Chapter 21 "The End OF the Battle"
Blake smiled darkly. "Hello General, you do know the penalty for putting me to so much trouble."
Alex was afraid for his life, but kept his composure as Blake wanted a brave opponent, and he would not last long if he did not keep calm.
Blake grabbed him by the neck and did not remove the sword from their position, and Alex felt like he was being chocked to death.
And for a moment, that was Blake's intent, but, just as he was about to do away with the General, he saw something, something in this boy's eyes.
A flash of vibrant memory surrounded Blake, as he remembered the exact look in Spike's eyes before.
Blake let go, and Alex fell to the floor.
Blake shook it off, angry at himself for doing so, but didn't want to continue under the circumstances.
So he thumped Alex across the head and rendered him unconscious, then picked him up.
The general lay across Blake's shoulder and back, the sword removed and now in Blake's sword holder.
He climbed back upon the rock and looked back upon the battlefield.
Sure enough Tai had succeeded in circling the entire rebel army with Blake's army.
There was now only two thousand or less rebel troops left, while Blake's army had only lost a thousand or so.
Just as the rebels were about to attack, Blake interrupted both armies.
"REBEL FORCES!!" Blake shouted.
Their eyes all shifted his direction, all the rebels were disheartened seeing Alex; their leader who they thought would give them victory, knocked out across Blake's shoulder.
"You have all fought bravely!" Blake shouted over the whisperings and sounds of each side. "But your leader has been taken! You have lost this battle! You can not win this fight with what little weapons you have left and with so few troops! So I will be a just ruler! Any that submit under me shall have freedom from my wrath! Either that or you will be taken down by my troops or thrown in my cells! I am a fair leader as I am proving to you!"
There was a panicked sound to the Rebel army, many of the hedgehogs lost hope seeing Alex bested like this.
Half of the Rebel army immediately kneeled and cowered in fear and discouragement, laying down their arms and throwing down their weapons.
They put their hands behind their backs and surrendered sorrowfully.
Only a hundred were still standing, these were the most loyal of the entire army as they had refused Blake's offer then and there.
Blake, with Alex in hand, walked up to the ranks.
He threw Alex on the floor in front of his war-weary Elites; all of them survived the battle, but were very beaten up though their armor didn't show it.
Blake wiped the sweat off his brow. "Take the General to my personal quarters."
The Elites obeyed, two of them picking him up and supporting his weight.
Blake took a deep hot breath and came close to the kneeled soldiers.
"You are the lucky ones, this field will take forever to clean up, and so you can guess I am not pleased." Blake said. "But I will spare your lives, my soldiers will have each of you hand coved, the first person who resists will be shot."
The few troops that refused were standing in the center, not turning a back to any soldier.
The troops started doing as Blake said; hand coving each person, and those without hand coves were tying their hands with ropes.
There were quite a few that needed medical attention and were being carted away regardless what side they were on, but the soldiers took note of it.
Tai's arm was bleeding badly, though he denied anybody's attempt to aid him, he did take his belt out and used it to keep the blood from flowing.
Tai was breathing heavily, very tired, then he stepped up beside Blake.
Blake took a good look at him and was feeling he looked unpleasant.
"General Tai, go get cleaned up." Blake said.
Tai didn't want to, but he scurried off to the doctor's tents.
Soon only the ones who refused were standing there from the Rebel side, the others were apprehended and put in the camps securely, chained and tied down so as not to make any more problems.
The captain of the rebels stood in front of Blake, and spat in his face.
Blake was both disgusted and outraged.
"You have just made a grave mistake." Blake said angrily.
The captain went back to the others, standing firm as they all did.
There were about three thousand keeping the prisoners contained, and the rest were at arms by Blake.
"I gave you a chance, and you now know that my hands are tied. If I let you off the hook there will be nothing to assure your people that I am serious." Blake said, strong in voice.
"We know." the captain said. "And we are prepared to die."
Blake rolled his eyes. "I suppose I am forced to make examples of you, thank you for the fight, it was amusing for a time."
With that, Blake exited as the men parted a way for him; he was heading for his quarters.
As he had just passed by Alec, he gave him an order… "Execute them."
End chapter