Zachania (4 page)

In his final
qualifier for the Rion contest he prevailed in a contest where his
sword controversially broke, Kleg battled on and took his opponents
sword where he earned himself a miraculous victory. There were also
rumours and suspicions that he survived an attempt to be
poisoned.

When Kleg went
to the finals he became the first civilian man to ever reach the
Rion contest.

On the last day
of the final’s, Kleg’s clothes were stolen, his sword went missing,
and four Imperial soldiers tried to goad him into a fight whilst
changing in the weapon room of the arena.

Kleg resisted
every distraction and went on to win the coveted title; suddenly
the competition was thrown into disarray. The third century of
competition was a giant milestone but Kleg had achieved another,
one which was commonly thought of as impossibility, a civilian had
become Golheck.

The decision
made nine years ago by the Imperial General’s as a good will
gesture to allow civilians the right to enter the contest had now
slapped them hard in the face.

Kleg was a
problem, there was no way that a civilian could be offered the
choice of enlistment into the Palace gladiatorial guard and when he
was not offered it, the crowd in the arena erupted into shouts of
anger.

It was a
terrible insult to Kleg and a terrible insult to his trainer
Tallonus and school of Tallonus.

Back in
Tallasian, the past month had passed painfully slow for Tallonus,
he knew that the great insult was on every ones lips but he tried
to hide his feelings of betrayal through the pride of Kleg’s
victories.

“ You should
have been there with me father, with my own eyes I witnessed Kleg
become Golheck, these eyes that I look at you now wept with pride
father” sighed Tallonus to his father Zalon who just glimpsed up
from his jug of ale looking glumly at his son’s comment.

“A winner of
the Rion sword contest trained here in Tallasian, at our school and
by these hands Father.” Tallonus added showing his Father his hands
as once again Zalon remained silent.

“Father what is
wrong? Will you not toast our success with me?” Tallonus said as he
held out his jug towards his Father.

“Do you not
feel pride at what this school has achieved, for the first time in
three centuries a champion has emerged from the south of Kratos!,
from our school, trained by you and I.”

Zalon suddenly
pushed his jug away and sighed loudly as if in disgust at his
son.

“How blind can
a son of mine be?” he sighed surprising his son.

“Your brothers
would be turning in their graves at your rejoice for this Imperial
contest.”

He sternly
added while emphasizing loudly with disdain the word Imperial.

Tallonus leaned
back in his chair in surprise.

“Why must you
speak like this father?” he asked.

Suddenly the
jugs on the table jumped into the air as Zalon angrily banged his
huge fist onto its wooden top.

“How much more
must I hear of this damn contest..... Your admiration for this damn
Imperial contest sickens me to the pit of my stomach.”

“Father.”

“No!” Zalon
shouted before adding.

“Three hundred
years, you say, three hundred glorious years of contest you tell
me, mouthing it like a romantic yarn. You’re a damn fool my son,
you praise the last three centuries for its Rion contest when you
should be damning this infernal Empire for three centuries of
slavery it has imposed upon your people!”

Tallonus rose
from his chair in an angered pose.

“I will not be
drawn into this again.” he said reminding his father of past
confrontations they had on this topic.

Zalon banged
the table again.

“Damn it son,
you are Zachanian.”

“No father I am
not!”

Zalon now rose
to his feet, a look of disgust and surprise was now on his
face.

“The Empire is
your sworn enemy.” He growled as the conversation turned into an
argument.

“ How many more
times must I tell you father, I am not Zachanian, my ancestors were
born from that land, both you and I were born Tallasians, my wife
is Tallasian, my sons are Tallasian, we work and live in Tallasian,
like it or not we are all Imperial subjects.”

“Enough!” Zalon
shouted.

“I will hear no
more of your words, I will not stand here and witness you renounce
your ancestors and heritage.”

“My ancestors
died centuries ago father.” Tallonus pleaded to his father’s now
turned back.

