The Destiny of Amalah (3 page)

‘They need to be crushed,’ Adriel began; ‘swiftly, brutally and irrevocably.’

‘The death of one will only incite more leaders and more rebellions,’ said Urien.

‘Then we will have to ensure the death of them all and in one fell swoop,’ said Adriel.

‘What about those who are loyal to you?’ Sarid asked.

‘If I am going to crush the leadership, I will have to break them all,’ Adriel replied.

‘Can you not excuse their attendance?’ Probus pressed, his disapproval clearly etched on his face.

‘And arouse suspicion? No!’ Adriel said firmly.

‘I would advise against such a move Adriel,’ Urien warned. Punishment is one thing but betrayal of your own, spur dissention and anger in the ranks of your own order.’

‘Then they too will be crushed,’ Adriel said arrogantly.

Probus let out a sigh of exasperation. ‘We all know you are powerful Adriel, but really, how much crushing do you want to engage in? I know you want to rule the world, and being your sidekick has its perks but it would be nice if there were some people left in this world to rule over.’

‘I take your point Probus,’ Adriel said archly; ‘but in this instance, the leadership falls – all of it.’

‘And how pray, do you envisage eradicating all of the leaders?’ Sarid asked. ‘It will take days; weeks even to ride out and achieve such a goal. Surely warnings will be sent to the leaders in the outer regions.’

‘I agree,’ Adriel said coolly. ‘But not if they are all in the same place.’ The four men looked at Adriel with a puzzled expression. ‘I think it is time to give a listening ear to the leaders one and all. A summit! Yes, a summit. I shall invite all the leaders and their deputies to Amalah City. I shall listen to their complaints and they shall say their last words, right here in this very palace. With the leaders and the deputies gone, the masses will be like headless chickens and such a show of might will crush any rebellion – forever!’

‘Or intensify it,’ said Sarid.

‘And we will crush the new leaders – if there any,’ Adriel said smiling. ‘Send word throughout the nations of this summit. Invite everyone here, tell them, I have been advised accordingly and am humbled by the dissent and I am now willing to listen.’

Upon Adriel’s command, the Amalayan Order rode out to the nations and the regions. The leaders and deputies were invited to the three day summit that was to be held in Amalah City at Adriel’s palace. As the Order carried out Adriel’s wishes; Adriel and his closest allies made plans to receive them.

A month passed and soon the leaders descended into Amalah City with their deputies, guards, attendants and families. Fifty-two leaders and fifty-two deputies were housed in either Adriel’s palace, or in and around the City. He began with welcoming speeches and entertainments and on the second day, he sat with his council on a podium listening to the grievances of each leader and nodded and smiled at their suggestions and proposals for change. He gave each and every leader an audience. He nodded, sighed and pretended to agree or understand the harm that he and his Order were doing to the needs of the nations, their people and their trade.

On the final evening of the summit, Adriel hosted a leaving farewell party in the Grand Hall; where wine, mead and good cheer flowed. Once again, Adriel took to his podium with his council and when the time came, he addressed the expectant crowd.

‘Well leaders one and all, thank you all very much for coming. You have made my task so much easier. Thankfully the summit has come to a close. I have listened to each and every one of you whine,’ a few of the audience shifted uncomfortably; ‘and I’m surprised that I was able to exercise so much restraint and patience and not kill you where you stood.’ Adriel smiled and many of the audience laughed nervously. ‘You all, really need to learn when I am joking,’ he said nonchalantly. ‘After tonight, the Amalayan Order will be stronger than ever,’ Adriel said and then nodded at the Amalayan Order who were stood by the exits.

Tonight, I will begin by taking your regions one by one and they
will
fall,’ he said emphatically. ‘Tonight, your people will learn a lesson of a lifetime. That lesson will be not to defy me.’

The Order sealed the exits of the Hall and then drew their swords.

Galen had been the first to register that something was amiss and he had signalled to Princess Rana and Tobiah, who had signalled to their guard.

