Innocence: Crumble To Dust
Arbitrary Betrayal (Part 1)- Chameleon
Head-aching . A nerve gaining there, bringing pain. It flowed over my body. Something was wheeling out, moving, as I started to open the cover upon my eyes.
I am moving forward .It was blurry. Not fine enough to understand. Was this another nightmare?
By the gods, maybe I fell upon the gratitude of those thousands of skulls.
Skulls? My tranquility wiped out to zero. I woke from that instance, my eyes flying open. I am at a circle ground. A camp. The forest around it wasn't alive, but it surrounded us.
There were lots of men and women lingering in this place. Their faces were embraced towards agony, etched with sadness. A campfire was set at the four corners of the encampment, and in the middle was a great mess-fire.
"You awake, Morass?" A walk behind me... someone had talked, and said my name. My real name. I turned, and there I saw an adolescence girl, maybe double my age.
How in the world had my past and future forces gained strength to build this image? I felt as if I was hallucinating in reatime.
She knows me. She smiled gently. "I couldn't have done it without Him. Thanks to this Man, The Commander at Arm, Master Shalamyne Movell."
A man stepped forward, "Glad you awake, son." That was similar, familiar tone… struck me through my ears . It was an army man, with the army wearing of an upper-level officer, lower than a Vanguard. But beneath the helm and the armor…Oh my god! it was him.
His fake chuckles were making him seem despair less, but I knew that face. I was unable to digest that.
And that time a new definition of fear struck into my mind.
I tried to know who Zegen Graths truly was. Was he Pasrelian? Was he Solian?
A Retrospective Chameleon!
Because I saw the same person in front of me, without any change in his presence, just army clothing. And that was the thing.
I realized he must have changed his clothes in that very first hideout, two nights of agony ago....
Reason for my clumsiness, that I was so scared and horrified by checkpocket and Graveyard incident back then that I didn't realized!!
"What's your name, son?", Zegen or Shalamyne cutting through my inner thoughts asked me this. What could I answer? What did I have to? A long pause would cost for both of us. Atleast for me.
So Zegen, seeing my panic, cracked the silence. He spit out a clever lie, "Here, I found this necklace on him," he said to the girl, pretending to hold something up.Which was not not necklace or atleast not necklace looking.
further he adds some clever word, "It was named 'Morass' or something. So, what's your name?" I got the key. He was giving me the key. I spoke, my voice hoarse, "Mora...a..ss..... Morass Graths."
That chameleon smiled at me! I kind of felt that, This thing was not part of the plan! Is this happening all because of me? because of my fall-out in the that horrifying lake! I started preasuming my guesses right.
"You quite look like my son, you know?" he spoke up cutting again my inner thoughts, his voice felt warmth. "Crugur, his name.", A silence absorbed the moment. Then the so-called Shalamyne said to the lady, 'Thanks' by shaking her hand. "Send the boy to Pasrel.", she said. her voice serious. Shalamyne showed her a calmness, arguing gently.
"How can I deduce his identity? His residency?" He turned and looked down at me. "Where are you from, champ? Paa...asrel....uhm...?" The way he said 'Pasrel' was weird, like a curse. He intentionally pronounced that absurd way. This was call for me to say 'no'! I shook my head. He smiled, "Oh ! Then you are Solian soil."
The lady looked nervous. "What about the army behind us?", she asked. She took a breath and added, "Don't tell them that he's Solian brat or something, this is pasrelian army camp. No mercy standards are here! even for baby child! You have to safeguard him or Oth...Otherwise, they gonna kill him limb to lim…" She cut herself off, seeing that I can here too from that closest.
She looked at me. Nodded like nothing happened just to safeguard my life!!
Then she spoke words to Shalamyne in another tongue, "Ekla ij kla der?''
It was the language of East Pasrel, I knew it. I understood. I wasn't in a place to get shocked by that.
"No, I wouldn't," Zegen gave her his assurance. "Pardon me but I would like to take care of that boy" she asked. Zegen shook her head. "No need, as I am here standing on my own good."
