Zachania (26 page)

Talon thought
for a moment before replying.

“Yes I have
noticed this, sometimes I have known what a man wants before he
speaks.”

“That’s good it
means that your abilities are surfacing, with my help I will teach
you how to nurture this gift, in time these powers will make you
very powerful.”

“Why
Grandfather? How did we get these powers?”

“All the men in
our family have this, I was told by my father that it goes back
centuries when our ancestors were escaping the Empire in Zanlia,
they escaped the murderous wrath of the soldiers but they did not
escape the plague his wizards sent, a women was with child and she
caught the plague she died on the journey to Tallasian so they cut
the unborn baby from her and the child, our ancestor was born with
this gift, ever since then it has been passed along through
generations of our family.”

Talon smiled as
his Grandfather spoke to him it had been a long time since anyone
told him about his family as this was a subject Talon’s father
never indulged in.

“I want to know
everything about our family Grandfather tell me everything.”

Talon’s
Grandfather nodded at Talon smiling.

“You will learn
everything I have to tell.” Zalon said before he hesitated “Talon I
think it would be best to wait till we speak to the counsel, we
will keep your being here a secret while I train you as a Zachanian
and teach you how to master your gifts then when the time is right
we will produce you, and when the counsel see how powerful and
impressive you are, they will have no option but to listen.” he
added enthusiastically.

“Whatever you
feel is best Grandfather.”

Zalon smiled
broadly suddenly he felt a new found zest he hated the Empire and
now he had a new challenge or a challenge he had waited all his
life for, this was going to be what he always wanted.

“Grandfather,
Apollo also told me of the betrayal by our own wizards, Zachanian
wizards.”

“Zachanian
wizards betrayed Zachania!”

“Yes I have the
scrolls in my belongings, they were known as the Zanlian wizards,
three of them, I wonder if they still live.”

“The
Zanlian’s!” gasped Zalon “yes they still live.” he added “they live
in the castle of Zafra.” he added again.

“Then they must
be slain for acts of betrayal.” replied Talon sternly which
surprised his Grandfather how his Grandson spoke of death with such
a nonchalant tone.

“Talon we
cannot kill a wizard, we would be cursed and generations after
us.”

Talon shook his
head.

“If I am to be
this Zararhakzar then I can have no fears, what must be done, must
be done and I must deliver this.”

“But a wizard
Talon, they are very powerful.”

“All the
better, they are traitors and if they betrayed us once, then they
will think nothing of being treacherous again.”

Zalon still
shook his head.

“Talon this act
would cause great trouble, the other wizards will not tolerate this
act, they would all join against us.”

Talon the got
up and fetched a scroll from his belongings.

“READ IT
GRANDFATHER!” he said placing it on the table.

“When the
wizards are dead we will produce this scroll, it is the words of
Apollo, it cannot be doubted.” added Talon.

Zalon carefully
unwrapped the scroll and read its contents when he finished he
faced his Grandson.

“I will kill
them myself, such treachery cannot go unanswered.” he said now with
anger in his voice.

Talon half
smiled before rolling the scroll back up and returning it to his
bag.

“We will also
tell the counsel of my experience in the Empire Grandfather, I am
studied in their ways of battle, and I have read books on the
campaigns and their Generals tactics.”

Zalon clapped
his hands together.

“Then it has
begun, our salvation is at hand.”

Talon and his
Grandfather spoke all through the night finally retiring after
countless bottles of wine and ale, there reunion brought terrible
news of their family’s death but both men were ecstatic to be with
each other once again.

The next day
began slightly later than usual as both men climbed from their
slumber sporting headaches from the night before, Zalon instructed
Talon to join him with the gladiators and Talon’s training
began.

After one-month
Talon was getting used to using his gifts, he learned fast and
could already read some of his Grandfather’s thoughts.

“Now then,
today you will learn how to put thoughts into a man’s mind.” Zalon
said as Talon joined him at dawn in the gladiator school yard.

