SWNOVELS Chapter The Emperor
Down in Argentina deep beneath Aconcagua in the Black Fortress within the Amacian underworld, the Emperor sat on his throne looking down at a man who knelt before him. “What news do you have you for me, Kronos?” he hissed.
“My liege, the hunt continues for the rebels,” Kronos informed after rising from his knees and approaching the throne. “They attempted to retake Solomon’s Passage several times, but we easily repulsed their attacks and slaughtered the combatants in each instance. Your plan proceeds without any hindrance and our operatives on the outside are presently trying to eliminate the threat from out there; however, it seems that so far, they have been unsuccessful in capturing this Beowulf and his friends. Steps have been taken though to get some results in trying to find Beowulf.”
The Emperor gazed harshly at his adviser with displeasure showing on his face. “They had better find him or I will personally eat their souls. Beowulf is a greater threat to us than any of you can imagine. Now go! Leave me!” he barked.
“As you command, my Lord Emperor,” Kronos said, bowing and backing away. He walked away and the Throne room doors clanged as he left.
The Emperor sat on his throne and his countenance fell as he considered the news. “Guards!” he barked and the Captain of the Guards appeared immediately from the shadows of the throne room.
“Yes, my Lord Emperor,” the Captain said.
“How many of the rebels have you in the dungeon?” the Emperor asked.
“We have thirty, sir,” the Captain informed.
“Bring them here and tear them to pieces one at a time in front of me while their comrades watch,” the Emperor barked. “Better yet, make them choose who will die first.”
The Captain’s stomach turned at the order, but he immediately answered, “At once, my Lord Emperor.” He disappeared and within minutes, the guards drove thirty people into the throne room in chains, forcing the prisoners to their knees before the Emperor.
“Kill them,” the Emperor ordered and the Captain tried to do as the Emperor wanted…to get them to turn on one another and deliver one up to be first. No one cooperated. They knelt there like lambs before the butcher, not opening their mouths. After a couple a minutes of savage beatings by the guards, the Emperor became enraged and rose from his throne. “You won’t choose? Then I’ll choose for you!” he snarled. “You; bring him here!” he ordered the guards referring to one of the prisoners near the middle of the line. They unshackled and dragged the man to the foot of the dais, quickly standing back. The man looked up at the Emperor fearlessly. The Emperor immediately noticed it, which enraged him further. “You have any last words before you die, insect?” he snarled savagely.
“Your days are numbered, your most un-royal majesty. You may kill this body but you can’t touch my soul. It’s in the hands of the Ancient of Days,” the man affirmed.
The Emperor bellowed in rage and glared at the man, pointing at the prisoner with his out-stretched hand. The man began to float off the floor and swelled. The prisoner cried out in excruciating pain as he swelled like a balloon. “Merciful Ancient of Days, receive my spirit!” he cried out just before the Emperor clenched his fist, which caused the prisoner to explode into dozens of gory chunks. Blood, gore, and entrails sprayed all over the other prisoners and the guards.
“Feed them to the taroks one at a time while their friends watch. Now get them out of my sight!” the Emperor barked viciously. As an afterthought he barked, “And get someone in here to clean up this mess!”
“Yes, my Lord Emperor,” the Captain of the Guards promptly replied as the prisoners were brutally driven away. After they were out of the Emperor’s sight, the Captain sighed heavily and thought, I wish he wouldn’t do that. The guards took the prisoners to the tarok’s lair where they were summarily executed by a giant reptile resembling a T-rex.