This is the seventh chapter of the Fantasy series "Mystery Land". You can read the previous chapters below.
Abar disappeared in the city using the cover of darkness. He had managed to infiltrate into the Mystery Land by killing the sentries and the Giant posted on the gates. He had disguised himself using a dead guard's dress. The dress was a little tight and was a bit short for his tall frame. But, he knew very well that the people always ignored the minor details and his disguise would protect him.
He planned to spy in the city for a few days and gather more information. He wanted to have a fair idea of the enemy's strengths and weaknesses before returning to Titania and launching a full-fledged attack. He knew very well that Riley's million men strong army could annihilate any enemy force. But, he wanted to avoid too much bloodshed and save men on both sides from dying needlessly. Once this city was captured, Riley would become the supreme commander of the known world. Riley would then stop waging wars and he had promised to relieve Abar from his services after this final conquest. Abar then planned to return to his small village of Hibiscus and take up farming on his ancestral lands.
Abar walked along steadily on the narrow alleys of the mysterious city looking for any Inn where he could take some rest. He had travelled a long distance and had not slept for three days. He was weary and extremely tired. The muscles in his legs and hands were beginning to cramp. Sunlight had just come out and Abar could now see a few people out in the streets. Some of the merchants were opening their stalls of fruits and vegetables. Some others were dusting their shops. A few boys were running carrying milk cans. The boys looked on in awe as he passed them. They were no doubt impressed by the tall guard.
Abar finally spotted an Inn. He went inside and addressed the inn-keeper,"Good Morning Inn-Keeper, I want a room to take some rest." The inn-keeper was an old man. He was bald and had very few tooth intact. He squinted at the tall guard and said smiling,"Welcome to my humble inn, Royal Guard. We will feel honoured by your presence."
Abar had found a bag of gold coins in the dead guard's dress. He pulled out two gold coins from the bag and handing them to the inn-keeper said,"I am tired and will need some privacy. Make sure no one disturbs me while I take rest. "
The innkeeper's eyes shined brightly on seeing the gold coins. He smiled again and replied,"As you wish Royal Guard. Your wish is my command. My boy will show you the room."
The inn-keeper called out to a boy called Peter and asked him to guide Abar to his room. Peter came running at once to lead Abar to his room. He was a young boy of around ten years old. He looked pale and lean. His face looked more mature than his age and he looked to be very intelligent. Abar was good at reading faces and making out personalities.
He guided Abar,"This way Sir, please follow me." The boy had a kind face and Abar sensed that the inn-keeper gave too much work to the little boy. The boy looked shy and spoke with lowered eyes. Abar took an instant liking for the boy.
He guided Abar,"This way Sir, please follow me." The boy had a kind face and Abar sensed that the inn-keeper gave too much work to the little boy. The boy looked shy and spoke with lowered eyes. Abar took an instant liking for the boy.
Peter guided Abar across the staircase and led him to a room on the second level of the building. Abar was amused to see the design of the building. He had only known Keeps and Towers to have multiple floors. But, he had never seen an inn or other residential building which had multiple levels. All the houses in his kingdom Titania had just one floor. Only the King's Palace had ten levels.
Peter took out a key from his pocket and opened the room's door. The room was big and spacious. The interiors were made of teakwood and the room smelled of roses perfume.
Peter addressed Abar and said,"Royal Guard if you need anything, please ring the doorbell and I'll be back at your service."
Peter addressed Abar and said,"Royal Guard if you need anything, please ring the doorbell and I'll be back at your service."
Peter bowed to Abar and took his leave. Abar smiled at him and closed the door. Abar was weary and he took out his weapons and placed them on the teak wood table. He undressed and lay down on the soft feather bed and covered himself with the woollen blanket. He went to sleep instantly.
Abar had slept for around three hours when he was woken up by a loud rap on the door,"What on Earth? Didn't I just instruct you to not disturb me? Abar shouted angrily getting up and walking to the door. He opened the door angrily to see the inn-keeper standing outside. The inn-keeper was looking tense and he apologized to Abar,"I am most sorry Royal Guard. But, it is an emergency. All Royal Guards have been ordered to assemble at the Free Square immediately."
The old man paused to take a deep breath and continued,"Our city has been attacked. The sentries and the fearsome Kala Giant posted on the city entrance were found killed today morning. The killers are at large and all guards have been put on high alert. I am afraid you may have to leave immediately to report for your duties."
Abar nodded in agreement and thanked him for alerting him. He quickly dressed up and rearmed himself. He then came out of the inn and wondered which direction to take for the Free Square. He saw a horse cart and stopped it. He asked the horse driver to take him to the Free Square and sat down in the coach. The horse driver whipped his horses and told him,"You are the third guard I am taking to the Free Square today. It is shocking to know that our city was attacked yesterday. All the guards are being assembled to hunt down the murderers."
The horse driver sped through the narrow alleys. After a while, the narrow alleys suddenly opened up into a much wider avenue. The buildings around the avenue were all tall multi-level buildings. Abar had roamed the entire world but he had not seen such marvellous architecture before in life. The wood and glass buildings were painted with blue and red hues. He could see white flags with turtle doves and a sword fluttering on top of every building. He was confused to see the message of peace and war in the same place.
