Element Wielder

Chapter 29

Have a nice weekend, everyone. Here is chapter 29. Enjoy!!

Chapter 29

Lao proudly held his head up as he addressed his men. He couldn’t get over how good that sounded—his men. The Blood Empress had granted him his own battalion with orders to gather as many supplies as possible. The last two weeks had been the best of his life, marching unopposed through the valley, raiding village after village.

Now he stood at the gates of Java, the last village to conquer before they launched their attack on the capital cities.

“You know your orders, men,” commanded Lao. “Men, women, children, elderly, sickly, it makes no difference. Kill everyone in sight. Leave no one alive.”

His men wasted no time. They rushed the village, killing the unsuspecting villagers who moments ago had been going through their morning routines.

Lao was determined to not make the same mistake Keladi Sizhore made. She had been too lenient on Asturia by allowing them to live, and as a reward she was killed. Of course it all worked out in his favor. Had Falcon not taken out Keladi, Lao would have never been promoted to take her place. The irony of it all brought a grin to his face.

From atop his black steed he witnessed a trio of men foolishly place themselves before a group of children, only to have swords run through their chests. A short woman, of all people, managed to ram a pitchfork through a soldier’s gut, but seconds later she too was cut down by a Suteckh who had snuck behind her. An elderly man swung his walking stick at a soldier. With ease, the soldier wrestled the stick away from its owner and beat the old man until his screams subsided.

Lao nodded in silent approval, marveling at the efficiency of his men. Sometimes it even seemed that they enjoyed this more than he did.

He winced as a group of villagers crept into the nearby cornfields.

“Forward!” At Lao’s command, his steed galloped into the field. The wet leaves struck every part of his body as he rode up and down. He cursed under his breath.

If I can’t find them, I’ll smoke them out like the rats they are.He rode out of the cornfield.

“Rain of fire,” he shouted. The crimson of his emblem intensified as the sky turned a glowing red. Small balls of fire descended on the cornfield. In a matter of minutes it was engulfed in a raging fire. The black smoke that rose into the air dimmed the sunlight.

A man was the first to scamper out, or rather what was left of him. In his arms he carried a small girl, shielding her from the fire. His hands, feet, and head were red with blisters. His pants and tunic were both overcome with flames.

The man set the girl down and threw himself on the ground, rolling in the dirt. A second later his eyes rolled back and his movements ceased.

“Daddy!” cried the blond girl, jerking her father’s lifeless body with her small hands. Her blue dress had a few black blotches were it had been burned.

Then a woman and boy tumbled out of the field. They also rolled in the dirt as they gasped for air. He stared at them both, certain he’d seen them before. 

“Oh, thank goodness it’s you, kind sir,” wailed the blue-eyed woman, running toward Lao. And that’s when the memory came back to him. It was the same family he had saved weeks ago. “Please help us; we are under attack by the Suteckh!”

Lao eyed her with a glance of indifference as he kicked her dirt-streaked face. She crumpled to the ground, writhing in pain.

“Don’t put your filthy hands on me, peasant,” said Lao, dismounting his horse. “How dare you address me without the respect I deserve?”