Disclaimers:\u00a0 See part 1<\/p>\n
by AJ Marks<\/span><\/p>\n Part 9<\/span><\/p>\n Ami made her way over to a small patch of trees that would provide cover from the sun. They had heard nothing about how the battle went so far. Of course the main army had only left two days ago. Janice thought they were at Navatown by now and the battle was probably underway.<\/p>\n Ami sat down on a fallen tree, before taking a bit of her food. She ate in silence, as it seemed the preferred way for Janice. The older woman had been pleasant company despite being quiet. Ami had learned a little bit about her but did not push.<\/p>\n She was fiercely loyal to the Empress who had been loyal to her. Ami had discovered a common theme about the Empress that she liked. If you were loyal to her she was loyal back. She had the feeling that most in the Royal Guard were like Janice, highly loyal to the Empress.<\/p>\n Ami looked up in shock at the loud crack sound that reminded her a lot of gunfire. She spotted Janice who slumped down from her sitting position a red stain flowing out from her chest. Ami sat frozen in shock stunned at what happened in front of her.<\/p>\n Several more loud cracks occurred, as she finally turned seeing a several people walking towards her. She spotted one as a servant from the palace, a brown-haired man with shoulder-length hair, which he currently had tied back in a pony-tail. They were holding crude looking metal sticks in their hands with burning rope attached to them.<\/p>\n \u201cHa, worked just like planned eh Ben,\u201d one said.<\/p>\n \u201cYep,\u201d the one Ami assumed to be Ben replied who was the servant. They walked right up to her. \u201cYou are coming with us.\u201d<\/p>\n Ami stared in shock at them wondering what they were talking about before finally replying. \u201cI don\u2019t want to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou belong with us, the Zero-Mages, instead of being with them,\u201d Ben said. They way he said \u2018them\u2019 with such venom made Ami want to run away as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you sure she\u2019s one of us?\u201d another one said looking to a bald man.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, she\u2019s the one terrorists, killed ten thousand with a single bomb blast,\u201d the bald guy said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat wasn\u2019t me!\u201d Ami replied back.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, don\u2019t be so modest,\u201d Ben said. \u201cGregory has plans for you. And being a slave to the Empress isn\u2019t like one of us, we are destined to rule this world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, you could be queen if you wanted,\u201d the bald guy said to her. The thought of being queen did go through her mind but just as quickly she imagined her king not as some guy but Tess. She was the one she wanted to be beside.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, time to get out of here,\u201d Ben said picking up Ami rather easily. She tried to fight a bit as they reached what looked like a wagon with wide wheels.<\/p>\n \u201cAll right,\u201d the bald guy said.<\/p>\n Ami watched as the group position two people near the wagon putting their hands on it. Ami stared in shock as the men pointed the crud guns at the two people and shot them.<\/p>\n \u201cAll done,\u201d another guy said.<\/p>\n \u201cDamn useless bags,\u201d the bald guy said. \u201cAre you sure we have to use these magic cars?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt the moment yes, doesn\u2019t attract as much attention,\u201d Ben replied.<\/p>\n \u201cI won\u2019t go,\u201d Ami finally said with some determination.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t have a choice,\u201d Ben replied.<\/p>\n Ami readied herself to fight when she felt herself hit from behind and blacked out.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Tess walked into the town quickly seeing General Russell make his way towards her. The town appeared in good shape and the defenses looked good but waited to hear any information from Russell himself.<\/p>\n \u201cEmpress, it\u2019s good to see you in one piece,\u201d he said to her.<\/p>\n \u201cLooks like the town is in good shape,\u201d Tess said, looking around then at Russell who nodded in agreement.<\/p>\n \u201cThe defenses are stout, checked them myself,\u201d he said. \u201cI expect we\u2019ll have another visit from the Grunts?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps, I have a message to their king,\u201d Tess said, thinking about what information she had received during her attack. She had then sent off another message to the king informing him that he would have her sole attention in any war.<\/p>\n \u201cHow is he going to answer you?\u201d Russell asked, knowing that without direct knowledge of where she was a reply could not come back.<\/p>\n \u201cLycos had instructions to send any messages here,\u201d she said. \u201cSo I\u2019ll need to get to the town\u2019s offices to check it out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s this way,\u201d he said leading her into the town.<\/p>\n She walked in silence for a moment taking in the town and how it had changed form when she conquered the town about five years ago. People still looked at her with a bit of fear but this time they also had a bit of relief that she had actually come. She entered the town office seeing the mayor walk up to her quickly.<\/p>\n \u201cEmpress, glad to see you,\u201d he said. Tess looked at the man who was short, bald and a beard with brown eyes. He did not seem like a warrior type but a merchant instead.<\/p>\n \u201cGlad the town\u2019s in one piece,\u201d Tess joked giving him a smile. \u201cWasn\u2019t sure when I heard the reports.