Elkay had been trying to get the door unlocked for hours now. Normally, with a combination of telekinisis, lock-picking and sheer strength, opening a door would not be a problem. This door though was too heavy to blast off, and Elkay couldn’t see the locks on the other side, to get any idea on how to break them.
In the mean time, he’d eaten most of the food in his cell. Whoever had placed him there had not anticipated Elkay ever waking up. The Vice General had quickly discovered that being in a coma, waking up from said coma and not eating for several days maked one incredibly hungry.
Outside his cell, nothing had happened. The fancy bed, the expensive furniture, all unused. No one had walked by. No one had come to see him. Maybe the voices in his coma dreams were right. Maybe everyone did think he was dead…
Just as Elkay was about to lament on the fact that he was forever alone in there, a door in the room outside his cell opened, and someone walked in. Out of instinct, Elkay quickly fled back to the bed and pretended to be asleep. They didn’t need to know he was conscious.
The being in question was carrying something heavy, and they threw it on the luxurious bed. It sounded like a body. Elkay wanted to keep his element of surprise, but whatever was happening outside his cell, he needed to see it.
But as Elkay peered from the window, he wished he hadn’t.
Lying on the bed was an unconscious, but armoured Threan-type. From Elkay’s vantage point, it looked like one of the N-Class Ksa, there were familiar feathers scattered on the floor suggesting so, although he was uncertain which one, as they were partially covered in a blanket. Standing above them, however, was the High General, with rope in his hands. He was… tying the other Rethan up?
Elkay couldn’t stand by and watch. He had to do something.
“HEY!”
The banging on the thick window made Photeianos jump and instantly spin around. He looked both shocked and happy to see that Elkay was awake, but that joy quickly turned into worry.
“You’re awake? How?”
“What the fuck are you doing with that body?” Elkay demanded. “And why the fuck am I in this cell?”
Photeianos seemed to hesitate, unable to find an answer. “I, uh, um… You were comatose. Apparently permanently. The medics said I could bring you here. Special chamber, would look after you and preserve you until you die…”
Elkay could tell Photeianos was lying. If he’d been in a coma, he would be kept in the KSA hospital or another secure facility like any other ill or injured general. That was standard procedure, written into Rethan law.
“I don’t believe a word of that.”
The High General sighed. He knew that Elkay could see through his lies. But he also knew that Elkay was incapable of getting out of that cell, not without some sort of divine intervention.
“You really want to know?”
“I want to know fucking everything!” Elkay banged on the glass, his anger building.
“Shut up and I’ll explain…”
“Get on with it then.”
Photeianos sighed, loudly, then sat on the bed next to the unconscious Rethan. “I made a deal. A long time ago. I agreed with the Deitics, that I would… cut down on anti-Deitic behaviour. Keep Theoktons under control. Put an end to the old Silver Hunts. In return, I would be able to stay in power as long as I wanted. All Theoktons were to become Ksa so I could keep an eye on them. And the Deitic in question, the monster that he was, he promised not only to leave us alone, but the other Maza races too.”
“We had the Dessaron Agreement though!” Elkay interrupted.
“Shush. This Deitic wasn’t covered by it. And I’ve done my part of the deal perfectly. Only four Deitics slipped through the cracks. Psivee-En was frozen anyway. Retvik was of the Rethianos family and thus untouchable. Tenuk Diplastron is a filthy half-Deitic. And then there’s you.
“See, you have caused me so much trouble, yet brought me so much joy. You’ve been one of the best Vice Generals ever, I mean it. A love interest as well. Had things been different, I would have asked you to marry me. But you have caused me so many damn problems. You’re eroding the control I have on Theoktons. You’re destroying traditions. You do everything in your power to make everyone equal. It is ruining me.”
“So you lock me away?” Elkay stuttered, confused by what he was hearing.
“No. You were supposed to die. He was supposed to kill you for me. I can’t kill you though, I still… love you. I faked your death. You’re dead to everyone but me…”
Elkay noticed that Photeianos was staring at the locks. He could use that. He could see into Photeianos’s thoughts, see through his eyes… and pick the locks that way, via telepathy…
“What about that Rethan then?” Elkay asked, trying to keep the High General talking.
Photeianos laughed. “Oh, this? Silly Thitavee-En thought he could defect to your side. You were partially right, you know, I am a vrykolak. Well, I’ve reverted to being one since you interrupted my damn feeding sessions. Thitavee-En is my next meal, then I’ll be sated for a year or so. No one will ever miss him anyway… Wait, what are you…”
The High General realised the locks on the door were moving. He rushed over to it, but Elkay had already unlocked the door and was trying to push it open.
“Let me out of here!”
“I can’t! You need to disappear! I already buried you! Everyone saw your funeral! YOU’RE ALREADY DEAD!” Photeianos roared. But his anger couldn’t match Elkay’s determination. The door flew open and Elkay burst out, pushing past Photeianos and grabbing Thitavee-En.
“I won’t let you hurt me, and I won’t let you hurt Thitavee. He has done nothing but be loyal to the Rethans!” Elkay shouted. “You let me walk free, you retain your honour, your leadership. They’ve forgiven you for everything el-”
“NO!”
Photeianos charged forward, roaring menacingly. His sudden attack caught Elkay by surprise, and he only just managed to reflect the charge with a telepathic shield. Only just, he caught Elkay by the arm, scratching him. Photeianos’s eyes glowed red. He’d tasted blood.
“Please! I speak to you as a friend, despite all this shit!” Elkay tried to talk sense into Photeianos, but his attacks continued. Sweeping slashes, clawing and kicking. Elkay did his best to try and dodge the angered Rethan, despite his weariness. He had not realised how weak and exhausted he was.
All it took was one mistake. And when Elkay made that one mistake, it nearly knocked him out. Photeianos kicked Elkay to the ground, then placed his foot on Elkay’s throat.
“I don’t want to kill you.”
“T-then don’t!” Elkay sputtered, clawing ineffectively at Photeianos’s legs. “Let me go! Let him go!”
The High General glanced back at the unconscious Ksa behind him, then smiled.
“You have nothing to bargain with, little one. I won’t kill you.”
“W-what do you want then?”
“I want you gone,” Photeianos sneered. “I want you out of Rethan territories. For six months at least. Preferably forever. Change your name and go find yourself a nice villa to live in, somewhere in the neutral territories.”
Elkay was running out of air. “I-in exchange f-for what?”
Photeianos smiled again. A cold, creepy smile. “You keep your snout out of Rethan politics. And I promise I will spare Thitavee-En. If you want, you can take your K-Class with you. Go and retire, the lot of you. I was only going to exile them all anyway… What do you think of that?”
“F-fine…”
Photeianos removed his foot from Elkay’s neck. Elkay clambered to his feet, gasping for air.
“Remember, I am only doing this because I love you. Anyone else, I would have killed. Now go, little one. Before I change my mind and kill you and your friends.”
Elkay lowered his head, still breathing heavily. Thoughts of running away, speaking out in public, screaming out the truth, ran through his head, but Elkay knew no one would believe him. A screaming, crying lunatic. The Rethans would never believe him. After all, they had already mourned for him.
He’d lost. It was all over now.
After a moment of silence, the former Vice General ripped off his armour and walked away, never to return.