Supreme Spouse System.

Chapter 635: No Turning Back

No Turning Back

The torches made a hissing sound against the stone walls. Their flames were long and thin. These flames made shadows on the granite floor that did not stay still. The air, in the command room felt really heavy. It was full of smoke and people were very tired. There was also a lot of pressure that nobody was talking about. The torches and the smoke and the tired people all made the air feel heavy. The command room was a place where people usually made decisions but now it just felt full of the weight of the torches and the smoke and the people who were very tired.

Johny said to me in a voice "You are really trying to kill yourself with work."

Black did not say anything back.

Not yet.

The man sat still behind the big war table. His shoulders were tense under his coat. He stared at the mess in front of him. There were papers over the table like feathers that had fallen down. The ink on some of them was still wet. These papers were reports from the people who had gone out to check on things updates on the work to fix the city notes about the things they did not have enough of and lists of the people who had gotten hurt. Every line on these papers reminded him of how the city had been hurt by Leons attack. The city was still feeling the pain, from these wounds. Leons assault had really shaken the city. The wounds were still very deep.

Johny stepped closer his boots making clicking sounds on the stone floor. He did not touch anything. He did not have to do that. The silence in the room said enough, about what was going on. Johnys eyes stayed on Blacks clenched jaw and the faint dark shadow under his eyes. These were signs of a man who had not really gotten a rest in a very long time.

Johny said to me "You do not have to deal with all of this by yourself." He spoke in an gentle voice. "You know that right?" Johny wanted to make sure I understood that I was not alone, with all of this.

Blacks fingers moved a little over the papers. He did not look up. If Black stopped reading the reports for a moment it felt like everything would come down on Black all at once. Black just had to keep reading the reports.

Johny tilted his head. Looked at his friend. His friend was also his second-, in-command. This was the man who had followed Leon into the fire. He did this without waiting for a second. Johny thought about this for a moment. His friend had not hesitated all when he followed Leon into the flames.

Blacks eyes looked different tonight. They did not show any doubt. Instead they had a look like he had already made up his mind. Black was a man who had destroyed all his options and was now looking ahead to see what would happen to him. He was waiting to find out what the future held for Black.

This is the path you and I chose he said to himself in a voice. The path you and I chose is the one we’re, on now. There is no going from the path you. I chose now.

Black finally lifted his gaze. He looked at the papers in front of him. Then he looked at the chairs. The officers were not there anymore. They had been sitting in those chairs earlier. Now the chairs were empty. Black looked at the oak doors. The officers had walked out of those doors a while ago. Black thought about the officers and the big oak doors.

Each time he looked at something it felt like he was doing it on purpose. It was as if he were counting ghosts. Every order he gave every life depended on the choices that the people, in charge of the ghosts were making. The people were tied to what the ghosts did. The ghosts were tied to what the people chose.

The man. His voice was really quiet.

Firm.

Unshakable.

"There’s no turning back for any of us."

The flames danced around. It was like they were saying yes. The shadows on the walls. Curled up making shapes that seemed real. Like things were moving in the walls. The fire made Blacks face look golden and red. It showed all the sharp lines, on his face all the things that were bothering him that he did not want to talk about. The flames. The shadows kept moving and the firelight kept shining on Blacks face making him look like he was made of gold and fire.

Johny let out a breath through his nose. It was not a laugh the air coming out. He said "I did not think you would say that loud about the thing you said the thing that is, on my mind the thing that Johny is thinking about."

Black did not smile at him. He just made sure some papers were straight. He made the edges of the papers perfectly square, which was not really necessary. His hands did not shake,. His eyes looked very tired. The Black man was tired, from carrying Blacks problems for a long time.

Then he looked at Johny. He really looked at Johny. Johny was the person he was looking at.

Black said "Do not slack now" his tone was sharp but it was clear he was feeling the weight of being responsible not really being angry. Our lord gave Black and the others these positions because he believes in them. They will do everything they can to make sure our lord never regrets the decision he made to give them these positions.

Johny blinked two times he was really surprised for a second. Then Johny nodded, a small weird smile started to show on the corner of Johnys mouth like Johny was trying to make light of the situation and make it a little better, with a joke.

