Ahd walked out of the room that Phill had been in. His body was covered in blood, and his breathing was rapid. He looked down at his hands and began to laugh. The Butler walked out soon after with the sa appearance. He put his arm around Ahd with a light laugh.
His face soon fell. "What do we do now?" It was a question that had stunned Ahd. He had been so focused on his goal of revenge that he had not thought ahead.
"I don’t know.." ’caw’ His words were cut off by the cry of a crow that was all too familiar to him. At the end of the corridor, above the open front door. It flew out with Ahd giving chase.
"What is it?" The butler called following behind Ahd, not getting a response. Ahd finally arrived at a large outhouse. Opening the door, his nose was assaulted by a sour sll.
Walking through and opening the doors, he knew what the place was, seeing the frail bodies of people, so beaten black and blue. "I forget what type of Kingdom this place is sotis." He said, sadly, looking at the slaves.
The butler looked at the people. He felt guilty knowing that all those years ago, he didn’t care about these people. Ahd crouched down in front of the man in the room they had just walked into. Tapping the man awake, he opened his eyes, quickly moving to the back of the bed, cowering.
"Shhhh. We don’t wish to hurt you. The Duke is dead." His words got the man to peek through his fingers. Looking at Ahd’s bloody appearance, he was terrified, but his calming voice slowly got the man to look at him.
"Gather all the others whilst we clean up. Don’t worry. Soon you will be safe." Ahemd’s kind smile got a nod in reply as he and the Butler left the room. "I know what we must do now."
The butler smiled nodding his head. "You allowed to get my revenge. The least I can do is help you achieve your goal." His words got a chuckle from Ahd as the two walked off to clean themselves.
In the courtyard, Ahd and the Butler stood at the head of a crowd of slaves and ex-servants. He looked down at the people, many of whom ca from his holand. "The Duke is dead." His words blew through the night wind, getting everyone to look up at him. "We had not co to free you people originally, but now that you are free, it is our job to look after and guide you. If you wish to return ho, we will help you." He took a pause and looked at all the faces. Many had grief written all over them, knowing they had no place to return to.
"However, if you wish to help and my friend here on our mission, our crusade against this practice, and free all our fellow brothers and sisters, then I welco you all with open arms."
His words were t with silence as he looked down at all the people. He knew he wasn’t one for speeches. "I will help." A rough voice spoke in the back. Ahd tried to see but couldn’t. The path opened for a thin brown man in a wheelchair, his appearance betraying his voice. Ahd gave a small smile towards him. "Despite my appearance, I at one point had been a great soldier. If you wish to attack and free the people, you need soone who knows a battlefield."
"What is your na, my friend?" Ahd asked as he walked forward, sticking his hand out.
"Ali." He stuck out his hand in return. After Ali’s agreent, many followed to join the cause. They all thought that they would die on the journey, but it was at least better than becoming a slave again.
Ahd walked off with the bulletin to the side. "My friend. I know you wish to stay and help up in the dukedom, but I need you to do sothing for that only you can do." Placing his hand on his shoulder, Ahd continued. "Go west, to the Barbarian forest, hire a band of rcenaries and start a wildfire, one too big to ignore."
The butler looked at him in confusion at the request. He knew that Ahd wasn’t sending him away for no reason, but the request was odd. Ahd continued, seeing the confusion, "The Kingdom is gonna stir after we take the dukedom. We need them to focus on another enemy. I had been teaching the kids about the forest, and in every attempt the Kingdom made to move west, the tribes would unite and launch an assault. If we can use this as a cover, then it will be possible for us to subjugate the dukedom. Slowly, we can spread our influence to other parts of the Kingdom and start a rebellion throughout."
The butler nodded, reaching his hand out. "I understand. I will cause the greatest assault on the Kingdom, even if it costs my life. Everything that happened after what happened years ago is just extra ti anyway. Don’t mourn for if I die, just finish what you will start."
Ahd looked deep into the man’s eyes and gave a soft, singular nod. He took his hand, shaking it before giving him a hug. He knew that he was sending his friend to his likely death, and the fact that he didn’t hate him for it nearly broke him to tears.
"Safe travels, my friend. No matter what happens, we will die warriors of Khors." The two nodded. The Butler took a single horse and rode off deep into the night. Ahd felt his eyes tear up, but quickly suppressed them. Turning back to the crowd of free slaves, he saw Ali rolling over.
"What do we do first?"
"rcenaries, and a lot of them. I also think the nobles deserve so dancers." He said with a smile, walking back into the manor.
