Chaos' Heir

Brigadier General Seycomb didn't know what to say. Khan's behavior and position were highly unusual, and he exploited them to their full extent. His status as a Prince prevented the General from ordering him around, and his sharp words had failed ploys behind them.

Everything would have worked out if the assassination attempt had succeeded. Instead, the General now had to deal with the aftermath of its failure, basically cleaning the mess it had left behind. He was the right man for the job, but giving in without saying a few warnings would make the Global Army look weak.

"Prince," Brigadier General Seycomb announced, doing his best to use a polite but firm tone. "The Global Army can't allow such open actions anymore. I hope your goal isn't a civil war."

"Is protecting myself such a heinous act it can start a civil war?" Khan questioned.

The sharp reply made the General hesitate again. Khan had taken things too far, but his cause remained justified. The Global Army couldn't claim to have authority over his right to avenge himself. Its only power was in regulating his methods or trying to.

"The Global Army isn't omniscient," The General argued, "Nor does it have the power to stop every organization. I'm sure you are aware of this, Prince Khan."

The General put more emphasis on Khan's title, but the action was unnecessary. Khan knew what he meant. The nobles and other wealthy families could act behind the Global Army's back or even compel it to do their bidding. That wasn't only a matter of influence. Humankind's government was structured like that.

"You misunderstand," Khan said. "I'm not asking anything. I'm only explaining what can happen."

Khan was cutting himself out of any potential deal with his unreasonable attitude, but Brigadier General Seycomb couldn't just leave. A civil war might truly happen if he came back empty-handed.

"Then," Brigadier General Seycomb exclaimed, "We can only hope nothing else comes in your way because the Global Army will react to crimes."

"With what?" Khan asked, glancing past the General's shoulder, "That battalion? Another assassination attempt?"

Khan slowly brought his eyes back to the General, and a faint light flashed inside them. The event lasted less than a second but added immense weight to the following question. "You?"

Brigadier General Seycomb wanted to take a deep breath but held back to retain his confident façade. He was a General, one of the highest ranks a soldier could achieve inside the Global Army, but Khan had challenged him. Also, that wasn't even the scariest detail about the situation.

The General was a fifth-level warrior, but the reports about Khan made him think twice about accepting the challenge. Moreover, the Global Army had updated him on Baoway's matters, informing him about Major Veril's presence. The latter didn't come back, so it was safe to assume Khan had defeated him.

Still, even that wasn't the scariest aspect of the conversation. Many soldiers inside the Global Army had power and status, but unlike them, Khan was willing to use them, even if the consequences were disastrous.

Brigadier General Seycomb had to remain silent to review the issue carefully. Taking Khan down wasn't an issue. The Global Army had too many resources and backing for a single man to handle.

The main issue was the cost. Taking Khan down was possible, but the General didn't know whether the Global Army could afford it. Khan was bound to make a mess before falling, and his power would put entire cities in danger.

Khan's declaration had basically turned him into a walking nuclear deterrent ready to explode at the first issue. The Global Army couldn't defuse him anymore. It could only hope to contain him.

"The Global Army will pay closer attention," Brigadier General Seycomb conceded, "But we want your cooperation."

"You can cooperate with me," Khan said. "I expect warnings the next time someone tries to plant traitors in my midst."

The General almost felt Khan was being difficult on purpose. Still, he could understand his reasoning. Khan wanted a show of faith, if not many of them, before even considering trusting the Global Army.

"My superiors might not be as lenient as me, Prince Khan," Brigadier General Seycomb stated. "I hope you estimated your value correctly."

"What the Global Army has," Khan responded, "The Nognes family has."

Khan and the General didn't need to mention the topic to understand each other. They were talking about evolved soldiers, which both parties had. The General simply didn't know Khan had yet to assume control of his faction.

Yet, the General knew Khan didn't have the entire Nognes family's support, so the Global Army had him beat on that field. Khan was aware of the issue, too, and his following words addressed the matter.