You are Commander.

Black gave him a look the kind of look that sees right through when you are not being honest. "Do not use that tone with me " Black said.

What tone is that supposed to be? Johny let out a laugh. He was not really amused and not really serious either. You are the commander. I am the vice commander. You tell me what to do. I do it. You said I should not slack off. I do not slack off. It is simple the commander tells me something and I do it that is how it works with the commander and the vice commander.

"Pay attention " Black said quietly. He did not really mean it. Underneath his tone Black felt a lot of affection for this person. This was because Black and this person had been together, for a long time working as a team and relying on each other. Black had a lot of memories of the time they spent together.

Johny leaned forward. Put his hands on the table. The table made a noise because of his weight. He looked at the papers that were, over the place. Then he looked at Black. His eyes were serious now. "Alright " he said. "Lets talk about what’s really important. Security is what we need to talk about " Johny. He tapped the table to make a point. He said "Security" again because that is what mattered.

Black looked at him for a moment then he nodded slowly to show he was okay, with what he saw. "Tell me what happened " Black said.

Johny reached out. Tapped his finger against one of the documents sliding the document a few inches across the table. He said "I already started setting up the incentive chain for the men. The men will not be handling patrols alone anymore. I pulled in the people we know people with reflexes people with quick thinking and people with clean loyalty." Johnys mouth curved slightly it was half pride and half challenge. He said "There will be no weight in the incentive chain, for the men."

Black raised an eyebrow he was not impressed. He was still listening. "What are the names?"

Johnys grin spread, the kind that said he had been waiting for that moment. He said "I have people from three places. Three are from the barracks. Then there are two from the fighter rings. One is that elven scout, the one that Leon saved two weeks ago. He still owes us his life.. Then there is a magic barrier specialist who owes us a favor." Johny tilted his head to the side. "I figured I would cover all the angles with the magic barrier specialist and the elven scout and the people, from the barracks and the underground fighter rings."

Black crossed his arms. Looked at the list for a second. He said "Huh". Then he said "Not bad". Black was checking out the list. It seemed okay to him.

Johny rolled one shoulder in a shrug like the whole thing did not mean anything to him. But his eyes gave him away they stayed on Blacks face waiting to see what Black thought waiting for Black to say something good or something bad, about what Johny did.

He said that you told him to find people that he trusts. So he did that. Now he is wondering if you are going to tell him that the people you trust have to be better, than the people he trusts.

Black did not even look up. "Unfortunately " he said, "the things are." Black was very serious when he said that the things are.

Johny let out a breath that was probably a laugh. "Wow. That is cold. I am really hurt by what you said Johny is feeling very wounded. Johny thinks that was a cold thing to say.

Black waved him off with a grunt and leaned forward. He put his hands on the edge of the table. The map that was under them was really worn out. Had a lot of scars. It used to have lines but now it had black smudges and rough streaks all, over it. Some parts of the city were still marked from what happened when Leon lost control. These were the places where Leons power had destroyed everything. It did not matter if it was people or buildings. Black looked at the map. Saw all the damage that Leon had done. The map showed that several districts were still feeling the effects of Leons rampage.

The city has some streets that really stand out. Three of the citys streets stood out the most. They looked like they were slashed across the parchment. The citys central streets were, like claw marks. They looked raw and ugly. The citys central streets were really something to see.

Johny looked where Black was looking. The funny feeling went away, from his face. He stood up straight his eyes following the lines like he could still see the fires and hear the people screaming.

This place is still recovering he said quietly. Half of the buildings are being rebuilt. The other half, the remaining buildings are patched up enough so that the buildings do not fall over.

Black nodded, his eyes staying on the parts of the map like scars that would not go away. That is why security is the important thing to us. Now that Lord Leon has taken the city King Gary is aware of it. King Aurelian is also aware of it.. Every kingdom around us is waiting to see if the city of King Gary and King Aurelian will fall apart easily under all this pressure, from Lord Leon.

Johny let out a breath through his nose and clicked his tongue. He said "Yeah, people like that smell opportunity it is like blood in the water, to them. They will test the team they will push the team maybe they will even send spies to check on the team.

"They already did," Black replied.