Chapter 14: Salderk

" What! Why didn't you let them in? "

" I can't possibly take action without confirming you or your father, my Prince... as you ordered. "

I looked at Farah in a way of asking if she's coming with me.

" Take us there! " she ordered the guard and hurried outside. We each got on our horse and the guard did as well.

" Hector! I need you to come with me! "

And so he did. Mytae stayed behind this time, while we took care of the situation. The guard led the way, Farah in front of me and Hector behind me. We galloped through the village and toward the City Gates. The people were practically trying to come through the gate, reaching out their hands for help. As soon as Farah got off her horse she demanded to open the gate. The peasants had come a long way, and most of them had their clothes ripped or torn. When I saw many older men were wounded I ordered the guard, who brought us here, to call for our medicine men. Hector told the soldiers to help the people with their supplies they brought and carry those who were hurt.

By the time, the medicine men arrived, along with the Maharajah and my father, we took them into a little camp we arranged for them close to the gates, giving them food and water. The wounded were cured and the exhausted rested. After finally seeing them better, I remembered what the guard told me:

" Their enemies have attacked India, and some are badly hurt..."

India? Could it have been Farah's homeland?

I searched for her in every tent, and I spotted her helping an old woman walk to her bed. I walked toward her, but the Maharajah stepped in front of me.

" Ohh! Excuse me..."

" No, it's al right...don't worry," the Maharajah sighed. " Such tragedy...caused by one man's greed." His face turned mad.

" What happened to them? Was there really an attack on India? "

" Yes. It was terrible, they were..."

Just then my father came with his horse. " Son! Come! We must go to the Tower...now! " He demanded, with not giving me a chance to speak. " We would be pleased if you could join us as well." He told he Maharajah.

I looked over to where Farah was before, but she wasn't there anymore; I got on my horse and headed to Babel. I still didn't know what on earth was going on here, but all I knew is we were going to discuss about it soon enough. I asked a servant outside of the Tower, if he knew where my father was waiting for me.

" Yes, he told me you would ask...uh...he's in the Council Room. "

" Thank you, " I said and headed for the Council, which was right below my father's chamber, close to the Hall of Learning. Something made me feel very uncomfortable about this. I mean, an attack on India, one man's greed, Farah's father knows something, and now it's our problem as well. Two royal guards wearing red and black uniforms guarded the doors and as they saw me walking to the room, they opened the two doors. The council room is sort of in a shape of a circle; all the chairs are the same, meaning everyone's equal, even for the King.

2 War Heroes, 2 Generals (including Hector), 2 Strategists, the Maharajah, and King Sharaman were all sitting down waiting for me. There were 10 chairs and 2 were unoccupied. One chair, to my father's left was mine, and the other to his right, was my brother's...Yes, my brothers. It's a long story but since he left my father and Babylon, I would take his place now.

" Son, please sit at my right. "

" So, my Lord, what is really going on here?" Hector asked my father.

" Well, wished I did know but I have no clue. " He turned to the Maharajah. " Though, I believe you're the only one here who can tell us the answer. "

" Yes, Sharaman I do. Do you remember in our pact, we agreed to help each other in times of war? "

Everyone looked at each other, not sure if they wanted to hear the rest of the Maharajah's story.

" Well I need your help..."

" Tell us Maharajah, who is this nemesis who attacked your people? "

" A long time ago, I had made peace with a Vizier who promised to bring me honor and glory, if I gave him control over most of my Kingdom. After I made him in charge of our army it was time for him to give me what we agreed on, and so he took us to The Island Of Time. "

The Island of Time? There's no such thing? Is there?

" To make a long story short, my most trusted friend Ardashir died that day, along with many of my men. Though we managed to get hold of the hourglass and take it back to our Kingdom. "

He stopped for a minute.

" I remember nothing brought me honor or glory since we parted the Island, I sacrificed the people I loved the most for a glorious Hourglass, which wasn't worth it. Ardashir died risking his life for mine, he died before his time... Couple of years passed and we began to hear rumors about invasions in villages close by. About an army so evil and powerful, they killed anyone in their way."

He stared at everyone in the room.

" They search for the Hourglass, for my Kingdom, for me. "

Everyone's eyes practically came out, including mine. This meant they were headed here.

" People say this army is led by a half-man, half-monster, who seeks revenge... "

" Now wait! Who is this leader? " My father asked the Maharajah.

" He is known as Salderk, the Dark Lord of the Pandemonium Sword. "

The Maharajah was kind of shaking now and his eyes turned red.

" I have a feeling Salderk... is Ardashir."

We stared at each other, others down at the floor or the wall, unsure if to believe the Maharajah.

" With all due respect Maharajah, are you telling us this nemesis, which has attacked India, was once Ardashir who died in the Island Of Time? "

" I know it sounds foolish of me, to say he's back from the dead to find the Hourglass. Though even if I was wrong, we must put an end to this at once. I tried to destroy them, I did, but my army wasn't as strong enough to defeat them. After I heard my daughter had run away to come to Babylon, it gave me a chance to come ask for an alliance, for your help. "

He stood up from his seat and walked towards my father and kneeled down.

" Together, we can defeat them before it's too late... "

King Sharaman looked at everyone; he didn't want put us into the situation. Though it was now our problem to worry about as well.

" It's too much at risk; if we fail to defeat them, Babylon will be doomed..." said Sharaman.

The Maharajah lowered his head and put his hand on his face.

" Though, with the finest army of India, and the finest army of Babylon... they will be stopped. "

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