https://penastory.com/2016/06/02/vendetta-episode-9-the-finale-abraham-isaac/

Excerpt from episode 8:

As the arrows fired, the soldier standing guard heard something fly at him and was quick to react. His sword blocked the arrow aiming for his head while the other pierced his heart. He died immediately. Kicking the guard’s body over, Ekdikisi reached for the knob and quietly opened the wide doors that led to her father’s quarters

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She opened the doors and stepped into the large room. Megaleio Hegemon was sitting in there alright. But something, had gone horribly wrong. Throughout the course of her mission, she had heavily relied on the element of surprise. Her ability to induce a raw, unexpected form of last-minute panic as well as capitalize on it had served her extremely well. Now, glancing across the room, she saw that she had lost that advantage.

The room was as tidy as usual with its usual gold-plated props. On her side of the long dining table, at exactly the same position it had been when she had first entered it was a steaming cup of cinnamon tea. It was a clear message that she had been expected and anticipated. She gripped her convertible bow cum scabbard more tightly around her fists and sat down to tea. She would go ahead with this; surprise or not.

Hegemon felt a wave of calm sweep through him as she sat down to tea. He had almost panicked when she walked in, looking as menacing as the ghost of a vengeful soul. Perhaps that was what she was indeed. The ghost of the maid had come back to haunt her. There was no need for unnecessary delay then.

“I know your identity and mission. But I do not know your name. What is your name?”
“Ekdikisi.”

Hegemon sighed deeply. Of course, vengeance. “Then, I must beg your pardon and request for a few moments of your time.” Since she was quiet and wore a blank but concentrated expression, he assumed he had her attention for the time being.

“I understand your grievances,” he continued. “Like most youth in their prime, I was overcome with desire and made the grave mistake of forcefully knowing your mother. It is an action I regret deeply. I cannot think of any form of justification for my beastly sin towards her. She was a truly delightful lady and a diligent maid who would have made an amazing mother for yourself and a wonderful queen for me. I’m willing to atone the injustice of my action towards her with my life. I also beg for your forgiveness. But there is one thing I am not sorry for and would do over and over again. Listen to me very carefully. The apparatus of the laws of a land do not exist on the premise of morality. When governing a state, a ruler must make and stand by decisions that foster the preservation and strengthen of the unity of the state, however amoral or illogical they might appear. When you were born as a girl child, your fate was sealed by the gods. Death became the only bulwark to the nefarious star gracing your rising. If it had been proclaimed that you were born of my loins as a female, authority and public sentiment would have departed the Megaleio Bloodline forever. This majesty, this united force of unstoppable power and splendor would not have been born. Know this, I do not regret the hunt for your life. For these Kingdoms to enjoy the peace and prosperity that they do today, there is nothing I would not have sacrificed. We’re not so different. You, my son, yes, son, have sacrificed your life and that of others for your mission. Before you arrive at the conclusion that your cause is for the sake of morality, realise that you are no better than I am for sentimentality sake. The guard outside is betrothed to be married to a fair lady two moons from now. Even if you had known that fact, you still would have killed him. He was to you, an obstacle. An obstruction to your cause that had to be put away. Whether he was betrothed to be married, or a father of three children, or a man with the burden of an aged mother, you still would have put him away without regrets to achieve your grand goal. This is the hallmark of a true leader. I have not much time left to live. I know this. When I die without a distinct successor to stake a claim to the throne, this world that I have created will fall apart like a pack of Cajun cards. My numerous sacrifices over the years will count for nothing. Everything I have built so far will break apart and my life’s work laid to waste. But more importantly, chaos will ensue. Chaos, carnage and anarchy like as never been seen since the beginning of the world. The leaders of each Kingdom will battle for the control of the lands of the Allied Kingdoms and whoever emerges victorious emerges so to rule over a disaster of epic proportions. This is why I made your mission extremely easy for you. I presented you with the opportunity to strike by ordering my personal guard corps to proceed on their annual training camp out. I made sure you got past the Northern Gate’s security by calling off the archers. I made sure you didn’t fail to gain entrance to my quarters by placing only one average soldier to patrol my balcony. Now, I make you a proposition. Here lies a writ that names you a Megaleio, which you are, and guarantees you full control of the Allied Kingdoms upon my demise. I want to you to take charge of the state and bring about a much required balance and stability to the anarchy that would ensue after my death. I have placed my royal seal on it as confirmation of its authenticity. All you need do is append your signature. I do not ask you this as a favour. Think of it as staking a claim to your rightful place and avenging the death of your mother in one masterful stroke.”

He rolled the scroll containing the writ over to Ekdikisi and waited. As she made as if to make a decision, Hegemon added, “I want you to know that I’m an admirer of your will, strength and courage.” He paused, took a deep breath and prepared himself.

Ekdikisi steadied herself with an effort. All that mattered now was she murdering this horrible, horrible man. He had totally outplayed the hand she dealt and now, she just wanted to destroy him and his damned legacy. She still had the journal, she would release it to the world after she had killed him. Maybe she would be killed too but if it proved to the world that the bloody Megaleio bloodline had bred weakness, had covered up the birth of a girl child, it was a reasonable bargain for her life. She picked the quill and stabbed it in the scroll, wrote a few words and rolled it back to Hegemon. Then, she picked her bow and took aim.

Hegemon knew it was over the moment she reached for her bow. His worst case scenario had come to being. Only this time, she wouldn’t take him. If he was going to be the last true Megaleio, he would have to go down some of his dignity. It was a stroke of genius that he had prepared for this eventuality. He had told his right hand man to check under his bedpost, where he had kept a copy of the writ he gave her. He would sign it and assume his place as the next Emperor. It was also a stroke of genius that he had assigned the archers to cover every inch of the doors and fire unless he signaled them not to. As soon as she stepped out of the doors, she would become a porcupine.
He reached for his dagger as she drew her weapon. His heart caused him sharp, excruciating pain but he only seemed to know it rather than feel it.

His nightmare suddenly became real, vividly real. Only, it wasn’t a rustle of wings but the creaking of a bow. As she let out a high-pitched scream of vengeance and fired at him. He plunged his own dagger into his chest and the arrow and dagger both seemed to hit him at once. As he blacked out, he saw the faint outline of the words “Go To Hell” on the writ Ekdikisi had rolled back to him, and blood. A lot of blood.

Ekdikisi did not stop firing until she got to the fallen body of the Emperor. She placed one final arrow close to his temple and drew until the bow broke. The force of it crushed the head of Hegemon and his brain spilled. Covered in blood and gore, she spat on his corpse and finished his tea.
Then, she walked over to the doors, kicked them open and stepped into the sunshine, welcoming an unwelcome death without open arms.

THE END

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