Living In Dark Times.

F

Forgotten Hero

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Original poster
A man enters the room. "Sir, I just wanted to congratulate you on your victory."

The other man turns his head slightly from the window. " Thank you. But how many times have I asked you to call me by name."

"Sorry Jacob."

"You did good out there today Litherion especailly when your commanding officecer was killed, you took charge and led the men well. That's why I'm promoting you to colonel. You'll be in command of the second battalion."

Litherion smiled brightly. "T-thank you sir, I mean Jacob. I won't let you down." Jacob gave him a small nod and turned his back facing the window.

"Any orders?"

"Execute the royal family that resided here. No elf allowed after dark. And we need to fix the gates to the city."

"What about the elfs that worked here in the castle?"

Jacob thought for a minute. " Leave them to their duties they'll can help us clean up the castle and keep it maintained till we hear from General Draxion and at night lock them in there rooms with guards stationed out in their hall ways."

"Think they can be trusted?"

"Probaly not. But I need my men doing more important stuff then cleaning up this place the whole time we're here."

"Yes Jacob."

Litherion Walked out of the room shutting the door behind him. Jacob walked over to the chair by the fire place and sat down. The seige for the city went on six days before they finally managed to to conquer the city. During which left Jacob little time to sleep. His eyes grew heavy sitting there he tried to fight it. Because there was still much more to do. They had five more major cities to take over before they reached the capitol of the elf territory. This was the first time in fifty years that the humans manged to take over a elf city in a hundred year long war. Jacob went to push himself up but failed and finally fell asleep.
 
The royal family was to be executed. For the last five hours, the servants were forced to stand against a wall in the main hall of the palace while the soldiers threatened them with their weapons. Then, the news came, and the servants were brought outside.

Standing along the wall of the palace was the four members of the royal family: Aranlasg, the king, Abtohl, the queen, and their children Enehipr and Nabirs. A line of about twenty human soldiers raise their guns.

"A firing range." breathes Lafke, the butler of the family. Then more urgently, "They're going to kill them!" and before anyone can stop him, Lafke runs out in front of them in an attempt to protect them, as was his sworn duty.

Yet the call was made, and the man said, "Fire!" and all the members of the family fell down dead, with Lafke before them. Remarkably, no bullet had hit Lafke, and he was fine, albeit shaken. The man who made the call stalked over to Lafke and stuck him across the face when he tried to stand up again, causing Lafke to fall down again. As he was about to kick Lafke, the late family's maid ran out in front of him.

"Please, just stop." She says, almost crying.

The man closes his eyes as if contemplating something, then he says to his men, "Take them inside and dispose of the bodies." He turns to the servants, "You are to go about your duties, no questions." As the maid moves to go inside with the rest of them, the man grabs her arm, stopping her. "What's your name?"

"Olira Rerode. Now, please, unhand me, sir, I have my duties to attend to." She breaks his grip and walks stiffly inside. Once there, she moves to a hallway that adjoined the servant's quarters. Facing the fancy mirror, she slides down the wall, and begins crying on the floor. Her long, curly white hair falls over her green eyes, her ears poking out a bit from her hair.
 
The sound of guns went off waking up Jacob instanly, making him grab his sword and drawing it out. He blinked his eyes a few times realizing what had happen. The execution was carried out. It waked over to the window watching his men carry the bodies away. He saw a little be of a conflict between his men and two elfs it looked like. His men was about to beat a man elf that probaly had tried saving the royal family and the woman elf tried protecting after he failed. After a few words was said between his men and the elf,his men walked back inside along with some of the servant elves. He felt terribly wrong for killing the royal family but it was necesarry. The theory was killing the royal family would kill the hopes of the other elves and their loyalty. Making them have no need to fight or to rebel. He looked along the city and saw that most of the fires was put out and that the sun was setting.

"How long have I slept?" He said silenty to himself.

After a few minutes. Litherion came back to his room. "The elves royal family has been executed as commanded. There was little conflict with a few of the servants but besides that all went well."

