Age of Heroes (Age of Heroes Chronicles)

Chapter 218: Pride hath its fall

AZRAEL MOURNSTAR.

IN THE WAR TENT

1016 LIGHTMONTH

All of Azrael loyal vassal has assembled.

They are all in the tent and he have told all of his loyal vassal of what has transpired and the conspiracy that is involved.

There are shocks. Gasp. Anger and disappointment. And now with heavy heart Azrael enter the tent with Silas, the man who made it all possible.

He will be given his honors and gold and many other things but now there is the pressing matter which is the truth.

Now he can tell the other lord vassal of the agreement he have made with the Houe of Vermont across the Sea after tonight.

Silas enter the tent and in his most ceremonious tone he said

'I present yourats' he said and he chuckled at his own private joke.

Azrael sit down on his chair as he stared hard at the two prisoners in front of him now. Their hands and feet are chained, guard posted near them and him, in case of anything unexpected were to happen.

If they even try to move, they will have their limbs cut off.

'Who is Ba'yang?" Azrael asked the moment he look into Aleister eyes.

He spits on the ground and Lord Zenla sock him in the face with a powerful punch and Aleister were thrown back, blood flowing from his lips.

Azrael held his hand and Lord Zenla stop.

'Your Grace' he said.

'That is enough Lord Zenla' Azrael look at Aleister face.

His hair is messed up; his eyes is swollen no doubt Lord Zenla has punch him before. There is blood gashing from his left arm and a few stiches on his eyebrows.

Lord Aleister noble feature is no longer, replaced with a tired face, tired but still prideful in front of him. It almost unnerved Azrael, the conviction of Aleister pride.

Gruk Vor remains silent. But even he has the same kind of face. Bloody and beatenbut determined

'Vor, Crow' He said with a reminiscing tone.

'You are both the Heavenly protector of Our kingdom. Two of the Four Heavenly Protectors and you betrayed the Mournstar family? O, what sin! O what indignity to such an illustrious name.'

Azrael would like to end this without torturing them. But they are stubborn and prideful. His threats fall to deaf ears maybe because he is known to have a kind heart.

The questioning leads to nowhere. Then suddenly Silas spoke.

"There is a story I remembered Your Grace" he said, suddenly his voice startling all those that are present, circling around the tent and the prisoners.

Silas then smirked

'Story, yes, a story' he said. Then without any preamble he started his story.

'There is a courtier in a King court a long time ago, when the still dragons soar the blue skies, and Gods walk among Men. This courtier is of the nobility stock. And they live in this Kingdom ruled by this one King. This Kingdom was in the Western Sea. This King is powerful and wise but he is temperamental. The name of the courtiers is Axe and Bar. These courtiers are close with each other and counsel each other in many things. Bar is stout, strong and brilliant. His influence extends in all directions'

Silas is walking around the tent, telling the stories as he takes the occasional pause sometimes.

He then quickly resumes his story

'He has spies all over the land, possess woman of every exotic beauty, and riches beyond any noble lord. When he throws a feast, it will last for months, his wealth is said to be stored in a warehouse, where even the key of his warehouse was said to be so big and large that it had to be carried by forty strong men to open the warehouse'

'The other courtier, Axe on the other hand is different. He sways and ebbs with the flow of the court and follow the trend of time. But he is very smart in choosing the right people to ally himself with. Some called him a coward, others called him opportunistic, but one undeniable fact about Axe was that where everyone falls, he survives'

'One day Bar said to Axe "You are very docile my friend. Why do you dance to the tune of the King? Stand up and be brave, my friend; hold yourself erect, as I do. Tell the King that you are not at its command. Show some heart and bravery. This world is for the strong."'

And Silas smile's as he stopped his pacing, drawing people in to his theatrics. He moves again and he continues his story

'Bar believed that statement for he is strong and his heart is full with treacherous intention. Axe did not say a word. Silence, is golden as the ancients once said. Thus, Bar said "Did you not hear me? Why don't you reply?" his friend growled. Clearly unsatisfied with the lack of response from his friend.

