Tonight is actually my Birthday, yippee! I'm fucking older than I was yesterday. Plus one to the death clock.
I wasn't sure if I'd work on it during the 31st so I decided to deliver early.
The mood within the Royal Palace was experiencing something like never before. The staff that worked to maintain the palace as well as attend to Pagan's need all were in that good mood. And the primary cause of this was King Min's most recent guest Bhadra.
It was that very morning, Bhadra had woken up earlier than the kitchen staff as well to cook for the entire staff and Pagan. The staff found themselves waking to the aroma coming from the kitchens, the chef and kitchen staff freaked out as they weren't the ones in the kitchen themselves. And as they came to the staff dining they found bowls of congee porridge awaiting them. Bhadra was standing by the pot waiting to serve them, they gratefully excepted as they weren't sure of the outcome if they didn't. Since young, it became part of the routine for her to wake up early to cook for the household. Only this time she included the servants and guards in that checklist in Pagan's household. The servants were worried at first as to what King Min would think of this but Gary insisted they were alright.
Pagan laughed his ass off when he woke up to the same aroma and visited the kitchens, only to find what she was doing.
Bhadra also kept a portion aside for Maya who was under the watchful eye of the Royal Physician as he made it his top priority to monitor her situation. She also passed a bowl to the doctor who hadn't eaten or slept for a while, which he thanked her for graciously.
"You're as much of an odd ball as my boy, dear!" Pagan told her as they watched over Maya in place of the Doctor so he could rest. Currently, they were playing a game of chess at the table, Pagan watched as she expressively thought hard about her moves whereas he merely moved his pieces accordingly.
Pagan or Pagavel as he was known in the past, was a genius at manipulation and gambling odds. He played the Hong Kong Police against other triad sects while having tea with his adoptive sister as they watched them tear each other apart. It was only until later on when Interpol stepped in and lent its global resources to the local authorities and the other triad sects band together to take down his operation did he move out in search of new grounds.
It was the reason Yuma had fallen for her "Tailou" in the first place. Even in adversity he was always under a calm and levelled expression.
Speaking of Yuma, the sound of loud trudging and banging of doors open became louder as it approached their room. "Where is she?!" She shouts at Gary in the corridor. The doors burst open and slammed against the wall from the force as Yuma stormed the room, Bhadra wore a shocked expression to the intruder while Pagan was calm as ever.
Yuma's eyes landed on the bedridden Maya and made heavy steps towards the bedside. "Child…" She held her hand with both of hers and placed it on her head. Bhadra and Pagan were silent throughout this interaction.
"Where is he?..." Yuma said with a low growl.
"WHERE IS HE?!" Yuma roared at Pagan whom barely flinched like Bhadra to her tone and authoritative power.
"He's out looking for ways to cure your girl, did you really think he'd just be sitting here with us hoping a miracle would happen?" Pagan chuckled despite the hostility of the vibe.
"Where?"
"Hajura' Amako- something. Uh- what was it?"
"Hajura' Amako Hatama mistress Lau." Bhadra filled in the gap that Pagan forgot.
"Ah- Yes! A wonderful memory my dear!"
"I'm going to look for him-."
"I'd advise against it. I'm well aware that anything can happen in the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, both to you and my boy." Pagan said it like a warning to her to back off. Yuma bore witness again to the resurgence of the former Pagan, whatever was happening between Ajay and Pagan it wasn't weakening him like Ishwari but restoring his will.
-It should have been me!-
"Besides, after this that boy will owe me a favor like he promised. And you know a favor from Ajay means he'll burn a city for you! Isn't that wonderful, things were playing out exactly as you planned them to!" He said with a smile.
"Planned to?-…." For a moment Yuma was genuinely confused about what Pagan meant. But as Pagan turned to face Maya she realized what he meant.
"You've finally gained the heart of the Northern Demon through her, I always knew you had it in you to be manipulative like your brother!" His sweet tone added to the sarcasm involved in his words.
"Maya is-… is-."
"The perfect tool to you my dear Yuma. So, might I inquire what you intend to do with them your objects that is?" Every word was like a knife condemning her for her actions. She found herself at a loss of words or expression.
