342: A Plague of Phantoms: Bloody is The Crown I

Turak'Kahn

I watched with a smile plastered on my face as Jane, Chase, Iris, and their party boarded the mana train. After a moment the train reactivated and departed from the hotel. Only when the train vanished from sight did I let my smile drop and allow my real feeling to show.

My jaw hurt from the effort of keeping the smile on my face and my teeth clenched at the same time. Viola placed a hand on my shoulder reassuringly in an attempt to calm me down and any other time it would have worked. However I was beyond furious and not even Viola could quell that rage.

"Are you sure it was a good idea to not involve Chase any further?" Viola asked. I shook my head, taking a moment to collect myself before responding.

"I relied on him too much when…Aziza rebelled. I looked weak, vulnerable. It's the only reason these vultures have the stones to try something like this." I replied then looked my wife in the eyes so she knew the seriousness of what I was about to say next. "I need to be the one to deal with this uprising this time. If only to give an example as to what happens when someone betrays me."

"Without a trial and little proof you'll look like a tyrant." Viola warned me. I nodded in agreement with that statement.

"Yes but maybe if I had been a little bit more of a tyrant when raising our children then…Aziza would've been treated like she deserved." I said sorrowfully. Viola rested her head on my shoulder and rubbed my arm.

"I'm not going to tell you to not grieve but remember to not drown in the sadness of the past and miss your future in the process." Viola said softly. I kissed the top of my wife's head and breathed in her scent. Her hair smelled of honey and strawberries and was one of the things I first noticed about her.

"I won't, my love." I replied then let go of her and turned around to look back at the hotel. "Enough stalling, time to act like a Pharaoh. Delphinium!"

I summoned Delphinium from my farm crystal and flung her crystalline structure behind me. It shattered and my Kitsune landed gracefully. She bowed respectfully to Viola before looking to me.

<You have need of me?> Delphinium asked.

"Yes, we're going to punish some traitors." I said then offered my arm to my wife. Viola took it with a assured smile and we walked back to the hotel.

The staff that had been watching us from the doors quickly made themselves scarce and only the few soldiers I did trust at the time were left. One of the soldiers opened the door for my wife and I as we approached, then others tried to move at our flank to get into a standard escort position only to get growled at by Delphinium who fanned all her tails out in a warning fashion.

I said nothing to her about it and continued one. Delphinium following one behind. The soldiers that tired to escort us followed as well though at a considerable distance.

The lobby of the hotel was vast and extravagant by a poor nobleman's standards. A marble water fountain sat in the center of the vast room, meant to be a centerpiece that drew everyone's attention but it looked out of place among the traditional Japanese architecture.

In front of said water fountain all of the Generals, Majors, soldiers and various dignitaries that had come with me to Evo-cution were gathered. Under watch by soldiers personally chosen by Viola and a handful of Titans.

My eyes swept the collection of splicers that represented the height of military might for Egypt. Mentally I noted each if the traitors that we had discovered thanks to Viola's interrogation of a few unfortunate traitors. There were six: My aunt Syvilie Ealbris, two of my cousins twice removed, General Davi, Major Akriqo, and Major O'phak.

"My Pharaoh!" One of the Generals in attendance exclaimed once he saw me. General Iskana, a member of the army and one of the most zealous of protectors of the crown. "Why have you gathered us all here my lord?"

I stopped a distance from the collected group and observed everyone in attendance before letting my eyes fall back to General Iskana.

"Cleaning house and clearing up misconceptions." I said then looked to one of the soldiers that was guarding the group. "Bring him."

"Yes my lord!" The soldier exclaimed then rushed off.

"House cleaning?" Several people in the group muttered amongst themselves. This started a wave of chatter started among those gathered.

"It has come to my attention that yet another attempt on my life was being planned." I spoke with a slightly elevated voice. This silenced everyone and snatched their attention back to me. "What's more a employee of Chase Kingston; a close friend to my daughter and first princess of Egypt; was attacked by members of the conspiracy. This I cannot abide."

"You suspect us, My lord?" A random major, who's name I didn't know. I looked towards the staircase at the back of the lobby, leading to higher floors.

The soldier that I had ordered earlier was dragging General Rakish with the help of another. The general was handcuffed and looked to have been beaten severely. Seeing this I turned and faced the approaching soldiers with their captive in tow. Seeing former general Rakish getting dragged in chains caused a uproar among the collected group.

"SILENCE!" General Iskana roared, silencing the others around him. "Do not forget yourselves! You are in the presence of our lord and sovereign! Show some decorum for men and women of your station!"

"Decorum? Rakish is in chains!" Another general yelled.

"He's a fellow General! From a prestigious family!" Someone else yelled.

I ignored the yelling of my Generals and focused on the traitor coming towards me. The soldiers dragged Rakish until he was about ten feet away from me and forced him to his knees. I narrowed my eyes at the man and was surprised to see him look up at me with utter distain.

"General Rakish, you are accused of planning an attack on the great country of Egypt, planning to overthrow your Pharaoh, and plotting to instigate a conflict that will plunge the country of Egypt into war." I said. General Rakish gritted his teeth and struggled to stand.

"What the hell did you do to my daughter, you bastard?!" General Rakish demanded. This earned him a punch from one of the soldiers holding him and for the both of them forcing him back to his knees.

"She is the least of your worries." I said as I walked over to the restrained man.

