Asteru: Bolat Abaiov, that is my real name.
Elliot: is the only thing you can remember?
Bolat: yes.
woman: undead have no memories, or you are lying to us or you really are a strange case.
Within the confines of the underground shelter, each chamber serves as a bastion of preparedness, stocked with essential provisions to sustain the villagers in the face of adversity. In one room, shelves groan beneath the weight of carefully hoarded rations – sacks of seeds and bundles of dried meat – their presence a silent testament to the villagers' foresight in anticipation of a potential siege.
Adjacent to the provisions chamber lies a makeshift workshop, a testament to Bolat's ingenuity and resourcefulness. Here, amidst the whir of saws and the rhythmic pounding of hammers, Bolat toils tirelessly alongside his fellow villagers, crafting wooden defenses and small bows with meticulous precision. Together, they labor in harmony, each task undertaken with unwavering determination and resolve. As the days pass, Bolat's focus remains unwavering, his mind consumed by thoughts of strategy and preparation. With unwavering determination, he sets about crafting a new weapon – a crossbow inspired by the ingenuity of ancient Chinese designs. Drawing upon his knowledge and skill, Bolat meticulously assembles each component, his hands deft and sure as he breathes life into his creation.
In the quiet solitude of the workshop, Bolat finds solace amidst the clatter of tools and the scent of sawdust, his mind alight with the possibilities that lie ahead. With each carefully crafted bolt and precisely carved limb, he forges a symbol of defiance – a weapon to defend his home and protect his fellow villagers from the looming threat that shadows their every move.
With each carefully crafted bolt and precisely carved limb, he forges a symbol of defiance – a weapon to defend his home and protect his fellow villagers from the looming threat that shadows their every move [https://img.wattpad.com/916b908fcb7a8763a284e78dc03ac5fedbf2a779/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f4d434150744a4a69597765656c413d3d2d313433343936363231332e3137633166373835643461623661336337373732393332383532312e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
In the span of a month, the villagers toil tirelessly, their efforts yielding a substantial sum of 123 achmas – coins forged from tralian, a precious metal that replaces gold in their world. Yet, their hopes are swiftly dashed when the tax collector arrives, demanding payment in copper drachmas and decrying the use of tralian as sacrilege fit only for the aristocracy. Accusing the villagers of theft, he orders his soldiers to seize the money and pillage their humble abodes.In the ensuing chaos, violence erupts as the villagers valiantly defend their newfound prosperity. Tragically, lives are lost in the fray, with some villagers falling victim to the merciless blades of the soldiers. To ensure compliance, the tax collector takes a child hostage, further escalating the villagers' debt to an exorbitant 500 drachmas, coupled with a punitive late fee of 100 drachmas.Before departing, the tax collector callously desecrates the monument erected by Bolat, crushing it beneath his heel as a final act of contempt. As the dust settles and the tax collector and his entourage withdraw, the village lies in ruins, its once-thriving community shattered by the heavy hand of oppression.
Amidst the rubble, Bolat emerges from the underground shelter, his skeletal form hidden from the prying eyes of the tax collector. Surveying the devastation that surrounds him, he is greeted by a scene of utter desolation – the monument he painstakingly erected lies in ruins, its shattered remnants a stark reminder of the injustice that has befallen his people.
Elliot: Bolat, we lost 5 men and many shacks, and one of our children was taken by them to make sure we pay our debt.
Bolat: it is a sacrilege for us peasants to even touch Tralian?, do we not have any future other than being crushed by the aristocracy?
Elliot: we were born as peasants, that is the way the world works, Bolat, Bolat?
Bolat: this...it was the tax collector?
Elliot: oh, yes, he crushed the monument before leaving, wait, what are you doing? where are you taking that crossbow?
Bolat: He will curse the day he was born.
Elliot: let me go with you.
Bolat: NO! this is not about you.
Elliot: what do you mean this isn't about me? i have lost family too, I also saw how my mother died in my own eyes by our own masters! and what did they did to her body? threw it to the pigs! i know the only thing you feel right now is rage, but there is no way you can do this alone.
Bolat: can you find where the tax collector lives?
Elliot: he lives in front of the city hall, everyone in the city knows that.
Bolat: fine.
Under the cloak of night, Bolat and Elliot, armed with his crossbow and daggers, embark on their daring mission. Three days of stealthy travel bring them to an alley adjacent to the imposing city hall, where the tax collector's residence lies nearby. In the shadowed confines of the alley, they huddle together to devise their strategy.Recognizing Bolat's agility as a skeletal being, he volunteers to infiltrate the building, swiftly incapacitating the guards stationed within. Meanwhile, Elliot, skilled in the art of thievery, takes position outside, utilizing his crossbow to dispatch any sentries in the garden, ensuring they remain unaware of Bolat's covert entry.Ascending to the third floor, Bolat locates a pavilion and deftly opens a window to provide Elliot with access. With practiced precision, Elliot navigates the tax collector's office, pilfering valuables and currency with the finesse of a seasoned thief. Meanwhile, Bolat, leveraging his unique undead abilities, dispatches the tax collector, ensuring their mission remains undetected.In a calculated move to divert suspicion, Bolat leaves behind a fabricated letter purportedly penned by a renowned wizard, casting doubt on the true nature of the attack. Unable to compose the letter himself in the local tongue, they enlisted the aid of a skilled writer prior to their assault.With their objectives accomplished, Bolat and Elliot retreat to the safety of the fields beyond the city limits, vanishing into the cover of darkness as dawn breaks on the horizon.
