The Northern King's Vendetta

​Chapter 1: It had been raining in the Northern Territory for days, wet and unrelenting, drenching a land on which a decade-long war had finally been brought to a close, but Caleb Vance never felt the cold because his thoughts were fixated on the image of the mud he stood on when his mother’s funeral was held. He remembered holding his nightmare little sister Mia as she sobbed into him, and he remembered how their father, Marcus, hadn’t even came to say goodbye because he was too preoccupied with his new woman, Isabella Sterling. Caleb had told Mia that day she promised not to wait to get out and become someone strong enough to keep her safe, and that she just needed to live through this and wait for me to come back.

​Ten years of combat had elapsed since he made that vow, and Caleb now led the Northern Phalanx, and he was inside a command tent teeming with maps and computer screens that displayed the crushing defeat of the enemy. Nervous, his assistant, Aris, entered the tent holding the constantly-ringing satellite phone. ­"I told you I wasn’t answering any calls during the final assault, Aris, and I don’t care if it’s a politician or a businessman needing a favor," said Caleb without turning away from his screens.

“Sir I heard you but this person has rang in excess of twenty times in the last hour and she says she isn’t a politician,” Aris responded nervously as he angled in closer so the other soldiers couldn’t overhear, “she says her name is Mia and she sounds like she’s got a lot of problems.”

Caleb spun so quickly his chair toppled over he had his heart racing as he snatched the phone from Aris’s hand.

“Mia? Is that you?” Caleb inquired, a tremor passing through his voice near the sudden grip of terror.

“Caleb? Why didn’t you answer? I couldn’t get hold of you for hours.” So many times I wanted to call you. I thought maybe I’d get an answer.” Now all Caleb could hear was her panicked voice and voices of other people in the phone fighting.

Caleb said, “I’m here now, Mia, just tell me where you are and what is happening,” and he gave the order for Aris to begin tracking the call. Mia was crying as she spoke, "She came upon us, Caleb, she found the house Aunt Elena was sheltering us in in City B," Mia was crying as she spoke, "Aunt Elena tried to prevent them so I could go into the cellar, but they captured her and I listened to them break her legs so she wouldn't be able to run, and then they said they placed a tracking device under her skin so she wouldn't be able to run again.”

“Don’t come out, Mia, I’m on my way” Caleb said, his voice rapidly descending into low, furious anger.

“Too late, I can hear them breaking the cellar door right now,” Mia whispered and Caleb could hear the sound of wood splintering through the phone, “I know you tried to get strong for us, but Isabella is just too powerful, so I just needed to tell you I love you before—”

​On the other end there was a loud crash and then Mia screaming, the line for a moment was completely cut off. Caleb remained planted there clutching the lifeless phone when a tremendous explosion suddenly rattled the floor outside, signifying the moment his missiles obliterated the enemy stronghold and brought an end to the war.

​His soldiers started cheering in anticipation for the peace coming at last, but they fell silent when they caught sight of Caleb’s face.

“Get me the quickest jet and tell every man that has a gun to get his ass on it,” Caleb said, cutting and cold, “we’re going to B City because they touched my family and I’m going to make them regret it.”

“Sir, the leaders are waiting for you to address the peace talks beginning soon,” Aris said to remind him. ​

“I don’t give a damn about the leaders, or what they have to say,” Caleb said as he stepped out of the tent and across the airfield, his mind on the decade he had been fighting just to get back to his sister.

​As the jet took off and flew toward City B, Caleb sat in the back and thought about how Aunt Elena had saved them after his mother died. She had worked hard to raise them while always hiding from Isabella’s men, and Caleb had planned to come home and tell them he was now the King of the North so they would never have to be afraid again. Now, he was worried that he had waited too long.

​"Go faster," he told the pilot, staring out the window at the clouds, "if they hurt her, I will tear that city apart.”