Fate of the Empires

There is no end to the obstacles that continue to get in our way. No matter how difficult the challenge, however, we always manage to survive. Is it our own skill that keeps us alive or is it a greater power? The humans may have gods that feel for them and intervene in dire situations, but that is not the way of my gods. Like my fellow Orrocks, our gods believe it is honorable to die in battle and they will not step in the way to let you be disgraced. Maybe we have a greater purpose to serve in the eyes of the Athusian gods for they are going out of their way to keep us safe.

Our last obstacle was in the form of a crazed archmage who was completely obsessed with the idea of killing Magnus. I will admit the thought has crossed my own mind once or twice. The mage has the ability to bring out the darker side of other humans. People simply want to cause him harm wherever we go. I used to get that reaction from humans without ever speaking, but now the mage opens his mouth and usually offends someone long before they get a look at me.

We were also attacked by more assassins. These assassins came from the Imperial Palace. At this point I am used to betrayal so I am not surprised. The assassins died, but unfortunately not by my hands. Lieutenant Motori had to dispatch his own people or they would’ve killed him too. It was the second time he took our side in a fight that wasn’t his. He is honorable. It gives me hope to know that not everyone is out for our demise.

We now find ourselves within the walls of the inner part of Jinsei. Once we reached the gates on horseback Lieutenant Motori arranged for another armed escort to take us the rest of the way to meet with General Fang of the Imperial Army. I am looking forward to meeting this human. His reputation as a great warrior has traveled all the way to Orrock. Few humans gain respect, let alone prestige in my homeland, but the tales of General Fang’s exploits have earned him both. It is strange that he and Jun share the same last name, but when I asked about it Jun explained that Fang is a common surname in Densetsu. If Ethan raised Jun, why would he give him a Densetsun surname?

We sit in yet another carriage heading towards the Imperial Army’s base of operations. Magnus and Leaia are very quiet. They both exhausted a lot of energy in the fight against the archmage. I am greatly disappointed in myself that I could not stop him. The battle was especially taxing on Magnus who looks aged by the whole ordeal. I don’t have any understanding of dark magic, but he must have done something serious to look the way he does now.

Jun continuously looks at Leaia. There is something he wants to say, but he’s holding back. I think it is the events from the attack he wishes to address. Leaia’s faith in her god must be very strong, as his protection over her knows no bounds. When that ball of fire struck her and the carriage earlier today I had feared the worst, but she walked away from the attack without a scratch! That would have immolated any normal human or myself for that matter yet she was not affected at all. I owe her my life. Praises are in order to her god.

The carriage comes to a stop. I can’t say that I’m upset seeing as I hate these human contraptions. They are like cages on wheels. “We are here,” Motori says from outside.

The doors open. We exit the carriage to find ourselves in a large compound. To the north of us is a building that looks to be a temple. Statues of dragons carved entirely of gold line the gabled roof of the structure. I can see archers positioned behind some of the statues. The archers are not armored like the rest of the soldiers I’ve seen. They watch us as we move towards the temple-like structure.

In front of the building is a square courtyard with a path leading through it. On both sides of the walkway are formations of soldiers. These soldiers perform some sort of exercise. They are in perfect harmony with each other. I never thought I’d see a group of humans so disciplined. They move as one.

Motori leads us passed the soldiers in the courtyard to a covered area in front of the building. The guards at the edge of this yard bow to Motori when we pass by. The respect that is shown in this country is most interesting. It is unlike anything I’ve seen in Athusia or even my own homeland. And yet I wonder if it is truly meant to honor or is it merely humans acting out of routine protocol.

This yard has many soldiers practicing combat techniques with each other all around. My attention is drawn to an arena in the center. A lone fighter faces off against six others in unarmed combat. Motori stops us just outside the arena. We watch in silence.

The six, attack the one with speed and accuracy. They are relentless, but the lone warrior does not back down. He’s older than the rest and his skill shows it. He fights with a restraint that the younger warriors lack. His strikes are both quick and powerful. Soon the six fighters are defending against the one. They are clearly no match for him. Within moments the six are on the ground and the lone warrior is just that. He bows to his defeated opponents before stepping out of the ring. Motori bows to him. “General Fang,” Motori says, “I have brought the mercenaries as you requested.”

I should have known. He carries himself like a leader of many. He looks familiar though I know that is impossible. He wears training clothes and numerous battle scars can be seen on his arms and chest. He bows to Motori before looking us over. “You have done well, Lieutenant Motori,” General Fang says, “You are dismissed.”

