War of the Fathers – Chapter Twenty Two

This week’s episode features Chapter Twenty Two of War of the Fathers. Click here to download it or press play below. Here is an excerpt from the show:

Tere was standing off to one side of their camp, his arms folded, and staring at Jorad. Adar had confronted Tere about the cut that he was hiding and it had come out that he and Tarner been involved in a scuffle with some thieves. Tere had probably hoped to leave it at that, but Adar had continued to question him. After almost an hour without learning anything new, Adar had given up. It had almost come to blows between the two until Xarda and Karn had gotten in between them.

When it had come time to make a plan to get the tablet, Tere had insisted on coming, either going with them or following after. Adar had refused and told him that he'd caused enough trouble. The plan was for Adar, Karn, and Jorad to go to the town hall this morning while the others rested.

Soret was still sleeping by the time they left. Leron and Xarda were sparring while Wes watched, and Tarner wasn’t around. Jorad strapped on his sword, picked up his blaster, and nodded to Adar, who led them out of camp.

As they left, Tere joined them.

“You're not coming,” Adar growled.

“If you get into trouble, you'll want my sword.”

“We'll get into trouble if you're with us.”

“Kill me or get going.”

Adar reached for his sword but didn't draw it. Tere folded his arms. Neither spoke for several long moments.

“I'm leaving you behind if the thieves find you.”

The guards at the gate didn't say anything as they entered and Jorad sighed in relief. Tere had made eye contact with the guards as they passed by and they'd ignored him. Signs of the previous evening’s festivities were all around them as they headed toward the town hall. Lost clothing and bits of uneaten food littered the streets. Several unconscious people lay to the side of the road but mostly the streets were vacant and quiet. The further they got into the city, the more people they saw moving, but it was nothing like the throng from the previous evening.

The town hall was a four-story building located in the city center, a few blocks away from the town square. It had a spire that went up for several more stories from the top of the roof. It took up an entire block and faced the governor’s palace. A street that was double the width of normal lay in between. There was a large clearing in front of the town hall where there was a pillar that was several stories high. Jorad had seen it before on other visits to Zecarani but hadn’t thought much of it. Now, after seeing Vigorock, he realized that it had been made by the same people. It was shiny, metallic, and several stories tall.

Jorad nudged Adar.

“I know,” Adar said without looking.