The Last Czar of Stritonoly by William L. K

Author:William L. K.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: science fiction
Publisher: Oxford eBooks

CHAPTER 14

“My lord,” Sir Gunther bellowed, “Strito’s men have taken to attack formation.”

“Yes, I see,” Ethan answered, looking over the shoulders of the assembled bowman. “They are not going to rush us just yet…He’s enjoying this too much.”

“My lord, we must take action,” Gunther said, sounding more like an order than a suggestion. “Let us not waste another second. I will begin preparations at once. We will crush this madman!”

“When I am ready!” Ethan hollered. “You are to take no action until I give the command.”

Gunther turned red, shocked by Ethan’s sudden display of unmanageable anger.

Ethan turned away, ran his fingers through his hair, gazed up to the sun and breathed deeply. As a tear began to form in the corner of his eye, he quickly looked down.

It was then he noticed them…

Even before he saw them, he knew instinctively there were others on the roof. A presence he had always felt since his youth; a presence of purity and goodness, a presence that could not be slighted even by the bonds of slavery.

Turning his eyes to the rear of the rooftop, he observed the line of naked Acidel squatting there, surrounded by soldiers with swords drawn at the guard. They waited there quietly, sacrificial victims to be, suffering for sins which were not their own.

The huge blue eyes of the many Acidel peered back at him. And in that instant, Ethan felt the weight of every generation of Acidel sear his soul. His own eyes betrayed him for he could not disguise the pity that absorbed him. For a moment, he thought he might faint. Looking away from the Acidel, Ethan gazed into the forest.

How easy it would be to throw myself from this rooftop, he thought. Maybe then, I can finally be at peace. Maybe then, this decision will be taken from my hands.

“A message approaches,” one of the soldiers yelled.

Snapping back to reality, Ethan moved to the center of the roof, Gunther and Unic at his side. From a distance, it looked like a pinprick floating up toward them, slowly growing as it ascended up to the rooftop.

“Strito sends us a message,” Ethan said to himself.

“No doubt,” Unic added. “Most likely terms for our surrender…”

“Do not even hint at such a thought,” Gunther said, his voice rising. “And besides, you do not belong here, Unic. This is not a…”

“Enough!” Ethan shouted. “Prepare to intercept the message.”

As the object came closer, it became clear it was indeed a roving carrier. A small flyable container used to send handwritten communications in certain sectors of the galaxy.

As the carrier accelerated toward the rooftop, Gunther drew his sword, holding it out over the edge. The carrier bolted forward. Clank! It latched onto the blade of the outstretched sword.

Bringing the sword close to him, Gunther removed the carrier. A soldier standing next to him ran a small explosive detector over the object and passed it back. “It’s clean,” the soldier said.

Without hesitation, Gunther went to open the cylindrical carrier.

“Do you think that message is for you?” Ethan asked, outraged that Gunther would dare to open it himself.

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