"So Movell Shalamyne, aint yeah?" A sound came towards us, unfamiliar. A new man. Zegen turned back, facing him. The man was the same height as Zegen, just a difference in age. Maybe Shalamyne would be double of his age. That man stood firmly like fire spirit and gazed towards me. For a couple moment that vision was eating my soul! Looks like Interrogating my sins!
Then he gazed towards Zegen. He rolled his eyes outside the camp, a clear sign for Zegen and gang to get out of the camp.
"Come on, man. What's the hate towards belongings?", shalamyne's response leaned towards funny approach!!
afterwards That Angry man thrusted his spit onto the ground ! then covered it with soil using boots of himself. All this done while he talking, "You are not a belonging here. because Shalamyne that i knew is A moral, ethical man.
And now I see a man just in-front of me, with his all clothing and his batch of honour and pretending to be him. Its just cheap tricker chameleon to my butthole?" "Listen, Gaile," Shalamyne countered. "Just a day. Maybe let over this night, Gaile!'',Shalamyne added this.
Yes! That angry young man had name called 'Gaile'.
Gaile's voice passing through his teeth, said, "You douchebag, playing around me for one night and a whole day, and you want this night, too?!"Then I realized that I had slept over one night and a whole god-damn day. This was the third night. My early fall-out was too dangerous!!Time had bent around my fear.
Gaile sparked, seeing me, and pointed at Zegen. "You don't have a clue. I just stayed calm for the moment, for the child to awake. Now, let the child with Apothecary Woman, and she will take root for Pasrel with child! And you are staying here!" This Shalamyne, countered, "You pretty know this. Are you really assigned for this work?"
''I know my duties, your talking is bullcrap", Gaile snapped.
Shalamyne sparked by saying, "A spare barrel of defense to Pasrel. And the leading in charge… that is you?"
"I am the fucking leading in charge here!",Gaile yelled.
"Well guess what I have upper hand!",Shalamyne plays his. further he adds,"Proof? Badge? Honour to your body? A full body where nudity is isnt about cloth-less''
''Your body is just… Chameleon and That's where you played!", Gaile shouted, his face went red.
''what are you buttering about so much? where's your batch?'', shalamyne asked calmy.
"You took it! Took it from that fruit shop in the town! Now you took shalamyne's identity, too!" He glared at Zegen or shalamyne.
"I think you are Solian.", Gaile waved his head, nodding yes to his own statement. But Zegen/shalamyne played his masterstroke, "No one knows you here before mission rather than being assigned by Vanguard Myle Strauss! But... a couple of peoples know me here. They do respect me. we have lot of guts and respect!!"
Zegen looked over at two army men, standing by the fire. He waved a hand of gratitude. They waved back. "Look that's what they call respect give and take in olden books! They are certified soldier of Pasrelia!," Zegen said to Gaile!
"They have a batch, like me. You saw them." Zegen chuckled!
Shalamyne/Zegen having low, confident sound, took a big breath, again says,'' you know what?..uh...You can take a badge from them—or anyone. They'll give it to you happily .But will you take it? Will you stoop that low your bar of pride or something?"
Gaile just stared. He was beaten. He started walking backwards, nodding 'yes' to himself, as if he was the one who had to prove he was true. All of this stuff was heard by that lady.
"Why you have to play like that? Being so... awful? He would have guessed morass's landing! you should behave like calm saint",she said.
Shalamyne spoke,'' Nothing to worry about now! I shook that crow long away! just sat here, near Morass''
She was sat near me now, reading a book. Her. The book was named "Verdict of a Fallen."
The name of the writer was not there. Maybe she wrote it.
Shalamyne looked at her and spoke, "Big hearings, huh? What's you reading? Melodrama?"She said, "It's a poetic, tragic life. The circule of a lineage, told through a singleton character." She looked down at the page, "And my favourite line was… ROGERED ONE ISN'T SEEK OUT FOR LIERS."
Zegen smirked.
.
.
"Oh. Must be the hero died by in the a war of despair, while fighting his past."
She shocks, looking up at him. "How do you know? I mean… you read it?" Zegen said, "I know the structure. As I heard from your description. The circle. Shyla."
.
.
.
.
She froze.
"You... you know me?" Her eyes widened while asking it.