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, well we have General Russell to thank, his dedication to defense,\u201d the mayor said, patting Russell on the back who looked slightly uncomfortable with the praise.<\/p>\n \u201cExactly the reason I put him in charge along this border,\u201d she said earning a shocked looked from Russell. \u201cYou are level-headed, not one to attack and focus on defense first. The Grunts are easy to anger so the last thing I needed along this border is someone equally hot-headed.\u201d Tess replied to him quick logically. She watched two sets of shocked eyes look at her. \u201cWhat?\u201d she finally asked, at their shocked expressions.<\/p>\n \u201cPardon me Empress, but I had no idea you were so well-educated,\u201d the mayor said.<\/p>\n \u201cI study my enemies for their strong and weak points, Grunts are easy to anger, it\u2019s both a strong and weak point,\u201d Tess replied. She used that exactly strength and weakness to manipulate the Grunts in this battle to dictate the battle her way.<\/p>\n \u201cI shall have to reevaluate my ideals of you then,\u201d the mayor said not blinking a bit. Tess laughed slightly seeing Russell almost shocked at the bluntness of the mayor to Tess\u2019 face.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I like you,\u201d Tess said. \u201cHowever, there is still work to do, any word from the palace?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHmm, don\u2019t think so, I\u2019ll go check Empress,\u201d he said walking away.<\/p>\n \u201cHow are the defenses, can they withstand another attack?\u201d Tess asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI have no doubt Empress, what was damaged was taken is already being repaired,\u201d Russell said.<\/p>\n \u201cGood,\u201d Tess stated having expected nothing less from the general. She had been honest when she said Russell had been appointed due to his defensive abilities and not offensive.<\/p>\n \u201cHow about you, did we have many losses?\u201d Russell asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, lost a couple and a half-dozen injured who are headed back to your HQ. I do want to ask you about Eric,\u201d Tess said, Russell made a thoughtful face, thinking the question over.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, him, confident, strong, perhaps a bit too aggressive but completely loyal,\u201d Russell said.<\/p>\n Tess nodded with the assessment of the captain. \u201cI might want him transferred to the Royal Guard,\u201d she stated, watching his face for any reaction.<\/p>\n \u201cHe would be thrilled,\u201d Russell said. \u201cA bit of training under you and he would make a great general for when one of us finally retires.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen I\u2019ll talk with Becca on transferring him over,\u201d Tess said, as the mayor came back with several notes in his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are for you Empress,\u201d he said handing them over.<\/p>\n Tess noticed several scrolls and quickly opened the first one. It had arrived last night and stated they had still not received any word from the Grunt king. Tess frowned at that not liking that one bit. The second one she had read twice before completely understanding, a large group had come out from the Shadowlands attacking towns. She quickly went thought he others which were additional reports stating that a human force had attacked and that Carrie had currently taken control of the 2nd Army but would need additional troops.<\/p>\n Tess quickly pulled out some parchment replying that the 1st army, under Becca\u2019s control, would head out and coordinate with Carrie and the 2nd army to beat back this intruder.<\/p>\n \u201cProblems?\u201d Russell asked when she had sent the note off.<\/p>\n \u201cYou could say that,\u201d Tess said. \u201cWe have an invading force from the Shadowlands attacking towns of the Empire.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDoes it have anything to do with the Grunt attacks?\u201d Russell asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I think it does,\u201d Tess said quickly, thinking about the situation. She needed a full headquarters to figure out what happened.<\/p>\n \u201cGeneral,\u201d an out of breath soldier said walking up to them.<\/p>\n \u201cReport,\u201d Russell said.<\/p>\n \u201cA Grunt army is approaching, they\u2019ll be here tonight,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat didn\u2019t take long,\u201d Russell said. Tess had to agree. The Grunt army had quickly turned around marching back to the town. However this time she had the advantage in this battle. The Grunt army would be between two forces which is what they were trying to do. She hoped that with the defeat of the siege army that they Grunt king would back off. That had not happened and as she had learned somehow they knew she would be fighting a two front war.<\/p>\n Tess would have to trust Becca and Carrie to do their best until she could reach the front lines.<\/p>\n \u201cPrepare the men, we\u2019ll attack at night after they get here,\u201d Tess said surprising Russell.<\/p>\n \u201cYou won\u2019t wait for them to try attacking the town?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I can\u2019t, this other situation, I have a feeling I know who it is,\u201d Tess stated recalling the conversation she had with the Segic not long ago. Gregory wanted something and he finally thought he had the forces to move on it. She had no idea if this ancient evil was real or not but she decided not to take the chance. She did not need a raging monster attacking her Empire.