Legend of Kataria (Draft Version)

Chapter 22

"NO!" everyone else screamed. Even Pinky sounded sincere.

"No!" Blue yelled again as hands gripped Greeny's arms, pinning them to his back and the teen's head was jerked back so violently he saw stars. "Wait! You can't kill him!" 

Although Greeny couldn't see him, he could imagine his captain's panicked movements. 

"Wait," Morto snapped, holding out a hand and halting the guard. He twisted toward Blue, his cloak billowing out behind his shoes. "Explain. Quickly."

"Kataria can only be found by someone of Tapushian descent," Blue rushed on breathlessly. "Greeny's the only one that could find it for you. If you kill him, you'll never see it again!"

A bunch of lies, but maybe it would be enough to convince the king to spare them. 

There was silence. Greeny swallowed hard, feeling the knife hovering just above his adam's apple. His heart drummed in his ears, counting down the seconds until his demise. There was no way Morto would fall for such an obvious ploy. Even Greeny knew that being a Tapushian did not mean he was entitled to finding Kataria--whatever it was. If that were the case, Morto would have given up on the endeavor the moment Zarron left for Tapush. 

Time seemed to stand still as Morto weighed his options. There were only two ways this could go, but only one that would get him what he wanted. If Blue was right, then the other three would be useless to Morto. He didn't need them, and that was what worried Greeny. He knew he needed to say something, and fast before the king reached the same conclusion and decided the others were expendable. 

"I'll...I'll help you," he gasped, hearing the hasty inhale of breath from Red just to his left. "Just...let the others go and I'll get Kataria. Please. Just let them go." He had no plan, no way of escape. He knew they were caught. Perhaps he could at least save the others before he doomed the universe to the tyrant's rule. Would that make up for the evil he would commit? Would anyone forgive him? Would Leah?

Morto hissed, sounding very snake-like. "Release him," he ordered, waving a dismissive hand at the teen and Greeny could barely restrain the heave of relief as he was shoved forward and he tried not to stumble. "You are walking a fine line, Tapushian, thinking you can bargain with me."

Greeny rubbed the back of his neck, the roots of his hair still stinging. He flexed his fingers, considering nudging the king. He decided against that. His powers were still too fresh, too uncontrollable. He could easily do more harm than good. He could feel the fearful gazes of the others burning into his back and he squared his shoulders as he turned to face the king as bravely as he could. "If it's Kataria you want, I'll get it for you. There's no need to go on playing this cat-and-mouse game. Enough lives have been ruined already. This war can stop here and now. It needs to stop. So please, let my friends go. You don't need them. I'll do whatever you say. I swear."

Morto growled. "You may be telling the truth, but I can hardly take that chance, can I?" He scanned the group and then gestured to the woman holding Red. "Kill that one and then we'll see how cooperative the weakling will really be."

She moved to obey. Red squeaked fearfully, fire already flickering to life between his fingers.

"NO!" Without thinking, Greeny whipped around, summoning all the power he could muster into one large explosion of terror for Red and fury at Morto and throwing out an arm. The knife leaped from the soldier's hand and sunk into a nearby wall, so deep the handle was barely visible and there was absolutely no chance of getting it out. "Let them all go free," he added angrily, turning back to face Morto, "or you'll just have to kill me now as well and you'll never see your precious weapon."