Hunter's Revenge

As children, we have all experienced the joy of a good campfire story. You and your loved ones being warmed by the liberating heat, from a flame that trickles softly in the darkness of the wilderness. Those stories have an imprint on our lives, and shape us to be the people we are to become in the future. Those stories, are sometimes mythical tales, and long stories made up for the sole purpose of entertainment - but there is sometimes the odd occasion, where those stories are more than fair tales and make believe and fun. Sometimes, they are the very essence of how your ancestors survived. How they became what they are known for today. Sometimes, it is how we learn of our history, and our struggles that were endured along the way. The children of the Apache tribe grew up around these stories - stories of war heroes and their magnificent accomplishments, in a war that conspired for centuries. However, they all ended in tragedy. Each one of them deprived of the sweet taste of victory. Everyone who attempted to cross the valley, never returned. The valley - It is a storm that separates two tribes, two families. It is filled with the demons with haunt the monsters that appear in your nightmares. The demons have caused problems for us for centuries, by killing the cattle and live stock that unfortunately slip too close to the valley. It turned those camp fire stories long fairy tales, into real life horrors. The war just continued, with the orders coming from a number of members of the royal family throughout the years. However, around 18 years ago, King Darius Graham III ordered that the war between the tribes and the valley come to a complete halt. He forbade any contact with the valley and the mystery of whether the second half of our tribe successfully survived. Every form of communication with them had come to a complete halt, and we eventually gave up hope. With the King ordering that we bring to a halt all attempts, we had this hope further destroyed. Ever since that day, where all hope seemed to be buried along side the last of our soldiers, we continued about our business. My father was amongst the warriors who were sent into the valley. Around the same time as my birth, he left us in a heroic attempt to cross the valley and salvage any remains from his brothers in arms, but unfortunately, he shared the same fate as them. I never got to meet him. My mother has been the one person in my life who has stayed by side all this while. She raised me to be the man that i am today. Unfortunately, we had no one by our side to assist us. Although we shared the tribe and its kingdom with thousands of people, all affected with the same pandemic, everyone kept to their own families. My father's side of the family was sent off into the valley, to see if they could cross it. Of course, they never returned. I grew up my whole life in solitude, the outside of my house being forbidden grounds to my being. I had no friends, and conversations with the outside world being totally wrong. My name is Aleksandr Hunter - and for 18 years, i have stared through a window glass, at the walls of that valley my entire life. I stared with the ambition of one day crossing the border, and ending the valley's brute rule. Obvious was the matter of the king, and his decision that no one is to ever attempt crossing ever again, but i knew what had to be done. I had been training to jump the valley since the day that i could walk. My mother is against my ambition with her life, as she claims that we should not dream of the impossible. Realism should be the main decider of our dreams. I understood her skepticism towards my dream, but i will never understand how she can live without avenging my father. The valley, and the demons that reside within, are both there to feed of our fear. They have taken our loved ones, so i had a dream where they no longer taken our courage as well. It was illegal to cross the border, but even visiting the border under the age of 18 was illegal. You could only watch it from afar. I used the time to prepare for the day that i would slip into the valley, and march through it. My birthday was the next day and i was at the edge of my seat with excitement to finally be able to cross the valley. "Alek!" Alek, the nickname given to me by my dearest mother. I guessed that it was time for breakfast, otherwise she would not have called me at such an early hour. "Coming mother!" I scurried downstairs to meet her at the dining table, which was basically also the living room - and the kitchen. We could not afford much. The king cared not for the people of his kingdom, and left us to struggle - while he enjoyed the wealth that the Apache kingdom offered. We were once the wealthiest kingdom west side of Jericho. Jericho was the heart of the Northern Hemisphere The wealthiest traders would pass through there, and it was home to the most prestigious public figures of its time. But alas, Apache reaped the fruit of corruption, planted by a foolish King, and his advisors who sought out the riches for themselves, completely unbeknownst that their foolishness came with a price. That price was that everyone else suffered. "Good morning mother, what is for breakfast?" "Freshly baked bread, with freshly churned butter. I made it myself. It is for your birthday coming up soon, but i wanted you to tell me if it is okay - or if it needs a little something more." My dearest mother. I could tell that she was trying to over compensate for my father's absence. It was nobodies fault that that was our life, but she still carried the burden. The weight of the world was on her shoulders, and i hoped to one day remove that pain when i eventually destroyed the valley. "Oh my, this is delicious mother. This is really good. Thank you." "I