The Sparabara Series

Chapter 1

Persepolis, 1450 AD.

The cart rolled into the city's paved streets carrying the worst of the empire's prisoners. Terrible men that had commited crimes of horror, treachery and betrayel to the King. Rogues that should have never have been born. Night surrounded the city, enveloping it like Ahura Mazda wrapping a soft blue blanket on the city itself. No one cared for this cartel of prisoners. Not especially when dinner was being hosted by the rich nobles. Taronish said nothing. He had nothing to say. Only hatred was left in his heart. In the cart, surrounded by other twenty hostile prisoners, he did not think of anything else but hatred. Hatred.

The word burned in his body like fire. The word enveloped his body like a dark spirit possessing his body. And the word, finally would consume him. Only Ahura Mazda could guide this soul, who had been derived of the world's pleasures to the path of reptenece. The cart stopped. The door opened. The guards barked and yelled at the prisoners as they were led out of the cart. Fire torches surrounded the dungeon. A guard kicked a prisoner, while another guard punched a prisoner three times before shoving his face into a pot of boiling water. The scream of the prisoner echoed into the dungeon's cells. Taronish gulped as he was led out by a guard. Out of the dark shadows, a warrior came forward while the prisoners huddled close to each other.

'They know me as Sasa. The Great General of the Empire. The descendent of the famous hero Avadun that conquered Persia, killing the great Spartan King, Leonidas. You are here, because you have commited treason against the Empire!'

Sasa grinned, looking towards the Greek. 'So here comes the Greek eh? I always knew your kind would attempt to destroy the Empire.'

The Greek spat. 'Do you think I'd bow down to a piss-stinking Persian like you? Your people are weak in mind and in thought. We should never have lost at Marathon.'

'Bear in mind Greek, that we did not sack Athens. It was my grandfather called Avadun who begged with Xerxes to spare that glorious city. We conquered because your ancestors meddled with the Ionians! And look where that has got with you. Did we not introduce tolerance? Did we not introduce patience? Did we not let Greeks feel free to worship who they wanted?'

'So what? Greeks will never be slaves.' The Greek looked down with a somber look. 'Leonidas...sacrifice's was unforgivable. He died in vain. In vain.' The Greek roared with sadness.

Sasa grabbed a torch from the guard behind him. He moved, crouching down until he could see the bearded Greek in full view. 'What do you think Greek, would your people have done? Ionians raided into Persian lands. Did your ancestors think we would accept? Had you conquered the Empire, you would have spared no Persian. Now your people live in peace.'

'Greece...shall never die. We will take over your Empire and destroy it. I will see I kill every last Persian. Including your family.' He spat at Sasa.

Sasa punched him hard into the face and chuckled. 'You were long gone before you had a chance. To challenge the King of Persia? To challenge me?'

Sasa grabbed the Greek's neck. 'By infiltrating roots? You Greeks, as well as your latin cousins, have desired the riches of the East. By Ahura Mazda we will never do that. Think twice before saying that. Our roots are ever stronger. They cannot be destroyed. Your arrogance is full of emptiness. Tell me, who is the real spy? What is the Order of Xanthos? How many spies do you have?'

The Greek croaked. 'I will never reveal...never...'

Sasa roared into his face. 'We rule Europe! We rule that droggy island called Britannia. We rule the Germanic tribes. We rule the Barbarian tribes. Italy is split between us and Carthage. Do you think you're so intelligent Greek, that with your wit that you will destroy the Empire? The Egyptians resist us. I do not see a day that we will conquer them. But the men of Ahura Mazda forged their swords in the shrine dedicated to him before they set off to conquer the land of the barbarians.'