Zegen got caught in his own trick of saying names. He is pretty bad at remembering or recalling names! first tine I felt he was faking but he truly is 'Name-Phobic Chameleon'!
While defending it, chameleon said, "No. Not yet."
"You just said that god-damn word mr Movell!" she said.
"You just said it! Here in this place, people call me as 'Apothecary' or 'Miss Kruin' or 'JIInJar', which is other name of apothecary."
Her voice was rising. "I didn't deduce my Identity!"
Zegen held up a her hand. "Shyle, shh, shh. When?"
"Again!" she whispered.
"Oh," Zegen said, faking confusion. "You are 'Shhh'?"
Silence for a moment. I was just there.
Then Zegen started speaking in the Luke-in language.
It was tough, but I rearranged some words of Zegen. He said: "...not... suppose... here... you... family... have..."And Shyla responded, her voice low and fast: "...that... me... tell... you... dont... people... less... family... are... these..."It was too tough for me to decode it all. She was also saying something else, pointing towards me. I couldn't utter the words, but I could feel it.
I could see Jelin in her.
>
>
>
Arbitrary Betrayal Part 2: Crumble
"I might privilege your words, Apothecary", Zegen, this Shalamyne, spoke to the young lady, but his eyes were locked on me.
"But… that standing boy perhaps speaks the Luke-in tongue!'', Zegen added up.
Shyla's head snapped up. Her confusion was on the spot for that suspicious happening. Her reaction sparked a deep curiosity, which led her to speak, "A Solian? Knowing this tongue of Pasrel?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"He is Pasrelian, then... ain't he?",Zegen put on a confused face and Incredulity, opposite to her words. A well put up which was obviously looks falls to Shayla!
Shyla's state turned humble, her eyes softening as she looked at me. She stepped closer. "Who are you? Tell me. I am not giving grants to this coward."
Her voice was low and kind. "Listen, child. I can fix this. Whatever it is, I can fix it."
Zegen stepped in. "Maybe the boy just woke up.'' He is addled. He pulled Shyla at some distance from me, so I could not hear their whispers clearly. But I watched them. I saw Shyla looking at Zegen, her face filled with pleading. I heard her voice, a sharp, urgent whisper, ''Don't use him as pet for your foreshadows''
''I don't know what's your play, your plan or anything but I do know you are using this Child, Morass! or maybe his name was not morass as I presume. He is crugur! You lied about your son's name so I got manipulated''
Zegen's silence worked her to believe that my real name is Crugur not Morass!
Further she added,
"Oh, for gods' sake, please! Let this boy come with me! my work for this Batch done here. I am goining To Pil—"
She cut herself off. quit looked like she didn't want him to learn about that place,she going to utter!
Her eyes were telling Zegen to Mery upon me. By the gods, she must know something. Something about the world, about life, about the dysfunction of humanity.
Then I heard Zegen's voice, cold as stone. "I never wanted you in the first place here."
Zegen added more, a low growl,
"You are much need for your peoples ,this boy Crugur have to come with me "
she said,'' so he is crugur..''
''You took child to the border! You are manipulating many soldiers and me without even realizing! May be now happening is your part of plan! Chamelion's plan!''
She… she started weeping out, and her each word was full of the despair of futures I could not see. Her words are so fragile! each and every letter cared about me! this is new for me! I was looking hopeful!
"Don't do anything mad! Let that boy live! And them too! You are a proud soldier, even if you are Kejisist!" (Keji=prayer of devil luke-in word)
Her cry was real....
Her lips hesitated as she spoke. "I can see that boy! He is filled with nothingness! What more treacherous thing do you want from him?!"
And our glorious Zegen wiped her tears with his thumb, while tearing her words apart,"I am doing soething....
....To live, this child. He must live. And as you can see,"
he said, his voice flat, "I am giving you the child. If he goes with you, then good. Looks like I have to change plans as you are here! I am giving you opportunity to save the child and let him into Pilgrim you spoke of before''
she never spoke about place pilgrim ,but Zegen knows that so it obvious!
From the back of Zegen , A man came out. A one of the from the two "certified" soldiers who had waved to Zegen. He gave a tiny sack to Zegen. Zegen pushed it into my hands. I sack was filled with fruits as I opened it. Maybe that man gave share of his own food to me!
