The city gates opens ajar by the guards. The archers from above lowers their arrows while the ground troops drops their pointy spears as the angry Warlord sped through the gate on his stallion, swifting up dirts all over the surroundings.
Counter Paulini proceeds from the city gates directly back to the council members hall. He didn't care more about anything while he moved passed streets and houses all empty. Nothing seems to matter to him but it sure did when he got to the council's main premises.
His horse instantly came instantly came to a halt as he stares at the entire community looking confused all with their baskets and belongings.
Men, children, women all with their numerous properties laid on the floors of the council's hall. He looked in dismay. He knew that the citizens were all fed up. They are looking for an explanation for their hustle.
The Head of Zarmin city moved his horse randomly in between two rolls of numerous staring eyes as he made his way towards the stairs. At the end junction, his personal guards rushes up to him, helping him down his horse.
At that moment he stepped down his horse, the whole citizen went on uproar, shouting and protesting about their reason for the swift-vacation. The noise multiplied minute by minute as they watch Counter Paulini moves up the stairs and straight towards the dark council room while the guards closes the door behind him...
TWO HOURS TO COUNTDOWN
It wan now nightfall. The cold north wind era began to move pass through both soldier's skins. From dusk to dawn, the two opposition battalions stood all morning ready for the warning bell.
The Zarmin Army, consisting of both the archers and ground warriors still had some difficulty to attain for what might had caused this controversial stampede they had before them. The humidity wasn't on their side. All cold and confused, they still had to fight to the last strength of their fading breath. As soldiers, discipline and courage are their daily bread. They still had to fight.
On the other hand towards the dark stood the ferocious Scavengers, standing upright with their swords, clubs and metal arsenals without moving a muscle. It seemed like the cold temperature didn't affect their body vesselsi They looked all in war spirits than the noble warriors of Zarmin.
The Scavengers war leader, Samson walks out of the end of the troopers from behind looking towards the walls of the Zarmin as the city bonfire burns the crickets rapidly. He sees the archers drawing out their bows and arrows aiming at his troops. He looks down and then back again to the 1000 ground troops of Zarmin soldiers with swords. He scoffs out loudly at the dumb-looking soldiers.
"I hope the poor soldiers must have had time to tell their families goodbye", he spoke out silently in remorse.
Samson turns back at his soldiers. He was moving towards the inner part of the multitude when an unexpected missile from above whistled passed his earlength.
WHOOSH!!.
The instrument of death left swiftly from his direction and landed heavily at the fellow warrior's chest. A frightened Zarmin archer from the wall accidently fired an arrow towards Samson's soldier.
His fellow archers watches as he fired the opposition's soldier point-blank, slapping his head heavily. The shaking cold archer watches in despair as the enemy falls down to the ground.
Samson stares below as his soldier blood drips into the soil. Nothing could be done anymore to the poor soldiers laying helplessly on the ground. The War leader of the Scavengers whom gazed at the Zarmin ground warriors looking at his opposition as his enemies saw the impossible happening behind the warlord.
Zarmin warriors looks in horror as the unexpected seemed to be present.
The dead warrior woke up!, breaking the arrows right out from his chest into pieces. To add to that, he stood up, grabbing his spear acting like the arrow was nothing more than a pin.
He stood next to Samson as the Warlord laugh devilishly at his opponent's soldiers tremble in fear for the unbelievable.
If just one of the soldier had a healing factor, what would be their fate towards the whole opposing Army?!
Now, the entire Zarmin warrior's spirit were now totally shattered. There were surely up for a deadly challenge and the odds were not in their favour.
AN HOUR TO COUNTDOWN
Noises fills the background from every corner of the council hall's arena. The desperate people of Zarmin still have been ranting all over the place for their incompetent query. The council room, now locked on the inside by noble soldiers of Zarmin with shiny armaments. Inside their protective chambers stood Counter Paulini still speculating on their previous desicion.
Counter Paulini sat on the stool with his head faced down. His staring formidable council members never knew what was even going on outside their walls, but there all had something in mind to the Head.
The Zarmin Head, Counter Paulini rose his head looking closely at the council members. He looked to the window nearest to him.
He watched as the people yelled at the top of their voices at numerous areas. At least, it was the soldiers guarding the main entrance that might suffer from the intense uproar. He still wondered how was it possible that the entire Zarmin citizen were outside his domain.
"Tell me, why the fuck is the entire city doing outside my doorstep?", shouted Counter Paulini in rage. He spoke with rage in his eyes while his loyal council members murmured in fear of their actions. Instanlty, a certain council member, Atoini stood up to explain: "O my Head, we had to gather the citizens to fetch out the criminal whom you were In need of".
"I don't need it anymore", The Zarmin Head replied in annoyance.
"But the city does. They are curious about the erratic troubles you placed on them. They want to go back to their homes and not to scatter out in the dark like cockless bastards. They are willingly to go on with the search. Besides, we have to lay out our options right. We are about to go under in the next hour. We have to do something before our time runs out or didn't you not fathom what the scrolls implied?", the determined Atoini responded with a firm face.
