Author's notes:
For the more hardcore Farcry 4 enthusiasts whom sought a better end in FC4 and looked into the Fanfictions to solve your cravings, you might have come across another FanFic by Omegas Prime under the title The One True King. The basis of the story is the easter egg plot where if you stayed in the dinner for ten minutes like Pagan asked he'll take you straight to Lakshmana. Omegas Prime covers what would have likely happened after that story.
If you have then you might have come across some coincidences in our works at certain times of the chapters we release.
I would like to say that these are just mere coincidences and Omegas Prime and I are well aware and have kept up to date on that.
Other than that, his highly successful story The One True King is by far unparrellel. There have yet to be takes by other authors to undertake this type of plot and I would recommend you explore his works for your FC4 pleasure.
Also.
I'm doing a poll for the love interest for Jason in the later chapters. Liza, where he rekindles his relation and Steven somehow dies or the sensible and concerned Daisy. This choice will affect how the story flows considerably in the future so choose wisely.
Havok. Out.
Ajay climbed out of the bed to wash up, Saras was still sleeping next to him for whatever reason she wanted to. At least she wasn't in the habit of sleeping naked anymore. From what Noore and Samson told him on his return to the valley from the palace, Saras had suffered severe trauma again because she was there when he got stabbed by the ivory horn. She did ask to sleep next to him and he didn't refute just this once. She slept soundly in his embrace although he was starting to feel that due to the convenience of the situations that had been happening, she was getting too close for his comfort. He'd sleep in the living room from now on to make it clear to her.
"Morning, Ajay. Saras." Noore called out from the dining table that was lined with the breakfast done by Bhadra. Saras got up at around the same time as him with none of that over affectionate crap early in the morning.
"Mmmm. Morning."
"Morning."
They took their seat at the table.
When he woke up from a comatose state after three days, Ajay took Noore to the valley on her request to have and I quoted "change of scenery". While she had partly gotten over the death of her family at the hands of Paul, still had difficulty accepting Pagan's excuse for blackmailing her with her family. So she asked Ajay to bring her to his place instead so that she wouldn't see his face that would induce her into bludgeoning him with a kitchen knife or whatever she found nearby. Ajay gladly obliged bringing her around the town and the arsenal to have a look around. She stayed with them in the homestead that was already overcrowded. She shared the night with Bhadra who was alright with having her sleepover. And got to meet a fully recovered Maya whom returned with Bhadra, both were oblivious to the situation he got himself into days ago. But what was on their minds right now was the upcoming festival in three days.
Ajay ate at the table, wolfing down a bread loaf which was freshly baked by Bhadra who pre-made the dough and kept it in the fridge. Most of their foods were prepared and placed in the fridge and all they needed to do was heat it up in whichever fashion the meal was prepared. Bhadra's cooking genius made this possible for them to taste her cooking even when she wasn't around. But when she was around, nobody could enter the kitchen where she was king. The household residents weren't going to challenge her on that one.
"Going back to the Arsenal today?" Noore asked over her coffee.
"Mmm." Ajay didn't say much as he munched the bread.
"So when did this need for you to be involved in building a weapons factory for the Royal Army come about?" Noore asked, she had been shown the factory the other day and its work staff stopped to turn their heads to see the gorgeous woman who came as a visitor.
What was the most unbelievable with Noore was that her actual age was 41 and for a person who look like she could cheat her way into a Miss World contest was a real attention grabber with her looks. Ajay couldn't fathom how she looked when she was in college, though her husband had a short life span that must've been the best years of his life period. And to think she was a doctor, not a nurse.
Back to the topic at hand, Ajay begun to explain his industrial expansion in arms supply due to the switch in arms dealer allegiances.
"I think I've met him before once, a real kiss ass at that! Seems someone had the courage to turn on Pagan."
"But for all the wrong reasons. Like any opportunist he seeks to have a slice of the Kyrat pie if the Golden Path win, while it seems unlikely for now."
"How can you be so sure?"
"The real power within the Golden Path Isn't Sabal. It's in fact the old guard, as of today they're still that same ten thousand-man strong army. But they'll never mobilize unless the Golden Path was truly in danger or if a dead man comes back to lead them."
"Or a son of Ghale." Saras added chuckling.
"Don't give them a reason to get off their asses!" He said when she suggested he reveal himself to them. They'd just take it a Pagan was manipulating him from behind and start getting a moving on which wasn't good.
