Hidden Crimes
A branch of the Prism flowed outward, clean and pristine, free of the Wyld's taint; from these uncorrupted waters did the farmers of the Anjala draw the life giving liquid to irrigate their fields. Ironically, they were also the source of much death as the streams and creeks weren't enough for everyone, becoming the main cause of conflict between the ruling families. The waterway before Tonauac, swollen from Air's rains, marked the border between the Dayias Shebit and Aryamani. Gazing at the ford, he could only imagine how many had died in the skirmishes between them and their ancestors.
"Can you unthie me now, we'll be on my Dayia's own lands?" The bandit-soldier, the Madjai learned was named Quick Stride, pleaded through his mouth of broken and missing teeth. As they had been, on their nearly two day journey, his wrists were bound behind his back, while another length of rope linked his ankles together beneath his horse, keeping him firmly aloft. Other than requests to be freed of his bonds, and guidance to his lord's domain, the sworn sword had remained tight lipped.
"No," Tonauac replied dismissively.
The giant trotted forward on his own animal, approaching the crossing's shrine. It was a post, driven into the earth, covered in glyphs and prayers to the Prism's little god, Zibaru. The largest print read: "Blood for blood. I bleed for your life, bleed a bit for me in return". It spoke of toll demanded by the spirit, a drop of blood to traverse her waters.
Tonauac went to retrieve this payment from the cut on his arm. Why prick a finger, when he already had a gash ready? When he unwrapped his wound, he found it completely healed. No wonder it slipped my mind to check it today, marveling at yet another of his gifts. When asked about it by his captive, Tonauac told him to shut up, and retrieved a knife to pierce a finger tip, letting a single drop of his blood fall into the stream. Then he muttered a prayer to Zibaru, and proceeded to splash through, pulling along Quick Stride.
They reached the small kasbah by nightfall, its stone looking black against the silvery light of the nearly full Moon. The fortress was largely a sturdy keep, walled off, with the resident Dayia's sworn swords watching their approach from the battlements of the scarred and repaired over defenses - proud markings of any rural Brassite lord, to show off his survival against his enemies. Gazing up at the torch lit soldiers, lightly armored and wearing their lord's colors in their turban wrapped helmets, Tonauac dismounted.
"Brothers...", Quick Stride tried to announce, but was silenced when Tonauac sliced his legs free and pushed him rudely from the horse.
Then the Madjai spoke to the guards, "Tell Dayia Shebit I have one of his men. I've come to return him."
Tonauac wanted to get this over with, too full of wrath. He had always been rather blunt and bold, but never so since he was Chosen. The giant was sorely tempted to rip open the arched gates and slay anyone who dared to hinder his path to delivering justice to the Dayia, especially as he remembered the family crying over their husband and father back in Kerhama.
The guards gathered, whispering. Tonauac stretched his senses, hearing them argue about what to do, having orders to deny any of the volunteers who went forth to deliver their liege's revenge. Revenge? What could those townsfolk have done to him to warrant his revenge? Hornless bastard! To say a man had no horns, when their war god was also the Heavenly patron of bulls, was a grave insult, and one all to fitting.
He yelled up to sworn swords, "I know he disguising himself as a bandit, so let me speak to Shebit."
"Who are you?" The oldest of the swords demanded, his beard streaked with gray, and a deep scar traveled down the right side of his face. "And what madness has possessed you to summon my Dayia as if he were a servant!"
He answered, "I am Tonauac Four-Fingers, Madjai in service of the Kandake's justice." He spoke formally of the duty he vowed to undertake for Brass's ruler, when he actually meant for the higher sense of humanity he figured the Unconquered Sun represented. Another twist of the truth left his lips, "and I'm willing help your Dayia see his justice served."
The weight of his name sunk into the guards, who made more urgent hushes amongst themselves, not realizing the Madjai could hear every word. The older guard decided to inform their lord, sending a sword off.
The scarred soldier looked back at Tonauac, "We'll let the Dayia decide, wait there." His last statement carried a clear threat, backed by the other guards readying their bows.
The giant glanced down to Quick Stride. "So, you went under orders of Shebit, even though you knew you couldn't return?"
"How'd you know thath?" The soldier-bandit paused, while struggling to sit up.
Tonauac nodded toward the other soldiers, "I have good hearing."
After managing to get himself in a seated position, Quick Stride clarified, "I wasn't ordered, I voluntheered."
