I do not own Chaotic nor anything related to it. It belongs to TCDigital.

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The Salute

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An oil bath and a change of clothes later, and now I'm being taken to the throne room. The Danians should already be there, speaking with Theb-sarr and Iflar.

I'm more than a tad bit nervous. I'm representing the Humans of the Mipedian tribe, but I'm still this withered husk of a person. Will the Danians take it as a sign of weakness of the tribe as a whole? Then again, it could very well go the other way, with them seeing my willingness to show up in front of them this way as courage. Idiot's courage, but still courage.

"Wait," I say before we reach the doors to the throne room. My bodyguards pause, and I lean on my cane to catch my breath. This is the most I've walked all week, and it's exhausting.

After a few moments, I stand up as straight as I can and try to make it look like the cane is merely a decoration, much like I remember Austin using his. I nod, and we step forward. The doors open in front of us, and we walk in.

There's around twenty Danians here, I don't take the time to make an exact head count. Everyone turns to me upon hearing the sound of the doors opening, and the Danians-

...The Danians bow.

It's not a sarcastic bow, like Mudeenu is prone to do around me. Neither is it a courtesy bow, which is what I'm certain is what most of Al Mipedim are giving me when they bow. No, with this one, each Danian drops to one knee, place a hand at the center of his chest, and lowers his his head to look at the ground.

I stop in my tracks. That's a very special bow, just a little lower in symbolic respect than the one that Danains are supposed to give Queen Illexia.

If the Danians had been discussing anything with Theb-sarr beforehand, they seem to have forgotten about it now. "Hail, Prince Osiris," the Danian crowd says in unison.

The hell?

A Danian stands and steps forward from the group. I recognize him as Odu-Bathax. "The Danian tribe owes you a debt, Your Highness," he says, still pressing his hand against his chest.

...Am I dreaming? Within my dream, I mean. Of course I'm dreaming.

Theb-sarr looks a little lost. "Have I missed something important?" he asks.

Odu-Bathax steps aside, allowing me to pass. I head for my chair while everyone waits, and then the Danian speaks. "In the hours before the M'arrillians captured him, Prince Osiris discovered a young Danian. His name was Piabo."

My heart skips a beat.

"Piabo was mortally wounded," Odu-Bathax continues. "Prince Osiris comforted him until he died, then prepared a small funeral for him, even giving up a piece of royal grab to cover the unsightly wound dealt to the young Danian."

Odu-Bathax waves a mandiblor over, who steps to Odu-Bathax's side and hand him a yellow bundle. Odu-Bathax walks up to and kneels in front of me. "We return this to you, Your Highness," Odu-Bathax says as he lifts the bundle towards me.

Two flaps of cloth are sticking up from the bundle. I realize that I'm supposed to take a hold of them. I do so, and Odu-Bathax releases the bundle of cloth. It unrolls as it falls, until it reveals a golden cape, emblazoned with the Mipedian symbol. There are brown stains on the cape. Blood stains.

Odu-Bathax steps back and says, "This is the garment you bound Piabo's wound with. As a tribe, we ask you to wear it when you avenge him." They all bow again. "We know it will put us more debt to you, but we are prepared to pay it."

Theb-sarr, Iflar, and everyone else in the throne room stare at me, while I stare at the cape. I slowly stand and fasten it to the collar of my robe. Then I sit back down, tears leaking from my eyes.

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I hear a whisper to my left. "Osiris, wake up." It's Iflar's voice.

I open my eyes and blink. Had I really fallen asleep during the meeting?

"Prince Osiris," Odu-Bathax says, "we know of a way to restore your body to the state it was in before your capture. If it pleases you, we wish to begin paying our debt by giving back what the M'arrillians have taken from you."

Not everything Aa'une took from me can be given back. Still, restoring my body and my strength, I want that. I can't be sure that a natural recovery will succeed.

This is not a gift being offered. It's a payment, so the rule of refusing the offer twice does not apply here. "I gladly accept," I say, trying to keep my voice from becoming a squeak of excitement.

Odu-Bathax bows again. "Then we will begin shipping materials and personnel here immediately." He extends a hand towards me.

I hesitate, then reach out to accept the handshake. He grips my hand-

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He grips my hand, and I can feel bones cracking. Aa'une growls,"Start sucking, or I'll crush your hand into a paste."

I hold out as long as I can, but the pain is too much. I sob as I lower my head-

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I squeeze my eyes shut as I try to drive away the images and memories that erupt from my mind.

Fortunately, Odu-Bathax interprets my expression as a reaction to the firmness of his grip. He releases my hand and says, "My apologies, I didn't realize I was gripping so hard.

I wave my hand to play along with the misconception. "You couldn't have know," I mutter.

Odu-Bathax steps back and says to Theb-sarr, "If that is all, Your Majesty, then I must send a message to Mount Pillar."

"That is all," King Theb-sarr replies, and the Danians file out of the room.

I'm still staring at my hand. Will this ever go away? Will I spend the rest of my life recoiling from people's touch, afraid to see what memory it will dredge up next?

I clench my fist. No, I will not let this control me. I will overpower this thing. I will beat it.

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Up next: The Balance of Body and Mind

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Like I said before, Chaotic belongs to TCDigital.

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