Maya was her tool, was that all she really meant to her? As Yuma sat beside her she reminisced the time she spent nurturing her from a cheerful child to a beautiful young lady. Yuma gently stroked the hair on her head, it had grown considerably long the last time they met at around shoulder length. She placed her hand against Maya's cheek to which Maya unconsciously leaned towards the cold hand of Yuma. Maya could never be her tool, though she wasn't her flesh and blood.
Maya was unmistakably her child.
Yuma retrieved her cellphone and dialed her reserves.
*Yes, Mistress!*
"Send Sandesh to Hajura' Amako Hatama. Their objective is to bring back Ajay Ghale safely."
*With haste, Mistress!* The operator responded and Yuma placed the phone back into her pocket.
"Come over, Yuma. I don't think you've had the pleasure of meeting Bhadra yet!" Pagan beckoned her over to the coffee table where Bhadra sat.
"Um… It's a pleasure to meet Maya's guardian!" Bhadra said earnestly. Yuma cracked a smile, at least someone else in the room was willing to acknowledge that Maya wasn't her tool.
"Bhadra, right? I have a feeling we might get along well in time."
The blood rushed to his head had woken Ajay from the uncomfortable knockout he had previously. He slowly peeled his eyelids open to find the scenery very strange, he was in a cave no doubt about it but the furnishings were on top of the roof. It was then that he discovered he was in fact hanging upside down, looking up to his feet he saw his legs were tied together by a rope suspending from the ceiling.
-What happened….?-
Ajay tried to organize his thoughts, he back tracked his movements to what he did previously starting from the cabin.
They got into a fight with intruders of the compound, that had not been the disciples but Yetis, just Yetis and a lot of them. He fought and killed many of them with Saras-… Saras. He blacked out before he knew what happened to her, and now here he was in a cave tied up by the Yeti he failed to kill no doubt.
He looked around and saw the corpses of dead hunters and Sherpas that ventured to the valley around him. It appeared he was next on the menu. His equipment was gone, rifles, knives and grenades. How the hell did the Yeti know how to disarm him, or was this the work of man?
(ROOOAAAARR) The sound of a Yeti returning to the cave could be heard from its heavy footsteps.
Probably being formerly human it had some understanding of what made man deadly and removed his stuff.
Ajay's body was currently bind by vines from some plant as he wiggled out his hands to break free. But he could only take out one hand, the other one was stuck in an odd position. Ajay tried to use the freed hand to remove the vines but they were too tight and the thorns had lodged themselves into his tough clothing which prevented his skin from being pierced, credit to Mumu for crafting quality clothing.
He needed a tool to cut the vines or remove the rope from his legs and looked around at the corpses that lay frozen against the cave walls.
The footsteps of the Yeti were getting closer.
Ajay's eyes caught a glitter of shining metal, some tubes that were clasped between the frozen hands of a corpse. Ajay swung his body towards it and back like a pendulum to increase momentum to thrust his body forward to the tube he could use to ply the vines off.
On his third swing he managed to touch it but wasn't able to get a good grip of the tubular pipe. He swung again and managed to grab hold of it, but at the same time the Yeti came full into view and saw that Ajay was awake. It roared for the sake of roaring, making Ajay only double his efforts in yanking the pipe free.
But the corpse's hands were frozen stiff. Ajay then wiggled the tube around to loosen it up before yanking it out. The Yeti was approaching him fast and was just ten metres from him, it had the habit of beating its chest like a gorilla which was all the better for Ajay if it gave him precious seconds. He actually had no way of fighting the Yeti presently but at least he could run.
"Come on!" Ajay pulled once more and the frozen hands broke into dust as he removed the pipe and was about to stab the rope to break it, only it wasn't a pipe.
It was a double-barreled rifle. The Yeti grabbed onto his legs and was about to reach for his body with the other to tear him apart. Ajay pointed the double-barreled at the Yetis heart and prayed that the gun still worked.
(BOOM) The gun thundered from the massive shell that spun out of the heavy weight barrel, the massive report was so loud his ears nearly went deaf.
