FARHAYVEN: VENGEANCE (101 page)

     After the mission briefing ended, Kill Team One was given two hours to prepare, say goodbye to their loved ones, and depart. Rake helped Dawn pack, and gave her all sorts of advice. She gave him a tight hug and they said teary goodbyes to each other. Dawn was not sure if she could survive the mission and come back. Rake, although as worried as he was, was absolutely confident that Dawn would return.

     Kill Team One departed The Lair in the guise of farmers transporting sacks of grain. Spike drove the first cart with Dawn seated beside him while Claw drove the second cart with Stack and Grain on it. The journey was uneventful, which was how they wanted it to be. In a weeks’ time, Kill Team One arrived at Soft Pillows Inn. They took half a day to rest and recover, and then they launched their mission proper.

     Claw, Stack and Grain took on the guise of beggars and watched Abacus’ house for several days, noting the layout of the house, family members, visiting relatives, friends, bodyguards and their  movements, servants, chores being done and such. They tried to understand everything that went on in that house. Spike, meanwhile, tailed Abacus whenever he left home, noting travelling patterns, working hours, friends and associates and such. After a week of intelligence gathering, Kill Team One was ready to move. Claw had selected the maid to be targeted. She was approximately of Dawn’s age and lived in a poor neighbourhood. She often worked late and went home by herself, making her the perfect target. The next night, Stack and Grain prepared their cart and waited. The maid appeared on time, following the exact same route home as per every other night. Stack drove their cart and rammed into her straight on. She gave a scream of shock and died instantly. Stack and Grain sped away as fast as they could. Passersby, attracted by the commotion, gathered at the scene. But it was too late. The maid was dead and Stack and Grain were long gone.

     Stack felt a strange sensation. He was averted to killing. But he carried out his mission as plainly as drinking a glass of water. He did not feel any fear, dread or remorse. It was as if the years of training had taken over and he was just a passenger in his own body, going along for the ride. The moral dilemma which he thought would haunt him never occurred. He was shocked at how cold blooded he could be. Grain, meanwhile, was just glad that that part of the mission was done. Then he set his mind to the next part, where he felt he could potentially die.

     There was great sorrow in the Watt household. Employers and employees alike mourned the death of the maid. Abacus even went to the extent of financing the funeral and gave a hefty donation to the maid’s family. And a week later, as expected, there were posters placed at the house, at the district hall and the city hall advertising a vacancy for a maid at Abacus’ home.

     Now it was Dawn’s turn to act. She dressed up very conservatively. She knew that he was not a womaniser, so dressing sexily would not help her get the job. As a matter of fact, dressing sexily might make Abacus’ wife feel threatened and kill Dawn’s chance of getting the job. Dawn spoke in a calm, slightly submissive manner and tried to give the impression that she was obedient and a hard worker. Claw, Stack and Grain helped Dawn by dressing up as beggars and harassing many of the other candidates, dirtying these women’s clothes with dirt and grime from their hands, or downright scaring them away from the house. They made sure that only the sickly or the very elderly made it through the house’s front gate. Spike was monitoring the whole thing, making sure everything was going to according to plan.

     Three days later, Dawn returned to Abacus’ home to check on whether she was hired or not, and unsurprisingly, she was hired. She started work immediately. She was briefed by his butler on her duties and began scrubbing, washing and cleaning almost immediately. And after years of assassin’s training, maid’s work was peanuts for her. But all the while, she was observing her surroundings and making mental notes about anything and everything that could either help or jeopardise the mission. She was also observing the bodyguards very closely. She noted who they were, their procedures, their shifts and their eating habits.

     A week later, Spike decided it was time to strike. He gave a final briefing and set the plan to motion. Dawn went to work in the afternoon shift, and brought with her some Airblades and a vial of slow-acting poison, all properly hidden on her body, of course. As usual, she began washing and cleaning and scrubbing. Meanwhile, Spike rented a small room at an inn near Abacus’ house and together with the rest of Kill Team One, rested themselves to prepare for the night’s task. Evening came, and the Watt household had their dinner. Dawn volunteered to serve the drinks for dinner and made sure all the bodyguards had plenty to eat and drink, especially the fruit juice which she had secretly laced with poison.

