Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign - By Phillip Jones Page 0,238

as the new reality sunk in. Eventually, they responded, “Hail, King Goodrich!”

Many long moments passed before the morticians returned with the bodies of the late kings. During their absence, Sam forced Double D to kneel and face the crowd with his hands tied behind his back.

Sam beat Double D until the assassin proclaimed his profession.

Double D spit blood onto the stage. “I also killed your general. I laughed as his body convulsed on the sand.”

Upon hearing the confession, the crowd reacted. They shouted curses and called for Double D’s execution.

Sam lifted his hand and shouted, “This man has dishonored three great men with his actions! Two of the fallen were warriors, but all three were leaders this kingdom cannot replace! They will be missed! They will be honored on this very night, AND THEY WILL BE AVENGED!”

Sam turned an event meant for a viewing of the passed into a pep rally. He would not allow the people to leave without closure—knowing full well that his fallen friends would have approved.

When the bodies were returned, Michael commanded the caskets to be tilted toward the people.

Motioning for the guards to lift Double D to his feet, Sam made another announcement. “People of Brandor, on this Peak, in front of our beloved kings, there will be justice! This man will explain why he has attacked our kingdom and killed our leaders!”

Double D spit on the floor again. “I will say nothing. Beat me if you must, but I’ll pass before I utter a word.”

Sam lifted the assassin’s dagger and opened a gash across Double D’s chest. As the assassin screamed, the new king pulled Kael from his sheath and commanded the blade to bring forth his fire. The king lifted the weapon in front of his lips. “Are you ready for action, Kael?”

The blade’s confirmation was sadistic. “Make the torture last, Sam. I want to hear his cries. He deserves punishment. I want to feel the warmth of his blood as I slice him through. Allow me to bathe in his life’s source.”

Sam relished the thought as he lifted Kael above his head. The people were awed by the blade’s flame as he addressed them. “People of Brandor, I hold in my hand a sword given to me by Bassorine! This is Kael, the one and only Sword of Truth and Might!”

The theatre erupted. They knew how treasured a god-sword was, and the fact their new king possessed a weapon of this magnitude amplified their acceptance of Sam.

“I shall use this sword to strike down our enemies!” Sam pointed the tip of Kael at Double D. “I say we start with this traitor! What say you?”

Everyone in the theatre exploded, “Slay him! Slay him! Slay him!” Their screams eventually transitioned into, “Hail, King Goodrich! Hail, King Goodrich! Hail, King Goodrich!”

Sam brought his hand up to silence the crowd. He commanded the blade to evoke a new element. Kael brought forth the destructive force of water as Sam turned to face Double D. “Why did you end these men?”

Again, the assassin spit on the floor.

The crowd responded with profanities.

Once again, the king held up his hand to command silence. Sam placed Kael’s blade on Double D’s shoulder. “Why did you kill these men?”

The assassin screamed as the watery flame ripped at his skin. He wanted to spit on the floor yet again, but Kael’s power was overwhelming.

“I said, why did you end these men?”

Double D looked at Sam defiantly.

“The king pushed the blade into the assassin’s shoulder. “Answer me!”

Double D broke. “I was hired to slay them! It was just a job!”

Again, the people cursed the assassin.

Sam silenced them. “Who hired you?”

“I don’t know,” he cried. “I get my work through a man called Assistant Kane. He pays me when I’m finished.”

“When are you to meet this man to get your coin?”

Again, the power of the sword ripped at the assassin’s skin to force a truthful response. “I don’t. I retrieve my coin from a specified location once the job is finished!”

Sam only had one more question before he brought down judgment. “What’s your name, murderer?”

Double D fought to avoid the answer. Many, many moments passed, and Kael was still unable to break through the assassin’s determination to remain silent. He had not said his real name since the night he ended his father and uttering the words pained him to such a degree that he wailed in agony.

Sam shoved and twisted the god-sword, causing the assassin’s collar bone to snap.

Double D screamed, “Dawson