The sound of skin slapping skin echoed a little more awkwardly than it should have in the small office. Outside, on the street below, Rethans were mostly going about their business, heading home from work after a busy day. It had taken a little too long, but finally there was some normalcy in the Rethan capital, and fears about the future had been suitably yet pleasantly quashed, all thanks to godly intervention.
However, as always, there were some who disagreed. Vice General Lepidas, the second in command of the Rethavok, was rather angry about recent goings on. To the point that he had caught his boss, High General Rethais, off-guard.
Rethais had, to his credit, taken the slap to the face rather graciously. And he knew exactly why Lepidas was angry.
“That was unnecessary, Lepidas…” Rethais rubbed his cheek, which still felt a bit raw.
Lepidas growled, stepping back slightly. “What was unnecessary was you allowing a deity to take TEN PERCENT of our population as slaves!”
“That is not true in the slightest!” Rethais snapped back. “It is 10% of our adult workforce, between the ages of 35 and 100! And they will not be slaves, they will be how that serpent arranges the production, management and shipping of the resources to keep us alive!”
“Chosen via a lottery though, completely at random!” Lepidas snarled. “You are taking the fate of other beings out of their hands!”
“That already happened!” Rethais snapped back, slamming his fist into the desk next to him. “We already lost our fates! We have not been in control of ourselves or our fates since Kenon took over and broke us!”
“You sold us to the devil serpent. You betrayed us.”
“You sold me to the damned Voidborn,” Rethais lowered his voice, then removed the wrap from his stomach, revealing two hideous scars. “You think I have not forgotten? I took a bullet and a blade for all of you, and you stood there and watched as Kenon took over and crushed us like insects. That damned Voidborn ruined us as a species, and the way I see it, the only way we could ever claw ourselves back is by allying with the Voidborn’s polar opposite.”
“And you think the devil serpent will not be any different? After all, she is the reason Elkay is no longer with us!”
Rethais sighed, then walked around his desk and threw himself into his chair. “Normally, I would agree with you. In fact, I do agree with you. If we had been as we were, before the coup, then I would not have accepted anything the serpent said. But, Lepidas, you have to understand, we cannot rebuild any more. Kenon stretched what resources we had thin, in a bid to become a god for everyone. The entire universe is currently relying on us to continue helping everyone else, and we simply cannot do it.”
“Things cannot be THAT dire.”
“Lepidas, they really are…” Rethais put his head in his hands. “I have done my best to try and protect us, but I have ultimately failed. The Secret has been destroyed, our minds have been neutered, our society and natural order were demolished and our future looks grim. We are shells, tattered and worn away by Kenon. If a god came up to you and promised that your kin’s hardships, that everyone’s hardships would be over, are you really telling me that you would decline that offer?”
Lepidas paused, then tutted. “Well, when you put it that way… I suppose you are right… I… I apologize. That was completely uncalled for. But I do worry about, well, the gods and their politics. That this contract remains intact.”
“I know…” Rethais sighed. “But we simply cannot continue as we are. At the very least, even if the blood contract fails in some way, the majority will be safe. It is the least I can do, after all these traumatic years…”
Lepidas grunted, then turned to leave. Before he could do so though, Rethais got up and grabbed him by the shoulder.
“One last thing, before you go.”
“Yes, High General?”
Rethais lowered his voice, snarling. “Your physical assault against me was uncalled for. While I understand your anger and frustration, if you even consider getting physical with me again, I will break your fingers, one by one. Understood?”
Lepidas bowed slightly. “Yes, ser… Sorry, ser…”