The Yetis grip loosened and dangled to its side. Where its heart had been was now a huge cavity with an even larger exit wound, the Yeti dropped to its back motionless. Ajay breathed a sigh of relief, he had not expected it to be so powerful that it could kill it in one shot. It definitely was some kind of wildcat cartridge and not a shotgun. Ajay pointed the double barrel above his feet where the ropes were and fired again, the shot echoed throughout the cave as it munched the rope in two and he fell to the ground. He begun wiggling his way towards the corpses like a worm until he approached an individual who owned a Kukri knife conveniently in his back pocket. Apparently the Yeti wasn't thorough enough in his searches, only removing the gear seen externally. He could hear roars from the Yetis communicating and looking for the source of the loud blasts.
Ajay hastily cut the vines off his body and the ropes to his feet and got up. He walked over to the former hunter which owned this elephant gun and went through his personal effects. There happened to be some giant shells in his handbag, and Ajay immediately understood why it was such a potent shot. They were a type of custom made Nitro .700 hollow-point bullet explaining the damage to the unarmored Yeti, it had some type of sabot tip to maintain its ballistic performance when fired but did the same damage as a hollow-point one without it. The hunter was most likely here to hunter Yeti, Ajay had only to thank him for being here at the right time and right place.
"I'll put these to good use!" He told the corpse as he picked up the rounds and placed them in his pocket. A first aid kit was also present in one of the corpses possession which he took and used immediately. There was a burn on his shoulder he applied burn cream to it and quickly bandaged himself before moving on and finding out where exactly he was. Once ready, he unslung the double barreled and moved cautiously through the cavern tunnels because there was no telling how many Yetis stayed in one cave.
As he moved forward he began to realize which cave he might be in, there were half-formed corpse/cocoons of the man/yetis scattered around in lotus position. It was made even more obvious with the statue of Yalung behind the meditating bodies.
AWAKEN
The disembodied voice echoed through the cave as well as within his head. Ajay was in the heart of the Relic Shrine cave.
Ajay had a moment to think about his actions. Where was Saras? Was the question that rung in his head. Was she taken to the cave like his unconscious self…. or was she eaten? Ajay's mind started to become a jumbled mess at the thought. In the last moments fighting he couldn't determine whether she fought till the end or was knocked out like him. And why was he brought back here instead of being ripped to shreds? The thoughts of his dream were beginning to coincide with what was happening.
"SARAS!" Ajay dared to shout out for her. His voice echoed throughout the cave, there was no answer except for the many roars of Yetis finding him within their domain. Ajay was starting to feel the possibility that she may have died, the thought made him collapse to his knees and vomit.
His nightmare had come true. The Yetis were closing in but Ajay didn't seem to care his mind was preoccupied with what he had done.
"… I killed her…" Ajay sat with vacant eyes.
The Yetis found him and galloped towards him.
Even after he tried so hard, the charming, playful Saras was no more. He had failed her, he failed her and couldn't explain his inability to protect her like he promised. He truly didn't deserve to walk another second on the earth again.
JOIN US
The disembodied voice called out once more as the Yetis were just feet from him.
And just when he felt the same despair that engulfed him at the steps of the Ghale Homestead. Another emotion rose in him, an emotion that had always been there but was bottled up whenever he was frustrated or grieving. Since the day his mother died, he blamed himself for having a hand in her death. Once again, someone had died because of him. Calling out to him to embrace the way of bloodshed.
For the first time in so long, the shackles that held down his true nature broke giving him a genuine freedom over his feelings and nature. He'd been guided here thus far by the will of others, so he would never have responsibility over his own actions. Yet, none of his guardians ever did but shoved it upon him instead.
"But then, its your fault as well!..."
Ajay's grip tightened around the pistol grip of the double barreled and the Kukris handle.
"I'll take you all on!"
He aimed the two shot at the closest Yeti and took its life with a single shot and did the same to another with the second shot before opening the breach and ejecting the cartridges.
A Yeti came too close for him to reload in time to shot it so he launched the grapple anchor from the gauntlet that was still in his possession at the icy stalactites above on high on the roof and yanked it downwards. The sharpened ice fell upon several of the Yetis causing them to wail in pain and fall to the ground. Ajay darted forwards and knifed one in the back of its neck and blasted two more with the two shot.
The last one stood shock by Ajay's brutality as a mere human and flinched. That second of hesitation cost it as Ajay's knife buried itself deep into its hard cranium from the force of his strike. The Yeti fell to its knees and dropped onto the ground. Ajay continued on his way, he picked up an oxygen mask from a corpse and walked onwards. In Ajay's emotions there was no fear, no sorrow, no regret.
