THE RETURN OF GENERAL KAI

Chapter 14

Astrophel shot Orion a look. He was whining and the sound of his voice and his complaining disgusted him, but he was right. They all could die. They all would die.

Orion walked backwards until he plopped down on a seat, “I have to move.” He said as a matter of factly.

“I have to move right this instant. Before his memories return.”

“You move only when I give you permission to.” Astrophel said cooly, “You, Orion Pierce are one of the few allies left in the capital and besides, the whole continent is in turmoil.” He paused.

“Unless you want to retreat to the dark continent, I’ll be glad to plan your voyage and send you off in grand style. It would make for meaningful research.”

Mention of the dark continent sent shivers down Orion’s spine. He was cool once again, level headed you could say, “what are you going to do?” He asked, looking up to Astrophel who stared into space.

“Plan? There is no plan, Orion.”

“You can’t be serious! We have to be a step ahead! There’s a great possibility his memories haven’t returned!”

“It means nothing.” He drew a breath, “Kai Rylan is always going to be one step ahead of us. His living with you was the only leverage we had. He was a regular man living with regular, insufferable in-laws.”

“It was the perfect environment for his memories to remain locked away.”

“All that is smoke now.”

Astrophel ran his fingers through his almost entirely gray hair, “think, think! Astrophel! What can you do?” He asked out loud. The sudden increase in his pitch took Orion by surprise.

Orion wanted Kai locked away for the same reason his father and his grandfather wanted the previous Rylan’s locked away. They were powerful. They possessed the kind of power that gave them an unfair advantage, the Rylans possessed something unexplainable.

It was commonly known as Zhilak. Some said it was an alternate being that resided within every Rylan first born while others believed it was simply life energy. Due to the never ending wars that had spanned across centuries, humans evolved, developing more brutal and definite ways to fight and surpass their foes. Some turned to science, carrying out cruel experiments on victims of war. Others went on a death trip to the unexplored dark continent and the results were strange creatures; dragons and other mythical and otherwise extinct animals.

The majority of the soldiers however, developed super human abilities, most limited to quick healing, speed, mind control, super human strength but for the Rylans, it was world dominating power that increased with the generation.

Kai was the most powerful yet, killing over 500 men by mistake when he was only one year old with the sound of his voice. Every part of him was lethal. If he simply willed it, it would happen.

The older he got, he entered into trances where his eyes would go white and all within a five mile radius would drop dead. Soon after it was a shadow that surrounded him when he entered into such trance. It was his strange abilities that birthed the plan to take him away from Nexarath and find a way to erase him for good. That was no longer the case anymore.

Astrophel hated the current situation. Once again, the existence of a Rylan stood between him and his goal, to rule the world.

“We will figure something out.” Astrophel said to Orion, “do you think you can convince your granddaughter to return?”

“What? Absolutely not! That weapon is not coming back under my roof! I want him gone, Astrophel. I’m not dipping my toes in that water anymore.”

“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice. Can you?”

“It would make me look weak. I don’t want to look like a man who can’t stand behind his words. I’m sorry Astrophel but I held down my end of the deal. You’re going to have to figure this one out on your own.”

“I have my own reservations.” He added. He was referring to his unborn great grandchild. Whether he liked it or not, he was permanently tethered to Kai. He invited danger into his home and into his family. No amount of running away would change that.

“Alright.” Astrophel accepted Orion’s decision, much to his surprise.

“You’re agreeing with me?” The confused and surprised man asked.

“You’re right on this one. While I still hold strong feelings about your sending him away. There is the possibility that his memories have returned. There is also the possibility that it has not.”

“I have to find him and pray for the latter. Maybe the best course of action is to kill him and stage a murder.”