The Death of Duty

Chapter 6 - False Triumph

Paul's POV

It didn't take long before the Sardaukar and Harkonnen forces fell. Stilgar, Gurney, and the Fedaykin cut through their sections with ease. Truly, they never stood a chance.

The fundamentalist troops had fought like wild animals beside me, following the Lisan al Gaib to paradise.

I scaled the steps to the palace, my troops behind me as we closed in on the emperor. The Sardaukar at the doors charged us, and their lives were ended with little difficulty by the two soldiers on my left. I entered the palace, taking in the seat of the baron's power.

Today, he would die.

I would make him pay for what he did to House Atreides—to Sera's house. Somewhere deep within, my heart twinged with pain. It was difficult to feel emotion since drinking the Water of Life—the poison that almost killed me. Something about it had suppressed everything that made me me before. But with Sera, it was easy. She reminded who I was beneath the façade of messiah, as though her presence helped the struggling man inside me surface, righting me on my own two feet. She was the only thing grounding me. And fuck if being with her wasn't what I was fighting for...

The only thing that kept my feet moving was knowing that she was safe on the ground, away from those who would wish to hurt her. The people I currently walked toward with every step I took. And I would end them all.

When we finally reached the looming door of the throne room, I tossed an explosive. The people within the throne room were no doubt aware of our presence outside their precious palace. I had made sure our presence was known. They knew I was coming.

Muad'Dib had come for retribution.

The door exploded, the ancient walls shaking in protest. The sandstone door crumbled, reduced to the sand it had been made from. Dust and sand erupted in the air, forming a thick cloud impossible to see through. Within it, the outline of soldiers appeared.

Sardaukar.

They walked toward us in a line, defending their master within. We dismantled them within seconds. I drove my knife into the neck of one and sliced open the abdomen of another. The rest were taken care of by my troops.

I didn't bother waiting for the dust to settle. I strode through it like a god through fire, and my soldiers followed. Hood up and mask still on, my identity was concealed.

Within, the remaining Sardaukar had formed a protective circle around the emperor, his daughter, Reverend Mother Mohiam, and even the Baron Harkonnen.

Wordlessly, I approached, my cloak still covering my face. The Sardaukar fell into position, swords out and ready.

I didn't flinch.

"Muad'Dib," the emperor whispered as we locked eyes. He glanced toward the door, as if waiting for something. His own messiah to challenge me, perhaps.

"Your troops," I announced, to the room, to the universe, "are dead." The massive room was silent, as if cowering before an angry god.

The emperor's old eyes returned to mine, unease clear on his face.

"You have no forces left. Surrender, and I might spare you," I offered, though the mercy I spoke of was not conveyed in my tone.

They deserved no mercy. Not for what they did to my family—to Sera's.

Were it not for the political power to think of, I would slaughter every single one of them here and now. Not only for my father and house, but for what Sera had endured under his rule. How he had allowed the baron to slip his leash so easily and murder a family—a city—in their sleep.

Seraphina truly had suffered the same fate as me.

My fingers twitched around the hilt of my blade, itching to plunge it into the Baron Harkonnen's bulging neck.

Soon.

"I would consider your words more carefully, Muad'Dib," the emperor said, his eyes focused on something behind me. I wouldn't grant him the satisfaction of looking—to indulge in his play for power. He had no power left—physical or influential. He would be lucky to survive this meeting at all.

"And why is that?" I yelled, unable to contain my rage. The ceiling above us shook, sand raining down as though it had been hit with another atomic.

Every hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and dread leaked through my stomach.

"I hope we're not late," a rough, sadistic voice announced from behind.