Chapter 24: Aren Cananeo

CHAPTER WARNING: GORE, VIOLENCE.

"How long have this place been deceiving me?" The Prince leaned in towards Aren, the tremendous pressure in the air had made the back of Aren's throat go numb. He crumpled the paper reports in his hold, sensing a strong smell of the intent to kill, the same feeling when he was once a part of the knights.

Aren tried to step even further away to breathe and talk to his Highness, but the Prince had already cornered him and got ahold the poor servant's chin with only his right palm, squeezing Aren's cheeks with his large hands, completely imprisoning Aren inside his gaze.

Morfran clenched his own jaws, while his hot breath fanned the white cladded man's face as he whispered to him, "Answer me, my very darling Aren."

Aren tensed up for a while, speaking softly, "I apologize, Your Highness, I can't seem to get what you are—"

With his lifeless eyes, Morfran cut his words and somehow motioned his fingers up in the air, backing away before Aren was attacked from his back, glancing behind, Aren shortly saw a glimpse of a build taller and stronger than his, a hand was quickly put around his shoulders, locking him in place. A white fabric covered with powder quickly blocked his nose completely, so he held his breath and tried to sprawl away, but the man held him back and punched his chest, forcing him to inhale the powder inside his body. After some good seconds, he fell unconscious before he could even reach for his sword and fight back.

The world spun and rang, Aren was brought down, helplessly wanting to move out of someone's hold. He couldn't believe he'd be brought down that easily by a foul tactic, he wanted to wriggle out of unconsciousness but he could barely keep his eyes opened. One thing he noticed, someone was carrying him, and he keeps hearing the soft jingles of the ornaments on this man's chest as he walks.

A glint of light caught his eye. A shining silver chain, a chain of a watch.

'My watch?' he thought as his eyes completely fluttered and closed away, engulfed by the darkness as he was being carried away.

*

A cold water woken Aren's system. His eye snapping open. "—What?..." He gasped, feeling his senses very dull.

He found himself tied, bound on a chair, and dripping with ice cold water. Looking around while shivering, he noticed himself in the middle of a black room, lighted with only four torches with two dark figures looming by the corner of his eye.

Hearing the bucket drop on the ground, the second prince, Jian Morfran gripped Aren's hair, making Aren look up to him while wincing. "Now talk, Aren Cananeo. What do you know, twenty years ago?"

He was startled, unable to process everything that was going on all in five seconds. "What?"

He looked around, fighting out of the rope that was binding his shoulders one with the chair. "What is this?" He grunted and looked angry, passing the angry yet confused look at the Prince, also finding out that most of his limbs were also tied down with the chair.

The Prince tiringly sighed his anger, getting a green colored textbook and slapping it to Aren's face. "Explain what this is, Aren Cananeo."

Aren eyed the book not interested in the slightest. Then he glimpsed around, not seeing a window he could escape through. "What is that? Where am i? Your Highness what is this?-"

With the sudden bombarding of question's Morfran's short temper ran overboard, swinging his dominant arm and slapping Aren's cheeks with full force. "aggkhh!"

Morfran grabbed Aren's face with his hand, his eyes trailing down the blood that was oozing out of Aren's busted lips. "You don't get to ask questions here."

Like brought back to reality, Aren drooled his saliva with the blood, his face stinging in great pain, sometimes unable to hear what was Morfran was saying because of the buzzing caused by the force of Morfran's hands.

Morfran grabbed the book and pointed on it. "Explain what this textbook is. It was found inside your room."

"I.. i dont recognize that. I am not the owner— ghaakk!—" this time Aren was slapped with the book itself, his left cheek was bright red.

"You really are a great liar." Morfran growled.

He turned his heels and walked away. "Begin." He commanded to his accomplice.

The other shadow nodded. "Sir." Then walked to where Aren was, with the orange torch illuminating his face, his identity finally came to light.

Aren stared up from the chair, trying not to believe his eyes, "Aeber?" He mumbled, focusing at his best friend's expressionless face. From the table, Abercon grabbed a silver tool, straightening Aren's hands and held his fingers.

Both Abercon and Aren's eyes were down to their fingers, the mouth of the tool gripped Aren's nail tightly. "You don't have to forgive me this time Aren. I dont want your sympathy." Aren was alarmed, his pupils shrinking when he finally understood his place. He was being tortured, and now, his nails will be pulled away.

He trembled, trying to close his hand into a fist, but Abercon's hold was stronger, unable to protect his pinky finger's nails. The metal dug deeper in his finger's flesh and attached to his nails. Horror was everything that Aren was experiencing, his heart was pounding out of his body, while his whole body moved and cried out in fear. Abercon asked the question to him one last time and yet Aren answered the same thing.

