by Mark Omodia
Chapter 11
The Break-in
It took days for Ozin and his comrades to prepare for the mission. They scratched every surface to ensure their plan was ironclad. Now they were ready. They left just before sunrise. Cylas instructed two of his guards to accompany Ozin and his comrade. They were all clad in hooded capes. They also had a wagon which contained Morr military attire so they could change when they get into the fortress. Ozin held the map and each Morflon had a satchel of the disfrazer.
'What about Gaiel?' Ozin asked.
'We gave him a little something yester night', Cylas replied with a grin. 'By the time he wakes up you would have been long gone.'
'He is a tricky one', Ozin cautioned. 'Make sure you keep an eye on him until we get back.'
'You have my word brother', Cylas assured Ozin. 'You would come pick him up when you return... you should be worried about yourself, not Gaiel... You know something has been on my mind. Why? You are not related to him... I get that you are friends but to risk your life for him? What makes him so special to you? Why do you love him so much?'
'You take care, brother', Ozin replied. 'I'll see you when I return.'
Those were Ozin's parting words as he and his comrades left the Rho tribe.
By evening, they were near the fortress. They hid from a distance as they watched the Morr soldiers fall in line in order to march into the fortress, the drums of parade resounding everywhere.
By this time, another shift was due. They each had a picture of different Morr soldiers. They brought out the pictures and gazed at them as each of them swallowed a disfrazer pill. Just as they changed, they heard someone coming in the bushes behind them. It appeared to be a Morr. They ambushed him and pinned him on the ground.
'Wait!' he yelled as one of them was about to slit his throat. 'I am one of you. Check my left pocket and you will see a satchel of disfrazer.'
They held him as they searched his pocket. They found a satchel of disfrazers.
'Who are you?' Ozin asked.
'My name is Bilok', he replied. 'I am a native of the Rho tribe. When I heard you where embarking on this journey I decided to come along.'
'Why do you want to come along?' Ozin asked him.
'The Red clan captured my brother and sold him as a slave to the Morrs', he replied.
At Ozin's command, they let go of Bilok.
'I am sorry but you cannot come with us', Ozin told him.
'Please let me come along', he begged Ozin.
'You would jeopardize our mission', Ozin replied.
'I know the fortress well', he then told Ozin. 'I could show you the way to the hole.'
'We do not need your help', Ozin replied.
'Please', he begged. 'You of all creatures should know how it feels to lose someone important to you. How it burns inside knowing your loved one is going through torture and you cannot do anything about it... Please! At least let me get in then I'll find my way from there.'
All eyes were on Ozin as they awaited his decision.
'Fine', he said. 'You can tag along. Once we get into the fortress we go our separate ways.'
'Thank you so much', he said as he sprang up and embraced Ozin in joy. Ozin was stunned.
'We should get moving', Ozin said. 'The soldiers are marching in.'
They immediately blended into the army as they marched inside the fortress. The massive stone gates gradually slid open as they were pulled by chains connected to motors. It was as if the gates of paradise were opened. The hearts of Ozin and his comrades raced as they marched in. Their mission was just getting started. Finally after days of preparation, they were finally in.
In order to identify themselves, they stained their right arms with red mud. In addition to that they used a clenched fist as their symbol. It took half an hour for the army to march through the stretch of interlocked stones with flowers on either side. Just as they passed the road, the wagons began to break away from the parade, each one going to its destination. Ozin and his comrades also broke away and went into the slum nearest to the hole. In a deserted alley, they changed into Morr military attire and ditched the wagon.
'You can head your way now', Ozin told Bilok. 'Good luck finding your brother.'
'Thank you Elder Ozin', Bilok said. 'I hope you find Morriah.'
They parted ways and Ozin and his comrades headed for the hole.
The hole was horrifying. They could feel the misery of the prisoners as they approached the hole. They were stopped at the gate.
'We are here on orders from the king', Ozin said.
He then showed a forged document containing the King's seal. The guards examined the document. He looked at them with steely eyes and after a nerve wracking silence, he let them through.
They could hear wailing, growling and sneering as they passed by each cell. There were guards all over the place. Ozin and his comrades had devised a plan to get to the fifth level. They made a sort of parachute to control their fall to the fifth level. One by one they jumped down roughly landing on the fifth level. They were searching the cells when they were stopped by a guard. He looked at them in suspicion. Some other guards were watching. The guard had noticed that they used parachutes fly down to the fifth level and he found that suspicious.
