FARHAYVEN: VENGEANCE (107 page)

     Ray, Clover and Sky were on horsebacks even before the first rays of the sun appeared over the top of Eastern Falls Range. They rode on silently at a relaxed speed. Sky was not smiling. Neither was Ray nor Clover. The animosity between Sky and the Elementhars was building up. Each side was offended by the other’s principle and outlook in life. This did not surprise the Elementhars, however, for they knew that their way and their outlook, although more true and harmonious to nature and the various Receptions, were rejected by the general public simply because they were not advantageous or ‘profitable’ to the self.

     Sky wondered what was wrong with these Elementhars. So who cares if a few animals get slaughtered
?
Big deal
!
Sky believed that life was unfair, and that it was not meant to be fair
!
It was all about the survival of the fittest
!
The conquest of the strong over the weak
!
The strong was king
!
The strong was God
!
Or so he believed
!
Compassion
!?
What a silly idea
!
Suffering
?
Who cares
!
Stupid, ridiculous Elementhars
!

     It was a little past noon when the trio finally stopped for lunch. They led their horses to a small stream so that the tired animals could quench their thirst and then they tethered them to some nearby trees so that they could graze the grass. Lunch was unceremoniously prepared and ate in silence. A gentle breeze blew and provided some comfort to the tired soldiers.

     “You two really believe in all that rubbish you said yesterday, do you not
?
” said Sky finally, unable to control his irritation.

     “Yes
!
” replied Ray and Clover simultaneously.

     “What is wrong with enjoying life
?
Of fulfilling the pleasure of the senses
?
” asked Sky in a sarcastic tone.

     “Line _ in nature there exists one of this that differentiates good and evil; right and wrong; righteous and unrighteous; fair and unfair. Division _ this of this is done along and in accordance with the Law of Retribution, whereby if one does an action and receives the ‘retribution’ or ‘reciprocation’ of one’s action and as a result, one suffers or experience unpleasant feelings, then that action is deemed evil, wrong, unrighteous and unfair. Action _ if one does of this and receives the ‘retribution’ or ‘reciprocation’ of it and as a result, one experiences no suffering but pleasantness or even joy, then that action is deemed good, right, righteous and fair. Law _ of this, it is all encompassing and there is
no
escape, just acceptance and compliance; therefore, if the eating and drinking and having fun hurts no living being, we shall not be hurt in return and that denotes a right doing; but if it hurts a living being, for example the pigeon that you ate last night, then you shall be hurt in return as a consequence, or as nature’s retribution; and that denotes a wrong doing,” answered Ray.

     Sky shook his head in disbelief. What were these two morons talking about
?
Lines
!?
Divisions
!?
Some sort of all engulfing natural law
!?

     “So you mean to say that there is some sort of justice in this world
!?
Some sort of judgement
!?
Some sort of reward and punishment
!?
Really, have you seen justice at work
?
Robbers and killers go unpunished while honest warriors die in vain to protect an ungrateful society
!
Where is your ‘justice’
?
Where is your ‘judgement’
?
” retorted Sky.

     “Justice _ I have seen of this, it just takes a long time to happen but when it does, it happens severely and the result is always devastating
!
” answered Ray.

     Sky snorted at Ray’s answer. There is no such thing as justice
!
Or is there
?

     “Oh really
?
Give me an example
!
” Sky challenged.

     “Shadow Deathmerchant Clan _ they of them were a powerful and fearsome organisation many years ago. Murder _ they got away with the doing of this to many people, but today, they are a crumbling organisation whose members have been hunted down and killed by us. Kill _ the more the Shadow Deathmerchant Clan do of this, the more enemies they will have; and the more enemies they have, the more they will be hunted down and killed as a consequence. Killed _
in the end
, they will all be of this; and from this there is no escape and no other possible outcome
!
” replied Ray.

     “The Shadow Deathmerchant Clan is just temporarily weakened, not finished
!
They may recover and return to prominence,” argued Sky.

     “Unlikely _ it is of this, for it is no longer easy for them to find willing recruits and even if they did, it will take years to build up the recruits’ skill and experience level, by which time the Fallsian Military will have found their lair and destroyed them,” counter-argued Clover.

     “You two are hopeless
!
” declared Sky.

     “Unenlightened _ you are of this,” said Ray and Clover simultaneously.

     With their horses fed and rested, the three soldiers continued on their journey. The travel over the next few hours was done in silence. Sky was ever the more offended and upset. But so were Ray and Clover, though they did not show it at all.

     Sky began to understand why there were many soldiers who disliked Elementhars and why Elementhars generally did not wish to serve in the military. They would never fit-in, he reasoned, for soldiers ate whatever they needed to in order to survive, or in his case, whatever pleasured his palate; because life was short and it should be lived to the maximum
!
Why bother to distinguish the difference between right and wrong, good and evil and so on
?
It made no sense. It was a ‘dog eat dog’ world out there, and he reckoned that it was all about the survival of the fittest. He also believed that life was all about enjoying oneself to the maximum before one’s time was up. He felt that that was all there was to it, nothing more
!