"What can I say?" Axe said to Bar.

"You are strong and sturdy. I am weak and unlike you. But listen to my advice my dear friend. The King, if it gets really violent, and we know he can be, else why else he has this many lands, can be very dangerous. When the King blows with fury, for as we know he have fire in his heart, show it respect. Otherwise..."

Silas story is spoken with the right intonation with just the enough theatrics and everyone in the tent could not help but be mesmerized in hearing the story.

Silas is a human yet even the Demon Lords hear him, with such attentive ears and their eyes could not leave his mouth, spellbound by his stories.

We do not know why he is telling this storybut we want to know how it ends. Because somehow, Azrael believe Silas story will make sense in the end.

'Axe did not complete the sentence, hoping his friend would heed his advice for he worried that pride will take hold of his friend heart. Bar thundered, fearing nothing, for his influence reached all places and he is sure of his invincibility "neither nobles, nor King can do anything to me." He boasted.

'One of the loyal noble to the King overheard the hubris of this courtier and quickly informed the King. The King is furious as Kings do, and as King does. The King came with his loyal lords and the small fire in the King hearts turns into an inferno, a storm of fire. And fire does what fire does best'

Silas smiles with an eerie smile as he continues his words

'It burns and will burn everything until it turns into nothingness. Axe which seems to be implicit in this conspiracy bent his knees, and prostrate himself and the other noble are moved by his repentance and his humility, and because of that he got a pardon and he advises his friend to do the same'

'But Bar won't budge for the pride in his heart is as high as the sky, as deep as the deepest valley, and as wide as any river. Thus, always the prideful would fallen'

'So the King once again, enraged, pressures his attack and weakened this courtier mercenary. The other nobles turned from Bar and join the King for never before they seen such hubris and vanity'

Some of the people in the tent nodded

Silas continued

'For cardinal virtues are, humility, and as such, prideful as he is, Bar did not realize he has broken a cardinal virtue that every lords and noble try to strive away from such indignities for this was an age of honor and chivalry, age of heroes and gods, where magic is in abundance, and Gods and monsters, good and evil roamed the world'

'For that price of pride, the King responds with vicious anger and terrible wrath were inflicted upon the courtier Bar. In the process of this battle, Bar lost his pregnant wife, as she was raped and killed by the invading lowborn soldiers; his unborn babies were ripped apart from the pregnant mother stomach and thrown down from the castle wall'

Hearing this some of the courtiers in the tent gulped, imagining such a gory scene

'Bar, when he sees his unborn son, not yet fully formed were thrown down from the castle wall, he wept with tears of blood, howling such grief never before heard, that if God heard his weeping in his High Heaven, even He would weep. He weeps and cries as he was holding the smashed head of his baby, raving like a mad man'

'His beautiful and innocent little daughters died mauled by the King tigers, when some lord manages to kidnapped them, their cries would rend any man heart, and his two years old son, died trampled by a horse outside Bar castle when the King took hold of Bar castle'

'The King sent Bar the remains of the flesh of his son one by one. Giving first Bar his son teeth and then ears and then fingers. His lands were scorched and his friend were burned to death, some were buried alive, their screams can still be heard in the Shrieking Bay, his land were torched with fire, leaving it scorched, no plant can be planted, his village and city were put to the sword. "

'Enough!' Lord Mila said. And the other lord begs Silas to end his story but Silas shakes his head while still smiling.

Some Demon Lords are disgusted with such vivid imagery that Silas portray such cruel punishment.

But most important, it was that, fear crept in everyone heart for they all wondered how can Bar the Courtier endure such torment?

It was at this moment that everyone in the tent pay attention to Silas story, more than the beginning, some tremble in fear trying to imagine such scene in their heads, his words filled the tent with tension, and Azrael could see Aleister eyes as the stories goes closer to the end.

It wavered. Azrael could now see fear in Lord Aleister eyes

And from that he will pounce. Even the Orc King Gruk began feeling unease hearing this story. But Silas made no intention to stop his stories. He continued.

