STONES OF AKBAR

By Winar

This book is protected by the Nigerian copyright laws, and no part of it can be reproduced without the permission of the author.

Dedicated to all Lovers of Fantasy

................... Chapter 1............

It was a tough night at Kor. Every concerned citizen had been waiting anxiously for word concerning their queen. Some were at the palace, some gathered at the tavern of Cixes, and some were at the town gate waiting to pass the good news of the birth of the great prince to jealous visitors.

Three night had passed and the queen was still in labor. Every known method had been used by the chief physician to ease her pain, but all seemed fruitless.

The chief physician held the queen's hand. "Your majesty," he called out to her. "I can see the baby's head. Push, push harder."

The queen growled as she made another attempt.

"Yes, the baby is coming out. Push harder, your majesty." The chief physician said excitedly.

At another painful attempt, the baby popped out.

"You have done it, your majesty," the chief physician shouted. He moved closer to the baby. "It's a boy!" After a few minutes delay, he proceeded to cutting the baby's umbilical cord. One of the servants handed him a towel. As he was about to wrap the child in the towel, he saw a glowing cross mark at his back. "What!" The chief physician squealed. All the servants in the room rushed to him and they also saw the glowing mark at the back of the child.

The room became silent. Everyone's countenance had changed.

Was the baby dead? The queen thought. No, the child was still alive. His cry filled the room. "What's wrong?" The chief physician couldn't reply the queen. "Gaul! I said what's wrong. Can someone tell me what's happening?"

"Your majesty," the chief physician spoke slowly, "your son is a bane."

The queen shrieked. "No ..."

As it was the custom of Kor, the king and all the nobles of the city waited anxiously at the throne room. The queen's wail could be heard all over the palace. All the nobles looked at the king. He was frightened. "Is something wrong with my child?" The king got up from the throne. At that same moment, the chief physician entered into the room. Everyone looked at him profusely. His face was expressionless.

"Gaul, is the child dead?" The king asked.

"Your majesty," the chief physician sighed, "the child ... Is a bane."

The king dropped on his knees. "Why, Why!" All the nobles rushed to console him, but it was futile. "My child, my heir, no!"


The next day, every inch of the palace was filled with people. Nobles, peasants, craftsmen, and even visitors from other towns. The news of the queen's birth had spread throughout Kor and it's surroundings. It couldn't be imagined - for a royal family to give birth to a bane child. The last time anyone heard of a bane child was sixty-two years ago. And it had happened in far away moth.

Everyone was waiting to see what will happen. The king and his wife had been married for many years without a child, and now, after much excitement about the coming of a heir, the child turned out a bane!

The atmosphere at the throne room was tense. There was an argument going on. One faction was adamant on killing the child. Another faction maintained that the child should be spared but banished from Kor. While some kept their opinion.

After much debate, the king finally spoke. "Some 4000 years ago, the middle earth was at the edge of collapse. And millions died in fight for freedom. The child is my son, and I would love nothing more than to watch him grow. But responsibility lies with us today ..."

The queen burst into tears. "No, don't kill my son. No ..."

"The child is to be put to death at night." The king ordered.

The king had spoken. And his order was final. No one could debate it. No one dared speak further - except the queen. And all she could do was cry.


The brightness of the moon illuminated the forest as Gaul and the accompanying soldiers made way to the hills of henron. Spilling the blood of a little child on the soils of Kor was a taboo. It brought bad luck, both to the executioner and the entire town. And apart from that, the king could not behold the death of his own son.

The queen didn't part with her child easily. The king had to order the soldiers to restrain her. "My boy, my boy," she had screamed all through. "Don't take my boy away." The sight was pathetic. Everyone was moved by the love of the mother for her baby. But the right thing had to be done. The danger posed by the existence of a bane was too great to be ignored.

"Wait for me here. I will go up the hill alone," Gaul told the soldiers. He collected a knife from one of them and departed. Climbing the hill was a tedious task and he almost slipped twice.

At last, he was at the top of the hill. The Koreens, and all the inhabitants of the northern plains believed the hills of henron was a sacred place. A place where shedding the blood of an evil doer wouldn't bring bad luck to the executioner. It was at the same hill that all the supporters of drakko the great were executed. Skulls and bones could still be seen scattered all over the hills.

Gaul dropped the child gently on the hill floor. He removed the knife fastened to his waist and bent down toward the child. He looked at him once more. The child was really cute. So innocent. Why? Why does the king have to give him the horrible task of executing a little child? Gaul wondered. He had carried out so many execution orders on behalf of the king, but this, was peculiar. Could he actually bring himself to kill the little child? He had never disobeyed the king's command. And he never wanted to. The king trusted him a lot. What would the king do if he found out he didn't kill the child? Gaul was lost in thought. He started shivering. Was it the freezing weather, or could it be that he was afraid? He went for the latter. After much thought, an idea popped to him. Even if he didn't kill the child, the freezing weather would. Perhaps, that was the best thing to do. He wouldn't get his hands dirty by shedding an innocent blood, and at the same time, he would also be obeying his king's command of putting the child to death. A flash of joy brightened his face. The thing that troubled him was no more. He was free yet again.