Zalon then
walked into the stables and returned with two horses and a large
lump of fresh meat.

“We will be
travelling to the Jomar jungle; there I will demonstrate just how
powerful your powers can be.”

They rode for a
whole day before making camp at nightfall, they rested and resumed
their journey at the break of light and stopped once they reached
the edge of the jungle.

“We will have
to leave our horses here.” Zalon suddenly said dismounting his
horse.

“Are we here
Grandfather, is this the jungle.”

“Yes we are at
the beginning, we will have to leave the horses here, they will not
enter any further.”

“Why not?”
Talon asked feeling slightly apprehensive.

“Use your
powers Talon, can you not feel their thoughts.”

Talon places a
hand on the horse’s neck and closed his eyes after a pause he
turned and spoke to his Grandfather.

“Beasts!” Talon
said “they are afraid of the beast’s within.” he added.

“Good! Now tie
your horse and let’s make haste.”

The two men
entered the jungle and walked until Zalon stopped and looked
around.

“This will do,
now come and sit down Talon.”

Zalon then
pulled out the lump of meat and threw it into the jungle a few feet
away.

“It won’t be
long” he said turning to Talon.

“I sense from
you Grandfather that I am not going to like this and that you are
going to find this amusing.” Talon said looking up.

Then suddenly
Talon heard a loud roar coming from within the jungle, the sound
was terrifying like nothing Talon had heard before.

“What was that”
Talon asked quietly.

“A Zachanian
lion, nothing is more ferocious.”

Talon then
turned towards the sound of the roar where he could now hear heavy
footsteps, the footsteps got closer and closer and Talon reached
for his sword only for his Grandfather to grab his hand.

“Have courage
and faith Talon.” he whispered.

Suddenly the
creature revealed itself, it was nearly the size of a horse and
Talon stiffened as the creature pounced onto the meat, with
terrifying power the lion ripped the meat to pieces in a frenzied
eating display before raising up its blood drenched mouth and
turning towards Talon.

“Grandfather is
it going to attack?” Talon whispered anxiously.

Talon then
heard his Grandfather make a low pitched growling noise and then he
pointed to the jungle and growled again, the lion straightened and
then ran back into the darkness of the jungle as if terrified.

The beast was
gone as quickly as it appeared and Zalon let out a loud laugh.

“I love doing
that!” Talon’s Grandfather said proudly.

Talon looked up
at his Grandfather and smiled as his anxiety subsided.

“You see!”
Zalon suddenly said snapping his fingers “that is what your powers
can do” he added pointing into the jungle.

“You terrified
it Grandfather.”

“Yes, I put my
thoughts into his mind and told him I would rip him to shreds if he
came any closer.”

Zalon’s
attention was then suddenly distracted by a noise overhead, he
looked up to see a hawk flying high above and then he suddenly
whistled in the bird’s direction.

To Talon’s
amazement the hawk circled a few times before swooping down towards
them and then landing on his Grandfather’s outstretched arm.

“Look Talon I
can also put thoughts into minds that I am their friend too.”
replied Zalon now stroking the birds back before ushering it to fly
off.

“Will I also be
able to do this?” Talon asked obviously impressed.

“In time yes,
these are some of the things that we can do but it is up to you on
how long it will take you to learn these”

When the two
men returned to the gladiator school Talon resumed his training, he
woke every day at dawn where he would put himself through an
arduous couple of hours training in Zung-Lu, he also showed his
Grandfather some of the Pangkor defence moves he had learnt at the
temple where Zalon was impressed at Talon’s’ progress.

This daily
routine went on for another month with Zalon strenuously pushing
his Grandson to his limits day after day then after one extremely
hard session; Zalon sat Talon down at dusk and told him it was
time.

“I think it may
be time to present you to the counsel, I have watched over the last
few weeks and I cannot improve your physical condition any further,
you are already the strongest pupil in the school by far and your
mental skills have begun to develop well, do you feel ready.”

