The Destiny of Amalah

by Thandi Ryan

  ‘You can join the ranks then,’ Kenaz said superciliously.

  ‘No, I am my own man. I do not take orders and I am beholden to none.’

  ‘Why don’t I just kill you where you stand?’ Rakan asked.

  ‘Because it would kill us both and if you could have, you would have done so already. Besides, you are only halfway around the world and from what I have heard, there are no other warriors like Waldon and Kenaz – you need them.’

  ‘Really?’ asked Rakan.

  ‘Yes really,’ replied Luxor. ‘Now I will let him go in good faith if you say yes to my request.’

  ‘Yes.’ Rakan said simply.

  ‘Rakan why?’ Rufus asked, objecting to Rakan’s unilateral decision.

  ‘He is indeed like us: strong, clever and refusing to bow to anyone. He knows that when he lets Waldon go we could kill him, yet I sense no fear in him either – he can be brethren.’

  ‘How many more can be?’ Kenaz asked dryly.

  ‘None,’ Rakan replied. ‘I sense that we are now complete – just the six of us.’

  Luxor released Waldon and Waldon turned and glared at him before he walked back to his friends.

  ‘Do we let him live?’ Waldon asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Rakan said.

  ‘He also joins us,’ Rufus said disapprovingly.

  ‘What!’ Waldon said in disgust.

  ‘Oh come now,’ Luxor said, clearly amused by their ire. ‘Once you get to know me I’m…’

  ‘Still an arrogant and insufferable brat,’ Rufus finished.

  ‘Exactly,’ said Luxor, as he turned his gaze to Rufus. ‘But surely, since I didn’t kill your closest brother, I get a special place in your heart,’ Luxor said, still looking at Rufus before he smiled and winked at him.

  Rufus shuffled uncomfortably and for once he was silent; much to the surprise of Waldon, Kenaz and Rakan. Rakan eyed his friend and then quickly broke the silence and stepped forward to greet Luxor.

  ‘Well young man, welcome, I am Rakan,’ Rakan said, as he extended his hand out to Luxor.

  ‘And I am Luxor of Parades,’ Luxor said, taking hold of Rakan’s hand and shaking it firmly.

  ‘And this is Bryce,’ the two men shook hands on introduction and Rakan continued; ‘and Kenaz.’

  ‘Pleased to meet you,’ Luxor said.

  ‘I wish I could say the same,’ Kenaz said.

  ‘Perhaps you will one day,’ Luxor retorted facetiously.

  ‘And Waldon,’ Rakan continued.

  ‘Pleasure,’ said Luxor.

  Waldon took Luxor’s hand, shook it and grunted.

  ‘And last but by no means least, Rufus,’ finished Rakan.

  Luxor smiled that wide smile again as the two men shook hands, and when they were all acquainted, Rakan welcomed Luxor to the group once again.

  The six men and their army rode it through the dense jungle and settled in the village of the Incas. They rested, feasted, made weapons and practised their fighting skills and when night came, they slept until the early morning. Life had been hard for them over the last months and now they enjoyed the few days’ rest that they were given.

  Before a week had passed; they were joined by the Hittites: a fierce and savage group who loved nothing better than to terrorise the people of Filine. When it was offered to them, they jumped at the chance to terrorise the world along with Rakan and his army. Their leader, Cador, met with Rakan and the others and when the deal was done, they were welcomed into their army and then Rakan’s army became seven thousand strong and at that time, they had conquered half the world.

  ‘The whole world will be ours soon,’ Kenaz said.

  ‘Yes it will and the people will not stand a chance,’ Rakan said.

  Chapter 27

  Häkan had returned to Parades once again with some of the guard. He had wanted to try and get more people to join the guard, or at least evacuate them to Amalah, or close by so that they could be ready when Rakan and his army arrived. Häkan was surprised at how stubborn the people of Parades were and he was a Paradean himself. He wondered how the people would cope if they had to face Rakan and his army alone. The Guard had a presence but it was not enough to withstand the army that Rakan had raised.

