LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC – THE CAPITAL CHANNING – SECTION 13

 

As Zaur Stugr further jogged his memory, he recalled the clandestine meetings Prince Wenzor had conducted with Zakhertan Yozdek and some other important Minister (within those very premises ) at Sorgun's stately mansion.

 

01- ZAKHERTAN YOZDEDK  (21) JP

 

Once, playing hide and seek with an older playmate, he had accidentally stumbled on the conspiring trio in the garden and would have thought nothing of it save for the great stir it had caused.  He had, consequently, received a stern reprimand from his father and had been subsequently sequestered in his room.

 His unluckier playmate supposedly had been sent away with orders never to return but, years later he had learned that the poor boy had met his untimely demise at the hands of one of Zakhertan’s henchmen.

 

“My father was playing host to those traitors.  But how can that be? I know he was a staunch (steadfast) loyalist of the Sovereign Zuronghan Alric Therran Valamir all his life. How could he have been drawn into this conspiracy? When did it happen? Was it by accident or by design? “

 

Zaur Stugr shook his head absolutely refusing to accept those perfidious, unconceivable treasonous notions; then suddenly an idea flashed in his brain, and he conjectured, (hypothesized), “Or was he… perhaps an undercover agent (a spy), working surreptitiously all along for the Emperor Zuronghan Alric Therran Valamir and that’s why they so sadistically murdered him?”

 

Zaur bit his lip, surmising now, how these incriminating letters would have solidly backed up, Sorgun's allegations. Here were the plans for an insurrection, the irrefutable proof that would have backed up his father's claim (disclosure) of their treasonous aim to overthrow His Majesty Zuronghan Valamir. Alas, his father had failed because of a despicable betrayer, a trusted friend no less.

 

Zaur Stugr recollected then one of Sanzo Tezcat’s discussions about the sudden, curious disappearance of the Third Prince Wenzor, seemingly at the height of his popularity and influence, soon after that of Sorgun Dufo’s.  In fact, that mystery, too, to present had remained unresolved.

 

Reflecting on what Fradel Rurik Korvald had recounted about Yakkasar’s findings in the pit that night, that there had been another clustered group of skeletons at the far end away from the solitary one that was presumably Sorgun; the accumulated facts all at once suddenly fell into place, forming in Zaur’s mind, most probable hypothesis of sequence of events back then.

02- PRINCE WENZOR  JP

 

“Yes, why not; it certainly stood to reason that one of the ones in that clustered group of skeletons must have been the very Prince Wenzor.”   Zaur Stugr inwardly fumed, grounding his teeth.

Undoubtedly the Prince had outlived his usefulness to Zakhertan Yozdek and, in keeping with the usurper's tenets (credos, stances), had been betrayed.  Another in Zakhertan’s place might have allowed the prince to rule for a time, as a puppet king forced to perform at every pull at the strings, till Zakhertan had firmly consolidated his power.

 This would have spared the country from the ensuing bloodshed and of Civil Wars; but that would have hardly satisfied Zakhertan’s insatiable appetite for carnage and bloodbath now, would it?  Meanwhile, this was more in keeping (more typical) with Zakhertan Yozdek’s perverted, vicious mind, (more akin to his wicked sense) to have two mortal enemies thrown into the same pit to die together.

 

Zaur shook his head (rushed), to block from his mind those horrendous means, instruments of brutal tortures and to purge the ghastly images of the sort, his father Sorgun Dufo must have been subjected to, his ordeal lasting long afterwards, in that pit, at the hands of the Prince Wenzor and his men.

His eyes misted over as he reflected how his father had expired still protecting the secret; meanwhile Zakhertan Yozdek, alive and well, still currently, reigned supreme.

 

That part of the countryside, Zaur Stugr knew, was riddled with such pits, as mass graves, they should frankly be called.  From the evidence gleaned from the few that had come to light, he had learned something of their nature, of the ingenious manner of their construction and the way in which the (trapped individuals) unfortunates therein had met their demise.

 

All these years while his father’s corpse had languished in that akin pit, been gradually reduced to a skeleton, the key long since forgotten, tauntingly, sardonically had remained, locked in Sorgun Dufo’s silent jaw.

A staunchly determined soul preserving a secret forever, eternally locked in the mouth’s cavity!

