Chapter 5: In the Flesh
A huge camp fire raged illuminating the surrounding desert area a deep orange, men wandered around drinking ale, having a riotous time and pestering the salve girls there to server their needs. There was an incredible main tent which housed the Lords and high ranking members of the various desert rider gangs for the nights festivities. Each table within the tent contained a lavish spread of food and the finest drink there was to offer, slave girls danced in the centre area of the tent entertaining the revered guests. There were many gangs the largest and most powerful of them being the 'Cythinians' who were ruled by Lord Zethernius, a powerfully built and ferocious man now reaching his mid years...he had a reputation of leaving no survivors. This mentality was passed on to each member of his gang and this was what made them the largest, most powerful and dangerous of the desert rider gangs.
"Quiet!" Lord Zethernius shouted slamming his fist onto the table, "There is business to discuss!"
"My fellow Lords, we all know why we are here" Zethernius continued, "This so-called 'Spirit of the Sands' continues to cost us many lucrative raids and there seems to be nothing we can do about it"
"Lord Zethernius, the spirit, it is no mere man!" a Lord replied standing, looking around to his compatriots, "It cannot be stopped by us mere mortals, it is impossible"
"From some of the things I have heard it is a mere boy in a mask!" Zethernius viciously snapped
A lowly ranked raider, who had been standing guard at the entrance of the tent, stepped forward,
"My Lord, I have encountered the spirit and yes he may have the build of a mere boy but he has powers that only the Gods themselves can bestow...he defeated a party of ten riders with what seemed like no effort, I must agree with the Lord, there is no man here who can stop it"
Zethernius' eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared, he let out a controlled breath hiding his anger from those around him,
"Come to me" he spoke in the direction of the raider, who walked towards him.
Zethernius in one movement grabbed the raider's throat and spun around behind him,
"You speak out of turn!" Zerthernius whispered nastily, as he ran his sword through the raider, "You shall not make that mistake again"
Releasing the raiders throat and tilting his sword forward, the raider's body slipped free of the now blood stained blade and fell to the ground. Zethernius looked around at his fellow Lords who sat in stunned silence, he crouched beside the dead body and used its clothing to wipe the blade of his sword clean. He truly was a ruthless man, almost devoid of any humane emotion,
"Now, does anybody else wish to speak out of turn?"
The tent remained silent,
"Good" Zethernius continued
A hooded black figure entered the tent and walked almost ghost like towards Zethernius, stopping short of the distance that would allow him to suffer a similar fate of the raider who had just felt the cold, sharp blade of Zethernius' sword,
"And who are you?"
The black figure pulled back his hood to reveal himself, Plaethos,
"My name is Plaethos, servant of King Ikranas"
"You are a little far from your Kings' fortress!" Zethernius quipped holding his arms out at his sides, much to the amusement of the other lords
"I come with an offer from King Ikranas!" Plaethos proclaimed
"We have no King!"
"Regardless of your feelings towards King Ikranas, I come with a generous offer as it seems we both have a similar problem" Plaethos continued, "The Spirit!"
Whispering could suddenly be heard as the Lords began talking amongst themselves wondering what Ikranas could possibly have against the spirit, it protects his people, his trading goods,
"Lord Zethernius should I continue or shall I take my offer to someone who may be more receptive?"
Zethernius sat back at his table and coldly stared at Plaethos,
"State your Kings offer"
"My king has instructed me to discover whether the spirit is myth or flesh and judging from what I have heard from outside this tent, it seems that he is indeed no mere myth" Plaethos raspily said aloud, looking into the eyes of the gathered Lords, "Therefore the offer is this, I require you attack a trade convoy which will pass through the Sepher dunes tomorrow...I will be part of this convoy and there will be nothing of substance for you to take, all I wish to do is draw the spirit out therefore no killing"
Plaethos opened opened his cloak and overturned two substantial bags filled with gold and jewels,
"This is only a fraction of what the King offers for your help in this matter" Plaethos stated, now staring back at Zethernius, "So my 'Lord', do you accept?"
Zethernius rose from his chair and walked down to Plaethos' position, Plaethos backed away. Zethernius picked up a handful of the gold and jewels and inspected it, his eyes moved back to Plaethos,
"We accept your Kings offer"
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Helios stood at the wall which surrounded his family's land, looking out into the distance, he and his father had not spoken in almost two days over their argument. He looked at the cloth which he had used to mask his identity so many times when helping those in need, was it worth all the trouble that it had caused between his father and himself. His head hung and he sighed a heavy breath, he wished that he had never received these supposed gifts, that he could be normal like everyone else. How he wanted to go to his father and promise that he would not go out into the desert again but he knew inside it was a promise that he could not keep.
Helios eyes suddenly widened, hearing screams off in the distance and the wild snorting and neighing of horses. It was a sound he had grown accustomed to hearing so often now from the desert sands, he quickly tied the cloth around his face adjusting it to his eyes and sped off into the desert. He stopped a fair distance away from where the attack was taking place, he could see men and women lying unconscious in the sand, their carts and wagons overturned, as the desert riders surrounded them, Helios' fists clenched and eyes narrowed. In an instant he was standing between the stricken men and women who had been travelling through the desert and the desert riders,
"I will give you the choice to leave now and leave this people alone or face the same fate that many of you have felt before" Helios strongly said aloud
The desert riders backed away slowly but unbeknownst to Helios a man now stood behind him, it was Plaethos, his arm stretched around Helios and ripped the cloth from his face. Helios span around and faced Plaethos' pale gaunt face,
"The 'Spirit of the Sands' in the flesh" Plaethos said with a sick smile on his face
Helios looked around confused unsure of what he should do, he knew he should run but his legs had frozen in fear at the knowledge his face had now been seen by many. His mouth was slightly opened in disbelief as the supposed people who were unconscious got to their feet,
"Leave us" Plaethos forcefully shouted to all those around him
The desert riders disappeared into the desert and the "trading convoy" went on its way leaving Helios with Plaethos,
"I come on the behalf of King Ikranas" Plaethos declared in his raspy voice, "Can you tell me who you are?"
Helios shook his head remaining silent,
"They tell great stories of you at the fortress, you are a hero to some people" Plaethos continued trying to gain the trust of Helios who remained silent, "My name is Plaethos, the King has sent me personally to find you and thank you for all that you have done for his people...surely you can tell me your name, the King wishes to recognize all the good you have done"
"Someone with your abilities could serve in the Royal Guard, help stop the desert riders permanently, would you like that?"
"I must return home" Helios replied,
"So you have a home then, what about parents?" Plaethos continued,
Helios remained silent, not trusting the dark figure who stood before him. His fathers warnings of those who would try to expose him and use him for their own gains, once again running through his thoughts. Plaethos' eye twitched with frustration as he grabbed Helios by the throat,
"Tell me your name boy!" Plaethos shouted angrily
Helios' eyes looked at Plaethos' hand wrapped around his neck, he gripped Plaethos' wrist and squeezed as Plaethos let out a yell of pain releasing his grip of Helios. Helios drew his hand back a short distance and thrust it into Plaethos' chest sending him crashing into a dune,
"My name is of no concern to you!" Helios declared looking strongly into Plaethos' eyes, before he disappeared speeding off
"We will find you boy!" Plaethos shouted getting to his knees, somehow knowing the "Spirit" could hear him, "We will find you!"