Free Renegade Rising (The Renegade Series) by J.C. Fiske Page B

crowd with stony, glowering faces. After a very long pause, Ricard spoke.
    “Future Elekai’ warriors. To all of you who remain standing, this title is now a great possibility. You may relax. You are qualified to continue on into our fold, all except for one. I know you are confused as to what exactly is going on and why I had to step in. If you look closely, you all know exactly who this boy is. He has been to your schoolhouse and lived among you his entire life, the wild dog, Gisbo.
    “I am sure I have jogged many of your memories by this point and for good reason. When you think of this boy, I am sure you instantly recall many of his well-known characteristics . . . violent, unpredictable, dangerous and the like. You all felt threatened by his wild tendencies and, in turn, isolated him from your groups of friends, your social get togethers. You may have felt a bit bad about this, but I am here to tell you something different. Your intuition has served you well, even though you could not have known this boy’s evil origins,” Ricard said. The word “evil” was whispered through the crowd.
    “The boy that now sits before me is a surviving Flarian!” Ricard revealed. A gasp of surprise and horror arose.
    “As residents of Warlord Karm’s kingdom, we found this boy when he was but a child, just outside the city wall, and having the merciful and wise Warlord that we do, Karm allowed him a chance to be brought into our fold. Although suspicious of his origin, we nonetheless gave this boy compassion and a chance at normalcy, hoping that nurture would supercede nature, hoping he would be different. I hate to say it, but we were wrong. What you have seen here today is a witness to why the once revered color red is now outlawed and why the Flarian’s barbaric race was extinguished and outlawed. Their elemental fire and the temper that smolders within them is uncontrollable. They are a danger to all within their range. For your own safety, I was forced to step in before his newfound elemental abilities awakened any further. I know not where he is hiding his stone, but it is of no matter now. We have tried the fair and just methods and are left with no other choice but one. To save a rabbit den, you must kill the fox. The boy known as Gisbo will now die by my sword,” Ricard proclaimed. All eyes were on Ricard and Gisbo as the general unsheathed his sword, ever so slowly.
    Stone? I don’t have a freakin' stone! All this time . . . I finally know why everyone hates me and now, now I'm going to . . . Gisbo's mind raced. Cannon and Scarrr tightened their grip on him and Ricard moved his blade gently over Gisbo’s exposed neck, preparing to strike when…
    BUMP!
    A man in a white cloak, wielding only a broom, collided with the general from behind, nearly knocking him over. Ricard, stunned, turned in to see a lowly janitor humming to himself while he swept the staging area, not even aware that he had knocked into the esteemed general. The Elekai’ Elite were at a loss for words as the man continued on with his cleaning, humming to himself and making swishing sounds with his broom as he moved back and forth with little skips. Finally, Ricard found words.
    “Janitor! Can you not see what lies before you? Did you not hear what is going on at this moment?” Ricard said, his bewildered tone also tense. The janitor looked up now, looking as if he had awakened from a dream, and smiled.
    “Apologies sent in your direction and yours alone, my good sir! Why…YOU! You are General Ricard! The leader of the Elekai' Elite! I humbly cast a slew of apologies in your direction upon this realization, forgive me, forgive me. Falcon is the name and I am at your service, my dear general,” Falcon said in an upbeat tone. He suddenly snapped to attention, as thin as a board, and saluted. Then the smell of the man’s cloak hit the proud warriors nostrils. The Elekai' Elite gagged and grasped their noses in desperation at the horrible smell.