Author's Notes:
Nothing to say. Enjoy. (Havok plays Red Alert - Hell March)
The man in the front was a renown boxer for the inter-region boxing tournament representing the country. His most notable trait was his ability to stand up and take dishings till his opponents losed their strength. It was common knowledge to all of the customers, courtesans and his buddy that stood their with a gaping mouth to see him on the floor. And what happened for him to end up like that? A casual fling of Ajay's wrist struck him against his check and toppled him to the ground, yet there was a sonic boom-like sound from when the back of his hand smacked his face.
So when he said "did I use too much force on you?" Everyone's minds tumbled into confusion at the sight.
By now, five guards from inside had come out with their compact assault rifles at the ready.
"Stop! Please bring our esteemed guest up to my office so I may entertain him." Said a calm but authoritative voice from the top of the balcony from an unseen individual.
Ajay was guessing it was the proprietress and walked in. Determined not to be left behind Shikhar followed closely, none of the guards got in his way. But their weapons were trailing on him for security measures as he showed he wasn't all he showed to be.
A courtesan appeared before him and bowed, leading the way for him and his guide up to their owner's office. A lot of faces looked his way, both guests and employees. His physique didn't match his charming boyish face but to most his eyes gave it away. It was sharp with a brooding look. Some of the guests were old veteran soldiers and they could see the blood swirling in those two orbs. He was the real deal, its just that no many could see it unless they had lived in that world for a long time.
Ajay was led up three flights of stairs, the courtesan apologized for the inconvenience, though Ajay waved it was nothing.
Finally, they reached the end of the corridor where more guard had gathered, all equally well armed as the first. Ajay found it to be a bit overkill for the type of establishment they were in, it was clear that there was more going on in this brothel than meets the eye.
At the end of the corridor was a well dressed man in the same dresscode as the guards and bouncers. But there was a different air to him, was this the head of security here?
"Stop there for me. Right, I'll need you to drop all you gun and kit, buddy."
"All of them?" Ajay asked in a playful manner.
One of the guards close by motioned with his rifle for Ajay to place them on the table in front of them.
"Security measures, sir. Please understand if you want to meet the boss…"
His response was surprisingly meek for his standing and the numbers to back him up. Ajay was sure that even if their big watch dog outside who was knocked out cold wouldn't rattle them to this extent of pointing firearms at him like they had encountered a feasible threat. Shikhar and the escort courtesan were both anxious for him to comply, they had also never seen the guards like this.
"(Sigh) Fair enough." Ajay responded and dropped his duffle forward with a loud plop from the weight of the gear that sent them in shock as he carried it like a simple backpack.
The first thing on the table was his handgun with its magazines and suppressor. They saw the unfamiliar german firearm and were having suspicions about who he was. But Ajay had yet to fully surprise them as he took out the foldable compound bow that had deceivingly fit in his duffle, it was a curious weapon to being with but one that served Ajay well in covert operations.
"This…" The head guard barely had time to be shocked as Ajay dung and brought out the large double barrelled currently in takedown form. From the diameter of the breech, they could tell it was an elephant gun, so what was with this weirdo's arsenal? The last was pieces of armour that they'd never seen before.
"I can feel those unpleasant thoughts, think of something else in my presence." His cold voice straightens them out instinctively, that included young Shikhar.
The head guard was right to worry about him, though strange, his weaponry was more than enough to dispatch all of them severalfold yet it didn't ease the feeling he had about Ajay.
"Oh yeah, almost forgot." Ajay drew out his kukri and dropped it on the table, but its sharpness allowed it to pierce the table to its hilt.
"Wouldn't want to accidentally cut myself, would I." He said with a smile that was deceivingly bright but felt more disturbing with what they knew he could do. The guard tucked the gear into a cloth bag and brought it through the door to another guard waiting inside. Ajay found this weird since the check was to keep him away from his weapons they clearly didn't understand the meaning of security measures even if their boss was intrigued with what he had.
"Let him in already. How much longer do you want to make me wait for him?" She finally replied.
"Yes, madam." The guard opened the door to the office and motioned for Ajay to enter.
"Wait here, kid."
"Uh- ok!" Shikhar was more than willing to stay as the prospect of meaning one of the underworld bosses was terrifying especially when he was the one that brought Ajay here to wreck this much trouble.
Ajay walked in casually as the guard closed the door behind him and cocked his gun.
"If you're that frighten just wait outside." The elegantly-dressed woman in her thirties told her guard.
"But, madam-."
"Get out!" The guard made himself scarce the moment she opened her mouth.
"Please, sit." She offered a chair on the opposite side of a coffee table she sat at. On the table was his gear she had rummaged through earlier with curiousity, Ajay just sat to initiate their talk.
"Please to meet your acquaintance, sir. To our daily patrons and associates I go by the name Velvet, proprietress of the Seven Winter Orchids.
"Mine will be Soren then." Ajay shook the delicate out-reached hand.
"But you can call me by my birth name, Jagriti."
"That's fine by me." Her lashes danced about expecting Ajay to do the same, he felt he was missing something on numerous occasions from her hinting but didn't really care.
What she was expecting was him to give his as well out of mutual understanding, but to Ajay the name Soren, Badala and his own birthname were simply names not deeds to the soul.
She returned to looking through his kit and stumbled onto his handgun which she played around with.
"So what can I do for this esteemed guest to quell his rage after my insult from my careless employee."
"There was no insult, if anything I'm sorry for hurting him." Jagriti chuckled as she recalled how he had done so effortlessly.
"I hope that he would improve his attitude in future. At least you were around to put context for him, now off with these minor details. You certainly came here for something other than playing around with my girls. No?"
"Tell me, Velvet."
"Jagriti." She corrected.
"Thanks, but I liked your pen name better." Jagriti looked surprise for a second but laughed, it was rare that anyone after being allowed to use her first name would prefer to use that alias.