Motori bows to the General again before bowing to us. He then leaves the courtyard the same way we came in. General Fang bows to us and the four of us bow in return. I can see by his face that Magnus is annoyed. Something is on Jun’s mind as well. “Thank you for coming,” General Fang addresses us, “My men have already informed me of your troubles on the way here. I trust everyone is alright.”

“We are exhausted, but other than that we are well,” Jun answers.

“Of course,” General Fang graciously responds, “I will have you shown to your room where you can rest and clean up. We will talk later.”

“Thank you, General.” Jun says with a bow.

General Fang nods in acknowledgement before signaling a guard to escort us. He leaves and heads into the building in front of us. We are led to a side building that is probably some barracks. I stop outside the door. “I must decline,” I say, “I will wait here until you are ready to meet with the General.”

“Very well,” Jun says.

Jun, Leaia, and Magnus go inside. The habit I am finding most difficult to break is staying outdoors. Orrocks do not like the indoors. In fact, we rarely spend time indoors at all. Buildings feel so confined. I like the freedom of the outdoors. Humans, I understand, like the feeling of safety. Having a roof over them makes them feel protected whereas I would rather protect myself from any danger that might come my way.

I watch some of the soldiers hone their skills on a wooden practice dummy. They study the same martial style as Jun, Suang Tai. We Orrocks have our own form of unarmed fighting, but it is very different than this. We become much more beast-like using claws, bites, and tail strikes to slaughter our opponent. There is no real strategy to it. Students of Suang Tai, however, actually study the human body’s weak points and develop strikes to exploit them. The soldiers notice me watching them. “Would you like to join us?” one of them asks me.

“I don’t know your way of fighting,” I answer.

“Would you like to learn?” the soldier asks.

If I did learn some of their techniques and mix them with my own it would make me a more efficient fighter. And the number one goal of every Orrock, banished or no, is to become the best warrior they can be. “I would be honored to learn your style,” I reply.

I spend the rest of the afternoon learning this ancient art of human hand-fighting. I would choose my blade over this type of combat in any battle, but it may come in handy. There are a lot of attacks that allow you to disable an opponent without killing them. I don’t see much use for this. I do respect these warriors. If they had time to study my weaknesses I have confidence that they might be able to take me down with their attacks. I would never give them that opportunity though.

Just before dusk the others make their way out of the barracks. They look refreshed and a bit cleaner than before. Humans take a lot of pride in how they look and smell around each other. All Orrocks dress the same; of course, we don’t wear much. And we enjoy the smell of nature, which humans use noxious perfumes to cover up. It’s not that Orrocks are dirty. We simply shed our scales when they become soiled. Hmm…if I find the humans’ perfumes overpowering, I wonder what they think of my scent.

A guard takes us to the main building that General Fang went into earlier. Just beyond the front doors is a long hallway lined with more golden shrines. These sculptures are not of dragons, but of famous warriors in Densetsun history. There is even a statue of Drekkir right next to the shrine of Emperor Yoshiro Jinsei. Jun was not lying when he said they revered my kind. I admire the statue of the Orrockian warrior for a moment. It is larger than life, but it has been crafted with such detail. I almost believe Drekkir could have looked exactly as they have him depicted. This is a good place for you, Drekkir. These people were right to honor you. Sometimes I wish our own kind were not so judgmental.

At the end of the walkway is what appears to be a large banquet hall. Everything is very decorative. This is the nicest military facility I have ever set foot in. General Fang sits at a long table with a feast laid out on top of it. He seems to be waiting for us. I wonder if he has waited long or if he is just being dramatic as humans tend to. “You must be hungry,” the General motions to the table, “Please, sit and dine with me.”

“You are most generous,” I say.

We sit on the floor around the low table. The food is not limited to Densetsun cuisine. I even find a few items palatable enough for my own taste. We sit in silence for a while. The mage gorges like he were sitting at his last meal. The General eats very little, picking at a thin slice of meat. Jun does not eat at all. “You’re not hungry?” the General asks.

“I would rather discuss the job if you don’t mind,” Jun answers in a serious tone.

“You’re all business,” the General replies, “I like that.”

“He’s all business, but I’ll keep eating if you don’t mind,” Magnus says with a mouth full of food.

General Fang nods to Magnus in approval. “Lieutenant Motori has already shared a few of our concerns with you, has he not?”

