Chapter 21

Valdimir sighed, he had to visit Cenetaur to give the report.

He really feared that man, everyone in the Island did.

Slightly turning his head, Valdimir spoke "Sabu note down all the names. I will be back soon.'

Valdimir took a short break to still his trembling legs after he walked up the stairs towards the open. He took a long breath and instantly regretted it, as foul smell invaded his nose.

Even after six months of his stay in this place he had not got used to this smell or the place.

Cenetaur so called castle where he had to deliver the letter, was just a short walk from his place.

A short walk for normal people, not for him, especially through these dirt roads.

Valdimir slowly limped, cutting his way through these broken huts these slaves called home. Valdimir cursed the dirt road as he pulled his cane out of the muck. Valdimir looked around the slave workers of the Kolar Island, he wondered why did they even tried to keep on living in such conditions. He genuinely pitted them, probably the only lot in the world.

In his life of twenty-nine years, Valdimir had seen many people -kings, nobles, poor, slaves, dirt poor but it was his first time encountering such people.

Their eyes were empty of hope just as their stomach was of food. They had no dreams no expectations, no hope. These people knew even their further generation would be living the same fate as them and possibly even their future generation too. They had accepted this life, actually were forced to accept this life. They were just bodies doing what was commanded of them, without thinking without knowing just following orders. For almost past two years.

Four years back a battle mage was sent to the Kolar Island to deal with a group of rebels. In that mage's stay on this island, he stumbled upon real treasure, a hidden gold mine. That mage was none other than Cenetaur Tremeur.

Greed took over him, and he decided not to inform the kingdom about the mine. He then completed the mission and returned back to Ablon. At that time Ablon was in disarray, as their beloved king Gustov had passed away. Taking advantage of the turmoil he started frequenting his visits to the Island to take away the gold in boats, but the Kolar mine had ample of gold in it.

Cenetaur was an ambitious man, he started making a group of his own slowly adding men he could find anywhere in the world. It took him just about a year to create an army of that group.His army contained of four hundred soldiers from different parts of the world, even got himself a rogue God plate bearer from the Otron named Garrick.

Once his army was ready he took over the Kolar Island. He and his army slaughtered two thousand people and took the remaining three thousand as slaves to work in the mines. He fed the slaves just enough to work at the mines and survive. It served two purposes first it saved money and the second the workers had no energy to even think of rebelling.

Cenetaur was still not satisfied, he wanted a kingdom of his own. He wanted to rule over people, rather than just slaves.

He fenced the whole area surrounding the mine with three thousand slaves and four hundred of his loyal men in it making a small prison of the place. He then proclaimed himself the King of Kola Island, and sent the notice to Ablon.

The councilmen of Ablon had kept it a secret from the nobles and the commoners not to enrage the people.

A month after proclaiming himself the king, five months back, he invited different merchants and commoners inside to the Island to start basic commerce inside the Island, which was by the time his.

A few months later he realized he was lagging in two places, first his connection and information network inside Ablon was not strong which, and secondly Four hundred of his soldiers weren't enough to maintain both the town and the slave workers.

Cenetaur wanted more soldiers and strong connections in the outside to maintain the young kingdom, and Valdimir was the perfect person for the post. Even though Valdmir was now a different person both physically and on the mental level, his connection and his image among soldiers stood strong.

Cenetaur proposed a deal to Valdimir, in exchange of valdimir's connections and his service over the law and order inside the town for a year, he would present Valdimir his step-mother's head. Valdimir was desperate for revenge and shook hands with the devil.

Cenetaur spent a fortune to hire assassin's from the most elite assassin group 'God own Hand and managed to get Valdmir's stepmother assassinated. Thus completing his side of the deal.

This is how Valdimir ended up on the Kola Island.

After walking for ten minutes Valdimir took a short break as his eyes fell on a grandiose conical roof of Wishborne Castle, visible from anywhere from the island. The dark castle was an abnormality in itself, it looked like it was carved out of a single stone, and its material was still unknown.

But it was a pity though. No one had ever walked inside of the grand structure. The inside of the castle was a mystery just as his origin. It was there and no one knew how long it had been there. Many kings and mages had tried entering the great fort to gain access to the ancient treasure which it might hold, but alas no one succeed.

Residents of the Kola Island worshipped the castle. There was even a myth, that when the suffering of the residents would cross its threshold, the Gates of the grand structure would open and the God himself would free them of their sufferings.

Valdimir giggled at the thought, well the threshold had been crossed two years back already.

'Enough site seeing,' Valdimir reminded himself of his task ahead.

It took him good ten minutes more and a lot of pain and curses to reach the building. The triple storied building with a small garden, was where the King stayed, and was called Cenetaur's palace. It was a house of some lower noble before Cenetaur's arrival.

Valdimir spotted a guard and asked him about the whereabouts of the King.

Of course he had to be in top most floor to increase Valdimir's aches. He slowly limped his way through the stairs as he cursed Cenetaur, the Island and offcourse king Jamine with each stair he climbed.

Valdimir paused for a moment, 'Why do I have to do this?' he shouted within and knocked at the door.

"Yes" came Cenetaur's stern voice from inside.

"I have some important matters to discuss. Your majesty." Cenetaur had made sure to be treated and addressed as a king and those who have failed to address him properly were lying dead inside the sea or were scarred for life.

"Come in."

Valdimir swallowed the hard lump in his throat, and enetered.

Cenetaur was just standing beside his gold plated throne.

"Your majesty" Valdimir bowed his head to the self proclaimed king of Kolar Island.

The polished walls behind Cenataur looked dull in his presence. Cenetaur wore a long white coat with golden embroidery all over it. Streak of white hair were visible among his black hair. He was past fifty-five, but showed no signs of being of such age. There was a permanent irk on his thin face, like he was just looking out for a reason to kill someone. He wasn't broad or tall like a soldier, he was an embodiment of what a mage should looked like.

"What is the reason of your visit." Cenetaur spoke. The man was all business.

"Your majesty." Valdimir spoke "According to my reports, there is a young man of around twenty looking out for you. His intentions are unclear at the moment but I am certain they are hostile towards you." Valdimir had just taken a pause for a breather when Cenataur stern voice echoed in the room.

"So you come here to tell me about a kid throwing an angry fit around ?"

"No your majesty," 'Dog' Valdimir continued "The young man just yesterday, infiltrated the central branch of 'Honourless guild in Mattidis city all by himself and killed almost two dozen of its members along with the masters, his purpose was to get information on your wherebouts. So it would be wise not to take any cha -"

"You are here for information, and not for advising me." Cenetaur lashed out through gritted teeth. For a battle mage like him two dozen of were nothing more than insects.

Valdimir looked at the King, he was really angry. The only thing he hated was to be told what to do. Valdimir was sure if he were not of any use to him, Cenataur would have killed him a long time back.

"Sorry your majesty" 'I hope you die there, you son of who*e' Valdimir gently bowed down apologizing.

"What happened about those merchants ?" Cenetaur spoke

"I have gotten the names. What do you want me to do your majesty?"

"Kill them all" he replied

"Now if you are done leave I have to make preparations to visit Mattidis city."

Valdimir left, as fast as his legs could take him.