"Am I entertaining you or are you?"
"How about we entertain each other instead?"
"Oh? And how do you suppose we should do that?" She cooed.
"…. How would you imagine this country would fall, Velvet?"
Jagriti was surprised once more by what he had said and thought a bit about it and laughed.
"When more girls and boys come to my joint seeking work." Ajay nodded.
"So what if one day a foreign army marched here, destroying all the military installations, butchering the parliament members-."
"Then I pray that they butcher all of them! Those old bastards deserve it!" She had an emotional outburst and cut in. She suddenly remembered her etiquette and was about to apologise when she say a crescent like grin from his previously calm face. Her response had pleased him in some way. Jagriti had a dreadful feeling that something was coming and he was here to give advance warning whilst picking sides to collaborate with.
"Since you've heard that from me, I'll take it as one leg in the pool. You're either with me on this or you're not."
"And what might that be?"
"I need your help in getting the right people to keep law and order in this city when the military garrisons get occupied."
She could have sworn he said to enact martial law upon the civilians in this city. Her next emotion was full of uncontrollable laughter.
"You want me, a courtesan and a member of the Grey Lotus society who compose of nothing but gangs and crooks to maintain law and order? Ahahaha!... Clearly, you don't understand what a police force is for."
"No. I have a clear understanding, and I'm pretty sure from my previous encounter, the cops are useless in doing that job."
"So you would turn to the us instead?"
"Let's not deny that if I can't get the civil authorities to keep check and look out for rebel sympathies, then I'll just turn to the flipside of the coin."
The more he spoke the more unnerving Jagriti felt.
"Why are you here?"
"I'm here because, Yinke owes us and explanation for starting a war with us without declaration. I'm here because they are about to reap what they sow. And I'm also here to hunt my countries rebels that have come taking refuge here."
"So why turn to me?" That was what she was most confused about.
"To most people, the underworld exists as a reflection to what is good and orderly. You all might just be the equivalent in power but with a different name and motto. You have spy rings to monitor intel, thugs to keep businesses in order, armed hitmen to dispatched unwanted presences. If the cards are played right, you could very well be the second force that maintains law and order of a city."
Jagriti was shocked that he saw things this way, did he originate from a similar background? His strength seemed to indicate so and when he provoked the guard to get an audience it seemed more of a possibility.
"And what if I choose not to agree with you." Jagriti wanted to test waters with him on how far was her limit.
"Then you are beyond my help, and there's a high chance you'll suffer the same fate as that party police authorities will have so that this city wouldn't have even the slightest hint of rebelling." Jagriti's wrist was unconsciously shaking.
"But I'd prefer if this was done as a business transaction rather than I press gang your cooperation, I'll also guarantee I'll make it worth your while." Out from Ajay's pocket came a bag which he placed in front of her.
Jagriti reached out and picked it up, she opened it to find a sparkling goblet of rubies inside. Her eyes glittered to the small wealth before her that could set her for life several times over.
"Consider that the initial payment for consideration of my offer."
"Soren."
"Yes?"
"Why are you here, what is about to happen and why are you doing this?" She had so many questions she wanted answered but would he give answers to all of her queries?
"Like I said. Yinke owes my kingdom for its atrocities, I'll have them pay by blood, money and pride. But I don't want its people to be involve or god save them they'll surely died worthless deaths. If you have even the slightest care for your fellow countrymen not because of a system of governance but by love for the people that live in the same land as you do. You might consider taking your chances with us."
Jagriti looked shaken at the prospects that Ajay gave.
"How long till… you know-?" She believed every word he said even though she should be shooing him out for crazy rantings. Somehow, deep down she felt it would happen sooner or later with the way the government worked all this while.
"When I say they should." He replied with absolute confidence. Jagriti was now convinced that Ajay was more than he seemed, he wasn't an envoy or scout but could very well be a general of the invaders. It was very contrasting to how young he was and his knowledge of the criminal underworld.
Jagriti thought about it hard as Ajay could see her expression remain in a grave thinking posture. What she was about to decide would ultimately amount to treason from the governing forces should they win, yet she felt that wasn't the slightest possibility of happening with him around.
"I'll need you to do something else for me as well. While you're at it."
"What's that?"
"Help me find Tenzin."
Tenzin, the former leader of the country a decade ago. To many including the authorities he was a tyrannical leader brought down and justice delivered. Yet, evidence of some of the good he had done for the country still existed, the infrastructure, the education system, agriculture and all his many achievements were forgotten or overwritten as achievements done by the present politburo.
"Tenzin? He was killed in the raid on the parliament and establishment of the current government."
"So I've heard, and when he died the forests cried out in joy and the morning birds sung." He joked about what he read in that book on Akita's carriage.
"Even if he isn't alive, find his legacy."
"Why would you need a tyrant?"
"Come now, do you really believe that crap they churned out into that book too?"
"….." Though she was young when it happened she herself was clear that it had not been the case.
"Then with all of that propaganda, what makes you so sure that Tenzin is the right choice for this country?"
"History is written by the victor, the pious become sinners, the loyal turn treacherous. The fact that they've tried so hard to blemish his work to look as heinous as possible shows contradiction. Besides, I have someone who met him once before and told me that he was a legitimate leader."
Though no one was aware, it was Pagan that had told him that. Tenzin had come to Kyrat on a trip to verbally condemn Pagan's actions of drug running and allowance of human traffickers to circulate in his own region. The man had a genuinely good character but he took no action against Pagan because of boundary jurisdiction and because Pagan was head of state. That was Tenzin's limitation, he was law abiding so would not act beyond the law. Though not much word was heard from him or Yinke again, Ajay was convinced that that same limitation was his undoing that allowed this current government to take power as he had probably disallowed police force upon the armed-citizens. Giving Swara and Ved the chance to actively overthrown him.
His family members were exiled in the mountains, but what of him?
