The road from Kerman to Istakhar is full of caravans arriving from the Persian Gulf, laden with spices and pearls that they trade along their way, but due to the conflict between the usurper eunuch and the monarch they had ceased their usual routes, leaving the roads in total loneliness only the howling of the wind and the presence of the desert beasts broke the tranquility of the once bustling roads.
Loft Ali Khan along with the handful of men who still considered him their king advanced on the back of their fast horses along those roads, trying not to attract attention when they took rest in the ruined caravanserais where the word soon spread of what happened to the city Kerman when it was taken over by the ruthless Aqa Mohhamad Khan Qajar.
The young monarch, disguised as a carpet merchant, had to contain his disgust followed by growing anger at the knowledge that the brave people of the city had been harassed and slaughtered without any regard, high towers were erected along the ruined walls with the severed heads of those who had taken up arms against the Qajars and the survivors were brought before the cruel eunuch, who ordered their eyes gouged out, regardless of whether they were old men, women or children, making a mound of orbs that caused delight to the conquering tyrant.
The regret of Loft Khan was increased when he saw the common people accepting with bitter resignation the dominion of the usurper, more out of fear of suffering retaliations than out of true love for his person; was excessive violence the only way to remain on the gold peacock throne?.
This grim thoughts fill the mind of the young monarch when they started the travelling under the cloak of the night, trying to avoid the Qajar spies along the way, there was two days of travel after reaching the ruins of the city of Istakhar, but a heavy noice interrupt it´s marching.
One of the horsemen at his side made a twist in his mount and fall to the ground, lifeless with a bullet wound in his head, the rest of the party encircled the young monarch, protecting him from the attacks that came from the distance, a little white smoke rose from a couple of rocks at the top a little hill at the right side of the road, another shot sound hitting the shoulder of Loft Khan who instead of succumbing to the pain of the wound, he shout fiercely to its men around him.
-Open fire!, this Qajar dogs will pay this affront!.
The Zand loyalists dismount their horses, holding in their hands their muskets, pointing them to the couple of rocks, opening fire in their direction , but the runaway king blinded by the rage, instead of hiding from the reach of the shots, he run in direction of the rocks, Sabur Khan and Mirza Hossein saw the action of the king as suicide.
-My lord!- shout Mirza Hossein dodging the bullets of the attackers of the hill, following the steps of its master.
With a matchlock pistol and his saber blade, Loft Khan with huge strides, feeling the buzzing sound of the bullets at their sides, jump the rocks of the little hill and surprise the attackers at the moment they were loading it´s outdated muskets, with a swift movement of its blade, he slice clean the head of one them when he was pointing to him the barrel of its musket, a stream of blood soiled the rocks and floor, the surprised ambushers forget their fire weapons, unsheathed their sabers, pointing them at the chest of the runaway king.
The clash of the swords started in a blink of eyes, the wounded Loft Khan blocked the sword cuts with elegance, in his tender years he learned the art of swordsmanship, in the royal court no one could defeat him in a duel of swords, soon the ambushers at the services of the Qajar learned it in the hard way that.
One of them when he was holding it´s blade above his head to strike the chest of Loft Khan, felt a deep cut above its lower belly, the blood and bowels were vomited with violence, making a chirping noise followed by the collapse of the dying ambusher, leaving five of seven standing.
The hunters became the prey, one of the attackers knowing this he run away, knowing that their plan failed miserably, but a bullet behind its back ended its life, the Zand Loyalists under the command of Mirza Hossein follow him with their muskets at hand, unloaded them at the surprised Qajars leaving only one of the ambushers standing, around him, the barrels of the muskets point to his chest, and in front of him ,Loft Khan with his matchlock pistol pointing to his head.
-It´s over-said Loft Khan-your eunuch master will answer sooner or later for it´s crimes against my family and the kingdom.
The Qajar warrior, who respond to the name of Khoda Khan, a Durrani warrior who fought alongside Nader Sha, held the gaze to the young monarch, showing no fear or regret, and with a heavy voice respond.
-Aqa Khan it´s the only master of this land, your family don´t deserve the crown, your ancestors betrayed the Afsharids, and now you will reap what your family sow.
-King of Kings- said Sabur Khan-make an example of this traitorous dog, don´t hesitate about this, your enemy slaughter your followers and supporters like sheep, it´s time to show him that you are not a scared boy.
Lotf Khan hearth felt heavy remembering all the misfortunes that this war inflicted in his spirit and people, he was a fair man but rage blinded its judgement and keeping his sword in it´s sheath, holding with his hand the bullet bound in his shoulder, with a a gaze that can freeze a hearth spoke to his men.
-Prepare some nails, he will learn to fear the house of Zand.
When the sun rise from the mountains, the young monarch departed with its men, leaving behind a message to it´s persecutors, in a dry tree, Khoda Khan was crucified, his limbs pierced by the nails bleed profusely staining the rough surface of the tree, Koda Khan didn´t scream when the nails tore it´s flesh and bones, it was a warrior, he fought in the bloody wars of Nader Sha and bow his sword to the cause of Aqa Muhammad Qajar, now he was paying the price of serving the eunuch emperor, when the sun hit the face of Khodan Khan and the heat increase around him, its mouth and lips became dry but a sardonic laugh sound around the desolated road, he will face the angel of death with an smile, without remorse and regret.
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But at the distance he saw a figure approaching, perhaps a lonely merchant shyly started it´s routine of selling its goods in the ruined caravansaries, ignoring the conflicts that ravaged the zone, but the shinning metal betray that initial thought, seeing a old man mounted in a donkey, wearing a long brown caftan, under its caftan, the shining armor of chainmail and plates appeared under the sunlight, when he was at few steps of him, Khoda Khan look to its face.