     It was late afternoon on the
22
nd
Day of Fourth Month of Dry Season
when the three soldiers arrived at Southgust. Ray and Clover were amazed at what they saw. The town looked perfect, as though it had never suffered the earthquake. There were hardly any signs of debris, rubble or destruction. The whole town looked clean and new.  Sky was smiling.

     “Why do the both of you look shocked
?
” Sky said with a smug tone.

     “Amazed _ we are of this of your rebuilding capabilities
!
” answered Ray humbly.

     “Amazing _ it is truly of this
!
” added Clover.

     “Thank you
!
We, the people of Southgust, pride ourselves in our recovery skills. For many years, we have had disaster after disaster hitting us, and so we made it a point to learn how to recover from them fast. We are resilient. We are survivors. What you see today is a testament of our spirit and skills
!
” said Sky proudly.

     Ray and Clover were silent. They heard the mistake in Sky’s answer. If the people of Southgust were not sinners, or transgressors, then why did they suffer one disaster after another
?
Sky took pride in the town’s recovery capability, but he saw not its failure to avoid the disasters in the first place
!

     Ray and Clover rode on along with Sky, looking left and right and admiring the neatness and the cleanliness of the town. All the buildings were perfect. Not a single crack or chip was visible. The townsfolk were busy going about their business as though the incident one and a half months ago had never happened. Ray and Clover were dumbfounded
!

     “The Channeller is this way
!
” he said as he turned off the main road and trotted down a less busy street.

     The street led the three soldiers toward the eastern edge of the town where their eyes fell upon a huge, beautiful mansion. A well trimmed hedge formed a natural fence along its perimeter. Large, beautiful and majestic looking trees flanked a double storey stone house made of pure white marble. Ray and Clover did not remember seeing such a mansion the last time they were here in Southgust. It must have been recently built, as impossible as it was. The trio stopped at the gate and dismounted. Sky rang the large doorbell three times. The huge front doors of the mansion opened and a male servant ran out to meet them.

     “Greetings and welcome to the humble abode of Master Resonance Styruss, Channeller and healer. To what does my master owe the pleasure of your presence
?
” said the servant.

     “We are here to consult the master on a matter of great urgency, a matter on behalf of the king,” answered Sky.

     “Very well, if you would wait a moment, I shall report to my master. I shall be back shortly,” said the servant before bowing and running back into the mansion.

     Ray’s eyes wandered across the mansion, taking in all of its details.

     “Luxurious _ it is very of this,” commented Ray.

     “Luxury _ its aspect of this is almost a match to the upper class of Fallsene City,” added Clover.

     “Now you begin to see, do you not
?
When he first arrived, he was broke. No better than a beggar. But look at him now
!
Look at this
!
The richest man in the whole of Southgust. And he shared his wisdom with us. Such benevolence
!
Better than that stupid hermit, Truthkeeper
!
He offered us nothing but poverty. Taught us nothing but failure
!
You two have much to learn
!
” said Sky proudly.

     “Disagree _ we do of this with you,” said Ray and Clover simultaneously.

     The male servant ran out to the main gate with a set of keys. After unlocking the gate, he opened it and invited the trio to enter. He took the reigns of their horses from them and invited them to enter the huge marble mansion, while he led their horses to the stables at the back. Upon entering the house, Ray and Clover were awestruck at the sheer spaciousness of the living room. Large, expensive looking furniture decorated the room. Female servants appeared from what Ray and Clover assumed to be the kitchen door and set down an assortment of drinks and snacks on various coffee tables. The trio sat down and made themselves comfortable. Sky immediately helped himself to some drinks and snacks. Ray and Clover, however, refrained themselves from doing so. They sat upright and waited patiently.

     And they waited and waited and waited. Ray’s lips were dry while Clover’s throat felt as coarse as sand, but neither took any of the offered drinks or food. Sky, on the other hand, finished his first plate of cookies. The female servants reappeared with more food and drink.

     “Eat up
!
What is wrong with you two
?
” said Sky.

     “Idea _ it is not a good one of this, Sky
!
” replied Ray.

     “Ahh, whatever
!
You two are really weird
!
” said Sky as he took a sip of orange juice.

     Then the trio heard a door open on the first floor. A man in his early sixties, of medium height and weight and dressed in a green suit, walked down the staircase and headed towards them.

     “Welcome to my humble abode
!
I am Channeller Styruss. How may I help you
?
” said the man as he took a seat on the sofa facing Ray, Clover and Sky.

     “We are here on behalf of King Patrum. We require your expertise in the investigation of a crime. The king offers you just reward for your service and co-operation,” said Sky.

     Channeller Styruss raised one of his eyebrows in curiosity. There was a slight smile on his lips.

     “Most interesting
!
May I know the nature of the crime
?
” he asked.

     “Murder _ the nature of the crime is of this, but what we require is not about the crime itself but of the perpetrator of it, for he disintegrated into a pile of dust after committing it and we do not know what he was or how he did it,” explained Clover.