"What was the names of the elves that caused a problem?' He asked him curiously.

"Not sure of the male one sir but the female's name was Olira Rerode."

Jacob mumbled something to himself.

"What was that sir?"

"Nothing nothing, But what did I ask about you calling me sir?"

"Sorry."

"Just don't let it happen again." He said jokinly. "You're dismissed. But I have one more thing for you to do. I need you set up guard duty in the castle and through out the whole city. I know the men are tired but I need them to tough it out for tonight. For I believe tonight might be the roughest night we have here. There's going to be a lot of pissed off elves. Also set up a meeting with all the colonel's in the libary here in the castle at sunrise. I'm going to get some rest and I suggest you do the same after you're done."

"Yes Jacob!" He said with a salute and marched out of the room.

Jacob went and laid down on the bed. But he tossed and turn for a few hours and couldn't sleep. He didn't feel comfortable sleeping in the king's bed that he murdered. He eventually got up and went back to the chair by the fire place to go to sleep. He fell asleep but with many thoughts and images in his head.
 
After Olira had cried herself out, she went to the nearest bathroom and cleaned herself up. After that, she went to the kitchen to start cleaning it.

There, she found a human soldier arguing with Lafke. "Why are you just sitting there?" Lafke had a toothpick in his mouth and he was speaking sarcastically.

"Well, since you've gone and killed me master, I have nothing to do. Me sole job was to be at His Lordship's side at all times." Lafke hailed from the Living Pine Fool's Country, and had a strong accent, rolling his vowels and skipping most of his R's. "I have absolutely no reason to move from this spot." Lafke's chin juts out defiantly.

The cook, Xorabith, says, "Lafke, you're working with me from now on. You listen to what I say. And I say, you need your weapon."

"Me-me baby?" Lafke's face lights up at this. His broadknife was in the armory and was the only relic from the fallen country Lafke hails from.

"Yes, your broadknife." Xorabith turns to Olira. "Do you want to come, Olira?"

"I suppose I must." Olira sighs. Together the three go down the halls, trying to ignore the soldier and the glares they give them. Lafke shoots near all of them angry looks. When they reach the door to the armory, it is surrounded by human soldiers.

"What is the meaning of this?" asks Xorabith, angry. The soldiers appear to be trying to pick the locks of the door.

"Get back," announces the soldier who appears to be of higher rank than the others. "We are going to open this door in order to inspect all of the weapons and armor held in it.

"S'not as if we have any metal chucks." Lafke says. "Though that would be nice." He smiles at the thought.

"Let us in. We need a cooking supply inside." Xorabith announces, making it hard to tell he was lying. "We are the only elves alive who have the key. Get back." As the three servants move forward, Lafke growls at the soldiers.

"Don't give them another reason to think we are animals." Murmurs Olira to him. Xorabith pulls a key from inside her pockets and moves to slide it into the lock, but a soldier stops her. "We're keeping that." and he unlocks the door. Inside, all manner of weapons were revealed, bows, swords, knifepicks, axes, magna hammers, daggers and various others.

Xorabith smiles at Lafke, "Go ahead get your broadknife. But nothing else."
 
A man rushes into Jacob's room. Jacob snapped awake and rose from the chair before the man realized he was asleep.

"Sir!"

"Yes?"

"We might have an issue. Some of them men was trying to break into a locked room to investagate it but before we could do so three elves came and unlocked it and got a knife out supposely to cook with. But it appeared it was an armory sir. We confiscated the key but they're could be more keys to the door."

Jacob scratched his head and thought for a second. " Give me the key." The man reached it to him. "Keep four men on that door at all times and bring the elves to my room immedately."

"Yes sir!" The man said with a salute and left the room.

Jacob exaimed the key and laid it on a nearby desk. He looked out the window and saw that it was dark but the city had a orange glow from some of the buildings still caught on fire. It was beautiful and ugly at the same time. He couldn't help but to abmire it.
 
