“He killed my wife!” bellowed Kzahar.
“He ruined my life!” Maston retorted. “We had plenty of survivors after Amodiel crashed the boat. I tried my best to lead them to safety. I tried to save us all, but I couldn’t. The plague, the natives…One by one, they died. And you took Bond! Bond, who did*’t deserve to be taken and ruined by your guards! Is he even alive any more? And that’s not even to mention what you’ve done to this world. You unleashed that plague. You brought it here. You reached farther than you had any right to, and now the entire world pays the price. You don’t even suffer in the tiniest bit, no, you don’t even CARE what happens. Tell me, *emperor*, how you plan to rule an empire when all the people are DEAD!”
He paused for breath, gasping, and Issavan seized his chance to get a word in edgewise. “And killing me will save my empire…how?”
“Killing you will make it stop,” hissed Maston in a low voice. “You die, and it ends.”
“So kill me. Save the world, little hero!” Issavan mocked, laughing. He knew his end had come, and he did*’t care anymore. His death would accomplish nothing. But if they thought it would…he found that hilariously funny. As if one man’s death could have such an impact.
“Gladly,” Maston growled, and with his other hand, raised the mace, prepared to bash the king’s skull in. White-hot adrenaline raced through his body and he trembled violently as incoherent thoughts raced through his head. He was going to kill the king – it was time – they were saved – he would get revenge – it was all over –
“Noooo!” the frantic yell bit through the air, and as Maston swung down, a heavy weight slammed into his arm, throwing the strike into the wall and sending him crashing back through the stall down. The stallion screamed piercingly and came flying down. Maston was struck by a hoof as Kzahar rolled out of the way. Pain ripped through his shoulder and his vision went black for a few moments.
09-Nov-2008 22:36:41
