2 days left
After he had left, the Emperor thanked Avso profusely and bowed so lowly for so long that Avso just stood there awkwardly. As soon as he was out of view, Avso sprinted as fast as he could to his father’s house. He told his father about the Emperor’s lie. His father had slammed his fist so hard down the dining table that it had cracked in half. He immediately called the team to meet at Luif’s house and cursed Avso away to meet them.
Avso entered the house. The short, gaunt man noticed him first—Luif. Uk was facing the other way, juggling axes. Kraz was reading a scroll, sitting regally in a chair. And Skamtos was staring off into space. Without looking back, Skamtos said, “The boy’s here.”
Uk and Kraz looked up and saw him. Avso nodded to them in what he hoped was a confident way.
“Now,” Skamtos said, “would you mind telling us why your father called us together so urgently?”
Avso was still sweating from his earlier run. “The Emperor lied about when his ritual would finish. He said it would finish six days from now—but it’s finishing in two.”
Skamtos jumped out of his chair. Uk let his axes drop. Kraz’s brow furrowed.
“What are you talking about?” Skamtos growled.
“The Emperor told me himself. My father told me to go to him and gather intel about the ritual.”
“That can't be true. Why would he lie?” Skamtos rushed and towered over Avso.
Avso backed away and fought not to cower from Skamtos. “He … He said that Murok told him warriors of Ilan would attack on the sixth day. So he should pretend the ritual took longer.”
Skamtos clenched his teeth together so hard that Avso thought his jaw would break. Then he rapidly turned around and started pacing.
Uk was nonchalant. “Doesn’t matter too much. We just execute the same plan, and that’s it. Easy.”
“It’s won't be that easy,” Kraz said. “We must practice and fight together well before anything happens. This also gives Frauza less time to find warriors who can help. Not to mention, we have to find the Amulet.”
“Maybe," Uk said, "But, eh, who cares?”
Luif stood and walked into a back room, returning with food in hand. He dropped the plates on the table and returned with a wooden cup of wine. He set the wine in front of Skamtos.
Skamtos filled his cup to the brim with wine and immediately started drinking it, ignoring the food. He knew all about how much Skamtos loved to drink.
“Might wanna slow down there, Skamtos,” Uk said with a grin.
Skamtos ignored him.
Avso chose not to eat. He wanted to keep up an image of respect.
Uk fluidly reached across the table and snatched up the wine bottle, pouring some for himself. He smirked at Avso.
“Is it wise to drink before we’re about to spar?” Avso asked.
“Nope,” Uk’s grin widened. “But why should I care? Live a little. If Murok has it, we’ll all be dead within the week. So live while you can.”
Avso’s stomach sank.
Skamtos grabbed the bottle back from Uk. “We won’t be dead. Count on it.”
Kraz finished chewing his meat. Even his eating style was dignified. “We’ll see our chance of living after we train. I’m rather hopeful, though. No need for such pessimism, Uk.”
“Were you not at the Battle of Givo?” Uk looked genuinely baffled. “Did you not see him?”
“Yes, we saw him,” Kraz said. “But if we’re going to fight for a better Murkali, we better do it as best we can. We must have faith in ourselves. We must know that we can kill the Emperor. It is our duty.”
“But that doesn’t—"
Skamtos slammed his goblet down. “Uk, I don’t cars how hard it’s going to be. I don’t care if Amud killed a thousand men in the last battle. I only care that I’ll have his head at the end. He’s dead—I’ll make sure that happens no matter what. So have some faith in your team.”
Uk shrugged, unfazed. “Whatever. I’m just along for the ride.”
The table fell into silence. And Avso stared at Uk. “Well, I’m sure you’ll care if you die.”
Uk snickered. “Don’t try to school me.”
Once again, the table fell into silence.
“Why not the Kinzuzzuh training grounds?” Avso looked to Uk. The Kinzuzzuh training grounds were some of the largest in Murkali and owned by Uk’s parents.
Uk glanced at Avso. “Yeah, no thanks. I happen not to be a fan of them.”
“You’re not a fan of the training grounds?”
“No, they’re great. I’m not a fan of my family.” Uk’s nose curled.
“Why not?”
“Listen, Goldy. I like you, but it’s not your business. Stop asking.”
The sun reigned supreme, a bright orb in a cloudless sky pouring its light over the land. Golden grass swayed under its gaze, stretching to the horizon where the earth kissed the sky. The grass occasionally rustled from the wind, carrying the scent of the dry soil and wild herbs. The sun's warmth enveloped everything, its heat palpable against the skin.
Avso eyed Skamtos; He was wobbly and unstable. He had had almost two full bottles of wine.
Kraz stood and looked up at the sun high in the sky. “Well, let’s get started with something simple. I'll make us some targets, you all work together and fight them. Remember that when fighting the Emperor, we should have many soldiers aiding us—courtesy of Frauza. Let's get started—”
Skamtos cut in. “No,” his voice was slurred. “Let’s spar, Kraz. Let’s see who’s better. We’re sparring.”
“That would be rather unwise.”
“It’s an order.”
“You are in no place to make orders right now.”
Skamtos’ face twisted. "You …" He didn’t push further.
Avso didn’t know he wouldn’t be much help in the spar. He didn’t have any Otu.
“Alrighty,” Uk said. “Let me connect with you all.”
Avso felt pressure in his chest, which was uncomfortable.
“Thank you, everyone. Gold-hair, accept my link.”
Avso finally understood, and he let the foreign presence enter his body. As soon as he did, he felt his body get lighter, he could move faster, his vision was better, and his breathing suddenly seemed so loud in his ears. It felt incredible.
This was Uk’s Otu specialty. He could enhance people’s movements and force them to move. Uk had a sly grin that Avso didn’t like.