"For the King as Axe has warned is stronger than Bar'

And Silas chuckles bitterly before he said the next sentence

'For there is always someone higher, stronger. Axe has warned the prideful Bar of this tragedy. But his advice falls to deaf ears. Pride and vanity blinded Bar eyes and now he is paying for it with blood

'Seeing all the people and things that he had loved, disappeared and polluted, the shock of losing his wife and children, the once powerful and influential Bar the Courtier jump from the highest tower of the castle, his head splashed to ground'

'The King found his body and laughed, for finally this treacherous courtier, doomed by his own lips is finally rid of'

'His brain was fed to pigs for that was the most insulting thing the King can do to this prideful courtier of his, his flesh was grinded and fed to the war dogs and the others parts of his body were eaten by Bar's friend, forced fed by the King as they puked in disgust, yet none dare disobey, for a King is a King and a King at that era are clothed in immense power. For a King pride, does not often offend people as pride often does. For a King there is always an excuse. He has a right to be proud.'

Azrael nodded at this and the other nobles in the tent also nodded in agreement

'Axe seeing how far his friend has fallen and the tragic end it meets said "There goes the life of the great and noble Bar. Prideful noble Bar. If only he would listen to my words. Wish he had listened to this dear old friend and showed some respect to the King and cast off his pride"

And then Silas tone of voice changed, his tone cold and threatening, his eyes staring at Aleister

"Pride hath its fall," the noble Axe murmured to itself sadly."  

Silas then stopped. He ended his story. Then suddenly like they are broken from a spell, te people inside the tent all take their breath

For a while there is only silence.

The spell, the story, captivated their ears and they stand still. The Orc King just looks at Silas his eyes. unreadable but Azrael notice a hint of trepidation.

Silas stopped his movement and then suddenly he approached Lord Aleister, his eye looking at the wavering eyes of Lord Aleister and he said in a chilling tone

"I heard. you have a family, Lord Aleister. Three wives and three daughters. And one son. Correct me if I'm wrong" he said it slowly.

And Silas smile a very disturbing smile like his word meant something. And sweat stream down from Lord Aleister brow and he nodded.

His eyes show fears, and Azrael finally understand the reason Silas told this story.

To induce fear. Fear is a great weapon if administered wisely he once remembered, Silas spoke during their discussion.

Silas came closer and he pose a question to Lord Aleister.

'Who are you Lord Aleister? The prideful Bar? Or the wise Axe?' Silas look straight at Lord Aleister eyes, his eyes had something akin to threat.

'It would be a pity to see your family-' And even before Silas finish his sentence, Lord Aleister was sweating profusely and then he shouted in panic

'I will tell you what you want to know.' Lord Aleister said suddenly. Then he proceeded to tell Azrael who Ba'yang is and his true identity

The moment that secret was revealed, he couldn't believe it. He even thought that Lord Aleister was trying to deceive him/

But Lord Aleister continued as he told the people inside the tent the motive of the conspiracy and the mastermind of this conspiracy

The reason why he couldn't believe it was because when the identity of this mastermind was revealed, Azrael, to his surprise knows who this person is

He wanted to deny the truth, to refuse it while Silas was on the side corner of the tent and he didn't even looks shocked.

Azrael presumed that Silas had his suspicion all along

Azrael almost yelled lies to Aleister face but as Lord Aleister tells his story in details there is no denying who Ba'yang is. Even Lord Mila who is present in the tent could not believe it.

'It is him' Silas said nodding his head. He knows from the very beginning. Or maybe he had his suspicion long before Silas contacted him

Azrael could not believe this as his grip around his sword weakened. His friend. His most trusted confidante.

Silas sighed and then turning to him, he said

'Ba'yang is him, there is no denying it. He is the only one who could inform Aleister of your fake plan. He has been in it from the very beginning' Silas reiterate

Azrael know it's true but he couldn't nod in agreement.

'Ba'yang is Elkar.' Silas said

Azrael close his eyes and he almost fall down from the revelation. He sighed and then he nodded

*************************************************************************