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The dry land between both trade routes is dangerous because bandits roam free in that place. Also the brown skinned dark eyes Amirian nomadic herdsmen who hates outsiders and will most certainly attack strangers on sight also prowl that area. Taking their horses and Douri cattle for grazing among the clumps of grasses that do manage to grow despite the harshness of the weather. During his riding, he had seen several of the herdsmen watching him with hard eyes from a distance. Probably taking their time to really check him out before making their moves. But none came near him however and Jarrael was sure that was because of his dressing, his outlook was an exact type of the one by a member of the Black Robes assassin. The desert herdsmen have a long memory and none will forget the bitter lesson taught to their ancestors by the Black Robes few centuries back. Every new child born into any clan of the herdsmen are taught to avoid a black robe like a skin wasting plague. As he got closer to Jakbir, he didn’t see them again. At Jakbir, after riding all night and watching his back against the bandits and herdsmen, he had decided to get full provisions for himself then rest and food for the horse, desiring to skip the Jakbir-Mhekila trade routes and the watering hole along it entirely. He wants to pass through the direct part to Mhekila where he knew Ah’moud is hiding out. Another reason he was forced to stop at Jakbir is that Thorn gave him the name of someone to meet in one of her small whorehouse there. The lady who runs it on her behalf will supply Jarrael everything he needs to know about where Ah’moud is. The information he got was that Ah’moud have made a gambling place in Mhekila his constant residence since arriving there some days ago. With barely concealed haste, Jarrael had ridden for Mhekila. He had met an unexpected dust storm that kept him from moving for a few hours.

Biding Thorn farewell as she sort her customers, he went to his hiding place in the watering hole after retrieving his weapons and pouches. His hiding place was a small wooden construct besides a horse stable own by a horse keeper. He got a change of apparel. Still his black and gray shirt covered by a leather jerkins. He took another cape for the road journey, a black long length silk cloth he will use for a turban and wrapping for his mouth and nose to protect him from the desert dust. He bought a new horse from his host at a price he knew as exorbitant because the small bodied man with several missing teeth smiled excitedly as he handed the horse to Jarrael. He mounted the horse and rode hard into the night, going back through the caravan route, he has an almost all night hard riding if he must get to the Dragon Eye before noon. Fortunately the horse is a fresh steed, strong and well breed for long and hard riding.
Jarrael rode through the gates of Mhekila, one of the seven towns surrounding the Dragon Eye Lake very late in the afternoon. When he had left the watering hole before Aram, he had cut across the open desert sands to get to the second Caravan Trade route that comes from Jakbir into Aram instead of going a bit north along the Zin-Aram Caravan route and take the turning from the point where it meets with the Zin-Jakbir route. That is the safest and most reasonable part to travel on. But it would have cost Jarrael another extra day of hard riding, which he wasn’t sure his horse can survive without adequate stop over for rest, water and grazing. So he had gone through an uncharted part, the open desert country in between the two trade routes in other to get to his destination on time.

Jarrael could only catch bits and pieces of what transpired but he know he was out of the city, when the ever abiding stink in the city’s air was replaced by the cold dusty night breeze of the desert.
About and hour ride through the caravan route, the horse stopped and Jarrael was let out of the trunk. He sat by the side of Thorn and Zimri pulled and the reins on the horses and the journey continued. Looking back, Jarrael saw several pin pricks of light around the city gate, when he asked Thorn of it, he was informed they are the campfires surrounding the tents of merchants staying outside the city gate who had been denied access to the city because of the curfew.
The watering hole was just a haphazard congregation of several huts and buildings made from polished sand stone. A little bazaar was on despite the late night, having blazing torches and traders with buyers voices a constant din as they all haggle about prices of goods.

She normally sends her cart during the later part of the day, most times the trips are carried out by two or more of her LovePeddler girls with four or more guards as hired helps. But the surprise at the city gate was that no one was expecting her to make the trip this night considering the lock down order was still in effect and she is personally taking the goods out this time herself, without any of her girls with her and taking along just a single body guard.
The city watch guards at the gate tensed when they heard the rumble of the cart wheel heading to the city gate but relaxed when with careful examination, they noticed it was the cart belonging to lady Thorn, she was well known by most of Aram city soldiers, especially their officers. The captain of the watch at the gate had quiet conversation with Thorn. He reminded her of the curfew in effect, she pleaded that she was running out of money to keep her business afloat. And if she doesn’t make this delivery that was already three days late, her shops may just have to close down. This is what soldiers of Aram dread the most. The captain conferred with other of his lesser officers. He came back to the cart, informed Thorn that she can be allowed to pass. He made her know that she is being highly favored above others in the city. He also expressed worry that lady Thorn is going herself and taken just one protector. She explained that away with the excuse that her customers were already too angry, that it’s only her appearance in person to apologize and explain can placate them. The captain accepted and offered to send four of his soldiers to accompany her. She declined the offer sweetly and promised him a special treatment when next the captain drop by at any of her shop. Then she offered the captain and his soldiers a barrel of ale to quench their thirst. The gate was opened and the cart pulled by the horses rumbled out of the city.

♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠

Claustrophobia would have threatened other men within the confined space Jarrael found himself. But having trained for long and perfected the technique of ta’qquil, the phase of silence, he was stoic. Ta’qquil is the other angle of the height of Rhu, part of the sword dance of Kief, here the assassin tries to mold into the surrounding elements. It’s as much a practice of total silence as well as of a camouflaging exercise, that makes the practicing person blend into any background he finds himself and remains for all intend and purpose invisible. This is a corrupted version of the invisibility, gray or no-being spell used by the gray sister. Though the method used by the Black Robes involves no sorcery, yet still effective in it’s own way.
He was squeezed into the false bottom of a long trunk, on him and every single other space of the trunk were packed expensive satin, linen and silk cloths. Along with bottles, vials and alabaster boxes of sweet smelling spices and precious ointments. The trunk was kept in a four wheel cart been pulled by two fast well breed Hathran steeds. Driven by the mute Zimri and the lady Thorn sitting by his side in the cart. Other things packed with the trunk at the back of the cart were barrels of cheap beer, ale and wine. Salted dried beef, pork and sand tapir meat. It is well known that Thorn do send her special cart with these goods for trade with some of her customers at the watering hole a few distance from the city. That watering hole is the major stop over for those taking the two main caravan routes of trade into the city of Aram. The main route originates from the Oasis of Tull. The second one, through the desert of Amir, goes through the eastern lands, with a stop at the fishing town around the lesser Sea then turn northward to the towns around Dragon Eye lake.

I don't know what is wrong, I'm just getting ban anyhow even when I didn't post anything, my last update was deleted too. Pls anyone who knows the mod should help me inform them....


Searching the guard, he saw a lazer hand gun, a stun grenade and a stun rod. Simon quickly unbuckled the guard’s belt and slapped it on his waist. It held the holster containing the lazer gun and the stun grenade. He held the stun rod on his right and the ball with the holo map on his left. The stun rod’s setting was on the lowest but Simon moved it to the highest stun setting. That setting will induce instant paralysis on any one touch by the sizzling electric discharge area at the top of the stun rod. Still the stun rod was made from dense alusteel, he can still smash it on someone with sufficient force to kill.
When he got to where the holo map indicated that the pills where stashed, he noticed the door to it was looked. But as soon as he got there, green light from a retina pattern pick came on, flashed on his eyes and the door slide back. He saw the stash was in a duraplast backpack. He hung it on his back and turned back towards the open prison doors. Something struck him as odd, since there is a power outage and all doors are open, this whole place should be crawling with guards trying to keep the prisoners in check but strangely the place have been as good as been virtually free of guards, not as if he didn’t like it that way but it is very odd. He decided to look through the map again. He spoke to the metal ball in his hand hoping the device have speech recognition ability.

Searching the guard, he saw a lazer hand gun, a stun grenade and a stun rod. Simon quickly unbuckled the guard’s belt and slapped it on his waist. It held the holster containing the lazer gun and the stun grenade. He held the stun rod on his right and the ball with the holo map on his left. The stun rod’s setting was on the lowest but Simon moved it to the highest stun setting. That setting will induce instant paralysis on any one touch by the sizzling electric discharge area at the top of the stun rod. Still the stun rod was made from dense alusteel, he can still smash it on someone with sufficient force to kill.
When he got to where the holo map indicated that the pills where stashed, he noticed the door to it was looked. But as soon as he got there, green light from a retina pattern pickup panel came on, flashed on his eyes and the door slide back. He saw the stash was in a duraplast backpack. He hung it on his back and turned back towards the open prison doors. Something struck him as odd, since there is a power outage and all doors are open, this whole place should be crawling with guards trying to keep the prisoners in check but strangely the place have been as good as been virtually free of guards, not as if he didn’t like it that way but it is very odd. He decided to look through the map again. He spoke to the metal ball in his hand hoping the device have speech recognition ability.

alexblazzzer18:
Hum, this is superb, Bro I love ur skills, I'd love to have some collaboration with you.

Alright sir, thanks. I'm at your service, just let me know anytime you are ready

Cyberrex:
u said memoir of blood and steel is a spin of of another series, so should we expect that one too

Sorry for the late reply.
Yes, Memoirs of Blood and Steel is a spin off story from Ghemmaria Canticles. But whether I will share that story here on Nairaland, well I don't think so. That story is really huge. I still haven't decided what to do about that yet. Just keep ur fingers crossed.
One thing u will notice as u go through this story is, a lot of gaps, unexplained phenomenon and events are mentioned without real explanations, that is because the major story have all the answers.

I don't know what i did to Nairaland mod or spam bot, they have persistently refused to let me update here. The last update was deleted. Same happened with the 1st part of this story. Will try 1 more time....

