Here is Chapter 12, which I finished quite fast, actually. Thanks for the reviews, guys, and don't forget to tell me is something's wrong and such.
Chapter 12: The Atrocity
The camp was always poor. Although Tsau did not like it much, he couldn't blame the rebels. The government was overtaxing civilians, but hopefully, they'll hold up this town long enough to keep imperial guards out. Sitting on a wooden farm fence, a youthful Tsau munched thoughtfully on his bread roll while watching the farmers go up and down the dirty street. He then looked to the side, where some troops set up olive drabbed tents, and noticed that Zhao, his squad's second-in-command, was up from the medical unit today. He had cloths wrapped around his wounds across his chest and on his arms.
"Hey," Tsau greeted him with a smile, getting off the fence. "You feelin' better?"
Zhao smiled back as they exchanged grips. "Yeah, I feel great. I think I can fight."
"Easy there, man," Tsau said, chuckling. "Brains over bravery."
Zhao, holding a cup of green tea, leaned against the fence. "Good philosophy. Did I teach you that?"
"No, I learned from self-experience," Tsau stated, sitting back up on the fence.
His mentor nodded. "Good. People learn most on their own. Everyone expects for someone to do something for them, and I've always noticed this, you know?"
"What do you mean?" Tsau said, slowly shaking his head.
"Like the empire," Zhao started. "Lots of these peasants and farmers can't even think for themselves…they don't know what's good for them and what's not. All they can ever do is pray that their emperor brings good fortune to the land, and that's all they will ever do."
Tsau chuckled again, nodding. "But not us, right?"
Zhao laughed with him. "Nope, not us. See, there are also people who wish that there is a new emperor and all that. They want something good to happen immediately, Tsau. But all they ever do is talk and talk. They're not out here like us, breaking our backs, fighting for what we believe in. Everyone thinks that they're bound by fate, and they can only hope. No, this is not true. If you want something, go out and get it. Don't expect someone to change the empire for you. The rebel army always has room for recruits; for those who want to fight for something."
"And you?" Tsau asked his mentor. "What do you think will happen when the emperor is overthrown?"
Zhao looked down after taking one last sip of his tea. "The rebels will fight each other for the number one spot. There will be many rebels who think they can lead over each other. How could we ever survive the empire if we can't survive each other?"
"So do you hope to lead?" Tsau asked, looking at Zhao.
Zhao nodded. "I want to lead these people more than anything. I'm already rising through the ranks, and pretty soon, I'll be up there with the rebel leaders. I will never forgive our government for what they did to me. And you."
"Yeah, I get you," Tsau stated.
A moment passed between them. "There wouldn't be a rebel army if the empire was stable enough. They created us, Tsau. We are the results of their cruelty."
"Then we'll strike them with the rage we have. The anger that burns hotter than a thousand suns," Tsau responded. "What they did to us was monstrous."
"And therefore they have created monsters," Zhao replied with a smile. "Monsters who are sick of their tyranny. I hope there is peace at the end of all of this. I wouldn't like fighting the government for years on end, man."
Tsau then laughed. "If you were still in battle for another few good years, then we'd be enemies by then."
His mentor laughed along with. "Yeah, enemies. It would be such sweet irony if that really happened."
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As he woke up, the only sounds present were the waves crashing against the ship and the groaning creak of the wood. Tsau sat up on his bed and put his feet on the floor, running his hand through his clean short hair. Resting his forehead on his left hand, Tsau let his memories drift for a bit before standing up. He was pretty sure that no one else was awake at the moment. Slipping on his boots and keeping his undershirt on, Tsau swiftly grabbed his gloves and strapped on the wristblade. He went outside to get some air, and leaned on the shipside. It was just then, that Will called out to him.
"Hey, Tsau," the captain shouted to him. Tsau turned to face him. "Can you take the wheel? I'm rather sleepy at the moment."
Tsau nodded. "Fine."