“Well, all seems to be in order,” Kraz said. “Let’s begin.” He kicked his leg into the ground, causing a ripple to wave out. The ground underneath Avso shifted, and suddenly, stone golems emerged from the earth.
Hewn from bedrock, they stood towering, their bodies a mosaic of jagged stones and compacted earth. Sunlight played across their rough, uneven surfaces, casting deep shadows that flickered in their hollow, craggy eye sockets. Their movement sent a cascade of pebbles skittering down their forms.
One of them moved to Avso. He immediately recoiled and brought out his spear. How was he supposed to beat stone with a spear?
He tried so anyway, jabbing forward with his enhanced strength. The spear held, and the rock chipped. One of the rock pieces that formed the body tumbled away, leaving a gap in the golem’s chest.
The golem swung at Avso, and he rapidly ducked.
Avso moved to attack again, but then his feet moved without him consciously doing anything. He slipped and fell flat on his back as the air rushed out of his chest.
He scrambled back up, just for his feet to swipe out under him gain.
Avso growled and spun around to whom he knew was doing it.
Uk was giggling to himself. A golem rushed at him from behind and swung at Uk's head. But Uk suddenly ducked under the blow, pivoted, and knocked the golem’s head off with his bare fist.
Avso got back on his feet. He untethered his connection from Uk.
Avso’s body was searing from exertion. He wanted nothing more than to lay down and sleep right now but pushed through the pain. This was no time for weakness.
The golem was on Avso again, and he dodged but slowly. His body felt sluggish now without the added speed and power. He sliced at the golem.
The golem charged at him, and he sidestepped fast enough to where the golem couldn’t tackle him. The golem turned around and charged at him again.
Right then, a golem crashed into Avso from behind, throwing him to the ground.
Avso grunted and could barely move under the immense weight.
The golem didn’t move to attack his head, but it did constrict him.
Suddenly, the weight was torn off him. Avso scrambled up to his feet to see Skamtos holding the rock beast in the air.
Skamtos took the rock’s head in his hands and crushed it. A shard of rock exploded outward. Pain seared on Avso’s face.
He felt at it, and his hand had blood on it when he withdrew it. A rock shard had sliced his cheek. He stepped away from Skamtos, who was off to fight another golem. Out of nowhere, Skamtos tripped and fell onto his forearms. He yelled and whirled around. Uk was to the side, fighting a golem. He had a smirk on his face.
Two more earth golems spawned near Uk and started fighting him. “Quit doing that, Uk. Or else.” Kraz said.
“Sorry,” he said, not even a bit out of breath. “Was just having a bit of fun.”
Luif darted around, stabbing at golems and separating their heads from their bodies. Their stone corpses fell to the ground, limp.
Luif sprinted past Skamtos—who was fighting a golem. Skamtos spun around and punchd Luif. Luif flew backward with a yell and rolled to a stop, his clothes covered in dirt.
He lay there limp for a second. And Kraz ran toward him.
Luif moved his body up slowly. Skamtos was pummeling the golem on the ground.
“You—idiot!” Luif yelled. He sprinted at Skamtos. Avso noticed a wince as he ran.
Luif started attacking Skamtos. Skamtos dodged all his attacks and yelled for him to calm down.
Luif stopped attacking and backed off. He shook his head at Skamtos in anger.
But Skamtos was in a rage now. He sprinted toward Luif, who darted away. But Skamtos was far faster. He punched at Luif with blazing-fast fists, and Luif could do nothing but dodge.
Avso ran toward them, intending to help Luif. But when he got near them, Skamtos whipped around and punched Avso, and his world went black.
He woke up in the dirt. There was a cloud of dust hovering over the entire area.
Uk was sitting next to Avso.
"Rise and shine," Uk said with a smile.
"What …? What happened?"
"You ran in and tried to help Luif. Good effort, but you did get knocked out immediately. You should be glad Skamtos was drunk. Because if he wanted to punch you, you'd be dead."
"I know that, but what happened afterward."
"Well, after Skamtos punched you, Kraz jumped in and started fighting him. Skamtos kept getting more aggressive. Luif couldn't dodge that well because he was in pain from the punch."
"And what were you doing?"
Uk smirked. "At first, I was laughing and cheering from the sides—"
"You were laughing even after I got knocked out? Are you crazy?"
"No, I'm not crazy. Once I realized that it was serious, I ran in to help. I told Luif to link so I could help him dodge, he linked. But since he wasn't used to the extra speed, he tripped over himself. Skamtos was about to kill Luif when Kraz blocked him with a stone wall."
"Wait, where's everyone else?"
"Skamtos is over there acting all depressed." Luif motioned to somewhere in the distance. "Luif is keeping an eye on him, and I don't know where Kraz went. But let me continue with my story."
"You're having way too much fun with this."
Uk laughed. "If you can't have fun when your friends almost die, when can you have fun?"
Avso shook his head. Uk was crazy.
"So, Kraz blocked Skamtos with the stone wall. Skamtos went into a rage and attacked Kraz. I wanted Kraz to link with me. But he decided to get mad over how I messed with him earlier. So he declined.
"Meanwhile, Skamtos was yelling about how he didn't need us and would rather kill the Emperor by himself. It was quite funny to see. His voice was slurred, and y'know, Skamtos likes to act like the tough guy. But he sounded like such a whiny little kid that I couldn't help but laugh."
Avso stared at Uk, bewildered.
"Anyway, Kraz finally snapped in anger and beat Skamtos. I doubt he could have done it so easily if Skamtos wasn't drunk. From what I've heard, Skamtos is stronger."
Uk finished his story.
"Well, thanks for telling me, I guess."
"No problem. You'd think we'd work together better than this, but apparently not." Uk flashed him a smile. "Welcome to the team."
