Empire's Son: An Epic Science Fiction Novel Series

We sat there side by side. The room was silent around us, almost like the officer's lounge was holding its breath. Markus sat leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and gaze fixed on the floor. There was so much guilt flooding through me it completely drowned out anything I might have picked up from the other man. It wasn't until he slowly turned to me I saw the tears in his eyes.

"You don't need to apologize. I knew what I was signing up for, and if I had to do it again, I wouldn't hesitate. I know you don't remember before, but I do. I remember who we were. Who you were. We were friends. We were brothers. I can't explain this connection I have to you. The one that came before the blood bond, but it's been strong almost from the very beginning. And maybe if you had been taken away from me in such a sudden way that maybe things would have turned out differently." He wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. "I chose this path because losing you once was enough. I couldn't bear to watch it happen again, not so soon after getting you back."

His words hit me hard. The weight of our shared history—a history I couldn't remember, but that clearly meant everything to him—settled heavily between us. I wanted to reach out, to offer some comfort, but I felt paralyzed by the magnitude of what he'd sacrificed.

"But your father—" I started.

"Will be rescued by competent people who don't need me there to succeed," Markus interrupted, though his voice carried a strain that suggested he was trying to convince himself as much as me. "Gayle can track him. Admiral Havoreat has the tactical experience, and if I can't lead this mission, then at least Nathias can," Markus shrugged. "He certainly loves my father enough to put his all into the mission."

I was silent for a long moment. The guilt was still there. It felt like a stone around my neck. If I wasn't careful, it just might drag me into oblivion, but Markus's words helped to make things feel like it wasn't a complete disaster.

I studied his face, searching for any sign that he was just telling me what he thought I needed to hear. The bond between us hummed quietly, and through it I could sense his sincerity, though underneath lay a current of disappointment and worry that he was trying hard to suppress.

"You're really okay with this?" I asked quietly.

He was silent for a moment, then gave me a rueful smile. "I'm not going to lie and say I'm thrilled about sitting on the sidelines while my father's life hangs in the balance. And to be perfectly honest, I'm shocked at how strongly I feel about getting him back. I just… I want him to be okay. I guess I want him and I to be okay too. But this is my life now. I need to get used to it."

That last sentence struck a chord in me that felt all wrong. This wasn't just about getting used to a new status quo; this was more than that. Much more. I could see it so clearly. The trap that awaited Markus was in our bond. Hell, the trap that my father had put around me. It wasn't right to take away a person's choice. And I wasn't going to be a party to something like that, not if I could help it.

"That's not good enough," I said, standing abruptly. "This isn't just your life now—it's our life. And I won't have you 'getting used to' sacrificing everything that matters to you because of a choice I forced on you."

Markus looked up at me, surprise flickering across his features. "Adar—"

"No, you should still go." I said, knowing that I was ignoring at least part of my father's demand, but this was important to Markus. Would my friend ever forgive himself if he didn't go, and the mission failed? I very much doubted it. And what about the future? Was I going to have to ask him to sit on the sidelines for the rest of his life?

Markus shook his head. "No, I trust Gayle and Nathias to get this done. I don't need to go."

Sudden anger rushed through me at his words as I started pacing furiously. "So is that how it's going to be from now on? Are you going to sit by and let everyone else do the fighting for you?"

Markus looked at me as if I'd just slapped him. "What the yavit does that mean?"

I stopped in front of him and looked down at my friend as emotions flared as I thought of my old life that had gone up in smoke, and the life I had been forced to lead. It wasn't fair that had to happen to Markus too, especially since he'd taken the bond to save me. I took a deep, settling breath before continuing.

"Markus, you are a fighter. I haven't known you that long, but that's come across clearly to me. You aren't one to let others be in the thick of it while you just watch. That's not who you are.

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"And while this connection in death doesn't sit well with me, it's the only part of this bond we now have that bothers me. The rest of it feels right. Maybe even predestined. I can tell you I wasn't thrilled at the idea of someone replacing Aragon, but I don't feel that way anymore. I say this because even though there is some drawbacks to our double bond, I don't see it as a mistake, even if others do.

"But I think it's a mistake if you let this bond between us change who you are. I don't want that. You can't stop being you just because you're worried that putting yourself in a dangerous situation might get us killed."

"I get what you are saying, Adar, and I appreciate it," Markus shook his head, "but whether or not either of us likes it, this bond has changed things, and we need to act accordingly."

