Chapter 12

Khan was helping Bear and the rest of the villagers in preparing for the celebration. Though small, beaten and frail, at a hint of joy, the sickest boy came alive to ready the festivities. Large planks of wood gathered for the infamous fire. More than just some smoke they were planning tonight, they wanted a flame so large, that the God who chooses to ignore them above would see it's light, feel it's burning. Be aware that under that empty black sky, life still existed. These words were uttered by Julia moments before cheers echoed through the village roads. Cheers already roaring through the people before the celebrating began.

Khan set down the captured deer, laying it across in rows, ready for the cooking. Wine, taken from the King's reserve were now being brought in as more shouts of merry making were being sung. Khan himself was looking forward to it, each bit of darkness that crept in closer to the village meant moments closer to the fire.


Julia, sitting alone over by the food, prepared the pot and utensils for the meal. Khan walking over to her slowly, knowing what he should say. Crouching down to speak as softly as possible, "Miss Julia," She looks up at him, a less intense look than in the hut, "I just...feel as though i should apologize."

She turns back down to her work. "No need Khan."

"No no," He sits down on the stump next to her, "I angered your...mate, and i spoke more harshly than was necessary to you, and i don't think it's right so. I am sorry."

She stays quiet for a while before putting everything in her hand down to face him, crossing her arms as well as her legs. "Obrean is not mine. I care for him, very much but...i've no feeling for him aside for admiration. He however, clearly feels differently. But, it's fine."

"Well. I;m sorry all the same."

She looks at him and slowly, and almost noticeably, shakes her head. "You really see no purpose in our revolution?"

Khan annoyed now at there use of the word, "Not at all i just, it's not something i can feel personally-"

"See you just don't get it."

"Well...help me to understand."

"Crimson City wasn't always this way. You think those fables of a booming city were pure fairytale? When i was born and through much of my childhood. This place was beautiful. Heaven on earth to live in. And i remember it fondly. No king to speak of. No social order. Officials, and religious fanatics all preach to we simple people of the importance of hierarchy, of order. Well before all this people existed with each other. And we survived just fine. We built this city ourselves, and we existed fine. Working for each other, not for a blind following to a goal we know not the end result." Khan nodding his head, amazed at her ideas, how sharp her tongue spoke them, how well they were akin to his own beliefs. "It is men, hungry for power who corrupt we as a society, and that, the main cause of the Island wars, was what brought about all this madness. I assume you know of the Island Wars.."

Khan, nodding his head, as this was the war where the sword resting on his back received the the worn look it displayed. The sword that fought battles long before it was given to him. "More than you know Julia." She looks at him puzzled, looking at the sword on his back, but he sits back to hide the hilt from her. Shaking his head slightly, gently as possible, "Please continue."

She ignores it for now, thought it lay like a pest in her brain. Nagging at her, "Anyways, once the wars started Carlucious fought and gained this Island. He wasn't given permission. He took hold, his military, larger than an entire nations. Overran us. I was but a child when Bear and I's parents were killed in the siege." Khan shaking his head as she continues. "So please, i've no reason to not admire Obrean for..."

"Obrean is no different to your King."

The words dropping upon her ears heavier than bricks. "You know nothing of that man."

He sits forward now, his body ready to stand. "I know more of man that any one of you. I know that man. And i know that he's perverted your noble act of self revolution, and self preservation, into a campaign, to further exault his influence."

Khan jumps out his seat, and walks away as Julia yells after him. "You dammed fool. What would you have us do, lie in dirt, accept this life and scurry through our existence with petty  remorse?"

"Carry on through the unbearable with dignity and honor. Accept the good and leave the bad. Do not cause more trouble that-"

She jumps in front of him and slaps him, striking his words out his mouth. "You shut your mouth. You do not understand anything. People like you come to this city with your class and ideals and think you can judge us, you can-"

"I wasn't born into love peace and harmony. I wasn't born with choices. I was born into chaos and have carried on through that to this day." Khan now furious with anger yells back at her, but this wasn't the pain in his chest. Wasn't his rage. This was something else. Something that coincided with the burning in his stomach when he sees Julia. "I was born to a mother married a general in the Island wars. Growing up on Edisona, before it became the Prison Sector. Do you know what Edisona was before?" She catches her breath but is unable to speak, "The camp for the war effort. I grew up around the sick, the dieing, the warriors. After the war..." Khan deciding to leave out what he wanted. "It was just I and my mother. One night, being placed into bed. Bandits stormed our house. They..." He lowered his head into his hands as he staggers around, memories of screams and chaos choking his thoughts, "They raped her. In front of me." Khan's arms trembling now, "And they ran off, unaware, of perhaps not caring about me. I sat there, holding my mothers hand as she died. I grew by myself on that island, i grew by myself through that hell, and i now am here. And do not expect me to understand why people would throw themselves into blind conflict for another man's glory." Before Khan turns to leave, he steps in closer to Julia, stunned by the beauty from the curve in her neck as she looks up at him, with a look that quietly resembles caring. "I would think you, would not fall for such foolish and empty charm. His poison words are your delusion, and you know you don't need that."