Chapter 76
(Insinz's POV)
Valin had sealed off the room perfectly so no air could enter or escape, and without air Vetro couldn't even find the strength to stand.
"How long can he live like that?" Tana asked... I'm not an expert but, Vetro's strength lies in his age. We naturally grow stronger with age and Vetro has focused on training himself in all aspects over the years... I can guess he can live an hour without air but he might surprise me and surpass that.
"Not long," I answered, vaguely, Tana then handed me the suppressant chains she was carrying. At first, Valin was going to carry them but we decided to give them to Tana's clone who doesn't need to breathe or worry about the chains weakening her. I propped Vetro up onto his knees and chained his hands behind his back. This is the man who has caused me so much trouble through hundreds of lifetimes. I squatted down in front of my tormentor then said, "Tana, come here." She obeyed without hesitation so I pulled her down onto my lap and kissed her deeply, intertwining our tongues, turning my eyes up to look at Vetro who couldn't speak but his face was red, and visible veins were popping out of his forehead. Hard to tell if it's merely rage or from suffocation "It's your turn now," I whispered to Tana, her true mind had taken full control of this clone by this point. Which is a clear indicator that things on her end are going smoothly.
"I figured out my element..." She began speaking, as she stood up and walked over to Vetro, frowning down at him. "No thanks to you! You tried to keep me weak and dependent... You treated me like a doll made only for your pleasure. Lied to me... hurt me... and this... This is my first step towards freedom from you." She declared. "Light... is my element and with it, I'm going to steal your eyesight." He started to struggle but with no oxygen to create fire and my interfering in every attempt to use Earth-based attack, he was powerless. He couldn't even scream. I closed my eyes but I felt the heat coming from Tana's attack so I knew exactly when to look again. "Just like our Mother I chose Light... I don't know how I could have forgotten. You don't deserve the privilege of sight because you caused so much despair based on only lusting for things you could see... I'm doing the world a favor by taking it away." Vetro fell over likely from lack of oxygen mixed with panic. That was my cue to relocate him into the dungeons, add more restraints in his cell, and wait for him to wake up so we could talk. When a full day passed without him moving an centimeter I asked the guards toalert me if he awakes. We had to hire a completely new staff, testing the loyalties of surviving soldiers. We even had to arrest a few of them for obscene and peverse pastimes they enjoyed under Vetro's rulership.
(Snowe's POV)
2 days since we started this war is when I saw the purple streak of lightning across the sky. That's the signal Zai is supposed to send if they've defeated the king. I'm both happy and dreading the fact that I'll have to confess to asking for help from Infaniya without consulting him first. I don't want it to become a fight, Zai can be extremely stubborn about some things. While I was struggling with this, internally, Zai appeared in front of me. His appearance was followed by loud thunder and gusts of wind that knocked everyone near by away, only sparing me because I was in his arms.
"I missed you." He mumbled, pecking my collarbone and then moving his lips to mine. Someone cleared their throat so Zai glanced at them and his eyes grew big...
"The Infaniyan Chosen of Fire?"
"Have we met," Serco asked. and Zai nodded with a smile and said,
"Yeah briefly, you were trying to kill my brother." I could sense malice in Zai's voice so I put my hand to his mouth and said,
"Be nice! They helped us... they want to establish peace... At least the South and East continents of Infaniya have already agreed... so..." He sighed then kissed me again.
"Fine... I shouldn't hold a grudge... My bro did start that fight." Which brother is he talking about? Judging by how mad he seems I can only guess it's RJ. After meeting up with the others I got the full story on the history between RJ and Serco... apparently, RJ wanted to test his strength against the Infaniyan chosen but Secro refused to fight him at full power... so he held Serco's gf, now wife, hostage to motivate him to stop holding back and go all out. Zai was watching and saw his brother was starting to lose badly so he used his speed to jump in and carry RJ away. Awkward. Reuiniting with Smoke didn't go any smoother but since his Fiancee was with him Zai stayed cordial. Things were tense at first, with working out peace treaties, sending out teams to repair the city, and tending to those affected heavily by the war or the king's actions. Personal feelings were put aside and the gateway to Infaniya was opened as a regular travel port between worlds, but heavily guarded on both sides, just in case. No one wanted to stay to be the new King so all the Chosen of Afaria were given the same rulership rights and power to delegate rulers over different regions after interviewing those interested or nominated. Tana and I were both crowned as acting Queens, which was a lot of paperwork and tedious preparations. I feel a bit silly because when we stared all this I was thinking it would only end with a fight, and then we'd go home. It's been a few months now and I'm not sure if we're any closer to returning. Also because we've been so busy I've hardly had any alone time with Zai.
