front of her, preventing her from advancing. Tianna realized that her hand had been on the hilt of the sword at her belt. She had been about to challenge the man to a duel. But of course, she knew the folly of that idea. Based on what she just witnessed with the previous sparring session, she would not stand a chance.

  “Xuan likes to...what’s the proper term for his actions? Hmm. Tease others. Even those that are paying him,” Delta added, emphasizing the last part. “But he is the most powerful sword for hire in the world. That is why I have enlisted his services. If anyone can help us handle our problem with Erisda Walker, it is him.”

  I’ll have to keep an eye on him and study his fighting style, Tianna thought to herself. If she could upload his combat data to her armor, it would make her much more powerful a soldier.

  “Your praise flatters me, General. If I could, I would accept that as payment. But unfortunately, I do need money to live as well,” Xuan said. He looked over at Tianna. “You’ll have to pardon my words if I offended you. I’ve no wish to bring sadness to such a lovely face.”

  He was doing it again. Possibly to get a rise out of her. But then, this is how people who weren’t Xegin acted. She would never understand it. Or maybe she would one day, if she studied them long enough. But with the protocols in her mind, she focused on more substantial things. Like winning this war.

  “Tianna will be leading the advance forces in the next battle. I want you to accompany her,” Delta explained, going over the plan. “You are to engage only if Erisda Walker enters the fray.”

  Xuan nodded. “A sound strategy, and one I can get behind. I don’t like wars to be honest. But a one on one fight with a fellow swordsman? Well, that’s more my style. So when do we leave?”
/>
  Tianna looked over at Delta, who nodded at her in approval. He had a mission elsewhere, so that meant that the operation was completely under her command. She could do this. There was no more time to hesitate.

  Taking a deep breath, she said, “We leave at noon tomorrow. It’s high time we put an end to this war.”

  5

  Pent sat in the back of a convoy truck the Human general Erisda Walker had commandeered at one of the bases close to the border. He had to admit, it was much faster than walking and saved energy. Of all Human creations, their vehicles were the most efficient, even if he didn’t understand exactly how they worked.

  To his left, Max had fallen asleep and was snoring softly. Keta was up ahead, speaking with Erisda, who was sitting with the soldier that was driving. The silver haired youth was always being friendly with everyone he came into contact with.

  Pent didn’t really see the point. The people here were temporary to him. The fact that they were technically prisoners right now had flown over the head of the other two. But the way Pent saw it, as long as they did nothing to antagonize them, they would be released. At least, if this Human kept his word.

  Pent was wary enough to know there was something different about Erisda. The way that Demon had deferred to him was not natural for a Human. He would have to keep his eyes on that one. Still, he was proving useful. This truck would save them much travel time. Perhaps I should steal it when we are leaving, he thought to himself with a grin.

  That wouldn’t be a very good idea, Susanoo’s thoughts reached out to his mind. Though she was in weapon form at his side, the two were connected, bonded as sword and wielder. It had given him power, more power than he was used to. But it was not enough, not yet.

  Just a thought. Pent knew it would be ridiculous to try and escape with such a large and clunky thing anyways. How did such a thing even work? Did it need to stop and rest every few hours like people?

  He let his eyes drift to Erisda. What do you make of that one?