There was a
slight silence as Zalon rubbed his head in a gesture of
frustration.

“If your
brothers lived they would take your life for what you speak.” he
mouthed quietly.

Tallonus rushed
to his father and violently grabbed his arm turning him around to
face him.

“For most of my
life I have had to listen to you preach upon my brothers names! For
years you have abused me on how they would be ashamed of their
younger brother. For years I have had to listen to your lies that
my life has not lived up to theirs, but one thing you forget
father, my brothers died in the gladiator arena and not as mythical
Zachanian warriors on some holy crusade that happened centuries
ago, they were no more Zachanian than you or I.”

Zalon burst
into rage at his son’s outburst and pushed him onto the floor; he
then reached above the fire place and grabbed the sword that always
lay there.

“Will your
Zachanian honour take the life of his last son?” Tallonus mouthed
from his position on the floor which was more said as a challenge
to his father who stood above him with the sword now raised ready
to strike.

Zalon bit hard
on his lip as he looked deeply into his sons eyes, the old warrior
finally accepted that his son was a lost cause as his own eyes
filled with emotion.

“We are so
alike in many ways my son.” he said as he lowered the sword and
threw it at the wall before returning to his chair.

“Your
stubbornness could only spur from my loins son.”

The two men
both once again sat down at the table, there was a long silence
before Tallonus spoke.

“I do
understand you father, they are after all my ancestors too, but
times have changed. Zachania was a time centuries ago, there is no
longer a Zachania nor are there Zachanian’s. This Empire that you
speak so angrily about is all that exists now, it has been good to
me, given me this school, I am respected throughout the whole of
Kratos and my friends are Imperial soldiers, everything I have
achieved in this life gives me pride. Can you not somehow
understand this father?”

“I would call
it shame.” his father gasped.

“Father is it
shame to care for one’s family, is it shame to wish them a happy
future.”

“And what of
Klegs family? Who will now put food on their table?” Zalon answered
as he reminded his son of the fact that he had returned from
Kallick town alone.

“They will in
due course be summoned to join him in the north.” his son
replied.

“If you believe
that then you’re a fool, his family will never see him again. Wait
for the word, it will soon come ...a message shall express the
Empires great sorrow that Kleg has died by accident, when the truth
is hidden that his throat will be cut in his sleep by an Imperial
blade. They will never allow him to live, a civilian hero is a hero
too many for this Empire.”

Tallonus shook
his head at his father’s remark, he merely rose to his feet and
retired to his room that was one comment he knew was true.

The next
morning began in the usual Tallasian way with the mists that rolled
in from the ocean taking a few hours to burn away to reveal a blue
sunny sky.

Tallonus had
returned from his dawn duties with his son’s to join his wife for
breakfast. The twins were fetching water while Talon played with
his Grandfather in the courtyard; Tallonus carved bread with his
wife.

“Your father’s
outbursts are getting louder and more brash Tallonus, I could hear
you both clearly last night from our room, Talon also mentioned
that he heard you arguing.”

“Talon never
mentioned anything to me.” Tallonus replied.

“He wouldn’t, I
have noticed that he hardly confides in you anymore Tallonus.”

“Ah that’s just
him growing up; you know what boys are like at that age.”

“Is it?”
Shirose said with a hidden meaning in her voice as she looked up
and out of the window at her son playing with his Grandfather in
the courtyard “He idolizes your father” she added cautiously.

Tallonus turned
towards the window, his face breaking into smile as he remembered
how he and his brothers would train with their father.

“So did we my
love, he taught us every fighting move imaginable.” he added as he
looked at Talon and his father sword fighting with wooden swords,
his concentration captured by the proper technique that his son was
showing. Tallonus looked on for a few more moments as his smile
turned to pride until suddenly he raced into the courtyard at the
bemusement of his wife to confront his father.

“Talon to your
room now!” he shouted sternly “what’s wrong with you?” Zalon gasped
puzzled.

