Thralls of a Dread Lord (1.92T)
Welcome to my weekly serial. This is a rough draft that I am working on, for your reading pleasure. It is a fairly grim tale, so be warned.
Here is the first post from this series.
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“You killed her,” said Retaak, standing. In the silence of that moment, as a new Dread Lord crowned himself, his voice was heard by all. His defiance was noted.
Ushochhushi, the crown settling on his head, turned slowly to Retaak. His eyes were cold and his lips twisted into a sneer. “Ah, Wildborn, I had forgotten about you. You could have lived for a few more days if you had the brains to shut up.”
Retaak ignored Ushochhushi, walking past the new Dread Lord to kneel beside Albyursia. He touched her face, once, just to make certain that she was well and truly dead, shaking his head sadly as he conformed the worst.
Behind him he heard Ushochhushi, angry at being defied and ignored, pick up the Dread Blade and march toward him. Anger surged through Retaak, molten in his veins.
“Why?” he asked.
“She was a means to an end,” said Ushochhushi. “Why do you even care?”
Retaak stood, his hands curling into fists. “She meant something to me.”
Ushochhushi laughed, it rang out across the multitudes, still held in thrall by his Kasuukak, loud and bitter. “She fucked you because she thought you could help her escape. How like you to think that it meant something Retaak. I am going to enjoy killing you.”
“No tricks, Ushochhushi,” growled Retaak.
Ushochhushi laughed, “No tricks, only power. Suffer, Wildborn.”
And Retaak felt the power of the compelling wash over him again, stronger than anything that Ushochhushi had ever used against him, almost as strong as that of the Dread Lord. It was as if his head was stuck in a giant vice, slowly being crushed. But he did not kneel.
Ushochhushi stalked toward him with the Dread Blade…
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