Talon wiped
away the sweat from his brow noticing how strong his arms had
become as his arm raised and with a smile he turned to his
Grandfather.

“I feel ready
Grandfather.”

“Good we shall
present you at the end of the week.” Zalon replied.

Talon then
finished off a large cup of water before turning towards Zalon and
changing the subject.

“Grandfather
please tell me, when I first arrived in Zachania I travelled to
Zachra in the back of a merchants cart and they said they were
merchants of Zac, what is Zac Grandfather.”

“ZAC!” Zalon
said loudly as he spat on the floor to emphasize his disgust.

“It is the
scourge of this land!” he added angrily.

“Well what is
it?” added Talon.

Zalon shook his
head making Talon realise that he really had a dislike to this.

“It was
discovered by the wizards after the great wars, it was said to be a
cure for the people who were weakened by the wars and the
plagues.”

“A medicine?”
Talon interrupted.

“It’s no
medicine that’s what they said but now everyone uses it, the King
gives it out and has it grown in the east in vast fields.”

“Is it like
Lurchon?”

“It is Lurchon,
only here in Zachania it is called Zac, Lurchon is outlawed by the
Empire anyone caught with it is put to death but here everyone uses
it.”

“I saw people
smoking it in taverns, in strange pipes turning people into
fools”

“Don’t ever
touch it Talon it turns strong men into weak men and weak men into
fools, outlawing it in Kratos is one law from the Empire I agree
with, I am not a lover of laws or ways of controlling people but we
should do the same here.”

“Maybe we can.”
Talon suddenly said.

“What do you
mean?”

“Rid Zachania
of Zac.” replied Talon thinking out loud.

“How can this
be done?” answered Zalon fearing the enormity of what his Grandson
was saying.

“I am not sure
at the moment but I have a feeling this Zac is connected with the
wizards of Zanlia, the wizards who betrayed us.”

The two men
both fell into silence.

“It was the
wizards who began giving the people Zac.”

“Is that
coincidence or do they want strong men weak” replied Talon.

“What are you
thinking?”

“Burn the
crops!”

“Do you know
what kind of trouble this would cause Grandson?”

“That’s exactly
what I want.”

“Trouble.”

“No outrage, I
want the whole of Zachania discussing this, then when we are
brought before them we will produce the scroll of Apollo and reveal
the treachery of these wizards.”

Zalon clapped
his hands showing his pleasure.

“Talon you’re a
genius, you are already thinking as a leader of men.”

“That’s what we
need.”

“What men.”

“Yes good ones,
loyal men.”

Zalon nodded
before replying.

“I am in front
of you Grandson I have already been thinking of this and I have ten
good strong gladiators chosen, they are loyal men full of Zachanian
pride and they will follow you if you show them that you can
lead.”

“Then call a
gathering Grandfather.”

“Tomorrow night
you will meet these men, some of them have already seen you
training and have been impressed with your strengths, they have
been asking me who you are.”

“What did you
tell them?”

“That you’re my
Grandson.”

Talon was
feeling a little nervous as he waited, the sun had just set and it
had been a blistering hot day under the Zachanian sun. In the
distance Talon could hear the storm clouds approaching as they did
most evenings but tonight’s clouds cracked with ominous doom where
he found himself thinking or hoping that this was not an omen.

Talon reached
for the Zachanian war suit that his Grandfather had given him
earlier, suggesting that it would be a good idea to wear it when he
met the men. Talon slowly dressed himself in the suit. The suit was
made mainly of leather with re-enforced leather on the shoulders
arms and torso giving the suit a padded out effect yet it was very
light for how it looked.

Talon just had
time to inspect himself in the mirror when the door opened and in
came his Grandfather followed by the ten chosen gladiators, the men
followed Zalon in and straight away noticed Talon dressed in
warrior attire.

“What’s this?”
one of them asked Zalon.

Zalon held up
his hand telling him to wait as he pulled up a chair and stood upon
it.