“STOP,” she warned.
Suddenly, a spray of spears came spiraling at them. The troops instantly put up all their shields to block the attack. After three hours passed, the spears ceased to fire as none had successfully penetrated through the shields. In dead silence, the troops lowered their shields to see Lord Enzo at the top of the shrine with one Necromancer. He remained in his Celestial form as a Sapphire cloud draped in a black cape-like the Necromancer’s attire.
“Is that all the tenacity you have left since your army is gone, Lord Enzo?” Lord Chimique called out towards him.
“You are outnumbered! You may as well surrender,” Aysha chimed.
Lord Enzo remained silent.
“You should be ashamed of your failures and even more embarrassed that you became accustomed to using underhanded trickery to make advances. It is no wonder that you remain the pathetic lower-ranking Lord reviled by all who speak your name,” Lord Bilal asserted.
Lord Enzo cackled wildly. “High Chief Lord Bilal, you are one to jest! You dare stand in the presence of the great and well-revered Lord Chimique knowing full well that you did not receive your acclaimed rank on the same honorable merit?!” He huffed.
“You needn’t indulge in grand delusions over any petty rumors. It is common practice to bribe an official for rank, as not everyone has twelve centuries to gain the experience to qualify.” Lord Bilal scoffed.
Lord Enzo cackled wildly again. “If only that were the case, I would have nothing more to say.” He said.
“Enough of this rubbish talk! It is time for your surrender,” Lord Bilal said as he launched an attack on Lord Enzo.
The Necromancer quietly chanted a spell, causing crystalized asphalt to grow from the ground and attach itself to Lord Bilal’s ankles. He fell to his knees in anguish as the minerals seeped into his being. The camp waited with bated breath, trying to make sense of the altercation.
“True to tale, I embarked on a mission for supreme dominancy over all our territories. Lord Bilal bribed the Officials for his rank. The devilish missing detail is that he threatened to end their existence with shards of a crystallization sword!” Lord Enzo tauntingly revealed.
The troops gasped in horror, as Vadiim lunged towards Lord Bilal to confront him. “This cannot be,” he said in disbelief.
Lord Bilal lowered his head in disgrace. “Lord Enzo, you are the epitome of evil. To put it mildly, you possess the spirit of total deprivation. It has always been your practice to take everything, without regard to those around. What I did was a necessary evil, because it was for the good of my kinsmen and the Emerald Kingdom,” he said bitterly.
“Lord Bilal, we are pot and kettle who needn’t call each other black! Centuries ago, you had no qualms about being at my side when we mined for crystallized minerals. We secretly traveled as a pair so powerful; no one could stop us. That is of course, until you abruptly decided to part ways to make a name for yourself in the Emerald kingdom.” Lord Enzo fired back.
Lord Chimique and Aysha rushed to where Lord Bilal knelt to attack him.
“You treasonous bastard,” Lord Chimique raged.
Aysha put a dagger to his throat, but Vadiim blocked her with his sword.Lord Bilal felt a hint of relief that he had been saved.”General Vadiiamonial, it should be clear that hell is what you go through to keep heaven intact,” he pleaded.
Vadiim pondered the notion for a moment, then turned towards Lord Enzo.
“We will deal with Lord Bilal’s treachery in due time. We will not allow ourselves to become distracted from our conviction that you, Lord Enzo, must be dealt with promptly,” Vadiim declared as he began his pursuit.
Just as he Vadiim launched his attack, Lord Enzo hurled a crystalized spear, which pierced through his chest and directly into Lord Bilal’s mouth. Immediately, Lord Bilal turned to stone. Though the spear held Vadiim stuck to Lord Bilal, he remained unharmed from the minerals. Aysha signaled for the troops to attack in full force.
The Far Side of Hereafter, Ch. 24
Living Works of D.K. Fair 