Chapter 163: Confrontation of two generals (1/2)

”Colonel Sitra, it's been a while since we last saw each other. What's the hurry?” the man sitting at the head of the table asked with an ironic smile. ”I know that the situation might appear urgent, but it's not like anything will change if we have a short talk, won't it?” Kazan said as he stretched himself to the back.

”General, I'm obliged to go and give a report to my direct superior,” Sitra said while squinting her eyes in cold annoyance. ”For what reason are you trying to make me break the military code?” she pushed, unwilling to yield to the man.

”Oh my, how diligent,” Kazan laughed before nodding his head. In an instant, the doors to the chamber shut closed with a loud bang. ”But aren't I a superior of your superior? You can give your report directly to me!” he proposed with a wide smile.

Two of the officers, different from the ones who lead the girl to the chamber, approached her sides. While neither of them drew their weapons, their hands were looming dangerously close to the handles of their sabers.

”You are not Castor's superior,” Sitra said without as much as flinching. ”Unless you can produce a royal document with royal stamp giving you the command over the third army, then there is no correlation between my service and your authority. Sir.” She added before glancing over at the men surrounding her. ”And stop with those childish provocations. Everyone in this room is as good as dead as soon as the two of them attempt to draw their weapons,” Sitra added calmly while leaning her head to the side.

”And here you go again,” Kazan sighed. ”Don't you fear the military court for threatening a general of the second army?” he asked with his smile not disappearing from his lips for even a second. ”For that offense alone, I could have you killed right here and now!” he announced while leaning to the back on his chair and spreading his arms to the sides.

'Not good,' Sitra thought, sensing the presences that weren't visible in the room. 'This fortress was built in the last era, so it's likely to be filled with peepholes. I can't underestimate his people,' she thought while pushing herself into a state of focus.

For a moment, the chamber was completely silent. Sitra's eyes were glued to the face of the general as if she wanted to see any hint of him going to order the attack. While this would give her only a split second to react, in this kind of close-quarters scenario, that was one of the few precious advantages that would weigh her chances between life and death.

Then, a loud knocking reached everyone's ears.

”The hell,” Kazan muttered. ”Didn't I order everyone out of this place?” he asked himself before moving his eyes away from the doors. ”Well, let them knock. Meanwhile, colonel Sitra,” Kazan smiled. ”Under my authority as the general of the second army in the times of military rule, I order you...”

CRASH!

The doors that separated the chamber from the rest of the caste burst open.

Set to react as soon as the first extraordinary event, Sitra released her power from her reins.

At the same time, as a group of men burst into the room with their weapons unsheathed, everyone already inside, along with the general itself, suddenly turned green.

”Sitra!” Castor shouted in a stern voice as soon as he noticed what was going on. The sweat on his forehead and the several dents of his saber proved that he took an active role in cracking the doors open. ”Stop it at once,” he looked at the weirdly-looking girl without as much as ounce of fear in his eyes.

Sitra's eyes were floating around her head as if some kind of wind was propelling them. Yet, in this closed room, there was no wind to speak off.

Her eyes were shining as if some kind of dormant power awakened in her, fueling every single twitch and move of her body.

Sitra turned her head around and looked at her direct superior. For a moment, she watched him as if she would some kind of worm crawling on the ground. ”Ah,” then, with a slight moan of surprise, the power that fueled her strange stance vanished without a trace.

”ARGH!” All at once, all the men holding themselves by their throat suddenly fell back on their seats. The power that choked them disappeared as soon as Sitra returned to her usual state.

”ITS A TREASON!” Kazan shouted as soon as he regained his voice. He rose from his seat and aimed his hand at the newly arriving group. ”Kill them a...” just as he was about to give out the order, his voice suddenly got stuck in his throat.

”Kill them what?” An old man suddenly walked into the room. He supported each step of his with a simple, wooden crane. As soon as he passed by Castor's group, all of them fell on their knees. Sitra did the same even before the man would have a chance to reach her.