Zachania (25 page)

They reached
Zachra just as dusk was falling, Talon was now sitting up taking
everything in, the splendour of this town took his breath away, not
since the Palace lands had Talon seen such a vast civilisation, he
looked at the dwellings and saw that were designed like nothing he
had ever seen before, then in the distance high up on a hill he
caught his first glimpse of the Palace.

It was huge and
so splendid it took Talons breath away, it was not as large as the
emperor’s Palace in the Palace lands but it was close.

When the
merchants reached their destination Talon gave his thanks and said
his goodbyes, he jumped from the cart and walked along the heaving
streets until he found a tavern.

Talon entered
then put his bag down by a table and ordered an ale

“Would that be
a berry ale or Zac ale sir?” said the landlord.

“Berry will be
fine” replied Talon as he received his drink and paid the landlord
with some Krasos, the coins of Kratos.

“Krasos! I will
have to charge you the going rate.” the landlord added because he
would have to exchange them for Zachanian currency ‘Cromas’ with
one of the many smugglers. Talon just nodded and then sat down
where he sipped the cold drink and it tasted good, he looked around
the tavern trying not to stare, he noticed that most of the people
looked drunk or very relaxed, they were happy and laughing and he
noticed that many of them were smoking strange looking pipes, Talon
noted their faces as they exhaled the smoke, they were
intoxicated.

Suddenly the
man sitting opposite poked Talon’s knee, he was very drunk
looking

“I see you have
a sword with you are you in the Kings guard.”

“No sir I am
not.”

“Then you must
be in the Zachanian army.”

“Sorry sir I am
neither.” replied Talon.

The stranger
then took another drag on his pipe and coughed out loudly as he
exhaled the smoke causing spit to drip onto his beard.

“ar I love
Zac.” he sighed laughing.

Talon turned
away feeling a bit sickened by this fool in front of him.

“So you’re a
gladiator?” the stranger then blurted out amidst coughs.

Talons
concentration suddenly returned to the stranger.

“A gladiator!”
Talon said alertly.

“Yes from down
the street, I won’t be upsetting you.” replied the drunken man
laughing again.

Talon stood up
immediately because he knew that if his Grandfather was alive and
in Zachania then it would certain that he would be with his first
love the gladiator’s, Talon grabbed his bag and swiftly left the
tavern.

After asking
directions Talon ran towards the school when he reached it he heard
that familiar sound of men training, Talon looked around
frantically trying to see his Grandfather. He gazed intently at
every man but he could not see him then just as his excitement was
ebbing he heard a door open and a stout oldish man exit.

“And make sure
this place is clean by my return!” he heard the man shout.

Talon
immediately recognised the voice and dropped his bag as he stood
frozen to the spot, just staring at the man walking towards him,
Talon’s Grandfather caught Talon’s eye then looked away before
suddenly returning his gaze, his mouth dropped open it had been
years since he last saw Talon but something told him who he was
looking at.

“TALON” he
sighed as if looking at a ghost.

“Grandfather.”
replied Talon now with a tear welling in his eye.

“IS IT
YOU!”

“It is me
Grandfather.” replied Talon just as his Grandfather picked him up
and hugged him.

“MY GRANDSON!”
he shouted proudly as he held him tightly.

“I found you,
by the god’s I found you.” Talon shouted back at him.

The two men
just held each other as the years apart had meant so much to both
of them, Talon then buried his head on his Grandfather’s shoulder
as he lost control trying to hold back his tears of joy.

“I have missed
you so much Grandfather.”

“You are with
me now, you are with me now Talon.” he replied hugging the back of
Talon’s head.

They both
hugged each other before Talon’s Grandfather led him into the door
he had just come from and poured Talon a cup of ale, they sat
silent for a moment just staring at each other both in disbelief
and happiness.

“You have grown
into a fine man Talon.”

Talon smiled
slightly before rubbing his forehead, he would have to tell his
Grandfather what had happened to their family but he choked as it
was not easy to say, he grabbed his Grandfather’s hand and looked
him in the eye.

