CHAPTER THIRTY SIX

The loud voices of his men came from below his window. He hadn't slept a wink. His muscles sore from fighting his men all might. In the moon light.
They patrolled the fields and boundaries till dusk.
No warrior slept. They should be ready.
Edgar sat on his window pane. He longed to draw blood. That of the Kiro king.
Long...too long since he had felt the excitement of a raw battle. Of force and a good fight. Not conquering weak villages.
He could taste the war on his tongue. Men would fall, but Kiro would be no more. He would Purge the land if the council couldn't. He would. He would.
The plague would become a story. History told to children to avoid the night. He would make sure of it
The morning air was humid. Particles of snow drifted onto his room from the open window. His fire place raging. Mirroring his emotions.
The manor was quiet. The maids and man servants watching silently as he and the warriors fought all night. They knew. They knew battle was upon them. He had heard the wails of lovers and mothers as they bid their men farewell. Not really knowing when they would go to battle and never return. But he would.
He would make sure he saw the child again. Held her. Kiss her that kiss that had taken him to her chamber that fateful morning. By his mother's blood he swore he would. And he would kill Helsing before death saw him.
Edgar turned from the window and went to his closet. He pulled on his overcoat and stared into the mirror.
His eyes raged with fire. One that would burn any man in his path. No one tempered with his family. No one at all.
He took the locket that he had put in his pocket and stared at it.
His friend. His father in disguise. The one man that had seen him through the troubled days of his past till he grew in wisdom and strength. He had lost him. Lost him in a twinkle. Somehow he knew today would bring answers. All the answers he sought from the beginning of this maze. He would find answers.
Edgar watched the seal on the locket. It was of Sol. A sapphire patterned ink.
Then it fell open. Edgar watched for the first time. Realising the locket was doubled faced.
Kiro.
At the other side was a Kiro seal.
Edgar frowned. He had been with the locket for several moons. Grieving his lost friend. Why would he have a Kiro seal. Was his loyalty divided?
Edgar locked intently at the new side of the locket he had just discovered.
Watching, hoping that it was some nation with a similar seal. No, he knew the seal by heart. It was Kiro.
Edgar roared violently and smashed the mirror. He was disgusted at his own reflection. His most trusted man. How? How had he been blind to virtually everything. His enemy could kill him in his sleep.
He watched the seal and replayed it all
" I have wronged you, forgive me.."
"I have lost everything. My Belle dig...my dignity. I will not lose my pride too"
"Do not war today my son...they will kill you"
Edgar held the locket tight. He had betrayed him. He had been a spy. He had advised him to go into war that would end him. A surprise that would have been expected. And he had almost done it. What made him back out? What?
It was a fair warning. Kiro was expecting him. And have him would they.
Edgar stormed through the hall into the fields.
"Each man here! Bring with yourselves a dozen more men. Each man with a dozen. We match to war. To redemption. To peace! To a new dawn!" He bellowed.
His men responded with an eager cry. Each running into the manor to fetch more men.
He would lead four hundred and two thousand men into battle. Kiro would end. Today.
"Sound the drums" he told the door guard.
He walked into the manor and pulled on his amour. It was not a surprise, Kiro was waiting for his arrival.
With a last look at what was left of the once floor length mirror, Edgar sheathed his sword, threw on his overcoat and went out. The drums thundering over the manor.
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It has been at least ten and three days. She sat, tied to a chair that was soft and plush but now hurt her bones.
It was black. The only way she knew time was when an aged man came to force a potion down her throat. Once every night. Seventeen nights had passed.
She was growing mad. Her sight no doubt permanently blinded, her hands felt numb and her back ached. Whatever that liquid was made her stomach ache terribly and gave her a severe headache. Her ears rang each time the man chanted in an ancient tongue unknown her her. He would poke her with a wooden stick and say something again. Then feed her the liquid.
She wanted to die.
The Lord had left her to die.
She was unwanted. Or maybe the Lord had been killed too that night so he never heard her scream.
No one would save her. Her hope had wavered and extinguished as slowly as her sanity.
The door to the chamber opened again and she sighed. Opening her mouth already to receive the liquid. She was tired of the fight. Tired of the struggle.
"Princess" came the voice. The same that had haunted her once in a while.
She turned to the direction of the sweet voice.
"Do not worry. Soon my love. Soon" he said...his hands on her chin.
Selene sat still, her skin crawling with his touch. She missed the way the Lord of Sol touched her. His long fingers. His warm eyes. She loved him. So terribly she almost wanted to cry. She would never know love. She would never.
