The Destiny of Amalah (64 page)

The four men continued to stare in the direction of where the noise was coming from, which was behind the landscaped hill.

‘I do not have the strength to fight another hundred villagers,’ said Waldon.

‘Nor do I,’ admitted Kenaz.

‘I certainly don’t,’ said Rufus.

‘Then to the horses,’ Rakan said quickly. ‘There will be another day to fight them,’ said Rakan.

The four men turned and ran as fast as they could until they reached their horses; from there, they stayed silent as they watched and listened to the new arrivals. When they were sure it was all clear, they quickly and quietly mounted the horses and rode slowly and quietly throughout the woodland, until they were far away from the villagers and their reinforcements.

The people from the next village surveyed the devastation around them and they too trembled with fear and shook with anger; as their friends told them of the fate that had befallen their village and its people. Everyone worked through the night to bury the dead, tend to the sick and injured, and comfort the grief-stricken and when day broke; the villagers finally sought rest and fell into deep and troubled sleep that only brought them nightmares of the worst kind, as they re-lived the horrors of the evening.

The people made up guards to watch the outskirts of the village while they were sleeping – which was not long. When they had buried all of the dead and slept, they began to move back to the other village, which had not been attacked. They took the children, the sick and the pregnant women first – and then everyone else walked and rode back.

Whey they all reached the next village, the people were tired, hungry and scared and had no idea of what would happen next. They were scared for themselves and they were scared for each other, and they met in the evening to work out what they would do next.

‘We need more help,’ shouted one.

‘Where from?’ shouted another.

The Empress’s guard are in the far north of Santeb, Amalah and Tschin,’ said a man.

‘We would never get it in time; if we went to the east, we would have to either climb Qomo or go around which would take forever. If we were to go west to Amalah, it would be through the snow and ice, which so far has proven impenetrable. If we go north or east, it is once again, through the snow, ice and the forests.’

‘We need to warn the other villages, now,’ said a voice quite calmly; ‘and we need them to get here before sunrise.’

The man picked five men and asked them to ride to the other villages to warn them. Little did the villagers know that Waldon and Kenaz were eavesdropping on their conversation, hearing every word clearly and so, the unsuspecting villagers continued to formulate their plan as the two men listened in for a while longer; out of sight from the guards who had been posted at entry points around the village. The two men listened intently until they saw the five men get ready to leave and warn the other villagers.

Waldon and Kenaz followed them and when they were far enough away from the village, they picked them off one by one and returned to where Rakan and Rufus were.

‘They are prepared this time,’ Waldon said to the others.

‘They have sentries on the perimeter, swords, sticks and stones,’ said Kenaz.

‘It still won’t help them though,’ Rakan said confidently.

He outlined his plan to the others and then the four of them stood up and made their way to the unsuspecting village. Rakan and Rufus made their way to the sentries who were on guard; most of the village was asleep now and the two sorcerers crept stealthily, so as not to disturb anyone – awake or asleep.

The two men took the guard by surprise, Rakan blew a concoction of magical dust from his hand into the faces of the sentries and they both fell asleep on the spot. When the sentries were disabled, Waldon and Kenaz joined their friends and the four men entered the silent and sleeping village.

Once again, Rakan and Rufus used their fireballs to devastating effect, as they hurled them in all directions; each and every one of them, hitting something as it landed. Those that were lucky enough to wake up in time and escape, screamed in horror and scrambled away from their now burning homes. Those who were woken by the screaming rushed out from their cover and were startled to see the bright flames burning the homes in their village, just as they had been burned in the other village.

This time the villagers went on the offensive, they reached for their weapons and they prepared to fight; only once again, the villagers fight was futile and before the day broke, only the four men remained standing: Rakan, Rufus, Waldon and Kenaz. When they had achieved their aim, they razed the village to the ground, not caring if those laying on it were dead or alive.

When there was nothing left of the two villages they rode on. They hid and rested by day and by night, they destroyed village after village. Not one single villager so far had been willing to join them and so, nearly all of them perished as Rakan, Rufus, Waldon and Kenaz continued their massacres. The guard had been sparse in most rural areas and they had been despatched of with relative ease.

On they went, through what you now know as India and then onto Nepal but then, it was all Santeb – and then – it was all death. Few escaped the four men and those who did, made their way to Amalah, hoping to meet with the Empress so that she would send the guard, for they were their only hope. But none could make it to Amalah, for the journey was a perilous one and even when they reached the outskirts, they could not enter for they were cut off by snow and the impenetrable forests that Salwar and Rakan had created. Only then did the people really despair, for once there, they knew that they could not get to Amalah and Amalah could not get to them.

Rakan, Rufus, Waldon and Kenaz left nothing but destruction and death in their wake and when they came to the foot of Qomolangma most of Santeb had fallen and lay in ruins. Few survived and even fewer tried to make the journey to Amalah but one who did was Gangay. Gangay had heard and then seen that four men were wreaking havoc throughout the lands but when he had seen that those four were Rakan, Rufus, Waldon and Kenaz his heart sank with bitter disappointment and betrayal.

He dared not approach them but he wondered what had happened to the four young men since he had seen them last and he wondered what could have turned them into such despicable monsters. Gangay knew he had no choice, he knew he had to reach Amalah but he knew that others before him, had tried and failed. He set off north to Lansten and hoped to reach Amalah before there was nothing left of Santeb.

