by S. K. Ng
“Wow, I did not know you could do that!” shouted a voice from behind.
Lance turned around to see his new friend and classmate Iron Genox walking up towards him.
“Reason _ what is it of this that you are here?” asked Lance, surprised.
“Looking for my sister Serene. My mother wanted me to ask her if she was coming home for dinner tonight. I am supposed to ask cousin Clover as well,” answered Iron.
“Mission _ Serene is out on one of this and Clover is sleeping in her quarters after doing the night shift last night,” informed Lance.
“Well in that case, I should probably call on her later. So show me what else you can do?” Iron said.
“Skills _ not much as that was just about the limit of mine of these at the moment,” Lance confessed.
“Come on Lance; show me some of that Elementhar stuff! Serene never shows me anything and Clover, well, she is too brainy and whatever she does show me gives me a headache. Come on, show me what you can do,” requested Iron.
Lance shrugged his shoulders and finally nodded his head. Turning back to the target, he executed another intermediate level spell, but this one of the earth element. A long, thin shaft of solid stone materialised from Lance’s fingers and flew towards a wooden target when he threw it, shattering the target to pieces and smashing the one behind it as well.
“Wow! That was great. What is the name of this spell?” asked an excited Iron Genox.
“Stone Spear Spell! Version _ it is the earth element of this of the Heat Spear and Frozen Trident, and is used to destroy two enemies with one execution if they stood in tandem,” answered Lance.
“Fantastic! Can I learn?” asked Iron.
Lance was shocked by Iron’s question. But perhaps he should not have been. Lance had thought that Iron would not be interested in Elemental Sorcery, seeing that he came from a background steeped in military history and traditions and would normally look down on the ‘unpatriotic’ mentality of the Elementhars. But he also had an elder sister and a cousin who were Elementhars, so apparently the normal mentality of the military tradition did not apply to him anymore.
“Ask _ of this, you need to do to Master Iddell, but are you sure; really, really sure?” Lance said.
“Yes, I think so. My dad will be furious, of course. So will my uncles. But what the hell do I care! Cousin Clover is right. We should not be blinded by family traditions. Besides, I can impress the girls if I have some Elemental Sorcery skills, can I not?” said Iron cheekily.
Lance shook his head. He did not think Ray would approve of Iron’s motive for learning Elemental Sorcery.
“Careful _ just be of this that you do not accidentally burn your date, Iron. Girls _ they of them will not be impressed with you if their hair is set on fire. Tongue _ but if you want to learn Elemental Sorcery, you must start speaking in the olden of this,” he said.
“What!? Speak funny like you, Lance? Must I speak the olden tongue in order to learn Elemental Sorcery?” asked Iron.
“Check _ you have to do of this with Master Iddell,” said Lance in a ‘matter of fact’ sort of tone.
“Fine. I shall speak the olden tongue! Done _ of this, are you with your practise, for I request your company in loitering by the riverside, so that my parents cannot find me and force me to do my homework!” Iron surrendered.
“Homework? Yuck! Race _ I shall do of this to you to the riverside. Go!” yelled Lance as he burst into a sudden sprint.
Iron gave a ‘I have just been cheated’ look and chased after Lance. Spirit chased after both the boys. Someone had got to keep eye on these pups, he thought!
Meanwhile, in a torch-lit secret underground lair, Lord Destiny sat frowning in his throne-like chair. An old, fragile hunchback man dressed in worn-out robes approached him and afforded a humble but weak bow.
“What troubles you, my lord?” asked the old hunchback.
“Wischen, my plans are falling apart! Damn that Elementhar Ray Iddell!” expressed Lord Destiny as he slammed his fist on the arm of his chair.
“The Elementhar is just a minor obstacle. Do not let such trivial factors bother you, my lord,” advised Wischen.
“Minor obstacle? Are you blind, Wischen!? One of my best agents is now in prison because of him! It took me much time and effort to acquire her and it took me even more to put this plan together, but now it is coming undone! Undone, by this insignificant, wandering insect!” Lord Destiny pointed out.