03- KEY HIDDEN IN MOUTH

 

“But that meant that he couldn’t even cry out in pain!”

 

“The irony!  And now that nothing could be done about it, the key had finally come to light (been discovered).”

 

Suddenly, scathingly, another detail came to his mind (had struck Zaur).

 

“No clothing?”  He whispered.

 

There had been no mention of it in Fradel's account, but he knew the procedure (process, modus operandi) all too well.

Zaur Stugr knew, for instance, that they would have been stripped naked (hence, been exposed to the harsh elements), before being thrown into the pit, to ensure that there would be nothing hidden under cloth, nothing at all that could identify them.  And that way they would be forever lost to posterity, their person (being) would simply vanish into oblivion. History would never recount their heroics, their exploits, or their grievous plight in the end.

 

Zaur Stugr envisioned Zakhertan Yozdek’s cruel face sneering in the end.

He further imagined him saying, "Go ahead, and contemplate your treachery and vengeance all you wish down there.  Curse me with your dying gasps.  See if I care in the least."

Then Zaur heard the usurper's grating, vicious laughter as he signaled his men, soon to die themselves, to pile the planks then the earth back onto the mouths of these entrances to Hell. 

Zaur Stugr shook his head and grimaced sardonically, knowing how useless the information in the box was now.

If only he had trusted Sanzo Tezcat enough back then (at the time) to reveal to his guardian the truth about the box, that it was his father, not mother, who’d given him the box!

 

04- THE BOX

 

 If only Zaur (Kundrick Dufo) had been brave enough to face the consequences!

Bearing in mind Sanzo’s competence (his skill, proficiency, and resourcefulness), knowing what he knew of Sanzo now, especially with the backing of the Brotherhood of Kozurs, Sanzo would have succeeded where his father had failed and so altered the grim course of history.

 

“What use is this information to me now…To anyone else, for that matter?” 

He clenched his fists in rage, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

 

 “The decision he’d made so long ago was irrevocable. Was this the cruel act (hand) of providence (destiny, chance, luck, divine intervention) or simply, his own stupidity; which was it?”  Zaur Stugr’s face burned with suppressed, searing rage. 

 

He imagined all the Gods with caustic, mordant glare, cursing him. He saw his enemies, even the dead ones, all mocking him.

 

Zaur’s fist clenched tight, he pounded on (struck) the hard wall, over and over, creating a big dent in it. Highly incensed (enraged), he remained oblivious to the pain of his hand that had become more and more badly bruised and bloodied with each strike; meanwhile, such intense rage swelled up in his chest that he felt he would just burst.

 

 It took strong willpower for him to finally restrain (contain, subdue) his self-destructive (detrimental, damaging) course.  But then, anon flood (flurry) of angry tears filled his eyes and few escaping over the rim, trickled down his cheek. Vehemently (fervidly) he wiped them quick.

 

He was still so livid (furious) with himself for after all those years of training, his countless daring feats (accomplishments, exploits), his machinations… all that power he presently held with the strong backing of Kozurs, all; in the end it amounted to big, useless nothing! Nothing! Nothing!

05- ZAUR STUGR (SADDENED BY IT ALL)

 

Again, irately, rising from his chair, he paced the room like a caged beast, hands clasped behind him, not trusted to do his bidding.

"What a fool I've been!" he inwardly howled.  "What a great and utter fool!" 

 

At last, resolving to never again be tricked by appearances or his own mistrustful nature, he closed the rooms, left the wing, and stepped out into the cold, frigid morning air.

Fate relenting, lent him to a soft breeze, to caress his face or perhaps, to taunting him further, with yet another cruel trick.

 

 Zaur Stugr left the compound, his urgent footsteps following a snaking path that skirted tall, unkempt hedges that sagged under the burden of dew.

 

 Just then a gust of wind bit at his moistened face, a shiver rippled through him, and his skin turned to gooseflesh all over.

                                                                              ~

 

 

(END OF SECTION 13 – THE FINAL SECTION, OF, THE CAPITAL CHANNING)                                                                          ~

 

 

 LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC - ON THE WAY TO THE CAPITAL - SECTION 7

01- NEVETSECNUAC  (JP)

Nevetsecnuac, as a just then released floating spirit witnessed his out-of-body tragic demise: He saw his catapulted, airborne head hitting the immense boulder a few feet away with a thud while his decapitated body that same instant simply collapsing lifeless to the ground. And ironically at that very moment, the drizzling rain drops amalgamating (merging) with the gushing blood from the severed carotid artery (of the neck), in that cumulative pool, instantaneously dyed (tinted) the pretty white wildflowers that Nevetsecnuac had been so fond of, into scarlet (crimson) hue.