"So are you Ajay or Badala?" Noore asked confused.
"Badala was supposed to just merely be a cover for my real name. Being the son of the rebel leader garners a lot of attention from both sides so I go by this alias. I'll hope you'd play along as well for safety sake." Noore nodded in response.
"So why does the son of a rebel aid the king his father opposes?" Noore was interested to know this.
"I've made some stew for lunch in the fridge, there's portions for Noore too. I'm going upstairs to make a call, ok?"
"Thanks Bhadra." Ajay told her.
"Thank you." Noore noted how sweet the girl could be.
"We'll try to keep it down for you." Ajay respected her space. And with that, Bhadra darted up to her room to make a call.
"Now… where were we?"
"The rebel's son supporting Pagan."
"Ah!- Yes. That's gonna be a long story though."
"I'm all ears!" Noore announced as she took a sip from the strongly brewed coffee and took an instant liking to Bhadra's coffee.
Ajay told her about the history of Pagan and how he had come to Kyrat accompanied by Yuma and an heir to the Kyrati throne which had been left vacant by the Nationalists who occupied the Palace from the Royalists whom Mohan was in. Pagan took the throne for himself after he ended the line. It was during this time that Mohan Ghale, the Royal Guard and his wife Ishwari formed the Golden Path alliance to return Kyrat to the people and depose the illegitimate tyrant. And they failed miserably when faced with Yuma. After an argument with his wife over her desire to take command of forces he sent her to spy on Pagan. Not anticipating their attraction, they had for one another later, then a girl named Lakshmana Min was born and things started to get dicey. Mohan found out and lost his mind, he chased Ishwari and eventually killed Lakshmana. Then Ishwari gunned him down at the Ghale Homestead before fleeing with Ajay to the states.
Noore's mouth hung at Ajay's family story, she had heard rumors about the tale between Pagan and Mohan Ghale but never one of this detail.
"So without my mother with him or Lakshmana he went mad. Soon the affairs between the Monarchy and what remained of the Golden Path were of no concern to him. His mental condition deteriorated considerably over the decades till I came back on my mom's wish to be buried with my half-sister."
"Jesus…."
"This doesn't excuse him of all the terrible things he's done over the years, that includes holding your family hostage. But at least he tries." Ajay admitted.
"(Sigh)… So if I were to go after Pagan-."
"I won't let you, because it would mean the death of you." Ajay said without hesitation.
Noore pondered deeply over the hot coffee in her hands. "Now that I've heard all about their history, I don't think I've heard about yours."
"There's nothing much to know, there once was a self-entitled little brat that only cared about what he wanted to do. With the people he encountered, there were always better ways of dealing with them but he always chose the easy way out of it, like it was entirely unrelated to him. Until he realized that after these people were gone, no one else came to him, approached him. He inadvertently discarded all those he could have cared for and damned himself in an unforgiving world." Ajay said with an expressionless demeanor.
Noore contemplated on what he had just said, it sounded like living in hell on earth every waking second. Was this what Ajay was going through? She couldn't tell from all the things he had done for the people in the valley. But then, where did he get that demonic strength and will of his. If it had been any lesser man, he would have died from similar injuries. Yet he made a stunning recovery in just three days. Those yellow primordial eyes were one of a ruinous beast, had he ended up selling his soul to the devil? As if there was such a thing in the modern world, Noore didn't believe in such superstitious beliefs.
But if he was living in a damnable life, then why did he bother to save her? Why did Saras want to stick with him? Why did the people in town greet him with such cheer in their eyes despite his bloody history and the mantle of the Northern Demon? Was it that he couldn't forgive himself for past guilt that he tortured himself and made sure others didn't follow his kind of life? He was trying to prevent Noore from becoming him, Noore trembled at the thought of being cursed to walk the earth in that manner.
"Morning." Ajay called out to the newcomer.
"Mmmm….." Maya was still feeling hazy from getting up as she sat at the table with them.
"Morning, Maya dear." Noore smiled.
"Same to you." She reached out for the freshly baked bread in the basket.
"So what will you do today, Noore?" Maya asked as she spread the berry jam over the warm bread slice.
"Hmmm… I was thinking of going to the marketplace then to the town admin to see if there any jobs I might like to pursue." Noore had made it a suitable choice of looking for work, it would take her mind off her own thoughts and keep her active.
"I see, I would've liked to accompany you there." Saras sighed at the work she had for her today.