Wischen shook his head and smiled, exposing his rotten teeth in the process.
“The plan is still viable, my lord. All is not lost! The Shadow Deathmerchant Clan is still trying to assassinate the prince. Their Lead Assassin has managed to escape and may still complete her mission. But even if they fail, it does not matter. The prince is just an obstacle. If we cannot remove him, then we shall just have to go around him. Keep your eyes on the big picture. Operation Serpent Smoke is still coming along nicely and when it is put into effect, it will tie the prince up and keep him out of the way. Then you, my lord, can make the killing move. To take what is rightfully yours!” he said.
“Operation Serpent Smoke? I was planning to abandon that plan! It is very costly! To give the Serpentians a whole Fallsian province as a reward is too much of a sacrifice! Are you sure that this will work? Is it worth it?” asked Lord Destiny.
Wischen shook his head again. Then he spoke slowly and clearly.
“The reward is irrelevant, my lord! When you have achieved what you deserve, all you have to do is grab the province back from them. The Shadow Deathmerchant Clan or others like it will be useful in weakening them. Then you go in for the kill, and take all that is theirs, Fallsian province and all,” he explained.
“They are not easily betrayed and harder still to defeat, Wischen!” objected Lord Destiny.
“They are corruptible, my lord! They are highly competitive and jealous of one another’s power. Divide them, and conquer them one by one! Instigate conflict amongst them. Get them to kill each other. Then you go in and kill whoever that is left. It may take a few years, but in the end, all will be yours, my lord!” insisted Wischen.
“Are you sure, Wischen? We are crossing a line here that we cannot turn back from. What if they betray us before we betray them? Or what if they do not stop at one province but instead proceed to take all? What guarantees are there that things will turn out the way we want them to?” questioned Lord Destiny.
Wischen gave Lord Destiny another gentle, assuring smile.
“Fear not, my lord! King Fangstrike needs you more than you need him. Without your support he would lose his crown and the head it sits on in an instant! The Serpentian battlelords would all challenge him for the crown through their Trials of Worthiness. He would be fighting for his life every single day. How long do you think he will last? He cannot afford to betray you. How else would he get the money to pay off the spies and saboteurs he has planted amongst his battlelords? And who else would send assassins to kill off his potential challengers on his behalf? And as for the Serpentians as a whole, they do not have the sufficient resources to take even one province on their own, let alone the entire kingdom! If they could, they would have already done so, but they have not, because they cannot! They need the information on Fallsian military strength and strategies, and you will only be providing for that one province alone, not the rest. They will also rely on you to ‘mismanage’ the Fallsian military logistics for them. Without your contribution, they will fail. They need you more than you need them, my lord,” answered Wischen.
Lord Destiny took in a deep breath and paused for a while. He thought about what Wischen has said. He conceded that Wischen had some strong, valid points.
“And what of the Elementhar? What if he interferes?” asked Lord Destiny.
“We shall have to make sure that he does not. Let him share the prince’s fate. If he does not get killed then at least he will be preoccupied and out of the way,” replied Wischen.
“And what
of our ‘other friends’?” enquired Lord Destiny.
“They, my lord, are totally loyal to you and will do your every bidding,” assured Wischen.
“Are you sure you can control them?” checked Lord Destiny.
“Absolutely, my lord!” guaranteed Wischen.
“Good! Then let us carry on with Operation Serpent Smoke. Send out the messengers and make all the necessary arrangements. This had better work, Wischen, or I shall have your head!” threatened Lord Destiny.
Wischen did not reply. He gave a feeble bow and excused himself. But as he approached the doorway on his way out, he turned around to face his master.
“And what of the woman, my lord?” he asked.
“It is better that she is silenced! Arrange for that as well!” answered Lord Destiny.
“Very well, my lord! I know an independent operator. He will get the job done,” said Wischen as he turned around again to make his way out.
Lord Destiny sat on his throne-like chair, continuing to frown and stare blankly ahead, his mind wandering in search of some hidden answers that eluded his intelligent, egotistical and corrupted mind.
