Destined

"Your Replacement"

Gaisgeil trailed my face warily for any form of betrayal. His green eyes looked deep into my own as if he could read my mind there. My hands got clammy. His intense stare was hard to handle. Those green eyes were the eyes of a predator, with all the natural abilities and insticts of a hunting being.

It was common sense, that if you do encounter a predator one of the number one rules is to not turn your back and run, as hard as it seems. Running triggers the hunting instinct you're trying to get away from. But if you made that mistake, there usually follows an inevitable sequence: the predator searches, stalks, chases, bites.

Furthermore, Gaisgeil's sensens were phenomenal. He could "smell" your feelings. Beings who lied, sweat more, their posture changed, their body language giving away their emotions.

So I kept my body straight, my emotions under control, my heartbeat in a slow regular beat. Obviously, my tactic worked, because he turned away, his eyes turning to slits. 

His focus shifted back to Consilius, who's expectant evil smile faded slowly. His schemes failing. "You slimy manipulative little worm. You want to raise distrust between me and my destined"?, he snarled.

"At the moment I tend to end you without further delay, to be done with you." He bent his head slightly to the side as if observing something with interest. 

"You think, you have the good cards still up your sleeve?", he laughed scornfully. "Yes, I want to know the whole story about my siblings", he send Ailis and Conor a short glance, "and yes, I want you know,how my father was involved."

With a few slow steps, he stood in front of Consilius, who lost his bravery seeing the Lord approaching, his stupid smirk vanishing. Suddenly Gaisgeil reached his hand out and smashed it in Consilius face. We all cringed, when we heard the snap of his jaw. Consilius' cry of pain was blood curdling.

"Woah, stop screeching like a banshee, I didn't even warm up with you", Gaisgeil warned in a playful tone. Consilius' whimpers turned into begs for mercy. Again, we witnessed this horrific sight with mixed feelings. Ailis soft sobs filling the room.

Conor stepped to the side of Gaisgeil. "Brother, please, stop, look at Ailis, she can't stomach what you do to our uncle. Turn him in to your prison and interrogate him there", he proposed in a hushed voice.   

Gaisgeil watched his sister rubbing his neck. "Conor, follow Ailis outside. Callida is strong, I want her here with me." Conor took Ailis in his arms, sending me an apologetic look. I nodded to let him know, that I was fine.

Gaisgeil waited umtil they left the room, than he grabbed Consilius by the collar, which let to the hurt man's moan and whails. 

My destined watched Consilius toss and turn in pain and fear. Suddenly we saw how his trousers turned wet.  

Disgusted Gaisgeil took one step back. "Look at you! Theos, how weak and pathetic you are.  Facing death, even the youngest Creachadair would keep their pride and take all the pain without making a single sound." Consilius cried, big tears rolling down his face.

My insides cramped. This was hard to watch. I didn't like this man one bit, but this torture was against everything I believed in. Perhaps, I could reason with my destined? 

"Gaisgeil, wouldn't it be better..." His raised hand told me to remain silent." I obeyed against better judgement. I should trust Gaisgeil, that he knew what he did ...and most of all why. So I followed his lead.

I saw how the wheels in Gaisgeil's head turned observing the crushed human in front of him. He was calculating how to make him spit out what he knew about the former Protos involvement in the birth of the twins.

He send me a short glance, meeting my eyes. And I instantly knew...

"Tell me everything I want to know...and you'll stay alive. You'll be under house arrest but you'll live. This is my last word. If you decline, you'll die in the dirtiest, darkest cell my prison has to offer. I'll let the guards loose on you ..."

Consilius' sniffs and sobs began to subside. A hopeful look invading his face. "Your word, Mylord....your word,  that you'll keep it. You'll spare my life?"

I saw the expression on my destined's features. Disappointment ...the disappointment of a predator that let his prey go, although it was safe between it's claws. I rubbed my face because I was exhausted, tired and sad. My gaze searched Gaisgeil.

He stood in front of Consilius, his face a mask of a calm void. "My word, I'll spare your life, you'll live under house arrest, once a week allowed to leave under supervision."

Consilius trembled violently as he heard the final verdict. He nodded relieved.

"My sister send me a messsage 19 years ago. I lived in Bertaèyn in peace and harmony. A simple life. We searched for  fruits and vegetables, everything the woods would provide. We grew wheat, to make bread. Sometimes we hunted. As I sead, a simple life. BUT ..." He send me an intense look. "We had the 'awareness'."

My brain was on overdrive. Awareness? What kind of awareness? What does he mean?

Gaisgeil's furrowed eyebrows told me, that he had the same thoughts.

"Awareness? What kind of awareness?, he scrutinized.

Consilius' eyes darted back and forth between us, hesitating. "In the bunker...there are archives. There are many old reports, secret files..."

I interrupted. "Secret files? Of what?", I asked eagerly for an answer.

My eyes met with the knowing ones of the man my destined tortured. "The secrets of our world. Why we are what we are. Why we humans don't reign anymore a world that was meant to be ours..."

My blood froze. WHAT?

Gaisgeil huffed. "What about the twins and my father. Why did he send them away? Why did he command to kill them?"

Consilius stayed silent.

Than my intestines were in knots. Conslius' stare was on Gaisgeil. Only him.

"Conor doesn't now the thruth. Your father never wanted to kill the twins. He wanted to observe your development. You are the legitimate son. You mother was a strong Creachadair. If you'll fulfilled, what your blood was ment to be..."

Gaisgeil's eyes rounded in unbelief. His father was cruel..but that was ...

"Your father wanted a genetical backup. If you hadn't evolved to the next Protos he wanted you to be...he would have killed you and one of the twins, ...the better twin, would have been your replacement."