Chapter 48: Casus Belli

At first glance, Kalvich’s Casus Belli, was a hulking, dark, medieval styled castle surrounded by the most beautiful landscape. In every direction, everything looked almost picture perfect, as if created and sculptured from an artist’s thoughtful, loving hand. Emerald forests, graceful rolling hills, distant shadowy mountains and an entrancing, sparkling river always made a huge impact on the most cynical visitor. It was as if the very best of nature’s playground was selected and condensed to be on show for all.

But well hidden, on the other side of the canvas, lay a Kafkaesque, surrealistic, nightmarish world of slavery, torture, and cruelty.

For such an idyllic setting, the foreboding presence of this massive fortress seemed out of place to the unwary.