Spirit Blood: Genesis of War
Chapter 2

The summer breeze lifted the petals of fallen blossoms sending the fragrance of tulips and lilacs into the air. The trees that grew in the surrounding forest slightly swayed in the cool breeze and the grass looked alive with motion. Peace was only interrupted by the loud clatter of horse hooves striking the concrete bridge leading into the city of Talkain. Two years had passed after the battle with the Dark Army and the queen and her children were finally returning home after a long stint away. A parade of horses preceded the small carriage ornamented with the emblem of the king, a ferocious lion’s head topped with a crown. Maroon and green banners flapped in the breeze as the entourage rode along the path towards the rising portcullis. As the caravan neared the steps leading to the castle, General Haldrov and Jason walked down the ten steps from the castle entrance to a flat plateau awaiting their arrival. Jason was now clean-shaven with his shaggy brown hair cut short. He was a striking display standing next to the general, who was wearing his full military attire of a long gray coat bearing the crest of the kingdom, a white shirt, black leather pants and long boots folded down past his knees.

General Haldrov walked down the final ten steps from the flat plateau to where the carriage came to a stop. Upon pressing a switch that automatically opened the door and dropped down a set of steps, a slender well-manicured hand reached out taking up the extended hand of Haldrov’s. She stepped lightly upon the carpet below her and greeted Haldrov with a royal and appreciative smile. Jason made his way down the steps from the plateau and bowed to the queen. She returned his gesture with a smile and a curtsey quite amused at how professional and formal her old friend had to be at times like this. With a sudden burst, Amon leapt from the carriage and began to run up the stairs towards the castle. Jason grabbed him by his collar holding him in place. Amon tensed his shoulders in fear of being in trouble, as he often had a problem of getting himself into lately. Slowly turning around, Amon finally recognized the face of the one who was holding him instantly bringing a smile of happiness and relief to his face.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?” Jason teased.

“I was, uh, going to come and see you,” Amon lied from behind a great big smile.

His lie was met by a look of unbelief by Jason.

“Ok, I was really going to the training room to watch the men practice their unarmed combat and see if I could possibly join in.”

Jason looked down and patted Amon’s back sending dust circling in the air.

“It looks like you’ve already wrestled enough, my prince.”

Amon chuckled as he pointed at the soldiers protecting the caravan, “We stopped at Tear Lake to relax and ended up goofing around a bit.”

Jason looked at his men with a grin on his lips, but a disagreeable look in his eyes. The sound of spurs and armor shifting sounded as the soldiers adjusted nervously on their horses.

“They did, well I’ll just have to thank them for their courtesy and thoughtfulness,” Jason warned.

Amon shook his head at the soldiers and mouthed, ‘I’m sorry.’ With an encouraging wink from the lieutenant, Amon grinned and placed his head down as if in shame knowing in his heart Jason had been on edge ever since the battle two years ago.

Jason peeked into the carriage just in time to catch the teenage TaeAnne as she leapt into his arms. He held onto her in a fatherly embrace.

“I missed you too, TaeAnne,” Jason tried to say through her girlish giggles of delight.

Her bright green eyes looked into Jason’s with joy, “I wish you could have gone with us on our trip, Jason. We had such a great time.”

Her curly brown hair whipped back in the wind looking like small strands of a spider’s web. She kept her hands wrapped around his wrists when he finally set her down on the ground.

“I wish I had been there as well, TaeAnne, but I had pressing business here.”

TaeAnne just grinned, while holding his hand, as Jason led both the children up the steps to meet with their father.

King Kalagin was standing just outside the doors of the castle waiting for his family to arrive. As Jason stopped before the king, Kalagin looked down upon him with contempt.

“Yes, Captain?” Kalagin smugly remarked.

Jason lost his smile immediately, “Sorry your Majesty. I thought you would like to welcome your children home before I took them…”

The king interrupted him with a gesture of his hand, “I don’t believe I have ever asked you to think for me, Captain.”

