Emperors War
/ Emperors War 15 Taking A Master
Truthfully, he really didn't know much about Aker. Through some connections he had he heard a rumor about a child being thrown into The Pit to fight. Originally, he didn't believe it, thinking that it was impossible for a child to end up fighting in The Pit.
While he was still shaking his head in disbelief over the idea of a child fighting in The Pit, he had heard something even crazier. He heard from a friend that the reason this boy was fighting in The Pit was because he was a failed Emperor Candidate.
Impossible! A freaking Emperor Candidate in The Pit. Where the hell did they find one? How does an Emperor Candidate end up fighting for their life in The Pit? Who would be crazy enough to throw an Emperor Candidate into a fight for life?
Question after question went through his mind after hearing this news. Ultimately after thinking it all over he came to the decision that the news he was hearing was either fake or a trap for him. At the end of the day he tried to confirm the rumor but the only person who had heard about it was the person who had first told him.
The person who passed the rumor onto him also told him that the technology chip with the illegal hack was added to the boy's DNA. This made it seem even crazier and increased the chances that the rumor of the Emperor Candidate boy was a trap. Who would risk adding an illegal hack to the technology chip in an Emperor Candidate? While it was true that the illegal hack could have significant benefits, the risk was just too high. Over 50% of children who got the technology chip died during the process. Those that got the illegal hack had over a 99% death rate.
After hearing all of these crazy rumors Vance started planning on how he was going to escape the trap. The part that was hardest for him to accept was the one that was trying to lure him into the trap was one of his closest friends and someone he had once sworn as a brother.
Had it been all of those years ago he would have never questioned a brother, but after being betrayed by his best brother it was impossible for him to trust anyone ever again.
While sitting at the tavern planning his next step, he overheard a group at a table talking about a boy fighting a Kulga in The Pit. Immediately hearing that Vance's face changed. As he listened to the story of how a small boy fought off the Kulga and luckily killed it while getting severe injuries he found himself holding his breath.
"I couldn't help but overhear you talking about a boy fighting in The Pit, what did he do to end up in The Pit?" Vance called out to the table.
The man who was just talking sneered at Vance and ignored him as if though talking to him might dirty his reputation.
Seeing the table full of people ignore him Vance stood up and walked over to the man who sneered at him, lifted up his foot and put a boot in his face sending him across the room.
While still in the process of kicking the one man in the face he pulled a knife out and in one smooth motion cut the arm off of another man at the table as he was standing up to attack Vance from behind. As the man watched his arm fly off he fell to the ground screaming in pain.
The two remaining men at the table stared up at Vance as if though he was the King of Slaughter. It wasn't just fear that could be seen in their eyes but obedience as well.
Vance had learned from a young age that only two things mattered in the Universe, strength and dominance and that one without the other was the same as a straw house. No matter how strong you are if you didn't make people bend to your will, they would walk all over you. On the other end if you tried to force people to bend to your will without the strength to back it up you would end up dead or under someone's foot.
Staring down at the two men the gleam in Vance's eye let the two men know that if they did not answer his questions, they would be next.
"W-w...we-e-e di-d-n't now it waaas you asking. H-ad we kno-wn we woul-d have an-swered right away." One of the two men still seated at the table managed to spit out. Seeing how scared he was it was a miracle that his mind was still working at all.
Through the years Vance had always used this approach when dealing with people and because of that he was completely use to the scared and stuttering speech of the man and at this point he barely noticed at all but that didn't mean it didn't still annoy him to listen to it.
Because Vance was so used to the fear in the face of those he dominated he only wore a cold emotionless face. Anyone who looked at Vance would know that the life of the man who was talking meant nothing and that leaving with a lost arm or leg would be considered lucky. While it was true that the Code did not allow for the killing of each other that didn't mean that it wasn't done in secret. Everyone knew you would only be guilty if someone found out.
"Speak clearly or lose your arm." Vance slowly and calmly spoke out in his icy cold voice.
Taking a deep breath and calming himself down the man began speaking "The announcer only told us that no one could know of his crime and that His Majesty stated his crime was so grave that death was the only redemption, his crime threatened every member of the empire."
Had the man had the courage to look Vance in the eye even he couldn't miss the shock that Vance was in. Is it possible that the boy fighting in The Pit is truly an Emperor Candidate?
"What happened next!" not able to contain himself Vance's voice raised several octets as he demanded an answer from the man.
Suddenly the slight stench of urine started to fill the room. As Vance glared down at the man the urine stench was intensifying.
A look of disgust filled Vance's face as he stared at the man. Looking under the man's chair was a yellow puddle that if followed led to the wet pants of the man sitting in the chair. Due to Vance raising his voice a few octets the man was so scared he had stopped breathing and well…
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As if struck by lightning the man who had lost himself in his fear had suddenly realized that he was still in danger. In fact, looking up at the face of Vance he was in even more danger after remaining silent and wetting himself. Suddenly the man saw Vance raise his hand into the air and the expression on the man's face froze as he felt killing intent.
"Wait...Wait...the boy fought a Kulga and was nearly killed but in the end he managed to luckily kill the Kulga instead. Tens of thousands of people bet against the boy to lose and lost everything. As far as I know a man named Unlucky Sneed was the only one who bet on the boy to win. I had heard that a bunch o people planned to take Sneed's winning ticket but he had disappeared before they could get a chance. The boy walked by himself back into the staging area after the fight and for some crazy reason he was laughing and smiling."
