The Iron Pillars

Chapter 9

The gentle morning sun peeked over the eastern hills miles away from the abandoned Kemarian temple. Brant and Ace headed their party as they approached the sanctuary. 

A dozen Innutukian soldiers stood just outside its doors, basking in the first rays and speaking amongst themselves. Their general stood among them. Upon spotting Brant, Ace, and their collection of companions, he broke away from his men and marched over. 

Brant shook the general's hand and returned his reserved smile. His entire demeanor proved entirely unlike the one he and Ace had witnessed upon departing two days ago. His movements, in contrast to the wild flailing from before, were now slow and controlled. 

"Greetings, General." Brant finally said. 

"Welcome." he replied, "So, I understand you took one of my armored cars and drove it off somewhere." 

"Yes..." Brant trailed off with a raised eyebrow, "We asked you, and you gave us the key." 

"Why would I do that?" 

Ace stepped forward. "I dunno, maybe because it was your Day of Ancestral Appreciation. Seemed a bit loose." 

The general shrugged. "Where is it now?" 

Ace's lips tightened as Brant's glance darted over to him. "We...In our haste to get to the palace, we accidentally left the vehicle behind." 

The Innutukian's brow furrowed. "Excuse me? What palace, anyway? Are you soldiers, or vigilantes?" 

"That line's a bit blurred around here, I'm afraid." Baird chimed in from where he stood behind Ace. 

Brant sighed. "I'm sorry we didn't wait for a more opportune time to inform you, but it certainly wasn't me who inebriated myself to the point of dysfunctionality." 

The general narrowed his eyes. "Inform me now." 

"Remember the attack we told you about on the Iron Skeleton, just a day before your men set foot in Kemaria?" 

"I do." 

"Well, during that calamity, two of our people got kidnapped and were taken to the palace of Kookaburra, god of laughter." 

The Innutukian general gave forth a guttural laugh at the news. Quite ironic, Brant inwardly remarked. 

"Excuse me, such a thing exists?" he asked. 

Brant nodded. "To an extent, yes. He's a member of the Alcontean pantheon, the Divine Flock." 

"Of course in reality, they're only demons." Baird asserted, "Otherwise, I have cause to be quite jubilant, as true divinity on their part would render me a literal godkiller." 

Aside from a warm chuckle from Aaron and an eye roll and playful slap from Keira, Baird received nothing but unimpressed reactions to his remark. 

"Well," the Innutukian general began, "just know I'm quite displeased at this waste of my resources. I would've expected men formerly headed by Princess Chariya herself to have some responsibility about them." 

Every face sombered in some measure at the mention of her name. Princess Chariya, co-heir of the Kemarian throne who had thrown that away to found the Kemarian Insurgence, was irreplaceable, and sorely missed. So irreplaceable, in fact, that as of yet, the Insurgence still hadn't appointed any successor. None desired the title, much less deserved it. 

Brant hung his head lowest of all. I got her killed, too. he thought. 

The general broke the heavy silence with a cough. "Anyway, I have news of my own."