As the three servants were heading back to the kitchen, they were stopped by a soldier, who took them to the Royal Quarters. Lafke, who had been in this wing every day for most of his working life, knew every twist and turn, but Olira and especially Xorabith knew only a part of it. Upon the walls were paintings of every royal of this city, starting from King Hastin, who liberated the surrounding area three hundred years ago. Soon, another soldier, escorting Ilases, the gardener, joined up with the one escorting Xorabith, Olira, and Lafke.

They were brought to the King's bedroom, to which Lafke muttered, "T'isn't right, him sleeping in His Lordship's bed."

Upon entrance, the servants came upon this particular group of humans' leader. Xorabith frowns, Lafke sneers, Olira is expressionless, and Ilases looks bored.


((Sorry it's so short, and after a couple days. I've been moving, and its been an ass))
 
Four elves entered the room escorted by two soldiers. Jacob walked up to Olira first looking her up and down, exaiming her. Then walked in front of Lafke, then Xorabith, and finally Ilases. Taking a few steps back. He said. "The three that had the key to the armory, please step forward." One of the guards pushed. Olira, Xorabith, and Lafke foward.

"I'm not here to punish you all, but I must stress that for you to have access to this room is not possible." He said while pacing back and forth. "It could be dangerous for the both of us. Both sides lost a lot of people and I do not wish to see any more lives taken on either side. So I must ask you two things." He said while raising two of his fingers. " One is there any other rooms like this one and two is there any other keys to this one? I know you're reluctent to tell me but doing so will make both our lives easier for the remainder of our stay."

He stopped pacing to turn and face them to await their reply.
 
Lafke, in order to psych out the soldiers, pulls his broadknife from its sheath and begins flipping it in his hands. "Hrm."

Xorabith says, "Not that I know of, though I cannot say for the others."

Ilases pops out with, "Well, I did have thinkings about the one that Aranlasg gavings me a while ago. It did have lookings just like that one you have havings there."

Xorabith sighs and mutters, "Leave it to Ilases to give that out." Ilases was the distant relative of Aranlasg, but not close enough to be singled out as a royal. He wasn't really a servant, but after Lafke hit him accidentally upside the head, the royal family kept him and he decided that he liked gardening.

Olira knew that at least Xorabith and Lafke knew of the secret passage in the fireplace in the library, but she figured they would keep quite about it, at least for now. It led to nearly every room in the castle, even the locked ones. "I haven't the slightest idea of any other rooms or keys, unless you count the unused dungeon beneath the basement. Of course, it has been unused for decades, and all of the weapons are probably locked up."

"I have thinkings of otherwise." Ilases says. "I was having thinkings that I had needings of cleaning out the dungeon, even though it is your job, and all of the weapons were in there and all were having rust on them." Ilases smiles widely, thinking he's done something good.
 
Lafke pulled out his knife and begins flipping it. The soldiers went to grab him but Jacob waved them off. After they got done speaking. Jacob walked up to Ilases.

"Might I inquire why you're here? If I ain't mistaken there was only three." He asked

Before Ilases had a chance to speak. The soldier that brought him said. "Sir, he was out wondering the grounds after curfew. Wasn't sure what to do with him."

"Litherion is in charges with problems like this. Out after curfew will be one day in confinement. But since he did give some useful information. I believe we'll let it slide this time. "
Jacob turned his attention to one of the guards. "Follow him and get the key from him and have him show you where this dungeon is."

The soldier grab him by the shoulder and ushered him out the room. There was a moment of silence while Jacob kept looking at the other three. His blue eyes kept lingering on Olira longer than the others. "Well unless there is something else to be said. You're dismissed. Finish your duties in the morning. Looking at the soldier. " Take them back to their rooms."

While they was heading out the door. "Except you." He pointed at Olira. "Might I have a word with you?" He could tell Lafke was about to say something. So Jacob cut him off. " I assure you I mean her no harm. I just want a word."
 
Olira went rigid when the human leader told her to stay back. She had heard the horror stories. As Lafke passes by her, he whispers, "Don't worry, I won't let him get to you."