"Go with Shyla. Go till the bridge. This bag has fruits. Eat them while you are returning."
Returning?I just nodded, my heart like a stone. Shyla was preparing and arranging her stuff for return.
''uhm I mean returning to Pasrel with shyla after the bridge, dont eat till the the bridge. You would be hungry if you eat all along! so Save it!''
That man, the rogue man, was also coming with us.
He was the sender, to take me to the cart, and probably to lead me back again. Shyla started to move, a leap to live.
But as she walked away, Zegen Shouted her name, aloud, for all in the camp to hear-"APO....THE....CARY!"
Everyone looked. I was with her, and the rogue man… he had already gone far away, invisible in the trees. Shyla looked behind. Seconds passed .Zegen said one word- "Fallens."An unnecessary word. But then he added, "Your favourite line- ROGERED ONE ISNT SEEK OUT FOR LIERS." He smirked. "It is from 'Verdict of Fallens.' Not 'Fallen.'"
She just nodded,''Okay''
That was some strange thing to happen!
We started moving ahead. That rogue man found us in the darkness. I think that Gaile guy gave us permission to leave with Shyla! I dont know how to react upon that situation. I was in dilemma to stay or go with shyla
A very big time passed. She was talking to me, telling stories related to 'Fairy and Fury' and other things, just to set me at ease, to make me come along with her .She was just comforting me. But i was looked dumb upon her ! It was really awkward for me .
She wanted to tell the truth, but she could not. She not wanted to break my Innocence, but who is going to tell her that I am murderer of my father and my friend. Zegen is the only one of saved me from the havoc! I was in dilemma. Brain stoped functioning and quickly responding!
We came to a bridge. But that wasn't the bridge from before. This one was going towards Pasrel again.
This was on the Zogra River. She put on her badge of apothecary to safely go through the checkpoints.
A cart was standing there. It had one bull. A bull which was missing one horn. I could see that cart and that bull. They were… similar to the past ones. Another man was riding the cart. Maybe He was Zegen's Man!
Shyla sat behind, in the back of the cart. Her feelings were unsettling to me. She was urged to put me in. But it was all up to me, upon my thoughts!
She looked... sad. And afraid. She looked at me, her face full of that same pity. And then,
she spoke, "You do have a chance to be with us, Crugur! don't fall for chameleon " Her words were gentle
a soft call coming from that bullock cart. By the gods, her voice was kind. The tip of her every finger urged me to leave this… this graveyard of a forest.
"Refuse your fear, pilgrim...." she called. "She is calling you!"
But every time she spoke, I felt myself sinking deeper, as if the soil were swallowing me whole. One foot felt affixed, stuck fast as though held by the dead. My urge to go was neglected by my own, deeper fear.Her voice came again, more desperate. That Old gramps saved my life twice! this is father figure for me!
what do I choose?
Father figure or figure like Jelin.
"Last chance!"
she shouted at me, ''Fuck this place! You have to come with me, Everyone is kind there and you will live happily
And.....
you will get your girl there''
She gasped every spoken word!
now she was trying to bribe me!
I looked at her, trapped in a dilemma of belief.
She could see the terror in my eyes and was trying to ease it, to calm me. I moved slightly. My fingertips trembled, reaching toward her hand to grab And then… something grabbed me. A cold hand, from behind, from beneath the soil. It seized my right foot. The touch was sharp, and a shockwave of pure, cold terror shot through me. I felt myself fall—not onto the soil, but into the black Zogra River.
The cart moved ahead.
But it moved without me.
Unburning the burnt-Memoir of spit
The fall. It happened so fast.
But the Zogra river… it wasn't that deep. By the gods, it was not filled with water. It was a dry gash in the earth, a ditch where the desert swallon (swallowed) all the water-droplets, leaving only hot sand and ash.
Something had pulled me into the river. I looked down at my right foot. It was… burned. The skin was red, sizzling, blistering in the hot sand. That wasn't a shockwave I'd felt. That was real pain.