Before the ground had a chance to completely quench its thirst, Zonar, with a sinister, venomous grin, thoughtful air and leaden steps, walked over to Nevetsecnuac's severed head and, halting at the spot, summoned it up to the strange object in his grasp. The bloody head was slowly but surely was absorbed (infused, seeped into) by the object, disheveled hairs and all.

02-  ZONAR KUNTZU - 2 (9)

Zonar with a malevolent grin, he then dramatically kissed the knob(handle) and, throwing his head back, ejected horrid laughter, after which he indifferently tugged it beneath his belt; his blazing sword sheathed (in scabbard, casing)  and, with a cold glint in his eyes, never looking back, not even once, he swaggered slowly towards his tethered mount.

Summarily, with Nevetsecnuac's head permanently imprisoned alongside Fradel Rurik Korvald's, both within the leather-bound rod object, Zonar vaulted onto his magnificent steed and galloped into distance.

                                                                                      ~

Nevetsecnuac’s soul (essence, spirit) already restrained (held captive) in the netherworld, meanwhile, riled and despondent, he’d watched Zonar’s unimpeded departure with his prizes.

Hearing a shuffling noise behind him just then, Nevetsecnuac quickly turned to witness the large gathering of troubled, grim apparitions. As these ghosts drew nearer still and floated to encircle him in a tight, impenetrable cordon, some clasped their heads and tore out clumps of their hair, tragically wailing while others shook an accusing finger at Nevetsecnuac and cursed or severely reprimanded him.

"It was your vanity that made you vulnerable and made you fight that devilish villain."

"You should have resisted him."

"You should have set your priorities right at the start and saved your strength for the chief culprit instead."

"You received ample warning not to engage him, why did you not heed his advice and flee to safety at the start while you still had a chance to do so?  Now you have forfeited your life and your life's ambition is lost forever in vain. This dreadful ending should come to pass- after your honorable father the benevolent Seventh Prince Shon Alric Therran Valamir, the illustrious Lord Shonne Gulbrand and the heroic Lord Lord Asger Thuxur Marrog Zhon and countless others sacrificed so much to avail you of this chance. Oh, calamity…oh such misfortune!"

"This letdown is inexcusable!"

"You should be sorely mortified, ashamed of yourself!  Ashamed to face the Lord of Heaven; that is, if he ever designs (condescend) to see you."

"Oh, what's the use?  Why should we waste our time remonstrating with you?  You are beneath our contempt!" Some scowled.

"It’s because of you that we are all now doomed, doomed; with our last chance of salvation gone forever!"

"Ah, it’s no use.  It’s too late; too late for everything; too late even for regrets."

Other, kindlier spirits were not so hard on Nevetsecnuac, though they still condemned him.

"Were we wrong in pinning all our hopes on you?"

"Did we overestimate your abilities?"

"Perhaps it was too much to ask, to expect of one lone (solitary) mortal, as young and inexperienced as you, to rectify this wrong.  Still, your uncle Lord Asger Thuxur Marrog Zhon taught you well.  Furthermore, you had great potential, and you did overcome all the other prior perils."

"Was it fate that played this cruel, oh cruelest trick on you and us by bringing forth this obstruction at this latest stage?"

"But, chance or no chance, you should have succeeded.  You can't escape, can’t be absolved, not entirely, from all the blame.”

“With your innate intelligence, could you not have assessed your situation in time to salvage it?  You also didn't have to fight him to the bitter end, especially after you realized the hopelessness of your situation.  Isn't retreat a good part of any fighting strategy?"

"Therefore, our brothers are right in condemning you.  The fault lies entirely with you."

"You are solely to blame for not living up to your full potential."

"Look how badly you fouled things up!"

They shook their heads and ground their teeth in anger.

"You, our last hope, have let us down so miserably.  You failed to avenge us, just when success was within your grasp."