“Grandfather…………father is dead, they are all dead………murdered by the
Empire”

“WHAT!”

“They’re gone
Grandfather there was nothing I could do.”

Talons
Grandfather Zalon suddenly rose to his feet, he walked away holding
his head before returning to sit next to Talon.

“Tallonus my
son dead, MY FAMILY!” he shouted now angry as he threw his cup
against the wall before jumping to his feet again and kicking a
table high into the air.

“TALLONUS!” he
screamed in grief as he picked up a wooden chair and slammed it
against the door shattering it into pieces.

“THERE WILL BE
RIVERS OF BLOOD FOR THIS, I SWEAR THAT WHOEVER IS BEHIND THIS I
WILL KILL AND GENERATIONS OF HIS KIN WILL BE SLAIN!”

Talon suddenly
jumped up and grabbed his Grandfather trying to calm his rage,
Talon held him tightly before Zalon relaxed.

“I am alright
Talon.” he sighed before sitting down and starting to accept the
realisation of this dreadful news, he swallowed hard as he gazed up
at the ceiling trying to compose his self

“How did this
happen?”

“I escaped from
the guard.” Talon answered his Grandfather.

“The guard!” he
said shocked

“Yes
Grandfather I was enlisted into the Imperial guard by father.”

Zalon suddenly
sighed loud and shook his head in disbelief.

“He recruited
you in the emperor’s guard, I should have stayed Talon I cannot
believe Tallonus’s stupidity and arrogance.”

“But
Grandfather how could he have known.”

Zalon was still
shaking trying to compose himself from anger.

“Your father
tried so hard to forget his roots and sending you into the guard
was insane, it was only a matter of time before you would be found
out.”

“I escaped the
guard before they did.”

Zalon sighed
and shook his head again.

“I knew the
Empire was hunting me so I returned home trying to warn them but
when I reached home….the Empire had already been there, they had
burnt everything the school was burnt to the ground.”

Zalon reached
out and grabbed Talon’s arm.

“I have failed
you my son.” Zalon sighed.

“No
Grandfather!” Talon replied stiffening his pose.

“No
Grandfather, do not blame yourself for this.” added Talon.

“I should have
been there.” Zalon sighed grabbing Talon’s head again.

Zalon then
suddenly rose and walked over to another table where he returned
with a dagger, he then cut himself deep across the arm and smeared
some blood on his hand which he then held up against his face.

“I SWEAR ON MY
BLOOD I SHALL AVENGE THE DEATH OF MY FAMILY!”

Zalon then
handed the dagger to Talon who did likewise, the old man then said
he needed to lay down for a couple of hours.

“I am so
pleased you are here Talon, tonight we will dink and toast our
family and drink to your return.” he said as he tapped Talon’s face
before retiring into his room.

Talon walked
outside and sat himself down in the warm Zachanian sun, he relaxed
against a tree and soon his mind began to wander, he thought about
seeing his burnt home and reminded himself just how much he hated
the Empire, he felt a burning desire for revenge but then thought
of his teachings as a Pangkor. He remembered Chang telling him to
rid his mind of anything that resembles hate as hate will take more
of a toll on you that it will who it’s against. Talon tried to
think clearly he knew that he would have to lose his hate if he was
to fulfil his fate or destiny whatever that was.

Talon sat
thinking for the next couple of hours and watching the gladiators
training; he noticed their skills and found himself being impressed
with their technique. He could see his Grandfather’s teaching in
them.

Later that
night he was with his Grandfather in a tavern at the far end of the
gladiator school, Zalon poured some wine before sitting down next
to him.

“Come my
Grandson we have sworn our oaths but now I want to learn about
you.”

Talon took a
large sip of wine before answering.

“As I told you
Grandfather I joined the royal guard and was sent to Kallick town,
I stayed there for three years before I was recruited into the
Imperial guard where I was taken to the Palace lands.”

“You went to
the Palace lands.”

