Kareivis: Warrior

CHAPTER 6: THE BETRAYAL

Muhali did not move from where she was standing. She looked at him with the emptiness of a deep hollow abyss. She lost focus on him as Lietus' words repeated themselves in her mind like a tape recorder. Varens rushed to where she was standing, he tried to take her hand, but she would not allow him to touch her. “Lietus leave us; we need to talk in private.” Lietus smiled with that mocking smile of victory she had once displayed to Muhali as she proceeded to leave the Nedrag.

Varens: “My love, it is not as Lietus has portrayed. Please allow me to explain things to you.”

Muhali: “My master Varens, who is Muhali to you that you may explain anything to her. I am but a servant in the King’s palace. I am nothing and no one of significance.”

Muhali said this as her head was bowed to the ground. She could not help but stare at that bracelet that was on the floor and she kept thinking how she fell in love with it just as she had fallen in love with Varens. And her tone was much emptier and colder than ever before.

Varens: “Kara, you know that I don’t think that way. I hold you in the highest regard”

Muhali: “oh? Do you now? You should follow her. Both of you are well aware that it is not good for a young Master in his position to be seen with someone of inferior birth such as me. If not for her, then maybe you should at least be worried about your reputation for the sake of the House of Kilnus.”

Varens: “My Kara, do not lock me out of your heart, I beg you.”

Muhali: “What is it then that you suggest I must do?”

Varens: “That is not fair...”

Muhali: “What does fairness and unfairness have to do with anything? Anyway, I hope for your sake you have the best life and the greatest happiness with her.”

Varens: “Have I committed such an offence that you cannot bring yourself to understand? Why must you be so unforgiving and cold towards me? You of all people know what duty and responsibility can make one do. My father has asked this of me and I cannot refuse him. I would think that you amongst many would understand my plight. I cannot think of myself nor you. I must think of my family’s honour. Consider the prestige of the house of Kilnus. Understand me, will you please…”

Muhali: “No, no... I have understood quite perfectly. You have left me for her because you believe me to have no crown or position that I can offer you. I have misjudged you, Master Varens. I thought that you loved me as I am-without a station or title. I was blinded by my perception and I could not see it. You care more for the opinions of feeble-minded and primitive individuals who would themselves much rather overindulge in their own vanity. I have mistaken your kindness and hand of friendship as more than what it was. Allow me to apologise for my misconception and your inconvenience, Master Varens…”

Varens: “My Kara, don’t wound me so. You know well and truly that you are the only love I have. You are my heart's desire-the one who has been engraved in my very being. You are the light of the three moons of Inthia in my life; you hold my heart and my joy. Only you…”

Varens said this as he moved closer to Muhali. He picked up the bracelet. He took Muhali by the hand and put the bracelet in her hand. As he did this, Muhali withdrew her hand from his and it slowly slipped out of his grip until he had nothingness left in the palm of his hand.

“I hold nothing but your betrayal…” she said.

The bracelet once more fell to the ground humming the sound of her broken heart and shattered hope. And as Varens was about to move closer to hold her, Muhali stepped back and Lietus barged into the room saying, “…my one, your father requests for our presence. He wants us to prepare for our presentation to the King and Queen.” She did not wait for him to respond and as Lietus approached him Muhali looked aside so that Lietus did not see her brokenness. Lietus then took Varens by the hand and led him out of the room. And as they left, Kilnus entered the room just as he and Lietus had planned.

“Will you look at that...? Your love story with my brother has ended far too quickly. You my little social climbing servant... You did not think that you would succeed, did you?” Muhali gathered her composure and responded in an irascible tone.

“If I am seeking status by marrying your brother, what does that make you? Do not be quick to point out other people’s short comings and negate your own. Individuals such as you, Master Kilnus, provoke me to anger. You do not love my sister; you know nothing of her joys and sadness. You know nothing about her life or her character. All you know and care for is the throne which she can offer you. And I tell you now that a power-hungry beast such as yourself will never sit on the throne of Inthia as long as I am alive.” Muhali had never spoken to anyone in such a manner. In fact, Muhali hardly ever even spoke a word at all. She had always humbled herself and taken their insults silently. This response hit the core of Kilnus' pride and, in his enraged state he raised his hand and slapped her. The very moment his hand made contact with her face she felt nothing, all she heard was the sound of the impact of his hand on her face. At that moment, her heartbreak was more painful than anything else. Even though she could not feel any physical pain, she gently put her hand on her face and looked at Kilnus with a dazed stare. And Kilnus himself could not believe what he had done. He stared at his hand as though it was not his own and just as he was about to speak she bowed her head. She clinched her hand into a fist and put it across her chest

