Chapter Nineteen

(a big surprise for you guys. big surprise)

Shiata- a oil substance that is quite thick and is used to rub the body by the Immota tribe before battle

Immota Tribe- A Tribe equivalent to The Amazons, a tribe of warrior/religious women

Rath walked steadly and confidently through the palace, his powerful stature was a thing to be admired and feared. Most female servants and palace maidens feared rather than anything else but beyond that fear was the grant lust that was in the eyes. When Rath walked by the ladies, it was a blush fest and one could see that he was wanted, most noble men hated the reactions of the ladies, Zan was rather amused by it, and Valendra, dear Valendra was indifferent to lust most of her maidens cast to her future husband. Rath new that Valendra was one to want everyone to be jealous of her. Rath stopped at the grant double doors that led to the King's study room and took a deep breath. The guards on either side drew open the doors open after a nod from Rath. Rath walked in and found hisself in the presence of both majesties. The King and Queen of Antar.

The study was full of books of every kind, mostly law books, history books and books of class and politics. A big silver and golden rectaglar table in the middle of the study, a table with two grant chairs at the both ends. The one at the window was Zan's, and the one at the other end was Rath. Six other seats at both sides.

Zan was sitting on his chair looking at Rath with clear eyes, wearing a serious look. Rath had never thought of Zan had that kind of look at all, even when dealing with states of the empire, Zan had never really looked as he did at that moment. Rath eyes went to the queen who was standing near her King holding a small book.

Neither said a word for a moment, just looked at him. To his amazement, Rath found himself getting rather nervious, he drew his chair back and sat down.

"Is there a reason that I was called?" Rath asked when he could not take the silence anymore.

"You know why I called you here" Zan said harshly, Ava put a hand on Zan's shoulder immediately calming him down.

"Why are you doing this?" Ava asked, looking at Rath with a fearful expression.

Rath knew what they were talking about, there was going to be a battle in the forest of Shai, a battle between the rebels and the empire. Rath had formed his troops and was ready for battle until Zan was convinced that he shouldn't let Rath go. And Rath could not for the better of himself understand why.

"You asked me not to go" Rath said with more steadness that he felt, Zan had not asked him, it was an order for him not to go and here he was getting ready to disobey that order. And though Zan was an understanding friend, an understanding king, he could not tolerate disobedient of any kind.

"I ordered you not to go" Zan said after taking a deep breath. "You can't go into this battle, Rath, you will die"

Rath knew that he could die, every battle had that possible but what surprised Rath was that Zan seemed so convinced with that notion.

"The royal seer made the prediction that you will die in this war" Ava said silently answering his unasked question, Rath turned to her as she spoke, "I wouldn't listen but my mother, she said the same thing, and the astrologies and every other psychic, we had to take it consideration, Rath."

Rath was silent for a moment looking between Ava and Zan, trying hard not to laugh considering that the two believed that he could really die. He was touched that they were concerned about him, and that they were making such a big deal about it. "I have to go and led the warriors into battle as I always have."

"Even if it will cost you your life" Zan asked though not really that shocked.

Rath nodded his head, looking right into Zan's eyes, "Yes, I cannot ask my men to fight and die in this battle if I am not willing to fight and die myself."

Zan was silent for a moment, looking at Rath, "Alright, then I will come with you..."

"No!" Ava screamed interupting the conversation between the two men, both turned to her but she was looking at Zan eyes full of disbelief. Rath watched her eyes, her concerned eyes filled with love for Zan.

"Ava" Zan said with a tired voice.

"You will not" Ava said then turned to Rath, "Tell him"

Rath looked between Zan and Ava, both eyes were pleading with him, "She is right, Zan you need to stay her, where you will be safe"

"Two against one" Ava said without giving Zan a chance to say anything. Rath could tell that Zan wanted to say something but the look on Ava's face stopped him.

With a sigh, Zan gave his nod. Rath and Ava exchanged glances as Rath stood up, Zan was giving his permission for Rath to go into battle, he gave a small bow and left. He walked quickly out of the palace, through the city into a camp outside the city gates. He had a battle to ready himself for. Walking into his tent, he wasn't surprised by the presence of two women in his tent. Both were very beautiful, one with long red hair, flowing down her back, and the other with black/blue hair, both had brown skin wearing very sexy attires. Zan had made a rule that before battle his men would get a tast of "happiness" before going to give up their lives, and most woman were more than happy to give this law the attention it deserved.

