Chapter 4 - A deal is struck

Applying a little more ointment, she grimaced at the sight of the wound. Helping injured soldiers during a battle was not unknown to her, but she could never get used to the abundance of blood which could pour out. Fighting not to shout out in pain, her patient brought a hand to his mouth, biting down on his index finger hard. Gwen admired his resolve, and gave him what she hoped was a reassuring pat on the arm. Looking around, she spotted a few more who could do with some medical attention. Though the cave was huge, there was a large number of soldiers here, and a good third of them – if not more – had been gravely hurt in their recent encounter with a group of magicians. She had spent all morning tending to the wounded, whilst Arthur discussed certain matters with the General. They had gone outside to talk, which meant that she was left alone with the soldiers inside the damp, dimly lit cave. The conditions were not ideal, but at least they were alive. She and Arthur had been sucked into some sort of hole amidst a dark storm which had suddenly erupted in and around the Castle, and since then they had been stuck here. Walking a while alongside cliffs and mountains, they had finally spotted a concealed entrance to this very cave. It had taken a while for the General to trust them – they had had to prove they weren't "Casters" - but now that he did, he was more than forthcoming with his hospitality and kindness. Breathing in the musty air, she wondered how they were going to get home. Marina must be worrying herself sick.

oOo

'So you're building an army to counter them?'

The General nodded. Arthur could see that he was experienced and respected amongst the soldiers. Everything about him screamed discipline, from his short hair to his posture. A strong man in his mid-fifties, he reminded him of his own father in some ways.

'Yes. We have had enough of the Casters' tyrannous rule. It needs to end now.'

'I still cannot believe that they would persecute you so.'

Curtailing a small rocky hill, both men got onto the path that led back to the cave. The General did not like staying out for too long, for fear that the hideout he and his men had been using would be discovered.

'It wasn't always this way. About…1000 or so years ago I think, we were the ones in charge. The entire Kingdom of Damerias was ruled by Valterras.'

'Valterras? You mean humans?'

This prompted a smile from the General.

'I like the way you think. I myself have, on more than one occasion, considered Casters inhuman but they bleed just like you and I do. No, we are all human, but some are tainted with the dark stain of the Devil. Back then, Valterras made up the majority of the population. Casters were seen as unholy demons punished by God and sent down to Earth as retribution for their crimes. I don't believe that nonsense though; never have. Most of them were kept as servants or slaves. The really dangerous ones were killed before they did too much damage.'

Though Arthur was not partial to magic, the General's tale did not sit well with him.

'That…sounds like the same sort of persecution going on now.'

The older man turned to him, surprised if not a little disgusted by his comment.

'No. Back then, if they behaved and kept their heads down, they would be taken care of and given sustenance in return for their services. Now, we are treated worse than animals. Toyed with for the entertainment of the Emperor.'

Arthur detected an edge to his voice, a steely one, coated with bitterness and poisonous anger. He kept himself from prying, though he was fairly certain there was something personal to account for his unshakeable hatred.

'In any case, there came a time when Casters decided they wanted more than what they were given. Ungrateful little shits. They rallied and attacked the Crown. Turns out that a lot of them had concealed a big part of their powers; the Crown's defence was just not up to par and it fell. The rebellion's leader took charge and exiled all the Valterras. Killed some for treason. Since then, it's been a nightmare for us. Can't even take a shit without having to ask for permission.'

'I see. So you're hoping to take the Crown back?'

'No. There is no Crown anymore. Since the rebellion, power has been passed down through sheer force. Given the fragmented society the rebellion left in its wake, people allied with those they trusted. Those alliances became known as Clans. It's a rare thing to find a Caster who does not belong to a Clan nowadays. Anyhow, they fight one another for power and wealth.'

The General stopped walking for a moment, turning to Arthur.

'Say you're from Clan A, and I'm from Clan B. I come along and defeat your Clan, which allows me to take your money, your resources, and most importantly, to invite anyone left standing to join me. Get it?'

'It sounds like a pretty….primitive system, if you don't mind my saying.'

'Oh, depending on the ranks of the Clans involved, it will be done with much more decorum. The system however, remains the same. At the moment, the Emperor's family is the strongest Clan alive. The second strongest happens to be their right hand, go-to Clan. The strongest after that have the duty of defending the Imperial family at all times. It's been this way for over a hundred years now. Seems no one is senseless enough to pick a fight with any of them.'

'Apart from you.'

Arthur's retort tickled him, and he laughed quietly before saying;

'I don't intend on losing. They may have the Devil's support, but there is nothing stronger than a man with righteous convictions and bravery in his heart.'