Coming out of his door led to a long passage with doors lined up at both sides open. The main overhead lights were off leaving the dim ones of the emergency lights. Simon ran down the right side of the passage following the direction indicated by the metal ball’s holo map, he didn’t bother to look at the open prison doors for now. That is not a priority, getting that stash is.
Just ahead a turning appeared on the otherwise straight passage and a prison security guard was coming into the passage from that angle. Simon didn’t stop but put on a burst of speed. The guard didn’t see him on time because of the poor lighting and by the time he did, Simon was already too close for any form of reaction. Simon crashed into the guard’s midsection. Though the guard was putting on body armor and wasn’t hurt by Simon ramming into him, still the force of the impact threw him off his feet. He lay sprawled on the duracrete floor. He was moving his helmet head to see better wishing the visual compensator on the half visor of his helmet will come online. Simon was on his in a second, held the guard’s head below the helmet and twisted it backwards with a strong force. A low crack sounded as the guard’s neck broke and he went limp.

“I would do well to show my gratitude for your immense help. I think I’m getting to owe you more these days. “
“All you owe me Jarrael is your love.” she went to the door and beckoned leaving Jarrael in the uncomfortable silence. A silent heavily built dark skinned man came into the room. Bald head with dark heavy beards and bushy eyebrows. He was wearing a stripped pantaloons with wide heavy leather belt. His chest was bare of clothes but full of dark curly hairs. With two silver short armbands. He bowed respectfully at Thorn but threw a hostile look at Jarrael.
“This is my most trusted body guard, his name is Zimri. He will keep watch over you while I’m away. And in case you feel like starting a friendly conversation, you should know that he is a mute. “
“Well the looks he is sending my way doesn’t appear like a friendly one. “ Jarrael said taking another healthy swig at the red wine.
“He is still sore that you knocked him out when trying to get here two nights ago. Besides that, he doesn’t trust any other person except me so he hates seeing anyone around me unless my girls. “

“But I saved your life, didn’t I? So no need to act offended. “ while still laughing she went on. “That wasn’t enough to hide you from them. I had to sprinkle a particular dried spices on the coals of my brazier. It filled the room with a subtle hallucinogenic smoke that dulled their senses, so they couldn’t really focus on what they were seeing. “
“Thorn, despite your appearance, you are more deadly than a pit asp. “
Still enjoying the mirth of the joke she just played on Jarrael, she said lightly. “You can rest back now my love, I will make arrangements to get you discreetly out of Aram this night. Will be sending my girls to you soon to wash and feed you. That is if you won’t object. “
“I do not object. But note I need to visit someone before leaving Aram. “
“And who would that be? “
“Ah’moud. The fool that rightly gave me the Information about baron Tarikh’s secret visit to Aram. Most of his information were correct, but I have a feeling he deliberately left out the part of a priest of Nemphis. He will have to answer for his betrayal. “
“Oh that caitiff? “ she said with a certain disdain in her voice. “Ah’moud isn’t anywhere in Aram right now. Heard he left the city four days ago. The rumor is that he got paid a considerable sum by one of his client. He had to leave the city in order to spend his loot without being interrupted by the people he owes money. That waif is an unrepentant gambler who is neck deep in debts. Lots of people are looking for him. “
“Any idea where he is hiding out now? “
“A guess is in one of the seven towns around the shores of the Dragon Eye lake. I should be able to get you the specific place before night fall. “

“They seem like a couple of nice people, well I may get to visit them one of these days. “
“I pray you don’t. “Thorn said suddenly with a dark visage. “People like you are not welcomed there. They have a way of knowing the kind of person you are the moment you step feet on their soil. “
As a response Jarrael drown the next refill in one full gulp. “Well Thorn I need to get out of Aram. Since my mission failed nothing else is keeping me here. “
“Believe me Jarrael I know how dangerous even keeping you here is to me. In about two days, three attempts have been made to want to search my whole establishment. The first two times it was easy to use my influence to persuade the soldiers to ignore this place. It worked because those were just Aram soldiers who knew me very well and their officers are regular customers of mine. But the third time, the soldiers where led by people I know are not Aramite soldiers. Though they were dressed in the same Aram soldiers uniform, but they are not natives of Aram or any of the southern kingdoms. They were of lighter skin and blond hairs also taller than a normal southerner. They even forced their way into this room despite my protests. “
“Guess that should be a member of the baron’s personal special guard. “ Jarrael took the glass decanter from the lady and poured a generous fill of the wine into his cup. “So how were you able to hide me from them.? “
“I didn’t. “ when Jarrael looked at her questioning she continued. “I just dressed you up to look like a mannequin “
“What? “ Thorn threw her palm over her mouth to cover up the laughter that threatened to overwhelm her over Jarrael’s sudden outburst.

Jarrael took a careful sip from the wine and was surprised to note it was actually very light with little hint of alcohol. He looked at Thorn raising a questioning eyebrow.
“Oh I forgot to add that there are two variants of the zala-lunamin, this is the one mostly used in the sacred temple of the goddess queen, drank by her priestess daughters therefore devoid of alcohol, it remains fresh and unfermented . It Is a holy wine made for only the purest faithful of the serpent queen worshippers. “ Here Thorn laughed. “Well as an apostate serpent worshipper, I guess I’m not qualified to drink this and so are you too.”
This time Jarrael joined in the laugh with a little of his own but his eyes remained hard. He drank down the rest of the red wine and stretched his hand with the cup to Thorn for a refill. “With the reputation of the snake goddess queen and her cult of followers, I would have expected them to have killed you for your apostasy. “
“Well lots of things people in the civilized kingdoms know about the Gondolians, their goddess and religion are false. Besides, I wasn’t a native of Gondola but a rescued slave, so it was easy for me to pull out after all they taught me. “ she came back to sit on the bed and refilled Jarrael’s cup again after he drank the second fill. “Moreover, the Gondolians are actually really nice, accommodating, noble and honorable people, uncorrupted by the moral decay that is burying the civilization of the kingdoms. I really did miss my time with them but it was impossible for me to have stayed beyond the time I did. Not being a native, I could never totally fit in. I think they understood this when I ran away. I always try to convince myself that I stole several things from them, including this blessed wine. But I believe they knew I took them and allowed me to go with it.”