"You have a company to manage, they can't do their job at the site if you keep reporting late and go missing earlier than their fallout time." Ajay reprimanded her for her carefree ways, Saras just playfully stuck out her tongue and shook it off as a suggestion instead and wouldn't influence her plans.
Noore chuckled at her attitude towards life, she could always learn to be not so serious at times and learn to take things slow now that she didn't have anything pushing her.
Ajay took her to town after breakfast at home. She was spending the day to look after Ajay as well during her venture because it was just three days ago that he'd just been stabbed by an ivory horn. Noore was having doubts about his insane recovery and requested he give some of his blood to examine which he didn't refuse. It didn't add up to him either, he knew he was monstrous in the things he did but never in his physiology. He had a theory about where it had likely come from but there was no evidence to back that theory.
Noore ventured around the markets with Ajay on her tail, it was a therapeutic change to her everyday management of the Shanath Arena and the drug and extortion operation she ran. Around the time Ajay had come to this timeline he asked Pagan to end the human trafficking business which he happily did as a reward for taking back Yuma's stronghold Ratu Gadhi. It didn't affect his revenue as much because they were focus on other means to fund his exorbitant such as mining, drug production, the rare animal safari grants and the sale of rare gems. Ajay had some funds from his appointment allocated into restarting agricultural farming in Yuma's quarter with her permission of course. But most of the funds went into a low-profile High Command project known to the few within its circle as the S-Program.
The S-Program involved a lot of diplomatic talks with neighboring countries and sovereignties in regards to procurement of items and manpower necessary to the program. Saras was deep on the program and the 3rd Company was involved in construction of the facilities which was why she couldn't always go out with him or for Noore.
The S-Program was conceived through a requirement Arjun proposed to Pagan and the High Command back when the Meh Teh Offensive had ended. He still didn't have power over the entire military as Sugun and his opposition were applying pressure on his movements regardless of whether they had even a vague idea of what the program actually entailed. With full control, he was able to allocate resources as and when he liked. The development of the program had been going on for nearly two-months now but for it to fully develop it needed over ten years to reach its prime. Still, it would be operational by the next two months. Much of the program was under Ajay's patronage with his appointments funding while the Arsenal was paid for through his treasure hunting expeditions for precious stones and gold. Seeing the benefit of the program through some convincing from Maya, Yuma also became a patron who supported about 30% the program's cost while Ajay covered 50%, the national defense budget covered the remaining twenty as it needed to maintain the upkeep of the massive army as well as for weapons procurement and renewal from Longinus and Ajay. Not forgetting the training of the soldiers and their salaries.
What was most important about the program was its impact on the Golden Path and the Royal Army's status as the predominant power over Kyrat as it should have been. It also represented Kyrat's influence within the Himalayas and in Western Asia which went to show how significant it was.
"You seem to have a lot on your mind." Noore notice him in deep thought.
"Oh. Nothing, just thinking about the things I missed out on for the past three days or so."
"If you're busy then I can do the things I want on my own."
"No. It's not the work that needs to be done that I'm worried about, it's what Willis has planned next. That guy is always planning his next move upon another move as contingency. I was just lucky he and Sabal weren't available to see me at the City of Pain in time."
"I'd like to know how you intend to bring Paul to justice as well, Ajay." Noore placed the embroidery on display back on its hanger after a look and asked him.
"Truthfully, Paul doesn't have much use to Sabal or Willis now that he's given them the regions around Shanath and Varshakot. He could help them as an interrogator, but his initial worth has actually vanished. My guess was that Willis helped him some way, probably kidnap his wife who was having an affair while he was away and wipe her existence."
"Seriously?!" Noore was beyond surprise and a little concerned.
"Apart from him hitting me with his fists, it was actually me who was torturing him and reminded him that Pagan was still pretty active. Then he tried to push me onto you so that if I died you'd take the flak instead."
"Sunnova-….. bitch! I knew it!" Noore cursed as her beliefs that something was not right were confirmed.
"But if he doesn't have much meaning then wouldn't he be done then?" Noore came to a conclusion.
"You're right on that one. If there is one weakness of his, it's that daughter of his, Ashley Harmon. He'll likely travel back to the states to live with her in seclusion. That might have been the arrangement all along with Willis."
"Then we need to move fast!" Noore figured Paul could leave at any time, including now.
"Ease down, Noore. He won't go anywhere, I guarantee it."
"How?"