Will smiled as Tsau walked up to the helm to steer the Dutchman. "Thank you. I'll be up in a few hours. You don't necessarily have to keep your hands on it. The winds seem pretty calm tonight, so just watch the wheel. There's a chair here if you get tired of standing."
As the captain left, Tsau sat down on the chair and tried to get comfortable, but couldn't. Remembering that he didn't always have to steer it, he got up and went down the helm, walking around the ship. Thinking about his confrontation with Zhao, Tsau's mind focused more on the words that were spoken to him. He was right. Tsau really doesn't have a calling. He never really fought for anything, actually. After a few good hours passed, Tsau could feel a presence drawing closer by the second.
"Death is the only way out, Tsau," an immensely deep voice said behind him. Tsau turned around to face the intruder. "We are all prisoners of our own fate, and we shall forever be suffocating in its tight grasp for the rest of our…unnatural lives."
The intruder was a big man, much taller than Tsau, with bulging muscles and a muscular body covered with tribal tattoos. Being shirtless, the bulky, dark-skinned man also had long hair that was tied in thin dreadlocks, with a few bangs hanging down his face. His arms sported gauntlets that had arm-length blades attached to them, and he wore tattered pants with leather boots.
"I make my own fate," Tsau replied strongly. "No one is in control of me."
"Then why are you setting sail for these worthless people?" the man said in a smooth, deep voice. "Why do you want to destroy the Necromortalis?"
"I've got my reasons," Tsau said, repeating once again his only answer. "Why do you protect it? General Zhao is willing to kill innocent people for it. You work for him, don't you? Are you one of the Deaths?"
The man stood right in front of Tsau. "You are right. I am one of the Deaths. I am the Atrocity."
"So, you believe in Zhao's philosophy, too, huh?" Tsau asked.
The Atrocity shook his head. "I…am not the monster. The general promised my people freedom if I worked for him. I will help him with anything he needs so long as my people become free. You are not a bad man, Tsau Nu Tua, but if destroying you guarantees the freedom of my people, then I shall do what I must. I am sorry."
"You have a choice," Tsau replied in a slightly noble tone. "You don't want to fight me. I don't want to fight you."
"I…I have no choice," the Atrocity answered deeply. He took a few steps back and readied his blades. "Either you kill me, or I kill you."
The clouds in the sky began to build up, and as soon as he engaged, rain began pouring onto the deck. The Atrocity leapt forward with a powerful stroke of his blade, but Tsau rolled underneath and dodged it. As the stroke was ending, the Atrocity threw a backhand, hoping to catch Tsau with it behind him. Tsau barely managed to stay low long enough for it to miss. Kicking himself up from the wood floor, Tsau swiftly threw a low stomp to his opponent's shin, giving him a stinging sensation that rattled in his lower leg. Pausing for a moment to take the pain, Tsau was open to more opportunities, and in a lighting fast movement, he threw a right hook to the Atrocity's face, then following with a punishing left roundhouse kick, knocking the big man backwards.
Tsau then snapped the wristblade out and leaped towards his opponent. The Atrocity, who saw it coming, caught Tsau's left forehand with his right arm and his left arm gripped around his neck. The blades that were on his arm spun around so they were facing the other direction. Under the tight grip of the Atrocity, Tsau noticed the tribal tattoos emitting a faint purple, but as the glows intensified, he noticed his energy slipping away. He wondered what kind of freaks General Zhao was cooking up for him. Before Tsau could think for another moment, the Atrocity shoved the wristblade on his left forearm right into his shoulder. Tsau let out a grunt of pain and was now awake from the small daze he was in. The Atrocity left his arm stuck on his shoulder and lifted him with his hands still on his neck. With a strong motion, he hurled Tsau onto the steps up to the helm, leaving the steps in pieces as the Falcon's limbs smashed with the hard wood. Tsau, staying motionless for the moment, managed to pull out the wristblade attached to his left forearm and stood up from the pile of broken wood. Now all dirty and dusty, Tsau got out from the small bit of shade out into the pouring rain again. Being fatigued from getting his energy drained, he got into a fighting stance, but as he did, a fist had already met with his abdomen, almost knocking the air out of him. Tsau was thrown off his feet and flew a few yards back, slamming against the wood floor.
