The North PacificBoard

Sirakles winced as the metal chain slammed into the dirt next to his head. He remembered how the assassin had struck him again and again. He had to be taken to hospital. An infection spread to his arm, forcing the doctors to remove it. His burnt hand had not healed, despite the days stretching into years. The marks had faded, but never disappeared. It was in that moment that he had finalised his platform and brought Mzeusia under his thumb. The campaign had been a welcome challenge near the end. He had won it despite spending time in the hospital bed, getting up against all the doctor's advice to finish the job.

Now, it was that decision that had created Mzeusia that had brought it to its end. Under his leadership, Sirakles Tylosis had sent all the bright possibilities that Mzeusia had, into the dust.

Sirakles rolled onto his back to face the man in front of him. He glanced up at the man whose office he had been in not too long ago. He was looking a Sirakles with a sour expression. Sirakles glared at him, scrabbling for purchase on the ground as he tried to get up. His anke throbbed viciously, despite him not putting weight on it. Up in the stands, the man that was making him suffer, shook his head. "Kill him."

Big Mike advanced, swinging the chain above his head with a victorious smile. The chain quickly became a blur in the air. Mike was going for show, a final blow to defeat Sirakles with one mighty strike. All Sirakles had to do, was collapse.

As Sirakles leaned heavily against the wall, he saw the glint in the man's eyes as the sunlight bore down on his sweaty brow. The chain came hurtling down towards his neck and Sirakles fell, bellowing out into the day, as pain washed over him. The chain swished above him, swooping just clear of where he had been a moment before. The momentum was too great to be stopped, and the chain arced around the arena before wrapping snake-like around Sirakles' opponent. It wound around his torso, thumping hard into him. Mike yelled and lost his balance. The crowd roared in surprise, equally excited for Mike's blood to be spilt. The man in the stands looked on.

Sirakles stumbled forwards, falling onto the man's body. He seized the long hair in one hand and slammed into one the ground. Once, twice, thrice he delivered the swift, brutal blows. Mike looked up at him, dazed and disorientated. Sirakles pressed on, manouvouring himself so that Mike's head lay on his lap. As he put one am around the man's neck, Mike's body thumped in the dirt, fists clawing at Sirakles's metal arm. When Mike realised what he was doing was having no effect, he attempted to grab the other arm, scoring long gashes into Sirakles's flesh. By this point, Mike's struggles were getting weaker and weaker. Eventually, as the crowd screamed in anticipation, Mike went limp. Sirakles continued applying pressure for a minute more, before collapsing into the dirt.

The cameras focused in on him and the people leaned forward in the stands. Sirakles stared at the clouds as they drifted past. "I am sorry Mzeusia." he said, panting heavily as he did so. The crowd went silent as he spoke, voice growing in volume. "It is clear to all, that I have made many mistakes. I have taken this nation and drove it into ruin and despair and there is no price I will be able to pay, that can possibly atone for what I have done. I have been a tyrant, but that was not always who I was. I was a young man, with hopes, dreams, aspirations and respect for my fellow man. If you went back far enough in a time-machine, you wouldn't see the man I am now. You would see a better man, a kinder man, a stronger man. I don't know how my future or the future of this nation would change if I had made different choices, but things would not have come to this.

My only hope now, is that you give me one last chance. I do not ask for leadership of the nation, and I doubt you would give me leadership of the local elderly people's club, but I can make amends in some way, and if you let me live, I will spend the rest of my time here, helping those that I can, in whatever way I can. I fully expect you all to hate me, and I fully understand if you want me dead. If you decide I should die, then I will, but if you do show mercy and allow me life, I will do nothing less than my best to repay the enormous debt I owe to this nation."

Sirakles paused. The crowd was still silent, watching and listening to him. "We have an incredible people and an incredible natural landscape. Of course, there is much to do, but Mzeusia can still have that future that you desire. Please, I ask you one more time, spare my life and I will do everything I can to aid the new Mzeusia.