He was wearing a turban around its head of the same color of its caftan, his face was like the dervish mystics that roamed across the land, the bearded strange vagabond mystics and mad philosophers, its gaze was severe and grim, reminding him at the face of an old wolf, its bulky body was sheathed in an rajput armor and an axe hung on his side, it was a warrior with out any doubt.
-Fate was not kind with you, don´t you?-said the old man in the donkey-tell me, what was the crime you committed?, this days the crimes even the insignificant ones are dearly paid, indeed this are harsh times for everyone.
-I suffered this because of my loyalty-said Khoda Khan with difficulty- I serve to the true king of Persia, Aqa Muhhamad Qajar.
The old man laughed with sarcastic tone, responding with a sardonic smile.
-The eunuch who slaughter the people who pretend to rule?, indeed the people of the land of Irán has fallen deeply in chaos to consider serving a man who doesn´t know mercy in his actions.
-Don´t speak of our lord like this-said Khoda Khan heavy breathing for the effort-I serve him because he knows how to hold the enemies of the nation at bay, soon peace will came under it´s banner, and the rewards will be plenty…for everyone.
-Peace it´s an illusion-said grimly-but, excuse my manners, you are in a corpse tree, bleeding to die like a dog, you want to be free?
Koda Khan, who thought a few moments past that this dammed tree will be it´s tomb, did not repress and laughter saying.
-Of course old fool!, god smile upon me, help me and my lord will reward you, my name it´s Koda Khan of Kandar, of the durrani tribe, and who are you traveler?.
The old man descent of its donkey, searching in a bag at the side of its mount a tool that help him to get down the crucified man, whe he was searching, he respond to Koda Khan.
-I am Bamanyar of Yerevan, I am a Bahram.
Koda Khan was speechless , he remembered the old stories of its people about the Bahram, a secret order of mystics who devoted it´s life in the search and hunting of the prehuman evils who roam the mountains and deserts, in the time of the mongol invasions, their plundering of the cities and it´s hunger of wealth unleashed the dormant horrors who were banished in the age of ignorance, and the known world succumbed in bloody chaos but in that darkest hour, the Bahram appear, men from every corner of the world, muslim or Christian, bounded by duty and oath, standing aside between the desperate realms of men and the sons of the primordial chaos.
They fought and died, ignoring the petty disputes of the kings and nobles who fought for themselves, and their enemies scattered in the wind, hiding in caves and desolated deserts, banished from the places frequented by men, but their victory sealed its dawnfall.
Bamanyar using a rusty pincer, he pull out with force the nail that crossed the feet of the afghan in the corpse tree, the durrani tribesman suppressed a cry of pain, swiftly the Bahram put a liquid from a wineskin in in the wounds, it was black as asphalt, but with a sweet scent similar to fresh cinnamon, Khodan Khan open wide its eyes, giving a kick to the wineskin, pouring the liquid in the ground for the disgust of the Bahram.
-Why you do this?-said Bamanyar picking up the wineskin from the ground.
-It´s black lotus wine! more deadly and addictive than opium!-scream Khoda Khan.
-Only the uninitiated in our rites can die by the black lotus wine-said Bamanyar-but it´s health properties will heal your wounds; you are safe of its effects if you don´t drink it.
For the pastho tribes, the black lotus was a sign of misfortune and bad luck, when they encounter a black lotus growing in the ground, promptly destroy it and throw salt where the plant had been, but the Bahram with unknown methods created a strange liquor using the whole plant, that elixir was the source of its power and doom, because its consumption gave them strange abilities that help them in his battles, but it was a death sentence, because sooner or later, that liquor would take them to a profound state of delirium and a savage madness, that`s why the tribes feared the Bahram.
But Khoda Khan saw with astonishment that the wounds of its feet began to heal, a transparent scab was covering the holes that the nail inflicted in its flesh, when the nail that was holding it`s right hand was pulled out, he quickly started to free it`s other hand ignoring the bleeding, denying the help of the Bahram, falling into its knees when he free itself, holding a deep breath.
-What were you looking for son of the Durrani?-speak finally Bamanyar while he was soaking some bandages with the wineskin, giving them to Koda Khan.
The afghan with a harsh move, took the bandages from the hands of the Bahramn and wrapped his wounds, saying with a cautious tone.
-The Qajars want to end its war and to achieve it, the runaway king must be captured.
-I see-said Bamanyar crossing his arms in his chest-tell me, a hunchback was accompanying the king?.
-Of course! -he said Khoda Khan-that bastard give the idea to runaway king to put me in that corpse tree!
The gaze of Bamanyar was severe when he heard the words of Khoda Khan, that did not go unnoticed to Khoda Khan who say.
-You know him black lotus eater?.
-I am following its trail from Bukhara, that sloppy snake finally found a nest to spread its venom, I must stop him.
Ignoring Khoda Khan, Bamanyar took a seat in his mount, saying to him when he pass to its side.
-Rest and take this-throwing it a bag that inside contain three pieces of bread and a slice of goat cheese-give a word to your master and say to him that it`s prey will go to Istakhar, he must take it`s army with him.
-Why a whole army to stop a runaway man?-said Khoda Khan with surprise.
- Because if a I fail, your king will face a war between the realms of men and the sons of the Elder Universe, and pray to Allah that the might of this age prevail to the power of the eons who lay dormant behind the ebony door that will be desecrated by the son of the house of Zand.