Zachania (22 page)

“Is death what
you seek today? Lower your sword and you will have a fair
trial.”

Talon once
again looked around he could see that he was vastly outnumbered, he
did not want to yield but with his back the wall and the thought
crossing his mind that he had not killed any of the soldiers only
injured them, so resentfully he lowered his sword.

As the soldiers
took a hold of him he remembered a saying Chang once said to him
‘as long as you draw breath then you are not beaten’.

Talon was bound
by the soldiers and taken to a large stonewall castle. Once there
he was taken down many flights of stairs and thrown into a cell in
the castles dungeon.

The cell was
dark barely lit from a torch in the hallway outside, it was damp
and could smell the odour of decaying flesh, he thought the smell
was that of rotting rodents or worse it could be rotting flesh.

Talon then
began running his hands across all the walls trying to find
anything that could present an escape, once he found no loose stone
or weak wall he resided himself to the fact that he was here to
stay. Sitting down he closed his eyes and went into deep
meditation.

“I must become
one with my circumstance, then my circumstance will become a
solution, then the solution will become me, the answer is in me.”
he said silently to himself

Talon sat
motionless for hours not even moving an eyelid until three soldiers
disturbed his peace with a loud unlocking of the door.

Talon rose
immediately where the soldiers bound his hands and escorted him to
another cell, a much larger cell and much cleaner and more
generously lit.

After a short
while another four soldiers entered the room, Talon noticed that
the most senior of the men had an air of menace about him, he was
obviously the most powerful and he let everyone know it. Talon eyed
the man as he had a gross disfiguring scar which ran from his
forehead down to his collarbone, he was tall and muscular and
hunched with a limp, obviously a battle wound Talon thought as the
man sat down in a chair in front of him.

“Who are you”
asked the soldier looking Talon up and down with a sneer.

“I am a Pangkor
monk.” replied Talon calmly trying to sound relaxed.

“Don’t play me
for a fool, I can see your garments, who are you.”

“I am a Pangkor
monk.” replied Talon again calmly as if ignoring the man’s last
question

After a short
pause where the soldier just sat eyeing Talon he produced Talon’s
papers that the Lord Monk gave him in Varanasa.

“Are these
yours?”

Talon just
nodded.

“Why is there
no name on these passes?”

Talon shrugged
a gesture that angered the soldier.

“Again who are
you and why are travelling with passes with no name on them.”

“It is not
unusual for a Pangkor to travel with these kinds of papers.”

“A Pangkor who
fights like a warrior.”

“Is that what
your men told you, I’m flattered, I was holding back.” Talon
replied again speaking calmly.

The soldier
smiled and nodded, this game was beginning to unveil itself.

“Why do you
have such a large sum of money?”

“I was
delivering it from one temple to another.”

“Which
temple.”

“That’s my
concern.”

Suddenly the
soldier rose and struck Talon forcefully across the face with the
back of his hand, the blow caused Talon’s lip to bleed but Talon
did not move an inch.

“I say you
robbed and killed a Pangkor monk taking his money and garments, you
are an impostor.”

Talon sighed
and looked away, these questions were a farce, a charade with no
way to prove them right or wrong, Talon looked the man strongly in
the eye with a resolve that this game was over,

“Am I to be
judged by you?” Talon said with a sneer.

“Judged! This
is no trial, but I may run you through with my sword.”

Talon had
loosed one of his binds from behind his back and played out in his
mind what action to take if indeed this soldier attacked him.

“Then stop
talking and do it!” replied Talon calmly but resolutely.

The soldier
rose to his feet and went for his sword only to be approached
quickly by one of the other soldiers.

“What are you
doing, if this man is Pangkor then the curse is upon you.” he
whispered to him.

“He’s no
Pangkor!” snarled the soldier.

“There is a way
to test this, I do not want the curse upon me or my family, if you
kill a Pangkor in cold blood then you will be damned and your damn
us along with you” said the other soldier now forcefully pulling
the first soldier back.