"Also, I've been wondering," Khan uttered. "How long will that threat remain a threat? I myself am curious."

The conversation wasn't going in Brigadier General Seycomb's way, but he had to admit something. Khan's pristine confidence was praiseworthy, especially since most of it was justified. As for standing his ground against an evolved soldier, even the General couldn't make that prediction.

"I expect the battalion to disappear," Khan said once the silence lasted too long for his short patience. "You have five minutes."

"I'll be in touch," Brigadier General Seycomb announced, "Prince Khan."

Khan watched the General departing and waited his five minutes before stepping outside. The battalion had left, leaving behind Khan's team and the ship. No one asked questions, so Khan hopped on it to return home.

The trip went by in a blink. Khan didn't show it, but his mind was too heavy to keep track of the outside world. His cold eyes looked forward for the whole duration of the voyage but didn't capture anything.

Khan went on auto-pilot once he arrived inside his flat. He unbuttoned his uniform, letting it slide to the floor. His pants and shoes suffered from a similar fate, leaving him in underwear when he reached his stash.

Khan seized a few bottles and headed into one of the bedrooms. He even opened the container but didn't drink from it. He sat at the mattress' edge, staring at the wall while his mind replayed the recent events.

Killing had long since become easy for Khan, but his senses worsened its consequences. The symphony almost talked to him, describing the pain and death he inflicted. He didn't feel them, but his eyes could see them.

That awareness turned into a curse inside Khan's brain. He recalled every detail, every shade that had reached his senses. Khan knew how many lives he had taken, and their weight threatened to become suffocating.

However, even with all the expanding disgust, Khan couldn't help but feel right. He didn't like his actions but found them necessary. Regret never appeared inside him.

The flat's door opened and closed, but Khan remained in his position. Familiar calls reached his ears, but he didn't stand up. Eventually, Monica found him in the bedroom and hurried on her knees to sit under him.

"Khan," Monica called, a pleading tone in her voice. Her hands went on Khan's legs, but he didn't react. He resembled a statue, but life still flowed inside him.

"I flicked a switch," Khan muttered, "Which has disappeared. There's only this now."

Monica's eyes darted left and right, inspecting every corner of Khan's face. She saw his thoughts but didn't know how to appease them. Monica could only reach for Khan's cheeks, hoping he would find ways to use her to feel better.

"I'll keep doing this," Khan announced, finally looking at Monica. "I won't stop, and it can only get worse. This is what I am now."

Monica held back any jokes, no matter how real they were. She had always found it extremely arousing when Khan wore the mantle of a leader, especially to protect what they had. Yet, the situation demanded more serious approaches.

"I've always known," Monica exclaimed. "You couldn't have escaped it even if you tried."

"It's not destiny," Khan refused the idea. "I made those choices."

"Because that's who you are," Monica nodded.

"A mass murderer," Khan commented, "Who kills innocents out of spite."

"A leader," Monica corrected, standing up and lifting Khan's head with her, "Dealing with his enemies and protecting his belongings."

"What if the leader is a monster?" Khan asked.

"They all are," Monica explained. "To stand above men, they must become more than men. They wouldn't be able to bear what no one else can otherwise."

"How can you accept my hands when they have bathed in so much blood?" Khan questioned.

"Your hands," Monica whispered, sitting on Khan's lap, seizing his arms, and placing his hands on her waist. "I know the kindness they are capable of."

Old habits surged in Khan's mind. Similar events had already happened, and his brain triggered them again. He didn't even notice it, but he soon found himself on top of Monica, holding her wrists above her head.

"It's okay," Monica reassured, taking Khan's waist into her thighs. "You won't hurt me. You can't do anything I won't enjoy."

Khan stopped thinking. He dived his head into Monica's neck, releasing her wrists to make his way inside her uniform.

"I'll always be there for you," Monica gasped, closing her eyes and throwing her head back. "I'll watch humankind acknowledge your power and bow to you."