"What worries Paul the most is Ashley's safety. And the biggest contributor of his concern is Pagan. Because it doesn't matter where you hide around the world, Pagan will send people and hitmen to track and kill them. So he's gonna do the most risk embedded thing. He's gonna bring Ashley to Kyrat to stay with him. Until he can be sure Pagan is sufficiently suppressed that he's no longer a threat to his family life he'll return." Ajay had brilliantly deduced Paul's mentality from his engagements with Paul in the past and in his capture. Noore seemed to accept the thinking as well and was assured that Paul was still within their reach.
"If the opportunity presents itself, which it will. I'll nab Paul even if I have to call in an entire regiment to search the forest if he runs."
"Ok. I'm sorry I doubted you, I'm trusting you now."
"Thanks. Come on, let's head to the town centre. I'll put a good word in for you while we're at it!" Ajay said with a cheerful smile.
"Thanks, Ajay." She returned the smile.
Two individuals found themselves in a very difficult situation, you could say they asked for it to happen. Sitting strapped to chairs and gagged were Laura Harmon and her plus one. Or was her plus one, as the figure sitting opposite her was now just a mangled corpse.
Paul stretched his limbs after a rigorous exercise of torturing the adulterer to death, which he thoroughly enjoyed doing for over five hours, every time the man fainted he'd jolt him up with a car battery to continue his session. Laura was made to watch the entire process with horror.
"Right, sweetpea. It's finally your turn!" He said with a grin.
"MUUUUU!" Was all she could respond through the cloth gagging her mouth but if she were to say anything it would be…. "Please, darling! I'm sorry I lied, I was unfaithful! Just please! Please! Don't hurt- don't kill me!" Her eyes said it all to her husband.
"I know I've been busy at work all the time and always leave you and Ashley at home but hey! I've got great news for you, you're free to go! I'll raise Ashley from here on out!"
She knew in what sense he meant, that she was no longer needed but to be disposed of. Laura squealed behind the cloth gag until her throat became parch, tears flowing from her eyes. There was no cure for the regret she was having right now, all the times she could have just believed in Paul but she gave in to her bodily needs instead and she now it was payment time. Paul placed a finger to her covered mouth and told her to hush before digging through his "work" appliances.
"You've always wanted to know what I do in work all the time, well here's a quick preview for you." Paul came back with a pair of sharp pliers he previously used on her lover by cutting his tongue and third leg off and had cleaned it up to use on her."
Laura screamed behind the cloth gag, behind the walls of De Pleur's office until it echoed into the neighboring cell where Jason's friends and family were.
"Fuck!" Steven couldn't keep it in him. "I say we find the guard and split!"
"Calm your tits down, Steve." Riley told him the nicest way possible than telling him to shut up.
"You're asking the impossible!"
"Steve, shut up!" Daisy ordered him with a harsh glare. To which he at least quietens down to mumbling.
"So what's the plan, sis?" Oliver was up for the escape.
"We'll need to have intel on the outside so we need some pretext to venture out of this cell we've been in for nearly a week."
"So like- one of us could feint sickness and get moved to another cell or get medical attention." Oliver proposed.
"Then you might get noticed for faking and pay dearly."
"…" Oliver scratched his head embarrassed. Steven snorted at his naivety rather loudly.
"How bout you take up that two-face character's offer, he seems quite taken to you especially." Steven pointed out.
"Like hell!" Riley scorned Steven but Daisy raised a hand to block him.
"He's right for this once, even if he is an ass."
As reluctant as she was to even be a foot from that creep, she knew that was the only way that she could leave the cell.
"What if he opts for Liza instead?" Riley tried to be practical about their plan.
"No….No No No! I-…. I just can't!" Liza pleaded pitifully.
Daisy went over to Liza and place her hands on her shoulder.
"We can't depend on Jason to rescue us this time, he'll be attacking the monarchy forces thinking we've been captured by them instead. It's up to us to get out of here on our own, we can't do it one person at a time, it needs to be as a team."
"I-….. I'm sorry….. It's just too hard!" She declared, and as if Daisy couldn't take her spoilt brat kind of demeanor towards things she grabbed hold of her collar, pulling Liza towards her. Liza gasped at the quick action and the hostile glare her friend gave her.
"You think this is a game still?! That we can pick and choose what we want?! He's is running around outside in need of our help and you're still acting like the victim here! I was already at the limit when I met you with that Ex of yours that you've always been complaining about in the past. Who was the one that got you off the island in the first place?!"
