FARHAYVEN: VENGEANCE (117 page)

     “And now, clansmen
!
I shall pronounce judgement
!
I, Clanmaster Venom Collart, after due consideration and proper investigation, hereby pronounce Recruit Ash Saggot
guilty
of thievery
!
Do the Founders concur
!?
” announces Clanmaster Collart as he looks left and right.

     One by one, starting from the left side of the platform, the Founders stand up and say out loud ‘I concur
!
’

     Dawn sees it. She cannot believe that it is still there. There it is, just where she had put it, Panic-solver Number Two. She wastes no time. She slings the sword that she is leaning on across her shoulder. Then she grabs a torch, lights the fuse of Panic-solver Number Two, throws away the torch and then makes a pathetic run out through the entrance tunnel.

     “Stop her
!
” yells Clanmaster Collart when he finally notices Dawn.

     The crowd in the main chamber goes silent. Looks of confusion are painted on their faces.

    
BOOM!
Panic-solver Number Two explodes and seals up the mouth of the entrance tunnel. Half the torches in the main chamber extinguish, causing the chamber to become extremely dim. Dawn gets knocked to the ground by the shockwave of the blast.

     A few moments later, Dawn picks herself up. In the darkness of the entrance tunnel, she makes out two silhouettes moving towards her. The silhouettes belong to two guards who are guarding The Lair’s entrance. Without hesitation, Dawn sends Airblades flying towards them. Groans of pain tell Dawn that she has hit her targets. She limps by the two dead guards as fast as she can. Finally, she reaches the ledge at the mouth of the entrance tunnel. An Airblade flies past her ear. Turning around, she sees that one of the guards is not yet dead. Hardly having the energy to pick a fight, she takes the only option available to her. She jumps
!

    
Splash!
Dawn landed in the pool below, barely conscious. The sun’s ray was blinding but the water was chilly. And her ears were ringing from the blast. So she knew she was still alive, but just barely. She tried to swim, but her arms felt heavy. So she just floated and allowed the current to carry her downstream and away from The Lair.

     An enraged Clanmaster Collart slammed his fist on his desk and gave Rake an accusing look.

     “Your niece has just sealed us in
!
She has entombed us
!
” he shouted at Rake.

     “Relax, Venom
!
We can still get out through the escape exits. It’ll take us a week or so to clear this rubble, but we’re not entombed
!
” responded a cool Rake Breven.

     The baboons call out loudly on this hot, sunny morning as a dreary figure pulls herself out of a fast flowing river and crawls up a sandy bank. Dawn Breven un-slings her sword from her shoulder. Then she turns around and lies on her back, facing the burning sun. Her body shivers from the cold. The warmth of the sun brings her comfort. But she covers her eyes. She does not like the glare. So here in Southend Forest, Free Falls most wanted criminal lie half dead, shivering, with her spirits broken and her heart hollowed. Then the exhaustion consumes her totally and she loses consciousness, drifting into a comfortable, well-deserved sleep….

TREACHERY

     The thundering hooves of about 90 galloping horses kick up a huge dust-cloud along the main road leading towards Eastsands Town on the
6
th
Day of Fifth Month of Dry Season
. Minvians Ray Iddell, Clover Genox and the 2
nd
and 3
rd
River, Royal Elementhar Pond, do not exactly make a ‘subtle’ entry, galloping into the town in full battle armour. Spirit the White Wolf rides along with the Sollenthars on his special war chariot.

     Minvian Serene Genox had set up an ‘operations base’ at The Spot. The tavern’s compound had been fenced off with barbed wire, courtesy of the local town garrison; and fortified with huge logs and tree trunks. Tents and canvas beds had been set up in the huge backyard to serve as temporary quarters while the tavern itself was made the ‘Command and Control Centre’. The cellar now served as a store room and armoury.

     Ray and Clover stepped into Command and Control. Serene bowed to them and they bowed in return.

     “Nature’s wisdom _ may you have of this, Serene
!
Report _ what is yours of this
?
” Ray asked.

     “Nature’s wisdom _ may you have of this, Minvian Iddell, Clover
!
Report _ of this, Minvian Iddell, is that I have arrested a weapons dealer who is now in prison at the local garrison but the assassin Dawn Breven’s location is still unknown; and it is suspected that The Lair is in the nearby forest somewhere,” Serene answered in response.

     “Patrols _ have you sent of them out into the nearby forest, cousin
?
” asked Clover.

