Chapter 51: Traitors Rescue

Rahm Khün was many things: a skilled navigator and sailer, a loyal acolyte to the Amari family and a great warrior. He wanted nothing more than to obliterate the Pentarchy in the name of justice and vengeance for its betrayal and murders of Lord and Lady Amari plus their four eldest children, but the order given by 'Lord' Hiram giving their captive and the last surviving Amari to 'Lady' Gloriosa for the sole purpose of getting her pregnant with a more suitable Amari heir made him sick.

Especially as it has been him who had spearheaded the hastily planned evacuation of Zeren out of Katolis territorial waters on that fateful day ten years ago, whilst being pursued by that kingdoms navy as well.

Rahm could still remember the day, ten years ago, when he had been in command of the Amari ships travelling from Duren to Katolis with little Zeren in tow. The boy hadn't known, at the time, why his father's voice had spoken onboard the ship via a magic spell. Covering the boys eyes and ears, as the sound of fighting was heard through spell, Rahm's anger had instantly grown that day.

He had intended for Zeren to evade the pursuing Katolis navy by splitting him off from the main Amari ships and then regrouping later back at with Amari loyalists in Evenere. However, the boat that the boy had been on, and the person guarding him were lost at sea. It was many years after the fact when Rahm leans that Zeren had survived, after he turned up at Katolis castle after being returned to the human realm by Sunfire elves.

At first he had been angry at the elves for seemingly kidnapping a human child, but Rahm soon came to the realisation that the elves must have seen something in Zeren for them to keep and raise him. And for that, the former Amari captain-turned rebel seditionist would be forever grateful to whichever elves had raised and protected Zeren, although he had questioned their reasoning in allowing him to return to the human realm.

Now, however, with Zeren imprisoned and being visited by Sienna Gloriosa, Rahm had come to the last of his tolerance of Hiram's leadership and his willingness to go any further with the 'Grand Plan'. Whilst he was well aware of his fellow Militancy Councillors distrust of him, due to his open unease and his constant support of the boy being spared death and another designs that would see him used as a tool of the 'Grand Plan', Rahm knew that if he wanted truly wished to save the boy the tonight it would have to be.

The only problem facing his plan was the obstinate blockade he'd be compelled to fight against in order to actually free the boy. 'Lady' Sienna Gloriosa. She was the only one of the seven Council whom remained within the walls of Neodymium Castle, having been placed on standby by 'Lord' Hiram in case any other Pentarchy forces ambushed the castle as they were all away.

Presently, late evening, there was a very fine mist hanging in the air around Neodymium Castle and the only other people awake were guards, trained by Nitaky, stationed around the grounds and atop the walls of the fortress complex.

Staring out from a window in his tower bedroom, Rahm Khün took a cursory glance at the landscape directly beyond the fortress. With a deep sigh he turned around and moved over towards a simple desk; whereupon a rolled up and sealed scroll lay. Taking up the scroll in his left hand, Rahm clicked his right middle finger and thumb together calling a black raven to him.

"Mertha..." he whispered, "take this scroll to my contact in Katolis: 'Madam Shiara'. If all goes well tonight, young master Zeren will be returned safe to the protection of those he trusts". Arching her wings the raven was about to launch herself into the air when Rahm turned his head and gently stroked her emerald crest. "Goodbye... Mertha" he softly spoke, the scars on his face crinkling as he gave a sad smile.

"Don't return. Stay in Katolis".

Placing a gentle kiss to the ravens beak, Rahm then returned to his window and held outstretched his arm. As if knowing that this was going to be her last sight of her master, the Mertha cawed before nuzzling against him. And despite a few tears in the humans eyes his face remained stoic. Seeing him nod his head, the raven stretched her wings and properly launched herself out of the window a find flew upwards so that she would be less visible to enemies.

