Zachania (12 page)

Koolga
stiffened in his chair and replied with an inconvenienced tone.

“Well I don’t
know Talon, you are a cadet captain in the Palace guard, fighting
is all very romantic and part of your education, but it would
grieve me greatly if we would allow this side of your schooling to
affect your studies. In years to come you will have a great amount
of power at your disposal, educating cadet captains of the Palace
guard has been perfected over centuries.. We have a proven method
that has been structured to enhance all of your abilities, I am not
sure it would be wise to alter all that has been learnt in the
passages of time.”

“Sir may I be
so bold as say that I would train around my duties and studies,
being at the school today brought back memories of my youth and how
physically strong I once was, I was always brought up to believe
that a fit body makes a fit mind.”

“Don’t lecture
at me cadet; I am perfectly aware of the benefits of a healthy
body!” replied Koolga sternly before he lowered his tone of voice
to add “Just how would you TRAIN around your studies.”

“Forgive me sir
but I have already taken the liberty of drawing a timetable.”

Talon then
reached into his belt and pulled out a timetable and gave it to the
General who in turn unfolded the letter and began to read its
contents. After a moment of reading the General placed the letter
onto his desk and stared back at Talon. “That is very well thought
out schedule young Talon, I see that you have gave this a great
deal of thought ......I am going to grant you this wish on the
grounds that you have impressed me today with your thoroughness,
but I will only grant you two days a week and not three days as you
have requested here.” replied Koolga purposely reducing the request
from three days to two so that even when he was awarding Talon he
still wanted to make sure that his superiority was known.

“Thank you
SIR!” replied Talon as he felt his whole body sigh silently in
relief.

“Will that be
all cadet?” added Koolga.

“Yes Sir!”

“DON’T LET ME
DOWN!” The General added as motioned nonchalantly with his hand for
Talon to leave.

Talon left the
General’s room feeling excited and pleased, the first stage in his
escape had succeeded.

Talon had to
wait two days for his training to begin. When he had finished his
studies he rushed back to his room and gathered his training
clothes then he ran all the way to the gladiator school.

As soon as he
arrived he found Savarta and informed him of his good news that he
had been granted permission from his General to train, Savarta was
pleased for Talon and noticing that Talon had training clothes with
him he suggested that he get changed and join with the class
immediately.

When Talon
began training he felt slightly stiff and unfit but as soon as he
broke sweat he found all of his teachings flow back to him. Savarta
kept an observant eye on him and began to feel impressed at the
vast variety of Talon’s moves and kicks.

“That was very
impressive Talon.” replied Savarta as he walked over to him.

“Did I not tell
you I was good?” Talon boasted in a playful and arrogant tone.

“What technique
were those moves Talon? I have never seen those moves before.”

“It is an
ancient technique taught to me at an early age by my
Grandfather.”

“It looks
fascinating, One day when we both have more time I would like to
know more of this.” Savarta added just before he was called away by
one of his gladiators.

When Talon
finished his training, he sat down to cool off in a corner of the
grounds where other gladiators were being treated for minor grazes
and injuries and getting there daily massages. Not before long he
was joined by Savarta who sat down next to him and sighed loudly as
if frustrated.

“Problems?”
Talon asked warmly as he noticed his mood.

“GLADIATORS”
Savarta sighed with frustration.

Talon smiled
back at him showing that he understood Savarta’s remark.

“One week
before the contest and a gladiator begins to fret, his nostrils
start to smell blood, and his mind begins to play games with him
that he may meet his death, he is like a wild animal just waiting
to pounce, even the slightest annoyance sends them into rage, ...
Ah what I wouldn’t give sometimes to be in another trade.”

Savarta
sighed.

“Fighting gets
in your blood Savarta, once there it can never be replaced, I don’t
think you would last one day in another trade my friend.” replied
Talon warmly and wisely.

