The Realmsic Conquest: The Hero of Legend - Book 1 [2015 Watty Award Winner]

Chapter Forty-Nine

The room was quaint, but lavish compared to the sleeping quarters of regular infantry Legionaries. Most soldiers slept nights within designated encampments throughout Centre Pointe. Other than the highest officers, none were permitted to sleep in the Realmsic Castle. But being an old soldier had its perks, and being the Warlord's personal spy also came with others.

However, in order to maintain appearances, Seku hardly ever used the room. He often thought it somewhat cruel to be given something so extravagant that he could never regularly use. But those were the ways of the Warlord, mysterious and inconsiderate. As he relaxed onto the soft, plush bedding, something caught his attention across the room.

"Seku..." a voice whimpered from one of its dark corners. An unexpected slight movement at the edge of the room brought Seku to his feet. His mind reacted quicker than his old muscles. No one knew this was his room. Had he been followed? Was this an ambush? He reached for the gold daggers he kept hidden within his sleeves. He prepared to strike. But to his surprise, it was Igthu who stood only a few feet away.

"Son!" Seku exclaimed, replacing the blades. The young man looked injured. His eye was blackened and half shut. His face, too, was severely swollen with purplish bruises. His clothing was tattered, and he appeared to be supporting his left leg with a crutch. Had he been in a fight?

Limping forward, he stumbled. Seku reached out to help him, but Igthu threw up a hand. "I'm fine," he insisted.

"Igthu, what happened to you? Were you injured during the recent breakout? I thought you were reassigned to a different part of the castle?"

"I was, but it didn't matter," Igthu responded, trying to keep his balance.

"What do you mean, it didn't matter?" Seku inquired, dragging over a chair for him to sit on. "I don't understand."

The young soldier didn't speak at first. He glanced around as if double-checking that they were alone in the room.

"Can you shut the door?" he finally asked.

Seku obliged, sliding the deadbolt into place. "Now explain to me what's going on."

Igthu hobbled to the chair and took a seat. It pained Seku to see one so strong and eager, now looking so broken and pitiful.

"Speak, Igthu!" he shouted, his pointy nose flared with anger.

The young man took a quick breath. "When the King was imprisoned in the dungeon, our entire patrol got reassigned to other locations in the castle. We were told that General Thane's men would personally keep watch over the royal prisoners. We were just to keep out of their way. But after the escape, his men blamed us! They claimed that despite being reassigned, the dungeon was still our responsibility, and it was our fault that the area had not been secured."

Seku shook his head. "Igthu, that doesn't make sense."

"Well, regardless, we got reprimanded for it."

"Reprimanded..." the old soldier repeated. "You mean beaten?"

"Same difference. They're certainly not going to punish themselves, so they punished us."

"And the Warlord allowed this?"

"Of course!"

Seku clenched his fist in anger and slammed it hard against the wall. Too many times he'd seen his comrades endure physical abuse for trivial offenses. And now Igthu had fallen victim to the same treachery. Seku had had enough. He opened one of the drawers of a nearby dresser and removed a crumbled duffle bag. He threw it at Igthu.

"Pack your things ... only the most essential items. We're leaving!"

Igthu laughed, holding the duffle bag. "You're joking, right?"

"Have you ever known me to joke?" The creases of his face deepened.

"And where would we go?"

"I don't know. Just somewhere far away from here." He paced back and forth by where Igthu was sitting. He tried to clear his mind, but too many thoughts were filling his head. Too many emotions were pulling his heart in multiple directions.

"The Warlord isn't who he claims to be," Seku finally admitted. Many times he'd thought the words, but this was the first time he'd spoken them aloud. "Many in the Legion have seen it, but the slightest suspicion is met with unreasonable brutality."

He raked his fingers through his long hair. "I, too, was a believer of the Warlord and his cause. Because of that belief, I've caused the suffering of many, both friend and foe. It took me a while to understand it, to see it. And all the time it was right there in front of my old, stupid face.

"We've all been deceived. This campaign was never about freedom, or the abolition of magic. It was all about Damian and his desire for power. We're no freer now than when we first strapped on his armor and proclaimed ourselves his Legion. So now, we must flee. Or the next time you find yourself the scapegoat, or ask of your comrades an innocent question, a beating may seem minimal."

Igthu shook his head. "This is crazy."

"Is it really?"

The young man tried to rise from the chair, but groaned in pain and sank back into it.

"Does your pain feel crazy? Were you and your men deserving of such brutality? Or is it crazy that such a thing would even occur?"

Igthu sat glowering at him, but said nothing.

Seku simply returned his glare.

Neither averted their eyes from the other until the silence grew uncomfortable between them.

"Fine!" Igthu surrendered. "We can go, but we can't leave now. Patrols have been doubled since the escape."

"Indeed they have," Seku raked his long black-and-gray hair again as he contemplated their situation. He was brought back to an earlier conversation he'd had with Damian.

"I know for a fact that the invasion of the Realmsic Kingdom was only the first part of Damian's campaign. He's planning something else ... something bigger, and it's during or perhaps right before that time we need to escape."

"A new, bigger campaign?" Igthu almost laughed at the thought. "What could be bigger than conquering the Realmsic Kingdom?"

"I have not the slightest idea," he replied, and then suddenly smiled. "But I'm a spy. I'm sure I can figure it out. I'll even create an exit strategy around it. In the meantime, keep your head down and watch out for yourself. Since the King's escape, you've now got the officers' attention, and they'll be looking to make another example out of someone."

He extended a hand to Igthu and helped him out of the chair. Assisting him over to the door, he carefully unlocked it and poked his head into the corridor.

"It's clear," he said. "Make sure no one sees you leaving. I'll be in touch." 

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