Jason nodded and led the saddened children toward to east wing, which housed all the children of the families living within the castle.

“Sorry guys, I was really hoping he would want to see you after having been away for so long,” Jason said with sadness and slight irritation in his voice.

Amon shook his head, “You’re not the one that owes us an apology.”

The trio continued inside the castle until they were finally out of sight. Turning his attention to his wife, who had slowly ascended the steps while speaking to Haldrov about their travels, Kalagin eyed her with a cold stare. General Haldrov bowed his head taking his place behind the king as Queen Thessa made her way before him curtsying out of duty. She sighed as she looked around at her surroundings and then settled her gaze upon her husband.

“It’s always so enjoyable getting away from here. I actually have a reason to carry the smile I must always wear,” she told him despairingly.

“General, you are dismissed for the evening. I have private business I must discuss with my loving wife,” Kalagin commanded with a pretense of love towards Thessa.

Haldrov bowed respectfully to the king and queen and turned on his heel departing for his chambers. As he walked down the corridor he was quick to give a glance to the guards, which they all knew too well to mean, ‘Be my ears while I’m away!’

Kalagin gingerly took his wife’s hand as they walked through the front doors of the castle towards the double staircase leading to their chambers upstairs. Neither of them exchanged looks or words until they were completely up the stairs.

“I wonder if my presence was even missed while you were away at your brother’s homestead,” Kalagin commented.

Quickly removing her hand from his, Thessa replied, “Kalagin, for your presence to be missed you must first have a pleasant presence.”

Thessa quickened her speed as she headed towards the eastern corridor that led to her children. Kalagin rushed ahead of her and stood in her way preventing her from turning towards the east corridor.

“Where do you think you are headed in such a rush my beloved wife?” He teased.

His voice was cold and menacing causing Thessa to take a few steps back away from him.

“I’m going to my children where I know I am loved and wanted. I don’t want for them the same life I have had to bear the last sixteen years where you are never cherished or missed unless it serves some selfish purpose for someone else,” she stated trying to replace a way past her husband.

Kalagin tightly gripped his wife’s shoulder preventing her from moving any further.

“My dear wife, I do love you and the children,” he said in a most sickening manner. He tightened his grip until Thessa winced in pain. “I love you so much that I will never let you go again. The only way you can ever leave again is if you’re dead.”

His voice was most threatening along with his smile. Thessa knew her husband never idly threatened such things; he only promised them. Kalagin released his grip from his wife and, running his fingers down her arm, tenderly grasped her wrist.

“Come my sweet, I have been anxiously waiting for you,” he sneered, pulling her closer to him.

He gently turned her around towards the long stairwell in the middle of the corridor. Knowing they were headed towards their separate bedrooms the queen feared not being able to go to her own room, but would instead be forced to replace her way into his.

“What’s the matter loyal husband, your other women not to your liking anymore?” Thessa asked in contempt.

With a degrading laugh Kalagin responded, “No, they please me just fine, but I wanted to make you feel ‘cherished and missed’ as you desire. In fact, I have some friends I believe would also like to show you their appreciation in having you back at home…where you belong.”

Kalagin practically had Thessa off her feet hurrying her down the hall towards his bedroom. She tried to pull away and escape, but his strength was much more than her own and he grabbed her by the shoulders looking wildly into her eyes.

“You mean to hurt me don’t you?” Thessa breathed in fear.

“YES,” Kalagin hissed at her with wide-open eyes of wickedness.

“Please Kalagin, don’t do this! You can’t do this! There are many willing women in the kingdom to choose from, don’t make me do this, PLEASE!”

Each of her desperate pleads went unnoticed as Kalagin continued forcing her towards the door to his chambers. He opened the door and Thessa gasped in disgust at the sight of many people present in the room in the act of repulsive behaviors. She fought harder against her husband trying desperately to escape fearing what he may have planned for her inside this room of filth. Suddenly two other men grabbed her arms hoisting her off the ground, bringing her completely inside. She let out of scream of pure terror as the door slammed shut.

