Zen let out long sigh and looked towards the starry sky; the Council had brought in others who had been enslaved and questioned them. Not too surprisingly to Zen, many of them had a very similar story to himself. After the confirmation of his tale the Council had come to the conclusion that his suggestion was a very worthwhile pursuit…so zen as the one who proposed the idea was tasked with completing it.
" Chief zen look over there I believe that is fort red rock" one of the scouts leading the way, pointed out a slight reddish blob in the distance. zen just let out a burden sigh and drooped his shoulders, he then turned and looked towards the caravan. [ why…me… I'm just a coward… I just want to run away from this all…] zen body trembled ever so slightly as he cleared his throat "err…w..we…we are nearing…fort red rock…ummm… Remember that …wer…were not here to…f …fight… Approach slowly" His voice lacked confidence and held a nervous stutter.
But thankfully the caravan still heeded and respected his words, none of them were about to cause trouble; for the majority of the caravan were made up of people from zen's tribe. Although the other tribes and other chiefs don't have a particularly high opinion of zen, viewing him as a nervous wreck. Those who are from zen's tribe hold him in the most utmost esteem; in their view there is no better person to lead them then him.
Zen of course knew this fact but that didn't mean he understood at all; he had absolutely no clue of what possibly makes them view him in such a way. The simple truth was in his own view he didn't have many desirable qualities about him, he lacked confidence, wasn't particularly brave, never once fought in his life, doesn't have a particularly well understanding of his own tribes culture, speaks the human tongue better than he does his own tribe's, when he gets overly stressed he goes catatonic… The truth was the only real quality about him that he could think of was of his knowledge of humans.
He knew quite a bit about humans especially of their religion, after all he was forced to listen about how evil and terrible his race was; About how the only thing they are worthy of is as slave labor or fertilizer. He understood their God and their customs, but when he weighing that against his many detrimental qualities… his detrimental qualities heavily outweighed his knowledge.
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As the caravan neared the fort it became increasingly apparent that something was off, they couldn't see any lights nor could they hear anything coming from the fort. zen eventually stopped and raised his hand signaling the others to do so as well. [… It is…Strange enough there is no light coming from the fort…but no sound as well… It's just too quiet… This would all make… sense if it's abandoned but… The Fort looks like it is in good condition… If there are going to abandon it they would've set aflame… There is no smell of burnt wood the air… Nor is there any sign or smell of battle… Something is a very wrong here…] zen walked to the center of the caravan and in a whisper of a voice "we are bypassing it… Put out the torches and be as quiet as possible." The order was quickly and quietly disseminated through the caravan.
The original plan was to just simply approach the fort and inform its occupants of their trade mission. The idea was that if they acted in a nonhostile way and showed their intentions of trade they would be given passage to the interior of the roughlands or simply be told to turn back. But now they are going to bypass the fort under the cover of darkness. Which was an idea originally suggested when they're planning the caravan, But was immediately shot down by zen.
He understood that if they didn't have some sort of proof of passage, in the form of a guide, guards or certificate; they would probably be attacked under the assumption that they were a scouting party or Raiders. But something felt very off to zen, his gut was telling him that if they turned back or tried approaching the fort they will die… So even though he understood the danger of entering the interior without proof of passage, he did it anyways.
As they creeped along, zen got a strange feeling that something was staring at him. They had just barely circled around the fort when zen yet again abruptly stopped. [… Something's wrong… Very… very wrong… It's too quiet… Not just the fort… Everything…] zen started to carefully scanned his surroundings, as he strained his ears to hear anything. He couldn't see anything suspicious in the darkness nor could he hear anything other than the sounds coming from the caravan… no bugs, crickets, birds. The Simple sounds of nature that are many times forgotten about were not there.
There weren't many things that would completely scare off the little critters which would make such sounds. [… What could possibly… Magic…holy judgment… Some inquisitors must be near…] Holy judgment the favorite spell of the inquisitors, was one of the few spells that innately induced fear and One of its many side effects being scaring off small creatures; it also had the propensity to linger for some time.
Zen turned back towards the caravan and whispered "inquisitors… They must be somewhere close… We are ditching the beasts and wagons… "As the order was disseminated there was some confusion but they followed the order regardless. Leaving behind the wagons and beasts they followed zen as he crept along going in random directions and doubling back. Although many of the members of the caravan were confused as to what zen was doing. The members who had experienced tracking understood that he was trying to leave a confusing trail that couldn't be easily tracked, that's why he left behind the wagons and beasts their tracks would be much more apparent and would stay for longer time.
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The members of the caravan were sitting on the ground exhausted; sweating under the sun that was high in the sky at its apex. zen had them traveling throughout the entire night all and well into the day all the while double backing and moving in erratic directions, not once letting them stop to rest or eat.
zen was laying in the grass's his body splayed out, his tired eyes were closed. [..i…will…just…sleep…here…] He could finally relax, that sinking feeling in his gut was finally gone, the simple sounds of nature had finally returned.
"Chief… Chief wake-up, there is something you need to see" one of the Haggard Scouts was trying to wake zen, but seeing that it didn't work he tried shaking zen; The contact immediate made zen jump up startled.