My heart hammered. Who was calling me? What was at the end of the river? My curiosity was peaked for few seconds, cut short as I saw a burning place. which was not visible from up.
No. Not a place.
They are peoples.
My anxiety and fear started growing, choking me.
I saw them. I saw the view from back… no, they were turning. Crawling towards me.
They was asking for help.
Their voices were not human. They were a hiss, a crackle. Like wet wood on a fire, but with words.
"Hhh... elp... uss..."
"Waa... terr..."
"Gods... Gods... burn..."
They can't come near me. They knew, by the gods, they knew they could have burn me.
But they are asking for help! for me!
They stopped, a few feet away, reaching with hands that were just blackened bones, flesh melting from them like hot wax. They know it, but they were still begging for life. They wanted to live
Each and every language... they started to speak with me, anything they knew, as there limit.
Pasrelian.
Old Solian.
Tongues I had never heard. A mess of dying words.
And then my realization hit me. It was a shock, a physical blow.
I waved away the opportunity.
I left Shyla. And now… now im middle of 7 poeples.
The seven slaves.
Eyes squinted, forcing them open, frightening them against the sight. I was crunching my own fingers, digging my nails into my palms until they bled. I started slapping my self, hitting my own face, again and again, as punishment.
THAT THEY GOD DIED!
"You fool!" I screamed at myself. "You left her! You fool!"
I looked closer at them. Their iron handcuffs... they were melted. Melted into their wrists, fused with their burning arms.
That son of a bitch, Zegen He burned them to hell.
What in the world do I live in? What hell is this? why zegen wanted to kill them? what he planned gore that much?
They had lost their human integrity! looking like burned devil!
Zegen was a liar.
Zegen was a fucking liar!
They weren't "living corpses." They were people. I could feel the humanity. I could feel the moment in them, the desperate, A dying truth.
In the moment, fragile truth was that they more human than me!
My cry was not enough for that gore. It was a small, pathetic sound.
I started looking for water. "Water!" I shrieked, scrambling in the sand. "Water!"
There is not water in this fucking place! who the fuck drank much?
May be I can use this sack full of fruits!
I started squeezing apples and grapes into thier mother, eyes each and every-part possible!
There was only 7 fruits inside! which was opposite for weight of sack!
then I realized, that fucking zegen put a batches in my fucking sack
I yelled loudly,''ZEGENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN''
what should I do now? what...whatttttttt
Can I use my spit? Was that enough?
I tried.
I gathered what little spit I had in my dry, ash-filled mouth and crawled closer to the nearest one, a woman.
I leaned forward to let it drop on her. I Crumbled all my spit upon her lips!
I tried! couple more! Thrice more! I tried to let it happen!
But that dry gash wasn't unable to cover her face.
She stepped back hinting me not to waste upon her..
She was crying without droplets! I could see that much!
I just... broke. I fell onto the hot sand and screamed, a long, tearing wail of guilt and horror.
A man founded me in this state of broken as possible.
I looked up. It was him. The "rogue man" from the camp.A fucking whore of Zegen.
The one who had walked with us. He just... stood there, his face hard, looking down at me, and at the burning, hissing bodies.
Rage. Pure, black rage filled me. This was his fault. Zegen's fault. They were liars.
I started attacking that man by rocks. I grabbed a stone from the dry riverbed and threw it as hard as I could.
"YOU DID THIS!" I shrieked. "LIAR! YOU KILLED THEM! YOU BURNED THEM ALIVE! YOU UGLY WHORE-MONGERS"
A slight rock Shot his head. A dark line of blood trickled from his temple.
He don't wanted to kill me. His face... it was just tired. But his anger at my attack lead he to hit me.
He stepped forward, his hand moving fast as a snake.
CRACK!
He hit me, just thrice, hard across the face.
And I fainted, my world fainted white.
.
Looks like Rivers are meant to cry me out
.
Arbitrary Betrayal Part 3 - Flames of Heart
After the havoc....
I opened my eyes. The white fog of my faint faded, replaced by the cold, hard wood of a floor. I was looking at a dead man in front of me. It was him. The rogue man. The one sent by Zegen to "guide" me. The one who had hit me with the rock. But he was no longer a guide. He was meat. He was crushed. The heavy wood of the cart had fallen upon him, or perhaps run him over in a haste I had missed while sleeping in the dark. His chest was flat, his eyes staring at nothing.