<\/p>\n \u201cVery well Empress, I shall have my men ready,\u201d Russell said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou, I\u2019ll need you to deliver a message to someone,\u201d Tess said, over at the scout. She quickly took another parchment wrote down what she wanted Lisa and her troops to do and watch for before sealing the paper and handing it to him. \u201cThere will be a group of Royal Guard troops just to the north, about right here,\u201d she pointed to a spot on a map before continuing, \u201cand give this to Captain Lisa.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes Empress,\u201d the scout said, taking the note then looking once more at the map then his map and took off at a run.<\/p>\n \u201cTell the town folk to stay behind the walls, there is another Grunt army out there,\u201d Tess said to the mayor.<\/p>\n \u201cOh dear, doesn\u2019t help our markets, but it\u2019s better to be alive I suppose,\u201d he said, before heading off to warn the town.<\/p>\n *****<\/p>\n Ami slowly came to with a headache unlike anything she had ever had before. She reached up touching the tender spot n the back of her head. She figured she might have a concussion or something with where she was hit. She then recalled what had happened.<\/p>\n She glanced around the room knowing hoping to see something familiar, but realized she had no idea where she was. The guys who kidnapped her had taken her somewhere else. She wanted to reach out and somehow inform Tess of what happened, and to rescue her.<\/p>\n The door opened allowing a man that stood a bit shorter than Tess walked into the room. He had blue eyes and short brown hair with a long moustache. Ami recalled they would be called handlebars they were so long. His blue eyes looked at her for several minutes causing her to shrink back slightly. Those eyes were dead and uncaring giving her a chill.<\/p>\n \u201cSo this is her?\u201d the man said looking over at Ben who had entered behind him.<\/p>\n \u201cYep, that\u2019s her all right, doesn\u2019t look like much, eh, though easy on the eyes,\u201d Ben said.<\/p>\n \u201cProbably part of how she managed it,\u201d the bald-headed one said.<\/p>\n \u201cWho are you?\u201d Ami finally asked, gathering some courage. She had to figure out how to get out of this area and back to the Empress.<\/p>\n \u201cSurprised you haven\u2019t heard of us, considering you are one of us, from Earth, tried and convicted of life, sent though the god damn wormhole,\u201d the man said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to be heading back home,\u201d he told her with a smile. \u201cI\u2019m sure you want to go back, get revenge.\u201d<\/p>\n Ami opened her mouth and then closed it thinking about what they said. She missed some things of her old life but her new life here had been quite different.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd while doing that we gain revenge on the idiots here, after all we are the Zero-Mages,\u201d the man said with a smile.<\/p>\n Ami had heard that name and knew that the people thought them to be evil. She could see why with this group. Of course she understood who they were, murders and the worst scum of her society.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on Gregory, you said you needed a demolitions expert and this is her,\u201d Ben said. \u201cShe took down that building and killed thousands.\u201d<\/p>\n Ami\u2019s eyes went wide at that. Ben had come here after that happened and she had been charged. She knew she had nothing to do with that attack, but they seemed to be under the idea she had done it. She looked at the men who looked back at her with some sort of excitement. She realized they cared nothing about life and that they loved to kill. Would they believe her if she told them she was actually innocent? Would they kill her if they thought she was worthless or perhaps even worse? She swallowed slightly wishing she could somehow run away.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on Gregory,\u201d the bald man said to the man with the moustache. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a lot of work left to do, let\u2019s get going. I have a date to pay that bitch back.\u201d<\/p>\n Ami watched as his eyes grew dark and his features crew cold. Ami wondered who he was talking about before another man walked into the room.<\/p>\n \u201cGregory, is she really needed?\u201d the man said. He stood tall, about six-six Ami guessed with red hair tied back into a ponytail as his green eyes looked at the group. Ami watched as Gregory turned to look at the man.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, she is needed, because she is a Zero-Mage,\u201d Gregory said. Ami wondered what was so special about being a Zero-Mage. She wished again that she had some sort of magical power so she would not be put into the Zero-Mage group.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you say so, though she looks like nothing to me,\u201d the bald man said after a few seconds.<\/p>\n \u201cHere, put this on, it\u2019s better than what that witch had you wear,\u201d Gregory said throwing some clothes towards Ami. She caught it recognizing a pair of pants and a shirt. \u201cWe\u2019ll be outside.\u201d<\/p>\n Ami waited a few moments after the men left before changing. Perhaps she was not some sort of prisoner as she thought when she first woke up. She did think they thought of her as someone different than she was. All of the men who had been in the room were convicted criminals who had probably murdered men and women for little or no reason at all.<\/p>\n Ami paused putting on the shirt at that thought. If they realized she was innocent would they consider her as part of her group? She understood she had to figure out a way to get out of this mess she now found herself in.<\/p>\n \u201cI still say we don\u2019t need someone like her, she doesn\u2019t even look like she knows what she\u2019s doing,\u201d a voice said causing Ami to pause at the door.