Ajay walked towards the Relic, with one sole intention.
A few Yetis came one after another only to be blasted or wounded enough for Ajay to kill it with the knife.
WALK THE PATH OF ETERNITY
The disembodied voice enticed him to join the awakened in living, but Ajay only saw one outcome from that.
"Walk hell for eternity..." Ajay answered the voice not caring if it answered back.
Reaching the Relic tree, he found his and Saras's gear lying in front of a black scorched Yeti who was inspecting them, it sat there guarding the tree. The Yeti had a distinct burn scar on its body, one that Ajay instantly recognized. It was the same one that took Saras's life.
The Black Yeti turned and recognized him, it became infuriated with his struggle for survival. It placed the gear on the floor and took up a position ready to lunge at him.
But instead of shooting this one, Ajay cast the double barrel aside and raised the knife. "Bring it!" As the Yeti lunged at him, Ajay too ran at it and slide under it with the knife raised. The knife cut into a decent amount of hide while it flew over him. When the Yeti landed on the ground, Ajay was already in the air slashing the knife down into its skull. The Yeti raised its hand to block and absorb the vicious strike by Ajay. Ajay's Kukri impaled its palm and twisted it to increase the damage done to it. Ajay withdrew the knife quickly before the other hand swept at him, he leaned out of the way. With the Yeti showing yet another opening, Ajay made another vicious strike across the Yetis torso causing it to roar in pain, the cut was so deep that blood gushed from it. The Yeti held on to the wound applying pressure while stumbling to maintain defense against this abnormal human.
The Yeti was struggling to get up from the severely weakened hand, it noticed the double barrel next to Ajay's feet as did Ajay himself who looked at it for a brief second and back to the Yeti which was sitting on the floor because it had trouble getting up. Ajay walked forwards without picking up the gun that could kill a Yeti in one shot.
"I don't need a gun to kill you, all I need is this knife. I want you to suffer for every moment you savoured a bite out of her! I want you to remember in you last breaths why you experienced hell and lament for eternity!" The Black-hide Yeti stood silently for a moment, as if it understood what was saying but was stunned by his aggression towards it where most would simply run. It didn't stay surprise for very long, this was its domain after all. And the man before him was just another meal.
"And after I'm done with you I'm gonna burn this fucking tree!" Ajay charged the black Yeti again with just his knife in hand. The Yeti threw a haymaker with the good hand hoping to swipe him but Ajay pivoted his body forward and swept the Kukri in a downward motion. If it wasn't the sharpness of the blade, then it was the brute force of his strike full of hatred that chopped the Yetis arm off and broke the bones within.
(ROARRR)
"Raarrrghhh!"
The Yeti roared in pain once more as Ajay grabbed the fur on its head and repeatedly stabbed its neck till there was barely a sound coming out from its mouth.
Ajay turned back to his gear and picked up the C4 charges and threw it at the trees roots.
STOP. DO NOT DESTROY THE RELIC
"Stop?... When did you learn the meaning of stop?! When I did everything to avoid this place, you still sent them to chase me and Saras, did you stop?!"
He flips the cover of the detonator open.
"I may have led her to her death,… BUT YOU KILLED HER!"
AWAKEN. STOP HIM
The meditation half-forms burst into clouds of orange and completed their transformation to Yetis and all the while more were being added to the numbers. The Yetis converged with great speed.
Ajay raised the detonator to the C4.
"You can send all you want but it won't change your fate. I'll take you with me even if it means tearing this whole goddamn mountain in half! And if I reincarnate I'll still do the same until there's not a single drop of your existence left on this earth!" Ajay made a blood vow to the Relic.
AWAKEN CEASE
The newly Awakened Yetis ceased their approached and growled where they stood, but none dare go near three metres from him.
TAKE HER. LEAVE
"Huh?" Ajay was dumbfounded for a moment, he didn't want to believe it but the crowd of Yetis did it for him.
The Yetis that had gathered parted way to a part of the wall where the roots covered, lying unconscious underneath all the branches was Saras.
Almost immediately Ajay's rage vanished as he took steps that increased in pace towards her to confirm with his own eyes it was really her.
Ajay pulled the roots and branches aside as he retrieved her. "Saras…. Saras!" Ajay hugged her tightly.
"Mmmmm….." He could hear a moan from her confirming she was alright though still asleep with an expression like she was experiencing a nightmare. He placed the oxygen mask on her face, worried she wasn't receiving enough where they were.
LEAVE
"How do I know she won't turn into one of them?" What was the point if they left and became one of them.
LEAVE. THEN SHE SHALL NOT
Although Ajay didn't trust the voice he felt that it had no reason to lie. Ajay carried her and made his way out of the cave. He held on to the detonator as a guarantee for their departure, raising it for the Yeti to see he would really end their eternal existence should anything happen to him.
The light from the outside of the cave could be seen from where he was almost a hundred metres to the surface.
In the inner sanctum of the Relic tree, the Yetis returned to their hibernation like nothing had happened there. The serenity had returned to sight. The collective conscience of the Relic murmured once again to itself.
BUT AWAKEN. HE ALREADY HAS
Ajay ran down the mountain to the valley without stopping, the detonator he chucked aside at the entrance as he promised. In his arms was someone he thought he already lost, Ajay felt like he was in cloud nine and relief. Ajay ran up to the promised pickup sight where Kamran was expected and looked at his watch once more. They had been under the cave of the entire remainder of the night till eight o'clock in the morning, Kamran was coming any minute. Ajay checked his back pouch to confirm that the flower canister was in his possession which it was.
Ajay lay Saras down on the thick snow and threw his jacket over her to cover her from the increasing wind.
As he waited, he reflected on what had happened just recently. He had actually been exposed to the gases as was Saras, yet there were no signs of changing nor hallucination like he was expecting. There was only one emotion that clouded his judgement then, and it was rage.
The fury to inflict upon those that hurt those dear to him. It somehow subverted the effects or did he build an immunity or something, too many things didn't make any sense. The rage was also an emotion he didn't fully understand, it completely took his power of reason away from him. That moment he was ready gearing towards killing himself even when he had the important objective of bringing back the flower safely. He hoped he wouldn't have to go through that again ever.
"….. Ajay…?" Saras slowly opened her eyes to find herself in a bright place with snow packed around. Ajay came over smiling warmly. "Welcome back, Saras!"
"W-…What happened?"
As Ajay was about to open his mouth to tell her, he was reminded of the shock she experienced from encountering the Yetis, it almost crushed her beliefs till they were nothing and completely shifted her personality because of the reality bending occurrence of their existence.
Ajay made a silent resolve about what he had to do. She didn't need to remember any of this.
"You dozed right after we collected the flowers, I had to bring you all the way back to the cabin. And you were still sleeping when I brought you here to the LZ. Talk about being lazy!"
-Ignorance is a bliss.-
"Uh- The Yetis!-…" She recalled the events that took place previously.
"Yetis? What are you talking about? Did you sleep too long or something?"
"Huh? Ajay, weren't we being attacked?!" She asked with worry. Ajay played the part of ignorant one.
"Attacked, did you dream you were attacked by Yetis? Geez, Saras. How old are you?" He said with a smirk.
"Huh? Hey! I'm being serious here!" She was now frowning.
"I'm also being serious. What the hell's been cooking in your head this entire time?" He flicked her on the forehead. "Ow!"
The sound of helicopters closing in could be heard. Ajay got up and left Saras sitting in the snow.
"Time to go, we can finally say good bye to this frigid place."
Ajay left her to ponder her thoughts about her experiences and question whether they were indeed just a dream. Ajay slung the double-barrel on his back to bring back as a souvenir, it had been unexpectedly useful at taking down large targets especially with the special load that was in his pockets still. He noticed the initials that were engraved on the gun's brass workings, "Slayer" was the name inscribed onto it. So he would take to calling it the "Slayer" in future as well.
The helicopter landed and the sliding doors opened, it wasn't Kamran's chopper so Ajay was a little sceptical at first. The troops on board poured out to secure the area around them and the leader walked up to him.
"Ajay Ghale, I'm Captain Sandesh. Mistress Yuma has instructed me to bring you back to the palace safely!" The leader confirmed with him.
"Sir?" But Ajay was standing stiff as a rock looking at the leader.
"What did you say your name was again?..."
"Um- Sandesh, sir?"
Ajay heard it perfectly clear on both accounts, but the image he had of the person in his timeline and the person that was standing before him was completely different.
