The Sacrifice of a Hero: Revival Read online

  It was all over for him as Alfred remained as silent as a rock when he slowly forced that burning iron rod in Clements’s anus pushing the man not only to cry, but to feel the sky falling over his head. Alfred’s merciless torture needed the Captors’ power to hold Clement and enable Alfred to pursue torturing the knight. That ruthless torturer didn’t stop even though Clements’s screams filled the place; he pursued what he was doing and turned the iron rod slowly just like a drill bit; he felt satisfied as he smiled and felt the burning skin and the smooth flesh crashing down. Feeling the pain from the burning iron rod wasn’t even enough for Alfred, but enjoying seeing the man’s cries helped sooth his desire for blood, therefore he kept pushing forwards deeper and slow into Clements’s body. The victim’s eyes were burning with the fear he felt and for a few minutes, pain made his heart torn into small pieces and made his eyes nearly blew out of his socket. It was only then when Clements’s eyes were shut and he collapsed without saying any further words; it seemed that he was silenced once and for all; his life was taken from him like a thorn taken from a wet lamb fleece; it must have been a horrible feeling; anyone would have felt mercy, but Alfred didn’t show any of it.

  “Take those corpses out quickly, pick them up and take them out,” Alfred ordered his men as he pulled the iron rod from Clements’s body and jammed it back again in the burning coal, “And yes, make sure to bury them, I don’t want the smell to expand quickly, do you understand? Don’t forget, the riders won’t be late” Alfred added as he turned back to the fire pit and started pumping the bellows again, anxiety could be seen in his eyes, but the fire seemed to ease his anxiety and made him feel better.

  Limping from the exhaustion he was feeling after torturing the two men, Alfred sat on a rock not very far from the fire pit, without any regrets; he thought he did as he had to, those people had to die and whether it would be on his hands or other hands, it didn’t matter anyway which way they had to die, whether burned, or even slaughtered Alfred thought as he watched Clements’s captors making their way back stumbling towards the carriage with the corpses in their hands.

  “What a man! I heard many rumors about him, but I never expected that he is this ruthless, please make sure to remind me never to hang around or even get closer from Alfred,” Tony, one of the captors who brought Clement blurted.

  Stephen walked confidently up toward the others, except for his special look, his long dark hair, that looked wavy that made him look as a warm man with his raised nose and kind of heavy jowls. The man’s butt made his belly look big while darkness was aggravated and threw its shadows over the location, a darkness that was deepened by the huge and the thick trees of nuts. It was getting darker as the sun was about to set while the full bloody red moon started to frown murkily throwing its nets on Northumberland and becoming the only light that lit the rural place of that countryside.

  “Where on earth have you been?” Tony angrily yelled as he shoved his friend. “We could have been able to use your help, lad. “The man attempted to fix and straighten his large dark green shirt so that he could act as someone who had authority and power, but his attempt proved to be even more futile that he thought. The man’s scruffy brown hair hung in tangled strands and made his head look even bigger than his thin and tiny body as well as his huge rear.

  “He was such a hard lad to control, we really found it horrible to hold him as down as possible; we made sure to throw him and the other man in the same hole there behind the liver.” The man paused for some seconds before carrying on his speech “That lad, Clement, do you have an idea who was he?” The man inquired.

  “Now you are asking; where have you been earlier when we needed your help in carrying that man’s heavy body?” One of the captors replied.

  “I just had to eat, I was dying of hunger, so I ate the meal Clement was eating back when he was at the king’s palace, it was delicious, but too spicy,” The man who just joined explained.

  “You must be joking, right? Were you eating the king’s meal?” Tony would never be able to understand his friend’s behavior.

  Northumberland could be boiling and burning, and Stephen wouldn’t even be able to notice.

  “We were waiting for you in the carriage, holding that lad Clement, while you were not doing anything rather than eating from the king’s meal? What if we were caught, big head, I would have enjoyed seeing your head chopped, but not mine, but I wouldn’t like my own head to be chopped you, pig, things could have been worse little brat.” Tony screamed.