"commander Rath" The red one said in an increadable seductive voice walking forward while the other was laying on the bed staring up at him, "We have been waiting for you"

"That's nice" Rath and the woman where surprised to hear another voice in the tent, Rath turned to find a presence with darkness covering her, the voice was sensual and female. "but you can leave now."

The women both looked at Rath, but he was rather amused and wondered who this woman was.

Rath nodded to the women, "Yes, leave us"

Confused was evedent in their faces but they both left. After making sure the tent was tightly secure, the woman turned to Rath, taking pulling the dark veal from her face. Rath's mouth fell shocked and slightly confused.

"My Queen" Rath wispered, for the first time in his life, Rath was speachless. He wondered if this was another dream. Ava was standing in front of him, looking intendly at him.

Ava said nothing but come closer to him than she had ever been before, Ava looked at her hands, and Rath realized she was holding a bowl. She put her hand in the bowl, retreated some orange substances.

"Before battle, the warriors in my village would rub, Shiata on their bodies" Ava said silently looking up at Rath, rasing her hand and rubbing the Shiata on Rath's face.

Rath smiled brightly, "Wow, that's a great fantasy, lots of woman rubbing oil all over each other...huh"

Ava smiled and said nothing more as she began taking of his shirt of off and rubbing the Shiata over his broad shoulders, his arms, massaging him really, ralaxing his muscles. She stopped and glanced down his pants, "Ah...Rath I have to rub this all over your body"

Rath looked at his pants then his queen, thoughts running wild in his mind, thoughts that would cause his death. He didn't say anything however as Ava ran her fingers down his abs and stopped at the front, with one twist the knot, the pants fell down.

"I will do this later" Rath said quickly stopping her from going to her knees.

She looked up at him with a confused look then nodded, still looking at him, she took off her necklace, a necklace with the symbol of the goddess, the almight inventor of the universe and tied it on his right shoulder.

She kissed the symbol and wispered some ancient words before looking up at him, "May the goddess of justice protect you in this battle."

Ava sighed and put on her black robe on, covering everything, then turned to Rath again, "Please make it out alife, Zan loves you, he needs you and so do I"

With those last words Ava left the tent. Rath looked at the bowl with the orange oil. This had defenately not been a dream.

The next day, the day of the battle.

Rath charged his brave soilders into the forest, and with quick effectiveness, killed five enemies in three seconds. The way he worked, the way he fought, and the way he would defleck the swords was really extraordinary. Like the fates where with him, like the almighty was looking out for him. Rath looked across the battlefield and found that his men were falling like crops. He looked across his enemies and found the source. A man wearing a mask, the mask of the antarian bird was killing his men in floads.

Rath was grabbed his sword and made his way to the warrior, stabbing and breaking bones here and there. When he got close the warrior turned to him as if he had been expecting Rath. The two got into it then, swords clashed, either not really getting advantage at all. Both were rather strong and seemed to know each other's strength. But soon, Rath began to take advantage, managing to manuver his sword to the left, while giving the man a punch in the stomach. Rath raised his sword again which encountered the other, but being higher, Rath pushed the man with his feet. Sending the enemy down to the ground, the warrior's sword then fell to the further side, Rath stepped on the sword before the warrior got there first.

Picking the sword up, Rath walked over the fallen warrior ready for the kill. But the warrior did something that stopped Rath cold, he pulled off his mask.

"Nikolas" Rath wispered in surprise dropping both swords to the ground.

Nikolas was wearing a smirk, "That's right, big brother, miss me"

Michael woke up drenched in sweat, he was so confused by the dream, exceptionally the part about Nikolas.

Nikolas, that littl struch, crazy little kid. He was...was his bro..brother. Michael could not even believe that crap. With everything else, he had to find out that the guy who took his life in his other life was his brother. His little brother.

"That's some crazy shit right there" Michael said to himself, still trying to absorb everything. Nikolas was his little brother, wow, Nikolas didn't really seem like him. Infact, after the last encounter, Nikolas had not mentioned the fact that they were brothers. All Nikolas had done was try to kill him the last time. Seriously, even though angry at Nikolas' actions toward him, he was slightly confused and saddened by the memory. First of all, if Nikolas and he were brothers, how could Nikolas be a skin. And most importantly what had Rath done to deserve his brother deep hatred. What had he himself done on Antar that made Nikolas pissed off with him. Michael couldn't breath, he needed to do something to decrease the speed of his heart rate.

Nikolas, Michael thought again and began laughing hesterical, he knew he either had to laugh or cry and Michael wasn't a crying man.

"Wow" Michael said outloud to himself. That wasn't the only part of the dream that concerned him however, but the tent and Ava.