Chapter Three

Alves walked around the small prison looking at the Medallion in his hand, he'd contemplated wearing it since it was handed over to him, but he wasn't so sure if he should. “When will I be freed from this place? Will they ever let me go? Or they'll cut my fingers like Trent told me? I guess I shouldn't wait to find out.” He took the Medallion closer to his neck. “If this can give me some super power, let's see what kind of power it has. I might be needing it to escape this shitty place!” He hung it around his neck and it glowed again.  “Oh… what's happening?” Alves felt his body shaking, his eyes glowed heavy blue along with the necklace and the prison guard was stunned to see that. 

“Magic! The prisoner has magic!” The soldier quickly drew his sword and called more of his men “Get over here. The boy's got magic!”

Alves felt a kind of strength he'd never felt before, fire burning inside him and his body heated up like a battery being charged. He felt the energy filling him up so fast he fell on his knees “Ah…!” he screamed. It was a power transmission process from the Medallion into his body. 

“What is happening to him?” one of the soldiers wondered. 

“I don't think it's anything in our favour, kill him before he turns into a beast we can't fight. And don't go close to him.”

One of the soldiers brought a bow and arrow as always, aimed at Alves and shot him right on his chest! 

Alves didn't feel it, the arrow went in but caused no harm. He turned to look at the Doshikan soldiers, looked back at the arrow inside of him and he removed it from his body, leaving them in shock. He got angry and his medallion glowed red. 

“I think he's got some kind of power, ring the warning bell quickly!”

Alves quickly approached the iron doors, held them so tightly, shaking them furiously and they could see the walls cracking as the metal slowly lost its attachment to the bricks. “Holy moly!” The shock was unhidden. 

One last shake and Alves had the iron doors removed from the wall, he threw it at three of the men and they fell to the ground losing their consciousness. He picked up a sword quickly and blocked an attack from the fourth man who came from behind, then shifted back. The soldier swerved in an attempt for Alves’s neck but the young man ducked then got a big cut on the man's stomach “Uh!” his mouth fell open as his body made its way to the floor like a falling plank. 

“Lock the gates! Close every hole in the base. A prisoner has escaped!” Orders flew from every corner of the Doshikan Base as Alves rushed to undress one of the fainted soldiers on the floor. He took his uniform and dressed just like a Doshikan covering the helmet which prevented recognition, picked up another sword and dropped the one stained with blood, then he ran to the prison exit. 

“Hey, have you seen the prisoner?” a Doshikan asked Alves, thinking he was one of them. 

“No! But I think he went that way. So, you go that way, I go this way.” He misled him then finally made his way outside, he could see the gate being guarded heavily. Four men at the inside of the gate and four men outside. He didn't want to make a mess, “Oh no! The security here is on another level. I need to get back to my family, I need to go back to my sister.” Alves talked to himself, not knowing his sister had vanished after being hit by an arrow. 

“Alright, I need to get to the gate. Alves, play cool, take a deep breath.” words of encouragement to himself and he finally reached the gate with confidence. 

“No one is to leave now soldier, where are you headed?” A deep voice became behind one of the helmets worn by the scary looking soldiers at the gate. 

“Some of our men were sent to the woods on a matter of importance by Commander Zhain. They've exceeded their given time and I was asked to go check on them.” Alves cleared his throat after forcing his voice to sound so deep. 

“Matter of importance? What matters?” The soldier enquired. 

“You want me to go back and tell Commander Zhain that you're questioning his orders?” 

“Oh fool, it was just a simple question.” Now, there was fear in his voice as it cracked. “Open the gates for him, let him go!” The soldier ordered and behold, the gates to the exit of the Doshikan Base, was opened widely for Alves. He couldn't help but smile behind the mask, “finally!” he whispered to himself. But before he could step a foot out, the chief of security rose from his seat and tension rose in Alves, “Wait a minute,” the man seemed to have noticed something suspicious and walked straight at him squeezing his face. 

“You just said Commander Zhain sent you?”

“Yes I did.” He hoped he still sounded confident. 

“I repeat, did you say Commander Zhain sent you?”

“I just said yes!”

“Then get me some apples on your way back.”

“Phew!” Alves felt the relief but never let it out verbally. 

*****

“Khira, I'm back! I'm back, little sister!” Alves shouted out of excitement as his figure emerged from the deep road. Henry, his neighbour who'd seen Khira get shot, was right there but didn't know how he would break the news to that happy face approaching down there. 

“Hey Henry, come here!” Alves gave him a tight hug and held him up for a spin “Yeah…” He said, spinning him around. 

“I'm so glad to see you again, Alves.” He managed to say while avoiding eye contact. 

“Hey, what's wrong you don't look so good. Anything wrong? Is your dad sick again?” He could sense how uncomfortable Henry was, he was trying to tell him something but couldn't let out the words. 

“Alves, I… I need to tell you something.”

“What happened to Khira?” He asked knowing it was definitely about his sister. 

“Khira, she's… She's dead!”

*****

Henry took Alves to the bush where his sister was shot, he had already narrated the whole story to him, leaving him in the pain of not seeing his sister's body “She was shot right here when I was running with her.” Trust me I tried to save her. I did.”

“Do you remember the Doshikan soldier who tried to rape her and the one who shot her?” Alves bit his lips in anger. 

“I would know if I saw the man who tried to sleep with her. I hit him with a piece of wood and his helmet went off. But the one who shot her, I can't say cos we were running so fast.”

“Why did this have to happen?”

“I'm so sorry brother. I came back that day, tried to find her body but I couldn't. I feel so heartbroken too.”

“Ah…” Alves lost himself to the sorrow, “No!” he fell down to his knees as the sky got darker. “It's going to rain brother, let's go home now. You might get sick.” Henry was caring. 

“The Doshikans have taken too much from us! Arman Butshaf has taken too much from the Westlands and everywhere around the world.” He slapped the wet sand repeatedly splashing the rain water which had started falling all over his body. “Alves, you need to hold yourself. Calm down.” Henry tried to hold him up but he resisted.

He crawled on the floor to the spot he saw Khira’s bloodstains, fetched a palm full of the red sand and looked up to the sky. “Dear spirits of Westlands, I swear before you this day, I shall not rest until I avenge the death of my only sister. I will take down the Doshikans and their master, I will squeeze the life out of Arman Butshaf and all his dirty soldiers. He has taken too much from us, and now he has taken the wrong life.” He looked down to the bloody sand he had in his palm, then gave the final words. 

“Arman Butshaf, you shall pay!”