“Charge forward!” Kai screamed as he stretched his arm outwards. An army of a million men rushed past him as he sat on his horse. It was the third battle that month alone and they would probably see at least one more, Kai thought to himself.
“My Lord, you don’t have to be on the battlefield. Myself and my men are enough to deal with these small fry.” Zalek Brackenbury, Kai’s colonel, urged his General.
“If this is the third battle in less than two weeks, I’m needed on the battlefield. How are the healers doing? What is the casualty?” Kai asked, ignoring his subordinates' request.
“About a hundred, not nearly as bad as the enemy camp. All the bodies we can see belong to them.” Zalek gleamed. “A hundred of my men fell at the hands of barbarians and you tell me to lay back while more die?” Kai asked Zalek in a cool tone. The fact that he was calm sent shivers down his spine. Immediately, Zalek fell to his knees, “I’m sorry, General. I don’t know what came over me. The life of even one soldier is important.”
Kai kissed his teeth, “get out of my sight.” “As you wish.” And Zalek was gone.
Kai Rylan was the first son and heir to the Rylan house, the house that was tasked with the duty of protecting Valtoria’s border, Nexarath. They had done so gallantly for the past centuries. The border had always been under attack from enemies trying to convert the rich country and their most formidable opponents yet were an army from their rival country, Nefaria, called The Thrakos.
Ten years ago, Nexarath was at the brink of ruin when Kai Rylan showed up to the battlefield with a million armed men possessing strength like no one had ever seen. Their commanding general, Kai Rylan, yielded a strange magic called Zhilak and he put an end to the back and forth with Nefaria in one small battle. Nefaria had not attacked Nexarath since then and all they had as opponents were nowhere near as powerful. However, Kai had reason to suspect the constant battle. Yes, the country had always been unstable and at war but they had never been attacked so often since his father gave him command while he handled the internal affairs of the border.
This day, Kai decided to head to battle himself and he stood farther, watching his blood thirsty men devour their opponents. He thought to himself that despite the death of a few of his men, the thought of his army, the Vorgath, ought to send shivers down anyone’s spine. They were ruthless and had no respect for people.
“Why do they charge in blindly?” Kai asked out loud. It all looked suspicious to him, as though they were fighting his men knowing fully well they would all die.
Kai hardly ever had to sully himself in battle. The last time he fought was against Thane Jackson, Nefaria’s ruler. He missed battle dearly but fighting anyone was essentially unfair. Even his battle with Thane left Thane one arm short and Kai had yet to physically move a muscle. He hated to admit it but he was bored.
Bored of the overwhelming Zhilak he possessed. No one would spar with him. No one dared anger him. It was a boring life.
“Sir!” One of his soldiers rushed to his side, panting as he fell at the foot of Kai’s horse. “Y..your house! Your father! We cannot reach anyone!”
“Speak clearly!” Kai commanded, unable to make out what the man was saying.
“Fire, my Lord! There’s a fire engulfing your house and your parents are trapped inside! Elyria too!” The man said as fast as he could and Kai’s head shot backwards. He was so engulfed in his thoughts he failed to realize that the entire sky was covered in black smoke. His men did not fight with canons and neither did their opponents.
Kai rushed with his horse and as he approached his house, he was stopped by his godfather, Astrophel, which startled his horse as well, “easy, boy!” Astrophel cautioned the horse.
“Astrophel! What is this?” He asked, trying to calm his agitated horse as well. “What started the fire? Where is Elyria?” Kai bombarded Astrophel with questions as he jumped down from his horse, walking towards his house that was so clearly gone. Astrophel stopped him, placing one hand on his shoulder.
“I am so sorry, my Lord. The fire started out of the blue.” He started, “We might be able to retrieve the bodies as soon as we can control it but water can’t seem to quench it.” Astrophel comforted Kai.
“What?” Kai asked his godfather who noticed the change in the air surrounding Kai.
“Now, now, no need to get your emotions riled up, Kai. We will investigate, find the root cause of the fire. You’re alive, your family name will live. Do not let yourself give into the grief.” Astrophel tried to calm him down. They had never seen Kai upset besides the day he was born.