Then one of the
other soldiers approached he had a much softer tone to his voice he
knelt before Talon.

“Ik selvichar
ma veelich dom carravitch.” he said quietly to Talon in the Pangkor
language.

“Jeel do la
veelich.” Talon replied.

The man rose
with a look of both horror and relief on his face.

“He is
Pangkor.” he sighed.

The first
soldier looked at him warily and returned his sword to its
scabbard, he nodded as if saying he understood then turned back to
Talon.

“Why did you
attack my men?”

“I was
defending myself.”

“They ordered
you to move and you attacked them.”

“That is their
story, ask the people who witnessed it.”

“I am still
grieved by your insolence monk!”

“Or is it the
truth that grieves you” Talon replied now showing slight anger.

“Monk or no
monk I WILL SLAY YOU, damn the curse!

Once again one
of the other soldiers intervened.

“You cannot
kill a monk in cold blood.”

“THEN GIVE THIS
MAN A SWORD!” he shouted to one of the guards who in turn
hesitantly threw a sword at Talon’s feet.

“Pick it up”
the soldier shouted at Talon.

“My hands are
bound.” replied Talon.

The soldier
then motioned for the guard to untie him where he walked over and
cut Talon’s hands free.

“Now pick it
up.”

Talon slowly
began to bend over towards the sword but stopped midway only to
stand back up straight.

“Today is not a
good day.” Talon remarked.

Then a short
silence befell the room as the soldier thought what to do.

“My Lord.” one
of the guards sheepishly interrupted.

“WHAT!”

“My Lord you
could strip him of his garments and let him fight in next week’s
games, the gladiators will not know who he is.”

The soldier
rubbed his face removing his hand to reveal a cruel smile.

“Yes, I will
not kill you monk but the gladiators will.”

Talon smiled
back at him showing that he was neither impressed nor
intimidated

“It will be a
day well met.” replied Talon with a wry smile.

“Get this thing
back to his cell!” the soldier snarled.

When Talon was
thrown back into his dark and damp cell he smiled to himself,
‘gladiators’ he said to himself, at first he felt angry but he also
felt an excitement, for the next week he practiced hard in his
cell, the food was minimal so he knew his strength would be
dwindled if he was to fight then he would have to rely on his mind
and reflexes.

When the day of
the games arrived Talon was taken to the arena and given
gladiatorial garments, he was given a sword and a shield and a
helmet that still blood stains on it.

He calmed his
nerves just as his teachings had taught him to; he focused on his
thoughts and removed all fear ‘fear is a thought and thoughts can
be subdued.’ he said to himself.

Talon slapped
his sword against his leg as he walked up into the arena, the arena
itself was huge, easily one of the biggest in Kratos.

Talon thought
of his Grandfather who always enjoyed fighting in Vilsillius as the
rich merchants in the town always paid great rewards, he slowly
walked to the centre taking in his surroundings until he joined his
opponent who was waiting for him, Talon nodded slightly to him and
noticed the countless scars on his opponents arm, his sword holding
arm

‘He is weak on
his right side.’ Talon thought to himself.

“SALUTE THE
LORD!” shouted a soldier who was standing near them while pointing
at a box where Lord Akraf and his guests were sitting.

Talon raised
his sword and saw Lord Akraf rise to acknowledge this; the soldier
then left and Talon turned towards his opponent and readied
himself.

As Talon
crouched the crowd went silent waiting for Akraf to signal for the
fight to begin, Akraf waved and Talon’s opponent began to circle
Talon, both men held back looking for a weakness or opening to
attack.

After a few
moments the opponent was the first to make a move, he stepped in
and thrust at Talon’s stomach, Talon blocked the thrust with ease
and the two of them began trading blows, the opponent turned and
raised his sword above his head and swung it wildly, Talon moving
with the speed and grace of a cat blocked the swing and then in one
move struck the man’s hand holding the sword and then turned and
struck the man across the face and throat, the opponent dropped to
his knees letting out a loud scream blood poured from his
wounds.