"AH….oh…." Quickly realizing that he wasn't in danger, zen cheeks started to flush slightly from embarrassment. "… Apologies Chief…but there something you need to see." zen looked at the Haggard Scout, his appearance had a tired look to it that was not just from physical exhaustion. "…w..well..w…what is it…?" zen tentatively asked. "Chief…it would be easier to see it for yourself… I don't quite have an explanation… But east of here there is a razed human village." The Scouts voice held a disturbed tone, whatever he had saw overrated any disgust or disdain for humans he may have had.
zen audibly swallowed his saliva. "…umm.. I guess… Lead the way.." The scout simply nodded and pointed towards the direction they need to go and start walking.
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It took the better part of an hour to make it to the village. But when they did zen could understand why scout seem so disturbed. The scent of burnt flesh still lingered in the air mixed with the acrid scent of blood and smoke. It didn't take a particularly observant person to notice the charred bones lying in the wreckage of the burnt out hovels or the very apparent remains of individuals who were burnt at the stake. The most disturbing thing though was… It looked as most the villagers were alive when they were burnt.... And it wasn't just the adult men either they were charred bones of children still in the arms of their mother.
Such cruelty may have been commonplace a generation or so ago but with the coming of the demon King and the Margrave joc; cruelties such as this had become less commonplace and less acceptable. Those of the new generation had not been conditioned, to this type of cruelty. They may have experienced massacres or even had taken part in them, but they at least had the courtesy to give their victims a quick and painless death. After all they held their king in the highest respect and he didn't like such unnecessary cruelty.
Zen walked among the charred wreckage examining the area. [… They were burnt alive… Those ones look like they were burnt at the stake… Inquisitors… Aren't you supposed to love your fellow man…] The scout joined zen in his examination. "Chief… I don't think this was done by one of the tribes…. I think the humans did this to themselves…. But I can't understand why." From the tone in the Scouts voice, zen understood properly why this appeared to be so disturbing to the scout. It was the fact that it appeared this cruel act was done by their fellow humans.
zen stopped and looked at the scout, his face was painted with a grim expression and without any hesitation or nervousness he simply said "heresy". The scout for his part simply looked confused "her..esy?" He rolled the word around his tongue trying to figure out how to pronounce it correctly; it was a word he was unfamiliar with.
zen blinked a couple times confused by the scout confusion, before he finally remembered that religious heresy was a concept that was foreign to the polytheistic tribesmen of the demon lands. "…I forget that such a concept was… foreign…ah…umm.. How to explain it… Heresy…is.. Not following the customs set by the humans church… If you do not practice them… Or perform religious rituals differently… That is heresy… The humans religion, the God they follow… And their holy men are very… Strict… That's actually why the Inquisition is a thing… From what I understand… Their main duty is not to kill or enslave us… But to prevent the spread of heresy among the humans…" zen voice was somewhat uneven, but as it was a topic that he was familiar with his confidence held much better.
The Scouts brows furled together, and took a look around at the charred bones mixed in the wreckage. "… The humans…no those inquisitors we were avoiding; they did this simply because these particular humans do not follow the same God?" The scout asked a bit disbelief in his voice.
zen looked up towards the blue sky and shining sun, than let out a long, long sigh. "no… They followed the same God; they simply worshiped him in a different way…" zen words sunk deep into the scout, disturbing him to the core. A level of horror came sweeping over the scout as he realized it was these people; the Inquisitors and the humans holy men were the majority of the ones who enslaved his kinsman… People who would burn women and children alive for simply worshiping the same God slightly differently.
If they're capable of committing this level of cruelty on their own kinsman for petty differences, what type of unspeakable horrors were they capable of committing upon his kinsman. The Scout face turned into a snarl "the old-timers are right… Humans do seem to be truly vile." He spit out the words with a newly found level of disgust for humanity.
Well zen was still looking towards the sky, he spoke with complete authority and confidence. "You shouldn't say such things, much like how each tribe is different, so too are the humans. These charred bones you see here…" zen brought his vision level with the ground again and swiped his hands out in a grandiose way, gesturing towards the many charred skeletons. " … Are the remnants of people, yes people who didn't revile us in such a way; that is why they were killed, one of the biggest heresies there is, is to not revile the demon. Heretics like these are the only reason why I'm not still bound in chains. Do not generalize humans in such a way, if you do not want to become like an inquisitor. " zen turned his eyes and stared down at the scout.
For as much as zen viewed himself as a unreliable anxious coward, He truly wasn't. He had a natural charisma and gravitas that could rival the demon King's; it simply would rarely show itself. When he truly needed it, he had the authority and confidence of an unrivaled King. In the rare moments his hidden qualities would shine, it appears as if he would be the perfect successor to the demon King.
If it weren't for the trauma and fear instilled in him by his time being enslaved, he might've become the next demon King. That is why this tribe viewed him as being the only person worthy of being their chief; he may have his faults but when he truly shined it was as if they were viewing upon the slain demon King himself.
zen turned his eyes towards the charred corpses again. "ah…umm…y.. You're going to have to… head back to the Council… t..The fact that this village was burned down..a..and its inhabitants burnt alive… By the Inquisition…is.. Is confirmation that… the Humans church has free reign…t…they either control the region or… Place someone who is favorable to them…" The confidence and authority that was just a second ago radiating from him had disappeared; the small moment of kingly charisma had passed.
When zen turned his eyes to look towards the scout he noticed that he was on one knee bowing towards him. "Of course chief, just let me go back to the caravan and rest before heading out." A nervous Shiver went down zen spine. […why…are you bowing to me… ]
Maybe one of the most blatant flaws of zen was how dense he was when it came to his own qualities.