Elkay was sick of being in bed. He wanted to be outside, doing anything but lying in bed. Anything. He’d prefer cleaning out a sewer to being in that stupid, hard, uncomfortable bed. Not just any sewer. A Cassid sewer. The worst of the worst. Really though, it wasn’t the bed that was annoying him. It was his own helplessness. Elkay had always prided himself on being a strong, independent, powerful warrior, but also an intelligent being who got things done. And there he was, lying in bed, suffering from injuries because somevok thought it’d be a good idea to try and blow him up.
Elkay made a mental note of all his achievements. He’d brought equality to all the Rethan sub-types. He made sure that all abandoned kids were looked after. He ensured that every young Rethan received a high quality education, no matter who they were. He’d also single-handedly ended the large debt problem the former Vice General had allowed Photeianos to build up, and closed up loopholes that allowed scientists to experiment on their fellow Retha without their permission. Yes, it meant that super-soldiers like the Warriors of Light were harder to come by, as not many Rethans volunteer themselves for that insanity, but at least the torture was finally over.
Tortured was pretty much how Elkay felt right now. Yes, the hospital was great. They were looking after him. His injuries were mending. He stank of weakness. His injuries meant he couldn’t defend himself currently, and Elkay hated that. Worse, they’d kept him in isolation, insisting that he needed to rest. Two days partially comatose was enough for the young General. Apart from the heavy Ethran-types guarding his room and the many medics who had tended to him, Elkay’s only real visitor had been his step-father. Considering that his step-father was a delusional, shadow-driven war criminal from the distant past who had spent most of his life frozen in a Stasis Chamber, that was… worrying.
A knock on the door snapped Elkay out of his thoughts. It was one of the guards.
“Vice General, you have a visitor.”
That was a coincidence. Elkay pulled his blanket over his legs, he didn’t like anyone seeing how cut up they were. “They can come in.”
The visitor in question was Photeianos, the High General. Elkay’s superior. Except he looked nearly as bad as Elkay did. Exhausted, confused, angry. Which was weird because Photeianos hadn’t been caught in the middle of the explosion and escaped with only cuts and bruises. No, Photeianos was suffering from other, non-physical problems.
“How are you doing, kid?” Photeianos asked, his feathered wings folded away, but still slightly bedraggled. Elkay’s own, more reptilian wings looked in far better condition, and he’d pretty much broken one of them.
“I am angry. You could have visited sooner. I have been here for over a week now!” That came out louder than Elkay intended, but his emotions were perfectly valid.
“I apologise, Elkay, but I have been busy trying to find out who did this to you. Among other things…” Photeianos’s voice trailed off. Immediately, Elkay knew something was wrong.
“What have you done?”
“N-nothing that concerns you.”
“This clearly concerns me. It’s about the Ksa, isn’t it?”
Photeianos hesitated, then nodded. “Yes. Yes it is.”
“What happened?” Elkay demaned to know.
“They… Many of the Ksa we were holding have escaped. And they are now assisting the Kalsa Warriors in their rebellion. And are possibly plotting against us.”
Elkay rolled his eyes. “Against you. I TOLD you this would happen! You did not listen to me, and now our most powerful warriors have run away!”
“I will fix this.”
“You had better!” Elkay tried to sit up straight but couldn’t. “If you don’t, then I will.”
“I will fix this…” Photeianos turned to leave. “Get well soon, Elkay. Good day.”
Elkay sighed. “Thank you, Photeianos. Good day to you too.”