  “I only drank a few mouthfuls of milk and not much of red wine,” Stephen said as he strove to stand and patted one of the horses that were pulling the carriage. “You all know that I haven’t eaten for more than three days now,” Stephen defended himself strongly.

  “What a hungry dog you are a man, you could have cost us our lives,” Tony screamed frowning and gritting his teeth in an attempt to wipe his anger and waved his hands angrily.

  “I have always known that you are the most stupid lad I have ever met in my life, so it is not going to work this way anymore, we need to put an end to this and right now, we have to kill you, then we will leave as if nothing happened,” Tony threatened.

  The air became thick and moist, while the men kept moving towards the smaller branches on the sweet chestnut trees. No more killing that day for those men. Tony, inhaling the energizing night breeze, placed his thick hand on his friend’s shoulder.

  “Here my friend, I brought you some bread and meat too, it is from the king’s oven, consider yourself lucky to eat a jug from the king’s personal oven and here is the wine you love too. This is the best I have ever tasted, you have to try it.” The lad grinned, showing his rotten teeth that were covered by his thick lips.

  “I doubted it earlier, but now, I’m quite sure you have gone mad to bring me the king’s own wine,” Tony said as he glanced at the rest of his men shrugging his shoulders strongly in refusal. “You must be out of your mind or you got as dumb as you, man I don’t have time to suit myself with that fancy wine and the food you brought me.” Tony added looking at the rest of his men as if asking them to agree with his statement or point of view.

  The rest of the men did just as he wanted nodding in absolute agreement.

  “In contrast, I had all the time I needed to get all the food that we needed, and the wine too, it is in the carriage,” Stephen boasted. “When we were all at there at the king’s castle, I got into their kitchen and made sure to put everything I wanted in our carriage, we deserve it all, don’t you think? But you were busy tussling Clements that was why you couldn’t see me at all,” Stephen grinned, holding his chest pumping high as he showed and displayed his ugly teeth sticking his tongue out of his rotten mouth from time to another.

  “We if you say so, I have to see for myself to believe your words,” Tony said as he opened the screeching carriage door and had a look inside “Well, good for you, you saved your head from being chopped today, we don’t know what happens tomorrow, come on let us go before someone notices our presence,” Tony said while Stephen crawled up towards the seat of the coachman picking up the reins of the horses.

  Tony never liked anything his friend Stephen ever did or would do, he never knew even how to talk or walk; it didn’t take the rest of the captors a long time to join Stephen.

  “Come on, let us leave, the riders will be here soon,” Tony screamed reminding everyone that they were short of time and they had to leave immediately.

  “Alfred told us about them earlier. But Stephen’s dumbness made me forget, come on, let us leave and now before that crazy man decides to kill us all,” Tony asserted.

  “Start driving towards the deserted location, there is a deserted farm not far from here,” Stephen suggested.

  Everyone took their seats as the carriage left slowly. They were six horsemen, but they appeared to be even more with their power; there was something special about them; it was that all of them wore black caps with weird hoods that were pulled r
eally tightly.

  The mission of three of those men was to guard the place while another one called Thunder dismounted slowly and walked inside; obviously, Alfred was eagerly expecting them, but he didn’t greet them when they showed up. All that could be seen was the fading flames as it reflected the dark shadows of horror and terror of the location together with the frightening of the dirty planked thick and greasy walls. The fire pit was simmering.