"Why did you have to go throw it all away?  If only you had not succumbed too…"

"Ah, what's the use?  All is now lost with no other worthy one left alive to champion our cause."

"What could be more tragic than this?  Forever barred from Heaven, we, loyal subjects of Wenjenkun, your illustrious forefathers, we are all condemned to roam this Earth in chains for all eternity.  This is the gravest consequence of your failure!"

"Woe to us!"

"Woe to them!"

"Woe to you!"

03- NEVETSECNUAC IN THE UNDERWORLD

Nevetsecnuac's soul, standing in doleful (forlorn) supplication, bowed his head still lower in shame, regretting his folly in underestimating Zonar's prowess, for not fleeing when he had the chance.  He wanted so much to implore their forgiveness but, though he tried, no one took any notice of him.  Instead, the din of their legitimate grievances and the intensity of their repeated wailing deafened his ears and silenced his tongue.

"After the siege, when defenses failed and I was captured alive, I was flailed (flogged) to death, but not before witnessing my comrades’ crueler demises, those that fought bravely alongside me, being torn apart or crushed to death." one wailing ghost came forward to demand.  "I suffered so many unspeakable hardships in my earlier life.  I'm suffering so much now.  It’s inconceivable to think that I, we all, will not be vindicated, that we won't be avenged at long last.  Oh, will this wretchedness never end?"

04- WRETCHED PLACE

"Stone missiles raining on us day and night within the confines of fortress, the tragic cries of the wounded (or the maimed) trapped under the collapsing walls and beams, still haunts my ears and robs me of any peace (solace)." Another came forth to profess.  "Is there really no other left alive, competent enough, to avenge us?"

"My whole village was burned to the ground by the imperial troops." an elderly woman whimpered.  "None escaped the searing flames of this deliberately set catastrophe.  How can all these tragic souls roaming this earth find any peace or lasting rest without being avenged?"

"Our village was flooded.  Men, women, and children drowned to give Zakhertan Yozdek’s army the advantage in a naval assault.  Can they all have suffered for nothing?"

"Our homes were razed to dust." Yet another wept.

"What about his infant children?" one sympathetic soul, came forward to ask.  "Can we not implore Heaven to spare them?"

The multitude of shaking heads told him otherwise.  They could not reach the ears of Heaven.  It was Nevetsecnuac’s fate to perish young.

"My loyal regiment fought a desperate battle to the bitter end in our defense of the besieged Kosuk City.", the tired, somber voice of an old general exclaimed, reminiscing.

 "We were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of Zakhertan Yozdek's army and by their superiority in arms.  His were the picked troops, the best in the land.  When they penetrated our walls and entered the city they committed such heinous atrocities, so vile they were that it could never be wholly described."

Another officer groaned, "In our offensive campaign, just as we had gained more ground, they successfully cut us off from the main body of our army and the supplies.  As we were trapped by an onslaught from four directions, they set fire to the grass around our perimeter; every last one of us perished by the raging flames."

"Our contingent was deliberately isolated from the main force, too and lured into ambush where all expired by their vile butchery." another officer gritted his teeth.

"All the defenders at Juko Pass, including myself, were ensnared, then buried alive.  The traitorous Zakhertan Yozdek's rage still not appeased, he had his henchmen round up our families and had them killed as well, their corpses then piled on top of us."

"In my hometown, all the young men who resisted were brutally trampled to death under the Royal infantry horses’ hoofs in the central square as part of a war game, while we, their parents and families were made to watch, till our turn came to die."  The elderly man sobbed then, choking back his tears, added, "But my poor, proud, brave boy, he cursed Zakhertan Yozdek, that vile usurper, to the very end."

“I've heard some of these atrocities before.” Nevetsecnuac tearfully reflected. 

Some had been re-counted by Lord Asger Zhon prior to Nevetsecnuac’s departure; several more accounts had been relayed by Fradel Rurik Korvald erstwhile the night Nevetsecnuac had left him; and then a great deal more had been narrated by the faithful Lu Moldan, the beggar from Gulbrand Province.

“Was Heaven blind? How could it stand by and let the fiend (man) who’d been the instigator of these immeasurable crimes, not be struck down? Zakhertan Yozdek, the villainous usurper… With these grave crimes against humanity on his head, how could he still exist…to?"