There were no records of a public execution or even a picture of his death. He simply vanished.
Pagan had brought him up once more as Tenzin was very likely the key to gaining control of Yinke and getting a consensus to armistice between Yinke and Kyrat on their terms. To put it in the grimmest perspective, they wanted Tenzin as the new puppet provisional governance. It was clear from Pagan's description Tenzin knew this as well if he were alive, but he would have no choice if he wanted his countrymen to continue living their ignorant lives. Tenzin would be the clearest amongst his more ignorant counterparts of how terrifying Kyrat was, if predators didn't eat you it would be other men.
If not, the partisans and soldiers will continue to fighting. And the Royal Kyrati forces would continue to slaughter, they didn't cross five hundred kilometres of landmass for nothing. But Ajay knew the limits of the expeditionary army and how it couldn't maintain its fight for very long, the air superiority could hold for even less. They needed to enter shock and awe-style and bring the might of Yinke to heel, then present an alternative in the form of Tenzin. From there, it was his problem dealing with the rebel sympathies, Kyrat would supply him with the resources to attend and deal with them as well as quell unrest with the help of the underworld. Assuming they were in on it.
If that could happen, then Golden Path and Shining Way effectively become catagorized as terrorist groups rather than popular resistance groups. Giving a very different view on how they were treated and how authorities took action.
Jagriti didn't need an explanation to this as she got a clear idea of what was coming. Ajay had so happened to give her a chance to maintain her influence and power whilst standing to gain more through the opportunity to gain his trust.
"I've said all I needed. Oh! And if you bring this up with the authorities, well. My hunters will dispose of everyone of you if need be." Not mentioning their numbers or position made it more dreadful, that he was confident they could dispatch all of them.
Ajay got up and placed his gear into the bag with the exception of that HK45 in her hands.
"You like it? Consider it a parting gift." He knocked on the wooden door for the guard to open it and let him out. The guard checked to see that his mistress was still alright after having been alone in that room with him for some time.
"Soren." Jagriti called out once more.
"One final question and we'll have ourselves a deal."
"What will it be then?"
"Why of all people did you approach me out of all the four underworld bosses I'm not the weakest but I surely aren't the strongest."
"Oh, is that so? I just came here, the little man following me pointed me to you for some reason. But if you have trouble getting a consensus with the other faction leaders then point me their direction and names so that they cease being an issue." Jagriti was shocked, that she had been spared and chosen merely by luck, but glad she was that it had been her.
"But after having this conversation with you, I've been assured that you were the right person to go to. If you want to ask why, well….. I knew a strong-willed woman like you once." For the last time, Ajay left her to do more important things like directing the expedition to their destination.
Jagriti rested her back against the armchair, she looked down the inner balcony to the courtyard inside the bordello where the scrawny boy had been in the company of some of her courtesans, fooling around. But it was thanks to that one boy's advice that she and her organisation along with everyone of her employees had avoided catastrophne.
"Madam?" The head security guard came forward.
"Call in the council members, we need to have an emergency meeting. And tell all of our assets to pull out. Begin stockpiling resources and gathering intel as soon as possible."
"Madam?" The head guard was astonished by his employer's franticness.
"War is coming to Yinke and it will happen not soon but now!"
As Ajay walked down to the central courtyard for the guests to flirt and play with the courtesans, he found Shikhar on a couch surrounded by beautiful courtesans. Giggling away with a dirty expression that hardly resembled a kid. The courtesans were quite taken to the kid for his cute boyish looks and played games with him with delight.
As Ajay stood before them, Shikhar's figure straightened unconsciously like an employee caught fooling around when he was supposed to work.
"Maybe I should sell you to Velvet so you can make a living at what you do best. How about it ladies, wanna work alongside this little ladykiller and hope he grows up into a handsome devil loving his big sisters for raising him?" The idea made the women turn red and giggle with delight as they played around with his face more than before. Shikhar was not as pleased now that Ajay had suggested his employment as a man-whore.
"Boss! C-come on! I was j-just fooling around, that's all."
Shikhar chased after Ajay who was already leaving, the girls gave him a peck on the cheek each before he left. And laughed as he scurried after Ajay.
"Next place, I want you to help find me a way into Parliament."
"What?!" Shikhar was especially scared since by now Ajay would definitely be on police scopes, but now he wanted to go directly to where they were.
"Do you not want this?" He flicked out the Ruby now in two stones from previously.
"(Sigh) Alright."
He led Ajay off again into town.
"By the way, what did you talk about?"
"The less you know, but after this just remember to find a place to stay safe."
"Can't I just go home?"
"If that doesn't involve you running around to do 'work' then yeah. If need be, I'll pay for your food expense as well." As he said that, he tossed over one of the Rubies to him.
"Ok, is there something you wanna tell me?"
"If I could, I'd have to kill you."
"You some kind of spy?" Shikhar laughed half-convinced Ajay really was one.
Ajay neither denied nor acknowledged. He scruffled the boy's hair on his head.
"If anything, I hope that you can find the strength to break out of your own fate. Because there are things your country has done that has doomed plenty of its own citizens over nothing."
It became clear to the boy that he had messed with someone he shouldn't have, an outsider with an agenda and operation to destabilize the place he called home. But what could he do? If he reported to the authorities they would take him for a kid sprouting fantasies and Ajay would be true to his word and dispose of him. No one would care about him and worse, no one would help feed his brother and sisters or allow them to continue to go to school. It was so strange, work was easy to get but the pay would forever remain unsatisfactory. Healthcare was abysmal. Education was the real way in moving up in life, Shikhar had unfortunately lived in the wrong time and chose to care for his siblings in the most risky but rewarding way possible. He joined the street gangs to coordinate pickpockets, while he gave the majority of the earnings to the gang leader, he received a cut that was better than him working twelve hour shifts at the coal mine or a fabric factory which would also be detrimental to his health. He always wondered where that money from exporting those raw materials went, even if he had difficulties in arithmetic he wasn't stupid enough not to know that someone was pocketing their hardwork and handing them scraps.