am happy to hear that Alek. Hey, i need you to run some errands for me." That was the strangest sentence i have ever heard in my life, because for all of it leaving the house was a crime - so why was she allowing me out now? "Uh - what?" "Mrs Dillus and her family are coming for dinner tonight, to celebrate your birthday, and i need some help to set everything up. I will not manage to get everything on time, and i presume that you can handle yourself?" This was particularly exciting news for one reason, Mrs Dillus was mother of my girl friend, Crysilla - that of which neither of our parents knew of. If you are wondering how that happened, let me just say our paths have crossed before - be it at dinners like the one we were to have that evening, or whenever she came to do errands at my mothers house. They were the only form of friends that we had - and thankfully she was part of them. "Yes of course mother. Whatever you need, i will get it done." "Oh i only need one thing done for today, i just need you to get fresh cabbages from the market." "I am on it." I finished up my breakfast, and headed out for the first time by myself. I usually accompanied my mother on her errands, so i knew my way around the kingdom. Upon arriving at the market, i noticed a flyer which had large print, my guess was that it was to emphasize the importance of whatever they were advertising. I took a closer look, and read - "Tour of the valley, time changes!" Apparently they changed the times for when the gates were meant to open. At exactly mid night tomorrow, they will open the gates for the annual tour - whereby you get to visit the border of the valley. It is impossible to go past the border when the gates are closed, as the force field protecting it is at full force. I knew that this was my chance to escape. I took the poster with me and got whatever i needed so i could get back home. "Alek!" I turned around, to see Crysilla standing there waving at me from afar. She ran over towards me with a smile on her face, and i just checked the surroundings to ensure that no one would see us. "Cris? What are you doing here?" " I am running on some errands for a very special someone's birthday. Mom wants me to get some last minute ingredients for you." "Oh wait really? My mother sent me here as well. What did she tell you to get?" "A cabbage apparently." "A cabbage - oh my goodness they have fooled us." "What do you mean?" "My mother sent me for a cabbage as well." "It does not matter - whatever they did it for. By the way, what is that in your bag?" She gestured to the poster that i placed there moments before, and unfortunately, she too had the same opinion as my mother - why she strongly disagreed with my ambition to cross the valley. "Okay, promise not to shout - " "I promise." I handed her the poster, and watched as her expression dropped from a cheery one, to an expression simply translated to - "I am about to whoop your ass." "Look, you promised to not shout." "Aleksandr - come on." "No, look it is not what you think. I just want to visit it, now that i can." "Yeah okay buddy. Look, just go home. Your mom is probably wondering where you are, and before she comes looking for you - " "Yeah, yeah fine i am gone." We returned to our respective houses, and prepared for the evening. Of course, i had other preparations in mind as well. The sun had retired behind the palace walls for the evening to commence, and the Dillus family were meant to be arriving momentarily. My mother was scurrying around the garden - where we would be dining, considering that there was no space for everyone in the house. I was upstairs in my room, studying the valley from my window. It was the fortress of darkness. To think that 1000s of lives have been lost to a valley which was only a couple of Miles from my house. It was only a few hours until the time where the gates would be opening. I heard the door, and made my way down to welcome the Dillus family. We dined the night away, and had a beautiful celebration. Before long, it was time for the them to go - but before they left, Crysilla turned to me and said, "I know exactly what you are thinking Alek - stop thinking it please." I did not respond, because i knew what i had to do - but i could not let her know just how fixed my mind was on this. They left, and my mother went to her bed room for bed. This left me with an hour to prepare before the gates were to open. I packed whatever resources i presumed was necessary, but unfortunately they do not give a handbook on what is required for this type of project. The hour was approaching rapidly, and i could feel the nerves beginning to act up. I sneaked out the window, and made a break for the gates. I could see the walls being lifted, and a small group of people waiting for the train to disembark around the border and towards the valley. Obviously, we were never allowed near the valley, just on the edge to see the war and the history behind it. I boarded the train, and after a few minutes we were off. The few people that joined me on the train were your average people from the kingdom. There was a specific point on the tour where it dips into the endless void of darkness that bewitched our homes. We called it the Valley Point. It was the opening of the Valley and basically was my target to hit. I counted the tracks that appeared before the entrance, and it was almost time. "Three, two, one - " I jumped out of the train and leaped towards the Valley Point, and could basically taste the freedom. The excitement of finally getting to finish what the generations before me failed to do, had caused the adrenaline to course through my veins. I was almost there, and i could basically see into the valley - before i was stopped in my tracks. "We knew someone would try this. You