Chapter One
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The hot afternoon sun shone illuminating the pitiful figures of slaves in the courtyard. Guards stood around, keeping watchful eyes and their fingers on the trigger of their blasters, waiting for someone to make a move. The slaves were hard at work, waiting for their shift to finally end. They knew that any mistake or delay, would cause them to be subjected to the lash. They were chained to each other, which only limited their movements and restricted escape. Sweat rolled down their faces as the lizard, Commander Ragas bellowed orders at them.
Commander Ragas was a sight to behold. The tall and muscular lizard towered above the rest of his kind. He wore a purple cloak to symbol his ranking and he had two guns holstered on his back behind the cloak. Although it seems that he was weaponless, truthfully, Commander Ragas could draw and fire in the blink of an eye which has been proven several times in the past. But the feature that Commander Ragas took pride in was his tail. He had fastened a spike to the end of it and he used it a whip to encourage slaves and a weapon in close quarter combat. The Commander watched the pitiful slave willing and waiting for someone to make a fatal mistake.
The Commander's wish came true when an old rabbit stumbled and fell, causing the other slaves behind to follow his actions. The slave in front of the rabbit, a cat turned and quickly tried to help him up. But as he reached down, his arm was whipped backwards causing him to groan in pain. Looking at the tail, the cat noticed that it belonged to the cruel lizard commander who was grinning evilly. Ragas walked over to the pitiful figure of the rabbit and enjoyed the fear coming out of his eyes. "We all know what happens to slaves who fall behind don't we?" Ragas asked.
The Commander was greeted with silence that was broken due to the whimper of the rabbit. "DO WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS?" the lizard bellowed.
Ragas smiled as he noticed the slaves shrink with fear, their paws raised up, as a beg for mercy. "We punish them. That's what we do to slaves that disobey and not keep up according to their orders." the evil lizard said. He raised his tail to lash out on the rabbit, but at the last minute, the cat threw his body over the ancient creature. The tail came down and the cat grunted in pain. The cat's actions only infuriated the lizard Commander and caused him to lash relentlessly on the cat's back. The cat grunted and groaned as he took the brunt of the punishment. The guards that stood around on the rampart watching laughed as the cat tried to keep up his strength against the lizard. After feeling that the cat earned enough punishment, Ragas turned and walked back to the huge double doors of the castle. But he stopped and turned around and spoke with an evil grin "Unchain the rabbit and the cat. Take them to see the Emperor."
Ragas laughed and entered the castle as guards rushed to unchain the whimpering rabbit and the unconscious cat.
The Emperor sat at the head of the table eating dinner. The giant panther towered above the table and the food, his tail swishing behind him. He was as black as the midnight and full of muscle and sinew. A scar traced down his cheek ending down on his chin. His left eye was missing, but in its place was a ruby eyepatch. Although the panther has other subjects do his dirty work, he doesn't shy away from combat at first opportunity. Rather, he prides himself in his combat skills with his poisoned tipped claws and his shooting abilities. Hearing the doors open, the panther immediately knew who it was.
"Commander Ragas, I told you that I was not to be disturbed at my evening time meals."
"I apologize my lord, but I have some prisoners that needs to see you." the shifty lizard answered.
The Emperor sighed, wiped his mouth and guzzled down a cup of wine. He stood up and faced the lizard commander. "What happened this time Ragas?"
Commander Ragas motioned towards the doorway and guards walked in escorting the aged rabbit and the cat who was awake from the brutality he received. "The rabbit stumbled in the slave line and the cat refused to obey my orders." Ragas sneered.
The Emperor eyed both slaves. The rabbit was hunched with age and his body showed malnutrition. He was shaking with fear, wondering what the Emperor's wrath would incite. The cat however stood tall even though he felt pain from the beatings inflicted earlier. Blood and scars showed up on his body as the cat stared at the Emperor defiantly. The Emperor was amazed at the cat's rebellious nature. Finally, the panther took in a breath and turned sideways motioning the dinner table. "I see you must be hungry," the Emperor said, "Working out in the hot sun must create quite an appetite!"
The lizard Commander stared at his Emperor with disbelief. "My… my lord?" Ragas croaked.
"You heard me Ragas. Please unchain them. Allow them to eat to their hearts delight."
The aged rabbit could hardly believe his ears. Maybe the Emperor was not a bad animal at all! As Ragas unhooked his chains, the rabbit bounded towards the table, his mouth watering at the site of the food. But the cat stayed motionless where he stood, staring resolutely at the Emperor. The black panther admired the cat's courage, ignoring the chomping coming out from the rabbit.
"Why don't you join your friend at the table? There is plenty of food to be shared around."
The cat stood silently. "Answer you fool! Answer the Emperor!" Commander Ragas yelled.
