Please see introduction for disclaimer regarding this work.
Chapter Twenty Five
Usurper's Fate
General Rhun slowly returned to consciousness, his mind swimming with dizzy images. "Are you awake, sir?" a voice politely inquired. Rhun cracked his eyes open, feeling like he'd suddenly gained twenty years. "Hold still for a moment, General. Let yourself adjust."
A minute later he was able to focus on the other, and see the doctor's smiling face. He recognized the man as one of the better healers in the castle, who often cared for the higher-class officials. Although, in the past Rhun had never personally required the man's services.
"Congratulations on surviving the poison, General," the doctor said cheerfully. Rhun couldn't help but notice he spoke in that tone of voice doctors always think improves their bedside manner. It merely grated on the general's nerves. "You're the only one who did, though you've been out of it for the past seven days. I'm afraid you need to get up now. While I'd prefer to have you rest a bit more, the emperor has insist that all high ranking officials attend him."
"Now?" Rhun rasped, still a bit out of it. This wasn't like Fou-lu at all. His friend had always been of the opinion that an individual could better fulfill his obligations without unnecessary interference from superiors. The likelihood of all the high-ranking officers in the Empire screwing up sufficiently for Fou-Lu to call them to task personally was next to nil. The question of what Fou-Lu found important enough to call such an assembly drove him to slide out of bed, swaying and relying on the doctors supporting arm.
He managed to locate and don his uniform with some help from the other human and was ushered him out a moment later. Dizzy but regaining his balance the longer he was awake, he made his way to the throne room. The throne room was a fair distance away, and by the time he reached it he had managed to clear some of the fog from his head. Upon arrival, he pushed his way through the crowd until he found a clear space to lean against one of the mahogany walls. Tired as he was, he didn't know how long he'd be able to stand, and he had a good enough view of the throne, anyway. If they were lucky the emperor wouldn't see the need to keep them waiting. Sometimes it seemed that the immortal Fou-Lu forgot that mortals were bound by the passage of time and could only spend so long awaiting his arrival before they died of old age.
There, the emperor had arrived. But…Rhun felt his heart sink as the newcomer assumed the throne and a herald announced the arrival of the Emperor Saruk. Rhun recognized the man, having had previous experience with his family. The tall man turned an aristocratic face to the crowd.
Saruk rose to address the audience, many of whom were likewise stunned as Rhun, others who were delighted. "Our subjects, We grieve most profoundly to speak of this, but we have grave and sorrowing tidings. Our most noble, beloved predecessor, the Emperor Fou-Lu, has perished in this time of troubles."
There was a murmur throughout the crowd and Rhun felt a familiar wetness at the corners of his eyes as the news sank in. He wished he could deny the dragon's death, accuse Saruk of falsehood…but the truth of the matter was that no one would dare to sit the throne of the God-Emperor while he still lived.
Saruk continued, dramatic grief in his voice ,"Alas, the mighty founder of Our wondrous people is no more." His voice rose, a hint of anger striking sharply out. "But heed Us, that glorious one will be avenged! It was the Ludians who saw that Our people dearly loved him, that no war could be won while he sat the throne! It was Ludia that conspired to destroy mighty Fou-Lu; it was Ludia that has wrecked the havoc of this last, tragic month! The empire has lost much, but in striking, the Ludians have revealed themselves! Their treachery will not go unpunished! In the name of the Fou Empire, We will crush them with Our wrath! The war never ended, for Ludia has ever plotted against the might of the Empire."
Rhun slowly began to tune out the new emperor's words, still trying to come to grips with Fou-Lu's unexpected demise. In spite of the odds, he had come to think of the strange dragon as one of his closest friends. Fou-Lu had been an individual that the General could admire from the start; a strong, principled individual with a code of honor near Rhun's own. Their mutual respect for one another had grown into friendship, and the human suspected that he had the dragon to thank for his continued life after being poisoned.
Saruk's denunciation of the Alliance and the Ludian people in particular continued for sometime, but Rhun never really heard a word of it. His only thought toward the situation was that Fou-Lu would have hated the situation. After all his efforts to restore peace and undo centuries of war, the Empire was going back to war in his name. Although, Rhun suspected he would appreciate the irony.
At last, the emperor, out of breath, finished with. "You are dismissed. Inform Our people of Our decision, and of Ludia's treachery."
