Ginika felt his stomach falling into a void. They killed master Dante. The boy’s words resounded in his ears. The guilt that had been creeping in his stomach was overshadowing him now. If only he had obeyed the rules and had followed on as he had promised, perchance he would still be in the brotherhood, and master Dante would still have been alive. The brotherhood would not have been aflame, and this weeping boy would not have envisioned crying like this.“What happened?” Someone asked from behind, but Ginika knew the voice all too well. It was Betty, and the person who was panting heavily behind her would be Gabriel, no doubt.“I caused it all,” Ginika said, “I had not been so foolish, perhaps everyone would still be alive.”“Stop brooding over what has happened and start looking at the bright side. If we had stayed here in the academy, we would have died.”“Are there others?” Ginika asked the little boy who was still crying a river, totally ignoring Betty.“Yes, but just a hand few o
They were circling him now, and the more they engulf him, the now Ginika clinched to his wooden staff as though it was his lifeline.A shadow covered him. Ginika could not describe his face from the darkness. The man raises his fist, and the others who had been circling him stopped. Perhaps he was their Commander or something, for he jumped down his horse and removed the dark metallic helmet he wore.The light of the burning buildings flickered with the heavy wind, and Ginika could see in a passing moment, the clean shaved mustache. The man’s armor also glinted with the fire, revealing the mighty chest and the abs and the long sword that hung on his side.Ginika swallowed and shifted his weight uneasily as the man stopped some paces away from him, with those lofty eyes which at the moment was impossible to see.“Who are you?” Came the hoarse voice of the man.“Depends who is asking.” Ginika heard himself saying, before he could even think about it. Even now, he regretted ever saying th
However, it was already too late. A blinding white light had already shot out of the commander’s palms and had blasted Gen on the stomach, sending her flying backward. Her scream filled the night and resonated in Ginika’s eardrum. Even as she rolled lifelessly to the other side of the compound, Ginika could still hear the soul-piercing scream. “Gen!!” He shouted and stood up from where he had been lying. His body was still aching, but it was as if he was filled with a renewed energy. The agony in his heart made the pain ebb away.“Gen?” He said as he picked the girl’s head in his laps. Her body was cold and as pale as he could remember.“Gi..Gi…” She tried to say, but black blood covered her mouth.“Shhh,” Ginika shushed and wiped away the blood from her mouth. His weepy eyes studied the girl’s boy but paused when they fell upon her stomach. The place where the commander’s light had slammed her was open, and Ginika could see through to the other end. Even though the light was no long
Ginika heaved and wiped his sweaty hands on his pants. His blue eyes studied the whole environment, which were still lying in total desolation. The stench of burnt flesh also covered his nostril, churning his stomach. He shifted his weight to the other foot when he heard the footfalls that came carousing the voice of the burning buildings.“Gini,” Betty sobbed and ran into his open arm, “What happened?” she asked.“It’s over, Betty. Those barbarians will not hurt anybody again. It’s over.” “But how did you…?” She stammered. Ginika followed her squinted eyes, noting the frown that covered the glowing skin. “You did all this?” Betty asked.Ginika wanted to laugh. Smokes were still popping out from the body of what should have been the cavaliers, only that now the ashes and the ascending were the only testimony of what should have been. Standing here now, he couldn’t imagine that he was responsible for the catastrophe. It was hard to imagine.“It’s a long story, Betty,” He said when the
Gen did not answer, instead, she lifted her upper jaw, and her fangs extended downwards. Gabriel and Betty jumped back with fright.“Yeah, I am still me.” Gen smiled, and the fang protruded back into her skull as though controlled by an unseen force.“How come you can walk on the sun…” Ginika paused as the answer suddenly hit him. He opened his palms and was surprised when he saw a scar which his fingernails had produced.“It must have been my blood, Gen. My blood brought you back to life.”“And also made me walk on the sun. I see now while the Vampires outside the wall wanted the child of promise.”“Yes, that explains it,” Ginika nodded. If his blood could make Vampire walk under the sun, it explains perfectly while those Vampires had kidnapped him in the first place.“So fate brought me to you. That’s amazing.” Gen jumped. She was laughing now, and the happiness that lined her eyes was so great.“I am happy for you,” Ginika said and held the girl into a tight embrace.“Hey, wait.” Ge
