Son of Damien

Chapter 10

"What do you mean we can't go save him!?" Jaison yelled angrily at Alaric, who sat at a wooden hand crafted desk. "He has a point Alaric, it's been six months since the incident happened, and Damien's forces have been trying to destroy the clan ever since. And don't we need him for the prophecy?He's no use to us if he's in the enemies' grasp." Vanessa spoke up. Alaric sighed, crossing his arms on the desk.

"We can't just barge into Zlephia without a fully thought out plan.." Alaric said to the two; Jaison looked at him, outraged.

"DAMN IT ALARIC! YOU HAD SIX FUCKING MONTHS TO FIGURE OUT A PLAN!! HOW MUCH LONGER DO YOU THINK ITS GOING TO TAKE?! OR ARE SAYING YOU HAVEN'T EVEN THOUGHT OF HELPING RAI?!" Jaison screamed, punching the wall he stood beside, leaving a crack into the wooden wall.

Alaric made his hands into fists. "I've been doing everything I can. We need Haul yn Codi to be our ally before we could even have a chance at defeating the forces inside Zlephia." Alaric replied calmly, keeping his temper. "You know that will never happen, so why are you still trying to get them on our side; they've always favored the devils over their own kind." Venessa said.
"We would have to defeat them before going to Zlephia, force them to become our allies, other than trying to make some type of treaty." Alaric replied, taking a map out of his desk drawer. He lied it flat in the desk top; it was a map of the territories.

"We will come from behind. Being that Cyroin is already our allies, they won't mind that we take a short cut through their territory, and into the back of Haul yn Codi territory." Alaric announced, pointing out a slightly mountainous range behind Haul yn Codi territory. "Would we be taking some of their warriors with us?" Jaison asked, walking up beside Alaric to look at the map.

"Yes. I think they'd be generous enough to let us borrow some of their warriors and maybe a commander or two. We will be taking all that are eligible, and capable of fighting to attack the clan." Alaric said, getting pins to put the map up on one of the walls.

"We will be setting up our defenses in the mountains, and make camp there. We will then fan out in three different directions in  groups of about two hundred a squadron. We would be able to block off their escape routes easier that way; that is if they try to escape." Alaric continued. "Jaison, you will be in charge of one of the squadrons, same with you Vanessa. You will need to be in charge of the healing ability users, Vanessa, as well as the archers." Alaric announced. "When will we be doing this attack, Alaric?" Jaison asked crossing his arms. "We will will be setting off two days from now, and attack a week from now."

•••••••
Two days later, in Zlephia..

Come on, you have to use more technique to your attacks," Mara called out, coming at Rai with his favorite cursed daggers. Rai quickly dodged out of the way, and was behind Mara in an instant. Mara looked back surprised, but had his legs soon pulled out from under him. Rai grabbed him by his ankles, unleashing a surge of electricity race down his arms, lacing around Mara's legs. Rai swung Mara by his ankles, launching him into a nearby pillar in the training arena.

Mara twisted around in the air, clumsily landing on his side; he wasn't fast enough to twist enough to be able to land on his feet. A large blast of lightning came screaming towards Mara. He scrambled to his feet, ready to dodge it. However, the lightning branched off into three different directions as Mara dodged to the left; they seemed to mark him, precisely making impact.

Mara let out a yelp of pain as blood began to appear from the wild marks of electricity wounds that ran up and down his legs. Rai started walking towards Mara, his face looked expressionless. "Was that better?" He asked as he came closer, stopping a couple of feet away from Mara.

Suddenly, Mara jumped to his feet, striking Rai in the side. Rai stumbled back a little bit, but didn't fully loose his balance. "Never let your guard down, my friend," he advised as he swung his leg, his foot close to making impact with Rai's head. Rai was ready. He blocked the kick, grabbing hold of Mara's foot, back flipping him. Mara landed hard onto his back. "I know not to do that. Do you think I haven't learned anything this whole time I've been here?" Rai replied looking down at Mara; he planted his foot onto Mara's chest, putting enough pressure so he wasn't trying to get back up again.

"Oh, no I don't think that at all." Mara said crossing his arms.  Rai rolled his eyes, then helped Mara up off the ground.
I've been here for six months, it hasn't been as horrible as I thought it was going to be; it's not all smooth sailing either. They've tortured me mentally and physically for the first month of staying here, they still do if I don't follow orders, or if I don't do them correctly. They've helped me more than Alaric, Jaison, and Venessa ever had. They've been helping me improve to, which I should feel thankful for, but I don't know. It just feels like a numb emptiness now. I don't really have a say on what I can or can't do anymore, nor do I have anything really to fight for outside of Zlephia.

"Hey, are you still there Rai? You were spacing out again. Don't tell me you've hit your head too many times to even function right," Mara pestered, poking Rai's forehead continuously to get his attention. "Huh, yeah I'm here." Rai replied. Out of the corner of his bright red eyes, Aglar could be seen walking towards Rai and Mara. "If you're done with training, both of you are needed in the throne room, now." He ordered.

Rai and Mara followed Aglar down the maze like halls inside the castle to the throne room.

Damien stood at his usual place near the window. A ragged looking warrior, maybe from one of the smaller clans named Havelin; his dark green uniform was torn and their was blood running down their face and back. "Our friend here has news," Damien said in a strange cheerful manor. "Go ahead tell them," he looked over at the warrior; he looked terrified. " I have nothing to say to monsters like you." He said quietly, barely audible. "Oh.. if that's how you feel.. we could force it out of you, right?" Damien announced clapping his hands.

"Rai, my son, make the trash talk. I'm sure you'll be able to handle it." Damien ordered, taking a seat on the throne. Rai looked over at his father; Damien's red eyes looked threateningly at Rai, as if daring him to disobey. Rai looked away. "Yes, sir," Rai replied, walking up to the already wounded warrior.

"Please, don't do this," Rai heard the warrior whisper as Rai summoned his lightning. He looked down at the warrior; their pale green eyes were filled with sorrow and desperation. If I don't do this, I'm going to get punished as well, but it will hurt more than this..Rai thought bitterly.

He shaped the lightning into a long whip, and began lashing at the warrior. He screamed out in pain, but Rai tried to ignore it. Rai saw Damien looking satisfied that Rai obeyed him out of the corner of his eye. "ST-STOP PL-EASE" the warrior cried out; Rai stopped for a moment. "Are you ready to tell us what you know now?" Damien asked. "Y-yes, I will te-ll you everything I k..know," the warrior stammered through a hoarse throat.

"Meilyr forces are teaming up with Cyroin for-rces to at-tack Haul yn Codi Clan," the warrior gasped. "Thank you," Damien said, walking down towards the warrior. He picked them up by the neck. "This information will absolutely be put to good use." He said before quickly snapping the warrior's neck before he could fight back.

"Well, you all heard that. We will need to help our ally. Rai you will be going with them this time as well." Damien announced. "Don't let me down." He warned looking directly at Rai. "Yes sir, I will kill whoever gets in my way." Rai replied, as if on instinct. They will not be able to get away this time...