Maybe Shyla came to save me? My heart jumped with a small hope. But no. That is not the truth. I looked around. This was not Shyla's cart. This was a new cart. Stronger wood, iron rims. It was a cart from the camp. I slowly sat up, my head throbbing from the rogue man's strike. I looked to the back of the cart.
There was a man slumped there. He was breathing hard, shallow, ragged breaths. It was Zegen. He was in a terrible state. His face was pale, covered in sweat and soot. But his arm…
I looked at his right hand. It was twisted, unnatural, as if the bones inside had decided to look at the sky. It was dislocated, hanging limp, with a deep, bloody gash where a spike had surely pierced him. I was not in a state and manner to talk to him. My body hurt. My soul hurt from the burning slaves. I just wanted a peace. I just wanted the silence. But then, looking at him, looking at the dead rogue man, and this army cart… I realised. I realised what Zegen did to the camp. He didn't just leave. He burned it down. He destroyed them. My sleep was gone. My peace was wiped to zero. The rage returned, cold and sharp .
I started to wake him up. I crawled over to him, grabbing his good shoulder. "Wake up, you bastard!" I was calling him, shaking him. He groaned, his eyes fluttering but not seeing. "Was I any better than Zegen? In that cruel moment, guilt tasted as bitter as blood. he is now dead. dead with his motive. Now i can look for my own. suddenly eyes sight sees the tiny sack gifted by Zegen was full of badges, a badges of honor "What you did there?" I screamed. "What did you do to them?!" I thought of the burning slaves. I thought of Shyla. "What Shyla told you about?" I demanded, shaking him harder. "You betrayed me!" I screamed it again.
"YOU BETRAYED ME!" All I was saying won't affected Zegen. He was injured badly. The pain of his twisted hand and the toll of his battle had taken him. He was unable to respond, just a broken man in a stolen cart, dragging me further into his hell.
(The camp, moments after Morass departed with Shyla…
back to the past)
A man, the rogue sender, passed a tiny sack to Shalamyne. He gave an alert, knocking on his own back thrice. Thump-thump-thump. "They are coming." The tiny sack… Zegen, this Shalamyne, had given it to Morass, to Crugur. That bag did not contain fruits. By the gods, it contained the badges of the Pasrelian army in the camp. Probably twenty-eight of them. At this time, while the camp slept or ate, Zegen had knocked off all their badges, stolen them one by one, and given them to the boy, saying, "Fruits for the returning way." Morass went with Shyla. Just as he said. Then, Zegen turned.
He walked to the messfire located in the middle of the camp, looking for a meal, bold as brass. "Intruders not allowed," Gaile said, stepping into his path. Zegen answered with that confusing trademark of his. "Am I?" "Yeah, really it is," Gaile spat. "What's the point to send the boy with that girl? Without you? What are your plottings?" Gaile looked suspicious towards Shalamyne. "Nature's call, probably," Shalamyne answered, shrugging. Gaile smirked. "Oh really? With the girl?" "Think of it," Shalamyne said, his voice smooth. "I think the boy has some trauma.
So probably she is trying to heal his wounds. You know about her, ain't you?" Gaile quickened his response. "She is a traveler and we appointed her for help." Shalamyne raised an eyebrow. "That's it?" "Yes, my dear spy," Gaile again quick responded. Shalamyne nodded slowly. "Girl has some lore." "Wanna see my lore?" Gaile asked. CRACK.
Gaile punched hard into the face of Shalamyne. Twenty-seven armed men and women looked upon them, but couldn't do anything. These two had been at each other's throats all the time.
"Ouchh!! Ahh uhh!!" Shalamyne stumbled back. "Am I responsible for your birth? Why are you in anger, pal?" A quick reaction. Shalamyne took out a cracked tooth from his mouth and threw it into the fire. Hiss. Gaile came forward. Shalamyne hesitated, backing away. He started moving backward from the position he fell in. His movements stopped when his back clashed with a spiky rock formation.