"I would've said you were brave", the Madjai crossed his arms, "if you weren't slaughtering villagers, and didn't beg to be brought back here when the moment came to answer for your crimes."
Looking down, the sworn sword confessed, "Yes, I admith when you capthured me, I failed my vows...buth for all your thalk of justhice Madjai, you should at leasth hear my Dayia's cause."
"I'm sure I will." He was certain he'd hear all sorts of justifications for what amounted to another round in a generational grudge over who controlled this particular branch of Zibaru's river.
The older guard again called to Tonauac, "Dayia Shebit will meet with you Four-Fingers." The Madjai could hear him quietly tell his men to still keep their bows ready.
The thick double-doors parted, revealing the Dayia, standing where the brief entrance tunnel and the courtyard met, flanked by two of his sworn swords, along with a lantern carrying slave. Shebit was a short, stout man, who still carried himself in a strong and sturdy manner, despite the white-gray of his goatee and mustache. He was covered in simple sleeping robes, his shaved head bare; but a large dagger wafter some dusters. They say those hill devils even cursed your employer, with his home burning down around him. So am I meeting a ghost?" His last sentence carried some amusement.
"No, I'm no ghost Dayia," the Madjai replied as he stepped closer, humored at the tale. "But..."
Quick Stride interrupted, dropping to his knees between them. "My lord, I'm sorry for leading him here. Ith was weakthness and fear, buth I thoughth he mighth be able tho helpth us. None the less I offer you my life for my failure."
Surprised and admittedly impressed by the soldier's actions, Tonauac still saw the perfect distraction, especially as he was momentarily forgotten by the angry Dayia. Just as Shebit begin to scold his failed sword, he flung himself over Quick Stride, right at one of the bodyguards, slamming his gauntlet covered fist into the man's face. The giant followed by launching a spin kick that took both the noble and his remaining guard down. Then, the arrows came, and he felt two thuds...yet strangely no pain followed. Notching it off to his buff jacket's protection, he drew one of his twins, putting the flame piece to Shebit's bleeding face. He made sure to angle his body just right for the archers, exposing where his weapon was aimed.
"Make one more move and you'll be explaining your failure to the rest of your lord's family," he yelled at them.
The scarred sword barked back, "I'll make sure to show them your tortured corpse first!"
"All of you hold," Shebit ordered, not taking his eyes off the flame piece.
Tonauac grimaced at the dayia. "So Shebit, what's your reason for sending off your swords to butcher Kerhama, huh? Aryamani's own men too much for you now? You damn Dayias and your feuds."
"Waith!" Quick Stride cried, stumbling toward them. "We were tho avenge his sons," and fell to his knees. "Aryamani murdered them."
Tonauac eyed the soldier skeptically, "So you're trying to tell me the people of Kerhama killed them?"
Shebit explained, "No...Aryamani killed them." His eyes closed, clenching his teeth in rage and sorrow before continuing, "My oldest, Mkhai, went as a guest. We were trying to end our long fight, as the Kandake wanted of us." The Madjai knew of what the Dayia was discussing; Brass's ruler was making great efforts to end much of the petty infighting, and present a more united front with the growing troubles brought by the Empress's disappearance and Paragon's increasing aggression. "But he murdered him, and claimed my son was the one who insulted his home and drew a blade first. I tell you Four-Fingers, Mkhai was sincere in our efforts. It was Aryamani who wanted to continue bleeding me; him and his fathers before him always wanted my family's lands." Tears actually fell from the man's eyes, "And my other child would not be counciled. He rode off with some of my men to avenge Mhkai. I found their bodies staked along the river."
"That still doesn't explain your cowardice," Tonauac sneered. His finger was ready to pull Ruby's trigger, then unleash all his divine might on the kasbah.
Shebit clenched his fists, "I had to make that pig suffer! I went to the Kandake herself, demanding justice. This went beyond a just a simple feud. But she refused, siding with Aryamani, forbidding me to act at all, telling me she would send her Warhost to punish me. Me! Of course the Kandake would side with Aryamani. He's a richer Dayia, more traders go to him; his lands grow more bread; and he of course has more sworn swords to help against the Perfect...I couldn't let him get away with it. He had to suffer! Where's my justice, I ask you?"
Tonauac kept his weapon aimed at the noble, thinking over his story. It was indeed a tragedy, but he couldn't forget all the people killed and injured who had nothing to do with this crime. "Still, what did the Kerhamans have to do with this, except having the bad luck of being born under Aryamani's rule? You punish the wrong ones, Shebit. Where's their justice now? I saw a family lose their husband and father. Would you let one of his sons come here for justice?"