“Three
gladiators have grieved me today Talon, one moans of his leg, while
one moans that his sword was dirty and the other was angered that
the sand ring was not properly raked.”

“Wait till the
day before the contest, that’s when the real complaints start”
Talon answered as he remembered the gladiators at his father’s
school in Tallasian.

“You must have
seen this countless times at you fathers school.”

“I was reared
on the complaints of gladiators, I remember my father insisting to
me and my brothers that the days leading up to a contest were days
when we must leave the gladiators alone, he did not want us getting
under their feet, I remember him saying that this was there time, a
time which they must have alone.”

Savarta nodded
in agreement with Talon as they both fell silent for a few moments
as they gazed at the men.

“Tell me
Savarta” Talon suddenly asked breaking the silence “tell me of this
coming contest is it a big event.”

“Besides the
RION contest this is the largest ...... Last year we took eighteen
men to Kallick Town, only eleven would return.”

“Some would say
that is a victory.” Talon interrupted as he noticed the pain in
Savarta’s face.

“Yes we won the
contest all right but to lose seven men, seven good men was hard
blow to bear.”

“Do you expect
better this year Savarta your men look very sharp.”

“Every year I
expect to win and every year I expect to return with the same
amount of men that we left with, this is the best squad of men that
I have ever had, I am expecting a great win for us.”

“Eighteen men,
eighteen wins would be nice.” Talon added.

“It has never
been done before, we would be immortalised if such a feat were
achieved.”

“The Kallick
Town fighters are very well schooled.” added Talon.

“Yes they are
always in good condition but I have heard rumours that there squad
this year are weak and inexperienced, I fear that our sternest
competition will be from Zanlia.”

“Zanlia.”
replied Talon in surprise.

“Yes those damn
Zanlian’s! Very strong are they, this year they have four entries
from the gladiator school there, four men each with big
reputations. There instructor has stated that he expects all of
them to go on to achieve the status of Golheck, it would be a great
victory for us if we could thwart his plans.”

“GOLHECKS,
champion gladiators of the coveted Rion sword tournament, now that
is a prize worth winning” added Talon with admiration.

“See that man
there.” Savarta replied smugly as he pointed.

“The one with
the scars.” added Talon.

“He is the
Reigning Rion sword Champion for the last two years.”

“A Golheck!”
Gasped Talon.

“A Golheck of
the highest stature, over eight hundred victories in the arena, he
is the Empires finest” boasted Savarta to Talon who was now on his
feet gazing at the champion gladiator with admiration. The man he
looked at was what Talon always wanted to be, in Talon’s reckoning
a Golheck was a King. As Talon studied the man he wondered to
himself how he could be so blind as not notice him before, the way
this man moved, the way he walked, everything about him oozed
certitude and strength.

“Take a long
look at him Talon for he is one of a kind.” Savarta said now with
his voice swamped in pride.

Talon just
gazed at the Golheck for what seemed like ages until the sound of
Savarta’s voice broke his concentration.

“I remember a
gladiator from the south who won the Rion contest, I can remember
it causing great controversy ... I believe he was trained in
Tallasian.”

“You mean
Kleg.” Talon snapped.

“Yes that was
his name, did you know him?”

“Know him!”
Talon smiled “he was practically an uncle, my father trained
him.”

“He was your
father’s gladiator?” Savarta said as he looked impressed at Talon
who in turn smiled warmly and nodded.

In response
Savarta leaned closer to Talon and lowered his voice.

“I am an
Imperial soldier before all else, but I must confess I found it
hard to bear the injustice that was given to Kleg.”

Talon suddenly
turned towards Savarta and nodded as if he knew what he was
speaking about. In the back of Talon’s mind, he thought Savarta was
remarking on the insult that the Empire did to Kleg, by not
permitting him to join the Palace land guard, a right that Kleg had
earned with his blood in the arena yet he noted mentally that
Savarta’s voice had more sinister tones.