     The sun had just set, and Kill Team One woke up. They got dressed and did their warm-up exercises in secret. Then they opened their room’s window and climbed onto the roof, all dressed in black with swords, Airblades, ropes and backpacks. They jumped from roof to roof, softly and gracefully like a cat, and made their way to Abacus’ house. They stopped just a few paces short of the house’s back gate, in the dark back alleyway. The stage was set...

     Spike cups his hand and blows, making a hooting sound much like that of an owl. This is the signal Dawn is waiting for. She heads to the back gate, reaches into her pockets and casually pulls out two Airblades and hides her hand and Airblades behind her back. She approaches the two guards who are guarding the back gate, gives them a friendly smile, throws her Airblades at them and kills them both. Then she searches the guards for the key to the gate, unlocks it and lets her team members in. Stack gives Dawn her sword and a backpack containing her assassin’s uniform. And while Dawn gets dressed, the rest of Kill Team One charges into the house.

     A loud commotion is heard, and there is a lot of screaming and crying. After getting fully dressed, Dawn draws out her sword and heads back into the house. When she reaches the house, she sees Grain finishing off the last bodyguard with a strained effort.  She also sees Spike grabbing hold of Abacus by the back of his shirt collar. Stack gathers Abacus’ family and surviving servants; and forces them to kneel down in a straight line in the living room. Grain takes over holding Abacus from Spike. Spike signals Claw and Dawn to patrol the rest of the house to search for any surviving bodyguards. As she leaves the living room, she can hear Abacus’ plea for mercy. Then she hears his scream of fear and pain. His torture is a requirement of the mission, Dawn recalls.

     A quarter of an hour later, Phase Two was over. Abacus was dead, killed in the most horrible way imaginable. His family was left alive, and highly traumatised. Kill Team One left through the back gate and disappeared into the shadows. An hour later, when they were confident that they were not being tracked, Kill Team One climbed back into their room, showered, changed back into normal clothes and then checked out. In front of the inn, a carriage was prepared by Weed to transport them to Soft Pillows Inn. And throughout the entire event, there was no sign that the Fallsian Military were even aware of what had just taken place. Clearly, the Royal Guards were not what they were cracked up to be, thought Dawn.

     Two months of laying low at Soft Pillows Inn felt like a prison term for Kill Team One, more so for Stack. He was having a conscience attack. The first face to haunt him was that of the maid whom he had run down with the cart. Then came the faces of the bodyguards whom he had killed. One by one, he had to relive their killings in his nightmares every night, and they all asked the same question. Why must you kill me
?
Why must you kill me
?
Why
!?

     The only person who was glad to be there was Grain. He was glad that he had survived. At this point onward there was a strong chance that he would pass the test.  Dawn was eager to leave the inn. She wanted to get back and tell Rake about the mission. She wanted to make him proud. Spike and Claw thought differently. They knew that the danger was not over. And although they felt frustrated, they remained cautious.

     Three days before it was time for Kill Team One to leave the inn, Stack disappeared. No one could find him. Spike and Claw were furious, and gave Dawn and Grain the tongue-lashing of their lives. The two trainees kept silent, and never confessed that they knew he was going to run away one day. To Dawn’s defence, she never knew that he really meant what he had said. She thought that he was just venting out the pressures of training. Unfortunately for her and Grain, he was not. And so they were made to suffer for his mistake. Then the two Chosens made arrangements with Weed for him to escort Dawn and Grain and the mission payment back to The Lair. They stayed back to search... and kill Stack. Weed, Dawn and Grain took on the guise of an elderly businessman and his two teenage children travelling to a remote town to make a business investment. This would be the last they ever heard of Stack, or Spike and Claw, for that matter.