“A Drudge who is a scholar?” Bola couldn’t believe his ears. The Emperor had banned the slaves from getting any formal education. Any Drudge that was caught reading or writing was bound to be executed.“Yes, I was shocked when I find out. I never knew the Drudge had the capacity to recognized letter.”“That’s so nice of you,” Bola grunted.“Sorry, that was what I was taught. The scholars taught us to believe that the Drudge did not have the capacity to read or write. Anyway, that’s not the gist. The main deal was that the old scroll gave a detailed story on how the power of Gini came about and how the Emperor had usurped power for himself,”“So, you believe it then?” “Like I said before, believe is a strong word. I will rather say I agree with whoever wrote the scroll.”“I that’s the case, then I guess you must have heard about the child of promise?”“Yes, the one born with the power of Gini.”I think I know who he is. Bola wanted to say but swallowed the words. It was too early to sa
Bola shoved another gold coin into the innkeeper reluctant hand, smiling mischievously as he turned his attention to Cassandra. The innkeeper studied them for a while but remained silent. He picked up the jug on the rack and walked out of the inn from the door behind the counter.“I saw his horse; the same horse he rode when he was with us. It’s in the stable two blocks away from here.” Cassandra said, under her panting breathe.“But he wasn’t in the inn,” She continued, “I searched everywhere.”“I told you to check the stable and report back to me,” Bola pointed out. Cassandra grunted and shifted her weight to the other feet.
“I can’t believe you have been betraying us all this while” Cassandra turned her disbelieving eyes to the man who was still groaning on the floor.“He is a cavalier Cassy. He had always been. Just that he pretends no to know how to use the sword.”“No, it’s not pretense.” Gareth said. He was struggling to sit up now. After several failed attempts, he decided to lean his back on the wooden wall. His nose was till bleeding.“I actually don’t know how to use a sword. That was why I was chased out from the cavalier in the first place.”“It all mak
The calmness was alluring, and the serenity so great that she felt she could remain here forever. Nothing seems to exist. It was just as if she was just being born. There was no trouble, no worries, and certainly no death. But where am I?“My sweet child,” Someone said, and the girl could feel the hands that patted her forehead.Abigail opened her eyes, just in time to see the beautiful face of Queen Isabel, as she pulled away from her. The rich lemon fragrance covered Abigail’s nostrils lurking around the fresh morning air that was rushing into the room from the window at the far end.“Mother?” Abigail called. Even her own voice was new to her.“Rest, my child, you need it.” Isabel smiled weakly and stroked Abigail’s forehead.“What happened?” Abigail asked as she sat up from the bed. She was totally found. No part of her body ached from the training, and she was more at ease and…“By the heavens,” Abigail screamed when her fair skin. She stroked her head and laughed from the rich bl
Gen jumped on top of the watchman and ripped his throat out, feeling the sweet savor of the metallic taste that came rushing into her palate. She was careful not to bite off his head as that was a disgusting way to feed.She wiped her mouth with the back of her hands and stood up. She was not satisfied, but she must try to be on mission. Maybe she will come back and finish him off when she was done.A ray of sun tubes in through the roof, and Gen laughed. It was still a wonder to her that she was walking in daylight. She had been in the dark for about 50 years, but now, walking under the light made her realize that there is more to life that the ugly face of darkness.The hands of the sun spreads through the whole earth, blessing everything that stood in the vast distance with its grace. From this place, she could see everywhere in Arkenta. Even the border of Landevia spread out and seemed to be touching the sky. She was supposed to monitor the Cavaliers from this Watchtower, but stand
Vera nodded to Gareth and walked out from among the shadows. She followed behind the cavalier, who was totally oblivious of her presence. The man was about to round the bend when she held his mouth from behind and traced the sharp end of her dagger around his neck. She held his mouth tightly as he convulses but released him when he finally became still.“That’s thirty-two,” Gareth whispered as he walked towards her.“You have been keeping counts?” Vera asked and wiped her dagger on the body of the fallen guard.“A total of sixty-six. You are a warlord mother,” “Which way?” “There,” Gareth pointed to another metal door. The torches flickered with the little wind that walked in the air, revealing the emptiness that lies on the other side of the door. It was day, and the sun was at its zenith. But its hands have failed to touch any side of the dungeon. Dar