Selene could already feel her life fading. She was dying. She ate nought for days. Only the strange potion kept her alive and killed her slowly all at once.
She closed her eyes. Seeing her mother and sister. They did not wave at her anymore. They smiled at her. A subtle welcome.
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The horses were weak. Each neighed reluctantly as they whipped it on. His men travelled through the west. Few setting camps to secure their need for reinforcement. The healers were seven. Six younger ones and the old physician that had been his father's own doctor.
He dropped from the horse. Throwing his sac of food supplied and water on the floor.
"We go on foot from here" he said
The mountain that loomed hid the Kiro empire. He had travelled here a few times. War that left both sides wounded. War that was unfinished. Until now.
"A horn will be blown if we need you. We hope we don't" he said and made for the forest.
His men followed behind. Each greeting the other wordlessly.
The journey had been long. Through the lake the hardest. The rocks and the horses unfriendly.
He had bitter restless nights. Each filled with all horrible deaths of the child. Was she indeed dead? How was his sister? He would kill Helsing.
The walk to the mountain took all morning. He had planned it all out. He would war at noon. With the sun to fight his plagued warriors.
The darkness would favour Kiro and the morning would be expected. The noon would be an advantage to Sol.
His head warrior turned to him
"If...if I never return. I want you to give this to my woman. Please my son should never know I'm gone" he said, handing a rock to Edgar. It was sculpted. A smiling face.
"You will return" Edgar said and refused to accept it. He did not want to lose any man, and accepting the message would be a farewell. No. He needed his Lieutenant alive.
The warrior nodded and turned away. Walking with the rest of the soldiers as they climbed the mountain quietly.
The guards would be at the foot of the mountain. They would alert them if they were to take the same passage. He didn't want them outnumbered at first clash. Climbing the mountain would be laborious but rewarding.
"Halt" he bellowed lowly to his men.
Atop The mountain, a single man stood. Whistling to himself, hands on the hilt of his sword. Looking down the forest. Kiro was indeed expecting him
Edgar drew his blade quietly and moved closer, his steps low and soundless.
His quick swing caught the man unaware, his surprised face tumbling with his head down the mountain. Edgar took the blade from the body that now laid, blood spurting. He sheathed the lighter blade and held his own sword still in hand.
Signalling his men to move, Edgar peered at the mountain slope. Their descent would be easier.
A steep step of rocks had been formed that left to passage way, it's fence made of bricks.
Edgar ducked low and went down the mountain quickly, his men following suit. He continued his run till he was securely shielded by the passage wall.
Searching, he counted twelve men around the mountain, all oblivious to their beheaded mate.
Three more stood at the entrance of the passage way by the side of the castle.
"On my orders" he told his Lieutenant who nodded and commanded the rest of his, most huddled behind bushes and some still descending the mountain. About six hundred men stood with him, others setting tents sparsely in the forest and waiting for the horn.
He moved to the brick wall and whistled loudly. Leaning flat against it.
The attention of the second man in line was caught. He turned and glanced at the mountain, frowning.
Edgar whistled again and the man drew the attention of the two other men, who filled out to the mountain, none glancing behind them.
Edgar signalled his men who quickly paired and entered the castle, each as quickly as they could.
Edgar bowed at his head warrior and went in at last. He was in Kiro.
The castle walls were coated a deep grey. The bricks falling off in some places. Women went about, sweeping, Carrying baskets of fruits and vegetables, some younger boys played around. It was like every other land. Maybe it would not become a war, he would slay Helsing and leave with his family. But if as much as a hair was lost on the child's head, Kiro would be history.
He pulled his grey cloak tighter. His instincts had been correct. Somehow he knew Kiro would be a black kingdom. The people with life but a dead leader. A violent man that thought more of war than the welfare of his people. The lands he amassed was great, almost as vast as Sol itself.
Edgar walked with two of his men by his side and four trailing closely behind.
He turned left as a guard stared as them sternly.
"Break out" he whispered. One man beside him turned left and went into the open doors of the house. He walked around the edges, surveying the buildings entrances as exits.
Above him to the left, a window unlike the others was locked shot. The cobwebs by the mail's telling him it hadn't been wedged for sometimes.
There was a wooden ladder by the last window to his right, the ladder leading to a well, a long robe stretched into it, a bucket dangling. The bucket was dry too. The well was dry.
"Intruders!" Came the roar from inside the castle
Edgar leaped from his position, walking quickly into the larger door inside the castle.