Unlike most of the friends in their group Daisy had been in contact with Jason and Riley, visiting on several occasions. So she was more than aware of Jason's physiological condition at times.
"Tell me Liza, why was it that after five months from our return you left him with no apparent reason?"
"I-… I didn't! It was those nights-….. he talked to someone in when he was alone!"
"And leaving him would make him better?! Oh- Liza….. how low you've fal-"
"He was talking to that psycho!" Liza screamed at her to understand.
"W-What?... What do you mean tha-."
"That psycho pirate!...(Sob) At first, I thought it was merely a speaking nightmare of his, but then it started to look like he was having schizophrenia. I was scared, Daisy! Would he turn into that person that gave us nightmares and decide to torment me?! I couldn't take it so I left, alright!" She confessed before crying to herself again. Daisy, who had been interrogating her was finally silenced.
It became clear to Daisy, Jason was suffering more than PTSD and whatever it was, it was serious to the point that he could end up locked up in an asylum for his and other's safety. Daisy didn't know what she would do in Liza's position, it was too hard to make the right choice. If they did reunite, then there was another problem of how to keep Jason in touch with himself where he could fall into confusion due to the split personality as described by Liza.
How could they trust a person that was here to save them if, he couldn't even manage himself.
In the back of the Arsenal where the shooting range was, the Condotierri Stella and Ricardo were training Hurk in stationary shooting. The Condotierri had nothing to do during the period they returned to they focused on training Hurk and awaiting military contracts from Arjun or wealthy civilians. Hurk had been made to do the most physical work ever demanded in his life but he gladly followed their military training. This was the first time anyone had ever believed in him to do anything, he felt the best way to repay his intentions were to perform. Hurk had lost considerable bulk since the tutelage under the Condotierri begun, they were after all former special forces paratroopers but they were given criteria by Badala that he was supposed to be as efficient as them or the former Royal Guard at least.
Today was the first day of pistol marksmanship training where he was supposed to do some sidearm drills. He spent the entire morning learning the theory with energy and now was time for the practice.
"Right, what'll it be? Custom 1911? Desert Eagle? .44 Magnum?"
Stella and Ricardo looked at each other chuckling.
"No Hurk. This." Ricardo placed a .455 Webley revolver on the table.
"Oh-Come on!" He whined.
"Hurk, this isn't IPSC and neither is it a competition shoot. This is war, all that matters is that you hit him before he hits you and the way to do that is firing discipline and proper shooting stance. It's the shooter that makes the shot great not a match-grade pistol." Stella taught him patiently.
Ricardo picked up the revolver and gunned the targets with precise hits in the chest where the heart was before breaking the chamber and emptying the cartridges.
"…"
"Now you try." Ricardo suggested.
"Ok…." Hurk picked up the speed-loader and dropped the fresh bullets into the chamber of the revolver and took aim.
"Take your time, the targets aren't going anywhere. Focus on making your shots hit and then keep it up till the rhythm increases, then your shooting speed will increase." Ricardo advised.
He took aim at the targets over twenty metres away from them, he had been taught how to hold a handgun, how to stand to increase chance of hit and management of recoil as well as where to aim through the iron sights. Hurk took his time to aim at the first target. (BANG) His shot hit the target dead centre which made him smile at the radical improvement he was capable of.
"Don't stop there! There are still four bad guys shooting at you." Stella pointed at the remaining targets.
Hurk breathed steadily and repeated the same sequence of actions on the other targets. Fifteen minutes later he could hit a target within five seconds of acquisition.
"Very good, Hurk! You've done well for such a short time." Stella praised him. "Ehehehe!" Hurk scratched his head embarrassed a woman complimented him for the first time.
"Ah-Yeah! If only Bad's could see me now!" Hurk did a victory dance. But noticed a quietness brewing between the Condotierri.
"Sumthin happen?"
"Uh- No. Nothing you need to worry about!" Stella laughed dryly.
"I might be a fool but even that was the worst cover up." Hurk said with a :-I Expression.
Stella wanted to say something but Ricardo stopped her.
"The less you know, Hurk the better."
"Ricardo!" Stella didn't feel right about not speaking.
"And tell him what, when we were supposed to rescue him he nearly died?!"
Hurk's expression turned pale. "Where is he?..."
"He's recovering, there's nothing we can do….. not like we did anything anyway…" He mumbled the last part.