     “No
!
Patrols _ of them, I have not sent any as 1
st
River had only arrived yesterday afternoon and I had to send back the soldiers from Garrison Timberstock,” answered Serene.

     “Rest _ you go get some of this and that is an order
!
” said Ray.

     Serene smiled, bowed and retired to her quarters, which was one of the tents set up in the backyard.

     Ray immediately called for his river commanders. He tasked Clover and 2
nd
River to immediately go out on deep patrols. They were to break down into the five streams that comprised it and patrol along five separate planned routes with several rendezvous points. Ray and 3
rd
River were to relieve 2
nd
River five days later and carry on from where they would have left off. They were to repeat this process indefinitely until the whole forest had been covered. 1
st
River was to be responsible for base security and to carry out only security patrols near the base. Clover and the river commanders bowed and set off on their tasks. Ray, meanwhile, set out to inspect and improve base security.

     Hidden in a huge tree some 500 paces away, was Dawn Breven. On the evening prior, she had recovered her canvas sling bag and made her way to town. She had the intention of selling all her belongings to Gust Smullon at The Spot and then proceeding to Fallsbay Town via carriage. From Fallsbay, she had the intention of leaving the continent via a merchant ship. However, she had noticed from a distance a significant number of soldiers at The Spot, and had then decided to observe them instead.

     Dawn realised that the Sollenthars knew that The Lair was nearby and it would be a matter of time before they discovered it. She was frowning. Her mud-smeared face said it all. She was in a dilemma. Should she just leave and let the Shadow Deathmerchant Clan fall in defeat to the Sollenthars or should she try to save them, or at least warn them. Her thoughts floated from her uncle Rake to Clanmaster Collart to the many widows, wives and children of the original clansmen who would fall in harm’s way
when
The Lair is discovered. What would she do
?
What
should
she do
?
And how would she do it
?

     Meanwhile, back in Fallsene City, Minvian Thorn Sayvion lay down on his bed. He stared at the dungeon ceiling above him. The term ‘wasted gamble
!
’ was what he cursed himself with over and over again. He had laid down a gamble that if he admitted guilt during his court martial and was sentenced to death, the Fallsian Military would grant his dying wish for a Liberation Raid. But he was wrong
!
The court did no such thing. He would be hanged and Caramel Verance would be trapped and enslaved until the day she died. He had failed yet again to fulfil his pledge to his blood brother Salmon Verance. He was so distracted by this thought that he did not notice that there were two men standing in front of his cell door.

     The sharp click of Thorn’s cell door lock opening snapped him out of his trance-like stare. The other man stepped into the cell and sat on Thorn’s chair. The guard locked the cell door and walked away.

     Thorn sat up straight and took a hard look at his guest. The visitor wore typical civilian clothes; a thick, dark blue canvas coat over a light, white cotton shirt and dark blue canvas pants. He looked like the typical 70 year old Fallsian, except for the face. The hardened expression on the face said it all. This man was a warrior, a battle hardened warrior.

     “Minvian Thorn Sayvion, I am retired Orgavian Dagger Lidell. We have never met before, but I think you have heard of me,” said the old man.

     “Yes, sir, I have
!
You were a hero of the Third Liberation War. Sir, although we have never met, I had served under you briefly during the Battle of Shadow Pass. But I was transferred to another lake immediately after that. Therefore I did not stay under your command long enough for us to have met. May I ask why you are here
?
” said Thorn.

     “I am here to speak to you. I am a close friend of the Genoxes and Serene has asked me to try to help you,” said Dagger.

     “Why
?
What is this all about
?
” asked Thorn, puzzled.

     “This is about a patriotic and capable officer throwing his life away,” answered Dagger.

     “I have already been sentenced. There is nothing anyone can do about it,” stated Thorn.

     “You could always make an appeal,” Dagger pointed out.

     “No, I will not
!
I did the right thing and I do not mind dying for it,” stated Thorn spiritedly.

     Dagger Lidell shook his head in disappointment. He sat there quietly, contemplating his next few words. After a short pause he looked at Thorn.

     “A Liberation Raid is being organised by families who have relatives enslaved by the Serpentians. We have a few skilled volunteers and a number of mercenaries who have committed to this mission. But we need your help. You were there in Serpentia. You know the terrain and the enemy’s strength and weaknesses. We have planned for you to lead the raid, but you cannot do this if you are in prison or hanging by your neck. You do better alive than dead. Give me permission to represent you. Allow me to make an appeal for a retrial on your behalf,” pleaded Dagger.