"Weren't you at the excavations sight by Yuma's orders?"
-I have to know.-
Sandesh scratched his ear. "I'm not sure what you're talking about sir, I've been operating within Durgesh Prison for over five months now with no change in vocation or unit."
"No change?….."
-What the hell is going on?! You mean Yuma….. never sent the expedition?-
"Yes, sir. Just a smooth sailing tour through vocations, it gets quite lonely in Durgesh I'm quite glad she sent me to pick you up!" Sandesh was chatting to him in a friendlier way than most Royal Army officers would speak to him. This was nothing like the Sandesh he knew who was known as Master Sandesh of the Disciples of Yalung cult.
"I'm sorry, I mistook you for someone else. Right, let's go now. Saras, just waiting for you now!"
"Uh- Ok. Coming-…..Huh?" As she walked up to helicopter where Ajay and the Royal Army when she noticed the burns on his shoulder on his back as he entered the helicopter from where the burning Yeti knocked against him. She had placed the snow against his shoulder to extinguish it, that part she didn't forget.
And that's when everything started to fall in place for Saras's quick and amazing intellect. Her original wry smile returned to her as she walked up to the chopper where the soldiers were waiting for her to board before departure.
She understood that Ajay was merely trying to protect her from the terrible experiences she had to go through.
"He really does care for me….."
"About time, Luca! We're all starving!" Ricardo complained to the resident chef.
"If that were the case you should have bought instead." Luca came over with the freshly brewed yak stew in a pot, he had tried to replicate the taste to match the Northern Italian beef stew. Only they were in a place where cows were sacred animals so he had to improvise with the main ingredient for Yak meat which was more gamey. He poured out the contents into a bowl for each of the occupants at the table. Including their newest addition.
"Alright! I thought I'd be eating goat meat or some weird Kyrati dish here as well!" Perkins received the bowl of stew from Luca.
"I'll be taking lunch elsewhere." Stella got up and walked out with the bowl and some Naan bread in hand. The rest of the Condotierri knew why she was doing this, partly to prevent herself from murdering marine on every occasion she saw him. The rest decided to respect her decision.
"(Sigh) How long do I have to stay here?" Perkins complained.
"You should be grateful you're not spending the last of your days in Durgesh Prison," Ricardo told him as he spooned a mouthful.
"I got caught before in Tehran. Geez! How bad could it be?"
Samson laughed a little.
"From what I hear, they don't do anything to you in Durgesh other than pump narcotics into your blood stream. Their prison has a special touch to it, where there are no walls or railings just a long way down a steep mountain. The idea is that if you didn't go insane from the loneliness or voices of others, while in the right frame of mind you'd jump down the mountain to your death. If not, you'll add to the long line of crazies. No one will remember you once you're there." Samson reached for a loaf when Emilio passed it around.
Perkins became quiet after hearing that, as he tried to absorb the grace he was given by Badala at a whim.
"So it's nothing like your countries Guantanamo Bay or anything. It's just Durgesh Prison."
"So this Yuma runs it right?"
"What? Didn't you get briefed before coming? Getting to know the consequence of being caught in the North?" Ricardo laughed at his naivety.
"So how did you guys decide to switch sides?" That part was never mentioned to them or his Captain by Solomon.
"To be fair, it was our former employer that did that first. Solomon was the Royal Army's supplier until he got greedy and ambitious. Siding with the Golden Path under a new contract afforded him access to Kyrat's natural resource pool if they ever won. We were just with him because he was paying us….. though he still was an ass." Ricardo mumbled the last part.
"Ok?... So how did you get to join him- Badala I mean?"
The Condotierri shifted around uncomfortably when being asked that question, there were fond and not so fond memories packed within that night.
"Solomon got the wise idea of using us as cannon fodder when he had enough of us. We marched up the hill two by two and met with Badala and 3th Company. It wasn't so much the quality of the troops but the person commanding them that made us almost lose all our chances. I surrendered on our behalf and out came Badala, leaking a dangerous aura as if he'd kill us on his own but left it to his soldiers instead….. Then he gave us a choice, match the deaths on to his own and he'd let us live. So I did what any man would do to save his scrawny ass, I killed some assholes in our band and walked away freely." Samson took out his smoking pipe and lit it, taking a few puffs to calm the nerves.