are not so smart buddy." The train conductor had caught the edge of my shirt just as i was about to enter the valley, and before i could react he placed me in hand cuffs. The penalty for trying to enter the valley, is that you have to face a court case where the judge is the King. Your penalty is determined by the level of damage caused. I knew that i was in for an absolute nightmare. The train ride continued as normal, and when it was done, the conductor guided me to the Palace. This was my first time allowed out of the house, and it was the same day i ended up in the palace. How lucky am i? The court room was set up, and the royal jury was in attendance. My mother was obviously alerted and was in the palace in no time. I knew that i was in for a ton of s**t from the minute i walked in - however, i hoped to escape using my youthful incompetence as an excuse. The King entered from his royal quarters, and seated himself on the main stand - where he will conduct the court case from. "Please rise for his royal Highness, King Darius Graham III." The courtroom unanimously rose to their feet and the King ordered for everyone to take their seats once more. I saw my mother from the side of my eye, as she was absolutely hysterical. "Mr Aleksandr Hunter, Son of the famous Commander of the Kingdoms army - Commander Amadeus Hunter. You are here under the accusation of breaking the highest, and most offensive act that anyone in the Kingdom of Apache can possibly commit. Tonight, at 14 minutes past midnight, you had an unsuccessful attempt to enter the Valley - which could have major repercussions for everyone who resides here. Is there anything that you have to say in your defense?" I stood silent - how can argue with the king? Anything that i say will just have a negative impact for me. There was no way out of this one. "Well?" "Your Highness, our kingdom, for centuries, have bravely and fearlessly attacked the valley in an attempt to uproot it from the inside. We lost half of our kingdom to that hell hole, and i lost my father. You lost your greatest commander. How can anyone just expect me to sit here and do nothing?" "Because you were ordered to! You were given clear instructions to stay away from the nest." "With all due respect your Highness, we lost so many lives - all those lives died with honor. But now their memory lives on in vain. They are watching down on us, as we are sat here like cowards! We have unfinished business with the Valley - and i will never stop until i kill the heart of its soul." The guards became restless, and were ready to pounce on me at any given moment. However, i stood my ground, with my eyes fixed on the king. "Okay, Mr Aleksandr, the only reason i have not thrown you into the deepest part of my dungeons is because of your Father. He was exactly the same of you, so i can not blame you for genetics - so this is what i will do. I will give you a minute to explain yourself, and just how you planned do it." One thing that i should mention, is that every one of the royal staff had special powers - which were genetically modified with each passing generation. Only a member of royalty could possess such power. Those under the king, serve him with their power, and the king is chosen based on whose power is the strongest. "My plan will remain known to myself, and myself alone. I still have it - and if i am placed behind bars tonight, then i will eventually come out to tear that valley apart. I refuse to be silenced and let the people before us rest in vain." "I had to make the best decision for the safety of my people. We have just been feeding that cursed valley for centuries, and i feared that we would just be pulling ourselves through extinction if we continued this battle. I can not believe i have to explain myself to an 18 year old child. Me - king Darius Graham, forced to explain himself." "Your titles and your power can only reach so much - but your courage and humanity is what will really be known for you. You have none of it. You claim to care for the people of what used to be a beautiful Kingdom of Apache, but the entire Kingdom is poverty stricken, while you live a lavish life of luxuries. Do not even for a second attempt to fool us with this nonsense. " I felt something snap from inside of me, like a part of me that i was keeping quiet was now unleashed. "How dare you sit there and accuse me of what is right and wrong? How dare - " "Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, respected members of this beautiful Kingdom, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, loved ones - how many of you here today are witnesses to the tyranny of King Darius?" "Arrest him. Arrest him, I say! I hereby sentence Aleksandr Hunter to a life sentence in the lowest part of the dungeons under the accusation of entering the valley, and for treason!" "Treason?" The guards snatched my hand and dragged me away, while the cries of my mother was there for the whole kingdom to see. They threw me into a cell, which was engulfed by pure darkness. There was a man sitting on the other end of it, and he looked like he had not seen the sunlight in forever. He was so skinny that the bones were basically penetrating through his skin. The guards closed the cell gates, and disappeared into the darkness - leaving just this man and myself alone. "I thought you would never come." "What?" He rose from his crouched position, and faced me. His hair was a mess and he was dirty from head to toe, but he spoke proper English. "I never thought i would see the day where the honorable Commander's descendant would finally arrive." I was baffled. I presumed that he could see that as well. "You are Aleksandr Hunter - i have waited a long time for your arrival. It all starts now. Let the games begin - are you ready?"