Xorabith, when the man was talking about confinement for Ilases, shouted, "No you can't! He isn't in the right mind, he has no idea what he did was wrong." The protests continued until the man said that he wasn't going to put him in confinement and he left without a word.

Lafke's words put Olira slightly at ease. He places his hand on her shoulder reassuringly and grins slightly. Outside the window, Olira can see white flames. Odd, she thinks, Wood flames are usually red. Then she realizes it isn't wood, but flags. She steps in front of Lafke so he can't see. From the hallway, she can hear Ilases talking in his odd way, "And then I had the thinkings that mayhaps I am in needing to have pickings of the flowers for Aranlasg, and I indeed had needings for the pickings of the flowers."

"What is it you want?" Olira asks stiffly.
 
"What is it you want?" Olira asks stiffly.

"Just to tell you that I saw what you did today, protecting your friend. I respect that and abmire it. It's hard to find that these days at least with the human race, I can't speak for your race. Even though I abmire it I must discourage it at the same time. Reason being is it could cost you your life. Most of my men are honorable and usually come to me or another superior officer before taking matters into their own hands. But every nest has its bad eggs. And given the enmity between our races I won't be suprised if something bad happens soon enough."

Jacob paused not knowing what to say next or even why he said anything at all.

"I'm typically young to be at my rank I turned twenty-three last month. But I joined the army at young age quickly rising through the ranks and showed great promise at least that's what my superiors said. But to the point, I know when I see true courage and you have it. I just don't want to see no more blood shed any time soon. It's a long road ahead."

(sorry it's short just didn't wanna go to far into a convo when you're in it, know what I mean?)
 
"Yes, I understand." Olira takes her leave, feeling a sense of relief, when he explained that it will be a long road ahead. She goes to her room and sits down on the bed in the alcove in the wall. Hearing the lock click several seconds later, she feels a sense of claustrophobia.

Olira's room was of medium size, and plainly decorated. The rug in the middle of the room was from the human lands to the East, made before the Great War. It was the only thing she had left from her parents. Tapestries draped the walls, dark blues and greens.

She pulls back the tapestry covering the hole that served as a window. Gazing down, she thinks, Too long of a jump to make it, deciding whether or not it is worth risking her life to get into town. She sighs, gazing at the white flames that try to scorch the heavens. She thought of Ilases, of his illness, and what it could mean for him if he is provoked. She thought of Lafke, of his irrationality, his recklessness. She thought of Xorabith, of his quiet, overruling way. She thought of the human commander, of his difference from the other humans she had met, of his calm demeanor.

Olira lays on the bed, trying to find sleep, that comes fleetingly. During her slumber, she is haunted by dreams of the human leader's icy blue eyes. In the morning, she wonders what they mean.
 
Jacob had a restless night but morning came soon enough. He marched to the libary in the castle which they was using a their war room. There was four other men already seated around a lard round table with a map of the known country. The elven territory known seven vales which was to the north. It was named that because there was seven main valleys that made up their land with mountains here and there and a large forest in the middle. The human territory was to the south east and it was known as the land of Eldrin. Because Eldrin was the one the who discovered it, the humans first king. The Land of Eldrin had long mountain range that split in the middle allowing easy pass to the coast. There was three different small flags placed on the map. With a closed look one would see that these flags was position over a city.

There was three armies that are invading the elven territory. General Jacob's army, General Draxion's army, and General Albert's army. The plan was for each to capture the first three closest citiies for they was the smallest. If the plan was a sucess General Draxion would come and join Jacob and march to the city of Jenova and Albert would meet with them there before attacking the city. They would need all the men they could get to take down Jenova for it was heavly fortified. "Now if this map is accurate and everything goes to plan we'll be a Jenova within two weeks of departure. Now the problem is." Nahem paused for a moment. " We need to decide who is going to remain here. I hate to leave any one behind but we can't let the city run it self. For my vote, I say Litherion and his battalion should stay." Three men started to speak indifferently while Litherion remained quiet and looked embrassed. Nahem Started to speak and they finally shut up. " Now I know he's been newly appointed but he's always been loyal to the cause, he's follows and executed orders, and he showed great leadership during the battle. So all in favor, raise your hand." Jacob said while raising his hand. Only one other including Litherion raised his hand. "So three agianst two. Congratulations Litherion." Litherion stood up and shook Nahem's hand and then the others.