Was what this man bringing going to plunge the country into something worse that it was now?
"There you are, you little rascal!" A group of men cornered off Shikhar, his exits and way of escape.
"And you are?" Ajay asked. But they seem to ignore him and grab the boy by the collar and distributed some beatings.
"That's what you get for handing your cut late!"
"Excuse me." Ajay tapped the leading thug.
"Argh. What! Can't you see we're busy, fuck off!"
"That's my guide you're tampering with."
"Oi Oi, what's this?" One of the thugs popped out the Ruby stone that Ajay gave as half-payment for his services.
"Where'd you get this? Out with it!"
They struck him two more times.
"….. Him." He pointed towards Ajay, he had no choice in the matter, whether Ajay would take revenge with his life or not, at least these bastards would get what was coming to them too.
The thugs turned towards Ajay with gleaming eyes.
"Really, say mister. I'm currently out of cash and I need to pay my bills on time, mind lending me some?" He said with his hand out reached, the rest of his goons laughed.
"Are you his boss?" Ajay inquired.
"Ha! You could say that."
"Is there anyone above you?"
"Just Boss Ricky."
"Then what are you waiting for?"
"Huh?"
"Take me to him, so I can file a complaint against you." The thugs broke out into laughter, the leader was no exception. But the idea of this man delivering himself to the boss full of those precious stones was excellent if he was willing to walk there himself. Plus, it would entertain the boss a bit.
"Alright, sir. Then please follow us this way."
They went along with him and Shikhar in their grasps back to their headquarters hidden away from plain sight. Little did they know, that they'd brought an absolute calamity to their homegrounds.
Fifteen minutes later, after ten minutes from arriving. The headquarters was a bloodly wreck with mangled corpses lying all over with the smell of blood, shit and urine permeating the warehouse where they shit themselves to death from the knife that sliced through their flesh. All fifty of their gang members
Their boss Ricky was shivering behind a stack of crates of contraband merchandise after witnessing the carnage before him. That jinx had brought in an unmeasurable catastrophne upon them, his brother who brought him died with his head rolling towards him. The boss of the thugs fell back on his pot-belly stomach against the couch as the person walked towards him.
The flat end of the kukri pressed against his face, smeared with thick blood. "Hiee!" He squeeled like a pig about to be butchered.
"How much do you quote your pig life?" He responded in a cold tone. The boss couldn't believe his luck considering that he had stated his intention to chop him up and sell his body parts to organ transplant sources. He began scurrying through his cabinets and safes to bring the money forward. Shikhar collected it all in a bag and was amazed with the wealth he brought forth, Ajay snorted as he was convinced that there was far more than what was available to him here.
"So what will you tell the authorities about you bros?" Ajay asked after he had collected a full cloth bag enough for Shikhar to lug over his shoulders like santa claus.
"That t-they got into a blood feud and fought to death."
"So how were you the only one to survive then?" Ajay said with a grin.
"Ah-."
"We'll need it to look a little more convincing, don't we?" The boss looked pale as Ajay raised his gun.
(Bang) "Arrrghhhhh! Damn the go-…..arrghhh!" He shot his leg with a pistol lying on the floor from a thug who had previously tried but had little time to use as Ajay employed the Royal Art to dispatch all of them with kukri in hand. He was beginning to feel that this martial art created overdependence which was detrimental to him and the Devas combat prowess, that was why Vasu made no improvements over the years.
"I have a feeling we'll meet again, chief. I'll expect a nice welcome gift when the time comes, eh?" Ajay gave his threatening grin that sent shivers down the gang bosses spine, he was simply not use to others pressing their authority over him in the most tyrannical way without a second thought for human life.
Ajay threw a towel to Shikhar to wipe his face with.
"Take me to the parliamentiary building and we'll call it quits."
Shikhar had been on the roughest trip of his life in one day. Nearly dying in one of the most dangerous transactions he'd ever been in, he swore he was done with this kind of work. It would be legit or nothing from now on. He saw from the cruelty of his swings that took the lives of the thugs he was in trouble with. It took lives like he was harvesting wheat and knew that this sort of life was not something he wanted for him or for his siblings.
At some point, a group of dangerous looking hooded men joined up with them. All armed with bows and arrows much to Shikhar's surprise considering the modern implementations of guns. But he had a feeling that these archaic weapons were the ones that gave them a greater edge than normal firearms.
They seemed to treat Soren with utmost respect like he was a general of sorts to them or something more.
It was as if Soren knew him almost his entire life, knowing every trick and thought that he did, why was that? Shikhar didn't question it because it led to more questions left unanswered. Instead, he brought them to the cliffside of where the parliament building was up on top of the mountainside, he brought them on the other side where he usually foraged for herbs to sell to the market.
Shikhar brought them into view of the security compound that surrounded the parliamentary building.
"Have you been here before?" Ajay asked.
"The soldiers are really edgy about people passing that perimeter just before, I cross it quietly to get to the mushrooms that grow around here."
"Alright, here." Ajay passed him the last Ruby, dropping it into his dirt filled hands.
"And here you go." Shakhir passed him the bag of funds from the pickpocket ring taken from boss Ricky but Ajay held out his hand.
"Keep it."
"Are you serious?! There's like a hundred thousand in here!"
"Use it to get what you need for your family members and yourself from the markets down below. And take refuge after that." Ajay said as he stroked the boy's head gently.
Shakhir put down his arm in shock that he had been given this windfall so casually by a stranger he barely knew for three hours. It was the kindest anyone had been to him all these years, yet it was time to say goodbye.
"Just who are you, Soren?" To which Ajay smiled.