"Ricardo, that's enough!"
"Would you have said it was a definite he'd survive from that wound? He was fighting for his life because we held him back in Varshakot and when we found him what did we do? We watched him!" Ricardo shouted no longer minding if Hurk knew or not.
The Condotierri returned shell-shocked by the events that happened in the Pacchim Valley at Varshakot then Shanath Arena. It questioned their worth, none of them were spared from this feeling, not even Samson or Alberto who wasn't there but shared in the burden of guilt.
Somehow, Badala defied logic and fought his way out on his own right in front of their eyes and again…. While they watched!
"When he wakes up, I wonder what he'll say to us for what we did?" Ricardo was evidently holding the guilt of not acting sooner despite his training and his honor as Folgore.
"He'd say, you're all fools for worrying over such trivial things." Said a voice from the back exit of the Arsenal to the range.
"Boss!"
"You shouldn't be walking now!"
"I'm fine, I've got a doctor at the ready in the event I do." Ajay was referring to Noore who was with him.
"But still-."
"Please, you're not my mom. Stop telling me what to do!" Said Ajay apparently .
"Noore, I assume you've met the Condotierri but this is Stella and Ricardo."
"Hi there, we meet again." Noore came forward to shake their hand.
"Miss Najjar, a pleasure."
"Thanks for saving his life!"
"It's fine, let's just call it a doctor's integrity and please, call me Noore."
"And with them is, Hurk. He's a rather special companion to have around." Ajay threw in a good word for Hurk as he came forward to greet Noore too.
"H- Hi! I- Uh- The name's Hurk! Just Hurk!" He stuttered obviously.
"Nice to meet you too, Just Hurk." Noore gave her attractive smile for him which caused him to freeze quite comically for Saras and Noore to make fun of, Hurk blushed brightly as he turned away.
"Where's Samson and the rest?"
"In the cabin, if you're looking for Miss Maya she was called by Darshan to the office for something."
Ajay planned out his thoughts, Darshan had suddenly appeared out of nowhere again. He didn't have tabs on where the pot head went. Although it was clear that his excessive consumption of alcohol and substances was a front, a ruse to throw other's guard off to the true abilities he had yet to show.
"Stella, could you show Noore to the cabin to meet with the rest later? I want to have a little chat with Darshan."
"Um- Sure!" Stella guess where he was going and took Noore to the cabin.
Ajay turned to Ricardo and Hurk.
"How's things with Hurk?"
"Quick considering the time we've spent with him. He'll be ready by the date line or sooner." Ricardo said.
"He's quite adorable, almost like a cartoon bear I watched as a child." Ajay raised his eyebrows at Stella's declaration but figured to each their own, he could understand why at least.
Hurk was a cool guy.
Ajay left them to continue training as he visited Samar and Longinus, hard at work bringing the arsenal back into full production. The ammunition department had not lost its initial machinery thanks to Antorio's valor so there was still constant supply of ammunition to the Royal Army. But now with the more advance machinery, they could produce a significantly larger amount every day. The refurbishment centre had also been brought back into use. The weapon production department still had a way to go as the most heavily inflicted during the raid. Samar's ARP-1 assault rifle had undergone the fourth iteration and was now mod. 3. A streamlined version for ease of production without sacrificing its original benefits and used polymer nylon furniture which greatly reduced weight. The plastic molding equipment made that possible.
The machinery had been installed and the Arsenal's structure was repaired, the only concern they had was the familiarization of machinery with the employees which wasn't hard as they had experience with the previous batch. The festival was three days away and they wanted time to prepare for their booth in the town square to present to the public as well, Maya was thinking up ideas for it in her office.
Ajay reached the outside of the office where he happened to find Darshan sitting outside attending to Bishal, how he managed to get the big cat to like him was beyond him. But then, this was Darshan he was talking about, a man shrouded in mystery so deep he wasn't sure he'd live long enough to actually see him reveal his cards. It may have only been a feeling Ajay had but Darshan left too many hints he was above-normal.
"Darshan, I want a word with you."
"….." The middle-aged man looked up towards him with a blank expression from his caressing Bishal's soft fur.
"I want an explanation from you regarding how you knew I was leaving for the mountains when only King Min and the Royal Physician knew it at the time." It was still and unsolved mystery and he wanted Darshan to answer it, but instead the Royal Guard stood up and walked to the exit as if he wasn't there.