“You believe there is a traitor in your ranks,” Leaia says.

“That is correct. I intercepted a messenger delivering plans to an unknown individual in the Imperial Army. The plans detailed a plot to start a war with the nation of Athusia.”

“Did it say why?” Leaia asks.

“No and the courier didn’t tell us anything either. We tried to break him, but he was trained to resist all forms of torture and interrogation.”

“What motives might someone in your army have to go to war with a neighboring country?” Leaia questions.

“Well, there are obvious reasons. War profiteering would be the first. The spoils of war can be tempting to those with greed in their hearts and few morals to contain it. Another thought would be land. If a warlord dies in battle and he has no retainers, his land becomes open for the taking. This causes infighting amongst the less honorable of the noble caste. Unfortunately, the contents of the message led me to believe there is something much more valuable at stake here.”

“Like what?” Magnus asks between bites.

“The Imperial Seal. Whoever has the seal rules Densetsu.”

“What makes you think someone is attempting to usurp the throne?” I ask.

“The message was intended for someone of high status in the military and spoke of eliminating the one person who is standing between them and the Emperor.”

“Who is that?” Magnus asks.

“Me.”

“Has anyone made an attempt on your life?” Leaia asks with concern.

“Not yet. I am certain they will wait until my guard is down.”

“Why would it be so important to take you out of the picture?” Magnus asks.

“If an Athusian were blamed for my death the country would demand we go to war, making it nearly impossible for the Emperor to refuse. And once I am gone whoever is after the Imperial Seal can take it unhindered.”

“You are the Emperor’s only protection?” Leaia asks in disbelief.

“I am the Emperor’s connection to the outside world. He is a diplomat, not a warrior and he is naïve to the evil that lies within people.”

It makes sense. During the course of our travels here Jun has told us much of the Densetsun people and their culture. The Emperor is revered as a god. Only a select few are ever allowed to lay eyes on him and even then they mustn’t look directly at him. The Emperor spends his entire life within the walls of the Imperial Palace. For a man with such much power he sounds a lot like a prisoner to his own station.

“So by protecting yourself, you protect him,” Leaia says.

“It sounds selfish, I know, but without me the Emperor will fall.”

“We are foreigners,” I say, “Why would you trust us with this information?”

“Two of you are very clearly Athusian. Either you have been sent here to kill me in which case I would rather have you close by to watch or you may have some insight as to what role Athusia is playing in this plot.”

I have noticed that Jun has been very quiet throughout this entire conversation. Normally he takes the lead to make sure the wrong thing is not said, but he has not spoken a word. He watches General Fang very closely. He looks at his eyes, his mouth when he speaks, his movements when he eats or drinks. He must be reading into whether or not the General is lying to us. Somehow I doubt Jun will be forthcoming with him until he thinks he can be trusted.

“We may have some insight, but what reason do we have to trust you?” Jun finally asks.

“I have been completely upfront with you. What reason do you have not to trust me?”

“I can think of one,” Jun says looking the General directly in the eyes.

There is a long moment of tension. The General doesn’t act offended by Jun’s insult, but he doesn’t break eye contact. Usually Jun is more collected than this. Something is distracting him. “Perhaps you need time to discuss these matters amongst yourselves,” General Fang finally breaks the silence, “We will meet again in the morning if you find we can trust each other.”

The General stands and bows to us. “Please, eat what you wish; the servants will take care of the rest.”

The General leaves us alone. “Jun, what was that all about?” Magnus asks.

Jun stands. “I don’t want to talk about it,” Jun answers, “Goodnight.”

Jun exits the room. “Something is troubling him,” Leaia says.

“Yes, he’s been acting strangely since we got here.” I say.

“Well, do we act without him?” Magnus asks.

“Let’s just give him till morning,” Leaia replies, “We will decide what to do then.”

“Sounds good to me,” Magnus takes another bite of meat off a bone.

I want to know what has Jun so aggravated. It is not like him to show his true emotions. It is probably best, however, to just leave him be. I find that many humans like to keep their emotions bottled inside for as long as they can and Jun is no different. If he wanted our assistance he would ask for it. Some roads have to be traveled down alone and for Jun I believe this is one of them.

My slumber is disturbed by the repetitive sound of something striking wood. I arise from my bedding outside the barracks in the training yard to find Jun attacking one of the practice dummies. He is a wreck! I’ve never seen him emotional when he fights, yet in this moment he strikes the wooden target with as much fury and anger as a human can summon! I approach him slowly.

