The Aeterna Empire

Chapter 14 - First Impressions

"The name is Slavian. And I am not your son."

The Aeterna's hand let up enough for me to gasp for breath, but not so much as to let me go.

Jyesthra stood by, but trembled at the sight of the boy.

Izthark jogged up the stairs, gasping for breath, stopped and bowed, saying, "Found him."

"I can see that," The Aeterna stated flatly. "It is no wonder you failed to find him, he has spent the last days climbing the tower."

Adam shoved me into the ground again and said, directing his face to Jyesthra, "If he moves, kill him."

She took a step towards me, but her helmet's gaze was still on the boy. I put my hands up defensively and made no moves as the Aeterna released me to take a step towards Slavian.

"If you are not my son," Adam Aeterna started, "Then just who is that Soran-Blood? That is Nel'Andra, who I left to watch over my son, is he not?"

"Be quiet." The boy hissed.

"If you are not my son, then why is your hair white as mine at your age?"

"I said to shut up!"

The Aeterna pressed, "If you are not my son, then how could you have ascended to the sun without both it and the tower rejecting you? Face it, boy. You are Slavian, son of Adam and-"

I didn't catch the next word he said, as Slavian yelled, "You will not say her name! Not after you killed her!" At this, the boy snapped, and ran at him angrily. 

I didn't know why, and on later reflection, still could not be sure, but in this moment as I witnessed him running at the Emperor with his sword drawn, I did not see him. I saw myself. I recalled the vengeance of kings, the punishment for disrespect, and my ear's scar ached and itched.

I jumped up and ran at him. Perhaps I moved too suddenly and too quick, or she was distracted, but Jyesthra did not stop me.

I ran between them and stopped the boy. I grabbed his arms, which were surprisingly muscular for his age, and planted my feet against him. His sword was not up enough to stab me, but I still felt blood goop down my leg where it scratched me. I held fast, not budging, even as he yelled and tried to throw me off, I would not let him go.

I yelled, "Listen! There is a price to killing kings, princes, and emperors! You don't want to do this."

"Get off me, Scar-face! I'll pay the price happily if it means killing him!"

"If your mother is truly dead, do you think she would want you to throw your life away like this? I will not let you do this."

Everything was quiet as the boy and I struggled against each other. My feet slid back, but I replanted them again and fought until sweat came down my face.

"I never killed your mother, Slavian." The Aeterna said.

"You have no right to speak, not after everything you've done!" The boy yelled angrily.

The Emperor sighed, "Okay, this is getting nowhere." With that, he grabbed me by the collar and threw me back. I slid across the ground. When I stopped, I looked up to see the father and son facing each other.

"Tell me, have you ever killed anyone?"

"You'll be my first!" Slavian ran forward and stabbed him.

To our collective gasps, Aeterna did not move to dodge nor raise a hand to stop him. He fully allowed the blade to penetrate through him until the tip exited his back. To his credit, even Slavian was surprised, wide-eyed and in shock for what he had done, and that the man had allowed it. In all of this, the Aeterna simply looked at him, unmoving and unfeeling. He didn't budge nor step back even though the muscular boy had put his full strength and fury into the blow.