FARHAYVEN: VENGEANCE (112 page)

     Sky nodded his head yet again to signify that he understood. What he managed to process was that there were a variety of answers that explained who and what The Creator was, but since no one can truly prove that their version was correct, humans were free to choose the version that they thought was the truest.

     “Is that it
?
” he asked.

     “Yes, that is it. The answers that I have given you are, of course, basic and general in nature. The actual explanations will differ from Reception to Reception because although their intentions are generally the same, their methods are varied and therefore, their explanations are also varied,” answered Higher Recipient Truthkeeper.

     Now Sky shook his head in disbelief. How can Higher Recipient Truthkeeper’s explanations be correct
?
Can The Creator be so cruel, so heartless towards humans
?

     “So what you are saying is that my people had not only disregarded Nature’s laws, but had broken them through and through; and as a result, they are all dead
!
So what you are saying is that they all died miserable deaths because this is what they deserved
!
But what about the children
!?
  Surely they are innocent and do not deserve such a fate
!
” he objected.

     “As I have said, these processes are violent, wasteful and produce a lot of collateral damage,” the Receiver pointed out.

     “Collateral damage
!
So this is how you explain the cruelty of Nature
!?
Is this how you explain the cruelty of The Creator
!?
Of God
!?
” questioned Sky.

     “Yes,” came Higher Recipient Truthkeeper’s simple answer.

     “But why
!?
” questioned Sky.

     “Because you and your people did not learn, put to test, conclude, believe, commit, put to practice and be devoted to the wisdoms that were offered and made available
!
Because you refuted, challenged, ignored and contradicted these wisdoms
!
You played with
fire
, and so you got
burnt!
So now you know how it feels like to be on the receiving end of things
!
To quote the Receivers of Sacrifice, ‘you reap what you sow’, and this is just another way of explaining the Law of Retribution. In the end, it is no one else’s
fault
but your own
!
” explained the Receiver simply.

     Tears are welling up in Sky’s eyes once again. The bitter truth slams into his heart like a sledgehammer. Anger turns into guilt, or more correctly, Sky begins to realise that his anger is baseless and eventually proper guilt begins to be established. The bitter truth is now tormenting his heart.  The painful sorrow overwhelms him and he collapses onto his knees, crying and trembling. All of what has happened could have been avoided, he realises. It could have been avoided
!
But they did not listen and they did not believe
!
He did not listen and he did not believe
!
Between the sweet lies and the bitter truth, they had chosen foolishly
!
He had chosen foolishly
!
And as a result, they had tasted Nature’s fury
!
And now, he
is
tasting Nature’s fury
!
So, finally, he laments in his heart the words ‘Oh
!
How bitter is the truth
!
’

ESCAPE FROM THE LAIR

     A sad sight occurs on the
25
th
Day of Fourth Month of Dry Season
. Minvians Ray Iddell, Clover Genox and Sky Proest arrive at Palace Liberty; together with Channeller Styruss and the handful of children who had survived the earthquake and volcanic eruption at Southgust Town. The children’s clothes are in tatters and are black with soot. Their hollow expression is an outward representation of the grief in their hearts.

     Ray, Clover and Sky had, a few days prior, managed to capture a few of the escaped horses at the outskirts of Southgust. A few were even attached to carts when they were caught. This had allowed them to complete the journey to Fallsene fairly quickly on horseback and horse-drawn carts. Higher Recipient Truthkeeper was not with them, as in accordance with the laws of his Reception, he was not allowed to ride a horse or to burden any animal in any sort of way. Therefore he was making his way to Fallsene on foot. It would take him six days to complete the journey. Meanwhile, he had given instructions for Sky to get into contact with Higher Recipient Truthrejoicer, who ran the temple of The Receivers of Light at Fallsene City.

     The minvians wasted no time in reporting the outcome of their mission and the catastrophe that befell Southgust to King Patrum and his son. The surviving children, meanwhile, were given temporary accommodations at the Sollenthars’ barracks. The Channeller was ‘accommodated’ in the palace dungeons, just a few cells away from Minvian Thorn Sayvion.

     After he was done with his report to the king, Sky set out to look for Higher Recipient Truthrejoicer. It took a while for Sky to find the Receiver’s temple, for he had never been there. He dismounted and tethered his horse to a pole that was beside the front gate of the temple when he had finally found the place, but he was hesitant to step in. He began to cry badly, out of grief or shame, he did not know.

     One of the Receivers saw Sky crying and although he was puzzled by it, he decided to invite Sky in. It took a lot of persuasion and consoling on the Receiver’s part to finally get Sky to go in. Then Sky was brought to Higher Recipient Truthrejoicer’s office. Sky, with much trouble, explained to Higher Recipient Truthrejoicer the reason he was there.