  Baron Albert, who was commander of the warriors heard a lot about the rumors that revolved around Alfred; he had learned a lot about the torturing methods Alfred would use against his captives; it was something hard to believe, but looking at the multitude of tools that seemed to be only used for torture, Albert was finally able to realize that Alfred was no more than a real bloody beast who enjoyed torturing people and smelling their blood. Everything was put right there starting from a splitter meant to be used for the knees, a ripper to be used for chests and breasts; Albert knew very well how to torture people, whether with cold or hot tools; there was a tool used to tear the tongues, a screw to be used for pulling thumbs, even a crusher of heads. What a horrible view! Albert thought resting his eyes slowly on the unashamed baloney. Yes he heard many things about it, but he didn’t see anything like it in his life; it exceeded all of his expectations. There was also a small bull that was mad of bronze, Alfred must have brought it from the Crusades; it had a door and there was a totally naked captive who was locked inside it; a huge fire was lit around that bull; it looked so hot that the bull became a red colored. The prisoner’s screams could be heard from a far distance; no one could bare such torture and as the cries went insane and the bull started shaking, it seemed that the body was getting slowly roasted leading a perpetual and painful death.

  When Alfred’s eyes met the Albert’s eyes, he didn’t move at all and the glance he had in them was more like a frozen piece of ice. Nothing could be seen in his eyes other than uncontrollable rage and anger; a violence that nothing could ever outpace it. His hands were full of scars and traces of sword blades. It was quite impossible for Baron Albert to believe that the King of Northumberland had appointed Alfred as the highest commander of his knights; he kept asking himself why, but he couldn’t find a convincing answer for the king’s strange behavior. How could that man be a torturer especially that he was Frayne’s best friend. Yet, from what he had seen already, he became certain that Alfred could betray, not only his best friend and the Night Watch Knights, but he would even betray his own blood ties to realize his own profits, he would even kill his parents if needed, just to obtain a prize such as the one the king would give him in case he succeeded in his mission. Baron Albert made sure to conduct the business the king of Northumberland needed from Alfred and left as soon as he could; he had seen enough for that day; he couldn’t stand anymore to see that place charged with evil deeds and devilish spirits. Everything was stinking there; the smell of death, the poisonous decaying souls. It was only then that the baron realized he was standing in front of a butcher not a human being; although Alfred was the highest commander of Knights, but his behavior had nothing to do with nobility or Knighthood; the man who was standing in front of him was no more than a butcher.

  Yet, despite the power Alfred was given, he still needed Frayne to admit and confess where the location of the treasure and the golden crossbow was. At least, in Alfred’s point of view, only revealing the secret would offer the Knight Frayne an opportunity to have a merciful death, not a brutal one. King of Northumberland himself tried to join the Night Watch Knights, but Frayne dared to challenge the king turning down his wish; it made the king feel anger, and he started wanting to avenge for his pride. He was committed to making Frayne pay his life for rejecting the king.

  King of Northumberland used to be the most powerful king during that time and the Pope himself never dared to turn down any pledge or request from king, yet, if Frayne wouldn’t give the location of the treasure that belonged to the Nights Watch Knights, both him and his friend Alfred would have to suffer a brutal death; one that all the people would always remember; no one had ever been able to escape the King’s brutal revenge for he could never tolerate disobedience from his servants. Lord Albert decided not to talk to Alfred and just opted to step back letting his knight who was right behind him to speak on his behalf.

  “So, did Clements say anything important about the treasure?” That huge knight inquired in his deep voice.

  Alfred, who stood as still as an eagle; his eyes glowed like golden flames as he glared at the knight shaking his head strongly and murmured;

  “I hoped so, but still no, he didn’t spit a word,”

  “Then I think you have to pray and wish as hard as you can that Frayne would speak out and reveal the location of that treasure, at least to save your life,” The tall knight responded in a deep cold tone while he quickly uncovered his long black toupee.

  “Listen to me, take this and put it on; no harm will ever touch you,” The knight added as he handed many items to Alfred. Only the people who are faithful and loyal to you will stay away from danger, but the rest will be all arrested, all of them will be accused and condemned with heresy, and don’t forget the king will pay you very well for the loyalty you have shown to his grace and to his throne.” The knight said as he walked away with the Lord towards the door.

