Hartwell tried to sit up, then fell back, turning his eyes to Lucie. “You did it again, didn’t you?” Turning to Johnathon, Hartwell asked, “how many are broken?”
“Johnnie!” Lucie shouted, “I thought you had died, again. Please don’t do this anymore. Once was bad enough; this was far worse.”
“I am seeing one broken, three fractured ribs and your sternum is bruised, as is your chest,” Johnathon said.
An unexpected voice on the other side of Hartwell sighed, “I can feel them, thank you Johnathon,” came Bee’s voice. “I promise you sister of my Lord sir, I will not allow him to do this again. The bond will help me to prevent it.”
A relieved Lucie nodded, “then you really are like you are married!”
Bee went through what she knew from Hartwell’s thoughts, “perhaps. Though we are closer than just marriage. We are linked to keep are lifeforces stronger. Many of our thoughts are linked also.”
Lucie giggled a moment at the look of bewilderment on her brother’s face. “I’m seeing the strangest things,” Hartwell said.
“Unfortunately, you are seeing my life, such as it was before I met you,” Bee said.
“Damn,” Hartwell said as he laid back. “This is going to take getting used to.” Then a growl issued from his throat, “I hope that you repay those bastards for what they have done,” he said. “I am about ready to go to full-fledged war against the male population of the Tendraxians. What I am seeing is nothing short of physical and mental slavery,” Hartwell nearly shouted.
Derrick smiled, if he could get Hartwell to control his rage, the plan he had would work. “Believe me, we have a plan that should deal more than justice. Admiral, remember that not all males were like the majority. It wouldn’t do to destroy those that were in fact trying to help, true?”
Hartwell thought a moment then felt his rage start to dissolve. “That is true, though, how to separate them from the others.”
Derrick looked back at Mary, who was nodding her head. “Oh, I think we have a way to do that.”
Hartwell sighed then nodded, “Okay, if you say so sir.”
Kimon stopped a moment before the door of the Rilcon order building. “So, they sent the weak hoping to weaken us,” Kimon shook his head. “Disgraceful, to sacrifice half your clan against superior opponents. Especially when it is only to determine strength.” Looking at Onai and Greeson, he continued, “perhaps it is time. Time to rid existence of their evil.”
Onai and Greeson could see the look of displeasure on Kimon’s face. “Mate,” Onai started. “As has been passed down through the clans, this was not what the art was created for. It is the place and duty of all of Jitaku to preserve the art as it should be.”
Kimon drew a deep breath. He knew all that she said was true. This was the only reason he was still moving forward, still killing like this? Had never sat well with him.
“I can feel that there are almost as many as you have met within the building,” Kimon said. He turned toward Greeson, “you have expanded more energy than you should have. Stay on the edge, your energy replacement is also slower than it should be.” Kimon had a frown on his face, then vanished, there was a fluttering around Greeson from head to toe.
Kimon appeared a moment later with several small darts. Greeson bowed, I thought I had gotten all of them, apologies master,” Greeson said.
“Hmmm, only twenty, plus you are still maintaining most of your energy. Better my Gakusei, as I have said, we will work on it and more when this is finished,” Kimon said.
“Hai masutā,” Greenson said with a deep bow.
Kimon nodded as he watched Geeson’s energy start to rapidly climb. A few minutes later, he nodded as the three of them entered the building.
They were immediately met by a great host of Delcrons. Kimon, shook his head. A moment later, there were many dead at his feet. Entering a larger room, he saw one sitting back from the others. Another moment and all there was down, Kimon at the other side of the room. The same Delcron suspended in the air gasping for breath.
“It is a shame that today marks the death of your clan. Many good things could have come from you had you not followed one so evil,” Kimon said.
“You will never defeat,…” The Delcron started.
“Enough,” Kimon said as he slightly turned his wrist, hearing the neck of the Delcron snap. He then dropped the body as if it were nothing.
With a sigh, Kimon said, “one of their lesser masters, no skill at all.”
The next few rooms were almost a repeat of the last, though no masters appeared.
At the extreme back of the building, a shadowy figure appeared before the Grand Master. “Master,” the shadowy figure exclaimed. “The three I told you of, have entered the clan building. They have destroyed over half of the clan.”
The Grand Master nodded as he started to dress in the fighting ki that his ancestor wore. “I am afraid that the evils of my ancestors have come to exact payment for their deeds. You and others should depart to keep the clan alive. This should take precedence,” the Grandmaster said.
“This I cannot do, clan honor demands that…,” the shadowy figure stated.
“Yes, clan honor demands, it demands that we survive. Those that we face have been at the art far longer than us,” the Grand master said. “Go now, before there is nothing of us left to rebuild with. My destiny lies along another path.”
The shadowy figure broke protocol, throwing his cowl back, revealing a face that resembled the Grand Master’s. “Father, I do not wish to part ways like this. Surely, there is something that we can do.”
“I will deliver myself before them. I will buy you and the others time to disappear. Rebuild my son, remember all I have taught you, build upon it, grow far better,” the Grand Master said as he placed more and more weapons.
“I will do as you say father, die well for the clan,” the more human than Delcon said as he whirled. Outside, he gathered a small group, they then moved to the wall that opened, then they vanished.
Kimon was growing sadder as they moved through each room, leaving death behind them. He estimated that more than eighty percent of the clan was gone behind them. They finally came to a huge room. There weren’t more than a few hundred there.
At the back of the room there were about twenty Delcrons, waiting against the back wall. One, in particular, held Kimon’s attention. Looking closer, Kimon nodded when he saw the belt of the banished Jitaku clan around his waist.
In a rather loud voice, Kimon said, “So, at last we put to rest the last shame of the Jitaku. I am here to end that which my great-great ancestor could not. For too long have your clan gone unpunished.”
“So,” the Grand Master started. “It will finish much like it did centuries ago. Come the shame of my clan. Your ancestor should not have shamed this clan. Death was the only answer that he and the others refused. That will not be the outcome this day.”
“No, with your death, all honor will finally be restored,” Kimon said.
“We shall see,” the grand master said seeing the belt around Kimon’s waist. “A high clan leader of clan Dempsy, an opponent hardly worth my time.”