“Your father
must have been outraged.” Savarta added before he lowered his voice
to a whisper and gazed quickly over each shoulder to see if anyone
could hear him.

“As rumour has
it, those damn wizards took him from his quarters in the dark of
night, some say he was murdered, some say that they altered his
mind and that he is somewhere in Degrain acting as a slave for
them. Whatever is the truth, it is an outrage that a Golheck be
treated in such a way?”

Talon could not
believe what he was hearing; he tried hard to hide the shock from
showing on his face as he felt his stomach churn.

“They killed
him.” he thought bitterly.

Talon bit his
bottom lip as thoughts raced through his mind “I have to leave this
damn place, I have to get away from the Empire.”

“Could I go to
Kallick Town with you Savarta?” Talon asked “I would dearly like to
see the contest.” He added.

“It would be
difficult, I have only ever taken fighters beyond the great wall,
and you would have to ask permission from the General. He is a fair
man and may permit your request, if it helps, I would have no
objections to you accompanying us.”

Talon cracked a
half smile at Savarta as he rose to his feet, A sickness once again
fell over him, he knew he would have to go to Kallick Town to
escape but now he would have to ask General Koolga for
permission.

A request he
knew that Koolga would never allow.

Talon had to be
on his own, he had to think things through, he excused himself in a
swift and abrupt manner telling Savarta that he must not be late
getting back to his school.

Talon went to
bed that night feeling angry and disappointed, he felt outraged at
Kleg’s fate, but his mind focused mainly on finding ways to escape.
He knew now that he had to go, there was no other option for him,
he looked up at his uniform hanging on the wall and knew it would
sicken him when he had to wear it again in the morning. Every nerve
and sinew in his body seemed to pain him of his predicament.

His mind raced
and raced as he wished he could just walk out and go now, then
suddenly he became drawn to the conversation that he had earlier
with Savarta “I have only ever taken fighters beyond the great
wall.” Savarta had said to him.

Talon sat up as
he realised the answer “If only fighters can go beyond the wall
then a fighter I must be become.” he thought as a sudden feeling of
optimism rushed through him.

The next two
days passed painfully slow for Talon, all he could think about was
his plan to become one of Savarta’s gladiators. He came up with the
plan to injure one of Savarta’s fighters then he would have to
convince Savarta that he could take the gladiators place in the
contest, it was a good plan Talon thought but it would take all of
his skill to enact it.

When Talon
arrived for training at the gladiator school he stripped down and
began a vigorous training session, he knew he would have to get
Savarta’s attention so he used all his knowledge and skill to train
at his best.

Savarta did
indeed notice the impressive looking Talon.

“Go easy Talon,
your hurt yourself.” Savarta said as he walked over.

“I feel good.”
he said with enthusiasm.

“How about
letting me spar with one of your men Savarta, it would be good to
see how rusty I have become.”

“Do you feel up
to it?” Savarta replied.

“I hope
so.”

Savarta smiled
in awkwardness, as he felt uncertain at Talon’s request.

“Let me spar
Savarta” Talon added, “I pledge I will leave your man unharmed.” he
added in jest.

Savarta stood
upright at Talons remark.

“I admire your
mettle young man; you come to the best gladiator school across the
provinces and insist on fighting the best.”

“Are you
unnerved that they’re not up to fighting this man from the south.”
Talon arrogantly teased.

“So be it!”
Savarta finally agreed.

“But you will
use wooden swords.” he added.

Talon smiled
“as you wish.” he replied smiling.

Savarta gazed
around and saw a gladiator named Gren who he then called over.

“You can spar
with Gren, he is an apprentice who’s been with us for a year now”
Savarta told Talon.

Talon nodded
his head in understanding but this was not the confrontation he
wanted Gren was a novice; Talon wanted a seasoned gladiator, one
who would be travelling to Kallick Town.

Talon was given
a wooden sword which he swished through the air before squaring up
to Gren, The two men slowly circled each other as they both waited
for Savarta to commence them.