"How could you defeat Zhao," his opponent said. "When you can't even gather the strength to stand?"
Getting up once again, the Atrocity's blades swung back into place and he charged forward, with his tattoos glowing again. Tsau, with his side turned to him, was hiding his right knee that was charged up and ready to go. As soon as the Atrocity came in close enough proximity, Tsau leaped even harder with his right knee flying straight into his face. The Atrocity, thrown off-guard, fell right on his back with a daze. Tsau regained balance and was ready to unload a beating on his fallen opponent. As he popped out the wristblade once again Tsau was prepared to stab his adversary, but the Atrocity swung the blade attached to his gauntlets up in the air, trying to slice him. Seeing this, Tsau safely caught the blade in between his legs, and moving one of them to the Atrocity's elbow, he applied pressure and snapped the arm of his opponent. Letting out almost a roar, the Atrocity was now in pain as Tsau quickly removed the gauntlet from his broken arm and strapped it on to himself.
With the gauntlet in his possession, Tsau quickly shoved the blade straight into the chest of his opponent, who was still on the ground. Suddenly the screaming stopped, and the Atrocity was quiet. Tsau took off the gauntlet and left it into his opponent.
"I…have never lost a battle," he replied in the same deep voice. "Zhao was right about you. In battle…you are as if possessed by a demon."
Tsau kneeled down to his fallen opponent. The door to the cabins opened and everyone came out to witness the end of the fight. "I gave you a choice. You were a fool and didn't listen."
The Atrocity laughed with blood trickling out of his mouth down his face. "I will gladly welcome the cold embrace of hell for failing my people. You are a good man at heart, Tsau. When you reach Aswad Mohit, I believe she will be there."
"Who?" Tsau asked.
"It does not matter," the Atrocity replied, drawing his last few breaths. "Just be prepared. I bid you luck, Tsau. I'm off…to join my fallen ancestors."
The tribal man then shut his eyes. A purple glow ignited all over his body and in a flash, he was gone. Tsau watched as the glow shot up like a beam to the sky and exploded in midair. The assassin stood up and looked over his shoulder, noticing most of the crew watching him.
"You still need me at the wheel?" he asked Will. Tsau was very fatigued, and the wound on his shoulder was leaking blood all over the deck, not to mention that he was beaten badly with small cuts over his body.
Will had a confused look on his face. "Umm…no. I think I have enough energy to take over."
The fatigued and bloody Tsau nodded. "I think I can go back to sleep now."
Zi watched her childhood friend stumble. "I think you need medical help."
"I'm fine," Tsau replied. After a few more steps, he fell over and smashed into the wood floor. Will, Elizabeth, and Zi rushed towards him, while the rest of the crew watched.
"We need some medical attention here!" Elizabeth shouted.
Will rushed back down to the cabins to find his medical kit.
"Tsau, stay with me," Zi said. "You're pretty hurt, but I think you'll be fine."
Tsau was breathing hard as they put pressure on his wound. "Ach, damn. I need something…calm me down…something…calm."
Bootstrap walked up to Tsau and handed him a bottle. "Here's some of my special rum. It's extra strong."
The two girls looked up at him. "What?!" they both responded with slight outrage.
Tsau tiredly grabbed the bottle of rum and started gulping it in massive quantities. "Gimme that," he said, shutting his eyes.
The feeling of having these people caring for him and keeping him alive sparked odd emotions inside of him. Tsau had not felt that way in a long time. As they kept pressure on him, he started drifting to sleep due to the fatigue, knowing that they were there. He was in good hands because of them. When everyone was too busy cleaning the wound, Tsau smiled a smile people would rarely or never even see on him. Nobody noticed this, however, because they were too busy cleaning his wounds.
Chapter 13 will be up as soon as I'm done, which doesn't explain when it'll be done. Haha. Just hang in there, guys. Tell me what you thought of chap 12!