Chapter 35 - Single Soldier

"You still want to send another hundreds of men to their death?" James asked sarcastically as they got down from the wall.

"This is not like any of the war I have ever fought. It is strange" General Brewer voice shook in fear. He couldn't look James in the eye. He was ashamed.

"Now it is the time!!" James yelled. He looked at a corner, he was expecting to see Harold standing there but he wasn't.

His blood boiled hot. Harold was just someone that would disappoint in the last minute. He dared not go out to meet these soldiers of illusions unless he was sure Harold was going to destroy Psanit.

"This is the time to put an end to this!" he yelled again in front of the soldiers. They were silent as a graveyard. He was not worried about that. It was Harold absence that was giving him concerns.

"I know all of you are afraid of going out there to fight. And I am....." he was interrupted.

"Your Highness, you should rather say something that will motivate them not words that will kill their morale" General Brewer corrected.

"No. Motivation comes from within and General Brewer. Do not interrupt whenever I'm speaking again" he warned him sternly.

"This is the time" he turned to check the corner for Harold. He was already standing there.

Smiles spread over his face. He became joyous instantly. He quickly displayed a grimace to avoid the soldier realizing his happiness.

"I will go out there and stop this people. I will make sure not any of them make it back home alive" he roared. He was expecting that to be accompanied with a loud yelling from the soldiers but there was nothing. That was disappointing.

"General, when I move out. Secure the gate. Make sure it is locked once I made it out. No one goes with me" he instructed.

"You shouldn't go out there alone. You will be marching to your death" General Brewer warned.

"I am not a coward like you. I will go out there and kill them all" he waited to get a response from Harold.

Harold nodded twice and moved away from where he stood. That was the feedback. He was going to destroy the Psanit.

"Raise the gates!" he shouted command.

The heavy gates creaked as it was being motored up with thick ropes by some men who were there for that purpose.

James ran towards the gate that was not raised high enough. He rolled on the ground to make his way out.

"Shut it down" he screamed from the other side. He moved into the midst of the illusion soldiers.

He would engage one among them and ran to safety. He looked up over the wall and there was General Brewer and the other men.

Their were pity looks on their faces. They were obviously expecting his failure and death.

James approached one of the soldiers. With the way it wielded its sword. He concluded Harold had not destroyed the Psanit.

He became worried and started panting. All he could do was running around to avoid their blows.

"Do you want to come back in?" General Brewer was yelling from on top of the wall.

He would never go back in unless he had finished his work here. That would be worse, it might make the worst part of his life.

He wished he had a way to communicate with Harold right now. He would first scold him to get his brain in the right position.

"Until I'm done with them" he yelled back to reply him.

That meant he wanted to see action. James decided to show them action. He became tough. He delved into the middle of the battle field.

He swiveled his sword on all sides, inviting the enemies to come closer to him.

One of the illusions rushed to him. James blocked the swords he raised at him with his own sword. With his other hand. He punched his attacker in the belly.

The soldier was thrown on its back on the floor. He got up quickly and rushed at James again. James blocked his swords as he did earlier.

But he fell down on his back. The illusion seemed to have garnered more power. It had become stronger, very strong for him.

"Come on!" he yelled at the enemies like he was in control of the situation but deep down in his mind, he was cursing Harold for the delay.

***************

The Alpha King had put on his armor. He was ready to dash out but Queen Teresa was on his way. He waited for her to step aside.

"It is one of their plans to kill you" she warned again all in the aim of persuading him from not going.

"I understand all what you said and it is true. I have already thought about it too. But staying away from this battle is not the solution to it. They want me, then let them have me" he screamed hitting his chest to show his bravery.

"There must be another way. You shouldn't go out there. You have armies to fight for you. I don't know what you are trying to prove. That you are ready to die?" Queen Teresa was becoming more intense. He should know how serious this was.

"So, tell me the other way that we have, Teresa" he turned around like he wanted to see what she was seeing.

"I have been going to battle since I was a kid and now I am a king and my warrior need me. There is no reason for me to stay back" the Alpha King refuted.

He hurried out of the room. Queen Teresa was helpless. She could not stop him. She just went after him quickly.

"Please, just don't go" she begged as she followed him through the hallway.

"You are doing the exact opposite of what you are supposed to be doing. Your position as a queen is not to stop people from protecting the kingdom and that people include me " he stopped to attend to her, just to get her off his back.

"My duty is to protect the Alpha King which is you" she asserted to his face.

"You are protecting me by stopping me from doing what is necessary. What is the essence of protecting the King when the Kingdom is already torn apart?" he asked.

"This few men at the gate can not tear our kingdom apart but they can kill you if you present yourself to them on a plate" she asseverated.

"Yes, I need to present myself to them on a plate and see if they are up to the task that they came for" he explained.

"Henry, just stop" she urged him closing her eyes.

"I'm very sorry, Teresa. I will tell them to drag you to the chamber and lock you therein" he pointed to a place where some footsteps are approaching from.

"Lock me up?" she asked on disbelief. "The sorcerer has really gotten something on you" she shook her head.

The looming footsteps finally came upon them. It was not a guard as the Alpha King has thought.

"You are not a palace guard? You are not a servant? Who are you and what are you doing here?" he questioned Harold

"Your Majesty,I am Harold, James' friend. He sent me to his chamber" he explained himself.

"Do not worry, Henry. I will lock myself up. That should excite you" she said sadly.

Harold stood there with them like he was glued to the ground. He was staring at the king and he had lost himself doing so.

"What? You have never seen a king in an armor?!" the Alpha King scolded him.

"No. Your Majesty. Are you going to the battle?" he asked after getting over his tremor.

"You still asking that after seeing me in an armor?" the Alpha king replied sarcastically.

"I am just amazed. You are such a great king" he smiled bowing to the king.

"Go to where you are sent. James must need you by now" he ushered him away. Harold kept staring back at the Alpha king as he walked away.

"I am going. That is settled, right?" the Alpha King asked.

Queen Teresa nodded her head. She didn't want to say anything anymore. Seeing Harold had given her more to think about.

James must have sent him on an issue relating to the battle.

"See you soon!" the Alpha King waved at her as he marched away.

Queen Teresa headed back to the sundeck. Her mind was sick. James' plan seemed to have become unstoppable. The Alpha King was now walking to his death. Everything would end very soon. He would become the new Alpha King right from the battle ground.

She remembered Michael's plan. He told her to announce his disappearance after everything had happened. Maybe he wanted a search party put together for him or blame James for it. Only him understood.

And with the way things were going. That wasn't going to change anything. She went back to the sundeck to watch as it was going on.