Rakan, Rufus, Waldon and Kenaz began their journey around Qomolangma with their horses and when they got to the other side, they engaged different tactics. Rather than destroy the villages at large, they lived among the people. Adriel had done his work well and soon, the four men were playing on old hostilities and unsettled old scores. To make matters worse, many of the officers of the guard who were stationed throughout Tschin, were loyal to Waldon and Kenaz. While they had been stationed together in Amalah City, Waldon and Kenaz had brought them over to their side, and now – they remained in their posts – waiting for their time

While many of the guard were waiting to betray the Empress and the nations by joining Rakan, Rufus, Waldon and Kenaz; the villagers were being openly hostile to one another and soon, spates of violence broke out between them. Not long after, the villages were at all out war and Rakan, Rufus, Waldon and Kenaz were leading a small army of villagers to wage war against the people who had long been their neighbours. That is what the four men did throughout the outskirts of eastern Santeb and as they continued to wage minor wars, their small army began to grow as they travelled. It went from ten, to twenty, to fifty and then a hundred and it kept on growing, until it was at least two hundred strong.

Now that they were bigger they could inflict more damage and they did so with glee. They destroyed towns and villages, they stole food, they terrorised all who stood in their way, and they stole weapons and armed their growing army.

Waldon and Kenaz eventually gave the word and the officers and guardsmen who had gone over to their side, turned on the remaining guard who were loyal to the Empress and Amalah, and killed them in their beds before they made their way to the four men and joined them in their campaign.

With the guard at their side and the people that had joined their army, they were now four hundred strong and they continued on their journey eastwards as they sought more power and the destruction of those who stood in their way.

Before long, the powers that be in the city, heard of the troubles in the towns and villages and they organised a force to fight Rakan’s army. They sent two hundred men at first and when they went to find Rakan and the others, they never returned: most died in a bloody battle on the outskirts and some were given the choice to join them – which few of them took.

In Tschin, those of the dynasty were of a different breed and they refused to yield to Rakan and the others and they refused to yield their people and their city and so, they continued to raise their own army.

Some of the people of Tschin protected the outskirts, while others stayed in the city, protecting the civilians; those who were considered to be elite soldiers, were sent to face Rakan, Rufus, Waldon, Kenaz and their ever growing army.

The situation grew worse each day, as Rakan and the others tried to force their way into the great city and the Dynasty guard tried to force them out of Santeb. Day in and day out, the two unyielding forces engaged in bloody skirmishes all around the south of the city. By now Waldon had fully embraced his destiny and he too began to enjoy the fight and the chaos that inevitably ensued with their arrival.

Why didn’t they use their magic I hear you ask? Because the people of the city were prepared; they had always believed in gods’, demons, evil spirits and dark magic – and as such – they were prepared. Long ago, they had placed powerful and mystical talismans all around the outskirts of the city so that no evil magic could enter; had they not, the city would have fallen in days and the people would have been at the mercy of Rakan and his friends. The Eastern city of Santeb held on for weeks – and they would have held on for longer – had they not been betrayed.

His name was Lee Ang but to most, he was known as Bryce and only Bryce knew why he called himself that; he too was a sorcerer and warrior and he was also a trusted member of the new dynasty – or so they thought, but evening, in the dead of night; Bryce sneaked out of his quarters and made his way to where Rakan, Rufus, Waldon and Kenaz were. It did not take him long to locate them but Bryce was no guardsman, which is why he did not hear as Waldon and Kenaz crept around the forest behind him and watched, as he approached Rakan and Rufus.

Kenaz kept his crossbow aimed at Bryce and Waldon held his dagger ready to throw. Bryce was only a few yards away from Rakan and Rufus when the two men turned around to face him. Bryce was somewhat surprised that they had, for he thought he had been silent.

‘We spotted you before you left the trees,’ Rakan said, smiling as he pointed to Kenaz and then to Waldon, who both had Bryce in their sights. ‘What brings you here in the dead of night?’

‘I came to reach an agreement.’

‘With the City?’ Rakan asked.

‘No between yourselves and myself.’

‘Why would we do that?’

‘Because I can get you into the city.’

‘Why would you do that?’ Rufus asked.

‘Revenge.’

‘A good enough reason but why should I believe you?’ Rakan asked. ‘It could after all, be a trap.’

‘Because I know of your power and I know you would kill me if it was a trap. Most importantly, I can get you into the city and I know what it is that you want.’

‘You are right. We do want to get into the city and we will kill you if it is a trap.’

‘What do you want?’ Rufus asked.

‘To finish off the dynasty first and then to join you; not as a soldier but to join the four of
you –
as an equal.’

Waldon and Kenaz laughed at Bryce’s suggestion and he glared at them both.

‘Why do you think you are worthy to be our equal?’ Rakan asked.

‘I too practise the dark magic’s,’ Bryce replied steadily as he eyed the four men.

‘Really,’ Rakan said, as he hurled an energy ball straight at Bryce.

Bryce sent it flying back to Rakan and Rakan levitated, so that it missed him and at the same time; Rakan sent a fireball downwards to Bryce’s direction. Bryce expelled a yellow liquid from his left hand that shot into the air and enveloped the quickly descending fireball as though in slow motion.

The two men continued to hurl their magic’s at each other, sometimes they deflected and dodged each others magic, other times, they did not and suffered a blow. The two men let loose with their magic’s and soon, they were levitating up and down through the air, grappling and throwing each other against hard surfaces, while the soldiers who were disturbed by the noise, came out of their tents and watched.

After a while, both men were back on the ground and had reached a stand off; both of them hit the other with their magical energy and both of them sent long steams of energy into the others body. Rakan’s energy streams were rich red while Bryce’s energy streams were golden orange. Both men screamed as they continued to inflict more pain on each other – and both men were soon on their knees but were still stubbornly expelling energy at each other, determined to do so with their last breath and both loathe to the idea of losing.