<\/p>\n \u201cShe is a Zero-Mage, I don\u2019t care if she knows the stuff or not, it doesn\u2019t take a rocket scientist to blow something up. Put enough explosives on anything and you\u2019ll knock it down,\u201d another voice said, that sounded like Gregory.<\/p>\n Ami frowned at that. He did not care about her situation at all but only wanted her there for some reason. What was so important that this man needed so many of them with him? Did this have anything to do with her strange visions and the meeting she had been in a week or so ago with the Soulviers and the Segic? Ami took a breath and stepped through the door determined to appear one of them. She wanted to help her new world and friends, especially seeing how the other world hated her.<\/p>\n She looked around seeing a dozen people standing around. She noticed two other women standing off to the side while the man she recognized as Gregory stood facing off with another man she did not recognize who had short brown hair.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, put a fork in it Paul,\u201d one of the two women said.<\/p>\n \u201cBe careful Mary,\u201d Paul said back to her.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d be careful what you drink, if you catch my drift,\u201d the woman called Mary replied back to him.<\/p>\n \u201cEnough!\u201d Gregory said his face red with rage. \u201cIf you want to kill each other do so after we\u2019re finished, got it?\u201d<\/p>\n Ami remained where she was watching the group look at him for several seconds. She felt the tension in the air, knowing that they all were not in agreement with Gregory, but made no move to say otherwise. It seemed he had some sort of power over them all at the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is our newest member, freshly rescued from that bitch,\u201d Gregory said walking towards Ami. She thought the way he walked reminded her of some sort of predator stalking its prey. \u201cShe was sent here for a terrorist attack killing some ten thousand people, isn\u2019t that right?\u201d he asked her.<\/p>\n Ami nodded, not trusting herself to speak.<\/p>\n \u201cA woman after my own heart,\u201d Mary said. \u201cYou didn\u2019t bomb the Trans-Villa tower did you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm, no,\u201d Ami said hoping they would move on to something else.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s something, awesome,\u201d the other woman said. She was younger with short spiky red hair.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, when do we finally make our move, you\u2019ve promised me this for years now, a way to getting out of this hell-hole,\u201d Paul said, kicking at a rock.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I told you, the timing has to be perfect,\u201d Gregory said. \u201cIt took a while to get this together but we finally have things going the right direction. The army is moving forward as we speak.\u201d<\/p>\n They were interrupted by another person entering the room, a tall thin person. Ami recognized the person as a female Soulvier. That thought caused Ami some concern, were the Soulviers allies of the Zero-Mages somehow?<\/p>\n \u201cGregory, things are about ready, we should begin our preparations at once,\u201d the Soulvier said, not bothering to look around at the group.<\/p>\n Ami looked at her seeing long gold hair and gold eyes. Ami wondered what she was doing here in this group of killers? And what did she mean by preparations?<\/p>\n \u201cBe patient Teniv, we\u2019ll be there for this, I promise. How about our distractions?\u201d Gregory said.<\/p>\n \u201cNot as good as you hoped,\u201d Teniv replied. \u201cOur spies report the Empress will defeat the Grunt army today, the 1st army is already mobilized and moving out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd what of your empire? Were they not to help out?\u201d Gregory said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat idiot Jarkal got to the Emperor first. He apparently agrees with the Empress, nothing going on to warrant an invasion. I told you to dress your men differently,\u201d Teniv said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s done, water under the bridge. We can still do this, all we have to do is get to the place first, you do know where it is, right?\u201d Gregory said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe general location, we know a few people who know, and where to find them,\u201d Teniv said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we don\u2019t know the location then all of this is for nothing,\u201d Gregory said twirling his moustache. \u201cDon\u2019t betray us Soulvier.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d pray for your own souls if I was you,\u201d the Soulvier said twirling on the spot and stepping out of the room.<\/p>\n \u201cI hate magic users,\u201d Bens aid after she left the room. \u201cThey think they know so much. Prey for our souls, like I believe in any god.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUgh, yeah, but just wait, we\u2019ll only have to deal with them for a bit longer,\u201d Paul said. \u201cThen it\u2019s back home and time for revenge.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat I can\u2019t wait for,\u201d the girl said. \u201cDaddy, I\u2019m coming home,\u201d she said in a sing-song voice, causing Ami to shiver slightly. The danger around her definitely rose since she arrived.<\/p>\n End part 9<\/p>\n Continued in Part 10<\/a><\/p>\n Comment below or send to AJMarks01@aol.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Disclaimers:\u00a0 See part 1 Fortunatus Light of Dark by AJ Marks Part 9 Ami made her way over to a small patch of trees that would provide cover from the sun. They had heard nothing about how the battle went so far. Of course the main army had only left two days ago. Janice thought […]
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