I leaned forward to make sure I had his full attention. "You're right; we need to act accordingly. But 'accordingly' doesn't mean abandoning who we are at our core."

Markus's jaw tightened. I could feel the conflict radiating from him. I think deep down he agreed with me, but he also didn't want to be the cause of my demise either. I felt a strong sense of responsibility from him, realizing he was genuinely committed to his role as Protector.

"Look," I continued, "I'm not suggesting you charge into a suicide mission. But from what I understand, you have been training for years for exactly this kind of thing. You know what you are doing. So you tell me, do you think it's a reasonable possibility that you can get in there and out without getting killed?"

Markus fell silent, his gaze drifting back down to the floor that lay between us. I could feel him weighing the question with the gravity it deserved.

"Yes," he finally said, his voice low but certain. "I know I can. I've watched the videos pavi sent of the battle at the College closely. The Shixx are fast and tough, but they aren't invincible. I've come up with a way we can counterattack that I'm reasonably sure will work. In fact, the strategy I'm planning would work much better if I were there. I know the combat maneuvers better than anyone else . But that doesn't change the fact that even the best-trained or prepared person can be caught by surprise. One unlucky move or shot—" he trailed off.

"And perhaps if we'd been unlucky enough, we might have been on Sora X when the Shixx got there. Then I might have been captured instead," I countered. "The Emperor wants us both safely tucked away, but there's no such thing as guaranteed safety in this life."

A flicker of amusement crossed Markus's face. "You sound like my father now."

"Good. Then maybe you should listen." I sat back down with a sigh. I felt better that I had my say. Somehow it felt important, not just for him, but for me as well.

"And what of your father's orders?" Markus asked.

I felt a twinge inside. I knew the Emperor wouldn't like this and that he'd be angry. Would he be angry enough to set off those mark 12s on Earth? I didn't know. I hoped not, but in that moment I realized that part of why I'd said all those things to Markus was because I had been compromising myself almost since I'd gotten onto Vang's ship, and most certainly since my father had laid down his threat to destroy the planet I'd grown up on. And that was getting to me.

I had been making decisions based on fear rather than what I believed was right. I couldn't keep letting that fear dictate every choice I made. What kind of leader would that make me? Certainly not one my father would want to succeed him.

"My father will have to understand that sometimes being a leader means making difficult decisions," I said, surprised by the conviction in my voice. "And if he doesn't… well, then maybe that's a conversation we need to have. Besides, this is the right thing to do, Markus, not just because it gives the mission a higher chance of success, but because I think you need to do this for your own personal wellbeing."

Markus slowly nodded. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure. As I see it, you are my Protector, not his. If I'm willing for you to do this, then that should be enough." I didn't add that if Markus died, then so would I and the ultimatum wouldn't matter. But if the mission was a success, my father wouldn't have too much room to complain, or at least I hoped so. Though I realized maybe it was all moot anyway.

"Maybe what we want doesn't even matter. My father could have pressed the issue. Make sure neither of us goes," I muttered.

Markus snorted. "If we were using Zahnian assets instead of Vanguard? Yes. But there's a reason the Vanguard is the Kings' military. The Emperor can make suggestions, but since Havoreat is the acting Supreme Commander with my father gone, it will be up to him. I'll have a quiet word with him."

I gave Markus what I was sure was an incredulous look. "He would go against the Emperor?"

A smirk cut across the other man's face. "If it endangers his people or isn't in the best interest of the Vanguard, then yes. And I will let him know my thoughts on my strategy. He'll agree I'm the best one to lead the team. Besides, he's been almost as persistent as my father when trying to get me back into the Vanguard."

"But you wouldn't really be going back, would you?"

Markus shook his head. "No, but he doesn't need to know that."

"And what about the reason my father might call Havoreat and make demands of him?" I raised my eyebrow.

Markus let out a long sigh as he stood up. "I'll handle that when it happens." He moved toward the door, then paused and looked back at me. "Thank you, Adar. For understanding what this means to me."

I nodded, feeling the weight of our decision settle between us. I could sense his gratitude mixed with renewed determination. I stood up to follow him out, and the guilt that had been crushing me moments before had transformed into something else––resolve, perhaps. Or maybe just the acceptance that our lives were now intertwined in ways that went far beyond the blood bond, and that meant supporting each other's choices, even when they carried risks.