"As of today, I and a thousand others will be the end of this stagnancy that has brewed in Yinke. I'm here to make them pay for the atrocities they've witlessly committed in my nation of Kyrat. If there is a god in this place, I hope he doesn't put people like you in our way. Sending them to their deaths. None of you deserve this, but your government must go. Hopefully, the next leader of your people will be more caring, I hope I've placed my cards right on him."
Kyrat. Shakhir had just barely heard of it, it was the birthplace of the Great Teachers Lamsal and Ved. The ones that had an external influence on the current politburo government. What was a place like Kyrat like? To have breed great orators like the Great Teachers or fierce warriors like Soren and these assassins. Shakhir started to have a better picture of what was coming. War. And Yinke stood to lose to monsters like these without the slightest doubt.
Shakhir nodded in obedience, he would listen to what Ajay had told him.
"Word of advice, Shakhir."
"Yes?"
"That bag of money, uses as much of the cash as possible and spend it all by today."
"Why is that?"
"Because in an hours time, those bank notes will be worthless."
It was a wonder of how he could have waltzed right through the lax security so quickly, even though their was currently a social gathering going on at the wide five metre wide balcony of the parliamentiary building.
A young finely dressed young man walked up and fit right in with the crowd that gathered here without the slightest of issues. He did however get passing glances from the women, very rarely did a charming fellow such as himself would appear at this gathering. Only old or middle aged men who were of great power in the party or military men. Even the youngest that had appeared in the last was around his advance thirties. So many of the daughters of highly influenctial men were quite eager to have conversation to him.
"Dear, have you heard about that young man before?" A wife of the Major-General to the Yinke Liberation Army got his attention to inquire about the young man.
The General turned to look.
"No, perhaps he's a foreign dignitary. You want me to go check him out?" His wife nodded and followed him to where the young man was.
As they came into view, they found him surrounded by young women they recognised from different families. Apparently, he was engaged in a light conversation. The girls laughed with him, that being said his bearing didn't show any signs of lecherous air or essence of a womanizer about him. He was engaging in a clean conversation, it was just that he was a charming lad with good features and one rarely seen around here.
"Go find our daughter, perhaps something might happen. Who knows?" The General said after having a good impression of the young man. His wife chuckled and understood what his intentions were and went off to find their child.
Seeing a high-profile individual such as the General of the Commandos come forth, the girls left quietly one after another.
"Am I interrupting anything?" He asked politely.
"No, please have a seat." The young man stood and motioned him to the empty seat, but by now all the girls had left after the General gave a look to each of them to buzz off.
"You just seemed like a nice chap to occupy sometime with here. Never seen you before too, forgive me for not introducing myself. I am-.
"Major-General Karna Dawa of the Yinkian Army, Commander of the Commando Brigades. It is indeed a pleasure to meet you." The General laughed heartily that the young man knew of him so well.
"Good! Good, and what might yours be good sir?"
"Soren, just Soren. I'm here representing my company, Kyrati Central Exports."
"Oh, a Kyrati businessman. Forgive me for saying in advance but wasn't Kyrat stirred in some decades long civil war still actively running?"
"That's quite alright, my dear General. That civil war has just ended with the crown as the victor." He said with a smile.
"I see, that's probably where you come in. Hoping to share prosperity with our country, you're more than welcome! Still, its rare, and one as young and successful as you should appear."
"You flatter me General." He said scratching his head
"I've never been to Kyrat myself, although you should know that two of our most esteemed leaders are in fact Kyrat-born."
"I think they're to be arriving soon to celebrate with us."
The young man cocked his head and smiled especially wide upon hearing they, the great teachers were coming to this party. Perhaps a certain someone would also be coming along with them.
"It will be a rare privilege to even for someone born in Yinke. I suggest you get yourself acquainted, perhaps you'd get a chance to meet and talk to them. I know I will."
"I'm not sure I'll get the chance to, dear General. Not someone as low-profile as me, haha!" He said awkwardly.
"Nonsense, I'll help you get that opportunity." The General declared.
"Really? You'd do that for a stranger like me?" He said with a brightened look.
"Well…. Not with a stranger-." It was at this time that his wife returned just in time with his lovely nineteen-year-old daughter.
"But perhaps if you're a friend to us of sorts, if you know what I mean." The young man and General laughed together before the young man stood up.
"Pleasure to finally meet madam Dawa and your lovely daughter." He said with a friendly smile, their daughter blushed and turned away. Making the General and his wife laugh contently.
His wife intentionally made her daughter sit beside the young man. From there, the talked about their love life. How the general met his wife and got together and had their daughter. The young man also had quite an extensive love life himself. Being raised abroad in America, dating a foreigner for long as six years before tragedy struck. His life was filled with hard stones, so the General couldn't help but admire him for coming this far. When he had loved again, war had taken another from him. Both his wife and daughter were in the point of sympathizing with him.
"So Soren, are you married yet?" She went straight to the point.
"Haha! No, but I'm working towards it slowly. I do have a betrothal with someone."
"And do you love her?" The wife was getting blunter.
"Dear-." The General was getting uncomfortable with her pushing too far.
"I do, though she makes me work for it quite hard." The young man chuckled in defeat.
It was at this point; the wife could see an opportunity for inserting her daughter into the picture. She made a look to her, "I'll help you but the rest is up to you. Steal this man from that Kyrati skank."
The daughter nervously and reluctantly agreed. But wasn't sure of herself whether capable.
"My, we've talked so long. And the President has arrived, I believe he wanted me to discuss soemthing with him. If you excuse me." The General got up unhesitantly and walked to a bearded man with an aged look.
"I'll accompany you, dear." The wife did the same thing. She winked at her daughter covertly as she left them together alone. Her daughter reached out in helplessness but she had left the scene in an instant.
"Rigsang was it?"
"Uh- yes, Mister Soren."
"Soren will do. So what does the daughter of a general do in her spare time?"
"Nothing in particular." She instantly regretted opening her mouth out of reflex and giving a very poor portrayal of herself.