Counter Paulini rose from his stool and walked up straight to Atoini. At eyesight and close range, he leaned closer to the terrified man whom was covering up his fear with courage on the outside. Making the outcome of the situation more worse, Counter Paulini took his sword from the table. The council members at the back looked in terror as their mate was about to witness an unusual incident.
Though, still terrified about his options, the council member stood still as he watched his leader moves slowly towards him.
Finally, they got to the end point. The council member watched as the Zarmin Head swings his sword to and fro. Atoini moved no more. He closed his eyes, preparing himself for what he had expected. All he imagined was the sound of the blade slashing his head off his body. The council members watched In fear as Atoini was about to bow down when Counter Paulini's left hand touched his shoulders.
Atoini opens his eyes only to see nothing more than a smile on his master's face. The frightened council member breathe hard. The council members still watches as Counter Paulini attached his sword to his belt.
Evenly,he laid his other hands on the happily looking council member. Counter Paulini then spoke up: "I don't need it anymore, like I said. The city don't need it either. Those demons out there are not ready for a fight. Trust me, they are not. They are not worthy to be called soldiers. They are just a myth, just like their war leader himself".
The council members looked in disbelief. To them maybe their leader doesn't understand what the scrolls.
"Sire, but the scrolls..."
"They are just dusty books written by men of fear, nothing more. If the so-called Scavengers were true, why the fuck wasn't their leader's name on the scrolls?",asked the Zarmin Head whom was now firm on his ideology. The council members looks at each other. Maybe their leader was right after all. Some parts of the scrolls were missing some efficient details.
"Look, those armies of unknown individuals are nothing more than toothless snakes in our boots. They just want to implant fear in us. They can't attack the city. I bet on it", responded the Zarmin Head.
The council members whom still curious for their supreme one's action wasn't quite pleased with his decision. They decided to press further: "We may believe your wise words but our enemies are waiting patiently to attack us soon. Our only solution is to give them what they need or… what's our angle of action towards the shadow of a criminal living inside these walls?", asked Onuga in favour to speak of his fellow comrades.
Counter Paulini similes at his council members. He moved towards the door without uttering a response to their question.
The council members watches as the door opens ajar with the echoing noises of the citizens filling the room once more. The council members felt a hidden agenda was struck in counter Paulini's mind. With quick pace, they moved towards the arena.
Counter Paulini moved his hands up high in the air. The noises died down. The entire spectators looked right at him with so more eagerness. He was about to pass a message: "Great people of Zarmin,hear thee!. I gathered you all here to tell you this.i know you all are confused and scared which has dragged you all into frustration. I also know that they have been rumours spreading round the town about some unknown enemies right out our walls but let me bring the good news to you. They are really strange soldiers right outside our walls as we speak and yes, the rumours are true".
The whole people now in fear shouts in panic. Noises fills the arena once more but still, Counter Paulini pressed on: "They are soldiers there right now, ready to attack us. Soldiers of pointy sharp boots, b
reastplates of pain and swords like the fires from the south but our soldiers will be with us, protecting us all. There will be no death nor sorrow today. Our warriors are trained, forged into men of steel and minds of a bull's horn. They depend their lives on the power of stones and the metal. They will not stop until the very last one of their foes is vanquished. I guarantee this, People of Zarmin, when the sun rises, we will all here celebrating our victory. Hear me people of Zarmin, we are all going to be safe".
Out of the crowd shouted a civilian from the front: "So what do you expect us to do?".
"Go home and live your life. Go back to drinking and building. Go back with your lovely wives. Go back to your respectable occupation and cater your daily bread. Forget the order of which you should depart your home. Everything has been settled. We are all going to be safe. As far as I Counter Paulini,Head of Zarmin city and your nation's mouthpiece, your walls shall surely stand. Go back to your homes now, beloved citizens of Zarmin", replied Counter Paulini aloud.
The crowd rants aloud with noises of the people departing to their homes in different directions. Counter Paulini watches to the last person walks away from the council hall premises. He laughs and turns his back only to look to his council members looking in shock and despair at their leader's false statement to his own people.
Counter Paulini stares at each and ever one of them before he goes inside the council room. As he turns his back at the council members, he spoke to them from behind with a vogue and frightening reply: "That was my angle of action, not the city. It will be well good if they understand".
The door closes behind the Zarmin Head as he immediately ended his words.
The council members stares at each other. They were all at the council arena. Something was truely fishy about Counter Paulini. Rght from when he got back from the wall, the false statement to the disregard of the bid to his final statement. Truely, they knew Hades is coming.
In an instant, they all ran down the stairs, grabbed their horses and immediately left in different directions to their various destinations...
THIRTY – EIGHT MINUTES TO COUNTDOWN
There in the dark Council room sat Counter Paulini on his majestic stool with his left hand on the table and right hand nearest to his loyal weapon.
The arena is filled with darkness once more as The Zarmin Head waits patiently for the last click of Hades slouching to his demise: "They will come with deadly arrows of doom and with their right hand shall they wield their host. They will crumble any instrument beneath their path and dispose the innocent into their merciless blade. They will come with news of death on their faces and its instrument. We shall not be revealed when the dawn rises so if it's a war they want, let them come!. If it's a fight the Devil wants, I will give one to him regardless the question…"