Tapping into his magic Rahm checked that no one had seen Mertha take flight, the last thing that he wanted was to have people shooting her down and discovering his line of communication with someone within the Pentarchy. Although, with what he was planning to do tonight would leave the Militancy in no doubt where he stood with them anymore.

'I was a fool to ever place my trust in a madmen like Hiram... Lord Sion, Lady Ulrica I'm sorry. I failed to protect your son but I will make up for that failure and ensure that he escapes my former allies'.

Donning his old Amari chainmail armour before pulling on protective breeches and a thick leather jerkin over it, he reached for his helm and dual swords. 'I do not except to live beyond tonight...' he recounted, 'but if Zeren returns to his friends and allies, and is happy, then I can say I have fulfilled my duty as an Amari guard'.

It felt strange holding his dual swords for the first time in nearly a decade ago, he had refused to wield them during his time in the militancy but now, he felt worthy of holding them again. Taking a deep breath, Rahm Khün placed his helm over his head and fixed the straps in place, then taking up his swords he made his way out of his tower room and began making his way down towards the dungeons.

Cold.

Many times now, whenever he had felt cold it had been when he was face to face death or on the cusp of personal tragedy. Yet, in his present mindset, there wasn't anything other than the release of death that Zeren would have desired. After weeks of being beaten and 'used' by that woman, his body was bloody and bruised. His left arm was horrifically scarred, whilst into his right had been injected manticore venom.

'Lady Gloriosa lives for sadism and pleasure'.

With his ankle shackled to a large rock in the centre of his moderately sized gaol cell, a length of chain for movability, the sixteen year old boy sat back against the cell wall; knees up to his chest and supporting his arms and chin. Tired bloodshot half-lidded eyes kept up a constant vigilance on the door, whilst his ears were pricked for any footsteps that enters the dungeons. Every now and then Zeren would flinch causing tiny sparks of primal lightning to burst into being around him, which only distressed him more.

'Mum, Dad... Dalia, Andrei, Reina, Lysander... I'll be with you soon'.

His mind the drifted to his Xadian family, the people he had so desperately wanted to see again before he died. And who had been the primary drive for his determination to resolve the issue of hatred, distrust and anger between humans and elves, yes his dream was based on a selfish wish but if he brought about peace between east and west, the humans and elves could live side by side.

'Otar, Geencha, Eris and Juri...'

Moreover, with the size of that would-be resistance any form of fight back against the Skeksis would be greatly increased but only if humans, elves and dragons all got along. Whilst Zeren still wished for this to occur and to return to his elven family, his drive at the moment was severely drowned out by self pity, pain and hatred. None of which he wanted to still have possession of whenever he did return to his adoptive family again.

Looking up and glancing out of an above nearby arrow slit window, Zeren could make out the silvery glow of mist hanging in the evening sky. Remembering how ethereally beautiful his families ancestral castle grounds had been when blanketed by mist, made tears well in his eyes. 'I'll be there for you'. The words spoken to him whenever he had injured himself playing in the grounds and out of familial love, from his beloved siblings and his loving parents.

His dark hair had grown longer and now fell to below his ears. Lowering his head so that his fringe obscured his vision was now a his preferred way of hiding his emotions from being observed. And given where he presently was, hiding the fact that he suffering seemed like a good coping mechanism. Gingerly raising his raised his right hand to his head, his fingers caressed the side braid that his adoptive sister, Eris, had plaited for him the day ten years ago when he had left Somerton village to return to the human realm.

Feeling that he still had the braid, and that that woman hadn't cut it off, was to his immense relief and also reminded him of his friends. It was almost cathartic to feel his elven braid beneath his fingers, it helped to purge some of his extremely negative suicidal thoughts from his brain. More so, a memory of Sarai telling him that she liked the braid had the affect of making his heart beat a little faster.