     Higher Recipient Truthrejoicer sat silent for a while. He was in deep thought. He had never dealt with such a serious issue before.

     Finally, Higher Recipient Truthrejoicer spoke. He told Sky to bring the children to the temple at his convenience. There was sufficient space to accommodate them.

     “So what will happen next
?
” Sky asked.

     “Collect donations and build an orphanage for them, I suppose. Not much else I can do,” answered the Receiver.

     “I want to be involved in this
!
I want to contribute
!
I shall help you set up this orphanage
!
I shall donate all my life’s savings and help you look for more donations. And I shall help you run the place, in my spare time,” expressed Sky.

     “Very generous of you, minvian, but why
?
” asked Higher Recipient Truthrejoicer.

     “These children are all that are left of Southgust, of my home. I am an orphan now, just like them. They have lost as I have lost. They mourn as I mourn. And they shall carry on as I shall carry on, together
!
We are all that is left of Southgust and staying together is the only way to keep the memories of our lost home alive,” said Sky tearfully.

     Higher Recipient Truthrejoicer nodded his head. He understood what Sky was trying to say.    

     “I understand. You are more than welcome to join us. These children will need guidance that we may be ill-equipped to give. There are certain things that we Receivers cannot or do not teach, you know,” said the Receiver.

     “Such as
?
” questioned Sky.

     “Politics. Survival skills in the wild and in the urban jungle. The norms and practices of society. We Receivers are only focussed on the moral and the spiritual, not the physical. Our minds are tuned to change societies, not to adapt to them. So you see, there is an important role for you to play in these children’s development,” answered the Receiver.

     “I am beginning to see your point. Where do you think is a suitable location to build the orphanage
?
” asked Sky.

     “Somewhere that is close to schools and healing centres. Preferably in decent neighbourhoods so as to avoid criminal influences. And preferably close to this temple as well. I let you decide,” responded the Receiver.

     “I know just the place
!
” said Sky spiritedly.

     Birds chirped loudly on the cheerful, sunny morning of the
27
th
Day of Fourth Month of Dry Season
. On the north-eastern section of Tower Forest, a lone female assassin perched herself on the high branch of a tall tree, looking out at her surroundings. She detected nothing unnatural, only the cheerful chirpings of birds and the gentle flow of the stream in front of her.

     Dawn Breven jumped off the branch and approached the stream. She dipped her cupped hands into its icy cold water and scooped handfuls of the crystal clear liquid to her mouth. The quenching of her thirst with such clean and cool water lifted her spirits tremendously. She afforded a little smile. She took out her empty bamboo water container and filled it. She then jumped across the stream and moved up along the side of the road that ran parallel to it. She bent her body low to conceal it amongst the tall grasses. Observing no presence of humans or vehicles, she crossed to the other side of the road where the thick growth of shrubs and trees offered her better concealment. She felt absolutely sure that she was not seen.

     But Dawn was wrong
!
A hundred paces upstream and on the same side of the road, a thick cluster of grass began to move to reveal a small pit. The rectangular hole of the pit was wide enough for two men to lie down side by side and was covered with a removable wooden roof on which the grasses were carefully tied into place. Minvian Serene Genox emerged kneeling from the pit with a smile on her face.

     “Report _ do of this to Minvian Iddell that Dawn Breven has been sighted here moving southbound and inform Convian Snap Arfix to get 1
st
River to Timberstock fast, understand
?
Tail _ I shall be doing of this to her, and I shall send runners to provide updates,” whispered Serene.

     “Understand _ I do of this,” said the other Sollenthar, who was kneeling beside her. He then gave Serene a slight bow in the kneeling position and crouch-ran quietly into Tower Forest to get his horse.

     Serene crossed the road and crouch-ran along the grassy roadside just like Dawn did. She proceeded carefully and slowly. It was not her intention to catch up with Dawn. As a matter of fact, it was not her intention to even catch Dawn at all, but merely to follow her. The Lead Assassin of the Shadow Deathmerchant Clan was going to be too difficult for her to catch by herself. For this, she needed backup.

     Dawn heard a faint noise. Looking back at the road, she could see a horse-drawn cart loaded with cut-up timbers and firewood rolling lazily along. An idea came to her mind. It was risky, but it would save her much time if it succeeded. She had hardly debated it in her mind when she slapped herself in the mouth and partially tore and ripped her own clothes. Droplets of blood began to ooze from her cut lip. Then she rolled herself on the ground to get dirt and pieces of grass all over her body and the canvas bag that she was carrying. Breaking a branch from a thorny shrub, she lacerated her arms and legs with it. Blood began to trickle out of the fine wounds. Looking at her self-inflicted wounds, she took a deep breath and secretly hoped that it would be convincing enough to work. And after that, all she had to do was to wait.