“Jun.”

He stops punching for a moment. “I don’t want to talk, Draccus.”

“I can see that.”

It is my curiosity into human behavior that drives me to pry, but humans are so erratic I’m not sure how he will respond. I decide it is best for him to let out his rage. I turn and begin walking back to my bedding. “Draccus, wait,” Jun says.

I turn back to him. “You don’t have to talk to me,” I respond.

There is a long pause. “If a member of your family wronged you,” Jun starts, “Would you ever be able to forgive them?”

Not a question I had anticipated and yet it hits very close to home. Given the opportunity to settle things with Kadus…I would rip the coward’s heart out of his chest to show him how black it was before he died! Of course, I had the chance before and did nothing because he is my brother. I suppose that could be forgiveness depending on how you look at it. “On Orrock we do not have concepts like forgiveness, only punishment.”

“I see.”

That was not the answer he was looking for. I am never good with these human situations. “From my time amongst your people I have learned the significance of forgiveness to humans and I understand why it is important. It seems…healthy for your kind to forgive. Do you have a reason not to do so?”

“I don’t know.”

“Are we speaking about your father?”

“Yes.”

I don’t know how to relate to these feelings. When my father was murdered by Kadus I mourned, but not for his loss. I mourned because he was denied a good death. The death of a warrior in combat. Kadus thought I would avenge our father, which is why he had me captured to ensure that I would not do anything. I should have done something. I should’ve seen it coming! He was always jealous of me. He did not challenge me on our father’s decision because he could not best me. He took the coward’s path and yet I am the one forgotten! “If your father is the man that has been portrayed to you then he should die by your hands; but if you judge him and act solely on the words of others, you are no better than the monster you think he is.”

“I would never act in such haste.”

“Then why are you untraining yourself against a wooden post?”

“Untraining?”

“I’ve seen you fight many times. Never have I seen you sloppy and unfocused, but here you look untrained.”

“I think I understand what you mean, Draccus, but you needn’t worry. I am only venting frustration on something that I will not hurt.”

“I see that well enough. There is nothing to explain, but Leaia told me that when I was captured she was very angry with herself.”

“But that was different-”

“She also told me that you got her to focus her anger on getting me back from the slavers. You changed her negative energy to positive. If she had wasted it on attacking an inanimate practice doll would things have gone the same on the slavers’ ship?”

Jun is silent for a long while. “Your wisdom is taken to heart, Draccus. I am being an emotional fool right now. Thank you for showing me that.”

“You don’t have to apologize. You humans are ruled by your emotions. And sometimes they serve you better than others.”

This matter with his father has been weighing heavily on Jun ever since we reached Densetsun waters. Closure. He needs closure. Humans will dwell on things for a long time if they do not get closure. They let it affect their entire lives and not usually in a positive way. It is true, like a human, I often think about my home and how I would like to make matters right, but these thoughts do not govern the way I live. I will continue to better myself as a warrior until I reach the end of my life cycles.

Jun walks up to the practice dummy. He closes his eyes and breathes deeply for a few minutes. I watch him silently. He opens his eyes and proceeds to strike the training device. He is calm and each attack has purpose. This is the warrior I know…

We are not alone anymore. There is a scent in the air. I am familiar with it. It is approaching quickly. My hand relaxes off the handle of my blade as I distinguish the smell. It is Lieutenant Motori. He enters the training yard from the north. He must have come from one of the buildings in the back. He wears training clothes. He looks surprised that we are out here. “Good evening, Lieutenant Motori,” Jun stops practicing to greet our visitor.

“I like to come out here at night and train when no one else is around,” the Lieutenant bows as he speaks, “Although I wouldn’t mind a sparring partner or two.”

An interesting proposal. I have never practiced with Jun so it might be a worthwhile experience. “It would be an honor,” Jun says.

“Draccus?” Motori looks to me.

“Alright, but I’ll warn you,” I say, “I bite.”

The three of us face off in the center arena. I learned my lesson about Suang Tai masters from the slaver ship. I keep my distance. Jun and Motori may be faster than me, but I have reach! In the beginning they attack each other primarily, which is alright by me. It gives me the perfect chance to tail strike! Jun has seen this attack before and easily evades it allowing Motori to take the full hit. Jun counters with a leaping kick to my chest to close the distance between us. I cannot let him start with his fancy punches! I grab him and pull him in close so he is unable to punch. He smashes me in the side of the jaw with his forehead! I release my grip.