"Really, it must be difficult maintaining that image of an elegant daughter of a general for your father's sake. Colour me impressed." He said with a genuine smile.
"T-Thank you."
"Your welcome, no-, your really deserve it."
"Forgive me for asking, but were you from a well known family?"
"Well-known….. you could say that, we've had our share of fame and infamy to boast and hung our heads over. But in the end of the day, the family name is just a name."
"Even before the ancestors of those prominent names came about, they were as normal as can be. Its what they decided to do in life that changed their fates of who they were. Naturally, their descendants flourished from their fame and wealth not that its wrong. But it kind of makes you forget that you are just the same like anybody else. The states taught me this as well as the state of my family." She seemed to take every word the young man told her like a lecturer teaching an eager student.
He looked to her deeply and said. "If you're got anything planned for yourself but aren't sure whether to take it because of you families or anyone by yourself's sake….. there're a lot of things I've regretted not doing over the years for a long time. Ever telling the doctor to go through with his operation on my mom, letting Kamala drift so far from me,….. Lanka….." He begun to murmur the last part as he reminscied all that he'd been through.
"So if you have a hobby or something you want to pursue in life go for it…. If your parents don't initially agree don't be dishearten. Not every parent understands their child's hopes and dreams, only you can decide what becomes of it."
She gave a profound look at the young man as he gave her an encouragement to pursue whatever she wanted to do in life.
"Look at me rant on….. I've not been a very good conversational partner. Haha!"
"No, thank you Soren. It's what I've always wanted to hear from someone, that I could look at what I want to do with pride and no one could judge me for it other than myself."
"And what do you want to do?"
"I wanted to teach." The young man smiled meaningfully.
"That's an excellent dream, its not that hard to achieve either. I'd might even add that there'll become a demand for educators like yourself with what's about to happen soon."
"Happen… soon?"
"The Great Teachers have arrived!" Someone at the door announced and the crowd applauded.
"It was nice having this chat with you, Miss Dawa." The young man made his departure clear, she knew that her father had set him to meet with them as well.
"Rigsang, please."
"Very well, Rigsang. Thank you for listening to me as well." The young man got up from his seat, kissed her outreached hand and headed towards where the General was alongside the President standing to greet Devas, Swara and Dr Ved.
"What is about to happen…" She thought about it for a while, what could possibly happen that would shake up the fabric of things. That would even shift her parents' stubborn refusal to do what she wanted and pressed her for an arranged marriage with some of the older men.
For some reason, her heart was beating fast with excitement. Not because she was interested in that young man despite his charm. But because his convincing words spoke of something greatly shifting that it would breakdown the order of things that the adults had build out of this government. And she felt that the young man, Soren could very well be the source of it.
It was like meeting with the pope and his female counterpart sitting side by side, that was Ved and Swara Lamsal.
Behind them was their fellow Deva, Sanjeev who had come as a representative to seek asylum for the Golden Path on behalf of Mohan. Eager to meet with the president of Yinke but unfortunately was engaged with some young fellow. So he waited, his brother and sister were busy greeting the other guests so had no time to bring him straight there.
Having not much to do he scanned around the room and balcony at the many guests. Until his eyes rested on the young man that was conversing quite close with the person he wanted to talk to immediately. The more time he wasted the more time the Royal Army would be upon them since they were not given full acknowledgement of safe passage yet to enter Yinke.
The young man he noticed, was rather perculiar. Behind those garbs of formal dressing there was evidence of trained muscles, but most of all was the glint in his eyes was strangely familiar. And disturbingly so.
They laughed once more at his joke told by the young man.
"Soren, did anybody tell you, you were a real crowd pleaser? You've got a real talent for these sorts of functions!" The president said to him.
"Thank you very much, Mister President. I aim to please."
"How about I give you an opportunity to introduce yourself to everyone, it'll really help you in our nation's interests."
"Really?" The young man said brightly.
"Of course. Karna, get the Great Teachers to have a break now, will you?"
"Yes, sir."
"Oh, if we're gonna do it like that. I have a slideshow I have on a thumbdrive I'd like to show everyone. Don't worry, at the end of the day, I'll make all your troubles worth it." The president nodded and sent men to get a projector and computer running on the wall. Which they did in under five minutes.
(Ding)(Ding)(Ding)
All the heads turned towards the table of the president and a silence matured.
"My friends and fellow associates, today is a celebratory day. Today marks the sixteenth anniversary of our Shining Way sovereignty assured." The crowd applauded.
"And who better to spend that time with then our mentors, Great Teacher Ved and Lamsal."
The crowd cheered for them with a wild applause and shouts.
"But our prosperity should not just be domestically grown. The secret to a growing prosperity is for Yinke to open trade with its neighbours, but most of all share the beliefs that binds us all."
The crowd applauded.
"So I have with me an example of how we may already begin this plan. Please give a warm welcome to our very welcomed guest, Soren from Kyrati Central Exports and as the namesake describes he hails from the Kyrati Kingdom."
While the audience was ohing and ahing, the faces of the Devas turned rigid. They were aware of the situation in Kyrat better than anyone. Did Pagan send this young man to be an emissary to discuss peace and trade rights with Yinke despite their attack? Ved especially felt the need to warn them, as Namdak had officially gone out for a mountain training, but he had really taken the Commandos to Kyrat to storm Lanka. Sweat fell from his brow, Sanjeev was cautious and Swara frowned. Just what was Pagan and the demon planning? They would let the young man make it clear to them.
The young man stood on the stage, as his eyes passed the Devas he gave them a quick look of disdain proving that their worst fears were confirmed. But they remained silent to analyze the situation.
"Hello, friends from Yinke. To be honest, this is my first time to your country and I'd have to say that its mountains and beautiful landscape truly have no equal. But that's not what I've come to show you today. Instead I've come to give you a peek at what has been happening in Kyrat recently and it will be to your benefit, I assure you." He said with a wide smile.