“Emm…guys, I hate to break the reunion, but I think we are in trouble.” A girl that was twice as tall as any of them in the arena said. Behind her were two other girls whose eyes were wider than the lens of Victoria.“Olivia? We are friends now?” Dodo suddenly asked as she, Abigail, and Victoria turned to the other girls. The looks on their faces told Ginika to keep off. He wasn’t ready to meddle with women’s affairs.“Ginika!!!” Someone screamed. “Pa Bola?” Ginika’s brow elevated to his skull at the voice of the man who was running into the arena from one of the metal bars. Behind him was a strange-looking woman, in breeches and some yellow shawl hanging loosely on her shoulders.“You must get out of here, now,” The man said. The looks on his face were covered with so many expressions that Ginika could not place a hand on.“Bola,” Dodo called, turning away from the girl she had called Olivia. “You are alive.” “Yes, but there is no time, we must hurry, follow me.” Bola pointed to the
A sweet air bashed Abigail’s face when she finally walked out of the burning hallway. The metal bars shut behind her, leaving her and the other children at the mercies of the crowd and their frenzy. The walls of the arena were high, more than thirty feet away from the dust and sand.“Now what?” Dodo asked as she steady her hands on the pan. Her composure was laudable, and it made Abigail want to run into her arms. The girl was showing no sign of weakness or fright. It was as if she had anticipated all the event and knew what would happen.“How long can you last out here, Victoria.” The voice of Olivia came fluttering with the numerous screams of the crowd. The mockery in them was annoying. The girl was acting as though she had everything under control.The metal door at the other side of the arena opened, and some six boys came jogging out of it. They were also Vesslers who had come to transition. Unlike the girls that were given pans, the boys held the sword, spears, shield, and other
The voice of the metals continued to scream as the hammers of the blacksmith descended upon them. The screams only stopped to a hissing sound when the men imbued them into the water pan beside the metal table, and resumes their previous beating. Those clatter and noise from the anvil could cause the ear to bleed. It’s been hours since they came here, yet none of the three blacksmith had fashion any reasonable weapon. It was as if they were toiling in vain, or were they doing this as a hobby?Abigail wiped her brow for what seemed to be the tenth time that morning. If the sweat had anything to do with the heat of the furnace, then she would have taken solace in the metal door whose air was blocked by the girl’s that clustered on it.
“This is ridiculous.” Richard chuckled, “The funniest joke in the history of the empire.”“You are a coward Richard. And your strength Is in your tongue. The only thing you are good at is staring up strife among brethren.”“Is that what you think,” Richard flared and hurried up to Gabriel, but the other children where just in time to hold the two from ripping their throats apart.“Richard.” Ginika said, and all eyes turned to him. “I don’t care if you hate me
“You ruined our lives. I said it before, you are nothing but trouble,” Richard shouted.Ginika’s stomach tightened as he studied the other children who were staring at him like some kind of god. Betty had hidden them in the forest, the same forest which was becoming like home ever since he was kicked out from the brotherhood. It was easily to see through the expression that lurked in the face of the children. They looked haggard and frightened and five years starving.“You hear me?” Richard’s voice rung in his ears but he tried his best to ignore the boy. “You are nothing but evil. Nemesis will fall on yo
Bola wiped the tears from his own eyes, not able to hold them back any longer. Seeing the reunion between the mother and son made his chest ach. He just could not shut the doors of his emotions as his mind flashback into the past, in that night when his whole family was destroyed by the children of the night. His clan had been so weak to defend themselves. They had been so powerless.“Here,” Vera’s word brought his wandering thoughts back into his body. She had was holding a small book in her hands now, a book which she gave to Gareth.“It contains my memory.” Vera smiled and parted Gareth’s cheeks, leaving a smear of red trail on them.“Please don&