Jarrael allowed the silence that defended in the room a while to continue after Thorn’s last speech. “I need to get out of Aram now. “
“You can’t leave for now. It is still morning. Your best chance of leaving will have to be in the dark.” Thorn stood up, went to a trunk cleverly carved of wood and gold fittings. She opened it, pulled out a decanter having ruby colored liquid in it. She pick up two delicate looking glass cups, poured the liquid from the decanter into them and offered one to Jarrael. “ The best wine to be had in all of Ghemmaria. Made from the cherry colored grapes grown at the border between the northern edge of Grimwood and the southern part of the Snake Swamp in Gondola. That is a unique area of land the only known place where the green scaled skink exists. That reptile is the major food for the teeming population of swamp vipers that roam that place. When the viper feeds on the skink, they feed on major parts of the body and spill out some of the entrails because of their poisonous contents. Now the entrails of the green scaled skink colors the soil red in the area they decay in because of the poison. The wine makers of Gondola look for these unique piece of spots on the grounds of Grimwood and Snake Swamp, they plant their grapes in there and produce these special red fruits that gives out this wine. In the Gondolian’s tongue, it is called zala-lunamin, meaning poisoned wine. Drink, my love, and let your worries drawn with it. “

Sorry guys I couldn't send up dates both here and on MARVEL CHRONICLES 2 because of spam bot. And with d way I'm seeing it I may not be able to continue with MARVEL CHRONICLES 2. Its annoying o even the last updates I sent dere were deleted.
Well let me just update here and see how it goes

Sorry guys for d lack of updates, Nairaland spam bot have imprisoned me. Hopefully later today, we will get some

Cyberrex:
can u post a sketch of jarreal, it's hard for me to imagine him, all I can see is an assassin's creed type of person

Oh I wish I can. Well see it like dis. He is a slim well built but with lean muscles. Having black long hair with thin black eyelids and black eyes. A none descrit face normal for a member of the black robe. He have felixible athletes body. Well imagine Rambo in rambo 1 n 2 or Conan the latest movie, not the one by Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is in his early 30s at this time

Smiling but his face still hard and dark, Jarrael quipped. “Milady Thorn, I didn’t know you are this versed with palace intrigues and politics. “
“Don’t jest, Jarrael, this is much serious than you think. War is a serious disadvantage to everyone and should be prevented at all costs. “ at this stage allowing a little smile cross her lips. “Besides my business thrive on politics. You would be surprised at the amount of state secrets most nobles will spill out when under the careful ministrations of my girls. “
“Well my concern is just that I missed the best opportunity to take out my target. The politics of a priest of Nemphis been in Aram is no concern of mine. “
“Jarrael I wouldn’t believe you on that even if you are the grand prelate of the society of the eye, a man believed not to ever lie. “ Standing up, Thorn came to join Jarrael by the bed. “But I’m truly worried. When the stories came initially, I didn’t take them seriously, they were just rumors. But now this is an evidence that Shammir really wants to rebel. And a fool that he is, he went to form an alliance with an over ambitious, greedy and untrustworthy person, Tarikh. To further make matters worse, he is bringing in the priests of Nemphis? No wonder he is keeping it a secret. No noble of Aram will go along with him on this despite their petty differences. But his tactics are sound. Which I doubt it is his anyway, it feels more like something baron Tarikh will cook up. Neither Hocklam nor Aram are independent nor have a strong military might to challenge the kingdoms they are vassals to. And they can’t go to any other of the surrounding kingdoms because of the peace treaty binding them together. So the only option left is to go to the people not in league with the treaty. But involving the priests of Nemphis is the worst of errors. “