‘You will not take us without a fight,’ Galen shouted; ‘and I swear to you that even if we die here today, you will not live to see your plan come to fruition Adriel.’

‘Galen!’ Adriel snapped, as he flicked his hand outward and sent Galen flying, amid screams of the trapped crowd. Galen rose to his feet, sword still at the ready. ‘Did you really think that your little rebellion in my nation under
my
nose would really go unpunished? How wrong you were,’ he said looking at Galen with a cruel smile.

Tobiah, Rana, Galen and their guards rushed forward towards Adriel and his council but Adriel simply burst out laughing.

‘Claudeo!,’
he yelled as he threw his hands forward and the group remained frozen on the spot. ‘Tobiah, Princess, everyone: perhaps you fight to save your relatives from grieving. Fear not, their grief will be short lived as my men have been despatched to take care of them all – even the little ones.’

‘Why you…’ Galen began angrily but Adriel had grown tired of him and hurled an energy ball at Galen, killing him instantly before he could utter another word or take another step.

***

Garrick waited quietly in the woods with his horse. He had been waiting for more than ten minutes now but the men he was supposed to be meeting had still not shown up. At nineteen, he was the youngest personal guard to Galen but he was also his most trusted.

Garrick ran his hands through his thick brown hair that matched his eyes, he was anxious to get the meeting over with and return to the palace. For his age, he was an intense and serious man who took his duty to Galen and to the people of Amalah, seriously.

Galen had sent his young guard to meet two sorcerers, who he had hoped would assist the rebellion. Garrick knew that times were becoming more perilous as Adriel’s grip on Amalah and the nations tightened and the Amalayan Order grew. The Amalayan Order was a name that provoked anger in Garrick, as he contemplated their behaviour to the people in the City. That and Adriel himself; he was their leader and a sorcerer whose magical power had now become as legendary as his cruelty. Like many others, Garrick had despaired as his beloved Amalah was being cast into the depths of fear and tyranny.

‘A new day has dawned,’ he said to himself; ‘and the new day is a dark one indeed.

Garrick had hope though; hope that things would return to the way they once were. Galen had somehow managed to retain his position and rebel at the same time but as he rebelled, the more Adriel and his Order sought to quieten him. Thankfully, other men and women had been brave enough to take a stand against the Amalayan Order, and it appeared that at last, Adriel may indeed have begun to see sense.

“The summit is a promising sign of change,” Garrick told himself.

Just as Garrick was growing impatient with the men who had not yet arrived, he heard the unmistakeable sound of twigs breaking on the ground and he stepped back behind a tree to see who was approaching. He had been a hunter and tracker from the age of fourteen and the noise and his instincts told him the movement was human.

Two men stepped into the clearway where Garrick had been standing. He observed the two approaching slowly and cautiously. One black, one white; both tall and both appeared anxious.

‘I fear Galen’s guard did not make it here,’ he heard the black man say.

‘And why do you say that?’ Garrick asked as he stepped forward.

‘Who are you?’ they both asked.

‘I am Garrick, guard to Regent Galen. Who are you?’

‘I am Thaddeus,’ the black man said, as he stepped forward and shook hands with Garrick.

‘And I am Raynor,’ the other man said, as he stepped forward.

‘I heard you speaking when you came into the clearway. Why did you think that I would not make it here?’ Garrick asked.

Thaddeus and Raynor looked at each other and then stared at Garrick; their faces both grave.

‘We travelled via Adriel’s palace,’ began Thaddeus. ‘When we drew close to it, we heard hideous screams that we pray in our lifetime that we never hear again. We approached with caution and heard some of the Order talking.’ Thaddeus paused for a few moments, not wanting to continue. The summit – it was a trap. Adriel lured them there to…’

‘Tell me,’ said Garrick.

‘To massacre them,’ Raynor said. ‘He had no intention of making peace or progress. He simply wanted to wipe out the leadership in one fail swoop.’

