Chapter 27: Great Divide

How could everything go so wrong? Istan’s plan was foolproof. He was on course to seal his ascension as the kingdom’s new ruler, continuing the course Taimoor laid out; world domination.

We lost too much territory to the Ahrman Empire over the years. Our borders used to span miles to the west and north. It was high time we ripped that land from them, or so I had hoped.

Damn it, Idris. Why’d you have to interfere? What could the Grand Vizier be thinking? He’s too young and politically naive.

He never showed the least bit of interest in becoming Emperor before. Why now? Was it because of his ailing mother? His Ahrman mother?

Idris, if you weren’t a close comrade, I would leave you to the Omusha. Maybe, just maybe, they would spare Badr’s life in exchange for yours.

Unlike the city around it, the barracks was alive with activity. Lucky for you, Idris,Tears wasn’t hard to find.

“Tears,” I beckoned.

“Isa, where have you been? You were expected back hours ago.’

“Nevermind. I need you to come with me.”

“Hold on a minute. I have something important to share with you.”

“It’s going to have to wait.”

“No, it can’t. Listen, it pains me to say this but I have to detain you.”

He looked dead serious and stole my attention. “For?”

“Istan has brought a case against you. He says..he claims you’ve been helping the people behind the attacks on our soil.”

Istan, you backstabbing scoundrel! “He’s lying.” Mostly.

“If it was anyone else, I would agree with you. ”

“Where is Istan? I’ll prove he’s a lying coward.”

“You know I can’t tell you that. It’s my duty to detain you until all of this is sorted out.”

“Badr will be dead by that time. Now tell me where Istan is.”

Did Istan really think he was going to let me take all the blame for his scheme?? He must know what the Omusha is planning to do with the Earth rune. He’s trying to get me executed!

If Tears hadn’t opened up about Istan’s whereabouts, I would have dropped a whirlwind on his fifty acre estate. And if he wasn’t there, I would have demolished the properties of all his family. He wouldn’t have a place to hide from my wrath.

I was still furious enough to do some damage to his place.

“Isa, what are you doing man??” said Tears as I peeled the roof off of Istan’s manor.

It looked like I interrupted the forked tongued snake’s dinner. Judging by the look on his face, he wasn’t too thrilled to see me. Or maybe it was me destroying the roof that ticked him off.

He was nowhere near as angry as I was.

“What’s the meaning of this intrusion?!” Istan fumed. “Why isn’t this miscreant in prison, Tears?!”

“The next words that come out of your mouth better be a confession, Istan!”

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“General Tears, if you don’t remove this menace from my property, I’ll see that you’re stripped from your rank and have you personally fund the repairs to my home!”

“Apologies, Istan. If I had known his intentions I wouldn’t have agreed to bring him here.”

“Don’t apologize to him! He’s deliberately placing the blame for his failed schemes on me!”

“I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about, General.”

That was the last straw! A gust of wind sent him spiraling through a wall and into a bookshelf. Of course he wasn’t going to confess here. He was too smart a fool for that. And I was wasting Badr’s time.

“You’re not getting away with this, Istan,” I told him, even though I knew he couldn’t hear a word of it.

“Why do you keep making my job harder for me, Isa?” asked Tears.

“Try pretending you weren’t here.”

Istan should consider himself lucky that I don’t steal the air from his lungs. That would shut him up for good. Unfortunately, doing so wouldn’t help my defense.

If only I possessed my original rune that Idris so carelessly stole. Everything was easier when people did what I wanted them to do.

***

The winds carried Tears and me farther and faster than I expected. We had made it to Idris’ position within moments. He was holding his ground against the Omusha much better than I anticipated.

There’s no point hoping for his defeat anymore, now was there, Istan?

“Tears, do you see?”

“I got them.”

Tears descended like a shooting star and his impact was even more impactful. His rune burned away the night and probably the sight of Idris’ opponents, as well.

“You always have the best timing, Tears,” Idris remarked. “That Rebirth of theirs was giving me a workout.”

“It’s over, Oji,” I told him, grabbing him by the collar. “Tell us where Badr is.”

“What time would you say it was?” Oji asked.

“It’s time for you and your comrades to surrender,” said Idris. “I don’t know what promises Istan made you, but if you keep on this path it’s going to end badly for your cause.”

“Our cause is just beginning. Once we’re independent of Ras Almal, others will join us. Who knows? We might even join forces with the Empire and put your blood thirsty criminal kingdom in its place.”

“Then prepare to be wiped off the map like Haggard,” I said.

“Isa..” Idris began. His attention shifted to the same low tremor I heard. And it was growing.

“Oh, I see better now,” Oji smirked. “It’s close to sunrise. If Yena didn’t hear from us before dawn, she was going to slit the other General’s throat and take his rune.”

The tremor quickly intensified to the point where the ground was completely unstable. We had to leave it. The view from above was worse than the uncontrollable shaking below.

We could see the epicenter afar. The earth screamed as if it were a living thing in agony. It was a terrible, deep, guttural roar that vibrated in my bones. Cracks snake across the earth like lightning veins, spitting dust into the air.

Trees whip like flailing limbs, their leaves a green blizzard against the bruised sky. But the worst was the tearing. The earth ripped open with a sound like a thousand thunderbolts, creating a chasm wider than any canyon, deeper than any ocean trench.

As we flew closer a blinding layer of dust and the acrid smell of crushed stone awaited. The scream of the earth reached a fever pitch, then abruptly cut off; replaced by an eerie silence above and below.

My heart was heavy with defeat and sadness. I almost turned away. The sun bled through the dust cloud, casting the scene in an apocalyptic light. And there we stood on the edge of the abyss, staring into the gaping wound that was once solid earth.

Oji and his kin broke the silence with celebratory applause. And on the other side of the divide stood Yena, smiling at the carnage she caused. Did they think a crack in the ground was enough to stop the full force of Ras Almal’s anger?

I’ll fly over there and strangle her myself right now!

“Isa!” Idris said, holding me back. “Don’t. This is bad enough.”

No, this was all your fault, you sentimental fool!

“Return Badr to us, Yena !” Idris ordered.

“Send my brothers to me first, Generals!” she replied, with a look of victory on her face. Parts of the ground rose from the void, bridging the gap like stepping stones. Badr’s body laid on the center one.

Both Idris and Tears insisted on exchanging the two for Badr, despite my objections. As the trio walked away, the ground rose around the border, thickening and hardening like a wall.

That wasn’t going to do little to protect them from the wrath of the kingdom.

“Badr? Tears, he’s still alive!” Idris announced.

“She didn’t kill him?” asked Tears.

“No, there are no cuts on him. He’s so pale, though. I can barely feel his pulse.”

“It must be the poison,” I said. “Tears, can you clear it from his blood?”

“Of course.”

His rune left him because he was too close to death. Burning the poison from his bloodstream was the only sure way to save his life. I just hope he’s strong enough to stand the process and the journey home; where I suppose I'll have to face the music.