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The following day, the governor of Gallo is presented with a chilling letter discovered on the deceased tax collector's body. Its ominous contents bear a dire warning addressed to the Kemeean crown:
"My name is Salazar Mayhew, and this missive is a stark ultimatum to the rulers of Kemee. Cease your relentless taxation of the people, or face the consequences. This death is but the beginning; next in line is the city governor, followed by the crown itself. Heed my words, for the blood of your leaders will stain the floors unless you halt your tyranny. However, there is a chance for salvation. After the governor's demise, leave 100 tralian drachmas near the eastern forest's edge every three days, until the 21st day, or face the demise of the crown."
Aware that the capital city of Mochanuete lies only a day's journey from Gallo, the governor dispatches a messenger posthaste to relay the ominous threat to the capital. Meanwhile, he issues orders for every soldier to scour the city and surrounding roads, searching diligently for any trace of the elusive killer. However, Elliot's ethereal form as a fairy grants him the ability to fly undetected, while Bolat's skeletal composition leaves no discernible footprint on the earth, rendering their pursuit elusive and challenging.
Back in Ornegaka, Bolat and Elliot strategize on their plan to assassinate the governor after successfully selling the stolen goods. However, they realize their stolen money remains unclaimed in the city hall. Initially considering retrieving it first, they ultimately decide to prioritize the governor's elimination, driven by memories of the villagers they lost.On a cloudy night, Elliot takes advantage of the darkness to fly over the city hall and drop Bolat near the garden. Bolat stealthily enters through the garden into the tax office, skillfully evading the guards. Inside, he locates keys that seem to belong to a safe. After returning to the roof, Bolat consults Elliot about any suspicious elements observed in the tax collector's office at his house. Elliot mentions seeing a safe near the office, prompting Bolat to decide their next move: infiltrating the tax collector's house, now guarded by the city patrol.
In the tax collector's house, they slip through the same window and make their way to the office. Elliot attempts to open the safe while Bolat keeps watch. Despite Elliot's efforts, the rusted safe door emits a loud creak, alerting the guards below. They call out for the guards upstairs, but with no response, they ascend the stairs to investigate. Upon seeing Elliot, they raise their spears in alarm. One guard is dispatched by Bolat's crossbow, while the other is swiftly dealt with by Elliot, who seizes a spear in the scuffle. With a bag of coins in hand, they make a hasty exit from the city.The following morning, news of the robbery at the tax collector's house reaches the governor's ears. Not all the tax documents were transferred to the city hall, and the thief made off with some of the most recent tax collection documents. Additionally, guards discover the skull of an Edrak, a local animal. Upon examining his desk, the governor finds the note discovered on the tax collector's body, along with a drawing of the same skull, raising his suspicions.
Counter: that Salazar is starting to give me headaches.
Governor: I have an idea, somehow this wizard knows me, so I must go to the south, maybe to Ruequegori, I know the governor, so I can hide for the entire sow season.
Counter: what if he finds you? We must hire a royal wizard to ensure your safety, we can go by sea if you want.
A soldier knocks on the door.
Governor: get in.
Soldier: sir! Our 4th patrol squad hasn't returned for the entire day, we already sent someone to look for them, but it disappeared too.
Counter: where do they patrol?
Soldier: the crop fields at the west near the Frontier forest.
Governor: that's where the old Imperial Road is located, the peasants of Ornegaka, they know something.
Soldier: Ornegaka sir? I never heard of that place.
Counter: they're just the ruins of a forgotten town in the old Imperial Road, and some beggars located there, nothing to worry about. Secure the governor, I will inspect myself.
Following reports of a missing patrol near the hidden forest where Ornegaka is located, the city hall counter takes swift action, securing the governor and leading a contingent northwest towards Ornegaka. However, during the night's rest, chaos ensues as a fire breaks out, consuming several tents. Despite efforts to apprehend the culprit, they vanish into the forest. With darkness hindering their search, the soldiers focus on extinguishing the flames. By morning, as they clear the debris, a discovery is made: a helmet bearing the insignia of the 4th patrol guard. Determined, they press deeper into the forest, unaware of the two direwolves from Ornegaka silently observing their movements from the treetops.
The villagers' familiarity with the forest, honed since last spring, grants them exceptional navigation skills within its depths. Leveraging the morning fog to their advantage, they expertly ambush soldiers from behind or unleash arrows with uncanny precision, prompting the counter to speculate about their weaponry, given the accuracy and size of the arrows. As they press on through the forest, the thickening fog hampers their progress. Suddenly, a soldier unwittingly triggers a tripwire, activating a wooden spike trap reminiscent of the bamboo whip traps used in Vietnam. He is impaled on a long branch, his agonized cry alerting his comrades, who rush to his aid. The sight of their fallen comrade instills fear, causing them to proceed cautiously through the forest.
Amidst the chaos, another soldier stumbles into a trap, his leg ensnared between two spiked rollers. Frantic attempts to free him result in more soldiers falling victim to similar traps scattered throughout the forest. Recognizing the need to regroup, the counter orders a halt until morning. As the soldiers tend to their wounds and recover from the ordeal, one makes a disturbing discovery: fecal matter embedded in the injuries sustained from the traps. Examination of a recovered trap component confirms the presence of feces and dirt on the spikes. The following morning brings worsening conditions for the wounded soldiers, with increased redness and inflammation in their injured legs, accompanied by a rising fever. Concern mounts among the troops as they grapple with the implications of their dire situation.
As one of the soldiers ventures into the forest to relieve another on guard duty, he discreetly rendezvous with a fairy villager, exchanging whispered words before returning to camp. Meanwhile, in Ornegakia, the villager arrives and slips into the underground shelter, informing Bolat of the success of the traps. Bolat swiftly reloads his crossbow and emerges from the shelter, ready to take action.