  Häkan had returned to Parades for another reason though; while he was there, he sensed that something was deeply wrong and he wondered what was causing the trouble in Parades, for Rakan and his army had not ventured that far. Häkan did not know what had afflicted his home nation but he vowed to return to get to the bottom of things.

  Häkan and the guard spent their time walking among the people of Parades, gathering intelligence and observing things or people that were out of the ordinary – but they found nothing. It was only by pure chance that Häkan spotted Adriel one night as he walked under the dark skies. Häkan had decided to take a walk in the cold but crisp fresh air and it was there he saw Adriel – but Adriel did not see Häkan. Häkan had experienced a number of emotions when he saw the old man but he had remained still and silent and he observed Adriel closely and when Adriel moved, he followed him. Luckily for Häkan, Adriel was going to the place that he had set up as home, and the next day, Häkan and the guard lay in wait for Adriel.

  They saw him enter his home and waited until the early hours of the morning when they were sure he was fast asleep. On Häkan’s orders, they crept in and bound and gagged him quickly and forcefully and as they pounced on him; Adriel awoke protesting and screaming but his screams did him no good. He wanted to use magic but Häkan had forewarned his men and the first thing they had taken hold of, was his hands. They took each one and bound them in silk and cotton before they tied them together and then they gagged him. When he was secured, Häkan entered the room and looked down at the gagged Adriel.

  ‘Adriel you’re alive I see. Adriel simply looked at Häkan in a hateful manner. ‘Once again our world is in chaos and once again, we find you.’ Häkan crouched down so that he was face to face with the old man. ‘I am taking you back to Amalah; once there, you will stand before the Empress and council and explain yourself.’ Adriel smiled underneath the gagging tape and let out a short laugh. ‘Yes it is funny,’ Häkan said calmly. ‘But do you know what will be even funnier; when we bind your powers for all eternity and throw you in a dark dungeon for the rest of your unnatural life.’

  Adriel lost the sparkle in his eyes and for the first time in a long time, he became afraid. Häkan saw his expression change and nodded. He looked at Adriel for a while and wondered; he wondered what had turned him into what he had become.

  ‘Pick him up,’ he ordered the guard and they did as they were told on his command. ‘We leave for Amalah now before the people of Parades awake.’

  Häkan and the guard left the house with a bound and gagged Adriel; they made their way to the horses, saddled up and left for Amalah.

  ***

  Häkan was not the only one leaving for Amalah; John of Equer had parted with Imogen and Seth in order to warn Amalah about the army that was moving and growing faster than any of them could anticipate. John had set off for Amalah in the dead of night and he rode and walked, keeping out of sight from the soldiers.

  Ellora was also heading back to Amalah, she had just left Filine and she rode hard all the way back to Amalah City. She rode all day for two days, only stopping to eat and rest once in each day. She arrived back at the palace in the late evening and when she entered, she was surprised to see Amara, Michael, Garrick and Kalon waiting for her.

  ‘How did you know I arrived?’ she asked.

  ‘We have watch tower men in each of the four towers now,’ answered Garrick.

  ‘What I want to know is why you defied us all and went to Filine to see Rakan?’ Amara asked.

  Ellora looked at Kalon but she could see that he too was angry at her; the only person, who she sensed was not, was Garrick.

  ‘I had to,’ she answered simply.

  ‘You could have been killed,’ Michael said.

  ‘I
can say no more to you Ellora,’ Amara said, looking at her sister, her expression one of utter disappointment. ‘When you returned from your trip with the others we talked about you risking your life for no good reason. I see you completely ignored or forgot that,’ Amara said coolly before she turned from her sister and walked away. She stopped after three paces. ‘I am glad that you are safe and well and above all – alive but I am not pleased at all at what you have done.’ Amara said, as she continued to walk away and Michael spoke next.

  ‘Ellora I just don’t think I can express how disappointed I am in you. I too will not say anymore but will bid you goodnight,’ he said, before he turned and walked in the same direction as Amara.

  Ellora was hurt and upset that Amara and Michael felt that way; she had expected this reaction but did not expect to be made to feel so bad. What was worse was that she knew Kalon felt exactly the same way. She looked at him and then at Garrick and Garrick placed his hand on her shoulder.