The sound of a baby Kai crying ripped open the ground beneath them and led to the death of his midwife who was hit by a kicking Kai. The force of his baby feet to her cheek left a hole in her head. Everyone was cautioned to not upset him and steer clear. Everyone around him tiptoed, walking on eggshells. His word was law and deviation from the law meant imminent death, whether he willed it or not.
A dark cloud enveloped everywhere and all the fighting came to a halt. One look and Zalek knew, “Hai!” He yelled to his horse, running to find his Lord while the Vorgath and their opponents stopped to look at the sky.
At the moment Zalek moved, arms emerged from the shadows, ripping out the hearts of everyone who stood.
“Shit.” Zalek cursed as the arm approached him. He knocked it off with his smaller sword before unsheathing his long sword. He slashed the arm and hurried towards what looked like the source of the shadow. It was coming from the Rylan house.
As he approached it, he saw that the house was gone up in smoke and Kai’s eyes were white. Astrophel was on the ground, coughing up blood.
“Kymani! Get Kymani now!”
Kymani Everard was one of Kai’s high ranking officers. She belonged to the Everard house, a house that had supported the Rylan’s for centuries with their healing powers and their magic that allowed them to foresee what was to come. Kymani was the current head of her family and unlike the previous heads, she much preferred to take a backseat and she spent all her free time running what the other officers called a charity clinic.One of the many skills Kymani possessed was hypnosis and on this day, she was tending to the many injured men. She cursed under her breath before yelling, “would you please keep still?! I don’t have time for this.” The man winced again and Kyman groaned, “How do you take so many lives and yet you’re scared of a little pain?”“Men are such babies.” Was the last thing she muttered before hearing a horse neigh in distress, “Bringing your horse all the way will not make me heal all these people faster, Zalek.” She said before lifting up her head.“Kymani!” His voic
“What did you say?” Kymani asked Astrophel. She crouched down on her knees as her arms grew tired from holding him up. “You’re able to delete memories. Wipe the General’s memories before he wakes up.” Astrophel repeated.“Why the hell would I do that? That can be classified as treason!” Kymani yelled at Kai’s godfather.“It isn’t treason if he can’t remember any of it.” Astrophel paused, “think about it. You’re in danger too for knocking him unconscious.”“I did not nothing wrong. He was going to kill us all and you asked me to.” Kymani defended.“You’re right, I did. Now finish your good work and wipe his memory. Only heaven knows what will become of us should he wake up and remember the horror that awaits.”“Do this for Nexarath, Kymani Everard. You have a duty to your people. Should the General become conscious with his memory intact, we will be back where we started and with even more people dead.” Kymani hesitated. Astrophel had a point.“Do you think he will be happy with you? Y
Kai had a nightmare that night, same as all the nights before and for as long as he could remember. He was screaming on top of his voice, “put your lives on the line!”, “show no mercy!”, “bring me their heads!”, “stake his head for his subordinates to see.” And other cruel and gruesome commands he could hardly imagine himself voicing out.“What sort of life did I lead before now?” He asked himself as he startled back to reality, shocking his wife, Sarah, as well.“The nightmares again?” She asked as she sat up, rubbing her eyes.“Yes. I’m sorry.” Kai apologized, sitting up as well. “It’s okay. Should I get you some water? Advil?” She asked as she rubbed his shoulders. “No, thanks. I’ll just get ready for work.” He replied as he pulled himself out of bed, heading for the bathroom.In the bathroom, he splashed ice cold water on his face and he stared at his reflection in the mirror. He had sunken eyes from his sleep constantly being cut short by ridiculous, otherworldly nightmares. He h
