Groggy and disoriented, Galen awoke with a jolt. "Damn it, Thorne, why aren't you in control?" he muttered, his voice tinged with concern.
Thorne remained silent.
Growing concerned, Galen muttered to himself, "It's bloody unnerving that he's not waking up. The last thing I remember is attempting to switch consciousness in our resting chamber, only to have it knock us both out cold. Thank the damned demigods I had the foresight to tell him to wait until we were lying down." He sighed with relief as he cracked his neck like a whip.
Galen strained his eyes in the oppressive darkness, cursing, "I can't tell how much time has passed in this wretched dungeon, but it must've been a few hours since I've managed to recover half my mana. Good enough. I need to get the hell out of this forsaken kingdom before the orc invasion."
With determination coursing through his veins, Galen leaped up and stormed out of his room. "Princess! The time for repose has come to an end…" His voice tapered off as he rounded a corner, and his eyes adjusted to the flickering torch light illuminating the main chamber. There, he discovered Althea and her entourage engrossed in strategic planning, huddled around the command table like a pack of wolves devising their next cunning hunt.
"Galen?" Althea questioned her expression a mixture of surprise and confusion.
"That's my name, indeed. Why the bloody hell didn't you summon me if you're already plotting an attack? I am, after all, your primary weapon for victory," Galen retorted, his irritation as sharp as a dagger.
The men shifted uneasily under Galen's glare, until Althea responded with a calm and steady voice, "I think it's rather simple for a cunning man like yourself to deduce. We wanted to ensure you were fully rested to maximize our chances of success."
Galen clenched his fists, seething, "You daft bitch... You fail to grasp the severity of the situation with your lackadaisical attitude."
"We will not tolerate disrespect to the princess!" Garrick interjected, nearly shouting at Galen.
"Garrick!" Althea uttered his name just once, signaling that she had the situation under control. "Galen, we haven't been idle. We've been strategizing since the moment you left. I assure you, if too much time had elapsed, I would have shaken you awake myself. If you're under some kind of time constraint, perhaps you should have communicated that before retiring," Althea said, her tone stern but composed.
Galen sighed, opting to disregard Althea's final remark. "Enough," he demanded, "tell me what the plan is."
"Proceed, Garrick," Althea urged softly.
"I command 20,000 troops, including the generals present here, and—" Garrick was abruptly interrupted by Galen.
"Who the fuck is overseeing all your troops then?" Galen snapped.
Garrick, demonstrating remarkable patience, cleared his throat. "There's no need to fret about such details; I assure you everything is under control. If you must know, not all of my generals and officers are here."
"My apologies, Commander. You're right, those details are inconsequential since I'll be the one bearing the brunt of the work anyway. Please, continue," Galen jeered.
"As the princess mentioned and corroborated by my scouts, the king has amassed his remaining forces—100,000 troops, including his final two mages—in Varence's village. The location serves as a strategic stronghold, as it sits right on the border, offering an escape route should the king's fortunes falter," Garrick relayed diplomatically.
Galen scoffed, "So, we'd better ensure we kill the king, huh? I'm amazed he hasn't retreated completely."
Althea intervened, "Alright, Galen, what do you know that we're unaware of? You can't possibly be arrogant enough to believe the king is only preparing for your arrival."
"I shouldn't reveal this, but since you've been assisting me in my mission, my briefing indicated an orc invasion will follow the king's downfall. I suspect the king somehow caught wind of this information and is orchestrating a last-ditch defense," Galen shared, his tone uncharacteristically civil.
Garrick's fist pounded on the command table, "Bullshit! We've maintained peace with the orcs for centuries. What the hell has shifted since then?"
"I'll be sure to inquire with the king before I send him to his grave, as my curiosity is piqued as well," Galen remarked, a sinister smirk playing on his lips.
Galen's tone shifted, irritation seeping into his words. "Commander, do you have any mages at your disposal?"
"No," Garrick replied resolutely.
"And what of trump cards?" Galen demanded.
"You," Garrick retorted with equal resolve.
Galen's piercing gaze locked onto Garrick, the tension building in the room during the agonizing five-second stare-down. Finally, Galen broke the silence, his voice cold and steady. "If you're hiding information after I've shared a secret with you, I'll slaughter everyone here after I deal with the king."
Althea posed a question. "Do you consider yourself an honorable man, Galen?"
Galen smirked, his response callous and unsettling, "Not in the least. I slaughter innocents just for amusement. But by all means, do proceed. I'm all ears for your proposal." His words sent shivers down the spines of everyone in the room.
Althea replied with a tinge of regret, "It was meant to be a rhetorical question, as there's no such thing as an honorable person in this world. We could've done without your answer."
"Then avoid asking pointless questions, Princess. But I understand—this group, betraying their king, is dishonorable, so trust is scarce," Galen taunted.
Althea presented her proposal, maintaining a composed tone despite the heavy atmosphere. "If you help me secure the throne of this kingdom, I'll aid you in finding the artifact hidden by the king. I'm confident in its location. If I fail, feel free to execute everyone here, myself included." Her followers stared at her, doubt seeping into their minds.
Galen furrowed his brow, "I don't recall mentioning that I sought an artifact."
"You never did. Varance revealed your interest in artifacts after sharing the power of his own," Althea countered.
Galen sighed, "If you can help me find the artifact, we have a deal. But I must ask, since we're making an agreement, what's in it for you? This kingdom faces ruin from the orcs. What could you gain?"