"Don't you walk away from me when I'm asking you. Answer me, damnit!" Ajay drew his handgun and pointed it at Darshan, and Darshan knew he meant it. He'd told the hunters when they first met he'd use them till they were no longer of us and if they got in the way of his plan he'd kill them.
Then a blur appeared where Darshan stood with his back to Ajay and he appeared in front of him pressing up on Ajay's hand that was on his handgun to lift it away from him. Ajay's reaction triggered him to draw his knife to place at Darshan's throat which was countered by the other hand of Darshan's which held his arm at bay from the knife which was just inches from his face. And Ajay and Darshan were placed in a deadlock of arms.
"I'm always aware of activities surrounding Maya…." Darshan gave his answer in the shortest of words yet the clearest meaning behind it. Darshan was assigned to protect Maya. But then why wasn't he there when the marines attacked his house? Bishal wasn't there either, did he take the Tiger away on some mission, as if the Tiger was old enough to use in combat. Ajay loosened his grip on the weapons he pointed at Darshan and Darshan released his hands in turn. He walked towards the door that was his original intention of getting out.
It didn't turn out as Ajay had planned to meet Darshan but at least he learnt something from his engagement.
His movements weren't at all hazy, it was full of strength and resolve from his grip. Though they were in a deadlock, Darshan had pushed him against the wall which was clear he only meant to pin Ajay down.
If there was anyone more adequate in taking Ajay down, it was Darshan.
Jason walked up the steps towards the town on the map called Banapur accompanied by Willis who briefed him of the situation of the country hidden in obscurity, the kingdom of Kyrat. He'd airdropped somewhere within a valley where Willis had been waiting with a jeep to pick him up.
As he walked through the streets he could see weapon crates carried around by porters and a Chinese man in a finely dressed business suit shouting orders to distribute the ammo crates in his cache.
"Solomon Khoo, our arms dealer. Makes sure everyone's armed to the teeth, you'll get you additional goodies from him in you exploits around here."
"I'm only here for my friends and that's it, I don't care about what goes on in Kyrat. That's these people's business not mine." He had only one objective and he wouldn't be deviated like the last time.
"Sure, but your friends are in the hardest possible place to reach that is the Royal Palace all the way in the North, at the tip of the Uttar Region. You'd have to go through the heavily fortified bridge just recently doubled in height and security. Then you'll have to skillfully avoid the patrols dispatched by the nearby fortress then somehow make your way to the foot of the mountain of yet another stronghold known as the Royal Fortress. Where the Army's high command sits, fight your way through to the top where the Palace sits, kill the Palace Guards, maybe put a bullet in Pagan's head then rescue your friends and repeat the whole process backwards."
Jason brooded on what alternatives he could take to shorten his way.
"And don't think you can just hijack a chopper and fly straight in. They took some Stingers SAMs from a supply shipment I painstakingly brought here." Willis said reading his mind.
-We've not even been here for a day and he's already lied to you on almost a dozen accounts!- The voice in his head laughed.
-Shut up.-
Willis stopped at the door of a two level estate. "Right. I'm taking you to meet the commander of the resistance, Sabal. I've actually told him about you and he seemed impressed with your exploits and was hoping you'd help him for him to help you. Oh!- And don't talk about his face, he gets highly agitated when you bring it up." Willis warned him before entering.
Inside the war room, Sabal was in foul mood yet again. Badala had been caught by them successfully at a heavy price but worth it. Then De Pleur gets cold feet and places him in Noore's charge, was he even proud to call himself the former Chief Interrogator? Then they heard about the event that defied logic, Badala escaped after pummeling the arena champions and elite guards from Noore and Paul's quarter while dueling the arena's menagerie of wild animals. Badala killed every single man and animal that Noore unleashed at him on his own and then as if things weren't unrealistic enough. He slaughtered an alpha rhino with a knife and leaped onto the spectator platform to kill Noore and Paul while still having an ivory horn in him. Paul fled like any man would after seeing such gore, and Noore was nowhere to be found, likely butchered by the demon.
What the spectators now call Yalung ke Vashaj, or son of the Demon God.
It caused the ranks of the fighters to shiver in fear, there had been reports that the garrisons no longer wanted to patrol the outskirts for fear of meeting their demise at the Northern Demon's hands.
Willis came in with a foreigner hailing from his homeland, a young man in his early twenties but had a look as he had been in war before.