“What? Did I tell any lies?” Stephanie turned to Kai, “what use are you to us? You don’t work, you don’t contribute to the bills, you get free food. The least you could do is drive me around. Right, dad?” She turned to Orion.Orion ignored the ruckus, eating silently. “Calm down, my love. Remember what the doctor said about your blood pressure.” Her father said.“Sarah, baby. Your mother said she would pay. What is the issue?”“Leave that dumb child. Rather than marry a man that would take her on trips away from the capital, she brings home a man with no recollection of who he is. For all we know he could be a spy!” Stephanie touched the sensitive area. She and her husband were always suspicious of Kai and did not buy his story that he lost his memories.“I’ll be glad to drive you, Stephanie. Let me grab my jacket quickly.” Kai said, breaking the awkward silence, as he got up and headed to his room. “You know what, never mind! Gerald will take me.” Stephanie said as Kai emerged out of
“What?” Kai turned to look at Sarah who was still sobbing uncontrollably. “I’m so sorry, Kai. My granddad found the test results on our bed. I wanted to surprise you at dinner later tonight.” Sarah apologized.“Is that why you’re all ganging up on her? A married woman getting pregnant? Is that a crime?!” Kai demanded, getting up on his feet and aiding Sarah as well.“I will not take questions from you despicable being!” Orion started.“I gave you a roof over your head, despite being a nobody with no name. I endured the jabs from my business partners and associates, taunting me for giving up my only grandchild and future heir to a man with no past.”“And how do you two ingrates repay me? You poison my line with pauper blood!” Orion turned to Sarah, “Sarah Pierce, you will sign these divorce papers this instant and I will consider letting you raise your bastard child in my home. Else, I want you two out of my sight.”“Dad!” Stephanie yelled, he was being too harsh in her opinion.“Shut
“What? Absolutely not!” Sarah said as she threw the keys hard on the ground.“That is my offer, Sarah Pierce. I only care about my future grandchild and I still very much want you to divorce Kai.”“That’s fine with me.” Kai pitched in, finally getting up from where he was sitting. Tears welled up in Sarah’s eyes, “what?” She asked, her voice barely a whisper.“Glad to know that one of us has reasoning here. Do you need me to drive you or do you have a way to get there?” Stephanie asked Sarah and Kai responded, “I’ll take her.”“I won’t step foot in the apartment. I promise.” He added.“Your words mean shit but I will take it.” She then turned to Sarah, “I will pick you up tomorrow morning by ten for a doctor’s appointment.” Was the last thing she said before turning to enter her car and zooming off.Sarah stood, watching the car retreat until Kai’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts, “I spent nearly all the money I earned these past few months to book a restaurant for our anniversa
Kai had just dropped Sarah off at her apartment that morning, “you know you can come in right?” Sarah asked, “It’s not like there are spies watching.” She added, urging him to step into the apartment.Ever since she started living alone, Kai had adamantly refused to remotely step foot in the house. “I gave my word.” He always said and Sarah chuckled, “to who? My mom? Oh, come on, Kai. What is the matter with you?” She asked, placing a hand on his cheek.“Nothing.” He brushed her off, breaking her heart a little bit. Sarah noticed that he had been off for a while now. “Is it work?” She asked.“No.” Kai said, turning around to leave, “get some rest, Sarah.”“Is it the migraines?” Ignored. “The nightmares?” Ignored.As she watched her husband walk further away from her, she yelled, “Is it me?!”That would usually get him to turn around and reassure her but this time, he didn’t. He just yelled in response, “No!” Before taking a turn out of her line of vision.Sarah stifled a cry. He usual
The strange man called out to him, his cigarette falling from his hand. “It is you!” The heavily tattooed man fell to his knees, bowing his head. Kai rushed to him, “get up! Have you lost your mind?” He asked as he held him by his shoulders and pulled him up.Kai looked around frantically, hoping no one saw what just happened from their floor to ceiling windows, “I’m sorry, my Lord. I don’t know what came over me.”“I am not your Lord nor do I know who you are. Please remove yourself from my presence. The courier office does not open till ten and my manager will talk my ears off.” Kai said as he went pack to pick up the packages he abruptly dropped.The strange man was Maverick Slade, Kai’s captain and one of his closest aides. He held the position that was the lowest of the General’s officers but that was simply because he was low-born. His family had served the Rylans for centuries before they became the ruling house. The two men grew up together but Kai had no idea who the heavily