Thinking of Sarai, inevitably had the effect of making him think of Thorfinn, Jorvik, Noelle, Mimosa, Gyda and Amaya all of whom he knew were probably extremely worried. 'Guys, please forgive me. I guess... I won't be seeing you again'. Gritting his teeth together, Zeren pulled his necklace out from underneath his tunic, out of the three objects on the leather cord the one he wanted was the small golden sphere.

After removing the golden sphere from the cord he then proceeded to unscrew the two halves before removing from the hollow centre a small purple stone. 'If anyone tries to use your innate primal magic for nefarious purposes...' he remembered the voice of Arch Mage Sundari speak to him upon visiting Astoria. 'Bite down upon this stone. It is called Venenum Lapis, but it is commonly called Purpura Mortem as it leaves your tongue purple'.

Just as he was about to place the stone into his mouth his cell door was abruptly thrown wide open revealing a man in light armour and carrying a sword emblazoned with the Amari family crest. "Young Master!" Flinching at the man's greeting, Zeren went to place the stone in his mouth but stopped at the sight of the man using his sword to break the chains binding him before breaking his shackles. "Zeren Amari, please forgive me for everything that I have done! And I was once the captain of your families home guard, and as penance I shall see you returned to those who love you!"

Blinking, his heterochromia eyes widened in shock as the man approached him and offered him a pair of clean clothes, as well as returning to him his twin sky iron daggers. Standing up and grabbing the clothes before pulling on a clean jerkin over his tunic, he levelled the armour clad man with a suitable unsure but grateful gaze. "Who are you?"

Lifting up his visor the man showed his face, a face that Zeren remembered. "You! Captain Khün!" He gasped as he moved forwards and hugged the older man. "I... I always wondered what had to you after I washed up in Xadia". A profound expression of grief fell the man as he explained his anger and revenge had gotten the better of him, leading him to join the Militancy. "I never knew that they planned to do with you! All I ever wanted was to see the Pentarchy punished for what they did to your parents and siblings. I'm sorry for what my actions put you through".

Dropping to his knees Rahm Khün placed both hands on the boys shoulders and wept. "I know that I can never take back my actions or ever look into the eyes of Lord Sion and Lady Ulrica again, but if I can save you then I can die knowing that I did the right thing". Getting back to his feet, the old guard led the way out of the cell and the underground dungeons.

However, as they climbed the final stairway emerging from the basement dungeons they found themselves confronted by the irately grinning red haired woman; Sienna Gloriosa. "And where do you think you're going? You'll notice that I used the past tense!"

Standing tall in a red and black combat dress with her arms and legs exposed to the air, the woman unclenched her fists and pointed straight at her former colleague. "I knew you'd betray us, Khün! Which is why Lord Hiram asked me to remain behind and watch over the boy", her eyes drifting lustily over towards Zeren.

"You won't lay another finger on the Young Master!" Rahm yelled raising his hand. "Gladius Magicae!" Surrounding the old Amari knight were hundred of swords created from various magic elements: fire, ice, stone, wood, and water. "Even if I die here today..." Khün growled, "I will know that I truly honoured my liege Lord and Lady!" Flipping his visor back down over his face, Rahm, backed up by his conjured magic swords charged forwards.

"Captain Khün!" Zeren yelled, reaching forwards to try and stop the one person, besides him, held a personal connection with his family rush to his death. However, just then, at that precise moment a winged shadow flew across the castle courtyard and then dive bombed right in between the two combatants. "Well... looky here" the creature laughed jovially. "Just the boy I'm looking for".

Wreathing his hands in green flames, Zeren was about to lash out at the Skeksis before him when suddenly he saw the creature swing its tail around behind it and wrap itself around the redhead woman's body; lift her into the air and then slam her hard down on the ground with a sickening crack.

"You are Zeren Amari, are you not? Fear me not, although you would be forgiven for being so..." the Skeksis spoke. "I am not like the others. My name is SkekGra, I was once called the 'Conqueror' but now... I am regarded as the Heretic".

R.I.P - The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip.