Chapter 16: Muuktel
Almorian culture had once been a vibrant tapestry of traditions and values, vastly different from the bleak reality of the present, before the monumental change that had shattered their society. Muuktel often found himself lost in the memories of those old days, a time marked by the absence of immortality, the cruel reign of male subjection, and the horrific genocide that had befallen his people. For some, the idea of immortality might appear as an alluring dream, an extraordinary gift that allowed one to witness the unfolding of multiple lifetimes. To observe the rise and fall of civilizations could be seen as a thrilling adventure, a dream come true for many. Yet, for most Almorians, this so-called blessing was a profound curse. The reality of immortality brought with it a host of harrowing side effects that plagued the vast majority of the population, chief among them being devastating memory loss. The biological brain, a delicate vessel, can only store so much information throughout a lifetime; no brain was ever designed to endure until the end of time itself.
In contrast, the Sumerians had ingeniously solved this dilemma with the development of small micro-implants capable of storing vast amounts of data. However, the Almorians found themselves devoid of such advanced technology, with the exception of those daring souls willing to risk violating the stringent Alliance laws, smuggling the coveted tech to a rogue doctor willing to perform the forbidden surgery. The highly connected slaves within the Almorian Monarchy risked everything to acquire this technology, a desperate act undertaken less than a century after the devastating sterilization had been enforced.
Muuktel, a slave bearing the weight of his past, could vividly recall a time when Almora was ruled by noble Kings and valiant Princes, a time when men walked the streets unburdened by fear of persecution. It was a period when males held a status in society that was equal to that of their female counterparts, when the Almorians possessed the natural ability to reproduce freely. Then, the Empire emerged, proclaiming they had unveiled the secrets of immortality, claiming it would only work on Almorians. To everyone's astonishment, their claims proved true. Esteemed doctors from every corner of Almora and Vaikuntha confirmed the unbelievable: diseases of every kind had vanished, aging had either halted or reversed, and the only force that could extinguish an Almorian's life was trauma. For nearly a generation, the citizens of the Almorian Monarchy celebrated this miraculous transformation, overwhelmed with pleasure and excitement at their newfound existence. However, this elation began to crumble nearly a hundred years later when people began to question the treatment, noticing with growing dismay that no births had taken place. There were no infants, no pregnancies, and most alarmingly, no answers. Annunakian scientists ultimately confirmed the chilling truth: the immortality treatment was the root cause of widespread sterilization.
The cries of the Almorian Kingdom echoed with fury; not a single citizen would have willingly traded the promise of eternal life for the devastating consequence of infertility. In the wake of this revelation, the recently crowned Queen of Almora, Queen Lithanul, vowed vengeance against those who would systematically commit genocide against her people. It was this unyielding resolve that sparked the flames of the Great War, and Muuktel found himself bearing witness to the carnage unfolding on the front lines.
"The time has finally arrived, my love!" Muuktel exclaimed, taking the hand of another male slave. The intimacy of the moment was tinged with a sense of urgency, and though he was unwilling to meet his partner’s gaze, he absorbed the beauty of his love's expressions, each one a silent testament to their shared fate. "The Queen has finally made an error, and we must strike soon!"
"What is the plan?" Norvak Ylarm—the name given at birth, known only to Muuktel—asked, his voice a mix of curiosity and concern.
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"Bring me the Viakun doctor. I need to confirm my suspicions before we can act." Their eyes locked in a moment of understanding; no words were necessary. The weight of their unspoken desires lingered heavily in the air, yet they could not kiss, bound by the cruel laws of their society. Almorian males were permitted intimacy only with their owners, and any hint of homosexuality among male slaves was deemed an aberration, often meeting a swift and merciless death. They had to tread carefully; if Muuktel was to carry out his plan, he needed his lifelong love to remain safe.
Norvak wasted no time in arranging for Doctor Aakil to enter the room where Muuktel awaited him. In the hierarchy of their world, Almorian males received priority treatment to ensure the survival of their dwindling race. Muuktel, however, enjoyed an even higher status, having received direct orders from the Queen herself. "Ahh, Doctor Aakil, I'm glad you could join me!" he greeted, his voice deceptively calm.
"Slave, what is the problem?" Aakil replied curtly, his tone laced with disdain.
Muuktel gripped his staff tightly, letting his simmering anger seep into the metal shaft. 'I cannot act now, but he will die first!' he thought fiercely. For a species that endlessly preached peace, love, and harmony, the Viakun that Muuktel had encountered had all succumbed to the oppressive slave agenda propagated by the Almorian females. "Tell me, good doctor, what is the condition of our Grace?" He finally turned to face Aakil, his expression a mask of determination.
"Matters of the crown are none of your concern, slave!" Aakil snapped, his arrogance palpable.
"I am the Queen's right hand; it is my concern!" Muuktel retorted, his anger beginning to seep through the cracks of his carefully maintained composure.
"Why am I here? Are you ill? If not, stop wasting my time!" Aakil demanded, impatience evident in his voice.
"Wasting your time?" Muuktel let out a laugh, a sound that held no joy, nodding in Norvak's direction.
In a swift motion, the slave grabbed the four arms of the doctor, twisting them behind his back with a surprising strength, rendering him unable to escape.
"What the hell is going on?" Aakil shouted, struggling against the tight hold, his voice tinged with panic.
"You are mistaken, doctor; it is you who is wasting my time!" Muuktel declared, slowly removing one end of his staff to reveal a sharp blade glinting ominously in the dim light. "She is with child, isn’t she?"
Aakil's face contorted with shock, confusion washing over him as he grappled to comprehend how this slave could possibly know. His eyes involuntarily drifted to the ceremonial warrior's staff, and a wave of fear overcame him as he struggled to form a coherent response.
"Good! Your lack of a response tells me everything I need to know!" Muuktel smiled, a chilling expression that contrasted sharply with the gravity of the situation.
"How did you find out?"
"Doctor, Doctor, Doctor," he began to swing the staff, taunting Aakil with each word. "I have the collective data of the entire Almorian archives right here." He tapped his skull, a gesture laden with significance.
"Cranium implants are banned!" Aakil protested, his voice rising in alarm.
"Yes, they are, good doctor! Excellent observation! You see, I have been planning this moment for an extraordinarily long time! For far too long, the male race has been subjected to the will of the females—no more! We will bow no longer!"
"You are committing an act of treason against the crown, Slave!" Aakil's voice trembled, a mixture of disbelief and fear.
"No, good doctor. I am the crown! I am King Muuktel, Queenslayer. Savior of Almora!" With a fierce cry, he plunged the spear deep into Aakil's chest, the act swift and merciless, ending the doctor's life in an instant.
"My love," Norvak said, a smile of triumph spreading across his face. "The wheels of retribution are now turning. Our time has finally come!"
"Yes, Nor! Our time is now!" Muuktel echoed, his heart racing with exhilaration.
"What is our next step?" Norvak asked, his anticipation palpable.
"Clean up this mess, then silently pass the word to our followers. I want them to be poised and ready for when the time is perfect. I need to take care of the Queen."
"For Almora!" Norvak proclaimed, his voice ringing with fervor.
"For Almora!" Muuktel repeated, the weight of their shared destiny pressing heavily upon them as they prepared to ignite a revolution that would reshape their world forever.