The projectors were laid out and the computer on for him to plug the USB into the external drive port.
The screen darkened for a minute and then the slideshow begun.
But what they'd expected was nothing like what appeared on the slideshow.
What they bore witness to was pictures of bodies, civilians and soldiers, old and young, burning buildings, bloodied steps and walls.
The faces of the crowd were filled with horror at the sight.
"This my dear friends, is Lanka. A fortress city of ours, that had been attacked by a force of around four thousand five hundred soldiers. But those soldiers aren't of Kyrati origin-."
He switched the slide to a video clip and played it.
In the video, on the other side of a dark room was a bloody beaten soldier in the uniform of the Yinkian Liberation Army.
"They're yours."
There was was a lot of sounds of disbelief but the video played and revealed the soldier confessing his name, rank, and unit to the interrogator. The purpose of his intrusion onto Kyrat and the numbers that accompanied him in this expedition.
The General's face turned into horror, a unit had gone out of its jurisdiction to cross into another country and commited all these atrocities.
He finally confessed to the evidence brought before him, the ransacking of a house and executing two civilians by the names of Daya and Puru. The crowd was appalled but the next thing took them by surprise.
*(Bang)* They jumped at the sound of a shot from the interrogator who killed him on tape.
Then, if that wasn't enough, the screen split into ten different videos with ten different soldiers doing the same thing.
Then the slideshow of the mass graves and the destroyed properties were shown again.
"Enough! You are you to turn off that-." The hearts of the Devas turned frantic, they had been the cause of all this?
"Shut up, Sanjeev!" The young man roared. The fierceness of his roar shook their hearts as they remained silent before him. Sanjeev was too surprise with him recognising him at first glance, but wasn't too surprising, his face was on the posters of most wanted in Kyrat.
"Mister president, I also have a letter from his Royal Highness addressed to you." He held out the letter for him. The president, though shocked by the events gathered his thoughts and snatched the letter to read it. The crowd watched anxiously for a response.
The president's shaking hand became more visible but he didn't read aloud for he was too shocked.
So Ajay read out the contents to the crowd instead.
"Dear Head of State to the People's Democratic of Yinke. We Pagan Min, King of Royal Kyrat and Liege to the Royal Kyrat Armed forces. Do hereby accept your Declaration of War against the Kingdom of Kyrat….."
"Wait! There must be some mist-." The President pleaded with emotion but Ajay continued with a louder voice,
"Your Declaration of war by the atrocity committed at the fortress city of Lanka, 2312 civilian casualties of war, 2220 soldiers killed in action, 4532 lives in total loss…. has been duly-noted! That as of 23rd March 2015, we the Kyrati Kingdom and the People's Democratic of Yinke are to engage in war. All individuals responsible, governing bodies and representatives, commanding officers in affiliation to the mobilizing of the 13th Yinke Commando Regiment shall not have given due clemency to a tribunal and/nor summary trial due to their violations of Geneva Convention Common Articles 3 and of Hagues Convention for not submitting a written declaration of war with twenty-four hours of cool-off.
All members of such case and/or found to be related to these acts and association with the Terrorist organisation known as Golden Path will be treated as War criminals and are to be hunted with extreme prejudice.
We Pagan Min of Royal Kyrat, do hereby authorise the mobilization of thou Royal Kyrati Army, Royal Kyrati Air Force, Royal Guards and of 1st Kshatriyan Lord, Badala as their supreme commander to acted out our will in dispensing justice and executive decision over the outcome of the war between our nations strong and powerful. We Pagan Min of Royal Kyrat wish you the very best that may the winner take all.
Given at the Royal Palace of Uttar, 24th March 2015."
If there was a max to how white as sheets the crowd was to him reading out the content of the declaration, then the whole room should have been a white room. The president dropped to his knees, overwhelmed by the situation.
The General stared daggers at the young man whom he thought could trust but had turnout was now an enemy of their nation.
"Oh, and I lied about my name." The young man said breaking their silence.
"Soren is just an alias I've used more than once. The name that my fellow Kyratis call me by is Badala, Duke of Lakshman and to his Royal Highness King Min!" As if it wasn't shocking enough. The young man declared himself the general of the invading force come to take revenge for their atrocity they were ignorant of. But the evidence was shown to them in a substantial amount that they couldn't even deny it in their hearts.
Yet this man who was that supreme commander, Badala had boldly come up to them to declare their status of war.
"G-guards! Arrest that man!" General Dawa yelled as he was one of the men inclined to receive no mercy as the Commanding officer of the force that had attacked Kyrat.
But no response came.
"Guards! Guards!- Goddamnit! Where the hell are they?!" He rushed to the doors to get the four he was familiar with. When he opened it, two bodies fell upon him ridden with blood and arrows to their back.
The crowd screamed in terror but quickly huddled together as shadows in the form of unfamiliar hooded men surrounded them.
They were pushed and shoved to the edge of the balcony area were they were cornered off.
"Guards have been dispatched my lord." One of the hooded men reported to Badala.
"Great, keep a watch of them. I have a few things I want to say to-."
"BADALA!" Ajay didn't need to guess who that was. A kukri held in the ready by the man behind the Great Teachers who were flabbergasted by the events happening and their apparent guilt of the situation they'd caused.
"Hello again, coward!" He said to provoke Sanjeev Singh.
"You bastard! Even up till here! Why must you give chase?! Why must you destroy our dream?! Why can't you just die?!" He charged recklessly before Ajay whom popped out a kukri of his own. The hunters backed away and secured the frantic officials and last two Devas against the balcony to make sure they didn't try anything funny. Among them was Rigsang, watching the young man whom had opened her eyes against doubt was actually such an outstanding person.
Ajay cased his blazer aside for ease of movement and immediately clashed with Sanjeev, without the use of his inner demon. It wasn't worth the use, Sanjeev barely even understood the workings of the Royal Martial Art.
