Jimin At Havila

         Havila. 

       "Go further to the right then take a turn."

      The old man in a wierd cloak said to him. He didn't care whether or not the man looked tattered or haggard. All that mattered to him was getting an information. 

    He even forgot to say his gratitude to the man. That was prolly the third day and he was almost at the peak of his intentions. 

    In no time he got to the end of that road and took a turn. There was no much in sight. Twas just a barren path which obviously was more throdden. 

    There were trees with scanty leaves scattered by the right and left of the road. Up ahead of him, he could see some activities he couldn't discern and some sort of gate. 

     He had asked the old man about the road which led to the palace. Well going by the instruction, he should be on the right course. But given by his own perception of it all, that road didn't seem anything close to a path which led to no palace. 

   Probably the man had misled him because he was somewhat rude if that was the name for it. 

   His sandals was getting heavier in his legs and his robe weightier. He wished he would get to the palace and get everything done with. 

    Not actually like he would be able to pull of his cloth or throw the sandals into the vast ruins, but at least he wouldn't have to worry about walking about no more. 

     He hadn't really thought about what he was going to do to the fellow who killed his brother. He still very much found it a fable until he confirms. 

    The queen of Ikpala did have her own way of making things happen and had been generous, but he wasn't seeing it her the context at that moment. If the fact was true, he would shed blood. 

    He would ensure that blood is spilled. It really didn't matter to him whose blood twould be. But the last thing he would do was shy away in the name of cowardice. 

    He was approaching the gate to the supposed palace, he hoped. At least, the closer he walked there, the royal the palace seemed. 

   As he drew nearer, he began to hear chatters and quite the lace of noise buckling the shoes of affairs. His heart, mind and eyes were at alert. If possible, he would use all as a tool. 

     "Who do you seek?"

     One of the guards with bearded jaw walked up to him as he got to the gate. 

     "The King."

    His voice was firm and his face keen. He was wearing this long face which sealed an ambiguous meaning. 

     "You mean the new king? Aojen, the great Enchanter."

     The guard's face flushed with pride. The name to him was wack but what was his concern. 

     "Yes."

     He shot. He wasn't really sure if that was the name. He had heard that absentmindedly before leaving Ikpala. 

   But he was sure that the name had some 'jen' in it. Didn't matter the rest. 

     "On what occasion?"

     He was beginning to be vexed by the trail of questions, but that should be important. He had seen that royal nonsense in Ikpala too. Formality that sucked bags of annoyance. 

     "I was sent by a friend of his."

      His thought was swifter than he had thought. That wasn't even in his plan in the first place. But of course, time dictates necessary actions for some events. 

      "Come, Iula."

     He watched the guard beckon at another guard. The other one was hefty, but more of plumpy. For each of the guards, he was sieving his option and considering the odds of fighting them. 

   The first guard had his back to the gate while he related the situation with Iula. 

    He was tempted to stab the guard with back pressed to the gate. He had a sharpened hunting knife he got from one of the two sailors who sailed him there. 

       He tamed the beast in him. Anger could cause misplacement of priority. He wasn't ready to be a culprit. 

     "Come along."

    Iula said finally. The other guy opened the gate as he stepped in. 

     "What do you have in the bag?"

     Iula dared. He opened the bag for him. Iula saw the knife and wanted to make a scene. 

    He grabbed the knife before the two and slit the throat of the first guard. While gagging, the first guard flung his sword to hit him but he was so smart. He ducked the fling of the sword. But the sword cut through Iula's head. 

    He watched the head of Iula drop. The first guard stopped gagging as soon as he made a thud on the earth. 

    He ignored the corpses and hurried towards the castle. He was lucky or say, eased not to had been stopped by any other guard. But those who came his way were put down. 

    He kicked the gate of the palace opened and entered. His stern face flaming the rage swelling in the depth of his consciousness. 

     Quite the numbers of guards came to restrain him but he was quite swift. Even he was afraid of what he could do. 

     He couldn't count the number of guards he had killed. 

     He saw a man seated on the throne and hurried towards the man. He was sure that was the Aojen.  

     Now he didn't make fuss like before since he didn't have much time to waste. 

    He kept flinging his knife as it slit through whoever was in his way. 

      He kept swearing as he went.

     "Where is Ja Lia?"

    He had gotten to the base of the elevated throne. The attendants who didn't want to be hurt stood few steps away watching the pyscho who had just barged into the palace. 

     Aojen smiled and shot immediately,

     "If you mean that useless stranger, if  his soul is crawling, twould had gotten to heaven. Well, if there was such a place."

    The rich smile sitting in the face of Aojen nauseated him. He hurled the knife in his hand at Aojen and the knife sunk in Aojen's forehead. 

   Then he rushed up the throne to finish what he has started. But as soon as he got to the throne he felt a great wave of breeze knock him back. 

   He crashed into the chairs before the throne. He groaned. 

    He leaned his back on his elbows and looked towards the throne. Aojen was pulling the knife out of his forehead. As soon as he pulled it out, a fresh skin covered the gore. Not even a lace of scar was left. Jim's eyebrows rose. 

       "Take him to the pit. I'll see to them all in two days. Give him the highest quantity of meal especially."

    He watched Aojen stand tall. The attendants rushed to him and kicked the knife away from him. They bore him away. 

    He struggled in vain, but was so mad that he couldn't complete what he had come for. Well, he had just hit a jackpot of an assassin. 

     In no time, he was borne to the mouth of the pit. The pit was behind the palace in a garden. There were bars of coarse iron covering it. 

      Four of the attendants lifted the bars and threw him in. He heard a clang and then the bars were shut. 

     He fell on his face and groaned. Pain was coursing through his spine. He heard some murmurs around him. He raised his head and looked. 

     "Jim?"

     The familiar voice called at him. He couldn't believe his eyes,

     "Tzu?"

    He quizzed. Twas difficult to tell which of feelings he felt. Shock or surprise. 

     There was a man seated by Tzu. He knew the man. 

   He forgot about the tons of questions he had meant to ask Tzu. He had another person added to the list of his enemies. 

    The emperor. 

     "Motherfucker."

   He descended on the emperor.