This time, Abercon sighed, and pulled Aren's nail out of his pinky finger forcefully, "AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!" Aren yelped in extreme pain, his eyes falling with tears while the blood gushed out of his fingers. His little nail brought to a bloody plate.

[Backstory]

From a long long time ago, in the eastern land of the kingdom of Jian, there stood the lively town of the Cananeos, the wealthy warrior clan of the Jian Kingdom. This clan were widely famous as one of the longest living clans of the Jian Kingdom ever since it was built, it had shared many contributions to the safety of the kingdom by developing the system of "Knights" or the force which will safeguard the kingdom and keep the threat of peril away from their people.

The elite knights were long founded by the four warrior Caneneos. These were; El, Ashera, Baal, Anat, and Astarte. A five man squad serving under the King.

Their squad leader, El Cananeo, was one gigantic and muscular man. He was known for his brute strength being able to defend the group and attack the enemies all by himself, though he rarely relies on weapons, and prefers to fight barehanded in short distance fights. Among the five, he was the oldest and a man with a kind and compassionate heart, a true white knight.

Baal Cananeo, a year younger than El, was a handsome warrior, a famous axe master, being able to wield at least the mace and axe together. Out of the five, Baal was the person whom always faces the crowd. Even though he is gentle to the Cananeo children and is loved by many, he is merciless at throwing axe on someone else's head.

The first female member joining the Cananeo five man squad was Anat Cananeo. A person who weilds a bow and arrow as her weapon when it comes to military missions. She has black, raven hair and a pretty smile. Altogether, she was beautifully mysterious and doesn't like the honoring parties of the clan very much. Unlike the famous legend Baal, she doesn't like to talk that much. But everyone in the squad knows she cares very much for each of them, despite how creepily accurate her three arrowed shots are.

A famous doctor of the clan, Ashera Cananeo, was dragged in to the squad by no one but her elder brother, El. Proposing that they need a medical professional to take care of the injured once inside a tight battle, unable to say no to her brother, the red headed girl armed herself and joined the squad.

Lastly, Astarte Cananeo was someone who didn't really knew the idea of knights or what they even meant. This woman works on a scamming organization that somehow managed to put the leader, El on her scheme. Long story short, the two fought unbelievably toe to toe, learning that this brown haired woman could arm herself with any weapon and that she has many hidden skills as a performer. May it include; shows, arts, and even seduction. As time passes, when this woman meets the four others of the same clan, she auditions herself as a member and was accepted as the unpredictable hitter that is mainly focused on attacks. And so, completes the five man squad.

With their feats of cleaning out the bandits around the Kingdom, the King smiled at them, rewarding the clan a favourable amount of honor, promoting the five on a rank who carries out private duties for the King till they rose up to the highest, new and most respectable rank.

With fame, wealth, and success, they finally developed the system 'Knights' originated by the clan of Cananeo together with partnership from the division of the holy knights, a representative of the four major temples of Jian.

But, a misfortune hit the kingdom. From a misunderstanding between two sides, the Cananeos set war between the warrior clan and the kingdom, which led to a major loss for the Cananeo clan, as the allied neighboring forces for other kingdom joined the Jian forces to settle the war. When the kingdom successfully took the Cananeos as hostages, the Jians commenced a mission "Horma" and completely destroyed their town and annihilated all the Cananeos, afraid that there might be a rebellion to continue the conflict.

*

Walking alone with an instrument bow in his hand, the young Aren Cananeo hummed the songs that played inside his head happily, making his way towards the direction of the abandoned ghost town of the old Cananeos.

The people of the Kingdom named it Horma, as in destruction, or to be destroyed. No one would pay mind to get inside the damaged town besides the bandits and frequently robbers. But since Aren heard that there were a famous musician ancestor in the Cananeos, he went off his way to travel and see for himself the house of this musician.

The soft spoken boy scanned his head left to right, his eyes trailing the map that he holds dearly with both his hands. "Um, its this way, right?" He turned, his violin bag hanging behind him grunts on each of his step. He walked pass the crunchy steps and past the dusty old buildings, his eyes resting at a place that was marked by the map. This might be the house.

'But why is it so huge? ..and stylish? Thats.. so un-musician like..' Aren kept his stoic face shown, hesitating to go inside this huge mansion.

'Are all musicians... this kind...' Aren thought to himself, seeing nothing but weapons and blades everywhere. He raised his eyebrows. 'There's something wrong with this.'

