Infultration

Johan stayed at a distance trying to think of a way to infiltrate the camp without getting murdered. He observed brawls break out among members of the camp periodically and the cold blooded killing of non-members who approached the camp alone. This made Johan hesitant to simply walk up to people and try and make friends.

Women that were part of camp walked around armed and the men gave them no issues, some even seemed highly respected. This seemed strange considering how the previous night, Johan had heard soldiers laughing about their leader raping a woman who belittled them.

Groups of men would periodically ride out on horses and later return dragging the carcass of dead animals. Throughout most of the day, groups of people in the camp would be training, shooting bows and arrows at targets, and engaging in simulated sword fights with wooden swords. They were clearly performing military drills. Over time, more caravans of people joined the camp causing it to grow.

It was clear that something big was happening.

Despite this, Johan could not identify or find a man who was clearly Genghis Khan.

Eventually, as Johan continued to observe silently and unnoticed, he relaxed his guard. Soon drowsiness got the better of him. He fall asleep.

-- Ø --

Johan's awoke to find himself tied up lying on the carpeted floor of a tent.

Looking over he saw a beautiful young asian women, dressed in white animal furs and wearing a head dress cooking a bowl of soup over a small fire pit. The scent of the soup made his stomach rumble.

She glanced over at Johan and realised he had opened his eyes. She picked up her sword and put it to his neck.

"Boy," said the women, "are you a spy? Will you be giving me trouble? Why were you outside our camp?"

"No," said Johan. "I am not a spy."

"Why are you here?," asked the women.

Johan recalled the stories of Genghis Khan and how he had accepted new soldiers as long as they gave in willingly prior to battle.

"I want to join Genghis Khan's army," said Johan. "I am Kwan's friend. I heard you reward your solider's well."

The women tilted her head back slightly, and her long black hair outlined her delicate features as she sized up Johan.

"I do not know of this Kwan," she said, "however, I will tell the others of your wish to join."

She stirred the pot of soup once more, prior to leaving Johan alone in the tent.

A few minutes past, with nothing happening. Then the woman returned with a stocky Mongolian man dressed in white furs.

"So boy," boomed the man, "I hear you are interested in joining the great Khan's army. Is this true?"

Johan nodded.

"Then you will have to prove your loyalty and dedication," boomed the man, "You will have to prove your loyalty and dedication to our tribe by slaughtering the men who were from the village that resisted us and consummating your union with our tribes by taking two wives as a reward!"

Johan felt a bump in his throat as he heard the man say this.

"Consummating?," stammered Johan.

"Sleeping with your wives boy!," laughed the man.

The women next to the man let out a laugh.

Johan thought back to Luisa. He knew that he would have to think of a way out of this situation. He decided that he would figure things out as events unraveled. Unfaithfulness was not something he would ever consider.

"I have a woman," said Johan.

The man raised his eyebrow suspiciously, "A women? Only one? You must take more, you must be married into our community. It is custom here. Where are you from?"

"Toronto," said Johan without thinking.

The women and man looked at each other and looked back at Johan.

"What do you call yourself?," asked the women.

"Johan."

Johan sat up with his arms and legs tied.

"What an odd name," muttered the woman.

"Can you untie me?," asked Johan.

"We are having an initiation ceremony for those who wish to join his afternoon," said the man, "I will pick out two wives for you and the enemy you will have to slaughter. You are lucky, usually, you would only get one wife to marry into our camp."

"Slaughter?," whispered Johan.

Johan had killed before, but only out of necessity. Now this man was asking that he do it in order to get acceptance into Genghis Khan's tribe. This went against everything Johan stood for. Yet, Johan knew he needed acceptance to leave this realm and get back to his body, so that he could have his revenge against Armyka. Otherwise, being alone in this era in Mongolia, he knew he was quite possibly as good as dead, and if he died, he didn't know what King Athelion's array would do to him.

"You have arrived at a good time," said the woman, "the great Genghis Khan will be arriving soon. He called for all the tribes to return. You may even get to meet him."

Johan nodded.

"May I ask your names?," asked Johan.

"I am Batu," said the man, "and this women is my youngest beautiful wife, Badma."

"It is a pleasure to meet you," said Johan. "Can you untie me?"

Batu and Badma looked at each other and laughed.

Then Batu said, "you might be a spy, until you prove yourself through the initiation, we will not."

Johan realised that this was going to be a long day.

-- Ø --

The sun shone high in the sky, and a cool breeze blew across the barren terrain.

Johan stood in a line next to the other recruits tied up outside the campsite. They were standing in front of male captives from a recent raid. They were kneeling in front of them. Some of the captives were crying, some looked depressed, and most had clearly been beaten. The fight in the captives was gone, they seemed to have accepted their faith and knelt without putting up a fight. Completely surrounding them were thousands of armed warriors who chatted noisily and happily watching Johan and the other recruits with curious and gleeful eyes.

Batu walked up behind Johan and untied him.

"Take this," said Batu, "use it to slaughter this swine."

Batu handed Johan his sword.

"Good luck," said Batu, "this is what you wanted. Genghis treats his soldiers well, you will have plenty of food, women and the best training once this is done. You will be proud formidable warrior of he greatest army in existence."

Johan glanced down at the sword in his hand. It felt heavy, even though he was accustomed to carrying much heavier things. He was hungry, and hadn't eaten or drunk anything yet. But, that wasn't the cause of it feeling heavy.

Moments before, the first recruit that had wanted to join the camp had lost courage and tried to run. He decided he didn't want to kill the man in front of him. The boy was quick and moved in unpredictable ways as to dodge and attempt to escape the obligation of killing someone he didn't know. The boy had been struck by ten different arrows simultaneously. All arrows had been shot by different onlookers. All the arrows had found their mark. Not one of the shot arrows had missed. Then, without missing a beat, a man walked out of the crowd and beheaded him and the captive he was supposed to kill.

In this realm, and in his current condition, Johan didn't see a way out. The boy was fast and Johan didn't think he was faster.

The man who knelt in front of Johan, was sobbing.

"Please," said the man, "I have children ... a wife. Don't kill me."

Johan remained silent. He didn't want to kill an innocent man to simply meet Genghis. But he needed to meet Genghis. Was he going to take an innocent's life just to get revenge against Armyka?

This was wrong.

What was he going to do?

BADUM!

BOOM!

BADUM!

BOOM!

The beat of drums broke through the crowd's chatter.

It was loud.

"Everyone clear a path and kneel!," yelled a man from the crowd, "the great Genghis Khan, our honorable leader has arrived!"

The sound of the crowd's chatter dulled and the surrounding warriors opened up a path for them prior to kneeling.

A large stocky muscular man dressed in uniquely adorned furs and a red fur cape rode a horse followed by other Mongolian soldiers on horses.

Without a doubt this man was Genghis Khan.