Althea's concern showed as she answered, "I'll evacuate the remaining people and soldiers of this kingdom to seek refuge in the neighboring high elf realm. I must try to save these lives."
"You're certainly hiding something, Princess. I can't help but observe a few inconsistencies—like your staunch defense of this kingdom during the castle siege or your seemingly trivial reason for wanting the king dead. Nevertheless, I'll overlook it for now, as your response was rather remarkable, especially since you've just learned about the orc invasion," Galen stated, his voice dripping with the acumen of a veteran investigator.
Althea's anger flared. "First of all, refrain from patronizing me in front of my men; you should be well aware of that. Secondly, I defended the castle because it's part of my duty. I couldn't exactly announce my rebellion to the world, could I? And regarding a 'demigod' descending to save the day—how could I have possibly foreseen that?" Althea shot back with scathing sarcasm.
Galen grumbled internally, unaccustomed to being challenged. "I wish Thorne were in control. Negotiations aren't my strong suit; I just want to kill people," he thought to himself.
"Alright, Princess, fair enough. How will your 20,000 troops assist me, Commander?" Galen inquired, his tone calm and his sleep fatigue preventing further debate.
"We plan to serve as a distraction by targeting a weak point in their defenses here," Garrick explained, pointing to a pin on the map. "Hopefully, we'll draw one or both of the mages while you infiltrate the ranks to assassinate the king. We've laid mines and other explosives to ensure we attract their attention," Garrick said with confidence.
One of the generals finally spoke up, his voice resolute, "I'm sorry, but I refuse to follow this unhinged mage into battle. How is everyone else okay with this? We're going to sacrifice thousands of soldiers for this to work, and if the orc invasion is true, we should be helping evacuate the kingdom, not plotting a rebellion!"
Silence fell over the room until the general spoke again, "I propose we take a vote among everyone here to decide our course of action."
Althea's voice was icy as she replied, "I don't think so. Thank you for your service, Aristo. Your presence will not be required in the upcoming battle."
"What are you talking about? We elected you as our leader to fight against corruption, not to embrace it! I want no part in this," Aristo defiantly crossed his arms and stared Althea down.
"Execute him painlessly, Galen," Althea commanded, her unwavering gaze locked onto Aristo.
"Without pain? You're no fun," Galen smirked.
"Wait! Althea! Why!?" Aristo's face contorted with confusion and terror.
In a heartbeat, Galen closed the gap between them, his movements swift and lethal like a predator stalking its prey. Aristo's eyes widened in horror as he realized he had no time to react. Galen's hand, strong and unforgiving, clamped onto Aristo's face, the fingers digging into his flesh like claws.
The room was frozen, the tension thick as every eye in the chamber followed the scene in abject terror. The generals stood paralyzed, their hearts pounding in their chests, the taste of fear like bile in their throats. Some of them silently prayed for mercy while others clenched their fists, resisting the urge to intervene but knowing they were powerless against Galen.
With a swift and brutal motion, Galen slammed Aristo's head against the cold, unforgiving stone wall. The sound of his skull cracking echoed through the chamber like a clap of thunder, followed by the sickening splatter of blood, brain matter, and shattered bone fragments that painted the wall like a macabre mural.
Aristo's lifeless body crumpled to the ground, a heap of broken flesh and bone, blood pooling around him and staining the stone floor crimson. The stench of death and gore began to pervade the air, a metallic tang that clung to the back of their throats.
As the reality of the gruesome scene set in, the terror in the room only intensified. Some of the generals were barely able to hold back their bile, their faces pale and slick with cold sweat. Others stared wide-eyed, unable to comprehend the violence they had just witnessed. They knew that they were now in the presence of a monster who could snuff out their lives just as easily as he had for Aristo.
In stark contrast to the palpable dread that pervaded the room, Garrick remained unbothered by the situation. He stood stoically, his gaze fixed on the grisly scene before him. Whether it was due to steely resolve or a quiet acceptance of the grim reality they faced, Garrick's composure served as a chilling reminder of the harsh path they had chosen.
As the weight of the moment bore down upon them, it was clear that there would be no turning back. In this blood-soaked chamber, their fates had been sealed, and their lives were now inextricably bound to the whims of a merciless killer.
"Do you take pleasure in ending lives, Galen?" Althea inquired, her voice alluring.
"What a foolish question, Princess. Killing is my raison d'être," Galen declared emphatically.
"I, too, find satisfaction in taking lives, but not those of innocents. Only the ones who truly deserve it," Althea said with intensity, her eyes meeting Galen's in a fierce gaze."
"Very well. Your intentions, Althea, are now crystal clear to me," Galen declared. With a determined stride, Althea approached him, and they locked eyes, their mutual understanding unspoken yet undeniable. The intense moment shared between them was not lost on the astonished onlookers.
Every eye in the room, save for Garrick's, widened in shock and terror as Althea pulled away from her fervent kiss with Galen. With unwavering resolve and authority in her voice, she addressed the assembly, "Disloyalty will not be tolerated. Let today's events serve as a lesson. My ultimate goal is to preserve as many lives as possible in this kingdom for a brighter future. I apologize for the disconcerting spectacle you've just witnessed between Galen and me, as I can occasionally be overwhelmed by my own desires. Rest assured, however, I am keenly aware of my responsibilities. Entrust your faith in me, and you shall reap bountiful rewards. Now, we move out!" Althea's voice boomed as she shouted the final command.