  Alfred was not aware that the walls had ears and Stephen was right there hiding behind the doors; the lad heard everything that was said and talked about; he didn’t miss any detail especially when he learned that Alfred betrayed his companion and best friend Frayne. And he even betrayed the Night Watch Knights; he even betrayed Tony. Stephen held his face and buried it I his arms while he slowly tried to understand what had just happened. The lad seemed to regret what he and his friends did and the fact that Alfred managed to mislead him and his friends especially when it came to Clements’s imprisonment. Only then did he realize that what they did was no more than a terrible mistake, it was their biggest mistake as they trusted Alfred.

  Chapter Two: The Night Watch Knights Treasure

  Spending his entire life digging deep in the dirt

  For a treasure buried underneath the deep sands of time

  Count each leaf and drop of rain you will never find a grain

  Your quest for treasure is the longest journey you’d have

  Whether thou are looking for the lost treasure or the gold

  Ancient gardens will be full of dragons that roam

  The Guardians of that Grove will never stop protecting it

  Until the last soul and the last bone, thou will meet courageous ones

  Dwell under the sun and dance around the bones of the knights,

  You will meet ghosts that will be hunting so beg for salvation.

  Don’t let yourself tempted with that rose; it is next to the dragon

  Don’t let yourself be swallowed by the mysteries of dark secrets

  Northumberland’s coastline during the season of the spring had always been characterized by the continuation of the fall of rain. Everything looked peaceful as it was running slowly towards the coastline; there were golden sand hills sprinkled with the vivid green meadows and the herbs that rested against the shining White Mountains and the multitude of the narrow streams and rivers. Gales of howling winds were splashing the rocky fjord, the ragged faces and even the gray cliffs murmuring up to the high waves. The shining white sails of nine heavily laden Northumberland ships disappeared in the far horizon; everything was sheltered by the high cliffs, but still more than other five long ships were anchored in the cloistered bay. A wide number of knights could be seen walking steadily towards the cargo. The knights were using long and strong ropes while the Nights Watch Knights, focused on lowering the wooden podium towards the mouth of the reef and through the passage that was leading towards the narrow passageway that was leading to a huge underground chancel.

  Frayne was a haphazardly handsome lad; he had got a unique figure and a renaissance charming loo
k; he looked like a hero with his wide sculpt shoulders as well as his muscled arms. He was standing on six and a half feet, wearing a gray Cloak, and he was putting a brown cross on his chest and also on his back. He had a really long and dark blond hair that almost hung past his robust waist. He had such crystal blue eyes that would stop anyone in his tracks; his gaze was sharp and breathtaking.

  Frayne was accompanied by his beloved mistress, Rose, some of his knights and Barry, the general of the Night Watch Knights. Rose was from the south of Northumberland, she was really tall, a noble unrivaled beauty, she had always been fascinating with her golden hair that was silky and soft as a petal; her hair was falling along her shoulders, it made her different from other women, with her green eyes and her raised nose. Usually, Frayne didn’t use to allow her to accompany him in his dangerous trips and the long dark nights, but he did it for some reason, he wanted to show her the treasure she had always dreamt of; a treasure of a secret that was never told, one that nobody had ever seen, a buried secret in the hearts of many generations that passed. The number of people, who had seen that treasure, was very few, and none of them might have seen it more than once. Frayne hoped that things were different with King of Northumberland; yet, the latter’s rounding up and killing brutally as many Knights as he could, wasn’t promising and that was the main reason why Frayne knew he didn’t have so much time to pass with Rose. She had always been the only woman he ever had feelings for, and because Frayne cared too much about her safety, he made her travel in disguise wearing man’s clothes. She had her hair raised and hidden under a large cap; no one would doubt that she was a woman in disguise. Frayne had to follow the rules; the vows he made forbade him from accompanying any female creature with him; he even hid the relationship that was between them, even from his best friends.