Once Talon had
left, Tallonus turned and grabbed his father’s arm “what was you
teaching the boy?” he sternly asked.

“I was showing
him the ancient ways.” Zalon proudly replied.

“What did you
say to him father?”

“I told him it
was a Zachanian defence move.”

Blood suddenly
flowed into the face of Tallonus at his father’s answer; Tallonus
calmed himself before ushering his father inside the house where he
asked his wife to clear the room.

“I have
tolerated all that I can with you father, many times have I asked
you not to speak of Zachania to the boys, I cannot and will not
tolerate you poisoning their minds.”

“Poisoning his
mind… By telling him of his heritage.” Zalon snapped back.

“Enough of this
father, I will hear no more of this in my home. I am their father,
it is my decision on what they should learn, not yours. Either
accept this decision or leave my house!”

Zalon looked at
his son with disbelief “you dare speak to your father in such a
way! What arrogance you show in ordering me forbidden to speak of
my ancestors. What you ask of me is par with death.....how dare you
ask me to renounce and forget my kin, or how our people fought side
by side with Apollo, and how our women died in their thousands,
Fighting to protect their land because all the men had been killed
in battle. They were our people Tallonus, slaughtered by your
employers, be it yesterday or a thousand years ago they were our
family.”

Outside the
room where Tallonus and his father spoke young Talon sat silently
by a crack in the door listening to every word. He looked on as he
saw his father close the wooden shutters on the windows and
gestured for Talon’s Grandfather not to speak so loud.

“How many more
times must I tell you not to mention these things, you know we
would be put to the sword if anyone knew of our Zachanian
bloodline.”

“I am far too
old to be concerned with what threats the Empire and its soldiers
threaten”

“Then be
concerned for your family father, Talon is twelve years old and
knows nothing of his Zachanian past, what if he mentions something
to a guard by mistake?, what then of our fates?”

“Talon is
ready; he is more intelligent than you give him due.”

“Father I
forbid it! Do you understand that, I will not have his mind
poisoned against the Empire.”

“So you would
have him enter the arena without all knowledge of our ancient
fighting skills, those same skills that saved both our lives on
countless occasions.”

Tallonus
hesitated, he did not reply until he sat down and took a deep
breath “I have great plans for him.”

“What plans?”
Zalon interrupted.

“Talon will not
be a gladiator; he is to become a gentleman.”

Zalon suddenly
rose to his feet.

“Not in a
malicon years!” He shouted knowing exactly what his son meant by
his comment.

“The decision
is made; he will be a soldier in the Imperial guard.”

“He is
Zachanian! How dare you force him to blindly betray his blood.”
answered Zalon fiercely which made his son bang his hand loudly on
the table.

“No! This
subject is over. You will obey me on this father or you will
leave.”

Both men
suddenly fell into silence, both knowing and accepting the
unmovable wedge that on this day had been driven between them.

“And what of
his powers?” Zalon asked after the pause.

“He knows
nothing of them yet.” Tallonus replied.

“But he will
discover them and he will want understanding, do you think the
Empire will give him the reasons as to why he is so different.”

The powers that Zalon
spoke of were born into every male of Talon’s family, its origin
dated centuries back in time when the Zachanian’s were slaughtered
by the Empire in Zanlia. Talon’s ancestors were amongst the very
few to escape the Empire’s wrath but they did not escape the
merciless plague magically cast by the Empire’s wizards.

A woman from a fleeing
family was heavily pregnant when she contracted the plague and died
on route to the journey south. Her unborn child was cut from her
dying body miraculously free from the symptoms of the plague. The
child grew into a man who possessed many special powers, he could
read men’s thoughts and his strength was that of an ox. Every
generation of males since had been born with these strange
powers.

There was no
doubt that Talon and his brothers possessed them but at their young
age they were not aware of them yet.

For generations
fathers have passed down the stories of their Zachanian roots to
their sons, it was almost canny that to truly understand the birth
given powers you truly had to understand the ways and thought of a
Zachanian.