"Then, he offered me a contract. More generous than I've ever been paid in my entire service in Folgore or as a mercenary. He made me remember those deaths as a reminder of who I chose to be and for that I can't thank him enough."
"So it was like he was asking you to be yourself."
"I'm a mercenary, paid by the coin to do dirty work for others there's no hiding that, Sergeant. And that precisely what he wanted from all of us, and that's why he earns my utmost respect. If you've been here long enough, sergeant. You'll understand that Democracy, Republic isn't adequate for the predator infested forest and lakes here. More people die from these natural causes that actual casualties from this Civil War. And to survive in Kyrat, its people have to be physically and mentally hardy. While King Min looks like a tyrant from the international perspective, he's actually preserved and safe guarded the people from the natural dangers through dispatching the Royal Army to have strict control on the peoples' movements. It's a one for one deal, security for freedom."
"We weren't here to dabble with rebels to begin with. We were here under JSOC's orders to ship Wilis's ass back to Russia where he was supposed to be. But being an asshole he is, he refused to follow us. He even threatened Langley with some dirty secrets to let him have his way!"
The Condotierri stared at him blankly as he just disclosed intel he shouldn't have.
"Ops!"
"(Sigh) Whatever, I'll let you tell it to the boss when he gets back. To be honest, neither do we like Willis all that much. We even took to calling him "The Asshole"."
The Condotierri chuckled away as Samson told Perkins the name.
"Say, you guys have any tips on how I could hook up with your female compadre?" The Condotierri laughed out loud at his idea.
"Well for starters, you've gotten off at the terrible first impression," Ricardo said giggling. "Ohhhh!" Luca and Ricardo fist-bumped.
"Who was that guy who died to her?"
"Antorio, one of the few brothers that came from the paratroopers with us over to this cesspit of a country. I take that back, this country's nice but those vicious animals and Golden Path rebels make life here real shitty for the common folk and us." Samson said.
"Ha! Stella treats all of us like fratelli, every single one. She can be like a mother hen at times, always picking on our bad habits. I'd find it hard to continue living if she weren't around to check on us!" Ricardo said. Perkins listened on to the tales of their camaraderie.
"Wonder what's gonna happen to the town?" Luca pondered aloud.
"Is something happening to it soon?" Perkins wasn't aware of the things happening outside because he had been locked up for a day or two.
The Condotierri looked at him in disbelief as his own ignorance.
"Dude, this town revolved around the Arsenal Badala and Miss Maya built. You know what this place use to be called? Valley of death, there was nothing here and nothing could grow here so if you lived here the only options to survive were to move out or join the army and get paid. You blew up one of the most important job providers in all of Kyrat, friend."
Perkins started to understand the seriousness of his platoons' actions to the local community, making him question if they were really doing the right thing by attacking the arsenal even if they were pressured into doing so to leave this place. Perkins scratched his head feeling troubled.
Samson patted him on the shoulders. "It called shame, get used to it."
Perkins laughed, as his comment and the Condotierri laughed with him.
"We'll be reaching the palace shortly, Ajay." Captain Sandesh reported over the intercom.
"…Uh-…..Yeah…"
Ajay had actually dozed off inside the helicopter after the experience he had in the Himalayas, it was as intense as the last time he was there. Next to him, he actually found Saras leaning on him while doing the same. How long did she need to rest for? But it didn't matter, he at least got her out of her trauma by making it seem like all her experiences were just a dream. Plus, they came back with the flower for the antidote. Ajay took out the canister holding the flower and check to see if the contents were still safe, which it was.
The helicopter landed and Yuma's troops escorted Ajay and Saras to where Maya was. At around the lobby, the palace guards took over the duty of escorting them and they reached the room where Maya was lying in.
(Knock) (Knock) (Knock) Ajay announced his arrival.
"Come in."
Upon opening the door, he found himself looking at a scene he didn't think was possible. Yuma, Pagan and Bhadra were sitting at a table playing some chess.
"Oh my…" Even Saras was surprised.
"Ah, my boy returns. So, did you get the plant?" Pagan asked.
Ajay took out the canister and handed it to the doctor to examine.
"You look worse for wear, what exactly did you do in the mountains?" Yuma inquired.