“I lived there
Grandfather, it was there in the vast libraries that I first read
about the Zachanian’s, I read books about the wars between us and
the Empire and it was there I first realised that I was Zachanian.
From that moment I knew that I had to escape, I made a plan, where
can you believe, I was to fight in Kallick town arena but I escaped
before the fight and made my way to Tallasian but when I got there
it was too late”

Zalon reached
out a hand to console him.

“There would
have been nothing you could have done even if you did.”

“I could have
warned them.”

“And you think
your father would have heeded your advice, do not blame yourself
Talon his death was because of his naivety, and trust for those
dogs.”

Talon shrugged
half agreeing.

“What is done
is done, but it was madness beyond comparison for you to join the
guard.”

“Once I found
our home destroyed I headed west, I didn’t care where I went, I
just wanted some time to gather my thoughts and escape the Empire,
after a days of travel I ended up in Varanasa where I took asylum
in the Pangkor temple there, I stayed for months learning their
ways.”

Talon was
suddenly interrupted by his Grandfather sniggering.

“My Grandson, a
Pangkor monk!” he joked.

“Grandfather my
time there was time well spent I was taught many things, many
things that will ground me in the things that I will have to
do.”

Zalon nodded as
slightly apologising though no words were needed, he took another
sip of wine before turning seriously back to his Grandson.

“Things that I
have to do.” he uttered.

“Something
tells me Talon that you have something else to tell me, something
about your future or maybe our future, am I right.”

Talon paused
for a moment as he looked at his Grandfather he hesitated what he
wanted to say but after a sip of wine he spoke.

“I know of your
dream Grandfather…. your visit from Apollo.”

Zalon winced
his heavy face almost in disbelief at what he was hearing.

“How could you
know that?”

“Apollo told me
Grandfather.”

Zalon’s eyes
widened.

“What did he
say to you?”

“He told me
that you were chosen Grandfather but you were too brash and wild,
so he waited for another, that person is me.”

Zalon leaned
back astounded he had never breathed a word of his dream so what
Talon was saying he knew to be true, he also realised that his
Grandson the same boy he remembered all those years ago was now
chosen to be the salvation of Zachania.

“But Talon you
know nothing of Zachania” Zalon suddenly said saying out loud what
he had just been thinking.

“Yes that is
true, I know only what I have read and what the Pangkor’s have
taught me but I have you, and with you I will learn. Then when we
are ready we will deliver our people and send a message to the
Empire that will make the Palace lands shake.”

Zalon the old
gladiator broke into smile as a pride in his Grandson rose within
him he took Talon’s hand.

“Is it you
Talon, are you the one the Zararhakzar.”

“What does that
word mean Grandfather?”

“The
Zararhakzar is an ancient Zachanian name meaning the salvation of
the land.”

Talon smiled
slightly embarrassed.

“Then that is
what I am Grandfather.”

Zalon bowed his
head and kissed Talon’s hand.

“We must take
you and this news to the counsel.”

“The counsel
Grandfather, not the King.”

Zalon smiled
before answering.

“You have a lot
to learn Talon, the King of Zachania is rarely seen, he has no
ambition or belief in the old ways but some of the men on the
counsel especially Prince Arun want more for Zachania, they have
made their feelings known about the old ways and prophecies, it is
them who we must see.”

Talon nodded
and smiled.

“Will you stand
with me Grandfather?”

Zalon once
again took Talon’s hands into his own.

“I will stand
and fight and if need be die by your side with every ounce of
strength in my body.” he answered proudly.

“Thank you
Grandfather whatever the future holds for me, I will need you.”

“Don’t worry
Talon I will be here, I will teach you everything I can” replied
Zalon before hesitating as if in thought,

“Tell me Talon
did your father tell you of your gift?” he added,

Talon paused as
he remembered a conversation years ago when he was a child,

“I can vaguely
remember the two of you talking the night you left, you mentioned
my powers but I always assumed that it was aimed at my skills in
Zung-Lu.”

Zalon suddenly
shook his head and smiled.

“No Talon what
I was talking about is a thousand times more powerful than Zung-Lu,
I speak of your abilities to read and change people’s
thoughts.”