     A week later, Dawn, Grain and Weed reached The Lair. Venom was surprised to see Weed, and knew something had gone wrong. However, his reaction was different from Spike’s and Claw’s. He congratulated Dawn and Grain and gave them each a metal pendant cast to the symbol of The Shadow Deathmerchant Clan; and he declared them as Chosen of the Clan. Rake was so happy and proud of his niece. They hugged each other and celebrated all night long. Two weeks later, Dart, Joy and Flutter came back to The Lair from their test mission and were declared Chosens as well. The trainees had all survived their training, and their tests; all except for Stack. Stack’s parents were taken to the main chamber and executed in public. His grandmother had died a few months earlier, thus denying Venom the satisfaction of killing her.

     Grain Sillox was killed on his third mission as a Chosen. Flutter Pitten was killed on her fifth. Hay Collart was killed a few years later. Dawn, meanwhile, had steadily survived and accomplished mission after mission until she was finally promoted to Lead Assassin of The Shadow Deathmerchant Clan, a title that signified that she had the highest number of kills, and that she was mission commander designate for every major mission that the clan would undertake. When Rake heard the news, he was so proud that he broke down in tears of joy.

     But as Dawn Breven wipes off the dried blood from her sword after a successful mission in Fallsene City a few years later, her mind drifts back to Stack and Grain and Flutter and Hay, and to her training and to her test mission of assassinating Abacus Watt.  She has come far, and she has risen to glory in the clan, and yet she wonders, could Stack have been right all this while
?

THE TRIAL

     The cold air adds further gloom to the ambience of the Fallsian dungeon Minvian Thorn Sayvion is in, on this dark
12
th
Night of Fourth Month of Dry Season in the Year 1200 of the Known Era
. But he feels comfortable and relaxed. By comparison to the Serpentian metal ore mine, this dungeon at Palace Liberty looks reasonably cosy to him.

     A prison guard appeared, escorting a very familiar face. She smiled when she saw Thorn. Tears rolled down her cheeks. He smiled at her. The guard opened the cell door and allowed her in. Then he locked it and went away.

     “Doing _ of this, how are you, Minvian Sayvion
?
” she asked.

     “I am fine, what… what is this
?
What has happened
?
Why do you speak the olden tongue, Convian Genox
?
Or should I say,
Minvian
Genox
?
” was Thorn’s stunned reply.

     “Elementhar _ I have become one of her. Elementhar _ Rod Sayson has become one of him, too; and he would be here as well, if not for the fact that he has been injured in a mission. Promoted _ we were both given of this after the battle at Fort Eastguard and he is now a convian,” explained Minvian Serene Genox, who was dressed in her Sollenthar uniform.

     “Congratulations
!
But Elementhar
!?
How
?
Why
?
Elementhars do not serve in the military, how is it that you are still in uniform
?
” asked Thorn, still in shock.

     “Story _ it is a long one of this. Explain _ I shall do of this later, but more importantly, what are you doing to prepare for your trial
?
” asked Serene.

     Thorn’s facial expression turned into a frown.

     “You mean my court martial
?
Well, what is there to prepare
?
I shall go and speak the truth and accept whatever punishment they give, after all, I
did
desert my post,” reasoned Thorn.

     “Aware _ are you of this that you could be sentenced to death
?
” she pointed out.

     “If that is their judgement, so be it,” Thorn concluded.

     “Stubborn _ you are still of this as ever, sir
!
” said Serene.

     Thorn shrugged his shoulder and gave Serene a fake smile.

     “What else can I do
?
What else should I do
?
” he asked.

     “
Fight
_ you could do of this, make them see that you were trying to protect the civilians who were in danger; and that what you did was actually true patriotism,” she pleaded.

     “No, that would be pointless. The law
is
the law. I deserted my post. There is no changing that fact. I shall accept whatever punishment I deserve, but only after I have executed a Liberation Raid,” expressed Thorn firmly.

