"Soldiers," one of them stepped forward and questioned, "your fellow scouts left hours ago. "What are you two still doing here?"
Lord Grania and his human companion, Skyler, found themselves surrounded by Ethisian soldiers who seemed to have discovered them.
In front of them stood the guards, each armed with heavy gun-like weapons that seemed capable of delivering damaging blows. Lord Grania remained where he was, frozen like a dear in headlights. Skyler, on the other hand, couldn’t help but overthink her situation.
The pressure she felt from standing before these soldiers began to mount and she wasn’t sure if she was strong enough to hold her Ethisian form. If she slipped up, even once, it could spell certain death for her and Lord Grania.
’Do something,’ she pleaded in her head, begging that the Granian Lord would come up with a reasonable and believable lie, ’do something, or else they’re going to figure us out.’
"Answer my question," one of the soldiers asked as the others readied themselves to fire on command, "what are you still doing here? Do you know what Empress Elenor can do to you for your cowardliness?"
For a moment, Lord Grania couldn’t formulate what to say. His thoughts were clogged with hundreds of potential responses he could come up with but he just couldn’t pick which one to answer with.
"Cuff them and have them sent away to be punished." The Ethisian ordered and immediately, the other soldiers approached the two infiltrators.
At that exact moment, Lord Grania opened his mouth and shouted saying, "We’re so sorry. We didn’t mean to, I swear. We were just...frightened....that’s all. We don’t want to die..."
Dumbstruck, the soldiers and those close enough to hear Grania’s reaction stared at him with awe, surprise, and pure disgust. The soldiers, disgusted by this showcase of weakness from their fellow soldiers, kneed the two to the ground and cuffed them without hesitating.
Lord Grania tried pleading but his words fell on deaf ears. There was no way these soldiers were going to listen to him after the way he had acted. Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵·𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮·𝓷𝓮𝓽
"You will answer for your weakness, Ethisian," the soldiers mocked while spitting at Grania and Skyler, "there is no place for weaklings like you in the Ethisian Empire. You’ll suffer for your..."
If Lord Grania were to kill them at that moment, it would deliver a crushing blow to the entire Ethisian race and make the War easier for him and his people.
’They’re not the ones I came for.’
"WAIT!" In one final attempt, the Granian Lord screamed just loud enough for his target to pay attention to him and Skyler. "WE WON’T DO IT AGAIN. WE’LL GLADLY GO. GIVE US A SHIP AND WE’LL RENDEZVOUS WITH OUR..."
"Enough yelling," the soldier yelled while slamming his fist into Grania’s face repeatedly, "not another word from you, or else I’ll have your heads blown off. Do you hear me?"
"Is that how you were trained to behave?" approaching the chaos was High Ruler Enor and the small framed High Grade Elyssara. Upon seeing them, the Ethisian soldiers uncuffed Lord Grania and Skyler immediately and then bowed before their superiors while apologizing.
"We did not mean to cause you any offense."
"We were just disciplining those who refused to fight for our people."
As Enor gazed at the Ethisian soldiers, Skyler couldn’t help but stare at the High Grade. Her eyes scanned the small framed Ethisian’s body profusely, taking note of the significant disadvantage that came with it.
Unlike the others, this strange Ethisian was small and short, almost the same size as Helda herself. This was a strange sight for the human, one that she wouldn’t have believed unless she had seen it for herself. Ironically, she still couldn’t believe it even though she had seen Elyssara twice.
’I still can’t believe she’s the whole reason we’re out here.’ Skyler zoned out, completely unaware of the fact that her eyes were staring straight at Ely. ’This Ethisian’s such a big threat that the Granian Lord came to handle it himself. She must be really strong....’
"This one seems to be star-struck," Ely walked up to Skyler and grinned, her sharp eyes scanning the human up and down, "Stand up and address yourself, Ethisian."
Skyler did as she was told but did not speak for she didn’t know how to speak the Ethisian tongue. Her translator could translate what was said to her but it couldn’t alter her speech to mimic those of Ethisians and that was a problem.
"Address yourself, Ethisian," High Ruler Enor spoke calmly as he dismissed the previous soldiers, "you’re not in trouble anymore. Just tell us who you are..."
"Forgive me...High Ruler," Grania spoke while placing his hand in front of Skyler, "my...colleague is mute. She is incapable of proper speech like the rest of us. I’m the one who speaks on her behalf."
The High Ruler and High Grade looked Skyler up and down with judgmental looks. To Skyler, it looked like the two weren’t buying Grania’s words and she began to worry.
’That’s not convincing enough. Make up a better lie...please!!’
"Well then, soldiers," Enor spoke, allowing Skyler to sigh in relief, "what were you being punished for? I’m sure we can sort it now."
"We weren’t able to leave with the rest of our squad," Grania answered, making sure to sell a believable lie, "so we thought of coming back to find a ship that’s leaving soon for us to meet up with the others."
"Oh you won’t find them now," Ely answered while still looking at Skyler, "they’re light years away from here. But I’ll be glad to take you along with me...if you’ll allow me to, High Ruler Enor."
"But your mission is..."
"I’ll need their help," she said while wearing an overconfident smile, "they’ll be of good use to us...to me."
Enor stayed quiet for a moment as he looked back and forth at the two Ethisians. After a while, he nodded at the High Grade, granting her his permission to go with Grania and Skyler.
"As you wish," he answered calmly as ever, "do what you must."
"Excellent," she smiled and then turned towards her ship while signaling for the two to follow her, "come along then. We’re leaving right now."
’Much better than I had planned.’