The Great Titus

A Story by Randsome

Another chapter to my story, would love some feedback from my readers.

It was dark and cold, the grounds were deserted, and the morning sky was eerie. The swaying of the trees and the sound of the wind seemed like the calling of a ghost. In the distance, you can see a glowing from a cave’s opening and hear a low, yet continuous rumbling. Cling, Cling, Cling, Cling. Inside of the cave a man shouted, “You get back to work,” while holding a whip, as he lashed a young muscular worker. There was nearly a thousand men enslaved and being forced to mine the cave while two men were on duty. One was a giant well-built man wearing a gold armored suit, with the head of a bull and a slightly damaged horn, observing the workers while he whipped those who did not cooperate. While the second was sitting at an empty desk wearing a black hooded cape with his head down appearing to be napping. The guard with the whip grabbed the young worker by his head, picked him up, and threw him on top of a table.

“You dare disrespect me,” shouted the man, “Do you know who I am?” The young worker frightened, could not speak. While the guard placed his hand on a red knob said “You wish not to speak servant. Well your silence shall be the death of you.” As he was about to pull the lever he heard a deep voice calmly speak, “Hannibal, do you really think applying stress to someone is going to speed up production?” “Discourtesy is unspeakably ugly to me and I won’t accept those trying to test my authority,” Hannibal responded turning around. The man in the hood slammed his fist onto the desk as he stood up, with everyone in the cave now facing him. “So, what about my authority, Hannibal. Are you testing my authority over you because if I recall you work under me?” said the hooded man angrily. Hannibal now standing in front of the desk with his attention still on the workers, shouted “Get back to work,” as he flung his whip back, raised it to the air, and ten lashes of wind struck the men. “Look I have no question against your power, sir, but as a former king, discipline is necessary to keep a civilization under control,” he said. “Well this is not Teman City is it now,” the hooded man argued, “We are far from the days when you were ruler of these lands. Hannibal, I have no exception to whipping a man who is out of order but do not kill these men just for your pleasure. Do we have an understanding?” asked the hooded man calmly. “Yes sir,” Hannibal said seeming annoyed as he let the young worker go from the table. “After all this one might be a waste if he was found dead, wouldn’t you say, Hannibal?” the hooded man asked as he observed the young worker closely. “I reckon so,” Hannibal replied.

The young man pleased by the decision, approached the hooded man and said, “Thank you, sir.” The hooded man sighed as he said, “Sometimes death is much more pleasurable, now I recommend you get back to work.” Feeling confused the worker picked up a pickaxe and returned to his position without another word. The hooded man walked outside the cave as another man approached him wearing an armor suit. “Sir, Master Kane wishes to speak to you,” the man said. “If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Best we be on our way then Samuel,” said the hooded man as they both flew off.

Inside the cave an older worker whispered as the younger one returned, “Aren’t you a lucky one.” “I don’t think we should be talking,” recommended the younger worker. “Ah, you fear them,” said the old man laughing, “These people need us, without us they can never return to power. How long have you been here kid?” “All my life, this is all I know,” the young worker responded as he started swinging his pickaxe to the cave walls. “Well I come from a time before the war, when Teman City was something great. What’s your name kid?” asked the old man. “Titus,” the young worker responded. “Titus, you say?” questioned the old man as he pondered, “Well, Titus there’s a better world out there and you do not deserve to waste your life here mining caves,” the old man said. “You really think so?” asked Titus. “I know so,” the old man responded, “There is a land that cannot be seen from the grounds, but is ruled by the most righteous leader to hold power, Isa.” “So where is this, so call land? Outside of these caves are just deserts,” Titus said. “It’s in the skies above,” the old man whispered as he combed his long silver beard with his pickaxe. Looking at the man like he is crazy Titus said, “Impossible, how can a whole city be in the sky?”

“You see, that’s the thing Titus. There are people in this world that hold great power and can do great things that a normal person cannot,” the old man responded. “So, like superpowers?” Titus asked. “If that is what you wish to call them,” the old man continued, “but before the days of Tophet these individuals with their abilities came together and formed a council that would bring about peace from the Mountains of Paran to the great Teman City. Only the most righteous and greatest could join the council. However, these men of great power faced many problems with the royal families of Eith. After trying their best to avoid any conflicts, they peacefully agreed to appoint a normal man as the head ruler of all the lands in Eith. The ruler would represent Eith as a face to the public, while the group would take care of all civic duties that needed to be taken care of. The man they chose was an interesting choice though for he was an angel from Teman City. For centuries, everyone lived peacefully until the ruler’s grandson opened a portal to Eath. It was on that day that we discovered that there was more life other than Eith and the council agreed that we should make peace with the Eathlings for it was the only way to remain in peace. The Eaths invited us to their homes and the Eiths returned the favor. We showed them new ways of technology and how to create natural power sources as they shared with us their ways. The more Eathlings that came the more Eith became of Eath. You started to see the envy, greed, selfishness, and hunger for power.”