“He didn’t die. I wasn’t able to kill him. “ Jarrael’s eyes blazed with inwardly boiling anger.
“Now that is a surprise, you have never missed any of your target in the past. And going by what have been going on in this city for the past two days, it means you came within sight of your target. So what happened? “
“I was interrupted before the greed infested bastard could feel my wrath. “
“Who or what interrupted? “
“A priest of Nemphis. “ The room seems to go dead quiet as Jarrael said that.
“What is a priest of the dark god doing in Aram? Those anchorites shun society, they hate our civilization. They avoid our towns and cities like plague. “ She paused at this point to shrug her shoulders. “Well people don’t like them anyway. They are generally prejudiced by us with all the stories of dark sorceries and human sacrifices rumored to be performed by them in that their black towers. “
“None of the rumors you have heard about the priests of Nemphis are lies, they do much more than the rumors tell. “
“But what is a priest of Nemphis doing here? Does this have anything to do with the rumored secret alliance Aram wants to have with Hocklam? It is already rumored in tight secret circles that Shammir is not happy with his uncle, Bar-Shibiar, the overlord of all the city-states of Dayir. The Grand Khardi wants to break out from under the rule of his uncle, but knows he isn’t powerful enough. The overlord rules with firm hand the four city-states of Aram, Is-Salim, Nashiar and Funtiar. And the kingdom of Dayir already have very strong peace treaty with the powerful kingdoms of the north, Dhremoria, Krimlynn, Mortah, Nemontri’madech and Gondola. Also with the southern neighbors, Hathran and the free city-state of Zakir. This particular treaty have given us peace in this whole place that there have not been any major war or conflict here in decades.
“Is the fool Shammir trying to start a war? No blame should go to him, but his benevolent uncle, the overlord Bar-Shibiar, who gave him the city of Aram to rule instead of his more competent scribe. His uncle did that just to give his almost useless misfit nephew a sense of responsibility and relevance, I heard it was in fulfilment of a promise he made to his brother, Shammir’s father on his dying bed. Now the brain plagued idiot is creating secret alliances that threatened the peace we have enjoyed for more than a life time. He is paying his uncle back with treason and treachery. “

Jarrael came back in, sat down on the bed, after several minutes of silence he looked tiredly at Thorn. “Yes that may have resulted from my going after a target. “
A slow smile coiled up the green lips. “So you were in town for a job and would have sneaked out again without letting me know. How unfriendly you treat me each day that passes, it’s amazing I haven’t slit your throat. “
A grunt was all Jarrael gave to her as a reply.
“So who was the target this time? Oh a trade secret I guess. “ said Thorn smoothly, a voice that seems to drip with honey. A voice type that was the last thing some men have heard as their last words before leaving this world unwillingly. “Your target must have been pretty high up among the nobles of Aram to have generated such clot in the streets of this city. I would have assumed that your target was the Grand Khardi himself, if not that the fool is still alive. “
“My target was not a job this time. “ his voice was low almost cracking. “It was personal. “
“who would have been foolish enough to have offended one of the Black Robes brotherhood. “ she laughed daintily.
“You know I am no longer one of them, Thorn. “
“Of course I know. But you still dress like them, walk like them, do the same job you did when you were with them. You still rule your life by the codes and edicts that guides them. To me seems like you missed their company. Do you my love? “
Jarrael stared at her with a dark brooding look that warned her that she is stepping on very thin line.
“So who did you kill two nights ago that got all soldiers out of their beds and walking the streets.? “ Thorn try to keep the mood lighter.
“The baron from Hocklam. “ Jarrael said.
“Tarikh? Though it was kept as a secret in Aram, the visit of the baron from the far northern Kingdom of Dhremoria is known to very few people. That knowledge carries with it the threat of a death sentence. “ Thorn yawned covering her mouth with her palm, displaying a silver ring with a Jade colored jewel on her middle finger. “Well the death of that fat pig isn’t a great loss to the world in anyway. “

“After I leave, there will be a temporal power outage that will unlock your cell door, then you can start your recruitment and selection. You may have to fight your way out of here, so we have made an arrangement to lead you to an armory, the location is on the holo map too. The destination to my boss is already programmed into the navi-com of the transport you will use in escaping. All you need do is get in to the transport with your troupe and your destination is locked in. “
The stranger stood up as if to leave. “Oh I think you will need this. “ He dropped two white and yellow colored pills on the table. “Swallow these now, they are hyper fast adrenaline booster, they will neutralize all the psychological and emotional damping placed on you by the gas and the docile conditioning forced on you by the confinement. You will be your old self again. “
As Simon reached out to pick the pills, the stranger said finally. “Explosives have been planted in several areas of this prison, they are there to ensure you escape successfully and also to make sure that after you leave, nothing will be left of the Afterlife. Good luck Simon Omega. “ And as simple as that, the stranger walked out and the door slides shut.
Looking at the pills spread on his palm, he wondered if what he just witnessed is even real, if this is not some kind of mental projection to deceive him or an elaborate scheme to embarrass him before killing him. What if the man, yes he said Cedric is his name, is setting him up. Simon have no reason whatsoever to believe what he just said. Anyway he is about to be executed in a few hours anyway, so he has nothing more to loose if the man was lying. But what if there is even an atom of possibility in what the man is saying, well better to die fighting to escape than this.
He threw both pills in his mouth and they melted at once. Immediately he felt a jolt like electric current running through his body. His eyes that were darkening over flashed bright and all the weakness and apathy that had crippled him for a while now vanished. He now felt like his old self, fire in his heart and strength in his bones. Picking up the metal sphere dropped by Cedric, he heft it, feeling its weight and strength. Suddenly the light overhead flickered and went off. They door slide back into the wall, leaving the entrance open. Smiling with contentment, he thought, now it’s show time.
Running out of his cell, he touched his thumb at the finger print sensor area on the smooth face of the metal sphere, a tiny holo projection came up above the ball shaped metal. Simon looked at it, reading it showed him the holo image was a map and building schematics of all area on the Afterlife prison. Showing him direction to other prisoners, the armory and their getaway point. It showed him something else he wouldn’t have anticipated, a huge stash of hyper adrenaline pills like the one he just used. That was when it dawn on him that even when he rescues other prisoners, they will be in no shape to escape with him because of the mental conditioning their stay here have induced. Well that stash is a stroke of genius. That will be his first stop.