"Nothing, just went looking for the plant and found it on the peak like the doc said." Yuma scanned him from top to bottom. His appearance, that being his clothes were torn and blood stained with cuts here and there looked nothing like a venture to the mountains although you could graze your skin against sharp rocks hidden in ice but Ajay had too many on him.
"You seem to have had a rough trip in the mountains, was it your first time?"
"You were the last person I expected to be worried about my well-being."
"I'm not. I simply want to remind you that if something like this happens to my child again….. Well, 'do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars'." Yuma said with a malicious grin, she gave him a hint of what she intended to do with him should she be called in for a similar case such as this.
Yuma walked to the entrance. "It was nice chatting with you, Bhadra dear. I hope you'll visit me some time as well." Bhadra waved back to her as she left.
When she had left and the door closed on its own Ajay turned to Pagan and Bhadra for answers. "Ok? What was that just now?"
"Ha! The look on your face, I'll be the first to admit I was just as surprised to see Bhadra click so well with Yuma too!"
Life was filled with all sorts of surprises, this was a combination that he had never expected considering Yuma's animosity towards his mother whom was a Tarun Matara also.
"Your lordship, I've administered the remedy to Miss Kadayat. I hope you'll allow me to take hold of the remainder of the flower's roots. They're extremely hard to come by and the dispensary's stock for it is currently empty and in need of restock." The Royal Physician reported.
"Sure, that's fine. Also what's the status of that one mercenary that was sent to you, name was Alberto."
"He's condition is normal, he sustained shrapnel to the leg and torso. Thankfully missing his tendons and vitals. He should be back to work within the next week capable of light lifting. He's currently at my clinic receiving the best care he can possibly receive."
"Thank you, Doctor." The Royal Physician excused himself to Pagan before leaving.
"I guess it's time for me to leave. Bhadra you coming?"
"Um…." For some reason, she was reluctant to do some.
"I don't want to leave Maya alone while she's recovering, she might freak out when she wakes up in the palace. Will it be alright, Pagan?"
"I never thought you'd ask, it'll be my pleasure. I bet the staff would feel the same way as well!"
Ajay didn't expect she'd be such a hit in Pagan's house.
"Ah! I see the doubt in your eyes, you know what she did yesterday? She cooked breakfast for my entire staff of servants!" Pagan declared.
"Pfffttt!" Saras quickly covered her giggle as she found the situation to be too amusing.
Bhadra turned red with embarrassment when Pagan revealed it to others. Ajay turned to Bhadra concerning her continued stay.
"You might wanna tell your friends you won't be around for a few days in advance."
"Oh right!"
"Mnnn! I'll keep in touch." Ajay turned to Pagan. "Thank you for doing this."
"Ah! What can I say, I love this girl! She almost feels like how Lakshmana would have turned out if she were alive."
"…"
Somehow Ajay had long seen this happening. Pagan knows better than anyone what was the life of a Tarun Matara like.
"We'll be heading off now, take care Bhadra, Pagan."
"Your royal highness." Saras bowed as she backed away to the door.
"See you around some time, my boy!" Pagan waved at them as they left.
It was just Ajay and Saras now on their way back to the homestead.
"You're certainly a crafty one." She chuckled. From what he saw, Saras had returned to her usual self, much to his relief and disappointment.
"Excuse me?"
"Having Bhadra stay in the palace while we have the house all to ourselves."
"You're overthinking it."
"Am I? If I recall your words correctly before we landed in the mountains it was, "Till Death do us part"?"
Ajay sighed, he wished he didn't open his big mouth back then. Saras unrestrictively wrapped her hands around Ajay's as they made their way back to the Homestead on the hill.
To Ajay, the saga within the mountain never happened. But to Saras, it was an inexplicable event that took her reality and made it seem like she had been living in a well her entire life. She was not ready for such a world but Ajay had solved it for her by feigning ignorance, it was pulling her out of the loop without explaining it.
He did so to protect her from the dangers of knowing too much and once again Saras begun to admire his willingness to do the most difficult thing by keeping it to himself for the sake of others. But she also felt a tinge of sadness that he could never be further away from her grasps.
Author's notes:
I'll come back to the Yetis in the future so i wanted to give Ajay a reason to come into contact with the Relic tree first. Also to have Bhadra link Yuma and Pagan somehow.
(Update Edited: 07/09/2017)