Jun’s victory is short lived as Motori rejoins the scuffle. He grapples with Jun throwing both men off balance. I use this to my advantage. I tackle both of them to the ground. Jun rolls away from me and quickly regains his footing. Motori and I exchange blows on the ground until Jun delivers a knee to my ribcage, knocking me back. Motori stands and the two men attack each other again. A flurry of strikes and counterstrikes go between them.

I jump back to my feet and rush in. Suddenly punches are being thrown from all directions as the three of us attack each other simultaneously! What my fists lack in speed they make up for in strength. Even though I am doing well here, I cannot shake the feeling that these two Densetsuns are holding back in their display of skill. It is like they are testing each other…and maybe me as well.

The brawl ends peacefully when everyone is exhausted. We bow to each other and rest for a few minutes to catch our breath. “You are both very good,” Motori says.

“You are a very skilled warrior as well,” I reply.

“That is a true compliment coming from an Orrock,” Motori bows.

“Lieutenant Motori, how involved are you in this matter that we have been brought here for?” Jun asks suddenly.

“I am General Fang’s most trusted friend and advisor,” Motori answers, “I know almost everything that he does. Why?”

“I am just wondering why you need outsiders for what should be an internal investigation.”

“We believe that the traitor has a connection in the Athusian government. Two of your team are Athusian and you, yourself, look to have some Athusian blood running in your veins. If there is any hope of gaining the confidence of this traitor it lies with you. And it’s not that we trust you completely either. You will be watched and if we find that we can’t trust you…well, I assume you know what will happen. Our country does not want war.”

“That I believe,” Jun says.

“Then what are your reservations about helping us?” Motori asks.

“I just don’t want to make a decision that will further endanger the lives of my team.”

“Admirable, but to take no action is simply cowardice,” Motori responds.

“I will make you a deal Motori-san,” Jun says.

San. I have heard Jun add this to a name before. I believe it means honorable and Jun rarely says it. “I will give the General my full cooperation and the aid of my team to find your traitor, but if we find that you have betrayed us…well, I think you know what will happen.”

Motori smiles. “I think you are a man of your word, Jun-san,” Motori says, “We have a deal.”

The two men bow to each other. “I will inform the General of your decision,” Motori says,” Rest up. You start tomorrow.”

Motori leaves us in the training yard. All of this talk of the war makes me think of my human ward. If these two powerful countries engage each other, the Eastern coast of the Athusian side will be hit first. Emily’s city of Windfall could be one of the first locations attacked. I cannot allow that. I made her a promise and while human promises may be broken, the word of an Orrock cannot. “Jun, we must do what ever is necessary to prevent this war,” I say harshly.

“Don’t worry, Draccus. We will find the contact within the Imperial Army and learn the full scale of Ethan’s plan. There will be no war.”

“Do you have a plan?”

“I think we need to start with the Kodasai. The ninja that attacked us on the way here were not under any type of magical control. They were sent after us by one of their masters.”

“So we can expect to see more assassins in the near future?”

“Yes.”

“Let them come. Let them come to die!”

“Slade will be with them the next time. Killing Deacon Amberlin will not go unanswered on Ethan’s end.”

“So things are going to get worse then?”

“Much.”

“Then we should rest while there is time. We will need our strength.”

“I will sleep out here tonight. If more Kodasai come under cover of night they will have to fight both of us.”

“Now I shall be disappointed if they do not attack.”

Jun laughs at my comment. “I will check on the others and then I shall return,” Jun says as he heads towards the barracks, “Rest well, my friend.”

“I will see you shortly.”

Jun exits into the barracks as I make my way back to my bedding. It has been a very long day with much excitement. My body is very tired, but my mind refuses to sleep. I have so many thoughts running through my head. Kadus. Orrock. Sharlleana. Windfall. Emily. The Kodasai assassins. Leaia. Magnus. Jun.

I have become more human than I ever anticipated. I have feelings that an Orrock should not have. Revenge. Longing. Fear. Attachment. Hatred. Friendship. All of these things are seen as weakness in an Orrock. Perhaps it is time I forgot my heritage as it has forgotten me. I am banished…never to return. I have walked amongst humans for so long that I almost feel I am one of them. I have friends amongst them. I care for them. I am even fighting for them. Yes, their ways are still very foreign to my own, but in time that will fade. Much the way my name has faded from the place I once called home. But it is not my home any longer. I am no longer an Orrock. I am now…Athusian.