Later on, you’ll see a man after we set sail on the seas.

He might be pure evil, but his reasons could make your heart ease.

Are villains born as they are, or are they shaped by fate?

Do they choose the path of darkness, or are they forced to pick a gate?

Soon, another man will step into view, apart from the one at sea.

This man fights against evil, yet uses it as his key.

His actions, in his mind, may seem right and fair,

But to others, they’re wrong—a twisted affair.

So, what weight does “evil” really hold, if we all see it differently?

Is it set in stone, or does it bend as per one’s own mentality?

In this journey, these questions will rise,

As we dive into the truths that lie behind each guise.

CH.92 The Eagle & The Chicken

In the room where the Nubian army stayed, the atmosphere was thick with tension and anticipation. The open window let in a gentle breeze that played with the curtains as the flickering candlelight illuminated the faces of Drexel, Amon, and Kairo, who sat in chairs at the center. Other soldiers leaned against the walls, some nibbling on food or sipping water, while others whispered among themselves.

"Henu Safir challenged us," one soldier remarked, breaking the silence.

Kairo interjected, his tone serious. "The genie doesn’t lie. If it warns there’s more to lose than gain in fighting Henu Safir, then it’s not worth the risk."

Thane, standing nearby, added, "Now that you mention it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Henu Safir fight."

Drexel glanced at Thane, explaining, "A long time ago, there was a notorious criminal named Zypher. His ambition was to seize control of all of Egypt. Zypher had a younger 'brother,' Alistair Blackwood, who now leads the Merchants Guild. Although they aren’t related by blood, they’ve always called each other brothers. Zypher amassed an army of over a thousand men, with nearly half wielding Chronotex abilities. The Great General Akhil sent Menes and Henu Safir alone to take down Zypher and his forces. They succeeded, wiping out the enemy army and capturing Zypher. Just the two of them."

Amon leaned back, nodding in respect. "General Akhil likely did that as a demonstration to the other kingdoms—showing the strength of those destined to lead."

Kairo turned, curious. "What was General Akhil’s power?"

Amon replied, "He could control the stars themselves."

Drexel continued, “Tomorrow, it’s going to be Menes vs. Henu Safir.”

Lieutenant Eboke laughed, grinning. "Now that’s a fight I wouldn’t want to miss."

Elio chuckled, adding playfully, “You’re right about that, Lieutenant."

Drexel then listed the second matchup. "After that, it’s Kairo vs. Jack."

Kairo smirked, his eyes gleaming with ambition. “Well, well, well. I’ll finally see the real strength of that ‘Staller.’ If need be, I’ll use the genie to get rid of him.”

Drexel wrapped up, saying, “And the winner of that battle will face Commander Menes.”

Amon stood up, his voice resolute. “Kairo, you must win. We need to show that our forces are not only stronger but far superior to the Theban armies.”

Thane then added thoughtfully, "And let’s not forget the CAR. If we can acquire it, we’ll have a tremendous advantage. I heard it was put to the test in the war against the Royal Nebu and passed with flying colors."

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Jack sat on his windowsill, his feet braced against the wall, gazing out at the lively festivities below. The night felt alive, filled with the echoes of laughter, music, and dance. The moon cast a gentle glow over the scene. “Wow, the mood is really set,” he murmured with a smile.

Suddenly, a familiar voice broke through the clamor, calling out, “Jack! Jack!” It had been two or three months since he’d last heard it, but he recognized it instantly. Shocked and excited, he looked around to see Ayman and old man Marcus—the two who had helped him when he first arrived in Egypt. Jack’s face lit up with surprise, nearly causing him to fall off the windowsill as he scrambled down, running through the circular staircase and out to greet them.

Ayman opened his arms and pulled Jack into a hug. Marcus stood by with a proud smile. “You’ve grown, my boy,” he said, letting out a chuckle.

Jack returned the greeting. “I sure have! How are you, old man Marcus?”

“Oh, I’m doing well. The shop’s been thriving; spices and softeners are flying off the shelves,” Marcus replied with a twinkle in his eye.

Jack grinned. “Any bandits giving you trouble? Just so you know, I can hold my own now!” he joked.