“I beg your forgiveness Master Kilnus. I have spoken out of turn.” Kilnus opened his mouth so he could respond, but before he could utter a single word she continued saying, “…I beg to be excused.” Without even waiting for his response, she hurried to exit the Nedrag. Muhali was more than just a technician, she was a warrior and she was not accustomed to falling apart even though her heart was broken. Her only instinct was to go and train, and since there was no training session scheduled, she entered her own training parameters. When Muhali created Zionas, she linked her mind to the programming of Zionas, so it was easy for Zionas to input the forest of Haile as the backdrop to Muhali’s exercise. She made it rain so that her tears would be masked by the rain. Her enemies did not stand a chance as she unleashed a fit of rage against them. She even changed her armour from a pure white to a blood red colour during the battle. She spent all evening in the simulator, fighting hundreds and hundreds of soldiers. She was so preoccupied she did not even notice that her mother had sent word that it was time to escort her sister and the students home. And when The Queen was tired of waiting for a response, she contacted Skydas because he was the only other person besides Muhali who had access to the Zionas simulation on Thyatira. Skydas was no longer on the Thyatira moon base, he had been called back to duty as his training could now because of Zionas take place anywhere and anytime. When he entered the simulation, he met nothing but ash and destruction. She had never been so violent before. Her violence was calm and methodical, it was almost as if her ability to feel was non-existent. The atmosphere was eerie, to say the least. There was a sound of the howling wind, as if the wind was screaming on her behalf. It was pouring rain like her heart was bleeding with pain. He stood on a ridge that overlooked where the battle was taking place. Muhali was up against over three mother ships and twenty battle cruisers in the air, and on the ground there were about a hundred assassins advancing toward her position. Sky felt as though he should approach her and give her the message he was sent to deliver by The Queen. But when he looked closely on the battlefield, he saw two mother-ships completely destroyed, he saw a dozen battle cruisers destroyed and nearly 300 destroyers burnt to a crisp. These were the strongest of the Channidae armies and even with him fighting by her side, they had never managed to destroy all four battle units in one fight. In that light he resolved to observe and see how she finished the battle. He noticed that she had three gliders above her perfectly positioned in a triangular formation and placed in such a manner that they faced outward in all directions of their enemy, they were fast and very powerful. He knew that mother-ships were strong and destructive, but they had no speed, to counter them Muhali used her abilities as an energy being. She would absorb the aftershock energy that was released on the ground after each attack, she would then use her ability to control technology and invade the ship like a virus. After taking over all of the ship’s main functions and programmes she would crush it from the inside along with all of its battle units. The battle cruisers were fast and powerful as well, but their size was a disadvantage to them. They could easily be locked on target and subsequently destroyed. So, the gliders above Muhali’s head would disperse at her command one at a time, never two or three at once and the other two remaining served as back up and protected the one from any cruiser that came after the one. And the one that broke formation would take out two or three battle cruisers in one strike. The assassins were heavy set and were known for their sheer bruit strength, one hit from them could kill. Muhali had her hover board with her and she used it as a vantage point to gain speed and agility to dodge their attacks and gain some distance. With the distance she would use the bracelet on her armour to bring out her bow. She would then use Zionas to scan for a weakness in the armour of the assassins and she would measure and fire laser arrows thereby destroying about ten assassins with one strike. Skydas had never seen anything like it before and even though he was highly impressed he was also unnerved by the two looming questions in his mind. What could make her take such a risk of taking on all four units at once by herself? And why was it raining? He thought to himself. And even when the assassins managed to land attacks she still got up with the same dead expression on her face like she felt nothing at all. He wanted to ask but he feared that asking would only remind her of whatever she was attempting to forget. Under normal circumstances she would have been able to notice his presence the moment he connected to her training session but Lietus mocking smile as well as her words had entangled themselves in Muhali's mind that she was not aware that he was there with her. And Skydas knew her so well that he dared not interrupt her, but somehow the direction of the battle changed and headed toward the ridge where he was standing, and she saw him. They exchanged no words or sighs, not even gestures. Just by seeing his holograph she knew what she was supposed to do. She was not aware of how long she had been in the simulator, and no one had thought of looking for her there because she had no scheduled training sessions. As soon as she appeared out from the secret entrance, the guards, the chancellor, Vesma, Varens and Kilnus who had all been searching for her throughout the night, were filled with relief and some were filled with guilt. She did not appear to be phased by their worry, nor did she seem to care for it. She merely looked at them and said, “Prepare yourselves-we are leaving in a little while.” She left the room, and all were left astonished by her indifference as well as her wet hair. The carrier was as silent as the dead of the night as they boarded it, Lietus cleaved to Varens as he reluctantly sat next to her. While Kilnus could not even look Vesma in the face because of what he had done to Muhali. When the carrier was out of Thyatira's orbit, Muhali had the guards escort the guests to their respective quarters while she stayed behind to oversee their safe journey back to Inthia. When the carrier landed on Inthia, Muhali instructed the guards to take the guests to their parents and she quickly retreated to her royal arehful (room).