     “I am sorry, Orgavian Lidell; but I cannot. I will not
!
I am fighting an even bigger war here. I want to show the Fallsian Military that it is wrong in its ways, that it has
lost
its way
!
The responsibility of carrying out a Liberation Raid rests with the Fallsian Military, not with civilians, volunteers or mercenaries. And if my death awakens them, then it is not a wasted death,” refused Thorn.

     Dagger stood up and pointed a finger at Thorn. There was fire in his eyes. It was the fire of anger, and also frustration.

     “Then you are dead
!
And your death would be in vain
!
Your death would not change the Fallsian Military and its policies
!
If this is your final answer, then I cannot help you at all,” he concluded.

     “It is, orgavian
!
” said Thorn resolutely.

     “Good bye, minvian” said Dagger as he walked towards the door and rattled it.

     Thorn stood up and bowed. Dagger returned the bow with a sad face. They stood there, both looking at the ground before the guard arrived and opened the door. Just before Dagger walked out of the cell, he turned back and squeezed Thorn’s shoulder lightly; like two best friends parting ways.

     Rake Breven waited patiently in the dimness of a small chamber in The Lair. The small flame of the torch flickered constantly due to the poor ventilation. This was the reason why Rake had chosen this place. Its poor ventilation meant that it was unsuitable for accommodation, thus it remained empty. More importantly, it was also quite isolated. Suddenly, faint footsteps were heard. Two figures stepped into the chamber. They both wore grim looks on their faces. What were once young, innocent faces were now scarred.

     “Founder Rake Breven, you’ve requested for our presence. What’s this all about
?
” said one of them.

     “Founder Root Swerrell, I thank both you and Bud for showing up. There’s an important matter I wish to discuss with the both of you. It’s about Venom Collart and his deviated leadership. When this clan was founded, it was founded for two very important, almost sacred goals, one of which was to exact revenge on the government of Free Falls and another was to establish an independent state for us to live in, wasn’t it so
?
” said Rake.

     “Yes, it was,” was Root’s cold reply.

     “What’s your point
?
” added Bud impatiently.

     “Venom Collart has lost his way. These new recruits, they’re not our people. They’re strangers who did not share our fate, our past and our pain. They’re here for the money
!
Venom no longer has the intention for vengeance and independence, he’s just after the money
!
The sanctity of our cause is polluted. Our loss, pain and suffering are getting to be forgotten, defiled by greed and desire
!
He must be stopped
!
” expressed Rake.

     The Swerrell brothers looked at each other and shook their heads. They became silent for a while.

     “Rake, I admire your passion and your sincerity for our cause, but you must be realistic
!
There was never any real hope to exact revenge and especially not when it came to gaining some sort of independence. Most of us realised this after the first five years of being here. You’re right in saying that our cause has been deviated and defiled, and that the clan is now a business. But Rake, it’s a business that feeds us
!
It feeds the women and children and the widows and the orphans
!
It’s now all about survival
!
Forget about the cause, Rake
!
” said Bud finally.

     Bud’s words infuriated Rake. Anger welled in him like a volcano prime for eruption.

     “So, you mean to say that we should just forget about the tragedy which we went through
!?
Forget about our loved ones that we lost when it all started and also along the way
?
You mean to say that their deaths now means
nothing
and what is now important is how many gold coins we have in the vault
?
What about Crystal and Daisy. You would defile their memories with gains and profits
!?
” he argued.

     “Rake, their deaths were due to the storm
!
The government had nothing to do with it
!
It’s time you moved on
!
We can’t live on ideals. Get back to reality, Rake
!
” counter-argued Root.

     “But that would defile the memories of all of our clansmen who had died on their missions
!
Do you see their deaths as just an investment for financial profit
!?
” accused Rake.

     The Swerrell brothers both shook their heads.   

     “Rake, for many years we’ve treated human life as a source of income. A life is worth the gold coins one’s enemy is willing to pay to have one killed. In the end, it’s only fair that we see ourselves in the same light
!
Therefore our lives are only worth the gold coins we can generate. It’s fair
!
Live by the sword, die by the sword. Kill for money, get killed for money. We’ve accepted this a long time ago. Do yourself a favour, Rake. Let go of the ideals
!
” explained Bud.