They laughed together and strolled over to the palace wall, where they settled, looking out over the city and the river flowing beneath the night sky. Jack felt a warm, nostalgic sensation—a rare feeling of being home.

They talked about old times until Jack asked Ayman, “So, how long till you join us, huh?”

Ayman replied, “Last time I told you, it was a year. Now, I’ve got just about six or seven months left. Soon, I’ll be fighting alongside you.”

Jack looked at him seriously. “It’s hard, Ayman. The enemies we’ve fought—there’s so much to learn, and some things... some things you can’t really explain.”

Ayman nodded, understandingly. “My teacher says the same thing. I heard you defeated a commander!” he added with surprise.

Jack smiled, a little modest. “Yeah, but it wasn’t just me. I had some help from Steller—the being inside me. I still don’t fully understand it.”

“Steller? My teacher mentioned it, though it’s not known outside the military. He only told me because he knows I know you.”

“Ah, that makes sense,” Jack replied.

Ayman looked at him with a curious gleam. “Can I see it, Jack?”

Jack shook his head. “Not yet. I still can’t control it well enough. But one day, I promise you’ll see it.”

Ayman smiled. “Thanks, Jack.” He stood up. “I’ve got to go meet Ramon, Kasib, and Commander Menes. I’ll be back, so wait for me here.”

“Alright,” Jack replied as Ayman walked away.

He called back to Marcus, “I’ll be back, Grandpa!”

Marcus chuckled. “Alright, boy.”

They sat in a comfortable silence, watching the moon and listening to the sounds of the river and the laughter echoing through Thebes. Jack broke the quiet, feeling a pull of trust jack shared his thought. “I don’t understand why people fight for evil. Back in the war with the Royal Nebu, I killed soldiers. But after... something felt wrong. When Steller’s powers went berserk, I had this... memory.”

Marcus nodded, encouraging him to continue.

“I remember a man who had been transformed into something inhuman. Yet, even like that, he clung to hope. He’d done it all for his sick wife—this monster Ramon killed. His name was Hermeson. I want to visit his wife one day, but I can’t shake the question…”

“What is it, Jack?” Marcus asked gently.

“Why do people choose evil?” Jack paused, then continued, “The soldiers we fought were used, manipulated. What about the bandits—don’t they have families? Don’t they fear God? Don’t they ever feel guilty?”

Old man Marcus chuckled softly, stroking his beard. “Oh, Jack…”

Jack looked at him, puzzled. “What’s so funny?”

“Let me tell you a story about the eagle,” Marcus began, settling into his tale.

Jack listened intently.

“There was once a farmer who found an eagle’s egg but had no eagles on his land. He couldn’t leave the egg abandoned, so he placed it in a hen’s nest. The eagle chick grew up with the chickens, ate like a chicken, walked like one, and lived his whole life thinking he was a chicken. One day, he looked up and saw a magnificent bird soaring across the sky, breaking through the clouds. ‘What is that?’ he questioned. The chicken replied, ‘That’s an eagle—the king of the skies. We’re just chickens. We’ll never be an eagle.’ And so, the eagle lived and died as a chicken because that’s all he knew.”

Marcus looked at Jack with wise eyes. “The people you fought—some of them may have had the spirit of an eagle. But they lived and died like chickens because that’s all they knew. You wonder why they chose evil. Maybe in their eyes, what they did wasn’t evil at all.”

Jack absorbed the story, deep in thought.

“This world is brutal, Jack,” Marcus continued. “I used to manage the finances of the whole kingdom. I saw nobles consumed by greed, people in poverty praying for a better life, lives destroyed over mere pocket change.”

Jack asked quietly, “But what can be done to fix this?”

Marcus sighed. “Every man dreams of changing the world, but no one can remove evil entirely. It’s part of us, from the moment humanity tasted that first apple, the first sin. But what you can do is make small changes—changes that may be small in scale but remembered forever.”

Jack sat in silence, feeling a new clarity settle over him. The path forward wasn’t about fixing the world in one sweep. It was about the small steps he could take, the eagles he could help soar above the chickens. And maybe, that was enough.