Chapter 4

After several weeks of careful planning we finally decided it was time to take on the capital province where Arcadius lie in wait. What Kallikrates said to me was still eating me up inside, was I truly something different, could I be the same as him? No! this isn't true I'm just a human nothing more and that's how it always will be. At the moment my mind was wandering but I quickly came back to reality where Camillus was standing in front of me, "Are you alright Zhao? you seem out of it today. Did something happen?" he said to me in a concerned voice. "oh no it's nothing really any news on the next invasion?" I said while trying to remain happy. He went on to tell that the invasion has been postponed for we were about to be attacked by an unknown force. I needed to get ready, quickly I jumped up, "Alright I'll be ready in no time."

Once my armor was on leaving the helmet off hoping I could control myself during this battle. I picked up my pike and headed out. Walking towards the armory I picked up a bow and some arrows this time in hopes it will aid me better then my sword did. After I got my equipment I headed out of the fort to try to overhear who our enemies were. I heard some of the troops talking, "Did you see those beasts that are approaching us?" one of the men said. "Yes they are nothing like I have seen before I have no clue what they are" the other replied. I walked up to the top of the fort to survey the field. I noticed a familiar fog about them at that moment I thought this must be a demon army they must be after me for killing one of their generals.

I hurried down the stairs back into the main court of the fort and I said, "Everyone we are in for a big battle this is a demon army!" The troops grew silent as a chill came over everyone. I tried my best to rally the troops through this hard time, "They may be a powerful force but we have more power then they could ever imagine, we have a heart and a soul, we can out think them we use strategy then we will come out on top!" I shouted to the forces. The silence continued as some started to desert and return to the capital. The few that remained loyal prepared for the battle of their lives, Two other officers stayed to help Crimthann the veteran and Camillus the newest recruit.

While we awaited the hordes of demons that approached us I was in fear of what might happen could this be real? I have never seen such beasts like these before. Where did they come from? Then it hit me, "They must have been preparing for this all along. All they needed was something big to happen to distract us and then they would attack!" Everyone looked at me and a burst of whispers came over the fort, "Is that true is this our fault?" As everyone debated over the matter we heard a loud crushing noise and smoke engulfed the fort as we looked to the left the wall had be crushed by a boulder that also took out some of our men. Now the real fight was about to begin.

Chapter 5

As soon as the smoke settled the demons blasted into the fort we had no time to react they stormed us killing off the front line of troops. I jumped up pike in hand and started the attack. I managed to hit few but it seemed like it had no effect I jumped back trying to rethink my attack. I saw an opening in their attack I drew my bow and few arrows shooting them off randomly into their formation hitting a few in the head and chest causing them to fall back for a second but then they pulled the arrows out as if nothing happened, "how could this be they seem invincible." I thought to myself. I then pulled out more arrows shooting one after another randomly at the demons until I finally ran out.

I threw my bow down and ran at them pike in hand swinging at them with all my might. I managed to chop five of the demons heads off, I felt a sharp pain in my back I looked to see what had happened and it was Camillus. "What have you done you fool how could you do this to me?!" I said both confused and angry. "Me a fool? Have you not seen it all along I haven't ever been on your side, you are to blind to have seen it yourself. You have lost your focus ever since you found that hidden power of yours." He said while laughing. He pulled the sword out of my back as I fell to one knee I suddenly felt the power again, "You will never be forgiven for what you have done to our province and I" I said while rising to my feet and looking down. As I stood there he said, "You really think you're the only one with a power like that? Your not! I have the same power although, unlike you I can control mine!" While he said this I felt a familiar power coming off of him I threw my head up fire in my eyes as I saw his sword turned to ice. "This is the true power that of which you have yet to conquer." He said as he charged me.

As he ran at me a trail of ice following behind him, he swung his sword at me with lightning fast speed. I managed to duck under the first attack then quickly out of no where a second one came from the other side which hit me in my arm that caused it to freeze on impact. "You cant ever hope of defeating me the way you fight now you are way to slow." He laughed as he charged at me again. I tried my best to deflect the hit. As soon as I blocked that one another strike hit my right arm which froze it then all of a sudden two more hit me in the legs I was completely vulnerable. "As I said you have no chance this was over from the start soon we will rule this land under our lord." He said while smiling at me. He charged the tip of his sword faced tword me while thoughts ran through my head, "Could this be it is it all over now? No! I will not die not now!" Suddenly I burst into flames the ice melting off of me and suddenly he stoped in his tracks. I felt as if something took over me. "Wha..what is this how...how could you get your power to equal mine? This cant be!" I laughed while saying "Don't kid yourself you never could beat me in your dreams" I motioned for him to attack me standing in place with my pike that transformed into a fire pike in the shape of the legendary fire dragon. He was angered that I reached this power so quickly he charged at me swinging wildly as I blocked all his shots I punched him in the face sending him flying back. He crashed into the wall and screamed, "There is no way this cant be! you are not more powerful than me!" I walked over to him and stood over him as I said, "I wont die until you and your lord are defeted." I then swung my pike at him and pierced him in his chest setting him a blaze. He screamed in pain until he finally died. Now with Camillus defeated the demons began to retreat I slew a few as they tried to get away.

I started to fall out of my power state and the flames subsided as the troops cheered in victory. They turned to me and gasped at the grusom sight of general Camillus slaughtered in front of me. Crimthann came over and grabed me, "What have you done you killed him?!" I looked at him in shock then said, "Did you not see he betrayed us?" Crimthann looked at me for a moment then looked away, "enough I don't want to hear your lies aprehend the traitor!" The troops grabbed me, I went without a fight and they dragged me off. We were headed back to face my lord back at castle Vahkarah.

Chapter 6

On our way to the castle the troops dragged me around some of them talking about whether they believe the story. We finally arrived at Vahkarah as we walked through the streets people yelled, "Traitor!" "Murderer!" They started throwing tomatoes and rocks at me until we finally arrived at the court of the castle. We walked in through the doors and there was an eerie silence that took a hold of the officers and generals as we walked past them they kept their eyes away. I was thrown into the cells. The guard looked at me with a despicable smile on his face, "Well well look who we have here the famous officer Zhao Li, Oh it is going to be fun torturing you." He laughed then he remarked, "You will be here awaiting your trial where they will decide your fate." He walked away and I looked around the cell, "This cant be my fate they have to believe me he said he was never on our side. He was evil I felt it, he looked like the demon general Kallikrates."

I heard a whisper come from the other cell across from me, "Hey you come here." I walked to the front of my cell leaning up against the bars trying to see who it was. "I know what you did you will never get out of here, you're going to die here you scum." He laughed meniacly after returning to the darkness of his cell. I turned around and thought, "No. He cant be right I will get out and they will believe me!" I walked over to the bed and found that there was just a blanket over the ground with a pillow. "This is nothing like how I used to sleep but it will do." I got on the hard brick floor and covered up and fell asleep.

The next morning I woke up to the guard screaming, "Hey scum wake up its time to eat." I got up to walk over and inspect the food picking it up and bringing it over to the table they had set up. I took one look and decided not to eat. It was a stale piece of bread with some water in a cup. After waiting for minutes the guard finally returned. "Listen up your trial is about to begin you come with me, don't say a word you go it?" I rose and walked to the gate as the guard opened it to pull me out. He took me down the long hall of cells as the other prisoners watched saying, "your going to die!" We got upstairs out of the holding cells and reached the doors to the trial room. I thought, "Is this it? Did I finally reach the end of my existence?"