Crimson Reprisal [STOPPED FOR NOW]

♦ | A Generation Ago

Barely tall enough, Flurkin was struggling to get a good sight of the Sevi. The only thing he could see was the huge crane. The huge crane could only signify one thing - capital punishment. Someone's getting beheaded.

Three of them were sunken into the crowd, still struggling to get a good view. It seemed that several men and women were tied up to the crane. Metal chains were wrapped all over them.

A blaring voice silenced the entire crowd. It was the Mind, Sevi Lurke's voice. "Silence!"

His voice was carried on by the sounds of the wooden platform splintering. Flurkin moved his head left and right to observe. An old lord holding a matte black piece of metal was walking towards the sinners. Azomian metal. Flurkin awed with realization.

"Goodman, what's going on?" Patting the neighboring audience, Laydon asked for more information about what was about to happen.

"What?" The stranger responded. He could not hear his voice as it was muffled by the crowd's chanting. 

Laydon repeated himself again, this time, with volume, "What's going on? Why are they chained up?"

"That traveler was found having a filthy relationship with the clan members beyond Amor. He's a shame to the Amorians and deserve to die!" His voice was raspy like a typical Amorian.

"How about the rests?" Laydon's brother, Lennin followed up with a question.

"His family members - cousins, relatives and even nephews. They're all going to die for his sins," the stranger replied.

"Well, that's ---"

"Amorians!" The Mind, Sevi Lurke, roared against the crowd. "Leonard Pastel, the traveler was found guilty protecting a member of the forsaken clans. He sheltered her and betrayed all Amorians. Should the Pastel family to be spared, or should they be killed?"

"KILL THOSE BETRAYERS!" "KILL!" The violent echos from the Amorians summoned a horrific ether around the town hall. The only other sounds that could be heard was the mercy begged from the chained sinners.

The black sword took their heads. Blood leaked all over the platform. Cheers followed by.

Still, Flurkin and his friends did not share the same enthusiasm as the crowd. Flurkin asked the same stranger, "Why did they have to die?"

"Because they betrayed us."

"How so?" 

"The forsaken clans are abandoned for a reason. They practiced dark magic and tortured travelers along the way. They all must die. Thank the Rogs that the Sword killed them."

"Okay..."

The news about the clan members and bandits attacking Amorians were not new. Laydon, Lennin and Flurkin all knew about them. However, seeing Amorians getting beheaded due to association with the clans was a first to them.

"King Lexis' brother was captured by one of them and his body was torn to fifty pieces by the sabers," the stranger further explained to Flurkin.

"Sabers?"

"Yes, filthy pets with large teeth that they found from the North. Those people are wicked."

After the capital punishment, the crowd started to dismiss themselves. It was then the Sword announced, "Hold on, Amorians! A grey pigeon from the kingdom of Alora was sent to the King this dawn. A possible outburst of war might occur, thus we need more men."

The thought of war horrified everybody. The crowd stopped their disperse and listened carefully to the Sword of Amor, Raoult Rein.

"I know the tragedy of The Triway War brought a lot of casualties and many of your ancestors died that day. But we, Amorians, need to stay strong. Therefore, I call out to those young man. Come to the castle wall the next dawn if you choose to stand against the Alorians. You all shall be granted the opportunity to be a knight."

After the two of the Sevi left, the surroundings of the town hall was almost empty. Laydon joked, "Sir Flurkin and Sir Lennin." The dreams about being a knight was ridiculed. 

"Knights?" Flurkin asked.

"I like the sound of it," Lennin responded with a big smile.