Forever Jaded - Chapter 5

The figure in the black cloak and hood walked through the halls of a small compound, thoughts and plans of destruction racing around in his head. He turned around a corner and walked down the long, dark corridor, entering a room on the left, slamming the door shut behind him. He walked up to a large chair and sat down, glancing at the door, waiting for his 'guest' to arrive. Shortly after he had sat down, there was a knocking at the door. "Enter," he said in a low voice, and the door slowly creaked open, and a man entered, clad in black armor, a sword on his belt. "Godri," said the figure. "What is it you wish to tell me?"

"We were defeated at Garmaton," said Godri, bowing his head. "I'm sorry, sire. The Empire overpowered us; they've gotten more members since last we fought, and we just weren't expecting it."

"Hmm," said the figure, plans fomring in his mind. "We need to show them who's boss. Godri, the map, if you please." Godri nodded and handed a curled paper to the figure. The cloaked one looked it over, and then smirked. "What we need to do is destroy a village, to show them they can't just defeat us and expect us to leave. We are here to stay."

"Yes sire," said Godri. "Which village?"

"Hmm..." murmured the figure, eyes narrowed and looking around the villages. "Where are they?"

"There's a small group near Armasaw, and the rest..." he shrugged. "I don't know; we got word of the soldiers taking men from Armasaw to fight."

"Armasaw, huh?" asked the figure. "Alright. Assemble the men; tell them to burn Armasaw to the ground." Godri nodded and turned to leave. "And Godri," the figure said, causing the man to look back at him.

"Yes my lord?"

"Leave no one alive."

"Of course, sire," said Gordi, before he exiting the room. The figure smiled to himself and looked over the map again, looking at Armasaw.

"The Empire shall soon see what they're up against. If they don't wish to see more lives lost, they'll step back," he murmured to himself. "For I, Kuruk Hashima, will win this. They may have won one small battle, but they will never win the war." he laughed to himself, picturing the village burning in his mind, people screaming and running in fear. "They shall see."
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"Irene, what's wrong with him?" Karen asked the healer currently standing over her pale son, one hand gripping his right wrist, counting quietly to herself. For a moment, Irene didn't respond, then she dropped Richard's wrist and looked at her. Karen frowned at the look in her eyes.

"I don't know," she said quietly. "He's sick, that's all I can say. Something's gotten to him, but I can't detect it. It's not the flu, it's not...it's not any other disease I know. I don't know what's wrong with him, Karen, other than his body seems to be shutting down."

Karen's eyes went wide. "But he'll be okay, right?" she whispered, gripping her husband's arm tightly. Harold wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "He...He'll be okay?"

Irene sighed and gave a small shrug. "I don't know, Karen. If I knew what was wrong with him, I could treat it, but...I don't know. He's terribly ill, that's for sure. He keeps getting weaker by the minute. I wouldn't leave him alone tonight, if I were you." she sighed and returned her gaze to Richard's rosy cheeks. "You say this suddenly came on him?"

"Yeah," Harold spoke up. "He was fine when he went to bed last night, and when we checked on him this morning he was okay. Then we came back up to tell him dinner was ready, and Karen found him in the hallway. Are...are you sure you don't know what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Harold," Irene said. "I have no idea. But don't leave him alone tonight..." she trailed off for a minute, and then whispered, "If you do, you may just wake up and find him dead."

Karen gave a wail and collapsed into her husband's arms, sobs wracking her body. Harold wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close to him. "Are...are you sure?" he asked, his eyes wide.

"...Yes," Irene murmured. "I'm sorry."

Harold closed his eyes. First R.J., now this? He couldn't lose both of his sons just like that. R.J. might not come back, and if he did, it wouldn't be for a while. What was he going to do if Richard died? What was he going to tell R.J.? So many questions, so few answers. "He'll be okay," he said.

"I'm not so sure," said Irene, frowning. "Like I said, I don't know what's wrong with him, but it's serious. Fatal, even. I'm sorry."

Karen shook in his arms, and he tightened his grip on his beloved.

"...You might want to write a letter to R.J.," Irene murmured, looking at the pale boy, brushing back his bangs, which were matted to his head from his sweat as he tossed his head from side to side, moaning in his unconscious state. "He'll want to know...if...if he passes..."

Harold shook his head firmly as his wife's cries increased. "No," he said in a stern voice. "He won't pass."

"...I'm sorry."

Harold sighed. "Irene...you...you can go home, if you like. We...We'll watch over him."

She nodded worriedly. "If that's what you want. I'll come back in the morning, see how he's doing..." she trailed off, not daring to say the rest of her sentence. Harold nodded and she left the room quietly, leaving the family alone.
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R.J. frowned as he made his way to the crowd of people. "What's going on?" he asked, shoving his way through to see what the commotion was about. He stopped beside David, frowning down at the soldier on the ground. It was the soldier who had taken him from Armasaw, he noticed. "What's wrong with him?" he whispered to David, watching as the soldier tossed his head from side to side, sweat beading his forehead as he moaned.

David shook his head. "Dunno. He's sick." a few more soldiers came by, carrying a stretcher. They lifted the moaning form onto it and began backing away. David frowned. "Wonder what's wrong with him."

"I dunno," said R.J.

"...They say he's dying," said David. R.J's frown deepened.

"What?" he asked.

"They say he's dying," David repeated. "He's sick, but no one knows what's wrong with him."

R.J. stared after the ill soldier. "Strange," he murmured, and David nodded in agreement.