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a
boy and young man was given all this knowledge. Deep down he was
proud to be a Zachanian. As a young boy he would marvel at his
father’s stories but as boyhood gave way to manhood he began to
feel that this heritage was more a curse than a gift.
    Tallonius had
established himself well in the town of Tallasian, he had a
privileged job teaching the soldiers of the Imperial guard how to
fight as gladiators and was respected for his worth, he wanted to
bring his children up successful and law abiding, like the soldiers
he had met and been impressed by. Tallonus had grown to admire the
Empire but with the knowledge of his secret past he lived day to
day in conflict with himself, this was the burden that he wished to
spare his sons.
    Zalon reached
out his hand to his son’s.
    “Tallonus you
must tell them of their heritage.” the old man’s voice was now
softer, it was almost a plea.
    “And give them
the same burden that I have had to carry for all these years? Every
time I meet a soldier I feel fear to look him in the eye, almost in
shame that I am hiding that I am Zachanian.”
    “That is
exactly why you must tell your sons Tallonus, this Empire has
hunted our people for centuries and no matter what experiences life
has dealt you my son, it is their right to know what has been
passed down from father to son for all this time passed.” Zalon
then paused a moment before he continued “you cannot rob them of
this honour, our race died in their thousands, we cannot forget
them.”
    “What good will
it do father! We must at some time move on; we must let this legacy
die.”
    Zalon swallowed
deeply “then you force me to tell the boy.”
    “Tell him what
father? Tell a twelve year old boy that he belongs to a forbidden
and hunted race. Do you think he will understand that father, your
age and passion have made you foolish and dangerous?”
    “Do not
underrate the boy!”
    “No! My mind is
final this damn legacy ends!”
    Zalon paced
away from his son and rubbed his face “you condemn me to a fate
worse than death, you ask me to bury my beliefs, MY HONOUR! You are
asking me to turn my back on everything that I hold sacred and to
stand idly by while my Grandson joins ranks with the sworn enemy of
my kin................. This I cannot do.”
    Tallonus
naturally but without malice squared up to his father “I will ask
you one last time, No I will beg you father one last time. Leave my
sons upbringing to me or leave this home!”
    The two men
looked deeply into each other’s eyes, Zalon’s eyes showed deep
anger; he could never abide by these rules. All he could think of
was how much a disappointment the man who stood before him was.
Then suddenly Zalon struck his son and knocked him forcefully to
the ground.
    Talon who had
been secretly listening came running into the room as he heard the
noise from the blow. His father and Grandfather were now in a
clinch in the centre of the room and struggling fiercely; Talon
tried to separate them but was pushed out of the way.
    Zalon saw his
Grandson pushed aside and quickly was the first to rise with a look
of concern for Talon.
    Tallonus then
got to his feet and with young Talon’s plea’s filling the room he
gazed wildly at his father.
    “Is this what
you seek?” Tallonus said.
    Zalon wiped his
mouth where a spec of blood had spilt “you dare to strike your
Father?”
    “I DO!” his son
replied.
    The old
gladiator spat blood on the ground as he tugged at his clothes
composing himself
    “Then from this
moment until the end of time you are no longer my son.... I wash my
hands of you!” He said as he rubbed his hands together in a washing
motion before spitting blood again only this time at the feet of
his son.
    Zalon then
turned to young Talon who was still crying, Zalon knelt down and
reached out his large scarred hands to cradle his Grandson’s face
“Remember me!” He gasped “Remember me.” he repeated before he
kissed Talon’s forehead and rose to his feet