Magic of The Golden Flower Chapter 13
Caesar wasted no time. As night fell on the land he stealthily made his way down the wall of the canyon. The bodies of the two soldiers were left undisturbed right where he, Luca, and Rocket had left them to rot. Caesar took this as a sign that none inside of the camp had reported them missing and that he'd be able to slip covertly inside undetected. If he was wrong then it might be impossible to infiltrate.
Still Caesar pushed on, cocking his gun in preparation to make the kill. He was anxious to get this done and over with. As soon as the Colonel was in his sights he was a dead man, subtlety be damned!
Caesar got to the cliff where he and Luca had watched some humans erected crosses on the edge.
Coming even with the first of these crosses Caesar's murderous bloodlust washed from his heart turned to horror at the gruesome discovery. Tied to the cross was the corpse of a dead ape, and, judging by the war paint on his body, it was one of his. Cross after cross he found a body of an ape on each one after another. Staggering Caesar added up the pitiful figures in his head, counting twelve in all.
Caesar's heart crawled into his throat as the implications of what this could only mean hit him head on. He darted to the ledge to see for himself. Skidding to a halt Caesar stood there and he was met with a far worst scene than the crucified apes around him.
Below hundreds of apes, chimpanzees, orangutans, bonobos, and gorillas, were crowded together inside an outdoor holding pens, similar to ones humans had used for quarantine with the plague in San Franciso, that were filled to capacity. One obviously housed adults while one adjacent to it contained the much smaller forms of children from the smallest infant to the eldest child.
Guilt shocked Caesar to the very core of his soul. Overwhelmed Caesar fell to his knees in pure anguish the distress evident in his face and body language. Caesar felt like he'd fallen from a great height and the air was practically punched from his lungs. All the air was out of him. He couldn't breath, struggling to get something into his lungs. Caesar was so afraid.
How? How could this have happened?! His people were supposed to safe from the humans! Far away from danger in a new home! Years ago he freed them from captivity so they'd never be inside cages ever again.
Despite these questions roaming through his brain Caesar already knew who was at fault for this travesty. If he hadn't been wasting his time chasing the Colonel and instead led his people then this horrendous spectacle would never be reality. He neglected his duties with this as the end result.
Caesar needed answers.
Wheezing caused Caesar to turn and he found that a single chimpanzee strung up crucified to one of the crosses was still alive, but barely. The ape's breathing was haggard and uneven.
Upon closer inspection Caesar was disgusted to discover the apes identity as Spear, a young chimp he'd left in charge of the tribe in his absence with Blue Eyes deceased. But he looked nothing like the strong and self-confident ape whose tenacity had impressed Caesar so when last he saw him. Now on the brink of death Spear's fur had lost its healthy sheen and ribs protruded through his chest from sheer starvation. That wasn't all. Caesar saw the clear signs of lacerations and bruises all over Spear's body showing he and the others had undergone severe abuse.
Letting the shotgun fall to earth, forgotten, Caesar hastened to untie Spear from his binds. Loose from the ropes that kept him bound Spear dropped, literally dead weight, into the snow.
Managing to catch Spear's body in his arms Caesar sat him against one of the posts making up the cross.
Flickering open bleary bloodshot eyes Spear gazed at Caesar focusing on his form.
"What happened," rasped Caesar.
"They came out of nowhere…Attacked us," signed Spear, wearily, coughing. Shame and sorrow were expressed in his eyes that he didn't know the humans were upon them until it was too late. That he failed to protect them as Caesar would. "Many died…We thought they would kill us all…But the Colonel stopped them! There was madness in his eyes! He said they would use us, before we died! And they brought us all here!"
"Use you," repeated Caesar.
"They've been forcing us to work," signed Spear, weakly, his energy fading fast by the minute.
Keeping his hands at Spear's shoulders, steadying him from falling, Caesar said "What…What kind of work?"
But Spear's time had run out.
The intel Spear had provided were his final words. His eyes fluttering closed Spear slowly collapsed onto his side, groaning, strength sapped completely.
"Wait," urged Caesar. "My little son. Is he here? Please!"
Spear didn't respond. By appearances he had passed on, but when Caesar lowered his ear to Spear's lips heard the smallest intake and exhale of breath escape. Spear was in no kind of reasonable condition to speak further, but then Caesar remembered.
Aurora! If he could just get Spear to Aurora then the young chimpanzee would be back to full strength and debrief him on everything that's happened. He knew the child wouldn't hesitate to use her magic to heal Spear just as she selflessly did for Luca. Hopefully the group he left behind hadn't gotten too far already. He needed their assistance for the rescue mission.
Lifting Spear into a kneeling position Caesar tossed a limp arm over his shoulders, bracing to take the other's weight.
"Just hold on a little longer, my friend," breathed Caesar. "You'll be well soon. You all will. "
Heavy footsteps approaching from behind quickly shot down the dream of this promise.
Alarmed Caesar looked up to see Red standing over him, holding a rifle. So occupied was he with Spear he failed to see the gorilla sneak over.
Grunting Red slammed the butt of the rifle into Caesar's face and all he knew afterwards was blackness overtaking him.
Authors Note:
And here we go.