Gaul departed down the hill. "It is done," he told the awaiting soldiers. No question was asked. And the walk back to Kor was as silent as the grave of moth.

This is very nice. Please go on with it

pelontus:
This is very nice. Please go on with it

Thanks a lot. I will post a new chapter tomorrow.

................ Chapter 2 ..............

Wheat, the greatest export of Morebo was ripe for harvest. As important as the crop was, it could only be grown in the western sphere, often referred to as the Land of the Jins.

Apart from the harvest of the golden crop (as wheat was called), there was also another reason for the Morebites to celebrate; the feast of the 'Truce' was getting near. The feast was to commemorate the end of the war between Morebo and Jin Land; the two most popular towns in the western sphere. The war had lasted for over two decades. And claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Mostly Morebites.

For the feast of the Truce, Keke had traveled all the way from Sons of Phoro. He had been absent from the feast for two years. He couldn't afford to miss this one.

The ceremony was so amazing. There was much to eat, and so much to drink. Was it the wine of taragon, or malts from barley, or the dry man gin; they were all available in large quantities.

The feast lasted for three days. Apart from the exuberant display by dancers from various towns and villages in the western sphere, it was also a common sight to see a Morebite and a Jin dancing together - an absolute sign of unity.

Other than the feast, which Keke held in high spirits, there was another, perhaps, equally important issue that brought him to Morebo. It was a matter he couldn't discuss it with anyone, except his friend, Sith-Rambo.

Keke had thought he would see Sith-Rambo in Morebo, but his friend was no where to be found. It was strange to Keke. Sith-Rambo loved the feast of the Truce so much, and he had never for once missed it.

"Anything that would make Sith-Rambo not to attend the feast would be very important, indeed," Keke whispered. He had to travel to Seign if he was going to see his friend, before returning to Sons of Phoro.

The distance between Morebo and Seign was 45 atars. It would take a fast running horse two and a half hours to complete the journey. Since the king of Seign died, the highway had become an haven for thieves. Nothing was too big to rob. Horses, camels, carts loaded with wheats, gold, in short, nothing was considered too big to be robbed. And if one was unfortunate, he could also be robbed of his clothes.

Keke decided he wasn't going to embark on the journey alone. He would go with Matias, the cobbler. Even though they were frenemies, it was time to call a truce.

The journey to Seign was perfect. Apart from the occasional stops to provide water for the horse, there was no delay on the road. Keke dropped at the town's gate, while Matias continued to Pereh, the next town after Seign.

"Keke!" Sith-Rambo was surprised to see his friend. "You old bastard, what are you doing in Seign?"

Sith-Rambo had changed a lot. Aging had not been kind to him. He was just a few years short of 110, yet he was as wrinkled as the pines of Tar.

Keke's face was filled with joy. He embraced Sith-Rambo. "My dear friend. So long, no see."

After the exchange of pleasantries had ceased, Sith-Rambo asked Keke what brought him to Seign.

"My friend," it was obvious. What troubled Keke was of great importance. "I need your ever wise advise."

"What is it, my friend?" Sith-Rambo inquired.

"Three years ago, I was in dire debt ..." Keke paused. "Caused by my gambling addiction."

Sith-Rambo couldn't believe what he was hearing. After all the loss his friend had suffered from the gaming house, he still went there!

"The shame was so much, so, I traveled to the northern sphere and started a whole new life as an hunter. One day, I was hunting at ..."

Keke was interrupted by a young boy who busted into the house. "Uncle Sith," the young boy spoke softly, feeling sorry for interrupting what he realized was an important discussion.

"What is it, Omib?" Sith-Rambo asked.

"A council meeting is going on at the town hall. Father said to call you."

"Alright, I'm coming," Sith-Rambo grunted. The boy hurried out in a flash.

The council of Seign consisted of all the influential people of the town. Since the king died some few years ago without an heir, or any close relative to succeed him; the council was the body that ensued the existence of Seign as a law governed sovereign.

Sith-Rambo wondered on the way to the town hall what could be so important that a meeting had to be called at such time; it was almost getting dark. His mind flashed back to Keke. What has his friend gotten himself into this time around?

"And what do you suggest we do? Kafas," Was the noise that greeted Sith-Rambo as he entered into the town hall. It was obvious there was a heated argument going on.

Kafas stood up angrily. "Are we just ..."

"What is going on?" Sith-Rambo cut in.

"Darkko is risen, Sith. It is over."

Hmmm,so creative dear,