Salin was wondering when he was going to be permitted to leave. Following the grey-eyed man down from the room, accompanied by two executors, drew enough attention that he didn't see any chance of completing his mission as he was sure the grey-eyed man would surely make the empire's presence in the city known, which would instantly put them on alert.
When he was finally granted permission to leave, Salin almost ran. He wanted to be as far from the man as possible, but despite all that, he still held himself back and walked calmly down the street.
When he was sure that he was out of sight, he ran as fast as possible, slowing down as he approached the city's gate. The guards glanced at him but did not stop him.
Leaving the gate, he was just about to call in to report when he was unwittingly teleported out from the city's gate, leaving the people there frightened.
When he appeared again, he was so far away from the city that it registered as a dot in his vision. He could barely see the gate.
That was when he became aware of the presence behind him.
Instantly, he turned around, his body bowing the moment he registered who occupied the same space as he.
"So the oath breaker returns," Elora Darkfang said. Hair as black as night framed a face so beautiful, one could sell their entire fortune just to lay with her. What most didn't know was that she wasn't a human but was a scalekin of the beast race. A Torinian black snake to be precise, one that had gained sentience. Her silver-slitted eyes were what was only known by her peers or people she deemed about to die. She was infamous for her black venom that was like a doorway into a world of unimaginable pain, leaving you wishing for a quick death just to escape it.
"His new allies must have betrayed him, seeing as he looked to be fleeing the city," a thick, husky voice grunted. Salin didn't know this man. His brown hair was cropped short military style, paired with black eyes that gazed down at Salin like a human to an ant.
He didn't have an idea what was going on, so he simply replied with a bow. "I greet the great pillars of the empire."
"Tell me, boy," The man said without acknowledging Salin. "What did they offer you that made you betray your homeland?"
Salin was confused and fear was beginning to creep in. "I don't understand. I did not betray the empire nor had such thought crossed my mind."
"Do not think to lie to your betters. We know you told someone about the about the empire's secret despite taking an oath not to!" Elora snarled, her slitted eyes flashing.
Panicking, but taking a lesson from his training and staying calm, Salin replied. "No, not willingly. I reported a suspicious individual with deeper knowledge about the Empire. What I didn't know was that this person was expecting me, and I fell right into his trap. There was no fright nor caution even after I threatened empire punishment should he interfere."
"Who is this man?" The man said slowly, his voice sending a deep vibration through Salin's bones.
"He said his name was Damien," Salin cautiously answered.
They both quieted at that. And when Salin took a peek at them, What he saw shook him. There was fear in their eyes.
He had served in the empire so long and had heard and seen of its feats so much that he had begun to have this belief that the empire feared nothing. That nobody could terrify them. And yet, here he was, witnessing fear in the eyes of one of the empire's greatest pillars. Just from the mention of a name.
They quickly hid it. "Describe him," The poison mistress demanded.
And so Salin did.
When he was done. Elora sighed. "Raise your head," she said.
He did.
"You have betrayed the empire to one of our greatest enemies, perhaps our greatest enemy." Salin could detect fury in her voice despite the calm way she spoke. But veiled terror could still be seen on her face, both their faces. "Tell me everything that happened."
And he did so.
He told of everything that had been asked of him. How he had been unwillingly transported into some strange place. He described how hours had passed outside while they had only spent minutes in that strange place. And lastly, he then delivered the warning he was asked to.
"He told me to warn the empire not to interfere in his business, and he would do the same," Salin said.
"Where were you taken to?" The man asked.
"He never explicitly said its name, but he did call it the 'Metaphysical'." Once again, there was silence.
It was Elora who then spoke. "To be able to move into the metaphysical, that is worrying. But the good news is that to accomplish such a feat, he must have drained a staggering amount of energy, probably completely. "She stalked forward, smiling like a predator with prey in sight.
Even the man's lips widened. Salin frowned, had thought the man incapable of showing any form of happiness. "We can't leave someone so powerful outside the empire's control, he needs to be clipped."
Their attention then turned to Salin, who stood there looking confused.
"You have done the empire a great deed, even though it was unintentional," Elora said, still smiling. Then she continued. "For that, your punishment would be lessened." Seeing the hope in his eyes. "Oh, don't be happy, yet. For what I'm about to do to you, death will be but a reprieve." That was when Salin noticed something slithering down from Elora's shadow. His blood turned cold as he identified one of her famous children.
Full panic set in, and Salin moved to flee, but to his horror, his body refused to listen, leaving him completely frozen.
Elora tsked. "We never said you could leave." She smiled. "My child here will keep you company till we return." The snake finally reached Salin, his horror reaching a crescendo for the second time in a roll, and no matter how he tried to free his body, he couldn't. The snake climbed his body, coiling fully around him until he came face to face with its silver-slitted eyes.