(Insinz's POV)
It was a little over a week when I was informed that Vetro woke up. I instructed a servant to give him water immediately. His cell had been renovated with Suppressant technology from Infaniya, a sealing rune on the floor, and even the cell bars were made from power-repressing metals. There was a viewing window of tempered glass which had been reinfornced with multiple runes, so it was felt like we were in the same room. This clear wall is wasted on a blind man.
"Who's there?" He grumbled, he stumlbled around, because of tightly he was bound and not being able to see. The servant pressed a cup to his mouth and said,
"Have some water." He slapped the cup away, spilling the water that was so graciously offered to him.
"You may leave," At my word she picked up the cup, bowed and rushed from the cell, and leaving us in the dungeon alone. "Brother-in-law... hi, it's me. You've been sleeping so long that I've missed you." Vetro groaned, then I opened his jail cell to readjust the length of his wrist and ankle chains. Just enough that he could use his hands and walk on his own.
"What are you doing?" He asked, his words slurring.
"I'm making you less of a burden on others." My cheeky response made him groan again but thanks to the spores I left on him he was still too intoxicated to hold his head up.
"I thought... I was dead." He mumbled... His light-blue icy eyes turned towards me.
"We wanted to kill you but... there would be too many casualties, including us, so we spared you. Aren't you grateful?" Vetro rolled his eyes and laid down on the stone floor of his cell, then I left him and locked the door behind me. "I'm not your only visitor today." I saw his body tense up a bit at my announcement and Tana walked into view, of course he can't see so she spoke.
"Hello brother." He fought past his grogginess and sat upright, crawling toward the outer wall.
"Tana! Hey... You must have really hated me, to let me live in such a pathetic state... I would rather be dead... Tana... I wanted to do right by you, I was willing to give up on this war, and everything for you..." His voice was shakey,
"You can't die... If you refuse to eat or drink we'll force you, all life on this planet rests on you, how can you still be so selfish?" Tana chastened, he laughed in response,
"That's... I'm trying to be considerate... I guess I don't know how to be anything else..." She frowned, then took a hold of my hand.
"Let's go..." I kissed her tenderly and held her waist as I replied,
"Not yet..." I then turned toward Vetro's cell once again so he could hear me clearly. "... I'll make an announcement in 2 months when our daughter born, and even you'll hear it. That'll help you know just how long you've been in here... I'll even make sure you know when she has another child of mine... that way you have something to look forward to." His eyes lit up and he yelled at the top of his lungs but then he relaxed and became docile again... There's really nothing he can do, he's weaker than even an average human at this point. And the fungus growing in his mind is slowly taking away his sanity... we only need him to live, after all.
(Tana's POV)
Fixing the world government has been tedious. All people who wanted a noble title or government position were interviewed by Raijian and Zaikel to test their integrity only 1/100 passed. I wanted Zai to be the new reigning king but he claims to have business left on Earth so he can't stay here permanently. Valin has the same claims, As well as Raijian, but regardless the power was divided equally amongst the 7 so Netalai, Cera and Rytem are our kings who will remain on Afaria, and any major world changes have to be agreed upon by all. Even Markis has volunteered to stay behind and train our military. The role of the military has changed from invading Earth or Infaniya to maintaining order and protecting the people of Afaria.
Before everything was settled I went into labor and gave birth to our daughter. As promised Insinz made a grand announcement using an intercome system so even those in the dungeon or miles away would hear it.
"The first princess of our new rulers has been born! There will be a festival to celebrate in the Capital a week from today"
I was given a break from my duties in order to tend to Chai. In all honesty I didn't need it since I had 2 nannies and 5 maids who stood nearby, ready to assist me and ease my burden at any moment... As well as Insinz who made sure to be with me every night. I never felt tired or alone.