"Now I assure this will be no easy task." Nahem said to Litherion on their way to the dining hall for breakfest.

" I know, and I won't let you down."

Nahem gave him a nod. " I know or otherwise I wouldn't have picked you."
 
Once Olira awoke, she found her door to be locked still and Lafke, Xorabith, and Ilases making noises of complaint in the next room over. Xorabith, because it was his job to cook for the servants; Lafke, because he was just himself; and Ilases because Xorabith was making noise. Olira sighed, changed her bed clothes to that of work clothes, and began to tidy up her room. Being the only female servant caused her to have her own room while Lafke, Xorabith, and Ilases, the males, shared a room.

She brushed her hair, laid out her favorite dress for the afternoon, when her schedule stated she could go and visit the town for her own needs, and prepared herself for walking back out into the castle, where humans now reigned.

A half an hour later, Olira hears the door's lock click, and she waits a couple seconds to leave, whereas the men leave immediately, whooping and howling. Rather, that was only Lafke and Ilases, following suit. Olira's duties for yesterday and today were to clean the third floor. She scrubbed the base boards, dusted the cobwebs, swept the floors, and tried to keep out of the way of the soldiers.

From what she knew of the war, Aranlasg had an army once, but they were all killed. Her parents included. After that incident, Aranlasg got rid of the army, and left only a few men to protect his family and took Lafke up as the butler. The Great War was something no one here had liked particularly, some of the elders even saying that no one remembered why it had started.

Breaking her train of thought, Olira got up from her work, realizing that she had finished. She smiles to herself and returns to her room, with a few hours of daylight left. She changes into her dress, one that was deep blue with green accents. She strides to the front door of the palace, excited about her outing that only came once a fortnight.

She leaves, and heads to the inn, where many of her friends from town would gather in the afternoons, after their work was over. Upon entering the main room, decorated as grandly as the owner allowed, Olira was greeted with calls of "Hello!" and "Welcome back!" The innkeeper smiles when he sees her.

"Olira, my girl," he says when she takes a seat at the counter. "How've you been at the castle? They aren't hurting you, are they? 'Cause if they are, I'll kill them all."

"No, they just seem to be using it as a base of operations. They told us servants to go about our usual duties, but tensions are running high, especially with Lafke and their general."

"We heard from the gravedigger that they shot the royal family. That true?"

"Yes," Olira's eyes lower, "we were forced to watch the firing line, and Lafke nearly got himself killed. What's your special today? In drinks. Gods, listening to those humans drawl on like that is making me want to stab out my ears." Olira scoffs.

"Today we have Cirpriano Brewing's Liquid Rifle. The Bitter Ale make. Been trying to get rid of this junk. I'll give you a good deal to take it all off my hands: free. Not as if we paid anything for it, and we're sure as Sheol not gonna sell it. Stuff'd probably poison the humans..." He smiles ruefully at the thought.

"Lafke would probably like it." Olira says. "Can you hold onto it for a few dols?" She asks, switching to the capitol elven tongue that Thorontur, the innkeeper, liked hearing Olira speak in. "I just need to head over to the armory and speak with Meldiron."

"Before you do that," Thorontur grabs her sleeve as she turned to leave. "Justicar Akiroke` came in today. Says he's going up to the castle later. He still hasn't heard the news, so you oughta tell him. He's out back with his roch. And really, Olira, you should use Capitol Elf more often. It makes you sound so much more beautiful than you already are."

"Yes, I'll do that." She says, ignoring his flirting last sentence. "You need to focus on girls who aren't only let out of the castle every two weeks. Else I'll start using worse words in Capitol Elf.

