Lost Empire Ch. 82

"You know that I am pissed as hell, though," here Hartwell took another breath. "I know that she would hate me. We have to do something before the females die from this."

Derrick sighed as he nodded yes, "we will without destroying what's left of the male population. Though I think that a taste of their own medicine might be appropriate in time."

Hartwell nodded then sighed, "we are working on a complete cure, at the moment we are half way there."

"Good, keep me posted." Derrick said, then Hartwell's Holo vanished.

The quiet in the room was almost deafening, Derrick had started to relax when there was a throat clearing noise. Derrick looked over to the Empress. "Sorry Shelby, all this going on along with the war."

"I believe I understand most of it. I have a request from Mita, as well as myself. It appears that Sherry misses her uncle Derry. The Empress misses her Emperor, you do realize that we will have to try to produce an heir soon. I know, I know who has the time, though if we don't soon, Mary might lock the both us out." Empress Shelby said.

Derrick's head snapped up to stare at Shelby, "I am the Emperor he wouldn't do that."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. Did you see anything in the mandates that the first Emperor set down?" Shelby asked.

Derrick was deep in thought a moment as his mind raced over the huge document that Emperor Gregor set down. A few moments later, Derrick, started to curse as he passed over the phrase that Shelby was referring to.

Derrick turned toward Shelby his eyes wide as he started to read through the mandate. A moment later Derrick nodded, "she could though with us at war much of this particular mandate is cancelled." He sighed as he continued, "it does appear though that my movements and action s are severely limited."

Mary appeared a moment later, "I do hope that you realize that, until there is an heir; I cannot allow you to be in harm's way. The introduction of an Empress, to be by your side, does indeed change the rules." Mary said.

Derrick threw his arms up in surrender, great now Mary was going to be watching everything he did.

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It was two days later when Kattra was brought to an open room. He was already dressed in full gear. Across from him another door to the room opened Emperor Kandra walking out also in full battle gear.

The same chancellor that Kandra had threatened before stood in the center of the room. Both the males walked up to stand to each side of the chancellor.

The chancellor raised his arms for quiet. "This is a personal battle, in the tradition set down through the ages. The victor will be the Emperor, the loser another, dead body on the deck. In this contest both combatants have a sword, two daggers, their armor and their claws. We will start after I check their weapons."

The chancellor walked to Kandra withdrew his weapons, smelled and touched them, then replaced them. The chancellor then went to Kattra who slightly growled when the male removed his weapons. Unlike with Kandra though, the male only briefly inspected the weapons then replaced them.

The chancellor stepped away then raised a hand, "begin."

Kattra smiled evilly as he led off with a mighty overhead strike that Kandra easily deflected. Kattra smiled wider as he swept his sword back, all the while drawing a dagger attempting to cut Kandra's arm.

"So brother, you cannot when a fair fight you are that desperate?" Kandra growled as Kattra tried a diagonal cut up from the left. Again, Kandra growled as he avoided another swipe from Kattra's knife.

"I will take the throne by any means possible," Kattra growled back.

They went at it for another half hour Kandra, barely missing being sliced several times. A small smile came to his lips as he saw that indeed, his brother was growing exhausted, as well as sloppy with his attacks.

Again, his brother made several swiping attacks, attacks that Kandra side stepped, the last brushing close to his skin. This had Kattra laughing with almost insane glee.

"Soon he who claims to be my brother, this will be over and you? You will be dead at my paws." Kattra hissed.

Kandra only grunted as a plan formed then he nodded, the thing was though would his brother fall for it?

Kandra rushed a surprised Kattra who deflected a downward diagonal strike, then twisted back with his sword. He went for a killing decapitating blow, only to stop short with a gasp as Kandra's sword pushed through his chest.

Blood started to flow from his mouth as he growled at Kandra then spit at him. "Enjoy while you can, my followers will have your head in little time."

Kandra sneered as he yanked his sword free with a sad look. "Not in this life-time brother," he said as he watched Kattra's body fall.