Oiselenjakhian:
I am usually a browser on Nairaland. I look at the messages and pass on.

Bros this is good writing. It should be published for the world to see.

If you are interested, do get in touch I am an author of 3 books.

Ok, I'm interested. Get across to me through my email

“I may have been accused of a lot of things in the past, but being called a thief is not one of them unlike you. “ she sat down on the silver chair crossing her legs giving unhindered view to her well carved knees. Her green hair falling down her back with well formed luster. “Anyway I will be willing to accept adequate recompense if you are going to give. “
“Well I’ve never known you to collect payment from those you consider friends. “ Jarrael said, throwing aside the clothes he wrapped himself with.
“You have no friends, remember? “ Thorn said slowly tracing her green colored lips with hair green finger nail.
“I don’t. But you have tried convincing me in the past that you considered me a friend.”
“True, Jarrael. But you never reciprocated, so to you I’m not really a friend. Just someone to you at your convenience to achieve your goals. “ At this she paused and stared Jarrael in the face, her green eyes boring into his black ones. “Still surprised that after all this time, your demands from me never included the ravaging of my body. “
“You know Thorn, I cannot do that. “ Jarrael’s face took on a sad cast.
“And why not, my dear Jarrael? It’s not like you are celibate, are you? I have heard of your escapades, though very few, of your ways with tavern whores. Am I that detestable to you that you prefer the warmth from the bosom of a tavern wench to mine? “
“No. “ Jarrael screamed. “I cannot tell you why. So stopped bringing this up, my decision about this remains unchanged . Just state your desired compensation and I will gladly pay. “
“All I need is your love. My heart can feel no liking to another in all of Ghemmaria but you only. This you know is the truth. So that is the only thing I need from you. “
“I have no love to give. My love died when I was ten years old. You are such valued person to me that I will never bed you just to satisfy the cravings of my loins. “ Looking around once more, Jarrael stood up and head for the door.
“And where do you think you are going, my lord Jarrael? “ Thorn said with hints of mockery.
“To go retrieve my weapons, pouches and other things belonging to me, if they can be found within your dwellings. “
“You can’t go anywhere, Jarrael. Not at this time at least. “ Thorn’s voice seems to purr.
“Any why not, milady Thorn? “ Jarrael turned to her with a mockery tone of his own. “Will thou force thy noble self upon me? “
Thorn laughed at the his antics, an almost impossibility to see displayed by Jarrael. “Would do that if it will possibly work, but on you it’s a waste of effort. Well you can’t leave at the moment, not because I wanted to hold you here against your will, but the city have been under full lock down for two days after the night you stumbled through my door. “
“What? “
“No way you could have known, you have been asleep for two full days. The night you stumbled in here, the city was in uproar. The Grand Khardi soldiers arresting people indiscriminately, breaking into houses and conducting intense search. Trade have been brought to a standstill since then. The city gate has been locked. No one going out or in. Lots of merchants are outside the city gate, stranded and can’t bring in their merchandise, same with those in the city, they can’t go to trade outside the city. Citizens are silently grumbling but none dare speak up because now there are more soldiers on the streets than people. I have an uncanny feeling, this have something to do with you. “

♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠

Jarrael felt his consciousness return but he didn’t open his eyes or allow any part of his body to twitch. He allowed his ears, skin and mind to access his surrounding first and mentally checked his body for pains. Though it had been slow in coming, the memory of what happened to him before he lost consciousness was fully settled on his mind. Noticing his body totally healed from his injuries and all his joints and muscles responding to his mental query, he opened his eyes slowly.
The room he was in had very poor lighting from a single huge candle, the windows of it were covered with heavy layers of embroidered curtains that effectively cutting out the sunlight. Yes, the room my be somewhat dark yet Jarrael know it is morning.
He noticed he was lying on a large bed, with rich silk covering. His clothes were no longer on him, he saw where they were dumped some where at a corner but his weapons were not with it. A pungent smell pervades the air in the enclosed room, his nose could detect several mixture of spices he knows and others beyond his knowledge. He suspected, the smell may have been in a way responsible for his well relaxed state.
Getting up from bed, he went through his clothes, most of it where charred beyond amendment, but his trousers and boots survived intact. Also his slim inner wear chain mail pulled through the brutal assault without a dent, this goes to prove the magical properties of it. He quickly wore the chain mail first, then his trousers and boots over it. Since none of his tunic survived the fire, and no other appropriate one in the room, he took a discarded cloth and wrapped it round his shoulders.
Inspecting the room, he saw a finely crafted silver chair with delicate looking foot and armrest but with rich fur brocade for the back. A silver table too, filled with different vials and boxes of precious ointment and spices, silver comb, intricately crafted, gold and silver brooch with gleaming green jewel in the middle of it, ornament and jewelries with hair cover and veil. Well none of what he is seeing surprised him, knowing who the owner of this place is.
“Now see who just came back from the world of the dead into the land of the living. “ a sing-song voice said behind him.
“Not really true”, Jarrael turned to face the speaker. “I wasn’t even close to dying. “
“Saying that to she whose hand nursed you during the period is a show of lack of gratitude. “ the speaker stepped into the room through a door completely hidden by the heavy layers of curtains. She was wearing a long body fitting emerald garment with twin slit by the side to the mid thigh showing glimpses of her well shaped legs. Her green eyes watched Jarrael with open amusement.
“Oh I’m grateful for your assistance and if you want, I’m ready to gave an equal recompense for your efforts. Well just that my purse seems to be missing. “ Jarrael appears to look round the room as he spoke.