Such an ideal notion seemed a little too weak to go against an entire Empire, but the General looked to be as certain of his beliefs as anything.

'You should join our cause.'

Arthur had been waiting for this. From the moment the General had asked him to walk with him, he knew that their chat would end up here.

'With all due respect, though I empathise greatly with your cause, this isn't my land.'

'Yes I know, you came from a void in a storm or something like that. Still, people around you, in this very moment, this very second, are suffering from injustice. I know a nobleman when I see one; I doubt your father raised you to turn your back on those most in need of help.'

He really had no idea regarding Arthur's status back in Camelot. The Prince had retained this fact purposefully. He did not want to give unnecessary information, particularly when its recipient was a man he had met barely a few hours ago.

'It's not about withholding help. I have my own issues I need to sort out. If I start fighting everyone else's battle, I will have no time or strength left for my own.'

The older man sighed, clearly disappointed by the answer he had received. After a few minutes of silence, he said;

'I suppose you'll want to be getting back to your own land then?'

For the first time since he had left Camelot, Arthur felt a spark of hope. With luck, their stay in this odd country would be short and devoid of problems.

'Do you know how?'

'Well, it sounds like you travelled through one of Damien's Portals.'

Seeing his confusion, the General launched into yet another explanation.

'The Portals were created by a raving lunatic who promoted the idea of a societal model based on a peaceful coexistence between Casters and Valterras. Ridiculous if you ask me. He greatly opposed the rebellion as well as the Crown's retaliation. Long story short, he created the Portals to provide a means of escape for people who wanted to flee from the war. Since then they've basically been part of the landscape, though I've never actually seen one myself. They've become somewhat of a legend in Damerias.'

'Portals? That would explain how we got here I guess. I thought that maybe we went back or forward in time…but to end up in a whole different world…'

'There is a way to reopen the Portals.'

Arthur waited for him to expand on this, but seeing as the General had chosen that particular moment to begin whistling a playful tune, he was forced to ask.

'How would one do that?'

'Ah. Let me share with you an interesting fact. Damien, the crazy Caster responsible for the Portals, just so happens to be from the Emperor's family. He kept everything concerning them within his bloodline. I believe the Emperor has the information written down somewhere now. I'm sure we could convince him to let you have a look.'

The Prince of Camelot knew perfectly well what the General was getting at, and he didn't like it. Sure enough, the older man once more urged him to join his cause.

'If you help us see this through, I'll personally see to it that you obtain the information you need and get a Caster to do the necessary.'

Thinking over his options, Arthur reluctantly admitted to himself that there was no other way. He didn't know much about this land and would need help getting what he required. All things considered, the General's offer was a very tempting one. He needed to get that Portal reopened; if he helped the persecuted and less fortunate along the way, wasn't that even better? Besides, Camelot needed him. He thought of his father, whose health had begun to deteriorate gradually, and then of Merlin, smiling as he did so. He must be going insane, not knowing where he was. 'He better not slack off while I'm gone', he thought. Knowing him, Arthur would probably return to a half destroyed Castle, a raging War and an enraged King, all because Merlin forgot to deliver a letter to some pompous Lord.

Once returned to the cave, Arthur pulled Gwen aside and told her of the conversation he and the General had. Once he had finished she looked away a moment, before voicing her thoughts. Her concerns matched his.

'Sire…I don't like the fact that he essentially bribed you into this. For all his talk of conviction, the way he roped you into his army is somewhat shady.'

'I know, but what choice do we have? We must get back to Camelot.'

'Yes but who knows if what he's saying is true? What if he's lying just to get you to commit to his army?'

'We can't afford to think like that Gwen. This is our first and probably only opportunity.'

'I don't like it. I don't like him. Something's off about that man.'

He looked at her with an amused expression on his face.

'And you've decided this after having spoken to him a grand total of…what was it? 3 times?'

Glaring at him, she retorted;

'Call it a woman's intuition. As they say, behind every successful man stands-'

'An expertly forged sword and a loyal army.'

His good natured teasing lightened her spirits a little. Nodding at a recovering soldier who had just walked past, she sighed. Though she understood the necessity of Arthur's actions, she couldn't help but doubt the General's intentions. If there was one thing she had learnt during her time in Camelot, it was that there are always two sides to a story. Maybe a Caster would give a completely different account of Damerias' history and current situation. The thought made her uneasy, but as Arthur had said, they couldn't afford to think that way. Pushing her doubts at the back of her mind, she offered a silent prayer for their safe return to Camelot.