Everyone waited with baited breaths, they could only imagine his answer forgetting what they had done not even a few moments ago.
Abrax scoffed, they were so quick to lick his boots after their trusted "Father" ditched them. "No"
His reply caught them off-guard. Abrax pushed his way through the stunned people and was met with a stern look just after he escaped the mob.
"What is it?"
Femi glared intensely at Abrax, she couldn't understand him. "Why don't you help them? I've seen your strength firsthand."
Abrax scoffed yet again. "Why should I help them? It's the Pope's job to help them."
Femi was fuming at this point. The man was like a brick wall, he was so adamant about his decision. "But Father Adamaris said his men are sick and can't offer aid. So why can't you find it in your heart to help the grieving people?"
Sighing, Abrax closed his eyes briefly then opened them to look at Femi. "The men are suddenly sick, yet a few moments ago they were ready to execute me. You expect me to believe that?"
Femi flinched as he reminded her of what had happened a few moments ago. But that wasn't the end, Abrax continued with his line of thought. "I won't help them, even if children are concerned. They were quick to rule me as the kidnapper, so give me a good reason why I should help them?"
Femi bit her lip, Abrax was right. They did try to execute him for just being in the proximity of Aaliyah. "True, you have every right to not want to help. But can you do this for me? I beg you, I'll even drop the earlier request."
Abrax sighed for the umpteenth time that morning. He nodded to Femi and turned to face the crowd.
"I will help you all. But not for free!"
Femi was startled at what Abrax said, he demand compensation? She was truly at a loss every time Abrax opened his mouth.
The parents turned to face him. Smiles beamed on their faces, as a ray of hope appeared for them.
"Anything you wish!"
Abrax smirked, he was putting his own life on the line. He had to get some form of assurance that, even if something happens to him. He will have something to leave behind.
He raised his coiled hand and unfolded his middle and index finger. "Firstly, every one of you has to pay me in gold. I require twelve gold pieces from everyone. And let me make myself clear, individually. So in total, a single-family will pay twenty-four gold pieces."
"Secondly, I want you to swear your allegiance to me. From this day onward, I'll be the person who governs this town."
Abrax breathed in, pausing his speech. Exhaling, he raised his thumb and ring finger adding more demands to his aforementioned ones. "Thirdly, the Pope needs to leave this town and should be gone by the time I return."
"And lastly, I want some equipment and a camel to transverse the lands," Abrax concluded his demands. He dropped his hand and folded his arms watching the indecisive people.
They were skeptical of him, Abrax didn't care though. He watched with amusement tangling in his eyes as several emotions flashed across their faces, the hushed chattering falling on his ears.
"We accept."
Abrax smiled, it was easy. Too easy per se, but he was a beggar, and beggars can't be choosers. He turned to Femi, who looked away from his eyes.
"I'll be going soon," Abrax informed the woman he had grown to favor ever since she saved his life.
Femi didn't even look back at him. Her feelings were conflicted. "Sure!."
With that brief reply, she left Abrax standing there.
Abrax shrugged nonchalantly, he did what he thought was right. No one could blame him for that, everyone has a choice in life and he chose what benefits him.
Sure, in a way he was no different than the Pharaoh. But his motives were clear even if none understood them. Abrax waited for a moment and all he had requested came to him.
"Here sir."
"The Camel you requested."
"The weapons you sought after!"
"Please take this with you."
Abrax nodded as they provided him with the necessary equipment to embark on his journey, though he was put off by the formality they used to address him.
Abrax took the linen and wore it around his torso, he then directed his eyes at the selection of weapons. He looked at the polearms and swords but none could satisfy him. In the end, he ended up picking a six-foot-long polearm.
He expressed his gratitude and got onboard the camel's back. "I hope that when I return everything will be sorted as per my commands."
"Sir my lord!"
The chorus of praise made its way to his ears. Abrax nodded and pulled the ropes around the camel, the tug made the mammal walk in the direction Aaliyah came from.
The camel traveled through the sandy dunes at a comfortable pace. Abrax was in no hurry to get to where he was headed, he just enjoyed the peace and tranquility of the hot terrain.
After a considerable amount of time traveling, something appeared on the horizon. A silhouette of a town appeared in the far distance, Abrax looked at the town and decided to head there to make a stop and refuel.
The pace the camel was walking with, Increased a bit allowing it to cover a considerable amount of distance in a short period. Its strong hooves pillaged the sand crushing the crawling life underneath it. At last, the camel made its way to the entrance of the town.
Abrax got off the big animal and pulled it with him. He entered the town and the first thing he heard, led him to find his clue.
"The auction house is going to make a killing."
"It's a shame that I won't be able to attend it. There is some business that I need to take care of."
"You'll be missing out on the biggest auction of the year."
Abrax interest was peaked at that moment. He took a stop next to the local tavern and tied the rope on the pole. He quickly took off, following the two nobles behind, while keeping a distance of a few feet away from them.
"Did you know that one of the luxurious pets are going to be auctioned?"
"You don't say, where is the auction going to be held and when?"
"Two days at noon! It's going to be held in Abalone."
"So the royal family will be participating huh?"
Abrax having found enough information from the two he was tailing made his presence known. "Gentlemen, sorry to bother you like this but I do wish for your aid."
"Who's there?"
"Show yourself"
Abrax landed before the panicking Nobles. He waved at them with a smile. "Gentlemen I'm just a traveler seeking directions mind helping me out?"
His gesture was reciprocated with a quick draw of guns pointed his way. Abrax raised his hands, giving a sign of surrendering. "Let us not be hasty. We don't know what will happen if those things you guys have in your hands will kill someone or not."
His demeanor irked the nobles so much that they were close to pulling the trigger and blasting his head away. That's what they thought at least until something happened.
"Calmly put the guns down." The real Abrax said coming from behind the nobles, sandwiching them in between him and his clone.
The two of him scared the nobles, they knew that they could not handle a magician since they were relatively normal people. They put down their guns and looked at the Abrax before them.
"What do you want?"
"Do you want money?"
"Tell us, we will do anything just please spare our lives."
Abrax smiled, he wasn't going to kill them much less harm them cause they didn't do anything to him but their pleading made his objective quite easier. "Now don't mistake my intentions, I'm not a bad person but I do have a few things I'd like for you to do."
" I'm pretty sure you guys have servants even if you aren't that rich. Your families should lend me a helping hand. Come to this exact location two days from now with a hundred men each..." Abrax informed placing his palms on their shoulders intimidating them further.
He peeked his head in between them and smiled. "Don't think about trying to double-cross me cause if you do this rune I placed on you will automatically kill you and your families."
He heard them gulp and internally chuckled. It was fun to watch them have shaky legs wondering if he's going to change his mind. "Now can you tell me who organizes the slaves to be sold?"
One of the two nobles instantly spilled the beans. "The local tavern owner, Maharaj is part of the black market abductors."
Abrax with the information he needed to begin his quest pat their shoulders and asked them one last question. "Give me your names."
"Lachie Khan"
"Lael Lafayette"
Abrax vanished without a trace after getting their names. He was going someplace to find out more about these unions that abduct people to be sold as slaves.
He came up to the tavern he left his camel in and gently pushed the flapping doors open. Abrax looked at everyone and walked inside slowly.
"Welcome customer!"