Shame flooded the Dayia's eyes, casting them away from the giant's judging own. "...You're right...but..."
"But nothing," the Madjai roared. "If you truly had honor, you'd go to Kerhama, confess your crime and beg for forgiveness, earn it by helping them rebuild what damages you did."
The Dayia was stunned. His men on the battlements laughed.
Tonauac spun his gaze to them, letting his power bleed through his words, "Quiet!" All the swords cringed. Refacing Shebit, he proclaimed, "Since it would be impossible to for you to see justice done against Aryamani, I'll do it myself."
"How?" Shebit balked. "I've even been forbidden from hiring Madjai, and you're just one man."
"I don't need money, pay me by helping Kerhama," was all he said, withdrawing Ruby and walking away.
As soon as he stepped from the Dayia, an archer loosed another arrow. Without thinking, Tonauac caught it, leaving the soldiers in an amazed stupor. Dropping the shaft, he continued on his way, overhearing the older sword call to Shebit, asking for permission to go after the Madjai. The noble ordered him to stay.
However, Quick Stride came running after him. "Pthlease, leth me come."
Tonauac stopped from mounting his horse, just eying him with a raised eyebrow.
"You spthoke thrue Four-Fingers, we were wrong atthacking that thown...Plthease, leth me redeem myself. I can also pthrethend to be your pthrisoner."
"No. If you want to redeem yourself, help your Dayia make amends to Kerhama. And if he doesn't, do it yourself."
Tonauac swung himself into his saddle, ignoring Quick Stride's further pleas as he trotted off. He was genuinely taken by the man's desire to make reparations, But he'll only get himself killed coming along...or try and kill me if he finds out what I really am.
)"(
Tonauac took in the heavens, seeing the eclipse and all five Maiden Stars shinning on the kasbah of Aryamani, which rose off a high rocky hill. Before, he would have taken this new phenomenon of the Sun and Moon joining as a foul sign, but now he recognized it as a blessing - 'remembering' some words of a past life,"The gods shine united today, for all of Creation."
I'm going to need all their help, the Madjai thought, dismounting. Even being a Solar and possessing all the power that came with it - such as when he discovered the arrows that were shot into him had indeed pierced his armor, but didn't even mark his skin - he felt as if he was still walking into suicide. Aryamani's fortress was much larger and twice as defended. Tonauac knelt, bowing as he prayed to his patron. Hear me Unconquered, I got much to make up for, for all the crimes I committed. I don't know you well, but I believe you're a just god, and that I am your Chosen. And If I am your instrument, to avenge Shebit's sons and end this man's greed, guide me into victory, even if it means my life. Returning to his feet, he patted his horse's snout and left the animal behind.
Tonauac could say he had one advantage, that he had worked for the Dayia before. The first time was when he was just an apprentice, barely a year past his self-exile. The other time was after he was on his own, but still a whelp, just another member of a team sent to hunt down an escaped group of slaves who murdered one of Aryamani's sworn swords; the noble's own men were too busy fighting other Dayias to waste time on fetching runaways. He remembered they were to return only their heads...letting out his guilt for killing the begging servant boy...telling himself then, he would have died anyway from the slash the Madjai had given him. I'll make it up to you too, he said to himself, sadly realizing he couldn't even recall the kid's name.
To the giant enforcer's relief, a telling of his name earned him entrance. The guards had heard rumors he was in Kerhama, and figured he'd come to see if Aryamani would hire him to hunt down the bandits. It wasn't long before Tonauac found himself in audience hall, presented with wine and fruit by slaves, which he politely consumed while awaiting the Dayia.
He was studying the tapestries, the crimson and storm blue of the Negus family, when Aryamani entered the small hall, emerging from behind the curtain backdrop of his throne. The noble was very tall, rising nearly to Tonauac's brow, and thin, his features sharp enough to cut by, all of which was clothed in robes of his family's colors, including a bejeweled turban of blue. "Tonauac," he warmly greeted. "I am graced to have such a man in my lands, when such a terrible crime has been done to my people."
The Madjai forced a smile, handing his half emptied goblet back to the female slave. He doesn't even remember me serving him before, hmph.