     Serene saw Dawn’s unusual behaviour. She was very puzzled by it. But she kept her distance.

     The horse-drawn cart rolled lazily by. The driver was an old man in his late sixties and beside him was an elderly woman of about the same age, presumably his wife. Their clothes looked worn-out but clean. They showed signs of being poor but not to the point of extreme poverty.

     Suddenly, and to Serene’s utter surprise, Dawn ran out of the maze of trees, crying and trembling. The horse-drawn cart came to a sudden halt. The elderly pair looked at each other in confusion.

     “Help
!
Help
!
Oh
!
Help me please
!
” cried a distraught looking Dawn.

     “What’s going on, miss
?
Are you all right
?
” asked the old man, but his wife had already gotten down from the carriage and wrapped her hands around Dawn in order to comfort her.

     “Men…these men….they were…. their hands….touched me… tore my clothes…. Oh
!
Dear Creator
!
They touched me
!
”  cried Dawn as tears rolled down her cheeks.

     Serene finally understood Dawn’s plan. Dawn was trying to create the impression that she was raped in order to get the sympathy of the elderly couple. This way she could hitch a ride with them to wherever they were going and more importantly, she could do so in a less suspicious manner. Fallsian soldiers were ordered to set up roadblocks everywhere to hunt for Dawn, but they were told that she was a lone escaped fugitive, not a ‘frightened’ girl travelling with an elderly couple.

     Meanwhile, Dawn put all her acting skills to good use.

     “How could they… do… this to me
?
I didn’t know… Thought they were going to offer me a job, but they…. brought me out here. They touched me… took turns …. I feel so dirty
!
” she sobbed in a brilliant portrayal of being victimised.

     “Don’t worry, miss. My husband and I are here to take care of you. Here, put this blanket on you. It’ll make you feel better,” said the elderly woman in a motherly voice as she took a blanket and placed it over Dawn’s trembling shoulder.

     “Are you from Timberstock Town
?
If you are we can send you home, because we’re headed there anyway,” offered the elderly man.

     Dawn nodded her head and sobbed even harder. But in her heart she was smiling. Her plan was coming along brilliantly.

     Serene agreed, looking at Dawn’s magnificent acting skills. She would have stood up and clapped her hands if she was not tracking a highly trained assassin. But as Dawn boarded the cart and sat herself between the elderly couple, Serene realised that there was nothing she could do but to let Dawn escape once again. So Serene crawled down to the stream and headed back into the forest to recover her horse that she had tethered somewhere safe. She then galloped down secretly to Timberstock, hoping to beat Dawn to the city.

     The cart moved lazily along. The elderly women comforted her ‘guest’ as best she could.

     “Oh
!
You poor thing
!
How could those evil men do such a thing to you
!?
Don’t worry, miss, we’ll report this when we get to Timberstock. The soldiers there will arrest those monsters who did this to you,” she said.

     Dawn shivered and sobbed even harder. She allowed the elderly lady to hug her and she returned the hug as earnestly as she knew how. She must ‘play’ the character, ‘be’ the character until they arrive in Timberstock, or she would not stand a chance of getting though the roadblocks. Dawn held on tightly to her canvas bag. Although she had soiled it with dirt, it was the only thing that could give her ‘disguise’ away. But she had to keep the bag. The items in it were extremely useful to her.

     The gusty winds blew dust and dried leaves at their faces. The two aged horses trotted slowly along the road, bearing the heavy load of the cart. Then a sudden gust blew at the blanket and Dawn’s ripped pants and exposed just for a moment, her white, fair thighs. From the corner of her eyes, she saw a slight change in the elderly man’s expression. There was a look in his eyes that she had seen in men before. She was hoping that it was just her imagination. But she would have to wait to find out for sure.

     Meanwhile, Serene was galloping down the forest path at full speed towards Timberstock. Her mind was racing as fast as her body was riding. There seemed to be an opportunity, an opportunity that was never thought of or discussed before. What was the point of arresting Dawn
?
Would it not be better to tail her and let her show the way to The Lair
?
But what if she gave them the slip
?
Then Dawn would be free to try to assassinate Prince Patrum again. The risk of losing their one and only prince; versus the hope of knowing the location of The Lair and eradicating this monstrous organisation for good, was it going to be worth it
?
Serene was unsure. So in the meantime, what was she to do
?
The answer became obvious. Maintain status quo. Keep their options open
!