"My precious, most handsome boys, one barely sixteen, the other seventeen,” Another elderly woman had shrieked just then, however, interrupting Nevetsecnuac’s incensed (feelings and), exasperated thoughts.  “They were dragged through the streets and afterwards their tattered corpses were thrown over the falls! “She turned and with upturned face and a mouth showing sparse teeth, she snarled at Nevetsecnuac next. 

 “Now look at what you’ve done… It’s all because of you, Zakhertan Yozdek will live to a ripe old age!"

"Ah, the brutality of Zakhertan, the extent of it can never fully be told."  Adjacent to her, an ancient ghost with white beard down to his midriff shook his head and then mournfully nodded.

"His wolfish troops and murderous guards were given liberty to run amok in our city of Kier.  They inflicted unspeakable atrocities of the innocent populous, young and old alike."

“Now… take a good look.”  He held out two round orbs in his hand. "These eyes, I plucked them out in my grief after seeing those appalling acts committed at the hand of the barbaric imperial troops, which afterwards, many officers standing on the sidelines, treating it as entertainment, even placed wagers on the nature of the outcome of the wounds. 

06- ZAKHERTAN'S WOLFISH  TROOPS

“In my province, the tombs of our ancestors were indiscriminately defiled. “Another ghost chimed in. “They trampled over the dead, excreted the coffins (caskets) and cast aside dismembered corpses, looking to pillage valuable funeral offerings and items within the graves.  Even an invading enemy nation would not have been so vile, so unconscionable, and so despicable; alas, terrible evil has shrouded this land!  I cursed the day I was born and shed many bloody tears for all the unfortunate souls, including my own.  What crime have I committed? I have asked this of Heaven, repeatedly…But no answer has come. You tell me, what crime have we, any one of us committed that Heaven has so completely forsaken us?  Yes, you were our very last hope.  Was it unfair of us to expect so much from but one youth?  Tell me, please, would someone tell me why we must suffer so?  Will this tragedy never end?"

"How many more must perish at Zakhertan's cruel hand?"

“Wow to us…Pity… oh pity us…”  The wailing reached a crescendo (climax) with increasingly more spirits (ghosts) joining in.

“Is there really nothing I can do to atone for my mistakes?  “Nevetsecnuac’s heart incessantly wrenched with disgrace and bottomless sorrow while blazing remorse, eternally scorched his soul to cinders.

Clenching his fists, he bowed his head low in shame. “Is there anything, anything at all, I can do to make amends, to redeem these tragic souls?”

 Not resigned to this ill fate, he lifted his eyes imploringly and made his plea, beseeching Heaven for one more chance.  But hope was not to be, instead, Nevetsecnuac saw his grandfather, Emperor Zuronghan Alric Therran Valamir, his father, Seventh Prince Shon Alric Therran Valamir and the other members of the Royal Family all, being escorted down to Earth in chains. 

His grandfather Emperor Zuronghan A.T. Valamir turned to glance at Nevetsecnuac with solemn air and disapprovingly shook his head.

Endless tears coursing down his cheeks, Nevetsecnuac rushed to at once fall on his knees and respectfully prostrate himself before his grandfather, to beg forgiveness.

The emperor, with a grave face, gave him no chance to speak and right away scorned Nevetsecnuac, "You are not worthy of being our grandson nor are you fit to approach our Royal Presence.  Be gone from our sight!"

07- EMPEROR ZURONGHAN ALRIC THERRAN VALAMIR

The Emperor Zuronghan Valamir then, with great dignity, turned his back to Nevetsecnuac.

In unison, the rest echoed the sentiments of the emperor and each, in turn, abruptly turned their backs to him as Nevetsecnuac tried to make his appeal or implore their forgiveness.

Lord Shonne Gulbrand’s apparition, bound in chains as well, became visible just then but His Lordship also shook his head in disapproval and, shedding a solitary tear, he also turned away and floated into the distance.

In deep dismay, Nevetsecnuac shook his head and stamped his foot. “If only I had not…

 Had not what?” This was something entirely different.  As confusion set in, Nevetsecnuac racked his brains to recollect, “Recollect what?”

Though Nevetsecnuac knew it was only mid-morning, the Earth that instant suddenly fell into twilight.  The overwhelming, grave atmosphere heralded (portended) a new gargantuan disaster or a colossal catastrophe.

 

(END OF SECTION 7)