SixteenAs the sun dropped away from the land for another night, Mantz forest was plunged into darkness. Its tall evergreen trees jostled for position, barely able to stand alone in the blanket of the forest. At its eastern fringe a small huddle of people gathered. Torches hung from the branches, lighting the group as they stood in a tight circle. Away from the trees a large fire crackled away, set inside a stone circle. A stout wooden frame stood over the flames, its blackened surface as dark as the night surrounding it. In the centre of the group a man was tied between two trees. His arms and legs spread wide apart. He was n***d, terrified, and sobbing. His eyes almost bulged out of their sockets as he looked at the group around him. They were quietly chanting. A low murmur that he could