Talon backed
away slightly kicking the man’s sword away which was laying on the
ground but there was no need as the man was obviously beaten. Talon
lowered his sword and looked up to where Lord Akraf was sitting, a
man sitting next to Akraf rose and ordered Talon to finish the man
off, Talon took another look and noticed it was the soldier who had
questioned him back in the cell who was shouting.

“FINISH HIM!”
the soldier shouted.

Talon stood
upright and proud and replied with a firm ‘NO’.

The crowd were
now in a state of shock at Talon’s refusal and the soldier now
angered ordered two more gladiators to enter the arena.

The gladiators
jumped down from the box and armed themselves, one took an axe and
the other grabbed a long spear, they both then advanced towards
Talon, when they reached him one of them stood in front while the
other walked behind, Talon noticed this move and knew that he would
have to be the aggressor before both men could get set.

Talon swished
his sword in the air and then attacked the one in front who had the
axe, he went down onto one knee and while grabbing the axe with his
left hand he pushed his sword into the man’s stomach, that’s one
out the way Talon thought as spun around to face the other one.

Talon attacked
him furiously; he broke the spear with a blow from his sword then
pushed him off balance before thrusting his sword into his ribs
just below the heart.

Talon lowered
his sword and walked confidently towards the box where Akraf was
sitting leaving the three dead gladiators behind him, the crowd
were now going crazy cheering Talon who had hardly broke sweat.

The soldier who
had questioned Talon suddenly rose and jumped down into the arena;
he threw off his garments and grabbed himself a sword from a
soldier.

Talon shook his
head at the scarred man.

“You will
lose!” Talon warned him as he raised his sword and swished it
through the air again splashing blood from the blade onto the
sand.

The soldier did
not answer instead he attacked Talon with zeal and anger, Talon
with ease just defended his blows making the soldier even more
angry. Then Talon stupidly relaxed for a moment which allowed his
opponent to strike Talon in the face with the butt of his sword.
Talon spun away and wiped at the blood that was now coming from his
brow, angered Talon then launched a devastating attack which soon
had the soldier on his knees defenceless. Talon knocked the sword
out of his hands and then raised his own sword above his head ready
to strike, they both looked into each other’s eyes and held the
stare, then the soldier lowered his head in defeat and Talon threw
his own sword away before once again walking towards Akraf in the
box.

Akraf rose to
his feet and looked at the crowd who were going crazy in salute at
this young stranger before them, Akraf looked angered as he looked
down at the blood splattered victor, Akraf then raised his hand and
the crowd became silent

“NEVER BEFORE
HAS VILLSILLIUS WITNESSED SUCH COURAGE AND STRENGTH, YOU HAVE WON
THE RIGHT TO LIVE!”

Akraf then
raised both his arms and encouraged the crowd to begin cheering
once again.

After the
battle Talon was not returned to his cell instead he given a warm
bath, his wound was stitched and he was given the finest silk
garments to wear, he was then taken to a far part of the castle
where he was led into a large banquet hall where the occupants
cheered and saluted him.

“Come my friend
sit here next to me.” shouted Lord Akraf to which Talon accepted
graciously.

“Here eat.”
Akraf added asking Talon to help himself to the abundance of food
and ale heaped upon the table.

“So they tell
me you’re a Pangkor?”

“Yes my Lord.”
replied Talon before taking a bite into a large chicken leg.

“Ha! A monk yet
you fight like a gladiator, you defeated one of my finest
champions.”

“He fought
well.” added Talon smiling as he wiped the cut on his brow.

Lord Akraf
laughed out loud again before slapping Talon affectionately on his
back

“Forget this
monk business, join me, and join my army.”

Talon
smiled.

“I am a monk,
Lord, I have duties to fulfil.”

“Duties! I will
give you riches, riches you could not believe.”

“I am sorry my
Lord but I must fulfil my work.”

“What work!,
tell me I will have men do it for you.”

Talon just
smiled and did not answer.

Akraf reached
for his large tankard of ale.