“Knock, knock, knock..”

“Who is knocking on my bloody door!” I shouted. I began to wake myself from yet another good day of fine spirits. The door more quietly began to swing open as I saw who was so insistently knocking.

“Sir, I am reported back,” Mouse said.

“And why do you think it necessary to bring that report to me? Can’t you see I was busy here doing my job?” I demanded out of him.

“Umm sir, I thought it would be best to bring this to your desk.”

“You have your minute now to speak.”

“Sir, Tiger has been deviating from the original strategy. Instead of capturing the outpost from the orcs and waiting for reinforcements, she decided to ally with them. To add to that she is allowing the demonic affinity users to roam free about the outpost. They are not even chained up as is our typical orders when dealing with them. Finally, sir Tiger outed me from the outpost telling me that I was dismissed from their services.”

“Is she your superior officer?” I asked.

“Sir I really…” Mouse squeaked.

“I said is she your superior officer!”

“Yes…”

“Then enough has been said here. Go report to your new post, and if Tiger did not see fit to give you one then go report to someone other than me.”

“Sir, she and I did not leave it on good terms. I have no further orders.”

“Then I will trust she made a sound decision. You are hereby removed from your position and discharged from the employ of the inquisitors. If you would like to object your case can be made to the commanding officer of your assigned armed forces.” I spurted out. With this conversation now over I sauntered back to my spirits cabinet. I would need a couple more glasses to help me back to sleep.

“Umm, sir you are my commanding officer.” Mouse said.

He had not heard me the first time. I wonder how Tiger put up with him all this time? Were all my men this dense or just this one in particular?

“Leave before I execute you for insubordination,” I said cooley.

With that Mouse finally scampered out of my office. I followed him out into the hallway and found my clerk.

“Can you fill out a form of discharge for Mouse for me?” I asked her.

“Only if you put down the liquor for the rest of the evening and get some work done,” Mariah said in response.

I nodded to her and set down the glass I had poured for myself and took a seat at my desk.

“So, what do you have for me to sign?” I asked.

“Well, it's not about your documents. I have been filling most of those out with our seal at the bottom as you instructed. It is more so about the Locknomores. They have become increasingly overt in their attempts to exercise you from your position.” Mariah said.

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“Haven’t they done enough to my reputation? I would sooner wage war on this entire kingdom than rely on any of them again.”

“Sir you should reconsider. I know what they did to you in the past doesn’t allow you to look past their current attempts to influence the inquisitors, but with your lack of appearances in court the King will soon give way to their advances.”

“Your right it is about time I finally give the Locknomore family what they coming. Send word to their patriarchal head that I will be arriving on their grounds at noon. Make sure they know to send as many of their leading members to convince me,” I said.

“As you wish sir.”

The Locknomore estate was seated between the barrack district and the royal castle. For all purposes, it was quite a lovely estate with ornate walls and a fine rose garden. If my relations with the family were not so poor I may have even enjoyed my visit here. My ex-wife would have loved the scenery and most likely would have loved to have tea right here in their gazebo.

“General, the master of the estate will see you in the west wing tea room. If you would be so kind as to follow me I will escort you there,” said one of the Locknomore butlers.

I followed the well-dressed man into the estate. As we entered my eyes fell on a portrait. I mean how could it not when they placed it directly in the line of sight when you entered the building? It did not look like it fit the decoration of the walls since it was too small for the spot it was hung. But, I recognized the coward that was depicted in the portrait. It was the same coward that turned and fled instead of joining me on the battlefield as I commanded him. A man who by all right should have been executed for treason against our country. But when your surname is Locknomore all you get as punishment is discharged from military service.

“Your master is quite cruel,” I said.

“Whatever do you mean sir?” the butler asked.

“I think I heard something from one of the other house staff that you were under the weather. It might be a good idea to go and get some rest for that cold.”

The butler turned a pale white as he ushered me into the tea room. As the doors closed I could hear him break out into a run. Well if I thought before there would not be a big enough welcoming party for me now I knew that there would be. I took my seat on one of the sofas and began sipping at the tea that was laid out for me. After taking a few sips off the top I took a flask from my jacket and added some to my tea.

“Aww, much better,” I said to myself.

“General, I hear you are scaring my house staff?” came the voice of Johnathan Locknomore. Johnathan was the head of the Locknomore estate and a general in his own right.

“John it has been some time since I saw you last. Was it at the execution trial of your grandson?”

“No, I think you are mistaken it was at your wife’s divorce proceedings. Sorry, to hear about that again. I mean who would have thought merchants would begin pulling out of her family’s business after your failure at the battle of Bluff Creek.”

“You and I both know that wasn’t a failure. I killed every last one of the enemies and saved the lives of half my men. If it weren’t for your grandson the fight would have been more decisive.”

“Now now, there is no need for accusations that were proven false in court. What can I do for you today?”

“You need to stop trying to push the inquisitors out of the kingdom’s armed forces,” I said.

“Whatever do you mean? I have done no so such thing,” Johnathan replied.

“I am not asking. You have done enough to impact my life and I want you out of it.”

“Such a shame isn’t it? For your son not to grow up with a father. To only know him as the drunken general. How old is he now?”

“He is seven.”

“I think we know where we both stand on this issue. Now if you continue to bar our family from what is rightfully ours I will do to your son what you failed to do to my grandson. Guards!”

From the hallway, dozens of men began to pour into the room. They had weapons drawn and pointed at me. So, I took the moment to finish my tea and arise to my feet.

“Now boys didn’t your fathers teach you never to point a weapon at something you are not ready to kill,” I said.

“Shut it you old man, and come with us it's time for you to go,” one of the men called out.

“You should have left my boy out of this. Now your family will know why my code name is Pheonix. I will give you lads a hint. It's because no matter how many times you stab me or cut my body apart I don’t go down.”