Lost Empire Ch. 89

"You lie! He would not come here for a joining," the older man snarled.

"Oh," Kimon's voice spat back. Not even for one who served and fought with him in the republic wars?"

"YOU! you should have died that day from our combat, a combat that you cheated to win. Your rank, everything should have been stripped from you that day," the older man shouted.

"I did not nor have I ever cheated. It isn't my fault that you did not study all the advanced moves," Kimon said as he stepped out. "I think that you will find that I am much more than you ever thought I or you were."

"Bah it doesn't matter now," the man said, then turned. "Is it done?" To which two of the men nodded to him.

"So, we will once again have a battle for the top position. You will notice that the rules have changed," the man said, then raised a hand. From one of the ships, several men dragged out his mother Akira. "As you see, we have a prize for you. I'm sure you recognize your mother."

It took all that Kimon had to remain calm when he saw her. Her eyes were trained on him, showing that, no matter what, she had ultimate confidence in him.

"Ah! Though I have another prize for you," the man said. It took more than eight men to bring out his intended Onai.

"Ha!" Kimon said, "I feel for each of you when she slips from her bonds. She is a friend of death and right now he is anxious for her to work. So what are you wanting, a fight? You are no match for me."

"No, I think it's the other way around. For the last decade I have studied ALL the forbidden arts. I have mastered all of them, you are sadly mistaken if you think you can beat me," the man said.

"Hmmm, perhaps, though, as I have learned, pride like yours always comes before the mighty fall. I'm therefore not afraid nor will I be," Kimon said with a smile on his lips.

Onai was afraid as she had seen the art of these people, hardly recognizing any of their moves. A few she had though, that just delayed them capturing her. She knew that Kimon recognized far more than her, but did he know enough?

"So shall we begin? Oh, that is more of my clan arriving, no less than ninety more, so you see your efforts were for nothing," the white-haired man, with a scar across his face said, as three more ships arrived.

"I'm sorry no matter how hard I think about it, I can't seem to recall your name. Obviously, the fight was not that important. So forgive me if, after I destroy you, I still won't remember," Kimon said off-handly.

"Oh really," the man said. Then I shall have it put on your grave if I leave enough. Here lies the greatest failure of the Dempsy clan, slain by his brother!"

"I have no brother," Dempsy said as he looked at his mother, whose head was bowed low. "So I did, and you never revealed this to me. I can see that we need to talk after this, mother."

"Ha! Your over-confidence will be the death of you!" The older man said.

"Over-confidence? Oh no, I know my skill and how my art is. I know what I can and can not do, something that you are also about to find out," Kimon said.

The man started to laugh mightly as his men started to move toward Kimon.

Derrick watched tensely as he'd finally managed to get the remote comp up where Kimon was. The problem was, it only showed every ten seconds. He'd shown the council and Kimon's clan as soon as the almost dead student had shown up at the clan hall. Derrick had been visiting when it happened.

Immediately, most of the clan started arming themselves. The Sakuta clan also joined them when it was discovered that Onai was missing. Everyone was climbing into speeders capable of being there in minutes, so some three thousand departed.