Chapter 33: Chaos and Deception

Kassja leaned over the Emperor and whispered in his ear.

“ ... Deliver this message with my best regards to my mother and Family,” Kassja finished, and then pushed Dharkuntis off his throne.

There he lay, with blankly staring eyes, while his blood poured out of the wound in his throat and his existence was forced to leave Calmyra.

Out of the corner of her eyes Kassja watched a guard storming towards her. He was roaring in anger and armed with a long spear. Two steps and he dropped to the ground when another guard, wielding another spear, thrust it in his back. Kassja rose from the armrest of the throne and her eyes met Athea’s. Their gaze fixated on each other, Kassja strode towards Athea, her movement casually, with no concern for the fighting erupting around them.

“Shit!” Hassika cursed when she saw Kassja cutting the Emperor’s throat. “Shit!” She cursed once more when her hand reflexively flew to her belt and encountered the empty scabbards of her sword and dagger. The guards at the gate had disarmed their delegation, only daggers and knifes were admissible. They had disarmed even Menja taking her ax, and Hassika remembered her amusement about the little girl pouting, whining and finally growling trying to bend the guards’ will. Now she wasn’t amused anymore and wished Menja would have succeeded. “Shit!” She cursed a third time as the stunned guards in the cave finally started moving to belatedly do their job. Fights broke out all around. The frontlines blurred as guards fought guards and more and more of the emperor’s entourage got involved as well.

Hassika looked over her shoulder and spread her arms trying to shield Menja and Denyssa standing behind her. Frantically looking around she saw a guard storming in their direction, his long spear pointing at them. “Shit!” She cursed a final time, and this time it was an expression of relief. Bosko’s giant body flew past her and buried the attacking guard under him. The face of the guard clamped between his jaws, the war dog shook his head and tore the man’s face off his skull. A flash of light prompted Hassika to look at her side and her feeling of relief turned to envy. Rhabina, formerly unarmed the same as everyone, stood there, illuminated by the flash of golden light, a large golden shield on her left arm, and her lance with its shiny spearhead in her right hand. Rhabina turned to Hassika, drew a sword from the scabbard at her belt and held it out to her. Hassika’s envy returned to relief, with an addition of a healthy dose of gratitude.

Rhabina had handed her sword to Hassika and positioned herself to protect The Light. She was a Surinai, a guardian of the light. She looked around but no one attacked them, or better said, Bosko pounced and tore asunder everyone that smelled like a threat to his mistress. Rhabina thought that a few of those guards were actually trying to protect them, but Bosko obviously preferred feeling safe now to feeling sorry later. Rhabina’s eyes searched for Athea and she saw her standing in the center of all this, of course, where else would she be? She was talking to the woman who had killed the emperor. There was no one to protect her, and she did not pay attention on anything around her. Nervously Rhabina looked at Menja again. Bosko orbited her and the sound of his sustained growling was a promise of violent death to everyone coming close. She was a Surinai, sworn to protect The Light, but Menja was safe and Rhabina was anxious. Her gaze returned to Athea.

“Colors are light too. Go and protect her.”

Rhabina heard Menja’s voice and she ran without a backward glance towards Athea.

Kassja cut the Emperor’s throat and Roban rose from his chair.

“Release me,” he said and the chains fell from his wrists and ankles, obeying his command.

He spun, grabbed the chair he had sat on, lifted it and threw it at group of guards running in the direction of the throne. The Black Panther jumped up, chased the thrown chair and pounced on the guards as they tried to restore their footing. The cat probably thought it was a game, the guards surely did not. Roban grinned as he watched the cat rip the guards into bloody shreds. He thought it was a game, too.

Roban picked up the chains and held them out to Iane.

“I assume these chains belong to you,” he asked.

Iane slowly shook her head. “Like the collar I wear, they belong to my Master.”

“Gossamer veiled ownership, since your Master belongs to you, doesn’t he?” Roban asked her grinning.

Iane’s blue eyes sparkled merrily as she slowly nodded. “You’re such a wise and understanding Master,” she breathed, before she kissed him softly on the lips and took the chains out of his hands. She touched one of the iron manacles and whispered the words engraved in its surface, “Obedience, pride and loyalty.” The glyphs lit up and the heavy iron chains and manacles turned into delicately interwoven golden strings, and intricately decorated ankle cuffs and wristbands. “Ayphera told you the truth, these chains are family heirlooms. I am happy you did not break them.”

“I almost felt precious myself enchained in pretty jewels,” Roban replied.

“Ohh, but you are! You’re very precious to me, my Master,” Iane sweetly stated, caressing his cheek with her fingertips.

A shiver ran down Roban’s spine and he groaned facing his newest torturer. He searched the surroundings for a target and to escape Iane’s teasing. It only would frustrate him, since there was no chance for any relief in the near future. He found someone hiding in the shadows, and a deep frown creased his brow.