He wanted to move back but couldn't, so he started to move left or right. In an instance, Gaile grabbed his long hair, striking him back against the spike giant rock. THUD. "For the sake… the kid is gone for a moment," Gaile hissed, his words punched out as he slammed Shalamyne's head to the rock. Several times. It lead to bleeding. Gaile further added words in a cold manner. "Now tell your name and your motive." Shalamyne was shaking from fear. Everyone was looking at him.
Gaile stroked the head of Shalamyne to the spikey rock several times more, asking the same questions. But Shalamyne was not responding due to fear. Gaile went further. He grabbed the crotch of Shalamyne, lifted him to his back, and throws him towards the messfire. WHOOSH. Full anger of him says, "TELL ME WHO YOU ARE?!" A couple of pikemen stopped, pulling backward on Gaile, and some rookies pulled Zegen back from the messfire just in time. He was saved, but some hairs burned.
He couldn't see anything as he was in terror fear. "Are you crazy, man? Going at all like that?" one of the pikemen spoke to Gaile. Shalamyne panted, holding his head. "Fineee… I'll go away. If you don't need me… I was for the help… and back." Gaile knocked him down again. "Gutsy man, peeing on the ground. Nothing worsen than you. Leave the kid, or else burn to hell." Shalamyne answered, weak and broken.
"Fine, I'll take my badge…" He started patting his chest, looking for his badge. But it was lost. Maybe in the fight with Gaile. Or maybe… it was never there. "You son of a thousand whores fucked my badge!" Shalamyne spoke with his remaining spirit. "Ahh, you dropped a limb," Gaile counter-attacked. This would have led further, but some men came out from the outside. They were eighteen. They came with a bull…
the same kind of bull Zegen, aka Shalamyne, had. Sirneal Archer, the leading man, approached. "Beating party? Nicee." Then his tone moderated. "Who are you all supposed to be to us?" Gaile saw the badge of honour on him. He realised the front he and his team came across was from the last bunker of the Pasrelian front, which is direct back to the real battlefield, the "Desert of Lucain." Gaile bowed towards him.
"My honour to meet you, Sir Nigeal Archqueen." Sirneal cut his voice with a higher tone. "Shut up, you twisted jerk!" He stepped closer. "Who said my name is Queen?" Gaile stammered. "Vanguard Myle Strauss assigned us to the last barrel… to the last bunker… means to you." Sirneal waved his head. Two of his pikemen grabbed the hands of Gaile and knuckled him down on his knees, hands tightened to his back.
Army men from both fronts went on alert. "Why, my lord?" Gaile responded to the quick action of Sirneal. "I am Sirneal," the commander said coldly. "Not a Nigeal. Or any Queen is not in my surname." Gaile is shocked. "What?" Sirneal responded, "Yes, it is. And there is no Vanguard Strauss. Even if newly added, the King won't add such authority to him, nor the Head Minister." Gaile responded by saying, "But we are Pasrelian! And a back-up plan to you all!" "We weren't notified by a Samench messenger," Sirneal humbled the words of Gaile. Sirneal further added, "So… you all are Pasrelian?" Gaile and all responded, "Yes." Including Shalamyne.
Gaile looked at Shalamyne and hissed, "Not you, jerk." Then he looked at Sirneal and said, "Sir, this is a Solian. Grab him and leave me." Sirneal said, "Yeah. We have to grab him. And all of you Solian whores." Gaile started to say "We are not Solian," while at the same time one pikeman shut his mouth by slapping both sides of his face. Smack! Sirneal responded, "Your badge is missing.
" Gaile, while recovering from the slap, said, "Badge is not the only thing used for loyalty! See my wearings! And all I know about Pasrel!" Sirneal's righthand man, Voicethorwe, responded to Gaile. "Yeah, he's right. Traitors can't get the same clothings, and they don't have knowledge about the rival land. And they are dumb… like what you are doing." Gaile responded, narrowing his eyes, "You must be Flamethorve." Sirneal laughed so hard on how he named the Voicethorwe. "Flamethrower would be good to him!" Voicethorwe sneered at Gaile. "Haha. Flame in your arse." Sirneal said to Gaile while looking at his eyes, "Look.