The crowd, bowing and murmuring, turned to leave, carrying Rhun along with them. But they all froze, numerous individuals running into each other in their haste, at the sight of the entrance. Or, more precisely, who was in it.
Fou-Lu, bloody and covered in burns, stepped into the room. His ripped and torn clothes were stained black with soot and still wet with blood. His hair, singed and gray with ash, stood in a wild mane about his head. The pale skin of the dragon-emperor had taken on a ghastly hue that was found more commonly on those already passed beyond the reach of life. He was smiling.
He moved toward the stunned crowd, his eyes on the usurper above them, as his blood stained hands began to clap very, very slowly. The derisive sound echoed off the walls and lingered in the ears of the listening humans. "Most admirable," he purred mockingly, his voice like silk. There was a dagger edge beneath it, and everyone in the hall knew. "Verily, most admirable indeed. Our eulogy was most notably touching." He stepped forward again and the crowd drew back, as if stung by his soft, chiding voice. "We haveth little liking for those who steal thrones, mortal. Or for those who slay the innocent. We haveth little liking at all…Mayhap We should see that thou comprehendeth this. And offer a teaching to the rest of thee, as well." The God-Emperor smiled again, and dropped his human guise.
Rhun watched, feeling as though time had stopped around him, as Fou-Lu changed beyond his wildest dreams. He had always known the emperor was a dragon, but it was quite a different thing to see it physically proven.
The God-Emperor's mane of white hair was absorbed into his back and scalp, as if melting away into whatever skin it touched. His clothes did the same, but he was already changed into something that was no way human, and no delicate minded individual in the crowd suffered from that, at least. A shudder did pass through the crowd as the noise of bones snapping and stretching echoed sickeningly through the room and Fou-lu's joints visibly realigned themselves. His head became narrow and streamlined, without human feature, and his tail and wings torn their way out of his body with in an instant of each other.
The dragon, magnificent and terrible, eyed the crowd, and the crowd stared back in terror. For a moment, the dragon's eyes locked on Rhun, and as they stared at each other, Rhun could swear the dragon smiled.
Then it launched itself into the air, looking as though would land on those unlucky enough to be in the front, but its wings swept down at the last moment, forcing one of the tallest there to duck. It skimmed over the crowd, and then as it reached the first step of the massive stair leading up to the throne, changed directions and flew directly up, turning its lithe body about again as it reached the high ceiling. Narrow gold eyes peered down at Saruk, who never had a chance to run.
It reminded Rhun of nothing more than a falcon stooping upon a mouse. The sudden, controlled descent, the pitiful attempt of the prey to escape… Blood splattered and ran into little puddles on the floor. It stained the dragon's blue and green scales, and its claws were bloody crimson.
Then, slowly, the dragon faded and became Fou-Lu again, who sat back upon his throne, the mangled body of the usurper at his feet. He gazed down at the spooked crowd, and his voice filled the room and made his subjects tremble. "Out! Be gone!" he snapped, and the crowd broke and ran, scattering as they reached the exit.
Only one man stayed behind. Rhun, nerves warring with the relief that Fou-Lu was alive, approached the dragon where he sat. The human was all the way up the steps and only a foot or two before the throne when Fou-Lu finally raised his head to look at him. He looked worse that Rhun could have imagined possible. Changing to his true form had apparently taken a great deal out of him. "Rhun," the dragon slurred, levering himself up from his throne to greet the human.
For a moment the general was startled by the informality of the greeting. Then he smiled, and replied, "Fou-Lu. I'm glad to see you're alive."
The dragon swayed where he stood and Rhun reached out a hand to steady him, surprised again when the dragon accepted his aid. "Rhun…I needs must ask thine aid." The admission was clearly not easy for the proud dragon to make and Rhun felt surprisingly touched at the trust it implied.
"I understand, my friend," the general replied, careful not to make anything of the dragon's weakness, least he offend his friend. "Where did you wish to go?"
"Mine chambers," the dragon said, putting most of his weight on the supporting human as he spoke. Rhun was surprised at how little the God-Emperor weighed, and kept him upright without to much strain. "Rest…I…" The dragon interrupted himself with a fit of coughing, and Rhun was alarmed to see blood run from the emperor 's lips. "…I needs must rest," the dragon finished in a whisper, sagging in his friend's grip as he finished the words.
It took Rhun a moment to realize that Fou-Lu was unconscious.