Every plan had failed, every hope had vanished. The gods who had sent her had abandoned her. The goddess who had used her never cared about her. Worst of all, the goddess who had been her target knew about her, and was invading her last sanctuary. The Arguthary, possessing Rhabina’s body, hidden in the shadows of the cave drew her bow. Her target was Athea. Escape was unlikely but maybe if the turmoil was big enough it would still be a possibility. Apart from that, she really was afraid of that girl, and even more afraid of Chaos. “By Denaros’ never ending night,” the Arguthary cursed as someone stepped between her and her target. It was a young woman with a large golden shield. Her eyes bugged out, she knew that girl! She had killed her, and now she was back as bloody spirit of the light, a Surinai. She lowered her bow and asked herself how much worse it probably could get. Her question was answered immediately.

An incredible sharp dagger pierced her sternum and was driven deeply into her chest. Tendrils of darkness poured out of the wound and burnt her stolen skin and flesh. At the same time black mist floated around the dagger and slowly solidified. While her human shell burnt uncovering the dark spirit it had hidden, the Arguthary stared out of the eyeless sockets in her skull at the vampire holding the dagger’s hilt. More and more tendrils of darkness enveloped the Arguthary, and then they vanished, taking the spirit with them.

Jenaya was left behind with a very sharp dagger in her hand. I wonder if that thing will hear a melody where she has gone, she mused.

Athea intently watched the goddess approaching her. She was a little taller than Athea – fine - she was a lot taller. Tall and slender, but with shapely hips and a long slit in her clingy red dress exposed a strong thigh with every step, as well as her deep décolleté a very womanly bosom. Her long tresses of dark auburn hair fell over her shoulders and almost reached her waist. She was more a brunette than a red-head, but in bright daylight that might look different, Athea mused and the humming in her mind agreed. Delicate eyebrows, a slender nose and full lips, a beautiful face even before Athea watched her eyes. Her grey eyes shone like polished silver and they were fixed on Athea.

“Couldn’t you have done this without all the messy fighting? It looks like the beginning of a civil war,” Athea criticized.

“Of course I could have, but then Chaos would not like it half as much,” Kassja replied and offered a smile.

A tall man in a grand uniform passed the throne. He wildly swung a huge sword with a wide curved blade. A very loud crack and the chest of his uniform was cut in two, exposing a gashing wound in his skin. The man screamed and another crack left a similar wound crossing his face from chin to brow. He dropped the sword and fell on his knees. After the next crack the thong of a whip was wrapped tightly around his neck. The man’s scream reduced to a death rattle, and then it was only death. The whipcord loosened and moved across the floor like a snake as Ayphera recoiled her whip. Kassja gave a short nod in Ayphera’s direction, a gesture expressing validation more than gratitude.

“So I have to believe that you planned this all along. Never meant to harm me or my brother and you were our ally from the very beginning of this war?” Athea asked with a raised eyebrow.

“You already believe I am your ally, otherwise you would have never returned the Atyseos Shard to me. You knew your brother was imprisoned inside of it,” Kassja replied.

“True, but I was very confident he would escape his prison,” Athea dismissed her reply.

“As was I,” Kassja said, her face distorted by a painful memory. “That really hurt. Probably the bravest thing I ever did was to ride away from you with the tainted Atyseos Shard around my neck.” She sighed. “But you are wrong, I did not plan all this, Chaos did, a thousand years ago.”

Athea made an improper grunting noise to hinder and cover a noise that otherwise would have escaped - a gasp expressing disbelief and surprise.

Kassja smiled at her, or maybe about Athea’s failed attempt to cover her shock. “Not every detail, of course, but this is her plan,” she said.

Kassja held out her right arm to Athea, displaying the bare inside of her forearm. She slowly stroke along its length with the tip of her index finger. A light appeared around her wrist, and when it was gone, there was a golden wristband. The wristband was an inch wide and embedded in its center were two tresses of interwoven hair. One strand of hair was golden-blond, and one was black but with a skein of flaming red.

“Chaos gave this to me when she ordered me to reveal her fake plan to overthrow our parents on Atyseos. I did not like that plan,” Kassja frowned. “I wore this band a thousand years, and will wear it until the end of time.”

“Fine!” Athea shouted, somewhat angrily. “I believe you. I believe Deception. I must be insane indeed!”

I did not say you’re insane, and we agreed that we would tell each other. Ghania told us Deception was in love with me. Can you even imagine someone being in love with me and getting over me in just a thousand years? Of course not! Kassja is still in love with me. She never betrayed me and never would. That would be insane!

Athea burst out laughing listening to Chaos statement. Kassja looked at her and smiled.

“So Ayphera and Esthera were on our side the whole time too?” Athea asked doubtfully.

