Interlude XIII

Ajimal the Great

Western Battlefront

“Push them into the Ocean.” Those were the commands Ajimal gave, and those were the exact orders that his troops were now executing. They had fought for so long, that they now managed to push the reminder of the Northern Alliance forces into the Ippian Ocean.

Ajimal waited for the enemy forces to enter the ocean, each carrying their metal protective armor and their metal weapons. Then when they were all in the water, Ajimal enacted the final attack. He followed the fleeing forces, ones that were desperately swimming to the other side of the ocean. The enemies could see freedom for the pursuing forces within reach. Then he struck.

ZZZAP!

His lightning body had evolved yet again. He had recently entered the seventh echelon, thanks to his wife consort’s efforts. She had gone into the deepest pits of the world and come back with treasures that had pushed Ajimals strength beyond the mortal limits, and into the realm of the Gods themselves. He was now a god amongst men, unstoppable and unrelenting.

The only thing he now lacked was immortality, but that would come in time. Of that he was certain, he had already taken great pains to hunt down dragons and other trophy monsters during his spare time. That was how he had achieved his perfect body. Then the treasures his wife consort retrieved from the deepest pits, allowed him to gain the blessing of a core. He didn’t know what a core was, nor what it was for. All he did know was that his core now made him able to evolve yet again. This time he once again chose his birthright. He chose the one evolution that would truly set him as a God amongst mortals.

[Lightning Elemental Mastery**]

There were dozens of choices this time around, choices that all pointed to the amazing power that was available at the seventh echelon. With this choice he knew he would set his path to godhood once and for all. There were no records of the ascension. No records remained of how the Gods achieved their immortality, only records of what the Gods were and what they stood for. As far as Ajimal was concerned he was paving his own path in the world, a path of blood and power. A path that would be remembered for his brilliance.

He chose [Lightning Elemental Mastery**] which sparked an evolution of the power on its own.

Warning [Lightning Elemental Mastery**] has reached an evolutionary marker. From this choice you can choose one of the three following evolutions: [Lightning Body], [Lightning Control], or [Lightning Familiar]

The choices were simplistic in design, but effective none the less. The [Lightning Body] would let him change his body into lightning. [Lightning Control] would give him increased control and potency of the lightning he called forth onto the battlefield. Then the last one [Lightning Familiar] didn’t interest Ajimal in the least, as it summoned forth a powerful familiar to wield power on his behalf. The reason he didn’t care for a familiar was simple, why should he get an evolution that gave another power. Even if that other was beholden to him, it was still a dilution of his power. No he wanted the power to be for himself. He had earned it, all the years and sacrifices he had made to get to this point were proof that he should be the soul recipient of the benefit. So it was that he chose [Lightning Body], one that gave him both immunity to lightning and allowed him to turn his body into lightning.

This new body was part of his plan for how to wipe out the remainder of the Northern Alliance forces. Their reinforcements lay on the far side of the ocean. Even now they could see the sister continent and the forces waiting to be added to the fold. The only problem was they had an enemy at their backs. An enemy that stopped pursuit once they entered the ocean currents. An enemy that stopped advancing while only one soldier moved forward. A soldier who looked resplendent in their golden plated armor that was designed to enhance and showcase the flow of electricity throughout his body.

Once the last of the enemy forces fled the battlefield and entered the ocean, one soldier followed. The enemy commander. Had the enemy forces known, they might have been able to turn around and muster a decisive strike against the fiend.

As it was, what happened next was a massacre. As Ajimal entered the great Ippian ocean he had his body change to his newly acquired [Lightning Body] from that, he was able to control the currents and directions of energy that flowed from him. He created a burning bridge of corpses that sparked and sent electrical currents flying in all directions.

Recounts from both the reinforcements that waited at the far end of the ocean, on the sister continent, and Ajimal’s own forces said the same thing. “It appeared that there was a second sun that burned brightly enough to blind any who stared for too long.”

From there the accounts then begin to differ, the reinforcements claim the number of deaths of fleeing soldiers stood in the thousands, while Ajimal’s forces painted it as only a few hundred bodies. All that was truly certain was the bodies of the soldiers, and every manner of fish and plant life in the immediate area died. The scale of death was catastrophic and long lasting.

Many of the dead bodies were never recovered, instead most were allowed to float south, following the ocean currents until they were stopped by land or feasted upon by animals well outside Ajimal’s killing radius.

When he felt the life force of the last soldier leave the world, and flicker out of existence, Ajimal left the ocean. There were some contentions about what was said next. Having prepared for this very moment, he was prepared for the moment and met it with words he wished to inspire the next generation of soldiers.

“I entered the ocean a conqueror and emerged as a god.” He said, his voice booming as electricity still crackled from his body. Then he took to the sky and gave out his victory cry to his troops. A cry that was soon echoed and repeated by all the men of his army. Today was a momentous day. They had crushed the remainder of the Northern Alliance forces and forced the remaining countries to bow to his will.