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The news of what happened in the Weston Dukedom couldn’t be suppressed for long and after a month and a half, the news had spread about the complete annihilation of the Weston family. It, however, was quickly overshadowed by the random deaths of noble families all around the kingdom. No one knew where the assassins had co from, but it forced the royal family to mobilise, fearing that it was the plot of a neighbouring kingdom.
After three months, the rebellion in the Weston Dukedom was in full swing. The rcenaries that Ahd had hired had arrived. The vassals of the duke with slaves quickly began to revolt from within each house, throwing their lives at blades in an attempt at freedom.
On the battlefield the ’Crippled General’ Ali, struck fast and hard on the open field, winning more than he lost. The sieges, which could have lasted half a year, ended within months as the slave revolts within the castle walls got more intense. Those who didn’t agree with the act of slavery rallied behind Ahd, bolstering his forces, and with each castle and manor taken, more flocked to his cause.
After nine months, the fire in the great barbarian forest started. Ahd got news of the fire starting and felt sad that his friend might be dead, but rembering his words, he pushed on. The royal family, which had gathered the n to suppress the revolt, soon found themselves having to re-focus their attention west. 11 months after the revolt began, the western horde invaded. In retribution for attacking their ho, thousands of n and won charged into the kingdom, slaughtering and burning every village, city and castle they could co across.
After a year and a half, a quarter of the Kingdom had fallen to Ahd and his revolution. It promoted religious freedom with the Followers of Khors becoming the main religion. Many cheered, knowing they could finally practise their religion in peace, whilst those who followed Sol felt relieved they wouldn’t face persecution under this new rule.
Ahd sat around with his highest advisors. "My friends. We have co a long way since the start. Whilst we still have a long way to go, we have finally carved a stable foothold in the Kingdom. It is here and now I establish the Safrid Emirate. My na had been long dead, but now it will rise and beco a beacon of hope for all those who follow Khors and live under the thumb of n no greater than them." Ahd said with a smile. Those around lifted their glasses in celebration.
ssenger birds flew around the Kingdom to hundreds of locations. The announcent of the Safrid Emirate was shocking news to most, but was quickly dismissed as the threat of the Western horde still terrified.
After four years, the west had been stabilised, but the whole south and parts of the east had completely fallen. During that ti, Ahd had taken a wife and had a son nad Hasan. His Emirate had beco an established force in the region. Whilst its military prowess was nothing great, its capabilities for espionage struck fear. No one wished to die not knowing when it would co, and so they turned a blind eye to the Kingdom, only sending minimal support.
No longer a teacher but the great Emir, his people titled him, Ahd, ’the Great Liberator’ Emir of the Safrid Emirate. His eyes soon turned to the rest of the Kingdom, which was weak and tired after so many years of conflict with the Barbarians. Ahd sent his ssengers and dancers to sow the seeds of chaos among the slaves.
The old King, grown paranoid from years of war, failed assassination attempts, and rebellion, struck the final nail in the coffin. His order was for all the slaves in the Kingdom to be killed. The people were shocked by his ruthlessness, and the nobles, not wishing to kill their property, refused. Only those most loyal followed it.
Ahd’s forces marched with a ferocity that had been unseen before, wishing to save their fellow enslaved brothers, who had been given a death sentence. The people opened the gates for a kind liberator, and a few nobles bent their knees, wishing to keep their riches.
Three years after the order had been given, the capital’s gates had opened. Most of the territory of the Kingdom was under Ahd’s control. Ahd walked through the palace gates unopposed as his loyal guard followed behind. Two years of siege and hunger had made the people and soldiers restless for an end to the war. The King’s guard had disappeared, and the old man sat alone on the throne.
In his delusion, the King barked orders at Ahd, mistaking him for a King’s Guard. Taking the step towards him, Ahd’s face grew into a smile. ’I wish you were by my side, my old friend. But your sacrifice wasn’t in vain.’ The thought ran through his mind as he climbed the last step.
Standing in front of the mad king, he plunged his sword through the old man’s heart. Stealing his crown and placing it on his head, he turned to the people behind him who knelt.
"I declare the end of the Savon Kingdom, and in its place the birth of the Safrid Sultanate. May it have a long and prosperous life." His words echoed through the throne room.
"LONG LIVE AHD THE GREAT LIBERATOR!" The shouts resounded back as he walked down the steps, leaving the palace. Outside, he looked at all the people in front of him. The people seeing a crown on his head cheered.
"LONG LIVE AHD THE GREAT LIBERATOR!" The cry resounded throughout the city as food was quickly brought in for the starving people. Celebration spread throughout the Sultanate in the coming months as Ahd looked towards the future.
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