“No, like Chaos and Destruction and every other child, they don’t have any memories of our time before we were banished. Only Ghania and I do. They joined the rebellion on Atyseos. Every child did. Well, every child but Destruction. Chaos did not want him and Ghania to know about her plan.”

“I can very well imagine that.” Athea dropped.

“Indeed, Destruction would never have agreed. Anyway, back to your question. Ayphera and Esthera rejoined because I reminded them of the plan, and like you, they believed me. They are our allies now.”

Athea sighed, deeply. “Then let’s end this.”

Kassja nodded her acceptance and made a gesture to Esthera. The daughter of the dreamer lifted a flute to her lips and began to play a melody. The melody was not loud but reverberated through the large cave as clear as a bell. It was a lovely soothing song, but what really stopped all fighting were the hundreds of Antussie warriors streaming out of the shadows and killing every resistance, literally.

Kassja stood before the six old men, the late emperor’s advisers. They had somehow magically survived the uproar following the emperor’s demise. Another literally statement, they were wizards after all.

“You’ve always been loyal to Dharkuntis and the empire. Dharkuntis is a god now and he no longer resides on this world. That was his desire, his fondest wish...”

“You cut his throat, that wasn’t his fondest wish. You betrayed him.” One of the men, with a prominent hooknose, interrupted Kassja.

“I helped Dharkuntis from the day he was born...”

“You’re his mother,” another adviser shouted.

“The next one interrupting me will die, and it will be a very slow and painful death.” Kassja warned. “I am talking to you to give you an opportunity saving your lives and your power. You can be useful for the Manthakin Empire and its new empress, or you can be dead.” Kassja looked at each of the six men and they stayed silent. “Appearance and reality. I wasn’t Dharkuntis mother. His mother died a long time ago, the first time he extended his lifespan it was her soul we used. I helped building the Manthakin Empire and I helped him to become a god, but I was never loyal to Dharkuntis, so I did not betray him. I am a goddess, I don’t serve humans, and humans don’t judge the gods.”

“Our new Empress is not a human. You built the Manthakin Empire for Chaos. Does she own your loyalty?” Ghergias asked.

“You were always my favorite amongst Dharkuntis’ advisers, Ghergias. My mother, Feya gave birth to me, but Chaos created me. She owns everything I am,” Kassja answered smiling.

“I think it will be a pleasurable experience serving a goddess, instead of serving someone who all his life merely strived to become a god.” Ghergias remarked mirthfully.

The six old men rose from their chairs and bowed to Kassja, and then they left.

“Do you trust these old geezers?” Athea asked Kassja.

“You are asking the Goddess of Deception if she trusts someone. The answer should be obvious to you,” she replied smugly.

“I trust the Goddess of Deception, so it should be obvious that obviousness is no guideline of my decisions,” Athea answered grumpily.

“You don’t trust me, Athea, you trust in Chaos. Admittedly, that doesn’t sound much better.” Kassja laughed.

“Everyone around here has way too much fun,” Athea observed looking around.

Menja was sitting on the floor and talking to a large group of Antussie warriors surrounding her. The little men listened in awe while Menja jauntily babbled, laughed and giggled, like ... well ... a little girl. Not far away from that, Roban reclined on an assembly of finest furs and cushions, which some servants had obviously arranged for his majesty’s pleasure. He was petting the belly of the purring big Patran lying by his side, and talking to his old and two seemingly new friends. Goddesses, mystical creatures and, astonishing enough, all of them were beautiful young women lavishing their attention on him.

Kassja laughed as she watched the dark clouds gathering above Athea’s head. This time not literally, just to be clear.

“Chaos often had exactly the same expression on her face, when she watched her brother and Ghania.”

“It infuriates me how easily they forget about everything and...” Athea stopped in midsentence and sighed.

“It’s not just the expression on your face, you are as jealous as Chaos.” Kassja smirked.

“I guess I am even worse, Chaos is laughing too,” Athea mumbled dejectedly.

“Ohh really?” Kassja asked and her face came alight. “Athea, remember I did not forget a single thing happening here or on Atyseos.”

Upon hearing that Athea’s expression brightened too. “She stopped laughing!”

“Come, let’s gather our friends and family, and leave this nasty place. We should celebrate!” Kassja suggested.

“Yes, a week-long celebration!” Athea agreed.

So it was decided.

It was a grand procession leaving the gates of the Manthakin encampment. The new Imperial Banner was flying above the gate. The banner was black with a golden sun in its center, and the circle of the sun was broken by the corners of a burning triangle. A Manthakin rode at the head of the procession, displaying Dharkuntis’ head impaled on his lance. An honor guard of one hundred Manthakin riders followed the old and new imperial nobility. Menja was riding with Esthera, her new best friend. They had their own honor guard of twelve Antussie warriors, and a very big dog.