The 16th Morning of Fourth Month of Dry Season saw a hive of activities at the Fallsene City courthouse, plainly named Courthouse Fallsene. Located near Palace Liberty, the courthouse was used not only for civilian cases but for military ones as well. It consisted of a huge, multi-storey ‘U-shaped’ building with surrounding gardens and tall, solid steel perimeter fences. Serene and a limping, crutch-supported Rod sat themselves down in a large courtroom packed with comrades and friends from Fort Eastguard. All of them were seated on the defendant’s side. The prosecution side, meanwhile, was totally empty.
A side door to the courtroom opened and five Royal Guards marched in with Thorn in the middle. Immediately, Serene and the others stood up and bowed to their accused comrade. Thorn could only nod his head in appreciation without breaking the rhythm of the march. His hands and legs were shackled and made metallic clanking sounds as he was marched up to the defendant’s seat and sat down. Then one of the Royal Guards unshackled him. Next, the prosecution team marched in. They consisted of one minvian-ranked Royal Guard and two convian-ranked ones. Serene’s face lit up in anger when she recognised the minvian-ranked prosecutor, for it was none other than Sky Proest. She wondered what he had done to deserve his promotion.
“All rise to honour Orgavian Gust Scallern, presiding judge for Fallsian Military court-martial case three one one zero zero!!” commanded one of the Royal Guards escorting Thorn.
All present in the courtroom stood up and bowed, though Rod did so much slower and clumsier than the others. Orgavian Scallern took his seat.
“Prosecution, identify!” commanded the orgavian
“Minvian Proest, Convians Flax and Norren, Your Justice!” announced Sky as he and his comrades stood up and bowed.
“Defence, identify!” commanded Orgavian Scallern.
“Minvian Sayvion and none other, Your Justice!” announced Thorn as he too stood up and bowed.
“Prosecution, specify charges!” directed the orgavian.
“Charges are one count of insubordination and one count of desertion against Minvian Thorn Sayvion, Your Justice!” said Sky.
“Defence, against these charges, how do you plea?” asked the orgavian.
“Defence pleads guilty to both charges, Your Justice!” answered Thorn.
The courtroom burst into a buzz of shock and disbelief. There were a significant number who pleaded with Thorn to change his stance. But Thorn just stood calmly and stared the orgavian straight in the eyes. Orgavian Scallern slammed his little hammer to silence the crowd.
“Minvian, are you sure of this?” he asked.
“Yes, Your Justice! The Defence pleads guilty to both charges!” Thorn clarified.
“Very well. Although your service record is reasonably excellent, but the seriousness of your transgression is unforgivable. Minvian Thorn Sayvion, you are found guilty of insubordination and desertion. I sentence you to death by hanging. Sentence will be carried out on the 1st Day of Second Month of Wet Season, the year 1201 of the Known Era, at midday!” pronounced the orgavian.
Thorn swallowed his saliva and nodded his head. He had expected this, but still, it was not easy to accept. Then he reminded himself of the higher purpose that he was trying to achieve and found his courage.
“Do you have any final words, minvian?” asked Orgavian Scallern.
“Yes, I do, Your Justice! As a condemned man, do I not get one final wish before I am hanged?” asked Thorn.
“Yes! What is your last request?” answered the orgavian.
“Your Justice! I request that the Fallsian Military launch a Liberation Raid into Serpentian territory to rescue our fellow Fallsians who are rotting away in slavery and abuse; and that you allow me to command, or at least partake in the raid, before my sentence is to be carried out. I give you my word as a warrior that I have no intention to escape and will present myself for execution even if I have managed to survive after the raid has been completed,” said Thorn.
Orgavian Scallern dropped his hammer in surprise. The courtroom burst out with expressions of shock. Even Convian Norren fell back onto his chair.
“This… This is unprecedented, minvian. You are asking for a miracle!” said Orgavian Scallern finally, upon regaining his composure.
“Regardless, Your Justice! This is my final request as a condemned man. Will you fulfil it?” insisted Thorn.