     “Expect _ do you of this that the court will just grant your request
?
Expect _ do you of this that they will just unshackle you, shake your hand and wish you good luck, then re-shackle you when you come back and then finally hang you
?
” questioned Serene rhetorically.

     “I shall ask and find out,” answered Thorn anyway.

     Thorn and Serene sat there in silence. He gave her a gentle smile. She shook her head and gave him a serious frown. Obviously, Thorn did not mind that he was going to be hung. Obviously, Serene seriously did mind that her mentor was going to be hung
!
Then he asked about Fort Eastguard. She recounted the entire battle to him and updated him as best she could on the whereabouts of those who had survived.

     The following morning finds Minvians Ray Iddell, Clover Genox and Serene Genox in a private meeting with King Fulmar Patrum in his private study. The Sollenthars sat facing the king across a large, low table and except for Ray who was leaning in his seat, the others sat with their backs upright.

     “Are you sure about this, Minvian Iddell
?
” the king asked.

     “Absolutely
!
” Ray answered.

     “Verbena Romar is an excellent staff. She is smooth and efficient. As a matter of fact, she is so indispensable to Prime Minister Trex that she is one of the few royal secretaries allowed to have quarters here in the palace. And you accuse her of being an accomplice to those who plan my son’s assassination
?
Surely, you are mistaken
!
” said King Patrum.

     “Mistake _ we have made none of this, Your Highness,” said Serene.

     “This does not make any sense
!
She was put through an extensive background check before she was allowed quarters here. Are you sure it is her
?
And why would she want my son dead anyway
!?
” questioned the king as he sat up straight.

     “Agent _ we believe that she is one of her who facilitates the events on behalf of someone, whom we have yet to identify. Motive _ hers of this, it is still unknown, Your Highness,” answered Clover.

     King Patrum was just stunned. He had never expected this. How could it be that there was a traitor in his midst
?
How could it be that the Royal Guards have failed to detect her treachery until now
?
Was his palace security so lax
?

     “Come to think of it, certain things now begin to add up. As Prime Minister Trex’s secretary, Verbena has access to my son’s itinerary. After all, she had to liaise with the organisers of the events that my son had to officiate. She was also responsible for arranging the lodgings for my son and his guards when they go out for such events. Ray, do you remember the incident of assassins breaking into the palace seven months ago, the night when Minvian Farhan was killed
?
” asked the king.

     “Remember _ I do of this,” answered Ray.

     “And you said you suspected the cloth-wrapped item could have been a book
?
” asked the king again.

     “Yes,” replied Ray.

     “What if it was a book that contained the details of my son’s itinerary
?
Such a book would not have been allowed to be taken out of the palace grounds. There was no way she could have smuggled such an item out. The only way for her to get the book out was for the assassins to break in and get the book themselves. No wonder they knew exactly when and where to ambush my son
!
” concluded the king.

     “Conclusion _ we came to the same of this, Your Highness; and with the demon, Lord Deathclaw, being involved somehow, we suspect that there are other parties involved in this conspiracy as well,” said Ray.

     The Cousins Genox nodded in agreement.

     King Patrum shook his head. He still could not believe that Verbena was helping someone kill his son.

     “What about the one that escaped, Dawn Breven
?
Did she reveal anything useful during the interrogation
?
” he asked.

     “No,” Ray answered casually.

     “So what is your plan, Minvian Iddell
?
” queried the king.

     “Plan _ mine of this, Your Highness, is to interrogate Secretary Romar over and over again until we find something useful, or even offer her leniency if she cooperates,” responded Ray.

     “And what of Dawn Breven
?
” queried the king further.

     “Posts _ we have set up observation of these to try to locate and track her, Your Highness,” answered Serene.

     “How sure are all of you that she will not make another attempt on my son’s life
?
” asked the king.