When there was no response, he turned back to the door and noticed several odd things. Firstly, the person at the door wasn’t putting on a prison warden's uniform, he was putting on rayon corporate suit and polysilk shirt all in black. He was very tall above six feet, imposing, well built, as even the double layers of he suit couldn’t hide the bulging edge of his muscles. He has a blonde hair tied back in a long pony tail surrounding a hardedge chisel face with dark black eyes.
Another oddity was the man came alone, no warden or prison security with him. Had it been when the fire and will still resides in him, he would have taken the visitor down without thinking and make another escape attempt. But now all those desires have been burned out of him with repeated failed escape attempts. Though this visitor looks like one who can take him on all by himself without the support of the wardens.
As Simon watched, the visitor finally stepped into his cell and the door slides shut automatically. “May I sit down? “ the visitor asked quietly but went ahead and sat on the only chair in the place putting on the table a flat rectangular metal plate about ten inches long when measured diagonally.
“Who are you? “Simon queried the visitor as he sat down without saying another word. “ Are you my psychologist to get a final appraisal of how effective your prison methods works in curbing violent tendencies or here to offer me words of consolation to help me face my execution more pleasantly. Maybe just to gloat that the government had finally won in reducing me to this. “
“I’m your attorney. “ was the simple reply Simon Omega got from the visitor.
“I don’t have an attorney and don’t need one. “ Simon strolled to his bed and sat on the hard mattress.
“You do now. “ the stranger simply touched a button on the flat metal plate he kept on the table, a green light glowed from somewhere along its body. The green light flashed and touched every part of the cell then winked out.
The next things that happened after that just passed like blurs before the eyes of Simon whose eyes just watched with jaws dropping.
“My name is Cedric Woodhedge. “ the visitor said. “I just disabled all surveillance security system within this room . For the next few minutes we are shielded from observation. So listen carefully. I’m here to make sure you escape from this prison. My boss is in need of your services. So the means of your perfect escape have been arranged.
“Take this, “ the man who called himself Cedric put a metal ball on the table. “It contains the data on all single inmates in the Afterlife, go through the list and select as many as you think you will need with you for the job my boss have arranged for you. The more you select the better. Don’t worry about getting them and your self out of here, a transport have been arranged. The coordinate to it is already encoded on a holo map on this device.

He looked at his small cell again. The whole place have a uniform color of dull gray. No windows or viewing ports, no way to see what is happening outside your cell. You are limited to watch only the things in your confining room. There is a metal bed, a single chair and table, all made of metal but not fixed to the floor. So nothing prevents an inmate from using them to commit suicide. As a matter of fact inmates at the Afterlife are encouraged to be suicidal. Simon have thought of taking that part after all his escape attempts failed and he was fully convinced that no escape for him here. A ceramic washbowl, sonic shower and sink basin. He was putting on the white jump suit of an inmate with the number 160056. He stood before the small mirror on the wall in his cell. His face looked like someone hooked up on VR drugs for days. His brown hair have been thinning by the sides. His eyes have lost their former ferocity, now they just stare at the image with tired expression and having heavy bags beneath them. His nose still maintained its flattened form but the cheeks have been drawn in so much to give his face the look of a hag. The only thing he could feel for his appearance now was disgust and pity.
Thinking about his execution coming later in the day, he had never stopped wondering, how does it feel when you know you’re about to die? What will be his last thought ? Will death be painful? Will it come slow, as he watches his life painfully ebbs away or will it be fast? What will he experience at the other side of his demise? Eternal perpetual darkness or…damn the headache again. The after effects of the last pumping of gas he received when his emotions have triggered the auto psycho damper. Now when he thinks for long, massive headaches smashes his head.
Looking at his image again on the mirror, he thought sadly, as much as the pounding on his head will let him. It will be so easy, just smash the mirror, take a piece of glass and slash his throat or cut any major arteries. But no he had promised himself, he will not give the wardens watching him the satisfaction of seeing him cave in and committing suicide. He may have been broken but his strength is not all gone. He is still Simon Omega.
A low chime sounded to announce the opening of the door to his cell. A part of the wall slide apart to show the door and someone standing before it. Simon turned quickly. The isolation at the Afterlife have such impact that a visit of any kind was seen by the inmates as the greatest relief . Simon felt both relief and elation, but a little defiance remains in him to still put up a façade.
“Hey is it that you guys can’t wait again for the few hours left to be up before you snuff out my miserable life? “ Simon said turning back to face the mirror as if the visit didn’t trigger any emotional response. “Anyway at this stage, killing me is doing me a favor but you won’t have the pleasure of seeing me do it myself. “