The courtroom burst into a loud buzz again. There were a number of Thorn’s comrades who stood up volunteering for the Liberation Raid. They stood up, placed their chair in front of them and started lifting them up slightly and slamming them down in tiny hammering motions to signify their support for Thorn. Orgavian Scallern leaned back into his chair, clearly at a lost for words. He had never encountered such a thing before. It was then that the true weight of justice fell upon his shoulders and the pressure was severe and unpleasant.
“Minvian Sayvion,” he said finally.
The courtroom quietened down.
“Minvian Sayvion, I appreciate your compassion for our fellow Fallsians who are trapped and suffering in Serpentia, but your request is of a magnitude too enormous for this court to grant. Therefore it is with the greatest regret that I am required to deny your request,” said the orgavian.
Thorn Sayvion stood silent, showing neither surprise nor disappointment. The crowd went wild and many threw their chairs at the orgavian’s desk. The Royal Guards, who guarded Thorn, lined themselves up loosely in front of the judge’s bench facing the crowd and drew out their swords. Serene and the others drew out their daggers in response.
“Stop, please! Let no Fallsian blood be spilled on my account! I accept the orgavian’s decision. There shall be no Liberation Raid. And I accept to be hanged,” said Thorn to his supporters.
“Will there be another request in place of this, minvian?” offered the orgavian.
“None, Your Justice! I await my hanging!” declared Thorn.
Orgavian Scallern stood up and announced that the proceedings were over. Then he hurried out of the courtroom. The Royal Guard escorts marched Thorn out in a hurry. Then chairs flew and tables shattered as the crowd went wild with anger and disappointment. By the time the anger subsided, not a single piece of furniture was left intact.
The noon sun shone brightly over the Kingdom of Free Falls. Specks of cumulous clouds formed overhead. Ray and Clover stepped into the interrogation room that was in the same stone-made building Thorn was imprisoned in. Sat shackled to a heavy wooden desk was Verbena Romar, looking pale and withered. There were dark circles around her eyes, her skin was dry and peeled and her lips had cracks in them. Her hair was untidy and her blank stare was eerily lifeless. The constant and continuous interrogation that she endured, coupled with the lack of sleep, had taken effect on her physical and mental health. Ray and Clover sat themselves down facing Verbena.
“Coming _ h
e is not doing of this for you,” said Ray.
Verbena was silent.
“Abandon _ he has done of this to you,” added Clover.
Verbena was still silent.
“See _ of this, what do you in him?” asked Ray.
Verbena was still silent, but her lips twitched a little. Ray and Clover saw the reaction and knew there were some ‘embers’ from which to draw forth a flame.
“Valuable _ if you are of this to him, why has he not even visited you; but he leaves you cold, lonely and harassed, with your youth and your looks withering away like a dried-up flower?” added Clover, stroking the psychological embers, hoping for a reaction.
Verbena opened her mouth, but no words came out. Ray and Clover sat silent, hoping not to ruin the opportunity. Verbena began mumbling soft unintelligible words. Slowly, their patience bore fruit.
“You… you do not under… do not understand…. Special, what we have is special…special…special, A... a fairytale,” mumbled Secretary Romar.
“Special _ how is it of this?” asked Clover encouragingly.
“You do not understand. He is handsome. He is rich and powerful. He loves me. He is to be king and I am to be his queen. He promised me all the jewels that I could dream of. All the dresses which caught my fancy. Servants to do my every bidding. A life of luxury, nay, ROYALTY! But now, it is gone! You have ruined it. I have worked so hard, done so many things, sacrificed so much and you have ruined it all!” screamed Verbena.
“Royalty _ you mentioned of this, who is he and what is his claim to the throne?” asked Ray.
“He will come for me. Then as queen, I shall make you suffer!” said Verbena in a slightly delirious tone.
“Identity _ tell us his of this, so that we can help him become king, so that he comes for you faster and saves you from this torment,” pleaded Clover, stroking the delirium in Verbena.