"You bastard!" Rakish barked.

"You mean Pharaoh, Rakish." I said, then stopped only a foot in front of him. "I already know the full extent of your plan, your daughter tried her best to keep your secrets but it seems that not even memories are beyond the grasp of the revolutionary Paragon."

"WHAT DID THAT MONSTER DO TO MY DAUGHTER?!" Rakish bellowed and nearly surged to his feet however the soldiers managed to keep him restrained.

"A lot less than he could have. She lives…for now." I said then turned and held my hand out to one of the soldiers guarding the other dignitaries and military personnel. The soldier quickly drew a scimitar from his scabbard and held it to me respectfully. I took the blade and pointed it to the throat of Rakish. "You however will not."

"MY LORD!" General Iskana roared. I spared a glance over at the general and let my displeasure noticeable on my face. "You are going to execute him without a trial?!"

"A trial would be unnecessary, his betrayal is plain to me." I replied. Rakish started chuckling which pissed off.

"He won't do it Iskana! The Pharaoh is too weak! He couldn't even admit that his bastard daughter tried to kill him!" Rakish exclaimed. I glared at him and pressed the blade against tighter against his throat.

"Pick your next words carefully, they will be your last!" I growled. Again Rakish laughed.

"Oh please! Like you have the stomach anymore! At least your daughter had the stomach to get her own hands dirty! When was the last time you took a life with your own hands? Made a decision without relying on input from your feckless queen? You even fear the wrath of that star born bastard Kingston! Why else would you be after my head?!"

Without another word I quickly slashed the former General's throat. Blood gushed from the deep wound and onto my suit while the man struggled and gurgling sounds emerged from his throat as his lungs filled with blood. He collapsed on the ground, looking up with me in utter detest.

"Why am I after you head? I already lost one daughter, traitorous as she was, I will lose another child! Attacking Sho'lajah Artifact Company is the same as attacking my daughter! Which is the same as attacking me! Rest in fury Rakish, your daughter will join you soon as will all your collaborators!" I growled then turned my attention to the crowd of on lookers who had gone silent due to Rakish's outburst. "Now to clear the parasites."

"My lord…" Iskana started only to get cut off by me.

"I already know the names off all those that were involved in Rakish's little plot." I said then pointed the blood-tipped blade at the offenders. "Aunt Syvilie, cousin Throka, cousin Potol, General Davi, Major Akriqo, and Major O'phak. All of you have been outed as supporters of Aziza's rebellion and this plot against Sho'lajah and Egypt. You all will be sentenced to death!"

The men and women gathered all turned around and looked at the traitors. Many taking several steps back so they wouldn't be mistaken as being sided with the traitors. The accused all looked at those around them with a mixture of shock, disbelief, and fear.

"Turak! I'very known you since you were a baby! Do you honestly believe I would wish you or my sister's granddaughter harm?!" Aunt Syvilie exclaimed. I quirked a eyebrow at her.

"Do you think I forgot all the years where you boasted the superiority of your own son and how he would be better suited as heir to the throne? How you cursed me for years when he died and accused me of having a hand in it?" I asked. "You, I believe the easier than anyone else Aunt."

Her matronly features twisted into a visage of anger and wrath upon realizing she couldn't play on my emotions. Her eyes had the same madness and fury that Aziza had the night she rebelled. I looked towards my cousins and saw them quietly bickering among themselves.

"My lord! You cannot condemn them to death without a trial! This is an act of tyranny!" General Iskana exclaimed.

"You want a trial? Fine!" I said then tossed the scimitar towards General Davi. "Trial by combat. If you can kill me then you are innocent. If you die you are guilty."

"That's not a trial! It's an execution!" General Revi snapped. "You think our soldiers will sit by and let you slaughter us one by one!"

"Yeah Turak'Kahn! Like you'd fight fair anyway. What's keeping you from having your soldiers from intervening once it looks like you will lose?!" Potol exclaimed.

"Are you going to let him kill us like dogs?!" Throka asked those around us. "How many of you obtained your positions because of the support and recognition of myself and my father? Are you going to let another weak Pharaoh cut down those that have Egypt's needs in their hearts?!"

I eyed the men and women that had jumped away from the ones that had been fingered by me as traitors. A few of them looked indecisive and even I insulted by Throka's declaration. While there were a handful looked resolute and eyed the soldiers guarding them.

"It seems a few agree with you, Throka." I said with an amused smirk.

Those in agreement with Throka moved to flank the traitors and took a defensive stance. The rest all looked surprised and then looked back at me to see what I was going to do. I simply started laughing, a small chuckle at first then a full on gut busting laugh.

"Oh gods above! I didn't think that would actually work! A little show to force all the traitors to revel themselves! I'm starting to understand why Chase is so fond of theatrics!" I exclaimed, chuckling a little still. "You should know that Chase Kingston is going to deal with General Panzer and your collaborators from Austria, Iceland and the Neo-Germanic alliance. I wanted to deal with the traitors in my country with my own hands."

"Wait Kingston knows about them?" General Revi said then immediately covered his mouth as the eyes of the other traitors glared at him.

"A confession as well." I said then looked to those that hadn't revealed themselves to be traitors. "If you believe the words of these traitors then stepped forward! Come! I'll take everyone one at once! Bring, evo, spell, or blade to bare! I accept no help and order any loyal soldier to stand down! Either these traitors die tonight or I do!"