The second layer of security for the Afterlife life is the building itself. Simon Omega had been privileged on one of his earlier escape attempt to see the shape of the Afterlife from a security holo image. He would rely on what he saw there but that is the best so far to how close he had been to viewing the external form of the prison. From the record, the Afterlife was built by Terramax Industries of earth, the best structural engineering company in existence. The prison was built about eight decades ago under a maximum prison security contract. Everything about the building, its structures and plans, doesn’t exist anywhere. The human wardens of this prison are like prisoners themselves, they don’t leave the prison throughout their tenure of service. They are given a permanent memory wipe, to clean from their mind every memory they have during their time in the Afterlife. What Simon could glimpse about the shape of the Afterlife from the holo image was that it is perfectly spherical with three huge rings criss crossing it to form a six shape. These rings generates the power for the Afterlife, they are like huge ion capacitors. They drain energy from stars close by and feed it to the prison. With these, the Afterlife can power the numerous batteries, cannons and rays guns that covers almost every meter of the surface. The rings can also generate enough power for the prison to put up a long sustained energy shield.
While the third security measures of this Infernal place is a means to keep the prisoners docile. The isolation. Once you become an inmate in the Afterlife, you are locked in your cell and cut off from all human contacts. You will never see another human being be it a warden, security guard or fellow inmates unless through a holo image. The feeding comes automatically. So no one you can talk to or plan an escape with. No guard to insult or harass that can be overpowered and used to escape. You are locked up and left on your own. This method have been strong enough to break most strong and hardened criminals to nothing more than a bumbling idiot. It hadn’t been strong enough to break Simon though but had weakened his resolve enough.
The fourth security set up is the emotions dampener. Within every cells are auto psycho analytic and psychometric machines whose purpose is to keep the inmate at a certain emotional limbo. The machines read your emotions, if you get angry, it releases a kind of calming gas, that not only suppress you emotions but leaves you senseless and drooling for several hours. If you laugh too much or show signs of being happy, you are pumped full of pain inducing gas automatically. This get you so full of pains, you either loose consciousness or go mad through so much pains. Simon will like to believe he had survived all these but he knows that is not true . He looked at himself now and the only feelings his mind can generate is loathing for the chaff he had become. But that won’t be for long, because in a few hours he will be executed. That is one other thing about Afterlife life, all inmates here are on death row.

MARVEL CHRONICLES 2: EXECUTIVE SANCTION



Simon Omega should be enraged, his fury flashing beyond melting point. That is what he is known for. An unpredictable and unbridled temper that always leads d to destructive outcomes. But at the moment his feeling is completely hollow, a void overtaking the one part of him that boils over. Yes spending three full years in the prison fortress called The Afterlife can do that to the strongest man with the greatest stamina. For Simon Omega, the quad max security prison have turned him to an almost bumbling slowpoke, devoid of rational thinking and any form of emotional action except this slowly killing apathy. A kind of mental detachment that makes his life looks like one long boring 3D holo drama been played at extra slow speed.
A very low chuckle escaped his lips, he made sure it wasn’t long enough to attract the attention of the auto psych machines embedded in each cell. The laugh died as soon as it appeared on his lips when every single thing he knows about the prison Afterlife came crushing unbidden into his mind the billionth time.
The Afterlife prison is the most secure place of confinement in all of the colonies. It has a brutal reputation of being the only prison that is escape proof. And till date no one has ever escaped from it. This is a fact that Simon Omega have tasted several times and has been proven beyond doubt. Simon have tried several jail breaking attempts and none have worked. He has a tenacity for breaking out of any holding cell, jail or penal institutions . He had broken out of all of them no matter the security in place. His mental drive is so strong that will not accept confinement for any long period of time. But Afterlife has shown him how wrong he it. This prison have broken his spirit, sapped his vigor and made him an almost apathetic remains of his former self.
There are several layers of full proof security measures surrounding Afterlife prison. The first is no one knows where the prison is. Several rumors put it at a site deeply embedded in an asteroid belt totally removed from shipping lanes. The hyperspace route to it is cleverly guarded that no one can easily have access to it. Not even the ships that brings in supplies or prisoners to and fro from it can tell the location. The coordinates to the Afterlife is automatically uploaded to any ship going that way then the ship’s auto nav systems is linked to the given coordinates and flies to the location. As soon as the ship gets to the location of the prison, it nav system memory automatically gets whipped clean of the initial coordinates implanted into it. Same also when the ship is leaving.
This have led to the assumption that the Afterlife is not at a stationary place. So even if Simon Omega have somehow broken out of his cell, getting out of the Afterlife is impossible. In one of his attempted escape, he had gotten an opportunity to look through a view port to see the stars and constellations around Afterlife. He couldn’t make any sense of it. And Simon is a good pilot and navigator, he knows the constellations around must of the colonies. If that of Afterlife had left him confused, then it means this prison is not in anyway near the colonies.