Chapter Eighteen
Descending Darkness

"Kaira is in turmoil, Master. If the war against Hyrule were not enough, your campaign against Tadian is draining every natural resource from the land. Bands of farmers are rising up in arms against each other. Young men are abandoning their trades to join you, leaving behind families who cannot survive without them. Marching armies are using up food in every town they pass. Even if you overthrow Tadian, you will inherit a devastated land." Arella stood straight-backed in the centre of Ralis' ornately furnished tent. Her three-pointed feathered hat was held stiffly behind her back, her blood red robes appeared to be a burden upon her shoulders.

Ralis looked into his silver goblet, gently swirling the red vintage. He sipped at the drink, and then placed it down upon the small table before him. He arose from his chair and crossed the room towards Arella. He was dressed only in breeches, boots and a plain shirt; his grand robes were hanging over a dressing screen. "Fear not, my dear," he said, brushing past her to the tent entrance. The white canvass tents of his officers surrounded his own, decorated with various insignia of different cities. Beyond the tents were vast green fields under a bright blue sky, filled with hundreds of more tents, all adorned with bright streamers and flags. "When Morlakai is mine, when the Lunar Crown rests upon my brow, we will fix this country. I will make it like it was under my fathers. Fear not."

Arella sighed, and he turned back to look at her. He knew she was tired, for she had been working incredibly hard for him over the last few days, managing new factions of his army that arrived every hour. "I just worry, Master. I do fear. I fear that there will be nothing left to rule."

Ralis walked back towards her, coming closer than usual. "This is not about just ruling Kaira," he said, firmly, "this is about justice! It is about reclaiming what belongs to me and my ancestors!"

Arella lowered her eyes and bowed her head. "Forgive me, Master," she said.

Ralis paused. He looked at his trusted General, the first Kairin person to join his cause. He knew that without the work she had done, and the kindness she had shown him, he would have nothing. "I apologise, Arella," he said, "these are trying days and I should give you the credit you deserve."

Arella just nodded, keeping her head down.

"I owe everything to you," he confessed, "for when you took me aboard your ship in Hyrule I was a broken man. But no more." He laid a hand upon her shoulder; she flinched slightly. "I mean it," he said, softly, "all I have is truly yours."

Arella looked up at him slowly, brushing aside long curls of black hair. She was many years older than he, but he saw nothing but beauty in her. "Master…" she said, uncertainly.

"Yes?" Ralis replied, drawling himself closer to her, coiling a strand of her hair between the fingers of his right hand.

"You are making uncomfortable," she said, trying to move away from him.

He put his arm around her, and she stopped. Her whole body was tense, but he would not let her go. "You're precious to me," he whispered as he pressed his lips up against hers. He tried to kiss her passionately, but she jerked her head away, turning her cheek to him. "I know you feel the same way," he said, "don't resist."

"Master," she said, her smooth voice strained with fear, "please leave me be."

"No!" he said, grabbing hold of Arella's jawbone and forcing her to face him. "You love me!" he snapped.

Her fists slammed into his stomach, and he recoiled, knocking the air out of him. He staggered back from her, his eyes wide open, staring lividly. "You dare to reject me!" he shouted.

"You are not yourself," said Arella, putting her hat on her head and straightening her tunic.

"Foolish woman," he said, with wrath his voice. Lightning flashed all around and thunder rocked the sky. Darkness descended as black storm clouds formed in the sky and unleashed torrential rains. He stepped forwards and seized her by the arms, his heart racing. She gasped, and tried to hit him, but he restrained her movement. Arella was strong, and she struggled against him furiously, but he was stronger. He dragged her across the room and threw her down upon his bed. She screamed, kicking at him as he forced himself down on top of her. No-one would hear her over the raging storms.

"Get off me!" she yelled at him, thrashing with every bit of energy she had.

"How dare you defy me!" he bellowed, tearing her robe off her shoulders and grasping for her tunic.

"No!" she screamed into the sheets of the bed. He turned her over so they were eye to eye. Her face was pure terror, her arms clutched up against herself for protection. "Ralis!" she screamed.

An image flashed into his mind. Mara. Ralis froze, realising horrified at what he was about to do. In his memory he saw his wife on a summer's day, laughing as she ran through the shallows of the Taran Kaey shore; she looked his way and beckoned him towards her, 'Ralis!'.

"Mara," he whispered, letting go of Arella and stepping back from her, almost stumbling as he made for the exit. "Oh, Mara!" he cried, seeing her dead face before him. "I'm sorry," he said, and fled, hurrying out of the tent.

As soon as he was outside, the heavy rain plastered his hair and shirt to his back. He ran, as fast as he could away from the officers' tents and down upon the empty side of the hill, were there was nothing but rocky heather-filled plains before him. He screamed into the heavens, throwing off his shirt into the mud as he leapt across the rough ground.

He could not explain what had come over him. A small feeling had become an uncontrollable rage, warping his mind. There was a monster inside him, an evil force trying to take over him, yet it was a darkness he himself had created. His own anger and self-loathing were making him do awful things.

His feet took him up a slope, a steep rise that flattened out onto a wide sparse clearing. He looked out into the distance as rain thrashed his bare skin. To the south, illuminated by the flashing lightning, a great city of high towers jutted out from the earth. Morlakai. "You are mine, Tadian!" he yelled into the dark sky. "Mine!!"