The panther held up his paw, silencing the lizard in his tirade. "That's enough Ragas!" he ordered. The Emperor moved closely to the determined cat and kneeled which brought an exclamation of disbelief from the lizard commander. His single emerald colored eye stared at the cat. The cat stood motionlessly and only stared back. "Why don't you obey me?" The Emperor asked.
Finally the cat answered, "Because I don't bow down to someone who is so evil and vile. I believe there are good in all animals."
Commander Ragas raised his tail to lash out at the cat for his insolence but as the tail fell, the commander was surprise to find that it was stopped by the cat. Knowing that the commander was behind him, the cat heard the whishing noise of the tail. At the last possible moment, the cat rolled out of the way and grabbed the tail, wrapping it around his paws. The Emperor watched silently as the cat immediately pulled the commander closer and closer while Ragas was screeching for guards. Suddenly the world disappeared as the cat landed a thundering left hook to the face. Guards rushed in and pointed their blasters readying to shoot. The Emperor raised his paws stopping them from doing so.
Silence reigned for a couple of minutes and it was finally broken from the sound of the old rabbit falling off the chair in a faint. The Emperor ignored the rabbit and instead said to the cat. "What's your name cat?"
"Zargos my liege" the cat answered sarcastically.
The black panther breathed through his nose trying to stop the rage from building up inside of him. "Zargos…. You know what happens to prisoners who attacks a member of my Elite Guard?"
The cat didn't answer prompting the Emperor to reply for him, "We kill them. We replace them with young fresh prisoners." Suddenly the mad panther started to laugh "But not you…. No…. I have plans for you. Guards! Please take him away and throw him into the hole!"
"And for this one," the Emperor said turning to the rabbit who was slowly but surely waking up. "Put him with the others." The guards jumped to his orders grabbing the shaking rabbit and dragging him out of the room. Zargos shook away from their grasp and due to their encouragement from the blasters, turned and walked out of the giant double doors where he came from.
The Emperor silently sat down at the head of the table, and suddenly with a roar he swiped the plates full of food and sent them crashing against the wall and ground. The crash awoke Commander Ragas and the humiliated lizard painfully dragged himself upright.
"Do you have orders for me… your majesty?" the Commander asked.
The Emperor stood panting with his paws on the table calming himself down from his rage, his mind working overtime for different options. Then he shook his head. "Not at this time Ragas. Not at this time." the sly panther said laughing.
Zargos the cat was being constantly pushed along the rocky pavement. He tripped over a rock and a lizard guard hissed viciously while poking him with the blaster urging him to stand up. Zargos stood up quickly and hurried along the road outside of the slave's compound. He only had the moonlight showing the way but still his visibility was limited. The air was hot and humid from sun's heat all day. Moisture stuck to Zargos' fur but he hardly paid any notice to it for the guards were pushing and prodding him with the points of their blasters. Zargos felt a reptile claw on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. He felt the lizard hiss in his ears "This way to the hole prisoner!"
The cat made no move which caused the guard to jab painfully in his back. Zargos stumbled forward catching himself. He stood upright and moved slowly. A breeze whooshed in his face in which the feline was grateful for. A cool weather was hard to find in this barren place the Emperor called home. Upon arriving to the hole, a lizard guard opened the grate and motioned for Zargos to jump in. The cat made no move which only made the guards furious and then shoved him into the dark, deep hole.
Zargos fell and hit the bottom with a grunt, the air driven out of him. He heard the grate shut with a clank and then huddled against the wall, waiting for the morning.
The mad Emperor sat on his throne with slaves fanning him in a desperate attempt to cool the panther down. Knowing that their jobs and even their life was on the line, the slaves kept up the demanding speed that the Emperor required of them. The muscular panther was in deep thought, his paws stroking his chin, and he didn't notice the slaves slowing down with the fans. Commander Ragas stood next to the Emperor, his tail flickering which made a whooshing noise.
The giant brown doors opened with a thud and a lizard guard rushed in. Upon arriving at the throne, the lizard fell face first into the ground, awaiting for permission. Commander Ragas hissed and said "Rise up and face your Emperor"
The lowly lizard guard stood up and stared at the Emperor's single eye and uttered three simple words. "It has begun"
The guard bowed and scurried back the way he had come from. Silence reigned the room for a couple of moments. Suddenly the Emperor laughed loudly causing the slaves to jump with fear and Commander Ragas to look in bewilderment. Joy overtook the mad Emperor as tears rolled down his face. Then as quickly as it began, the black panther was silent and he stood up. "Commander Ragas, will you oversee preparations?" The Commander of the Elite Guard bowed and walked down the hallway, his purple cloak swirling.
The mad Emperor sighed and he turned to his seat and swiped the dust off the cushion. The panther sat down with a sigh, then he allowed an evil chuckle to escape his lips. The slaves quaked with fear, wondering what was running through the Emperor's mind. "I will have my revenge!"