I am giving a chance to you. If one of your front do have anything precious, or a badge, we will think about your freedom." Gaile's hope rose. "Yes sir! Hey, you all! Please show your badges!" Everyone checked their pockets. They were positioning their hands, searching… but were unable to find them. It was like they were lost in some dark void. "I was a holder till a couple of time ago," Shalamyne answered from the ground.
"But this Gaile threw it away." No one looked at his response, but they listened. Sirneal said while in same state, "Gaile… I think you are the leader, by the way of taking." Gaile responded, "Yes sir." "Armen klies…." Sirneal said something. A code. Gaile was confused and couldn't give an answer. Sirneal approached all and asked, "Anybody knows?" Shalamyne quickens by saying, "I do! I do!" Sirneal says, "What is it?" Zegen aka Shalamyne answered, "Mlead…?" Sirneal says, "Close enough. But wrong." Further he adds, "So nobody knows this.
And you are thinking I would dare to free you from this burden, you pimp?" Gaile responded, desperate now. "Gaile is my name! We are newbies assigned for this!" "Now ready for death."
A cold response of Sirneal heated up the place. Sirneal further says, "I was thinking about who you are. Oren Madello, a traitor from past 8 years ago, minister killer… then I realised how he could be such nonchalant to the plotting word. You are just a jerk, leaded by the least motivation by some man like Oren himself. So tell me where he is, or die?" Gaile responded with the intention to tell truth to Sirneal. "I don't know this sir! I am the real one! I am from Glazarc region!
Minister Oracs Pointer was my mentor! I trained under him for 5 years! I have no war experience so he approached me for this mission to Minister Salavatour!" Sirneal was stressed by the uttering of Gaile. He says to Gaile, "Again. Who is Salavatour?" "Creating names are a good thing for you," Sirneal sighed. "Gaile… such a weirdass name like Salavatour. And you do know one of Minister's name.
Now tell me where is your boss?" Gaile realised, This was the doing of Shalamyne. He looked at Shalamyne. He was calm, yet responsive. Gaile gave a look to Shalamyne, not in anger, but in the psyche of guts. A realization of the game. Gaile, while looking at Shalamyne, said, "You got all you want. Sending the child to the other side. Living me helpless. A dual between two fronts. But not further more lies and utterings." Shalamyne looked confused. So as Sirneal and every other. Sirneal says, "Now you pulling this on him? A man who is beaten by you? Maybe he was against your plan. So, any words?" Gaile says, "I lost this battle.
I don't have any words. But I can stop others from dying. I choose death, but spare the other.
" Sirneal says, "We will investigate all. But knocking down you was the idea. So any wish or words before execution? I mean, who you wanted to be die?" Gaile responded, his voice steady. "I prefer to die as a warrior, far from the hunger of a race accursed by humanity's filthiest beasts. A perfect execution of me from the world. Not give in weight sorrow to others about me. A lone bug. Drops of water for me was my insult.
" Sirneal says, "So calm, huh?" Gaile says, "Yeah. That was the initial plan. But as I think, I have to die as a true warrior who fought against the race. A mere bug who was going to save the flower and guard it. I drench each of my blood to death just to ensure my belongings are safe. And after my death… don't go killing anybody or mourn upon me.
That would be great to fail someone's plan. Say enough to the liars, for now… Rogered one is not seek out for liers." Sirneal orders. SCHWACK. The pikemen chopped the head of Gaile. Every single being of the front of Gaile was in shock. Their fingertips became cold as icebergs. "I found my badge! Why you killed him?!"
At the messfire, Shalamyne finds it. He holds it up. "Was a klead the answer of the code before?" Shalamyne asked innocently. Every single person was looking towards Shalamyne. A full of anger and vengeance about what he did. And what Leader Gaile wanted to tell about Shalamyne Movell's true nature. SPLASH.
.
.
.
A pikeman threw a spike onto the right hand of Shalamyne. It pierced through. He started bleeding upon instant. Shalamyne felt down, screaming. "Kill that bastard!" one from Gaile's front attacked on Shalamyne. "He has something same as him! Stop everyone!" Sirneal ordered his men. And the
.
.
.
duel started.