I slumped onto my bed in my private quarters, my uniform now clean from any blood or dirt.
My eyes and limbs felt heavy, and my breath was laboured.
I was exhausted. But not physically.
It was damn near impossible to tire a viltrumites body,which is what allows them to fight for days on end, and abstain from food and water for weeks at a time. Such factors were essential for long space travel.
But just because the body did not break, doesn't mean the mind is the same. Even viltrumites need sleep when performing activities that stressed them out, no matter how much they wanted to deny the claim.
I wanted to close my eyes. To surrender my mind to dreams.
Yet everytime I tried, all I could see was the blood of all those people I had killed. The children screaming and crying as they were bathed in the entrails of their parents.
"... Fuck. "
It's not like there was anything I could do anything about it though.
I could only make up my mind to ask my mother for advice when I got back to viltrum.
I eventually drifted into slumber, but not before twisting and turning almost the entire night, even breaking my bed in half.
__________
(5 days later)
We finally reached viltrum. I almost felt like smiling, but restrained myself.
The trip back was just as suffocating as the journey to the planet.
viltrumites did not like interacting with each other. We didn't have any weird cliques or friend groups that most other teenagers in the galaxy would have. Everyone just around trying to look menacing and annoyed when we were outside our rooms.
Safe to say, it was not a comfortable experience.
I would have liked nothing more than to visit my mother and train till my all my teeth were punched out of my mouth, but of course, things never went my way, did they?
I was summoned to the Royal hall.
I could feel my heart almost jump to my mouth.
I had heard much about the current grand regent of the viltrum empire. The strongest viltrumite warrior in history, right-hand man of the great Argall, Grand regent thragg was figure held as the ideal viltrumite role model.
To report directly to him was a great honour. And a great risk.
Ten minute later I found myself and the rest of the 30 soldiers who participated in the mission.
We payed our respects to the the statue of argall and walked towards the building behind it. It stood grand and tall, the symbol of the viltrum empire engraved on its front.
The massive doors to the throne room open with a hiss as we all walked in a neat, disciplined formation.
A large, conical room with a high ceiling. Light from the top bathed the middle of the room, leaving the sides dark, making it hard to distinguish the rows and rows of hooded senators, who talked in whispers to each other.
A rectangular metal box stood in the middle of the room, receiving the most light. I knew exactly what it was.
'Argalls casket. '
The final resting place of the late emperor, Argall, one of the most respected and revered emperors in the history of the viltrum empire.
"We greet you... "
Sitting on an elevated throne and looking down on everything, a calm and authoritative look on his face.
Dressed in the traditional Royal uniform, and a fresh line up on his hairline.
"... Grand regent thragg. "
We all bowed simultaneously. I could feel my hands shaking, my heart beating like it was trying to escape my chest.
Both my experience from getting beaten to the brink of death near daily and my far superior senses were telling me one thing. That this man...
"Rise."
...was monstrously strong.
An officer standing next to the throne walked forward. Thin mustache, and a hardened look, I recognized him immediately as General kregg.
"Report, commander. "
And so our commander retold the entire story. How we arrived at the planet. We all split. And how both the green lanterns of the sector showed up on the planet to try and fight them, only to get killed. The first one was taken care of by three of soldiers, and the second one I disposed of.
After the report was over, thragg let out a humm and then asked.
"One of them was taken care of by a line solder you say? And who is this soldier?"
I steeled myself and stepped forward from the line.
"It was me, grand regent. "
Thragg's eyes locked into mine, and he looked me up and down.
"Is that so? State your name and age boy. "
"Jaxon, age 14."
That got his eyebrow raised.
"14? And you defeated a lantern on your own?... You show promise. "
I quickly brought my left arm to my chest.
"Thank you, grand regent. "
He waved his hand at me as if shooing an animal, and addressed kregg.
"We are lucky we did not have to search for the lantern of this sector like always. Tell the extermination squad to stand down. "
"Your words, our deeds. " He said with his head bowed.
"That will be all. " Thragg told our commander.
'Finally. '
We quickly fled the room in an orderly manner.
As soon as I walkked out of the room and we dispersed, I let go of a breath I didn't even know I was holding.
Unlike the other viltrumites who just felt uneasy without knowing why , I could actually hear the cause of our uneasiness.
A normal viltrumites ears were highly sensitivity to assist their balance in flight. This not only helped them with the omni-directional nature of flight, but also gave them a very good sense of hearing.
This combined with my even more enhanced sense of hearing and my years of training my senses, allowed me to have a near monstrous pair of ears. I even developed the useful ability controlling what I wanted to hear, to help me sleep at night. Else I would have gone mad by now.
And in that room, the sound of thragg's muscles moving sounded akin to metal grinding against metal times a thousand.
His lungs sounded like hurricanes and his heartbeat seemed like thunder.
'I never whant to be near that guy again. '
I thought.
"Whatever. This is giving me a headache. I'm just going to go sleep. "
And off I went towards the forest.
__________
Bit of a short chapter today. I hope you guys understand.
Also, I'm having a hard time choosing the fl. Any suggestions
(No I'm not doing Anissa you freaks. Y'all are weird.)