The Ghost of an Empire

Chapter Nine

*Hladan, leader of Zjarr's POV*

I walked out of the room as quickly as I could, cursing my old joints under my breath. I opened the door into a long hallway sloping up. This hallway led into my palace.

I came into my chambers in my palace. I closed and locked the door. I sat on my big chair, laid my head back and squeezed my eyes shut. I opened them again after a few seconds and stared at the ceiling, trying not to remember but at the same time wanting to.

These memories were the reason that I would not help that girl, Eris, or her planet, Udara, or any of the planets for that matter.

I remembered the war.

*Flashback to 80 years back, near the end of the Great War*

"Hal!", screamed a female voice. I whirled around as soon as I heard a voice call the name that only one person called me: my wife, Ingen.

She was across the ship. Being held by Azken Zlo Adalana himself, but struggling wildly like the fighter she was. I bared my teeth in an inhuman snarl as I saw him look at me in a twisted way. Then my snarl turned into a gasp as he drew a knife and put it by her throat. I started to run towards them, with sleet whirling around me. But I stopped. Adalana yelled: "Not one. More. STEP!" I started and stumbled slightly, but kept going. He flicked his knife, cutting Ingen's throat slightly and making her gasp. "OTHERWISE HER LIFE IS OVER!", he roared. Even so, I couldn't hear him well. The storm kept picking up, and sleet was whistling around everybody's faces.

"YOU HAVE TROUBLED ME FOR TOO LONG!", the Dictator yelled. "HLADAN! LEADER OF ZJARR! GIVE YOURSELF TO ME OR SHE DIES!"

"DON'T DO IT!", my wife screamed shrilly. She attempted to struggle more strongly, earning another, deeper cut from Adalana's knife, this time on her cheek.

I wondered what to do for a fraction of a second, but then cried: "AS YOU WISH, VILLAIN! GIVE ME MY WIFE!"

I dropped my weapons, raised my arms and began to walk towards the other end of the airship.

But then help came. A ship from Yer, the earth planet. It's captain yelled: "AZKEN ZLO ADALANA! IT IS OVER! SURRENDER AT ONCE!"

The Dictator cursed. And then he jumped overboard, with my wife in his arms. Then his jetpack kicked in and he soared onto his own airship. He screamed something to the captain, and a force field was put around the ship. Then, looking straight at me, he cut my wife's throat.

I just stood there, staring with hatred at the Dictator, sleet and tears pouring down my face as Adalana sounded the Irinduine signal and said things that I didn't hear.

And then he jumped overboard.

Everybody gasped, except for me. I didn't. Because I saw what really happened. Azken Zlo Adalana, the Irinduine Dictator, did not die. He swam into a waiting ship.

*End of flashback*

I straightened up in my chair. I hadn't let those memories run free in my head for a long time, but they were still just as sharp and painful as ever. I had never recovered my wife's body. The captain of the airship from Yer that had 'saved' me had shot the Irinduine ship quickly and my wife's body had fallen overboard, into the abyss of the seas on Vesi.

A definite part of me wanted to help Udara fight against the Irinduines. But I couldn't do it. I had too many bad memories of the Great War. There was too much guilt, for not saving my wife, and for not killing the dictator while I had the chance. There was sadness and anger.

There were secrets, too. I had told no one of the fact that the Dictator was still alive. Nobody knew except me. And that secret was opened up once more now. A couple of weeks ago, I could assume that Adalana was dead of old age or too old to attempt another assault on the Sayyora Solar System. But now I knew that that was not the case.

It was my fault that he was still alive. If I had been stronger, I could have told people that Adalana was getting away and I could have hunted him down with my allies. But I hadn't because I was too grief-stricken about my wife's death.

And now I wouldn't avenge what had happened, those eighty years ago. Because of the guilt. The secrets.

But most importantly, my brain. Telling me to do the wrong thing. And I wasn't strong enough to combat it.

Greetings everybody. Here is $TR@ |\|93@|\/|@T!< !!!

I hope you liked this chapter. Next one will be from Eris' POV again. Then you can find out what that dude said to her! :D Keep reading! Voting! Commenting! It's what keeps me alive XD

SeeeEEEe yOUuu