Genesis

Chapter 36: Lineage

The gates were intact, as Aeron had hoped and expected. The troops had succeeded in taking the city, which means Kieldor and Vera had successfully taken the cities captain of the guard. The coup was currently at a standstill as they waited for the troops to reconvene and take count of the surrendered city guard.

Aeron leaned against the wall near a peculiar looking fountain, at a point close the cities inner gate. The surrounding buildings, mostly their rooftops, were so close together that it had created a sort of choke point for the invading soldiers, but was taken quickly the moment Vissis arrived.

He heard the light footsteps as the golden maiden approached him from the side.

"Has any word been heard of the captain's whereabouts?" Vissis asked as she entered earshot.

"Not as of yet," Aeron's small voice responded. "I find little reason to believe that it will be much longer till they find where we are meeting."

"I wish to know the identity of the one who has taken the role of K'itai."

"As do I," he agreed.

As he had thought, it only took a few more minutes before Vera and Kieldor exited from between an alleyway into the market. They approached Aeron, seeing the cleared path around him and Vissis beside him, and shoved the guard captain, hands tied behind his back, at his feet. The captain's helmet came crashing off as he recoiled from his head hitting the ground. Aeron crouched and turned the captain's head slightly to make sure he was still awake.

Satisfied that he was awake, Aeron motioned for Kieldor to bring the captain to his knees. Kieldor gripped the knot between the captain's wrists and pulled him upwards with a light grunt.

"I need information," Aeron stated flatly, meeting eyes with the captain.

"I do not share information with pompous children," the captain replied sharply.

A sharp smack sounded and a flick of blood trickled down from the new wound on the captain's cheek. Aeron turned his head slightly to the right to see a wispy, crimson whip held tightly in Vissis' left hand.

"She does not think me a pompous child," Aeron said, motioning to the Kunga behind him.

"Then she is a fool."

"The Kunga have never been regarded as fools," Aeron countered. "I would advise you to recant your words."

"I will no..." the captain exhaled sharply and fell backward as Aeron's knee caught him in the chest.

The captain lay down for a few moments, trying to catch his breath. "I will admit," he said after a time. "You hit far harder than I would have expected."

"And it will happen again if you choose to continue this charade."

"Until what? You kill me?"

"If it comes to it. Treason is a serious offense," Aeron replied.

"If you kill me, then you will never get the information you desire."

"Do not be a fool. You are not the only one in possession of the knowledge we seek. You were merely the easiest to take. Killing you would only delay the inevitable. We could just as easily break down the gate to the castle, ascend, and see for ourselves. The K'itai must already know his rule is at an end," Aeron explained.