  ‘Did you reach them?’ he asked slightly hopeful.

  ‘I only saw Rakan; we met for a short while. I tried Garrick, I really tried,’ she said becoming upset.

  ‘I know you did Ellora,’ he said gently.

  ‘I do not know what happened to him but I felt great darkness within him, although his humanity was not all gone. All I know is that they were offered absolute power and they took it. That is what Rakan told me. I begged him to come back to Amalah with me; to let me and everyone here help him but he would not. He knew it would mean an eternity in a dungeon. I am sorry I could not do more,’ she said to him.

  ‘You did more than enough Ellora. I know you tried and I thank you for it,’ Garrick said, he looked at Ellora and smiled a warm smile and bid her and Kalon good night, not wanting to get involved in what he knew was going to be an inevitable argument between the couple.

  Ellora looked up at Kalon but his eyes were still shining with anger and she felt worse by the moment; she touched his arm and she could feel him tense.

  ‘Kalon, please do not be angry with me.’

  ‘How can I not be?’ he said angrily.

  ‘I don’t know Kalon – but please try.’

  Kalon looked at Ellora for a long time, he loved her so much but he was so angry with her at the same time and he was finding it difficult to reconcile the two.

  ‘I’m going to my room,’ he said with steely control.

  ‘Kalon please wait,’ she said, as she followed him.

  Kalon and Ellora walked to his room in silence and when they got there Kalon turned and looked at her.

  ‘Kalon I know you must be angry…’

  ‘No you don’t know,’ he said raising his voice. ‘That morning when I found the note I was filled with fear and dread. A fear that nearly paralysed me; every waking moment I was afraid that I had lost you. That you would have ended up like one of the many bodies I saw in Aradene or Santeb.

  ‘Kalon…’

  ‘No Ellora, nothing you can say to me can make me any less angry than I am now,’ he shouted. He stepped back from her, hating the fact that he had raised his voice to her. ‘I love you, I do, you know that,’ he said lowering his voice: ‘but I am so angry with you. What the hell were you thinking?’

  ‘That if I reached them this would all end.’

  ‘You didn’t think for one moment that they might hurt you?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Well I did and so did my father, so did Michael and so did Amara and we all told you so and we specifically said – we would face: Rakan, Waldon, Rufus and Kenaz and their army in Basimine. Yet you sneaked out in the middle of the night to go and face them alone - what possessed you?’ he asked, raising his voice again.

  ‘I had to Kalon! I just had to! I didn’t want to believe that I had lost my four closest friends,’ she said beginning to cry. ‘Kalon, please listen to me. I could not stand by and do nothing as we lost our friends. I love them, I have loved them ever since I can remember and all I could think when this happened, was that I wanted them back, because I couldn’t bear to lose them – I couldn’t bear to lose one, never mind four. Rakan, Rufus, Waldon and Kenaz; the men we grew up with, spent most of lives with – I could not lose them – I had to try and reach them.’

  Kalon shook his head slowly and looked at Ellora again.

  ‘I wish you had come with us to Aradene and Santeb and seen what they had done, and then you would know exactly why they were beyond reach. What they did, it is unforgivable and even if Rakan had spent an eternity in a dungeon, it still would not have been punishment enough.’

  ‘I cannot believe that they did this.’

  ‘Nor can I Ellora but what I saw with my very own eyes makes me have to.’

  ‘But these are not the men I knew.’

  ‘Either we never really knew them, or they are not the men we know. Either way they killed a man, not in anger but in cold blood. They planned and plotted together to kill a man and blame another for his death. Then they went and killed more, five and then ten and then hundreds and then thousands. They are gone to us,’ Kalon said simply.

  ‘No Kalon, I don’t want them to be,’ Ellora said tearfully. ‘I don’t want them to be gone.’

  She sat on the bed and put her hands to her face and wiped the tears that were falling freely from her face. Kalon sat down beside her and put his arms around her and she leaned on him.

  ‘These were the worst days of my life, when I didn’t know what had happened to you and when I thought I might have lost you and I could not imagine going on another day without you. I’ve never known that kind of fear before and I hated every single minute of it.’

