The New Order by Sean Fay Wolfe Read Free Book Online Page B

to himself. “We did what had to be done, I wouldn’t have done it any other way, except for . . .” Leonidas chose his words carefully; he did not want to see Caesar upset. “Why is it that we didn’t even ask those players if they wanted to join us? I don’t know, but it’s kinda possible that we may have killed some potential allies.”
    â€œRubbish, Leonidas,” spat Caesar, shaking his head in contempt at Leonidas’s apparent foolishness. “There was nothing for us in that village. Those people in the prisoners’ village had been living on nothing for longer than was worth it. Trust me, we did all of them a mercy.”
    â€œYeah, yeah, that’s right,” said Leonidas, his voice falsely cheery. “Yeah . . . there just woulda been more suffering if we’d left any of ’em alive.”
    But the more Leonidas thought of his corporal’s reports of the carnage and slaughter the Noctem Alliance had committed in the prisoners’ village, the more Leonidas was reassuring himself that that was not true.

CHAPTER 5 THE TENNIS MACHINE
    A lthough Stan did not know exactly what the repercussions of the attack by the Noctem agents would be, he certainly did not expect that life would carry on as usual. And yet, that’s exactly what happened. The only significant difference in the daily flow of things was the cessation of rallies and protests by the Noctem Alliance.
    â€œDon’t you think it’s weird?” Stan asked, a week after he’d banned the Noctem Alliance, as he walked out of the castle courtyard and onto the bustling main road lined with stores alongside Kat and Charlie. “I mean, these guys in black try to kill us, and they say they’re with the Noctem Alliance before committing suicide, and then there’s nothing for a week? What sense does that make?”
    â€œIt is odd,” replied Charlie slowly. “You’d think there would be some aftermath. But it’s like the Noctem Alliance completely vanished off the map. You don’t think they’re plotting something, do you?”
    That thought sat unpleasantly in Stan’s stomach, and he was about to respond when Kat cut him off, and said in a superior drawl, “I think you two are reading too much into it. The Noctem Alliance was just a bunch of stuck-up, rich brats who didn’t like that they had to share with the lower-levels. They whined andhad a tantrum about it, but some of them took it a step too far.”
    â€œWell, if that’s the case, why haven’t they retaliated yet?” asked Charlie.
    â€œBecause they’re a bunch of cowards,” replied Kat, a note of disgust on her tongue. “They couldn’t get what they wanted through protesting, so the twenty or so of them who cared more than was good for them tried to attack us. They were okay with dying, because they didn’t think life would be worth it if they couldn’t get what they wanted. That’s why they were willing to kill themselves, and that’s why they had such good supplies, because they’re spoiled upper-levels. And now that those few radicals are dead, none of them left care enough to die for the cause of the Alliance.”
    â€œI guess that makes sense,” said Stan, nodding. “It is true that it’s really only the rich and upper-level people in this city who are against equality now. Well, besides the war prisoners we took from the battle.”
    â€œAnd they’re not in any position to do anything about it, they’re all locked up in Brimstone,” added Charlie. He was referring to the highest-end prison in Elementia, situated in the remnants of the Nether Fortress that RAT1 had blown up before the Battle for Elementia.
    â€œExactly,” said Kat. “Trust me, Stan, I think now that you’ve made it illegal, we aren’t gonna be hearing any morefrom the Noctem Alliance. On the other hand, there are