Frozen
On the way back from the mountains, to the camp at Busan woods, the other prisoners kept on staring at him. They were all impressed by his actions back at the mountain. During dinner, a group of men approached him where he sat, staring at the hideous-looking food, and wondering how the others managed to eat it. The people that approached him were the bullies who maltreated Janzo in times past.
"What?" he asked them.
"We saw what you did back there at the mountains, that was really tremendous," said one of them, who looked like their leader.
Tobin was in real pain where he was, his back was on fire.
"The guard was maltreating the poor old man, I had to do something," said Tobin.
"That's we're here," said the leader of the bullies.
"You see, around here, you have to join the apex group, in order to survive it here. And us, we're the leading group in this woods, no one dared to stand in our way, not even the guards," he said to Tobin.
"That's why we want to offer you a chance, to join forces with us, together we can take this place, and no one would dare try to intimidate us," he added.
Tobin wasn't paying much attention to them, he was looking around for his father. But as he looked, his eyes caught the sight of someone he recognized. He stood up at once, from where he sat, and went to meet the person he saw. The gang of bullies, froze there, puzzled. Tobin went away to the table where he saw the person. He saw Janzo, with some other men, seating around the table.
"Mr. Janzo?" he called.
Janzo looked up at him.
"Tobin, how come, why are you here?" asked Janzo.
"It's a long story," replied Tobin.
"I'm sorry for what happened to you Tobin, but I have to say this, you're really brave," said Janzo.
"Hay, I'm Mobius," said the man sitting next to Janzo, extending his hand for a handshake. Tobin shakes him.
"I really appreciate what you did back there, standing up for that old man. You're a true hero," said Mobius to Tobin.
"Janzo, I was told that my father is here, but I can't find him anywhere," said Tobin.
"You were told that you're father's here?" asked Janzo.
"Yes, and I can't see him around," said Tobin.
"Well, that's bad, because he's not here. He never was," said Janzo.
That night beside the temple, was De voe, and some of the members of his inner circle, all in black garments. There were two young men, probably in their late twenties, there in their midst too. Before them, stood a man in a black flowing garment, covered up with a hoodie, and red cloak. He covered his face with black clothing, exposing only his eyes. He was a dark wizard. He was casting a spell over the fire, making unholy utterances. De voe and his men, which Raja was among, chanted along with the wizard. The young men with them, were there because they wanted to be among De voe's followers. The wizard was preparing to perform some initiation.
"You may step forward," said the wizard to the men.
They both came forth.
"Do you promise to serve the master with all your heart, and with all your soul, regardless of what your wishes maybe?" asked the wizard, with a rasping voice.
"Yes I do," they answered in unison.
"Do you promise to pledge your lives to the master, and to protect him with your dying breath?" he asked them.
"Yes I do," answered the men, in unison.
"Do you promise to abandon your past lives, to live only to help fulfill the glorious ambition of the master?" he asked them.
"Yes I do," they answered in unison.
"What a critical convenant you have both made here tonight. You have to keep the promises you made here, if not, the consequences would end your life," said the wizard.
"Get ready to be finally united with the soul keeper, the alchemy of your soul," he said.
De voe took out a pointy sharp dagger and cut dip on his palm. He came close to a cauldron, hung over the fire. Some liquid was bubbling up in the cauldron. De voe tightened his wounded hand over the cauldron, letting his blood drip inside it. The wizard stirred the liquid, then with the laddle, he took some contents of it, and filled two cups.
"Drink these, and you shall be one with the supreme master," he told them.
They both drank the liquid hesitatingly, afraid of what would happen next.
"How do you feel?" asked De voe.
"I feel... whole," answered one of the men.
"There's no need to be afraid now, you're now one with me, and you are secured," said De voe.
"You are now reborn, pure purged for a great assignment," he added.
De voe sat on the exalted throne of the castle. The order had been restored once again in the palace. The guards were all mounted in their positions, vigilant with their spears held close. Raja came inside the room and bowed down before De voe.
"You sent for me great one," said Raja, kneeling on one knee.
"Yes, I did Raja. How is the excavation going, any progress?" asked De voe.
"The excavation is going well, everything is under control. It's just that we kind of had a little bit of brawl with the new inmate, but we've already taken care of that," explained Raja.
De voe smiled and nodded.
"I knew he would be a tough breed," said De voe.
"Raja, the reason why I summoned you here, is to tell you the next mission I have in mind," said De voe.
"And what is that master?" asked Raja.
"The werewolf nation, and others around us, are threats to our land. It isn't wise to wait for an attack from them before we react. I say we strike first, taking them with an element of surprise before they get any chance," explained De voe.
Raja listened attentively as his very existence depended on the very words, uttered by De voe. He believed with his whole heart, without a doubt, everything the man De voe tells him, and wouldn't mind risking his life for the will of De voe to be.
"Just say the words my great master, and it shall be done," he said to De voe.
"I want you to lead out a troop of about a hundred of the best warriors in the realm, against the werewolves. It doesn't matter if they are for me or against me, threaten them with the lives of their families if anyone of them refuses, and march forth to battle on my name," ordered De voe.
"It shall be done, exactly as you say. Indeed I'm very delighted to be at your service," said Raja, bowing down before him.
Today all around the realm, and even miles beyond, the weather was so strange, that even the forecasters couldn't explain it. There was a great storm of snow, falling endlessly with a freezing cold wind, icing up the entire streets and sidewalks, covering rooftops and the mountains. This was seen as a strange thing, because it just started in a single night, with the rain of snow, then in the morning, the people woke up to find the entire place covered up in ice.
Zain woke up that morning with a very heavy burden in mind. Raja didn't come the previous day as he said he would, throughout that day, she had been restless, thinking of an escape to all of these. She got a bit relieved that they didn't come at last, but today being a new day, she was more than worried, because the tendency that they would knock on the door anytime soon, was high. Very early that morning, she put on her thick woolen coat and hat, with a pair of mittens, covering her hands. The cold outside was too much to handle, it was too much for her. She still shivered a bit, while on her thick clothes.
"Papa!" she called out to her father.
"Yes, Zain?" came his response from upstairs.
"I'm leaving the house, I'll be back in a short while!" she said to him.
"But the cold!" he complained.
"I'll be fine, I'm all geared up," was her short response.
She put on her fur boots and went towards the door. Trying the knob, she found out that it was a bit stiff. Must be the ice, she thought. As she forced the door open, the icing cold wind outside, blew in through the open door, whistling to her pinas. She adjusted her tight leather pants, then slowly stepped out into the cold, shutting the door behind her, with major assistance from the wind. As she trudged through the snow and ice-layered street, she noticed that she was the only one out on the streets.