“So, what happened,” Titus asked still picking the cave. “Well the council had already seen it coming, and warned the current ruler of the dangers that will come if Eathlings continue to flourish the streets of Eith. They demanded for him too close the portals between the two worlds at once however he refused, due to the fact that he was married to one. Being the only beings with powers the council agreed they had to take measures in their own hands. They took the ruler’s wife for ransom until the ruler abolished every other Eathling, which the ruler complied to. However, the ruler’s wife would shortly die giving birth to their only son, Ahab,” continued the old man, “Being half Eath and half Eith and consisting of no abilities, the council found Ahab as a perfect ruler for the city of Teman. And upon his father’s death, the council was proven right as Ahab ruled with gratitude and trust. Shortly after the king being very close to a powerful family of Eith, found love in the family’s daughter. He would ask for her hand in marriage but as the story goes, the day after their wedding she fed the king some poison killing him in his sleep. Supposedly she had her main servant chop the king into pieces and feed him to the royal dogs. Then the queen would inherit her kings throne and have the council turn on each other, leading all of Eith to a horrifying period of chaos.” “But didn’t the council have super natural powers?” Titus asked. “Yes,” the old man replied, “However the queen had a power that no one could have seen.”

“Do I hear voices?” shouted Hannibal, “You all better be working.” Titus still mining, “Maybe you should get back to work,” talking to the old man. “Ah you, the troublesome kid. I hope you know this time no one is here to save you,” Hannibal said as he emerged from a hidden corner. Hannibal picked up Titus and started to walk towards the table from before. “Leave the boy alone,” the old man shouted as he started to walk towards Hannibal. Hannibal turns around with shock to see someone standing up to him, “Who dares to stand up to Hannibal? I am the strongest of all men.” “It is I,” the old man responded walking with a stick over to Titus and Hannibal. “And exactly who might that be?” Hannibal asked with Titus still in his hands. “The boy does not deserve to be punish for I was the one not working,” the old man responded. “No, it’s okay,” Titus said to the old man, “you don’t need to be punished.” “See the boy wishes to spare your life for his,” Hannibal said. “I won’t have it, that young man is my son and I demand you leave him alone,” the old man said slamming his stick to the ground. Titus in shock to hear this, “You’re my father?” “See the poor chap don’t even know who his father is, now stop wasting my time,” said Hannibal. “Oh, I wish I could have the heart to tell ya, I’m sorry Titus, but you are born to be a great one,” the old man said. “Titus?” questioned Hannibal. “Why are you coming to me now, I’ve been stuck in this cave my whole life,” asked Titus. “Look enough, now one of yous ought to be dying and if this old man would risk his life for yours then so be it,” said Hannibal as he placed Titus down. “Wait you can’t sacrifice yourself for me,” Titus said. “If it is to preserve your life, then so be it,” the old man responded.

Hannibal walked over to the old man, picked him up, and threw him onto the table. “No, you can’t do this,” Titus cried trying to stop Hannibal. Hannibal pushed him away and said, “Get back to work kid.” “Father, how could you,” Titus cried. “Your mother would be proud of how far you’ve come, my son. Now go and serve,” the old man said as Hannibal strapped him to the table. With his hand on the red knob, Hannibal tells Titus, “I reckon you go and serve now, before you see the death of your blood.” Titus rushes to stop Hannibal however Hannibal lets out his whip into the air and five wind lashes put Titus to the ground. “Any last words old man,” asked Hannibal. “Hannibal, you were always Jezebel’s b***h,” the old man replied. Hannibal angered by his response pulls the lever as Titus cries, “Nooo.” The lever triggered a hanging blade to slice the old man in half, with a clean cut to the stomach there with guts and blood everywhere, as he heard the old man cry. “Like I said it was his life or yours, now your father’s blood is on your hands,” Hannibal said with a smile, “And it be best if you return to your position before your old man dies without a cause kid.” Titus in tears from what he had just witnessed, returned to his post without another word. “Why would my father not reveal himself to me earlier, why did he say I am a great one, and what does a floating city have to do with anything,” Titus wondered to himself as he picked up his pickaxe and started to mine again.