Blades of Death

Chapter 2

Khizo was placing all the necessary items he needed in his bag when Cloris entered the room.

"So? Everything prepared?" Cloris asked.

"Yes, but I'll miss all of you. Though, I won't be gone for long." Khizo promised.

"So how long do you suppose it will take for you to return?" Cloris asked.

"That depends. Maybe weeks, maybe just a few days. Who knows, I may even return today." Khizo answered.

"Sleep well then, brother. Tomorrow's going to be a big day." Cloris said, walking out of Khizo's room.

That night, Khizo couldn't sleep at all. He kept thinking about his journey. The incident replaying repeatedly in his head.

By the time he finally went to sleep, there wasn't much time left.

Cloris came to wake him up, as usual.

"Good morning Khizo. Wake up. Today's a big day." Cloris shook his elbow.

After a lot of complaining, Khizo finally got up from his bed.

"Wow! Today, you didn't jump up from your bed like you did before." Cloris commented.

"Yes, because, I slept peacefully. No nightmares at all." Khizo replied.

"See? It's working. Now hurry up." Cloris urged.

Khizo woke up from his bed and slowly dragged himself out of the house where his parents were working in the field.

"Good morning, Khizo. Ready to leave?" his mother asked, pausing her work.

"Yes, I'm all prepared." Khizo stated.

Khizo went back inside the house and then once he had got himself refreshed and was in a new pair of clothes, he was ready to leave.

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As he sat on his horseback, ready to leave, his family said one last goodbye to him.

"Khizo, remember that don't go much further in this search. You should understand that sometimes you have to take a step back. Because if you don't, bad consequences will await you." his mother warned. 

"Yes, mother, don't worry." he assured

He then took one final look back at his family and then galloped ahead, drifting into the dangerous world.

By the noon, he had arrived at the city of Krimagha. And once he was on the roads of Krimagha, he realised how much he had missed Krimagha and its crowded streets. He had practically grown up running on those streets.

Riding his horse once again, those streets made memories of those childhood days return back to him. After the incident, he had visited the city only once and he didn't even get to explore much that time.

After wandering around the city for some time, he finally came to a street that he recognized from his childhood. The street led him to his old house. The storehouse of all his memories.

The house was just as he had remembered. It had grey walls and was one among the many houses.

He dismounted from his horse and then knocked at the door of the house.

A man passing by stopped in his tracks when he noticed Khizo knocking at the door.

"What do you want?" the man demanded, walking towards him.

The man was as tall as a giant, with a height of seven feet. He had a muscular build and there was no hair on his head. His face also bore many scars.

"I want to meet the owner of this house." Khizo replied.

"You should have come here fifteen years ago." the man laughed.

"It's been empty ever since that incident?" Khizo questioned.

"So you know about the incident. Yes, it has never been opened since then. People believe that a demon resides inside the house who had slaughtered the family. Nobody thus wants to buy it. And, who are you?"

"I'm Khizo Leigh. It was my family who was murdered."

The man's eyes turned wide.

"Yo-Yo-You are Khizo? The son of L-La-Larry?"

"You know my father?" Khizo asked, quite shocked.

"I was an old friend of his. My name is Kota. I can't believe you're still alive." Kota exclaimed, "Now hurry up, we have to go. I want you to meet someone."

"Just a moment." Khizo said. He stroked Aron's muzzle and mouthed the word 'stay'. Then he jogged to Kota.

The two men began their walk through the crowded streets of Krimagha. Khizo however, asked questions non stop during the walk, but Kota managed to dodge the questions.

They finally arrived at their destination - A small house that was in a very narrow place.

"I hate enclosed spaces." Khizo muttered as Kota knocked on the door.

A while later, a man in his forties opened the door.

The man had the physique of a handsome warrior. The man was tall, but not as much as Kota. He too had muscular arms and a handsome face.

"Kota!" the man shouted, hugging Kota, "We've not seen each other for so long."

The man's eyes then turned to Khizo.

"Who's this young friend of yours?" the man asked, looking at Khizo.

Kota whispered something to him and his eyes turned wide too.

"Oh my god! I cannot believe this. You're Khizo. I thought you were dead along with the rest of your family. But, you're alive!" the man cried.

"Can I know who you are and what's happening?" Khizo asked.

"Come inside." the man said, opening the door fully so that they could enter.

"I am Laing, a friend of your father. He knew that something would happen to him so he trusted me to look after his family, which includes you, if something happens to him. But, when I heard the news that his family too was killed, I thought that you too were killed along with them. How did you survive?" Laing asked.

"Mother had sent me out to buy something. But when I returned back to my house, I saw...." tears started coming from his eyes.

"Hey, it's okay." Laing assured, placing his hand on my shoulder and comforting him.

"Now tell me; what were you doing all these years and how come you have returned now?"

"I roamed on the street for days. But then, a man found me and brought me to his house. I've been living with his family ever since then. But, I couldn't stop those nightmares from haunting me so I decided to find the man."

"Khizo, I am sorry to say this, but you should return back to where you come from. The murder of your family wasn't done by someone ordinary. You don't want to mess with those people." Laing warned.

"What do you mean?" Khizo asked.

"Your father was the leader of a group. I too was a part of the group. And...."

"Was Kota a part of that group too?" Khizo enquired.

"No, I was asked to join the group but refused. But I still helped the group." Kota said.

"Now tell me, what was this group and who killed my family?" Khizo asked.

"Your family was killed by The Great Alliance. And your father.... I wasn't supposed to tell everyone, but I trust you. So here's the truth - Your father was the leader of Kodus."