  ‘I just had to do something Kalon.’

  ‘You didn’t have to risk your life that way though.’

  ‘Your brother ensured I had safe passage to and from Filine.’

  ‘Then you are lucky.’

  ‘Why are you so willing to give up on them?’ she said, raising her voice. ‘Don’t you miss them? Do you care? I thought you loved them!’

  ‘I did, I really did. I love Rakan; he is my brother. I used to think I had the best brother and the best friends. But now – well now I feel cursed. I love them all and it pains me so that they have gone – and they have gone Ellora – they are beyond our reach and our help and that loss makes me sadder than you could ever know.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, as she rested her head on him and rested her hands on his thigh.

  ‘I am angry Ellora, I’m angry because you ignored all of us and placed your life in danger when there was no need to and I’m angry that you didn’t talk to me – you just left me a note.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she said kissing his cheek. ‘I’m sorry I left the way I did. I’m sorry I left you the note and sneaked out in the middle of the night and I’m sorry I ignored all of you, I truly am. But I’m not sorry I went, I had to, and I had to do something.’

  ‘I’m trying to understand why you went, I really am and I accept your apology but promise me you will never do anything like this again.’

  ‘I promise.’

  Kalon lifted Ellora’s head up gently and kissed her on the lips and she kissed him back.

  ‘You make me crazy lady,’ he said half smiling as his anger began to dissipate.

  ‘You make me,’ she said, throwing her arms around his neck, which was the beginning of their lovemaking. Later, the two of them bathed together and as they slipped back into bed, they slept in each others arms and when they awoke at dawn they made love until the sun rose and then they began their day again, their argument behind them.

  When the day began, John of Equer rode into the palace and he was taken to see: Amara, Garrick, Michael, Kalon and Ellora who were all working in Amara’s study. When he arrived, the introductions were made and the seven of them remained standing as John began to speak.

  ‘I don’t know if they arrived here but there were three travellers: Hannah, Zinzi and Zach.’

  ‘Yes they are here,’ said Amara. ‘They
arrived a few days ago.’

  ‘How are they?’

  ‘They are safe and well and they are helping us here in Amalah City.’

  ‘Thank the gods,’ John replied. ‘They are good friends of mine. Originally there were six of us; we were travelling through Mantor when we first became aware of the army that was destroying the nation. We decided that the only thing we could do was to leave Mantor. Three of us headed west to Filine to warn them and three – as you know – headed to Amalah to warn you.’

  ‘What happened to the other two?’ Garrick asked.

  ‘They are still in Filine,’ John answered. ‘It was decided that I should leave them to come here to warn you and help where I can.’

  ‘Warn us about what?’

  ‘The size of the army – it is at least six thousand strong. We do not know what your tactics are but we guessed that you were going to do something in Basimine.’

  ‘You guessed correctly,’ said Garrick.

  ‘Well whatever it is, I am here to help, you have my loyalty and my sword.’

  ‘It is greatly needed and we thank you,’ said Amara.

  ‘It would help if you can tell us everything that you know and everything that you observed,’ said Garrick.

  ‘I will try.’

  John recounted what had happened to him, Imogen and Seth as they had travelled to Filine and what they had seen and heard. He told of his travels through Eastern Mantor and of his sightings of the soldiers. When he had told the six listeners all that he could remember, he stared intently at them and they stared back at him – each of them lost in their own thoughts and each of them disturbed by the news that they were being told.

  ‘Thank you for coming here and sharing all that you have learned with us,’ said Amara.

  ‘It was the least I could do,’ replied John. ‘Is it possible to see my friends now, there is much I wish to discuss with them.’

  ‘Of course,’ said Amara. ‘I will arrange for them to come here.’

  Amara went to the corner of the study and pulled on the long cord that would summon a maid to her room and then she went back to join the others who were still stood in the centre of the room and talking among themselves. A few minutes later, a maid knocked and entered and Amara requested that Zach, Hannah and Zinzi be brought to her study. The maid nodded and then bowed, before she left the room to carry out Amara’s request.