The door opened and closed again, giving way to ZenTar who glared critically at the monster and then at him.

“What happened? Did you really cut off that man’s hand?” he demanded, also sounding angry, and Snow couldn’t help jump on his seat, not knowing how to answer that. That is, until he realized that the question hadn’t been directed at him.

Looking at the monster he noticed he’d stopped pacing and, releasing a deep sigh, he sat heavily on one of the couches.

“I suppose I did.”

“And why would you do something like that?!”

“You think I would have done it if I could help it?”

ZenTar green eyes widened in alarm and immediately turned to the boy.

“You’re joking, right?”

“I wish,” the monster grunted back. “Didn’t you tell them he was not to be touched?”

“Of course I did!” he replied angrily and took a deep breath, trying to control his temper. “Fuck! I was wrong. We should have never allowed him to leave his room!” Snow’s heart jumped at that.

“You think? No matter how loyal or how good at following orders they may be, the fact that he wiped out more than one-hundred me in one go won’t ever change,” the monster added and sighed. Snow lowered his head. “I too, was too shortsighted. Of course something like this was bound to happen. And? What were the damages?”

ZenTar took a deep breath and raked a hand through his wavy black hair.

“Some of the men are asking to be relieved from their duties. Mainly those who volunteered to join us.”

“Let them leave, then.”

“You can’t be serious! You open this kind of precedent and soon they will all want to leave!”

“They volunteered to join us in defense of their lands. They have been following us since then, mainly out of gratitude. It’s not like they officially belong to the army. They’re mostly farmers and merchants.”

“That we spent many days training and numerous coin arming!” ZenTar argued vehemently.

“They joined out of their free will. If it is their will to return home, so be it. And can you blame them? Anyone with half a brain can see that this whole situation will result in a lot of spilled blood,” the monster argued with a sigh. “They have women and children waiting for them back home. Some have lost brothers and friends just a few days ago. You place yourself in their shoes and tell me that you wouldn’t be trying to murder me in my sleep, just to make sure that your loved ones would be safe.” ZenTar averted his gaze but didn’t rebut him.

Snow looked from one to the other, otherwise keeping as still as possible. There was a lot he couldn’t understand, but somehow he was completely certain that the situation that they were talking about was directly connected to him. Still, no matter how much he turned their words in his head, he just couldn’t see how. Up until then he had always been the one standing on the bad end of things, always the one being tortured and held prisoner. How his small presence could mean any kind of threat to those strong-looking men was beyond his comprehension. Sure, he now knew he held some kind of … deadly power. A terrible, horrible power. But he also knew that, as long as he kept his mouth shut, as long as he didn’t make a sound, no one could be harmed by it. And even if he were a demon, like those men had said, he was still made of flesh and bone, easily chainable or killed. That they could consider him a threat to anyone baffled him completely.

“In any case,” the black monster went on. “we’ll have to leave soon enough. LaoTar will lead my army back to the Palace and leave it there. The last thing I need is to be accused of holding on to my military divisions in hopes to overthrow the El’Dur at the first chance I get,” he added when ZenTar frowned, clearly disagreeing with his decision. “I know what you’re thinking but you know that I’m right.”

“Let them say whatever they want!”

“And what? If rumors of treason start floating around the first thing they’ll do is invade my Province and take over it. The people have suffered enough. They have finally managed to settle down and go on with their lives. They have nothing to do with this problem.”

“And you think that by surrendering your military forces you will stop them from doing exactly that?” ZenTar retorted, clearly unconvinced.

“That’s another of the reasons why we have to go to Weiin.”

“You’re going to ask him to help? Have you hit your head or something?”

The monster sighed and his eyes curved in what looked like a very cold, dark smile.

“As if he would ever be kind enough to help me just like that. No. I’ll ask him to make a peaceful takeover.”

“You’re surrendering your lands, then.”

“I’m lending them … for the time being. There’s no other way.” ZenTar sighed and sat down, as if his legs had finally be drained from all strength. “If you have any other solution that won’t mean the massacre of thousands of people, by all means, I’m all ears.” As no suggestions were presented the monster went on. “And so, as you can see, it makes no sense to send the men who followed us from home to the Palace as well. They’d do better going back to their families and readying themselves to defend their lands and homes should the need arise. They’ll have to fend for themselves while I take care of this matter.”

ZenTar took another deep breath.

“I don’t like any of it!”

“Do I look like I’m enjoying myself?”

They both looked at the boy, sitting silently, his back very straight. They were blaming him for something, Snow knew even without any words being said. Their stares were cold and hard like sharp rocks.

“Fine,” ZenTar finally conceded, getting up again. “I’ll see to it. And make sure they don’t return home empty-handed. Apparently the Lord of the Fortress had quite the collection of gold coins and other treasures. And since we won’t be taking them with us to Wei, and I’m sure you don’t make a point to send them as a gift to the El’Dur, they may as well be put to a good use. But you have to let me choose three other men to accompany us! I refuse to have to put up with you on my own!”

The monster wavered a pale, long hand dismissively, and ZenTar sighed again, before leaving the room.

“Now us,” the monster said, also standing up, becoming an impenetrable cloud of darkness that towered frighteningly over him, and Snow couldn’t help recoil, leaning back as much as possible against the soft chair. “There’s something I have to make clear before I take you anywhere,” he declared and then the darkness was surrounding him, the strong hands of the monster grabbing his arms and pulling him to his feet. Snow opened his mouth to scream in fear but immediately closed it tight again. He was effortlessly picked up and thrown over a mass of blackness. Head hanging upside down, he tried to hold on to something, certain that he was going to fall head-first. His hands found a soft, firm fabric and clenched it with all his strength as his entire body swung nauseatingly every time the monster gave another step.

Language:

Calzai: Literally cal (bright) + zai (blade), or Blade of Light. It can be translated in common language as General, one of military leaders of the Empire. Each Province has it’s own Calzai.

ZenTar: Literally zen (silent) + tar (wind).

LaoTar: Literally lao (strong) + tar (wind)

El’Dur: Literally el (supreme) + dur (ruler). Name given to the Empror.

Weiin: Literally wei (crystal / precious stone) + suffix in (center), meaning the center of the Province of Wei, in other words, Wei’s Capital. All Capitals of all Provinces are named as such.