Capitol Elf is the language created by High King Rissein in the first year the elven country was established, known as 1/1 or "oneone." It is spoken by most nobility in all of the elven lands, and is a must in the capitol city of Saeldur.

Olira leaves the inn, the Ruddy Lion. Covering her eyes when she leaves, she begins going to the back of the inn, where the late king's oldest son tied up his horses.

((Sorry it's so long, all that built up imagination finally got out))
 
After breakfest Jacob went walking through the castle. There wasn't much to till he heard from General Draxion. "Just sit tight and keep things under control." He told himself. He wondered when he would he word or if he would hear any thing at all. Maybe he was defeated? Maybe he should send a patrol to see how things are going. He wondered to himself. He didn't pay attention to where he was going. He would often stop and look at a portrait on the wall that caught his eye and wondered who it was. All of the inscriptions was in elven and he was not very fluent in it. Noon came quick meaning it was time to go back to the libary to strategize for the coming days. He walked into the libary, John a short balding man, David a tall man with muscular build, and Conroy who was also tall but not a muscular as David. They was the three of the four colonels of Jacob's army, Litherion being the fourth was not present, he had other matters to attend to since he would stay behind. They all greeted each other before sitting down. Their disscussions would often lead to arguments cause they could never agree on a certain course. So Jacob often would have to make the final decision. Evening came and Jacob was growing tired of all the debates. So he called off till tomorrow. The only thing they got settled was how they was gonna ration the suppiles.

Jacob was heading back to his room when he decided to take a small detour, to explore the castle some more. The castle was nothing like the ones the humans had, the elves took time to craft theirs and it made all the more magnificent. He eventually found a small garden. It had many different types of flowers and trees. Some he never seen before. He thought they might might only in the elf territory. He made his way to a small pond. That had a tree with light purple leaves and underneath was a small bench. He made his way to it and sat down. He looked into the water seeing his reflection. He had short shaved brown hair, blue eyes, a scar that was on the right side of his face, it stretched from his temple down to his jaw line. He traced it with his finger. He barely remember how he got it. It happened so fast, it was during the recent battle he just had killed a elf or so he thought. When he turned to face another one, the one elf raised up and slashed at him. Luckly the elf stumbled and only manged to graze him. It was the closest Jacob came to death and he often thought about it and thought about if he would live to see to the end of the war or even make it to see Jenova's down fall.

But here underneatht the tree he felt safe and secure, here he felt alive, here there was no war no blood shed. The sun setting giving the water an orange glow. He knew he should return to his room soon and rest because soon he knew he wouldn't have time to rest. But he couldn't make himself get up. He didn't even wanna make himself get up. "Just a little longer." he said to himself deciding to sit there and enjoy the peace and quieteness.

(sorry there might be a few mispells in there, didn't really have time to check.)
 
When Olira went to the back of the inn, she saw the Justicar Akiroke` tying up his horses, several carts full of wonders from the whole of the Elven Territory. He was tall and lanky, with long, dusty yellow hair and eyes. His face was angular, like King Aranlasg's, but he had his mother's hair and eyes. When he saw Olira, his face broke into a grin. "Olira! How I've waited to go back to the castle! This past year has been taxing. I would have come back sooner, but the main road was blockaded, and I needed to go around. This stupid war, if it didn't help this town more than it hurt it, I would be all for getting rid of it." He continued jabbering on, ignoring Olira's attempts at getting into the conversation.

"So there I was, my supply of bubble soap was running dangerously low, and I--"

"Akrioke`!" shouts Olira, silencing the justicar. "Have you not noticed? The war has finally reached this city. The humans laid siege upon it and we lost. Your father and mother and brother and sister are all dead!" She says, tears springing to her eyes as she remembers Lafke trying to shield them. "The humans are living at the castle, they won't let you or any outsiders in!"