The guard drew closer to them, examining them. The Morflon's hearts raced as other guards came closer as well. Unknown to Ozin and his comrades, the disfrazer had worn out on one of them and he had turned back to his Morflon self. The guard just noticed this and luckily, so did Ozin who was quick to realize that the gig was up. He immediately slit the guard's throat and the other guards came attacking. It was an all-out assault. The Morflon one by one transformed to their normal selves as they fought valiantly, uprooting guard after guard from the ground. But Ozin and his comrades were outnumbered. Morr guards flying in from all angles like a swarm of bees attacked them, taking jabs at them whenever they could. There entire dungeon was filled with frenzied roars and cheers as the prisoners watched the fight.
It was not long until Ozin and his comrades were subdued. They were bound in chains and taken before the king.
Meanwhile, at the Rho tribe, Cylas was prancing about. He was hysterical. All his guards and servants were serving punishment. Gaiel was missing.
'How could you let him leave this mansion', he yelled. 'Can you do anything right?'
'My lord', they begged. 'We did as you instructed. We drugged his food and tucked him in bed.'
'Then how did he escape?' Cylas raged. 'What do I tell Ozin? What do I tell his father?'
Back at the fortress, the king was at court with his courtiers and me when some guards came in with the Morflon. Bound in chains, they were made to kneel before the king. King Sett recognized Ozin who was badly bruised. King Sett stared at him as the guards spoke. I was also watching keenly.
'Your highness', the guard began. 'These Morflon broke into the hole.'
The room was immediately abuzz with murmurs and gasps.
'I know you', King Sett said to Ozin who just spat blood out of his mouth. 'You were the one who came to beg for your brother to be released.'
Just as he finished speaking, some guards came in with Bilok who was also bound in chains and forced to kneel beside the rest of the Morflon.
'Your highness', they said. 'We caught this one tailing them.'
Bilok threw up on the marble floor to the utter disgust of everyone. In doing so he threw up the disfrazer he had swallowed. Everyone watched as he turned back to his Morflon self. My heart raced as his hair turned into high top fade dreadlocks. My fears were confirmed as he totally transformed into Gaiel. Everyone was shocked. I didn't know what was going on. First Ozin then Gaiel; obviously, something was wrong.
'Your highness', the guards continued. 'The Morflon have discovered a means of disguising themselves to look just like us.'
Raising a satchel for all to see, he said; 'This is what they use. We seized it from them.'
'One pill of this and they be
come whoever they want to be', he continued as he poured some into his palm for all to see.
There were loud murmurs.
'How dare you sneak into my fortress?' King Sett asked in anger.
'You refused to set my brother free', Ozin replied. 'Did you expect me to idly fret?'
'Your brother's case has been resolved', King Sett snapped.
'Is that so?' Ozin asked sarcastically. 'Then why is Azadus broken and miserable? You double-crossed him.'
'You lie Morflon', King Sett retorted.
It was then Ozin noticed me. Surprise was written all over me.
'Eric', he exclaimed.
'I see he didn't harm you after all', he said.
I was shocked and disappointed. Had King Sett lied to me? I was perplexed.
'Take these Morflon to the hole', King Sett ordered his guards.
'Your highness', I said. 'What is this I hear?'
King Sett was silent.
'Tell me you released Morriah', I continued.
'Why do you not tell Eric what you did?' Ozin said as the guards moved to grab him. I am surprised you didn't even know.'
'Your highness', I said. 'You promised to be truthful to me. Now is the time to prove that you are one who keeps his word. Please tell me the reason for my stay here wasn't a lie. Please tell me I have not been deceived all this while.'
There was silence as the Morflon were bundled out of the palace. I was furious as King Sett could not reply me. Guilt was written all over him and I knew at that moment that King Sett had deceived me.
'Fine', I said. All eyes were on me.
'I have a request to make' I continued. Release Morriah and all his comrades and I will renew my trust in you. All this will be bygone, forgotten.'
Everyone was shocked that I could make such a request.
'Impossible!' Egon yelled. 'Who do you think you are? You think you can just make demands?'
'Be quiet Egon', King Sett said.
Turning to me he said; 'Eric you know what you are asking for is impossible. I cannot release them. Their actions are grave. You have to understand.'
'Understand?' I asked. 'Your highness you deceived me, and all along you said they were the treacherous folk.'
'I was going to tell you eventually', he tried to explain.
'Your highness', I said. 'Words alone cannot correct the damage you have done. They must be followed up with appropriate action. Set them free and all will go back to normal between us. I promise you that... otherwise you can lock me up as well because I already feel like a prisoner within these walls.'
King Sett just bowed his head in shame. He was confused and weary. He could not figure a way out of this mess.