And then it bit.
And Salin knew pain.
***
Ali's POV
BOOM!
"What the hell was that?" Commander Ali groaned, his hands balanced on the table to keep himself from falling.
"I don't think you're going to be fighting your warlord anymore," The strange man, Damien, said.
Standing, Ali moved to join the chosen at the window when the second impact landed.
BOOM!
He almost fell again but managed to lean on the table for support. Looking around, cracks were beginning to spread all around the room, forming a spider web design on the office walls.
Reaching the window, the chosen standing there, having been struck numb. Taking a look out the window, what he saw almost made him shit his pants.
Cracks were spreading over the energy shield covering the city. The shield that had protected them against the raging storms capable of reducing cities to rubble. And it was all coming down from just two explosions.
"They didn't waste time at all, did they? Not surprising." Turning around, he saw Damien sitting there, unconcerned, like their city on the breath of destruction didn't even phase him. "What is surprising is how quickly they arrived, a few hours after I took their resident spy. Seems the man doing the monitoring was being monitored as well."
Ali almost screamed at him that their city was in danger and he should make himself useful, even though he didn't see how one man could possibly hope to stop an attack like that. He didn't put such words to his thoughts, though.
Turning to his leader "Chosen, What is our response?"
Just then.
BOOM!
Standing up, the chosen sighed, a resigned look on his face. "What response do we have for something like that? With a few more hits, this city is going to be cracked open like an egg," His eyes misted. In all his years of serving under the chosen, Ali had never seen him this vulnerable. The realization almost drove the fight out of him.
"The city was destined to be destroyed anyway," the other occupants of the room pitched in unhelpfully, still looking bored.
Just when Ali was about to snap, the whole building shook from another impact.
"This whole building is about to collapse. I don't know about you, but I don't want to get dust and debris all over my body," Damien commented. He stood up, leaving Ali and the Chosen to follow behind.
The path down the building was filled with panic and confusion. Soldiers and priests panicking.
Seeing the chosen's approach, they all looked to him for a solution, but Ali could see the chosen had nothing to give.
Sighing audibly, Damien turned around and looked at the crestfallen chosen. "What help do you want of me?" He sounded oddly gentle about it.
The chosen jolted from his thoughts. "If you can save the people, I would be forever in your debt."
Damien raised an eyebrow. "I don't know what a debt from you could provide me." He began picking his nails. "And what would you be doing while I save your people?"
The chosen raised his chin. "I and all the combatants will hold back the attackers." He seemed set on his path; even though Ali knew they were all likely to be wiped out in seconds, he was willing to lay down his life for his people.
Ali joined in raising his chin. He, too, would give his life for the chosen and the people.
Damien must have concluded something because he nodded. "You won't be fighting anyone," Ali wanted to argue but was stopped by the man's raised hand. "I'll deal with them. Call back any guards around the gates; your job will be to move everybody to the other end of the city. Break down the walls if you have to, but make sure to evacuate this city and its surrounding areas."
He plucked something out of thin air, shocking everyone present, and handed it over to the Chosen. "When you get far enough from the city, break this and tell the first person you meet that I sent you; they should have you settled and quickly taken care of." He looked around at the people gathered there. "I don't usually do this for strangers, but seeing as my presence brought this upon you all, take this as recompense. Don't go expecting me to be your newest protector, you will be sorely disappointed." The man then nodded before turning around and leaving. "Quit staring and do your jobs."
***
Damien walked down the streets, approaching the gate. At some point, the attacks had stopped coming, and he could see some of the citizens beginning to calm down; he shook his head, it wouldn't do them well to think the attackers had left. He was proven right a few minutes later.
BOOM!
BOOM!
This time, the attacks came in two quick successions and the city's shield couldn't handle it any longer. It shattered and Damien could see buildings begin to collapse. People resumed screaming and panicking. He saw a young boy staring at him with lifeless eyes, the lower part of his body crushed by a huge rock.
A crying toddler with splattered blood on his face, shaking his mother who lay on the floor, eyes unseeing. She wouldn't be waking up anymore.
He walked up to the toddler, picking the boy up. Blue eyes stared at him despite the blood on his face. Damien smiled at the baby, patting him gently on the back. "I'm so sorry about your mama, I'm sure she'll be watching over you wherever she is." The toddler continued staring at him. "I'm going to fight the bad guys, so I can't take you with me." He patted him again. "I'll come find you when I'm done."
Calling a passing soldier, he gave him charge of the boy, telling him where to go when he crossed over to the other side. it would make it easier to find them.
Turning fully towards the gate. His eyes burned and his face hardened before he controlled himself, it wouldn't do to lose control of himself this close to battle. Breathing in and calming himself, he walked towards the gate.