"I would be delighted to hire you." He descended the dais, taking a handful of figs from a slave. "It will be a relief, since my own swords have failed to find these bastards, who've already burned out two of my farms before daring such a strike on Kerhama." He gave disappointed glances to the four guards who silently occupied the room as well - two at the door, and two at the foot of the throne's dais.
Tonauac nodded, working out a battle plan to take them all down, and remembering how many soldiers he passed on the route to the hall.
The Dayia then surprised him, "To make your job even easier Four-Fingers, you don't mind me calling you that, do you? Well my men captured one of them." With a snap of his fingers, two more swords entered, dragging in an even more battered Quick Stride, who's will went into avoiding the Madjai's eye.
Plentimon's piss, he cursed as the soldier of Shebit was dropped to the stone floor.
"We found him snooping around shortly before you arrived. He confessed right away," Aryamani went on. "Even though the sky is evil tonight, I would say this is providence. Don't you agree?"
Quick Stride willed a grin to the giant, then launched a fist into one of his minder's manhood. Aryamani stepped back, as the rest of his sworn swords rushed in to detain the prisoner. You five-cursed fool, Tonuac mentally scolded of Quick Stride, as he too rammed an elbow into one of the door-guards, then slid out his foot to trip the other. The Madjai followed up by drawing his twins, using his inner magic to instantaneously feel the flow of energy between himself, his weapons, and the two swords closing in from the throne. In the space of breath, he saw the best possibilities of aiming his flame pieces true, and acted on them, blazing the ignited firedust forth.
Avoiding his engulfed comrades, one of the guards, who dragged Quick Stride in, freed his scimitar and charged Tonauac. The giant readied to knock the attack aside with his fighting gauntlets, but the soldier-bandit grabbed the man. Tonauac yelled for him to halt, but the sworn sword knocked his hands away and sliced open Quick Stride's chest.
)"(
He saw another of his Terrestrials go down, the leader of his elite force, and a loyal soldier for over two centuries who hailed from a line that served him for generations. Her Jade armor was broken like glass as the infernal daiklave ripped open her chest and stomach; her life extinguished like her fiery anima. And though she hadn't died in vain, with the huge blade of her direlance impaling the traitor's demonic locust of a mount, his rage burned hotter than the flames of Divinity's Wrath.
The traitor managed to leap off her agatae, as the demon's corpse sailed into the depths of the canyon below, landing on the cliff just across from him. She was once a Solar, a sister Zenith such as himself; but the woman, with short spiky hair, had sold her soul to the Yozis, trading the Unconquered Sun for the mocking green light of Malfeas. Her weapon and armor even reflected this treason, forged from the abhorrent materials of Hell.
"You abomination," he roared, taking a battle stance with his blade. "I will cleanse your taint from our father's eye!"
Her retort was to leap, which he mimicked. Their weapons met in mid-air, each striking and blocking a dozen times before their weight carried them back to the earth. She landed along the canyon's wall, pushing herself back at him. Letting her come, he aimed his ganklave, charging righteous might into the barrage he let loose. Each one of those blasts released a burning cloud, which formed into wrathful fanged phantoms; they raced toward her like comets, overcoming her attempts to twist around or batter them away, sinking their fiery teeth into her flesh. Howling, her badly burned body collapsed at his feet without a hint of finesse.
Raising his blade, he exclaimed, "Let your Essence go onto one more worthy, you Yozi-whore!" Then hacked down to end her sickening existence...
)"(
When the vision cleared, two more of Aryamani's sworn swords were dead, hacked down by the bloody falchion in his hands. The Dayia himself cowered on his knees, unable to utter a sound in spite of his dropped jaw. The soldier he tripped earlier, abandoned his sword and fled. The Solar realized his anima surrounded him with a soft glow, flaring brighter when his eyes fell upon the corpse of Quick Stride.
A fury the like of which he had never felt overcame him, seeing this man who sought to redeem himself, sacrificing himself, lying dead at his feet. This anger immediately fell upon the Dayia, and without a thought he took the man's head off. It was all a blur of killing after that. Raging through the kasbah, Tonauac slaughtered anyone who had the misfortune of getting in his way, anyone who was unlucky enough to have vowed their blades to Aryamani. Death and fire filled him, and quickly filled the fortress as well.
When he came to, Tonauac found himself approaching his horse, splattered with blood, both from his own and those he killed. Behind him, the kasbah was in flames, with survivors fleeing into the night. Ken-Metarma's breath, what did I do?
)"(