Vance listened as the man spoke trying to find any hint of lies or deceit. Knowing how scared the man was and having heard the story now from a few directions Vance had come to the decision that the truth must be that a boy who is an Emperor Candidate was forced to fight in The Pit for his life.
The man continued speaking "The announcer said that the boy would have to fight tomorrow and that tomorrows fight would be even more exciting that todays. We just got done paying some coin to find out that the guard who is watching over the boy is not going to take him to the Doc to get fixed up and on top of that he plans to injure him real bad before the fight."
Hearing all of this Vance's mind started planning at lightning speed. Minutes ago he didn't dare believe that something as impossible as an Emperor Candidate not being in one of those places but instead fighting in The Pit. It was common knowledge that despite there being millions of Emperor Candidates each one, even the weakest was treated as royalty. After all, every bit of power and magic comes from the Emperor and the candidates.
Instead of being treated as royalty there was an Emperor Candidate that was treated as less than a human rotting away in a prison cell as he was plotted against awaiting another fight to the death on the next day.
As he calculated he realized that it would be a simple matter for him to be the guard assigned to the boy. If he was assigned as his guard, he would have the opportunity to get close. His brother only told him that he was a failed Emperor Candidate and not why he was failed. Historically speaking even the weakest Emperor Candidates were stronger than people at the same level. Weak was always relative, when people were referencing weak Emperor Candidates, they were only comparing to other Emperor Candidates. Like the ancient saying goes "a sleeping lion is still stronger than a barking dog".
With that idea in mind Vance pulled every string he had. He begged, borrowed, bribed and offered favors for the future to get the job as the guard without anyone finding out he was the one who was the guard.
Officially his name was Glab Bastian a middle-aged guard with a pretty crooked background who is very susceptible to bribery. He even arranged for someone who can fill in as him when meeting with some of the upper echelon in case anyone wants to check up on the boy.
Thinking to here Vance decided to pause for a moment and put all of his thoughts together. What's important is making sure he doesn't push Aker away nor do anything that would cause him to not trust him now or in the future. If Vance loses this opportunity, he would be left with literally nothing. He had wagered everything on this position and the boy.
"Aker, earlier you told me you planned on staying and fighting, that you planned on being here until you could pay back the people who put you here, is that right?"
"Ya, I don't know why they took me and threw me in here. I don't know why they accused me of endangering everyone. I don't know why I'm here in The Pit, but I do know that I will make every one of them who put me here pay for it."
Vance could see the anger and determination reflected in the boy's eyes as Aker responded back to him. How could such a young boy have such strong determination?
"How do you plan on surviving in The Pit? I heard yesterday's fight you survived by luck. I saw today's fight and admittedly it was impressive. Your speed, agility, strength, thought process were all amazing. Your action today shocked a lot of people. However, because of that come tomorrow and the next day and the next day they will just throw bigger, meaner and more ferocious beast at you. In reality any 13-14-year-old with training can kill a Kulga pretty easily."
Aker listened as Vance spoke to him and was internally nodding his head. What Vance was saying did make a lot of sense. If their goal was to see him die in The Pit like the announcer said then it would be simple enough to bring out something more capable of doing the job.
Vance watched as Akers mind processed what he just told him. He could see as Aker first ascertained the truth of the scenario. He saw that Aker realized the truth of the words he had just spoken because he saw a bit of fear flash through his eyes. He then saw Aker calm down and steel his nerves as he reaffirmed his resolve. Vance couldn't help but be more and more impressed with this kid. Everything about him made Vance want to shout to the world that with Akers help he would get his Vengeance on the word!
After sitting in silence for a couple of breaths and letting Aker process the fact that things would only get more and more challenging Vance decided now was the time to move forward. Originally Vance was going to keep almost all information about himself away from the boy but after his interactions with him he decided that he would be upfront.
"To be honest I pulled a lot of strings in order to be your guard. I gave up every last thing I had to be standing here and talking to you. I have no money left. I have no favors left. I have no family left. I have no home. I have nothing at all. I came to you because we can help each other. I will take you as my one and only disciple and mentor you. I will put every ounce of my time, effort, and life I have in me to make you strong. You will be stronger than anyone and you will dominate everything and when I say everything, I mean everything. Then once your strong enough you will take revenge for me. You and I will be in this together. Our life and death will be tied to one another. Either we both live and pay back everyone who has harmed us or we both die fighting."
Vance said with sincerity as he stared out into the abyss as his mind wondered into the past. As Aker listened to Vance, he could feel the emotion and commitment in his words. Aker didn't just believe that Vance would live and die with him, he knew and understood that he would if he accepted Vance as his master.
Aker listened to Vance talk and as he heard him talk, he couldn't help but feel the corner of his lips slightly curl up. As Vance continued speaking the slight curl of the lips ended with a face full of teeth as Aker was smiling ear to ear.
After being thrown in here he was all alone. What struggling adult wouldn't want to hear that someone was willing to face life and death with them, to help them, make them strong and care for them? For an Aker, Vance's words were like a hand from the heavens.
"So, Aker will you be my disciple?"
Without any hesitation, with a smile full of hope and with a firm determination Aker answered "Yes!"
Chapter end
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