‘Galen!’ Garrick snapped. ‘I must go to the palace now,’ he said, as he turned and hurriedly walked towards his horse.

Thaddeus and Raynor ran after him and stepped in front of him.

‘They are all slain,’ Thaddeus said sadly. ‘Adriel has sent the Order out to kill the wives and children of those who defied him the most and are in the city.

‘Galen’s children!’ Garrick barked, as he ran to his horse.

Chapter 3

Michael kept running, he knew if the Amalayan Order caught up with him, they would kill him. They would not care that he was only nine years old; for they had just killed his elder brothers who were only fourteen and sixteen. He knew that they were going to kill him, for after they had slain his brothers, they had searched the house looking for him to do the same thing. He tried to get the image of his slain brothers out of his mind as he ran for his life through the woods.

His mother’s last act had been to ensure his escape and she had made him promise not to look back, whatever he heard. The scream had paralysed him momentarily but he’d had enough of a head start to allow him a moment’s terror. Now though, he could hear the Amalayan Order as they were closing in on him. He had been running and hiding for most of the day, trying desperately to hide his tracks but as they grew nearer; he knew they would be upon him soon, unless he found a hiding spot or a miracle occurred.

Michael ignored his heaving lungs and tired legs and he ran even when they closed in on him and were yards away. He’d reached the edge of the river and he’d hoped to make a dive for it; knowing that the guard would not be able to follow him in immediately; for they wore heavy smocks and armour. He picked up his pace and as he neared the waters edge, freedom seemed possible but the sharp pull to his neck and shoulders told him that his mother’s sacrifice had been in vain.

Michael let out a scream as he was forcefully dragged back and forced to face the guard who still had hold of him. The guard was clearly angry and he glared balefully at Michael. He let go of the boy momentarily, only to deliver a forceful backhand to Michael’s face that sent him crashing to the ground.

‘That is for making us run,’ he shouted at Michael. ‘Get up,’ he bellowed. A crying Michael remained on the floor, holding onto his face. ‘I said get up,’ the guard screamed, as he grabbed Michael’s ear and pulled him up to his feet.

Michael screamed and the other members of the Order laughed as their fellow brother hauled the young boy off the ground and hauled him round in small circles for good measure.

‘You there, Stop!’ A young woman commanded them.

The men from the Order and Michael turned around to see a young woman with soft ivory skin and ebony hair that flowed down to her waist staring at them angrily. She was tall with striking features and piercing blues eyes. She exuded grace and confidence and to Michael’s surprise, she did not seem to fear the Order. They eyed this woman with curiosity, she was clearly a woman of standing, dressed in a light blue satin dress that touched the ground and partly concealed by a black cloak.

The young woman walked boldly towards them, keeping eye contact with the guard who had hold of Michael.

‘Leave the boy alone,’ she ordered. ‘Have you no shame?’ she asked angrily. ‘A grown man and soldier brutalising a small boy.’

The guard shoved Michael out of the way and walked towards her: ‘No one tells a soldier of the Amalayan Order what to do,’ he barked. ‘Now, if you know what’s good for you; you will turn around and go back the way you came.’

The young woman took Michael by the arm and protectively pulled him behind her before she spoke again: ‘I am Princess Elana. Daughter of the King of Parades and wife to Prince Kai of Mantor,’ she said in a steady tone. ‘And I will see to it that your leader knows of your dreadful and cowardly actions this very day.’

Michael held on to the cloak of Princess Elana, amazed at her fearlessness of the Order.

‘Princess you say?’ the guard asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Well,’ the guard began and then as quick as lightening, struck Elana in the face, sending her to the ground. ‘I care not who you are if you are not from Amalah,’ he said, as he grabbed hold of her hair and dragged Elana up, ignoring her screams. ‘You should have walked away princess because now I have two to put to my sword;’ he finished as he dragged her to where Michael was standing. ‘Tell my leader!’ he said with contempt. ‘Who do you think sent me here?’