Jason spun around and struck the backside of Amon with the flat of his wooden sword causing him to stand at attention.

Holding his backside, Amon exclaimed, “That stung!”

He looked at his attacker with a feeling of hurt to his sixteen year old pride.

“Well,” Jason retorted with a chuckle, “don’t let your guard down and it won’t hurt so badly.”

He rested against the wall of the arena awaiting the return of his valiant opponent. Amon gave an unimpressed look and turned back around in a defensive stance.

“Alright, lesson learned. Let’s see what else you’ve got, Scar Face,” Amon teased.

Amon’s grin revealed that he was only joking, but Jason still moved his hand down the scar of his face remembering the fight that had left him with it. Amon dropped his guard and walked toward his mentor and friend feeling rather guilty about bringing up such a painful memory.

“I’m sorry Jas…”

But Amon was interrupted as his legs were swept out from underneath him. Suddenly the tip of a wooden sword touched his exposed throat.

Hovering over Amon, Jason smiled, “Never be too concerned about the welfare of an enemy. They may be trying to lure you into a nice trap that will cost you your life.”

“I will remember that, now if you don’t mind,” Amon said, eyeing the tip of the sword.

Jason removed the sword helping Amon from off the sandy ground and dusted him off.

“You learn fast. I hope you picked something up from this little lesson,” Jason exhorted.

Jason’s deep voice had kindness behind his ‘teachers’ tone. It soothed Amon’s mind to know his teacher could be strong, stern, cunning and strategic as well as caring, concerned, spiritual and full of love all at the same time. Jason walked with his arm around Amon towards the front entrance of the arena.

“Let’s go now and ready ourselves for your father’s ‘Welcome Home’ party in honor of you, your sister and mother,” Jason suggested.

Amon looked at him confused, “My father went through the trouble of planning a party for us?”

The inquisitive disbelief in Amon’s voice made Jason chuckle.

“Well, I’m sure welcoming you home was at least part of the reason,” he lied.

Amon looked at Jason as if he were either crazy or very mistaken about the character of his father.

“Ok, it gave him a reason to get drunk and womanize in front of his family. Like that one better?” Jason asked, wishing it weren’t true.

The two laughed uncomfortably concerning the unfortunate truth about the mannerisms of the king as they left the arena to ready themselves for the party.

Léon felt the swift burning sting of the whip across his back and the sensation of insects falling from the ceiling crawling down his beaten and bloody body. The pain from the whip didn’t faze him much any more. Too many times had Léon already been forced to visit the Pit to prove his undying loyalty to his master, Canoes. He wasn’t sure how much of his five-year sentence he’d already served, but it felt like an eternity. However, he certainly didn’t expect what was to come next. The yoke from around his neck was loosed and his hands were freed from their confines. He stood upright and turned to see his master standing before him.

“Has it been five years already, my lord?” He asked surprised.

Léon was excited to think he might finally be leaving this place to do the bidding of his master once again. Canoes turned, unmoved, away from his servant and motioned for Léon to follow him as he spoke in a voice of warning.

“No it hasn’t, but if you fail me again you can rest assure you will suffer much worse than anything the Pit can offer,” Canoes announced.

Léon listened with earnest and utmost respect, something that made Canoes smile on the inside.

“It has only been a few months, but I need you and your skills now. Baylor has found me an army, but he is too brainless and far too incompetent to train them and lead them into battle. So, you have the job until I replace someone better or you accomplish making up for your last inept failure.”

Léon remembered why the beatings in the Pit were sometimes easy to endure in comparison to his master’s constant criticism. They ended their walk stopping before a small room where several female servants of various races waited with a drawn bath, clean clothes and Léon’s army supplies. Canoes only had one last warning to give to his servant before he left.

“Bring me my kingdom, Léon, and redeem yourself. Those are your only orders until you have either won or are dead.”