The war wasn’t without costs of its own. The number of troops needed to both conquer and then secure such a large section of hostile land was enormous. Conscription into the military and training was paramount, but never enough to keep up with his ever increasing demands.

Also there was the cost in the terms of capable officers. Khanion, his most trusted friend and aide had died while securing the southern border. Reports came of how he was met with an assassin. Rumors and accusations floated about that he was killed by a Cerusian, that a sign of the cult had been left by his corpse. But Ajimal had that covered up, it would not do for having wild speculation being spread about.

Khanion was actually the third such officer who had been killed in such a way. Each killed with a cut across the neck, and a Cerusian power marker left behind. Each time Ajimal had the incidents covered up, as they would detract from the overall war effort. Now that the war was over, he could focus his efforts on finding out how these assassins had gained access to his camps and officers. Access should have been limited, which only led to more speculation.

In order to get to the bottom of this Ajimal needed to set his best and most trusted officers on this task. The only officer who still remained that was beyond loyal was Ghane, but he lacked the subtlety needed for such a delicate operation. That was why he chose to go with someone else whom he trusted completely.

That night, after the celebration dinner in the field, the camp made plans to head back to the capital, where the real victory celebration would be held. That night before he could allow himself to relax, he called his wife consort to his chambers, along with a number of his most trusted guards.

There in the tent lay Khanion, the marker that was left by his body, along with the two other markers that were found near other high ranking officers. When Aren, his wife consort, entered she immediately let out a gasp. This was odd as she had been by his side on the battlefield and seen killing firsthand, but then an idea struck Ajimal that helped him to understand.

“Yes, I agree. It is one thing to see the body of an unknown foe, and another to see the body of a beloved friend.” Ajimal spoke. With his words a bit of the nervous tension that held Aren’s body in a crippling fear released as she was once again able to take a few steps forward. She was still a good meter away from the dead body, but that was still close enough to see the dirty handy work.

“What? What happened?” She asked, her voice full of nervous tension.

“We have been betrayed. Someone came in, lulled Khanion into a false sense of security. Then slit his neck. Worse, they left these accursed markers.” Ajimal said, pointing first at the body of his friend, then at the markers.

Then he pointed at the other two. “I didn’t want to tell you, but this was not the first such assassination. You remember Jaikal, and Fythal?” He asked.

“Y…yes.” Aren stammered, a nervous tension filling her words as she visibly stiffened.

“By your reaction, I suspect you know where this is going. They too were assassinated, their necks cut from left to right, by a right handed assassin. They also had these same coins left near their bodies.” Ajimal said, bending down and grabbing one of the alleged Cerusian coins and taking it to Aren who had not moved. She visibly flinched at his approach.

Only after seeing her normally beautiful face cower in fear did Ajimal realize his [Lightning Body] was activating on its own. A sign of just how worked up he was getting about this whole situation.

“Sorry.” Ajimal said, as he visibly paled and then stopped his unnatural glowing. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. It is just that this is getting to be out of hand. This is the third assassination conducted on a high ranking officer, all from within our camp. If this gets out, then we will have talks of ghosts, or worse.” Ajimal said. He was close, so close, and now he had security measures to worry about. Stroking his hair, he calmed himself then handed the coin over to her, for her to inspect.

A nervous glance happened, then once she was certain he would not strike her or worse shock her, she tentatively reached for the coin. “Y…you think this is a Cerusian coin?” She offered.

Sighing, Ajimal nodded. “At least it is someone trying to pass it off as a Cerusian death coin. But everyone knows the ghosts aren’t real.” Ajimal said dismissively.

Hearing that Aren gulped, but then looked back at the coin. “So why are you telling me?” She asked.

“I need someone I can trust to look into this matter. Someone with a subtle hand. Someone who will get the answers and report back to only me.”

Hearing this Aren visibly relaxed, as she let out a breath she had been holding. “Is that all?”

“Is that all? No I want you to find the culprit, get the proof of their deeds, kill them, cover it up, then report back to me once this matter is resolved.” Ajimal said.

Hearing that a smile broke onto Aren’s face. Seeing the look, Ajimal looked at her with confusion evident in his features. “Why are you smiling?”

Hearing the rebuke Aren quickly shook herself but regained her composure almost immediately. “Sorry, I am just pleased that you would entrust such an important task to me. It fills me with great warmth knowing that I can serve you in such a manner.”

Hearing the words, Ajimal relaxed. For a moment he had suspected something was amiss; but after seeing her genuine features and the way her entire world seemed to revolve around him, it made him feel truly wanted. Sighing to himself, he let out the tension that had been in his own heart and hugged his wife consort. Getting his head close enough to smell the sweat and coppery smell of blood. She had just returned from her own war efforts, as she refused to not be on the front lines. Smelling her, sent a primal desire alight in Ajimal, one that spoke of why he had been so attracted to her all those years ago.

“Thank you. I know I can count on your discretion in this investigation.” Ajimal said, as he felt the tension of battle and the pains of losing his best friend slowly dissolve away, while he was in her arms.