“They’re not doing anything,” Alin reported to Dack as they all moved cautiously out into the open.
“They’re still armed and dangerous. My brother is right, they aren’t attacking, but they’re not running away,” Alix added.
“They’re waiting for a leader,” Chad said as he pushed Dack to the front of the group.
“Are you ready for this, Dack?” Farah asked as she grabbed the back of Dack’s collar tightly.
“I was planning on a different ending, but the only thing that’s stopping me now is you,” Dack said, smiling at Farah.
“I’m serious, Dack, it all ends here. I just want to know that you can handle this because I don’t see us living through it if you mess it all up,” Farah concluded as she released her grip.
Dack took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and walked forward with his hands raised. He could hear several hushed voices in the distance debating what to do. “Stop!” someone yelled.
“Is there someone I can talk with, or should I address all of you from here?” Dack shouted back, putting his hands down.
Several voices shouted out different questions, but the main theme was a demand to know what happened to the kings and the general.
“First, I would like to tell you all that I have always wanted what’s best for all of Storality,” Dack began.
“Save us the speech!” a voice rang out in the early morning darkness. “Did you kill the kings and the general?”
“Yes, I did,” Dack admitted.
There were a lot of people quietly arguing before anyone called back.
“What do you want?”
“The King’s Tournament to once again determine the kings!” Dack said loud and clear.
“Do you want to rule?”
“No.”
Several people began to walk toward Dack from the distance. “We want to help,” one of the group said as they drew closer.
“Are there any who still oppose me?” Dack called out. “Now is your chance to strike me down. I can’t stop you, but I promise all of you, this change will not be stopped.”
At this, more people came out from their positions and stood in an arc in front of Dack.
“I need a level of cooperation between territories that hasn’t been seen in a generation. The Central Territory was once the heart of the King’s Tournament, and it will be again shortly; however, this island is different than what it was. Does that matter? It does to many, but I will respect your fears if you trust me. Hopefully, in a short time everyone living here will get what they want. I want to help those who were stranded here by Lucan to return home, but for those who choose to stay, or have to stay, they will need our help and protection. Are you still with me?” Dack asked with great enthusiasm. Many clapped and cheered as Dack continued to outline what they needed to do to accomplish his goals.
Theterm quickly turned pages as he scanned through many symbols and pictures, looking for the right word.
“Let me die,” Fixx said weakly.
“We’ve been over this before, now stop talking,” Theterm said as he continued the search.
“They’re all dead by now, I want to stay.”
“That doesn’t change anything.”
“You’ve said yourself this will get you in trouble, so why bother?” Fixx asked, trying to sit up.
Theterm slammed the book closed and went nose to nose with Fixx. “Have you ever loved someone? Have you ever been unfaithful to that person? Let them down? Lied to their face? I’m sure you have. What were you willing to sacrifice to make it up? Well, it’s payback time, and I don’t care anymore.” Theterm stood up, whispered something, and Fixx was gone.
The door began to open, so Theterm whispered again and the book was gone.
“Where’s Fixx?” Dack asked Theterm as he walked across the fortress.
“He’s gone,” Theterm said sadly as he started moving toward the door.
“Dead?” Dack sobbed.
Theterm opened the door and left without saying another word. Dack rushed to the door and opened it only to see Farah and Chad walking toward the fortress. “Did you see which way Theterm went?” Dack asked, wiping his face.
“I haven’t seen him since you locked him in,” Farah said. “Is Fixx okay?”
“Theterm said Fixx is gone. I thought he meant dead, but there’s no body. He walked out of the door. Now he’s gone too. I’m tired of Theterm’s lies,” Dack said with great passion.
“You locked him in there, right?” Chad asked.
“Well, not actually. I tossed him the fake key Fixx made. He wasn’t locked in the whole time,” Dack admitted.
“So it’s possible that Theterm moved Fixx’s body,” Farah said.
“That makes no sense. Why would Theterm move Fixx’s body, go back into the fortress, and sit there until Dack arrived? That still doesn’t explain Theterm not being here either,” Chad scolded.
“I’ll stop by his keep on the way to inform the remaining Shadow Cult and Scarlet Brotherhood of our victory,” Dack said, still mad.
“He had better have one really good story this time,” Chad concluded.
“He lied to me. I’ve been close all along. At least I know the kind of man I’m dealing with now. He still has more to teach me, even if it kills him,” Lucan said as he pushed a makeshift raft into the water.
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