In the middle of the room, there was only armor stands and leather or steel clothing. Aren was far from sleeping when he heard footsteps come from one of the hallways. He quickly hid and grabbed the first book he sees then left the mansion, then exited the entire town. With a ragged breath and a simple thin book in his hold, he began travelling back his way home, not bothering to peek inside the book as he only wanted to go home and take a long clean bath.

Arriving home, his back dripped in sweat, literally soaking the fabric and feeling strange like he'll catch a cold. He dropped all of the things he was carrying at his bed and quickly made his way to the bathing room.

"Oh! Aren! Where'd you go? Off to a marathon to keep a stamina? That's my boy!" His blonde headed father laughed loudly around the warm house that was inhabited by only the two, father and son.

Aren groaned and crouched down the bath, his frown getting on to his face, and his hair dripped with lukewarm water.

'I went to get music sheets, pops.' He frowned, not wanting his father's knightly words get into his musician system.

Aren walked out of the bathroom and dressed himself. He dried his hair and was heading towards his room when he saw his father inside his small room, reading a certain book with his back against the young boy. Aren's face paled.

His father spoke in a low tone, scanning his eyes on the contents of the book. "I know what your dream is now my boy.." Aren's breathing hitched and his heart pounded.

His father turned around with a big smile. "You also want to become a knight!" His father smiled widely and then laughing, showing the book on his hold to Aren. Aren understood now, what he picked up in that mansion was not a good musical sheet but a memoir of the legendary first elite knights of the Cananeos. His father proudly dragged him to sit on the bed and poked the hand-drawn pictures of the five known warriors in his time.

Although Aren was there, sitting beside his father and staring straight at where his father's finger were pointing, his brain immediately left the room, catching only the word "knights" or "amazing" or "generals" or "swords".

He somehow maybe hoped that this time his father would realize what he really wanted to do. To hold an instrument and not a sword. He drew a quick and silent breath, sucking all his falling tears back to his tear ducts, secretly holding the violin bag on his bed and hid it under the bed with his other instruments.

"You'll make father proud more than ever if you become a knight! You get me Aren? Lets revive the Cananeo name and bring them honor once again! Aspire to be a general and your father will surely support you with each of my penny! Ah! Right now I'll go to town and enroll you to the knight's division." His father's eyes bulged, locked to his soul that made Aren tremble in pressure.

"...."

"Aren?"

Aren broke his silence. "Oh.. thank you father."

His tall father grabbed both of his shoulders and clenched them tightly, leaning to Aren and facing him with enthusiastic and eager eyes. "Don't let me down Aren."

Aren could only look down and avoid his father's gaze. "Y-yes father, as you wish."

*

"Congratulations! Sir Aren Cananeo, our youngest ace knight!"

With only these words, have risen the anger and jealousy inside Abercon's heart. His bestfriend who didn't even liked being a knight and did everything half assed achieved his one and only dream,

' "Well! Nothing much! Just in a whim! If ever i have a goal though, it'll be the youngest knighted soldier!" '

Worse, Aren was someone younger than him, and he could never beat him nor the time. It was already game over.

Abercon, Aren's best friend, who in the corner only stood and stared at his friend's shining figure up in the podium, not even moving a muscle to clap nor walking over to congratulate the youngest knight. Aren, who was the newest member of the famous elite squad.

He was not staring because of awe and admiration, but because he was, deep inside, was boiling with envy and anger towards this young prodigy.

A man in black clothing looked over Abercon, grinning and chuckling under his breath. 'Ah-ah. What do we do?.. I like the look in his eyes.' he thought, not taking his eyes off the knight that was oozing in black jealousy.

He closed the carriage door, inhaling through his long pipe and blew it around the air, touching the black diadem around his head. "How promising.."

"Aeber?" Aren called in front of his spaced out friend, snapping back when he heard Aren's calls.

He stared. "Aren.."

The younger furrowed his brows, putting the bouquet of flowers aside. "Is something?-"

"Oh, congratulations on becoming elite!" Fastly spoke Abercon, pulling one silver chained watch out of his deep pockets.

Once Abercon shoved it to his friend's face, Aren gratefully accepted. "Oh a watch? Thank you very much." Aren immediately noticed his engraved name on one of the clock's arm, earning him a short gasp of joy.

"Yeah. Gotta go, enjoy." Abercon gritted his teeth, somehow regretting himself by giving Aren his handmade clock. Sure, he has a nice skill for craftsmanship.

Aren raised his brows confusingly, trying to understand the other's situation for being busy too, he just answers, "Sure.."

Abercon gripped the watch on the other side of his pocket, walking away while hiding his anger behind his smile. 'I hate myself.'