Abar could see several soldiers heading towards the Free square on foot, on horses and other coaches. He was heading right into the enemy's den. The roads were filled with thousands of royal guards dressed in bright red and blue informs and carrying their country's flag. He had never imagined that killing a few sentries on a border outpost could trigger such a massive reaction. These things were so common in Titania. Every few days few sentries or border guards were attacked by rebels. A few soldiers were then sent to kill the rebels. But, never an entire army. It seemed to him that perhaps this land had never known any form of violence. So, they were gathering in large numbers to avenge their fallen.
The coach halted at a large square. Abar saw a tall statue of an Angel with spread wings handing over the blaster weapon to a man with spread arms. So, it seems that the weapon was given to these men by gods themselves. No doubt these people were never attacked or defeated by any enemies. They had divine weapons to defend themselves. No enemy would have been able to stand up to such weapons.
The royal guards gathered around the free square which was really a very large open ground with a massive platform in the centre of the ground. A tall man in a white dress stood on the platform and addressed the massive gathering of soldiers.
"My brave Crechian Soldiers, our city is under attack. Yesterday night, four of our Royal Guards were killed while guarding our Northern outpost. The brave Kala giant was also killed in the attack. He was the only surviving giant in our city and had served us loyally for the last three hundred years. He had swum to Crechia from the Land of Giants across the four seas and was loved by all the Crechians."
He took a pause and Abar felt the tension rising in the soldiers around him. The man continued,"Never has an enemy attacked us in a thousand years. I vow to annihilate this enemy from the face of this Earth. Who is with me?".
The entire army thundered in cohesion,"I am."
The man thundered,"Follow me, your King Reather and we shall destroy this enemy."
The army split up into several small platoons of five hundred men each and proceeded in different directions of the city to search and kill their enemies. The Crechian king thought that several men had infiltrated his kingdom. Little did he know that Abar had single-handedly killed the giant and all the sentries.
Abar joined a platoon of royal guards and proceeded to search the enemy. He bent his head and smiled. He was about to get a royal tour of the entire city.
Abar had slept for around three hours when he was woken up by a loud rap on the door,"What on Earth? Didn't I just instruct you to not disturb me? Abar shouted angrily getting up and walking to the door. He opened the door angrily to see the inn-keeper standing outside. The inn-keeper was looking tense and he apologized to Abar,"I am most sorry Royal Guard. But, it is an emergency. All Royal Guards have been ordered to assemble at the Free Square immediately."
The old man paused to take a deep breath and continued,"Our city has been attacked. The sentries and the fearsome Kala Giant posted on the city entrance were found killed today morning. The killers are at large and all guards have been put on high alert. I am afraid you may have to leave immediately to report for your duties."
Abar nodded in agreement and thanked him for alerting him. He quickly dressed up and rearmed himself. He then came out of the inn and wondered which direction to take for the Free Square. He saw a horse cart and stopped it. He asked the horse driver to take him to the Free Square and sat down in the coach. The horse driver whipped his horses and told him,"You are the third guard I am taking to the Free Square today. It is shocking to know that our city was attacked yesterday. All the guards are being assembled to hunt down the murderers."
The horse driver sped through the narrow alleys. After a while, the narrow alleys suddenly opened up into a much wider avenue. The buildings around the avenue were all tall multi-level buildings. Abar had roamed the entire world but he had not seen such marvellous architecture before in life. The wood and glass buildings were painted with blue and red hues. He could see white flags with turtle doves and a sword fluttering on top of every building. He was confused to see the message of peace and war in the same place.
Abar could see several soldiers heading towards the Free square on foot, on horses and other coaches. He was heading right into the enemy's den. The roads were filled with thousands of royal guards dressed in bright red and blue informs and carrying their country's flag. He had never imagined that killing a few sentries on a border outpost could trigger such a massive reaction. These things were so common in Titania. Every few days few sentries or border guards were attacked by rebels. A few soldiers were then sent to kill the rebels. But, never an entire army. It seemed to him that perhaps this land had never known any form of violence. So, they were gathering in large numbers to avenge their fallen.
The coach halted at a large square. Abar saw a tall statue of an Angel with spread wings handing over the blaster weapon to a man with spread arms. So, it seems that the weapon was given to these men by gods themselves. No doubt these people were never attacked or defeated by any enemies. They had divine weapons to defend themselves. No enemy would have been able to stand up to such weapons.
The royal guards gathered around the free square which was really a very large open ground with a massive platform in the centre of the ground. A tall man in a white dress stood on the platform and addressed the massive gathering of soldiers.
"My brave Crechian Soldiers, our city is under attack. Yesterday night, four of our Royal Guards were killed while guarding our Northern outpost. The brave Kala giant was also killed in the attack. He was the only surviving giant in our city and had served us loyally for the last three hundred years. He had swum to Crechia from the Land of Giants across the four seas and was loved by all the Crechians."
He took a pause and Abar felt the tension rising in the soldiers around him. The man continued,"Never has an enemy attacked us in a thousand years. I vow to annihilate this enemy from the face of this Earth. Who is with me?".
The entire army thundered in cohesion,"I am."
The man thundered,"Follow me, your King Reather and we shall destroy this enemy."
The army split up into several small platoons of five hundred men each and proceeded in different directions of the city to search and kill their enemies. The Crechian king thought that several men had infiltrated his kingdom. Little did he know that Abar had single-handedly killed the giant and all the sentries.
Abar joined a platoon of royal guards and proceeded to search the enemy. He bent his head and smiled. He was about to get a royal tour of the entire city.
To be continued.