"Oh." the justicar says quietly. "Well, then. That certainly puts a damper on things." He sighs, "I was hoping I could give this to my father. It came straight from the Capitol. Its called the Belayor Pistol." He digs though his big red bag he keeps on his person at all times. "Here it is!" he declares triumphantly, pulling forth a shiny black and gold contraption. "You hold it like this," he says, showing Olira, "and you shoot it by pulling this, called a hammer, then hitting this, called the trigger. If you shoot too fast, it'll get jammed, and the whole thing'll go up in smoke, so be careful. It's a death machine, so use it only in times of great need. It's one of the first of its kind, got a good deal from a buddy at the Rendezvous. Here's the munition for it, 500 of these." He holds up a tiny pellet, no smaller than Olira's pinky fingernail. "You take this, called a casing, and you put around five into it, place it into this chamber, and then you're ready to cause some chaos. There's one condition though. In order for me to give you this I need you to make a promise: kill the general of the humans here. His underlings will start to think one of them did it, and a fight amongst themselves will break out. They'll leave."

Olira closes her eyes for a moment, "Akiroke`, I'll try, but I don't know if I can."

"Trying is all I need. Here's what you're going to do: If you climb out the window of your quarters, you can jump along the decorative ledges that dot the side of the wall. They lead right up to my father's quarters. No doubt a prideful human would sleep in the same room as his defeated enemy. There, you can kill him, with the Belavor. It's very nearly silent, but it kicks. Nearly knocked my shoulder out when I first tired it and I wasn't prepared." the justicar laughs.

"Okay. I'll do it tonight, if I can." Olira says, still not wanting to, but doing it to avenge Aranlasg.
 
Jacob finally decided it was time to go back to reality. He got up and made his way back to the castle. On his way back to his room. Three guards came running toward him. They saluted. "Sir!" Jacob saluted back. "I have word from General Draxion." Said the soldier on the right. That's when Jacob realized that one on the right was not of his army but from General Draxion's. Jacob's army wore a black phoenix on their armor where as General Draxion's wore a red tribal sun. "Aye, well lets have it." Jacob said calmly. The soldier handed over an envelope with a wax tribal sun sealing it. Jacob ripped the side off pulling out a note.


Greetings Jacob,
By the time this reaches you. I should have done conquered the city of Elkhorn and hopefully you completed your quest. There's been a change of plans, instead of regrouping at your location we will rendezvous at Jenova along with Alexander. You should set out at the next full moon which should be approxmately ten days. Now if my calculations are correct you should arrive the same day we do. Good luck Jacob and good fighting.

​
General Draxion.
​

Jacob laughed to himself after reading the letter. "Sounds like him always trying to be ahead of schedule. Tell him we'll meet him there and safe travels. What's your name soldier?"

"Me name is Lee, Sir!" said the soldier with a salute.

"Lee fill your belly and get some rest and then leave at dawn."

"Aye, Aye sir!" Lee said with anoter salute and walked away.

Jacob was now back in his room with Litherion playing a game of chess. Out of all the colonels, Jaoob was closest to Litherion. Mainly because they was the closest in age but they also had a lot of common. By the end of the second game. It was dark out. "Ten days isn't that long some would say." Litherion said while setting his pieces back in place.

"Others would say that's too long."

"But what would you say?"

Jacob thought for a second before responding. "The sooner the better."

"I agree, we been on this campaign to long. The sooner it's over the sooner I'll get to see my wife. I expect she had our child by now. Sad I don't even know whether my kid is a boy or girl. Or if I'll ever know."


Jacob reached over and put a hand on his shoulder. "You will."

Litherion smiled and nodded. "Well, what about you? Any one waiting on your return?"

"Just my sister. My father died in the war years back and my mother died during child birth of my sister."

"What's her name?"

"My sister? It's Elaine."


Some hours go by before Litherion finally stood up. "Damn, you beat me again. I call it quits for tonight. I'm gonna have to practice before next time we play. Litherion laughed. "Well I guess I'll see you in the morning." Litherion walked out and Jacob went and laid on the bed. He still felt a little akward laying in the late king's bed but there was no way he could stay another night in that chair. He was too exhausted. He unbuckled his sword and took off his armor and most of his clothes. Crawling underneath the blankets and pondering on what laid at Jenova before his dreams overtook him.
 
