Mr. Norman took a small pouch and threw it onto the ground. The locals were confused and looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"All right gentlemen, this is for your trouble, there is some money inside so make sure to share it witing yourself", Mr. Norman said with a sly grin.
The locals were a little hesitant but Mr. Norman didn't care about them and gave us all our Instructions, "All right everyone, get inside the truck, we going to this Fort Haze, Nolan your driving, Frankie and Lucas you take Sam with you and sit in the back seat and make sure to keep an eye on the goods".
We all nodded in agreement and started climbing inside the truck, but Sam tried to protest, "Why should I come with you people? let me go"
Mr. Norman then pointed his gun at Sam and threatened him, "Alright Samuel, when I said that you are coming with us as a guide was not a request but a command, If you don't come with us now, I will make sure that you don't go anywhere for the rest of your life"
Sam looked so scared that he looked very pale like all his blood had been removed from his face, then he decided to come with us without any resistance.
After a few hours of driving, we reached the outskirts of Fort Haze, As we drew nearer to the awe-inspiring Fort Haze, the sheer magnificence of this fortified city unfolded before our very eyes. Towering stone walls, like ancient giants, encircle the entire city, creating an almost otherworldly spectacle of strength and resilience.
These monumental walls, constructed with precision and grandeur, extend endlessly into the horizon. They stand as an invincible shield, a symbol of Fort Haze's unwavering commitment to safeguarding its people and its treasures.
Strategically positioned atop these formidable walls are imposing cannons-like things, resembling colossal sentinels, their massive barrels poised outward, ready to unleash their thunderous might at any potential threat. These iron behemoths underscore Fort Haze's resolve to defend itself against all odds.
Approaching the city gates, I'm met with an even greater sense of grandeur. The gates themselves are titanic, adorned with intricate, time-worn designs that speak of centuries of history. Guards, clad in state-of-the-art, bulletproof body armor and brandishing modern assault rifles like weapons, stand as unwavering sentries, their vigilant eyes scanning all who seek entry.
Near the gates, a fleet of rugged off-road jeeps awaits, positioned strategically to chase down any wrongdoer attempting to evade justice. Their very presence serves as a stern warning, an unequivocal message that Fort Haze brooks no transgressions within its hallowed confines.
"They look heavily fortified", Nolan told us with sweat dripping down his face, likely because of this imposing scene before our eyes, I don't blame him they do look like an impregnable fortress.
"Hey Sam, do you know anything about this? Why are they this heavily guarded?", Mr. Norman asked Sam who was one of the locals of this Island.
"I-I don't know anything for certain all I know is only the things from the rumors, fifteen years ago when the pirates came to our Island the city Haze was nothing but an ordinary city and it looked like the Pirates found something like a ruined city or something in the undergrounds of this city and after that, they started building walls around the city and make it as fortified as possible, other than that I don't know anything", he told us in a stuttered voice.
"Well, we have heard something similar before, but this basically confirms it. We have to find a way to go to this ruined city in the underground", Mr. Norman declared and continued.
"All right everyone, look sharp we are reaching the guards", Mr. Norman told us.
Within a few minutes, we reached the city gates and a guard stopped us.
"Stop, who are you? And state your business, this is not a place that anyone could barge in", he told us with a slightly irritated voice.
"Hello, gentlemen we are merchants who came to this Island because our ship sank in an accident but we managed to save some of our goods and we heard that this is the best place to sell them, so we are planning to sell it and buy ourselves a small boat to go back to our home", Mr. Norman said this fabricated story.
" Merchants? You check the back of their truck", he asked us suspiciously and ordered one of his men to check our goods.
"It's all good captain but there are very few of them compared to what most merchants bring but these are all good quality", the guy who checked our supplies said this.
"Good quality you say, sorry Mr. Merchent you have to pay the toll before entering the city", he said this with a wicked grin.
"Toll? We didn't hear anything about this?", Mr.Norman said this with a confused look.
"Really? I don't know where you heard about it but you have to pay the toll to enter the city, from your story I can understand that you don't have money with you but since I am a kind person I will let you go with let's say three barrels of rum", he said this again with a wicked grin.
"Three Barrels? Do you know how much it costs? Especially on a deserted Island like this, do you really think we will just let you rip us off like that?", Mr. Norman said this with a wide-eyed shocked expression on his face.
He suddenly pulled out a gun that resembled a pistol pointed it straight at Mr. Norman and threatened him, " Do you understand the situation you are in old man? I can just kill you here and steal all your goods and no one will give a shit but I am not doing it because I am a good person, so just shut up and give me the rum or die with the rest of your guys"
I tried to attack him but Mr. Norman stopped me.
"Alright take the stupid rum", Mr. Norman said with a weary sigh.
"That's more like it, by the way since you didn't give it from the get-go the toll has risen from three to five barrels", he once again said with a wicked smile.
"What?", Mr. Norman exclaimed in surprise and was about to say something but he interpreted him and said, "We can do this all day Mr. Merchent but every time you try to argue with me the price will keep increasing", he said this with a shit-eating grin on his face like he had won something
*Sigh*
Mr. Norman let out a weary sigh and replied, "Fine we won't argue just let us go"
"All right boys take the Rum and let these Gentlemen inside the city", he said to his underlings.
Just as he said they went and took around five barrels of rum and let us inside the city.
As We stepped inside Fort Haze, the difference from its exterior was staggering. It mirrored the lifelessness I'd witnessed in the Phantom Town. Instead of a warm welcome, the people here regarded us with cold hostility. Doors slammed shut, and curtains hastily closed at our approach.
The scene within the city was nothing short of heart-wrenching. Starving residents, barely clinging to life, looked more like walking skeletons draped in frail skin. Their eyes, filled with despair, spoke volumes. The very houses they inhabited, ancient and crumbling, seemed to crumble with them, some reduced to mere rubble.
Adding to this grim tableau, armed soldiers roamed the streets, committing heinous acts against the town's women. These innocent souls were subjected to unimaginable suffering, their fragile forms bearing the cruel scars of torment. All the while, the citizens of Fort Haze wept in silence, their faces etched with the pain of helplessness. The soldiers, however, reveled in their malevolence, their laughter echoing with sadistic satisfaction.
My heart ached to witness the city's suffering. I longed to intervene, to end their agony, but I knew impulsive action could worsen the situation. So, with a heavy heart, I chose to observe, fully aware that a measured approach was the only path forward, even though the sight before me tore at my very soul.
While I was looking at this cruel sight Nolan asked Sam something, "Tell me Sam why didn't they just steal all the goods from us?", he asked him curiously.
"We-well, there is a good reason for it, If you just steal the goods or kill any of the merchants then the merchants will start to avoid this Island altogether and there will be no supplies for the future, this Island is already in a severe drought If there were no supplies from the outside then there could be a riot because of the lack of food and water from the soldiers, and because of that most merchant are left unarmed, but things like what happened to us happen sometimes, even if few of the goods are stolen merchants could still make a decent profit in this Island", Sam gave us a brief explanation regarding the Island.
"Really? That makes a lot of sense, to be honest, anyway what's our next course of action, Grandpa?", Nolan asked Mr. Norman about our next plan.
"Hmm... well, the sun is starting to set now, for now, let's find a good place to sleep and decide that later", Mr. Norman told Nolan.