Kenon smiled as he watched Rethans pour into the city below. It had only been a few mere hours since he had taken control of this race, but everything was going swimmingly. Sure, there had been a couple of distractions, what with a few Rethavok dying and a few Rethavok not dying, but Kenon’s plan was mostly intact and actually moving faster than planned.
“How are you doing this? Why are you doing this?”
The voice behind Kenon belonged to one of the few Rethavok who was somehow capable of resisting Kenon’s influence. General Vaksavar was allegedly a popular Rethan, but his entire Legion had turned him over to the Voidlord as soon as Kenon’s control had reached them. Heavy golden chains kept Vaksavar and a few other resistant Rethans locked down.
Kenon turned around, bored from gazing from this large window. The whole room was supposed to be where Rethan Generals worked on laws and policies, but Kenon had swiftly had it all converted into a royal throne room.
“Normally I do not answer dissidents such as yourself, but since you are so helpless, I shall indulge in your queries!” Kenon smiled underneath his mask. He had planned on making a more Rethan appearance for himself but had decided against it for now. His subjects needed to see who he really was. “You have an entire network of linked minds, all connected to one another. A simple genetic hack has allowed me to enter and take control over this network. The bigger question is how you, a being also connected to this network, is not under my control.”
Vaksavar grunted as Kenon picked up and tugged at his chains, pulling him forward. While he was aware that other races discovering the Rethavok’s secret telepathic link was possible, he never believed it could be hijacked so easily. The other Rethans behind him, a small group of lower Generals, all felt as… scared as Vaksavar did. None of them knew what was going to happen.
“So, tell me, Vaksavar, how are you breaking through?”
“I do not know.”
“Is that genuine or are you lying to me? Because I do not like liars…” Kenon circled behind Vaksavar and picked up two Rethans by the throat, parading them in front of Vaksavar as if they were hunks of flesh. “You two, tell me your names.”
The two Rethans chosen were almost opposites. General Jettir Korsalon was an aging Rethan, formerly in charge of agricultural areas to the north of Thre-Vretania and always someone who did what he wanted. He growled and struggled, kicking out against Kenon but hitting nothing but air. The other Rethan was a small, lightly armoured and newly promoted General known by the name of Relkai Skiaovoros. Both these Rethans had secrets, and both were terrified of what this deity was about to do to them.
“Let me go, you tyrant!” Jettir snarled, trying to claw at the Voidlord and failing miserably.
Kenon shrugged, caring little about Jettir’s struggles. He turned back to Vaksavar. “Tell me, will you be loyal to me, Vaksavar? Most of these Rethavok will fall in line. They just need a direct dose. You though, you are a step above most. Just like your former High Generals. Both Photeianos and Rethais were too… proud to fall in line.” Kenon paused. “I suppose I should add that, if you need an incentive, I will happily kill as many of you… conscious Rethans as I like, until you are all compliant.”
Suddenly, Jettir fell silent, his neck twisted and snapped, his body dangling limply from Kenon’s hand. Relkai immediately began to panic, whispering and gasping about how he would be loyal, how he had already lost family and how he was too young to die.
With a smile, Kenon dropped the body in front of Vaksavar. “The choice is yours, Vaksavar. Do you pledge your loyalty to me?”
“You… did not even give me a chance…” Vaksavar tried to remain calm, but fury and fear were both building up inside him. But what choice did he have? If he did not become loyal to Kenon, he would just be dead. “You… you did not have to murder him. I am willing to pledge my loyalty to you.”
Kenon kicked Jettir’s body to one side, dropping Relkai on top of it, then scooped up Vaksavar, his black claws wrapped around Vaksavar’s throat.
“You pledge your loyalty to me?”
“I do. I have no other choice and I do not wish to die.”
“Tell me then, how do I gain control over you and your fellow dissidents?”
Vaksavar hesitated. “I… I cannot tell you. I do not know…” Vaksavar mulled over his words. He knew the Voidlord wanted answers and would happily kill Vaksasvar if he did not provide them. “I am not well-versed in how my mind words. But the… the General of Medicinal Affairs… they may be able to provide some insight…”
Satisfied, Kenon let go of Vaksavar. He waved at a handful of guards, who pulled Vaksavar and Relkai to Kenon’s side. The other guards remained where they were, weapons aimed at the circle of dissidents. With a flick of his wrist, the Voidlord summoned a small canister, which he split open and dropped into the center of the circle.
“Guards, keep these dissidents here. If they are not compliant within the next hour, get rid of them.” Kenon tugged on the chains around Relkai and Vaksavar, dragging them by his side like common dogs. “You two, however, are coming with me. We have answers we need to find…”