     “Attempt _ of this, is not likely, Your Highness, because her last effort was one of pure desperation and yet she failed; so she has accepted the fact that she will never succeed in killing Prince Patrum. Abandon _ it is most likely that she will do of this to the clan and go into hiding,” answered Clover.

     King Patrum took in a deep breath and shook his head again in disbelief. He leaned back against his seat, lost in his own thoughts. Ray was still leaning in his seat casually, for he was a true Elementhar, and paid no reverence to kings or leaders of any kind. Clover and Serene, however, still sat with their backs straight. They were born and bred in a family that had served the crown in a military capacity since the very birth of the kingdom, and reverence to royalty as well as military discipline were infused into their blood. The Royal Guards who guarded the king had thought it rude that Ray should behave the way he did, but King Patrum understood Ray’s mentality and his distaste for hierarchy. He knew that for Elementhars like Ray, hierarchy was meant to allow efficient coordination during teamwork and joint efforts, and had no reference whatsoever as to whose blood is nobler or whose breed is more superior. To the others, the king is
THE KING
, but to Ray, the king is
just another man
with a job to do. The Royal Guards looked at Ray with disgust, and they hardly took the effort to conceal it, but the king gave them a stern look and finally, they understood that the king did not care for such reverence, or at least, did not expect such reverence from Elementhars.

     The very same afternoon Ray, Clover, Serene, Lance and Spirit were in the palace infirmary. As they walked through the door, they could see that Prince Patrum and Convian Rod Sayson’s beds were set opposite each other. They were transferred here from Fallsgreen Citizen Healing Centre only two days prior. Prince Patrum was restless and flipped through the pages of countless books set by his bedside. Rod, on the other hand, looked weak and lethargic. Spirit’s presence seemed to pump some life into Rod, who broke into a wide smile and patted the white wolf on the head.

     “Feeling _ how are you of this, Your Highness
?
” asked Ray as he, Clover, Serene and Lance sat down.

     “Like a useless piece of wood
!
My leg is almost healed, yet they would not let me out of this infirmary. I am like a prisoner in my own home
!
” replied Prince Patrum.

     “Feeling _ how are you of this, Rod
?
” asked Serene.

     “Hurts _ my leg does of this, but other than that I am fine,” answered Rod feebly

     “Arrested _ we have done of this to Royal Secretary Verbena Romar, for it was she who had helped the assassin Dawn Breven get into Castle Greenbloom,” said Ray.

     The revelation shocked Prince Patrum.

     “What
?!
Bena
?
This cannot be
!
Are you sure, Minvian Iddell
!?
” he asked.

     Ray nodded. Clover and Serene nodded as well, thus giving confirmation.

     “Traitor _ so, she was of her, and who would have thought
?
” Rod commented.

     Serene turned and looked at Rod. Her eyes were tearing slightly.

     “Met _ I have done of this to Thorn Sayvion,” she said.

     Rod froze in disbelief. Then he broke into a big, wide smile.

     “Alive _ so he is of this, and how is he
?
” he asked enthusiastically

     “Imprisoned _ he is of this in the dungeons here, on charges of desertion,” Serene said.

     “Do you mean Minvian Thorn Sayvion of Fort Eastguard
?
” asked Prince Patrum.

     “Yes, Your Highness,” replied Serene.

     “I had met him on several occasions. Experienced warrior and reasonable officer. Very uncharacteristic of him to desert his post,” the prince expressed.

     “Reasons _ he had his of these, Your Highness,” Serene said in Thorn’s defence.

     Prince Patrum did not pursue the subject. He sensed the deep loyalty Serene had for Thorn. Then he remembered that Thorn was her mentor and she was his protégé.

     A short moment of awkward silence followed. Ray and Lance were not familiar enough with Serene and Rod to understand how Thorn Sayvion was important to them, and so they decided not to get involved. But Clover understood. When she had reconciled with Serene, they had shared all their experiences and memories of the time when they were apart. So she knew what Thorn meant to her cousin.