Across the road, after Olira is finished talking with Akiroke` and begins heading back to the castle, Kyroya, the priest of Jayveer, the god of death, calls to her, "Olira! Come back here tomorrow! I need to talk to you." Olira nods his way and continues walking.

Akiroke` had her place the Belavor in her bag, so no one else would see until the time was right. At the castle, Lafke kept looking at her weird, as if he knew that she carried the tool. Lafke had spent the entire day at Xorabith's side, which was spent mostly sitting down in the kitchen doing nothing, as they now only needed to cook for the other servants. Ilases had spent the day with them as well, because Xorabith didn't want him running around the grounds wild.

Olira gave the three muz the gifts Akiroke` had told her to give them: a new dagger for Lafke (who hugged it profusely), a timepiece for Xorabith("This is too expensive for me, I couldn't possibly take it, yes I could.") , and a box of candies for Ilases ("I did have likings of the candies that Justicar did have givings to me.").

After that, Olira went to the back of the castle, where the servant's bathhouse was. It was completely paneled with wood with a large pool in the middle of the room that was heated with underground fire. Olira pumped the water from the spout until it had sufficiently filled it, took off her clothing, and stepped into the water.

She was in there for quite some time until her skin got so shriveled she began to get worried. She did this in order to ensure that the general had enough time to go to sleep, so she could do the awful deed she aspired to. She made her way back to her room, after borrowing a pair of Lafke's fighting garments, so she could wear pants instead of a dress.

Finding the black cloth to be to big for her, Olira uses a stray piece of lace to tie it. Moving to the window, she pulls back the tapestry, takes a deep breath, crawls through it onto the small ledge, takes another deep breath, and jumps to the next ledge, at the other servant's room's window.
 
Jacob saw people attacking other people, ripping limbs off and their insides out. It was a massacre, soon he realized that those wasn't people it was some sort of deformed creature. It walked hunched over, its skin was rotting off, and bones was showing. Most of them was bald or only had strands of hair that was matted together with blood or dirt. One of these creatures came running at him with unbelievable speed to be so deformed. It was strict with fear he tried to move but failed, fear gripped him and wouldn't realease. It jumped arms stretched, mouth open. He thought to himself this is it and his only regret was that he couldn't protect her.

Jacob rose quickly out of bed, breathing heavily, drenched in a cold sweat. He looked around still in a panic. "Was it dream?" He said quietly to himself. " It felt to real." He got to his and walked over to a water basin that was in his room and started to wash his face. It was stil dark outside so he assumed that hadn't been asleep long just a couple of hours.Knowing he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep he decicded to go to sit in chair in front of the fire where he and Litherion was playing chess earlier. He stared at the fire and watch it danced. Lost in thought.
 
Olira was able to jump across the decorative ledges with not much difficulty, only almost falling at the second to last one that was placed slightly farther away. She pulled herself back up, and continued going, landing lightly on the balcony in front of the room. She crouched down low, taking the Belavor from the pocket in her trousers.

She glanced through the tapestry, seeing the general awake. Shaking now, she tells herself, It could still work, and she does as Akiroke` told her, pulling the hammer back, and aiming the firing end of the Belavor to the general. He was sitting in front of the fireplace, wearing little more than undergarments. Olira takes a shuddery breath, and is surprised to find her eyes are wet. She doesn't want to take another person's life, even if he had killed King Aranlasg, and would be responsible for more in the months to come. Taking another's life was enough to be sent to the worst pit in Sheol, even if it was to avenge someone.

She takes a final halting breath, aims for the general's forehead, her decision made, and she hits the trigger.

Phue! The Belavor kicks Olira's shoulder back. She had not been prepared for such a hard hit, the surprise enough to send her head over heels backwards. When she gets back up, she sees that she has missed by three feet easily. She curses under her breath, and stumbles onto the balcony's railing.
 
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