A Skeleton and a Lich
Page 15
Yakish saw something in the corner of his eye.
He looked out over the city. Courts appeared across the city, people being charged with all kinds of crimes. There were several courts over the emperor’s residence. Lines of people wearing chains could be seen across Ascen.
Saints, the most valiant warriors of the churches, cried out as the power of chaos that lay dormant within them was pulled out and the converted power of Dena turned from white into purple.
The power couldn’t be drawn out of them without killing them. Their strength remained as they were judged; their crimes rang out over the city. The people watched as their heroes, those they had looked up to, had their masks removed and their true faces were revealed to everyone.
As he was chained there, he couldn’t lie.
It went on for hours as he listed the crimes that he had committed. He had forgotten about most of them. Killing the enemy was not something that he thought about.
“When will the Drafeng attempt to open their doors again?” the dwarf asked.
“Within three months,” Yakish said. “You might have recovered Ascen but now a war wages along the borders of Radal. Fighting has broken out across Dena. We lurk in the shadows. Even with your attempts, you will not be able to survive again!”
Yakish was trying to kill himself, to try to stop himself from spilling more secrets.
“How many commanders are in Dena?”
“I do not know the full amount. I was in a group of one hundred who were sent here. Only seven of us remained after we destroyed the Guardians.”
“Drafeng queens?”
“We were not able to keep any here. The Guardians destroyed them all.”
“Regulars?”
“There were just fifty or so remaining.”
“Are you still in contact with the Drafeng?”
“Yes.”
“How do you contact them?”
“I would use the power of the Church of Light to break open a spatial tear and then I could send messages through the tear. They would send back messages.”
“How often do you send messages?” the elf judge asked.
“Once every month.”
“When will the next be?” the beast kin asked.
“Three weeks.” Yakish’s will waned and his strength was useless against the chains as he could only answer questions. He outlined all of his plans and the preparations he had made.
Silence finally fell on the court.
“Yakish, Drafeng Commander, you have been found guilty of war crimes and a list of crimes against the people of Dena that would take too long to recount. There is no salvation for you. Guardian Anthony.” The human judge looked at Anthony.
The black chaotic flames had been destroyed. He flapped his wings and flew over to Yakish.
“You saved the people from Laisa from fighting one another, rendered judgment there, right?” Yakish asked.
“Yes,” Anthony said.
“Heard that one of your people is from there. Shame, really. Well, the Church of Light would say that they purified Laisa,” Yakish gloated.
“What did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything. One of our priests sent out a group of the Radal Army and church enforcers to deal with the forces of darkness there and purge the city.” Yakish laughed in Anthony’s face.
His eyes blazed, making Yakish recoil as he saw underneath his helmet.
“No! You’re dead!” Yakish felt horror, his mind working faster as he glanced down at Claire.
She’s a lich—could she... Is that why she is no longer a Guardian and we couldn’t track any of them down through their power? Dead things don’t use power.
“Only partially.” Anthony’s eyes looked into Yakish’s.
He let out a bone-chilling scream as his mind felt as if it were being turned inside out and then pulled out of his eyes.
He knew that his memories were being scanned, drawn out, and destroyed. Yakish lost parts of himself, turning into nothing more than a husk.
Yakish’s eyes were dull as the glow around his body dimmed, losing control over his chaotic power, revealing a broken and half-repaired body underneath.
Anthony drove his sword into Yakish’s body, releasing his chaotic power. It shot into Anthony’s body as he consumed and fed off it. Now that it wasn’t an attack but pure chaotic energy, he could consume it.
He withdrew his sword. The chains around Yakish fell away and his lifeless body dropped, falling down from the peak.
Anthony looked around.
Ascen was being judged, the homeland of the Guardians purified by their purple flames.
Anthony looked at the capital with cold eyes and turned to the southeast.
He consumed the power of Yakish, from the ley lines, feeling stronger than ever, but the weight on his shoulders seemed to weigh more.
He looked down, seeing Tommie trying to break from Aila’s hold, his eyes wild.
Anthony sheathed his sword.
It’s time to stop this infighting. Dena will come together, even if I have to force it with my own hands.
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