"Sabal, I'd like you meet Jason Brody. The hot shot who killed Hoyt and Vaas on his own." Willis motioned to Jason who saw Sabal's scorched face and understood what Willis meant earlier.
"Nice to meet you." Jason raised a handshake for Sabal who caught it and shook firmly.
"Willis has been telling me all about you, I hope you're everything he says you are because we'll really need your help in this. The odds aren't falling in our favor at the moment…. Or at least until Badala arrived."
"I heard you can help me find my friends."
"Indeed. In all likeliness they are within the Royal Palace suites being toyed around by that tyrant we've been trying to take down for over two decades. But the we've been losing ground ever since our great leader Mohan Ghale died in his homestead since. We've lost all connection to the North that has been blockaded by the Royal Army at the only safe access to the Uttar Region which is King's Bridge. Then if things couldn't get any worse, we experienced a coup and betrayal by our sub-commander Amita who formed a para-military organization known as the Mukti Tigers in the North West part of the Pacchim Valley." He pointed the locations on the map for Jason to understand the significance in geography. Some of the field commanders exchanged looks with one another on what Sabal mentioned about Amita's betrayal, where he left out the part that the coup was initiated by him first.
"So far, the only luck we've had was with the Royal Army's Chief interrogator who was a secret member in our resistance until he was exposed by Badala. Varshakot Stronghold is in our control when he declared his allegiance to us but as it stands we've been pushed into a corner by two significant forces with no outlet."
"I see….."
"So whatever help you'll lend to us is greatly appreciated."
"Sure… I guess."
"Perfect! We'll need you in the fight against Badala." Sabal smiled contently.
"I'm sorry, who? I thought we were fighting this Pagan fellow."
"Oh, we are except to get to him you'll need to pass some of his lieutenants. There's General Arjun Roka, the Army's Supreme Commander. Yuma Lau, Pagan's trusted lieutenant and the one Pagan initially sent to do his dirty work. Noore Najjar, a Vice-Lord whom was a former aid worker as I'm told but was corrupted by Pagan and made to run his drug and human trafficking operation."
"Then I should be starting there then." Jason declared raring to go and find clues. If Noore dealt with human trafficking, then she'd have a hint on where his friends might be exactly imprisoned.
"I'm afraid that's no longer possible, see Noore had a clash with the other Vice-Lord from the Valley of Death and was killed. Which brings us on to the last but not least in Pagan's retinue. Badala, the Vice-Lord of the Valley."
The other field commanders spoke in low voices, and seemed rather shaken by the mere mention of his name. Sabal crested his eyebrows and walked to the window sternly as he continued.
"What their people call the Northern Demon due to the iconic mask he wears on his face, in the likeness of a demon from their folklore/tradition, pardon my French." Willis included.
"Yes, it's as Willis says. While we are often superstitious in regards to icons, Badala has made all of his feats seem impossible yet achievable with him only. He's innately cunning and ruthless in his execution of plans and has always subjected us too psychological warfare which he seems impressively good at. One of his favorite sick mind games are tying unconscious brothers and sisters to our cause onto tree trunks that have been rigged to explode, if we approach and try to rescue them they'll explode with anyone caught in its blast radius." Sabal grit his teeth as he recalled the first time he had encountered such a trap.
"Willis might have told you about my wounds but not of how I got them, well…. That was exactly how I earned them!"
Jason was starting to visualize the situation and the oppression these people were facing.
-Be careful who you trust, Hermano. Your enemies may be your allies and your allies your foes! Just like that friedfucks face!- The demon of his left a cryptic message for him while it cackled. Jason just ignored it like he always had.
"Now that you've got the gist of things, I'll take you to meet Solomon who'll equip you for the coming assault we're planning to undertake in a few days." Willis told him.
"Assault, on where?" Jason was being led around rather quickly, with no time to venture and see the place on his own.
Sabal answered the question for him this time.
"On those traitors at Baghadur…."
Author's Notes:
Yesterday was 9/11. I was in Perth at the time of the attack, I think it was tuesday. The footage of the planes crashing into the World Trade were traumatizing even for me, because it was a current even and a turning point in history where things were never the same again. I recall going to church after that, and by coincidence the entire church was filled with people too. The Priest delivered a meaningful message about how to keep ourselves aware of our surroundings before jumping into things because of our anger and pain.
This chapter was withheld yesterday from its release to honor and respect the lives lost in the attack and in rescuing those within the sites.