(Clang) Sanjeev was only able to get off one hit before he noticed a deep cut in his arm.
And Ajay begun to rain a sequence of slashes upon him in a very familiar dreadful fashion to certain individuals he'd fought against.
"That form!- No!- Impossible! Darshan couldn't have!"
"Who ever said it was Darshan that taught me?" (Clang) He calmly deflected Sanjeev's strike in a way to defuse the power of his strike down to a reasonable level.
The crowd watched as those two monsters fought each other in a deadly duel. And noticed Sanjeev taking more hits that a normal man would survive, with his wounds healing. Some rubbed their eyes to ensure they weren't seeing things but they couldn't confirm it. Either way, it didn't look like that man stood a chance against Badala.
"Damn you, demon!" He roared.
"There's almost no sport in fighting you now, you're as hopeless as Bhishma."
"RAARRGHHH! SHUT UP!" Sanjeev roared in a madden struggle against Ajay for speaking ill of his brother.
"Brother! Do not let his words sway-." Ved tried to warn him but he had let go of his conscious thoughts for a wild berserk against his hated enemy.
As he fought a losing battle with Ajay, he noticed for a single moment that the demon had a window left open at took it. Despite his brother's shouts to back away he went for it, and fell for the ruse.
Ajay grasped his hand and swipped his kurki downwards cutting off his arm.
"Ah- Arghhhh!" Ajay took the kukri from Sanjeev's cutoff hand and placed them against bothsides of his head like a scissors.
At that moment, Sanjeev knew he was in the palm of the demon.
"Wait! My lord! Please, spare my brother! I'll submit!" Ved came forward on his knees, the sight caused the heads of the Yinkians to spin. The Great Teacher was kneeing and pleading before this demonic character.
Ajay turned to Ved.
"Dr. Ved, while I would very much like to spare him and throw him in a dungeon worst that before like you-…"
Ved looked anxious as to what he was about to say.
"Kill all members of Golden Path, and those associated with the atrocity. Those were the orders of my king!"
"Please! I beg of you!" He kowtowed to Ajay numerous times. Seeing their great teacher humble himself, the crowd did the same.
"Seems that most of you have forgotten that you fall in the category of war criminal that Kyrat shall not forgive, but I'll give this chance to Sanjeev if he takes it."
"Former Captain Sanjeev Singh of the Royal Guard, your crimes include treason against the crown and the participation of active rebellion against the King despite his mercy in pardoning your involvement at the 1998 offensive. Renounce your brothers, and Golden Path and you may be considered for a life sentence with parlor."
"Renounce Golden Path… Renounce Mohan….NEVER!" He screamed with his last breath.
"BROTHER!"
(Slice)
Sanjeev's head flew off his shoulders and landed on the floor. A dead expression with open eyes remained on his head as Ajay grasped it and placed it in a bag.
"And will I and Swara be next!?"
Ajay turned his attention to them and snorted belittlingly.
"Why? Both of you are no longer worthy of being called Kyratis." He said in a cold tone. Ved shook and vomited blood at Ajay's words that caused the most damage.
"Ved!" Swara went to grab him from falling.
The crowd wanted to do the same but several of the more violent members with army uniforms on them had fallen to the poison arrows of the hooded assassins.
"What good is there in holding us?" The president opened his mouth after he had finally recovered his wits and senses.
"You are surrounded by an entire nation! The armed forces will come to arrest you!" General Dawa shouted at him.
"Don't worry about us, General. Your armed forces have a lot more problems to deal with. Ah! Here they come." Ajay looked out of the balcony were dots had appeared over the mountains and streams of smoke followed towards the populated sites and military installations.
(BOOM) (BOOM) (BOBOBOBOOM) Countless echoes of explosions occurred after a series of orange-yellow mushroom clouds appeared in the distance.
Then, a roaring sound appeared closer as a flight of fighter bombers flew over them. The eyes of the President and especially the general widened to the sight of jet aircraft bombing almost all of the military sites out and near Pada Mo city. Then a few minutes later a droning-sound of a few squadrons of large cargo planes flew out of the clouds above and released their cargo in the form of hundreds of parachutes each plane.
The General plopped to his knees and looked with horrified eyes. What he was witnessing was nothing like anything he'd ever seen. He was witnessing an airborne invasion by the Kyrati Army, the jets had already made his feet tremble as he knew of the laws in a conventional battlefield. He had expected the Kyrati Army to appear a day or two after Ajay's declaration at the Western border and not almost immediately after Ajay had submitted their copy of the declaration of war which they had done right compared to Yinke.
"Badala! You-…."
"Sorry, it's Lord Badala to you. General!" He corrected the weakening General.
"You…you!-…" He stuttered non-stop.
"I haven't forgotten who's unit Colonel Namdak's commandos fell under, Karna. There are worst way to die that by knife or bullet in an instant."
"What! Let me go!" Two hunters grappled him.
"You will have a taste of it over the course of the remainder of your life."
"W-Wait! I can explain! Their actions were not under my jurisdiction!"
Ajay turned away.
"Badala! BADALA!" He screamed pathetically as he was dragged away. It made the crowd lose heart in an instant, their turn for punishment would surely come next.
"My lord! What do you intend to do with us then!?" The president asked anxious as the general was about to experience a terrible fate.
"Don't worry, most of you won't need to suffer like him, I still have to keep him alive to be held responsible. But for you ladies and gentlemen…."
Ajay walked up to the balcony and faced the burning city.
"I want you to watch as your sovereignty slowly by the end of the day, burns to ashes."
Author's Thoughts:
Ever played World in Conflict and saw the opening with the soviets paradropping on Seattle? That's what i was picturing right here.
(Judge Ghale): "Your crimes consist of multiple homicide. How do you plead?"
(Thug Singh): "Puutt!" (Spits on Judge Ghale)
(Thrown out of a window)