He threw out his cloak and held his sword out, slate ng the first man that lunged at him.
"Find the King" he barked at his older warrior, certain he would identify the man.
He bowed and left, running up the stairs.
Edgar slew the fifth man and took the stairs too, running through the western halls. Candles lined the walls, each shinning so brightly it looked almost like the orange glow of the sun.
He slew the next man that came from a door, pushing him off the flight of stairs.
When he got to the last chamber at the hall, he paused. Gripping his sword tightly in hands. He pushed the door and it did not budge.
Edgar lunged at the wood and swung his blade, tearing it off the hinges and simultaneously splitting it in half.
The room was black. Not a shimmer of light shined.
Blade held firmly, Edgar grabbed a candle stand and lifted it into the room. Outside he could hear commotion. The voice growing louder.
When he could see in the black abyss he froze. On a red chair, head bowed, her jet black hair tumbling was the child.
He rushed to her and lifted her chin. Tired eyes looked up at him as she smiled, a far off smile that broke his heart.
Her hands were tied to the chair, her feet as well.
Edgar sliced off the thick robe immediately and held her up.
She closed her eyes again and opened them. Disbelief on her features.
"I am here...I'm here child" he whispered to her.
She nodded slowly, her eyes not trusting.
Edgar took her, hands over his shoulders and held her to the door. The battle had gotten up.
Men now fought in the hall. Two of his men had fallen.
Edgar turned to an open too and led the princess there, piercing his blade over a Kiro warrior that laid struggling on the floor.
"Stay here" he said and rushed into the hall alone. Fighting the few men that battled his warriors.
Once the last enemy fell, Edgar returned to the child, supporting her weight like head, sword in right hand, he went into the hall.
"Find my sister" he ordered. Just maybe today would not be a blood bath.
His men filed out as he ordered and he descended ghe stairs with ease.
There, at the bottom was Helsing. And his sister.
Fear was evident on her features.
His men had surrounded them, two shielding the Governess.
Edgar handed the child over to the largest warrior that stood and turned to Helsing
"Surrender and I will spare your people" he offered
"That my dear, can not happen" he replied on a sickly sweet tone.
"As you wish" Edgar declared and matched to him.
The shriek that emitted was instant, sudden. His man now stood, struggling against Helsing.
The Kiro king had bitten into his neck.
He left the man to fall ok the floor in a heap, chunk of flesh missing from his left neck.
Helsing smiled. His bloodied mouth showing.
"I left humanity for you Solian king" he said and drew out a curved blade.
Edgar could feel his anger rising.
The council was blind. He would become justice.
He lunged at the man who ducked gracefully with incredible speed and slashed at him.
Pain filled his arm. Blood soaking his clothes.
His blood had been drawn. First cut.
"You could surrender. I will take good care of your beautiful whore. I have already" he said, smiling to show his elongated canines.
Edgar turned to look at the child who was staring awed at the scene.
He roared loudly and attacked.
His men rushing out to safety. He watched as his sister left reluctantly.
Kiro men flooded in and Edgar fought out numbered.
His head warrior stood by his side. Slaying the enemies as easily as he had.
The Kiro king stood unwounded, eyes glowing yellow.
"You have made a grave mistake" he said and cut Edgar again, this time a deep wound on his back.
Edgar winced and defended the next blow.
A cry came. Four men had closed over his Lieutenant.
The warrior shielded attacks, some landing at his side and leg.
The closest man aimed and swung his sword, the blade missing the right arm by an inch and cutting through the left.
The clothes arm fell to the floor, the Lieutenant kneeling with the impact.
His man's eyes met with his nd he took a low bow.
Edgar cried out and ran there, his sword slaughtering all four men quickly. He kneeled to the man who bled severely.
"Weak!" Helsing muttered and ran to him.
Edgar turned and attacked with full force.
He did not give time, he slashed at the king at every turn, swinging violently.
Helsing bled, a deep gash now across his face. The man smiled viciously and lunged at him.
Edgar dodged quickly and aimed at him again, his sword stabbing him at that back. It stuck as Edgar tried to draw out.
Helsing turned to him and raised his sword, drawing the other from behind and letting it fall on the floor with a clink.
"For my brother" he said and raised his sword to his throat.
Edgar drew out the lighter sword in his bed and struck hardly, Helsing's blade fell to the floor and his own now protruded from his neck.
"No one is immortal" Edgar said and beheaded him.
The head reaching the far ends of the room.
The body fell, rotting before his very eyes.
It was over.