Just before Abercon could exit the venue, a man inside a carriage called out for him. "Knight! Would you mind looking over those two suspicious men?" Abercon turned his head around and checked.

"Suspicious?" Abercon muttered, finding indeed two men speaking with each other a bit far from the venue.

The man inside the carriage went outside and stepped at the pavement, his crown immediately being recognized by Abercon. The black clothed man bobbed his head, a smoke pipe on his hand. "Yes, it seems shady. Their talks are..."

As a knight, Abercon bows his head. "Sure, Sir Deverus."

Following behind the two figures, Abercon secretly spies on their conversation, hiding himself at a near distance where he could hear just enough to eavesdrop.

"Our troops is ready for the coup d'etat against the Jians. We await for your signal boss."

"That is very good."

'Isn't that uncle's voice?' by Uncle, he meant Aren's father.

"Have you discussed the matters of our clan retaliation to Aren?"

'Rataliation? What? Do they plan a rebellion?'

"No. Not yet, but i will today. Our plan will commence in the next full moon."

Abercon looked at his feet, clenching his jaws tightly.

*

"Your Majesty. I have something to report." Abercon knelt down, his head facing the marble floor.

"The Cananeos plans a coup d'etat against the kingdom."

About the whole story, Abercon tells the King about the said vengeance of Aren's kin, the investigation approved that this was a true threat to them. And so, the King spoke;

"Commence the mission, Horma."

"Make sure this will be the last one."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The Cananeo clan put up a good fight, but the other side won the war with quantity.

Aren who was clueless of the whole matter was immediately caught in jail while his clan have all been slaughtered in all corners of the Kingdom, with no one but Abercon Abbier as the commander himself.

The king was greatly angered resulting Aren to be punished and was removed from the rank, banned and prohibited to join the military system ever again, as the only survivor of the Horma incident. Aren spent his time repenting the sins of his clan's revolutionary plan by working his bones out in the fields, which is very far from the city. Meanwhile, Abercon gets promoted as the leader of the elite knights, being the youngest leader of them, joyously achieving his dream as he wanted.

With a new king already seated on the throne, the surviving relative of Aren, his alive Cananeo father had once tried to kill Hongwu on a journey again, but in a coincidence of Aren also being present on the road, he saved the King and ended his father's life with his own hands, defending the King out of his clan's wrath.

The current King admired Aren's extraordinary skills in fighting, presenting him another chance in life by working inside the palace as the servant of his very own son, entrusting the life the crown prince to him.

And so, he began training as a servant and met Jian Li, the young and intelligent boy who personally appointed Aren as his own personal attendant.

Learning the news, Abercon's uneasiness started once more, jealous why Aren even moved closer near the King despite the sins his clan made in the past.

"Aren.." Abercon called out his friend and walked behind the white veiled servant. Aren turned around and took off the white cloth off his face, seeing the nostalgic face of his friend once again.

The knight looked at the servant. "Why are you not angry with me? Never had i heard you complaining.." Aren stayed quiet, blinking and thinking deep inside his head. He faced his friend that was wearing a somehow plain face with brown guilty eyes.

"I was the one who reported to the king." Abercon spoke lowly, Aren flickered his eyes up to his friend's.

Aren just stayed quiet, and tried to think of better words. "..You did what is right. It was for the kingdom."

'No i did it for myself. I didn't want to see you shining over me.'

"Its okay Aeber, it is your duty to do so, no wrath that i set forth will bring all of them back, nothing will change. Let be the Cananeo's clan be ended with me, and be rebirth by me. I swore that this generation will not know what Horma is, Aeber, don't be hunted by guilt,"

"For so i forgive you."

*

[Present]

Aren cried and winced, trying to escape the chair he was bound with. "I hate your kindness. I hate those rightful eyes. They make me feel sick." Abercon glared at Aren and wrapped his hands around the servant's neck.

"You don't have to forgive me this time Aren. I dont want your sympathy." A glint of violet sparked inside Abercon's brown eyes, making Aren feel nauseous and afraid, feeling the metal dig on his next finger.

'You took everything away from me. My dream, my friends, my colleagues, my honor, my praises, even my own pride." Aren whimpered, unable to do anything while his finger kept dripping blood down his red stained uniform.

"I've long envied you." Said Abercon.

"I stayed beside you, only for you to be taken down by your closest friend." He took something inside Aren's pockets, and took out something inside his too. Their watches clanged together in Abercon's grasp.

"Here, truly would be the end of the Cananeo clan." He said as he dropped both the glass watches on the floor, his black leather boots stomping on it, as the glass crunched under his heel, mercilessly destroying it.