Floating Petals

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

                        Torao shoved the feelings of emptiness inside of him down as he had done for the last few years and rushed towards the wall.

                        “Nu rezista. Nu oboseala.” (No resistance. No fatigue.) Torao dashed fast once again and the trees whizzed by his head. He reached the wall in no time after clipping a few trees on the way. He called the hunters on the top of the wall, like always. He strolled in and showed his badge to Erin and Jerald, like always. He started towards the sky tower, off his normal course. The Sky Tower was what mythically connected the sky to the ground and eventually leads to Tazu. He grunted and started to take longer strides, trying to get to his ‘point B’ as fast as possible without running. The normal hunters nodded when they passed him and Torao kept track of their names. Iko. Fugrim. Revenald. Banesk. And finally... A grumpy looking hunter passed him, bumping into his shoulder on the way and not apologizing. Orprot. He kept on his track, his strides long but the same length every time. He quickly got to the Sky Tower and started to ascend the stairs when the commander caught up to him.

                        “What did you do? Fraternize with the enemy? Only one hunter has been up here and it was only because his sister was the queen. Dusk was good to us all in ways you wouldn’t understand.” Torao shook his fears out of his head. “Seriously... What the hell did you do?!”

                        “I don’t know...” Torao thought of Hanami and a tear welled up in his eye. “I don’t know...”

                        Torao and the commander reached the top of the stairs and shuffled towards the big thrones at the end of the room. They stopped right before they touched the bases and went down onto one knee.

                        “My ligi. Ce nu ai nevoie de mine?” (My leagues. What do you require of me?) Torao slowly raised his head; half expected a sword to come down on it. The first sight he saw was a relief. There was small woman with black hair wearing a red robe on the throne before him; but when he turned his head his heart dropped. The man next to the woman was in full armor, medieval style and had a feeling to him that if you got in his way he would crush your skull.

                        “There is no need for the old language, my comrade.” Boomed the male’s voice throughout the hall. He sat up slightly and gestured for Torao and the commander to stand. “We will talk in the new language. It is easier.” The man stood up and strolled over to where Torao and the commander were standing, his footsteps shaking the floor. Torao kept his composure but the commander looked like he was about to pee his pants. The man grasped the commander’s shoulder and laughed lightheartedly until Torao heard a bone snap. The commander cried out in pain and the man stepped back. While the commander was on the floor, the man kicked him hard and more bones snapped until the commander’s eyes rolled to the back of his head.

                        “I didn’t like him.” The man turned to Torao. “But I like you. You aren’t afraid of me, are you?”

                        “Of course not sir!” Torao said in a loud tone, to make sure he didn’t sound scared. The man grunted and shuffled back to his throne. The woman next to him sighed and snapped her thin fingers. A group of sentinels came out from behind her, picked up the commander’s lifeless body and dragged it behind the throne once again. Torao tried not to leave his mouth hanging open and he focused his attention back on the rulers. The woman chuckled and snapped her fingers, summoning a small goblin holding a platter of appetizers. The woman took a small plate and kicked the goblin back into his room behind the throne. She slowly munched on her platter of, whatever it was and stared intently at Torao. He gulped and tried to stand up even straighter, standing on his toes.