A horn whispered in the valley between the mountains, the rest of the expedition from the Viking's team is home, they two are broken, some are injured heavily, but their lives managed to retreat from the enemy lines, as they walked, they noticed people not crowding on them, but around the centre, the chief their stood, talking to the people
"My people, I… must tell you that I lied" said Baro the chief as whispers of shock brock between the lines
"Most of you happened to believe that there are 3 other camps like this one, scattered under the oppressed land of the Varish kingdom" he said before taking a deep breath "One of them have fallen not too long ago"
The crowd broke shouting between each other, the chief keeping the mask of lies acted as if he himself did not catch wind of the news
"You Lier!" said one of the crowds
"I know the truth is hard for you, but we need to move on, we still have 2 other- "the old man said before the same person cut him saying
"Stop the lies" as he pushed through the crowd, it was one who came back from the expedition, he lost a hand, and his face is bandaged
"You are nothing but a man of rotten truths" said the man as people moved from beside him
"You are talking to your king" said Noor as he stood up from beside the chief
"King, is he? He just happened to be lucky for he is the last male of his blood, but a cat can never rise to be a lion," said the man
"If you have something to tell me, we can walk to my office or people might misunderstand you" said the chief with a smile that is more threatening than it approaching with kindness
"Oh really? So, you can shut me up like the rest, I lost everything already, there in your losing war" said the man as he looked back
"Yes, yes we are losing, there is no other camps, there is no remain survivors and you all better know it, this is what remains" as he pointed at the ground
"And what remains have rotted in lies long ago, we are losing" as he looked back at the chief he said "And it is all because of his greed" pointing at Baro the chief
"He is too afraid of losing his neck that he lifted his head to high up to notice how much have died lifting him, and it won't be long before he too falls with them"
"You are no blood of mine, you are the rat that rules the corner, no more no less" said the man looking at the king and throwing his sword to the ground, with the chief glaring and biting his teeth down
At the chief's tent they sat down, the same people who were at it the other day, Pharam the sword skull spoke as he entered the tent
"What are you going to do now? The words have already spread in the streets; they name you king of the corner"
Baro gave him a sharp look as Pharam lifted his hands up showing that he is only a messenger
"Killing him is nothing but proof of his words, enough chaos is available," said Noor
"We should make him go back on his words," said the chief Baro as they looked at him with confused eyes
"We make him say otherwise and repent in public" continued the chief
"You know well that he will not, he would rather see it burn than to live in the mud" said Pharam
"He doesn't need to want it, I will make him, with fire and steal he will say it," said the chief
"Are you suggesting torture? Here in the valley?" said Pharam with wide open eyes
"It doesn't have to be here, we will take him away and say he was sent to see them himself," said the chief
"You know well the people will not believe him when he comes back" said Pharam
"Yes, the current population will not, but with time they will, like always, the ones who come after have nothing but words to speculate with," said the chief
"And you believe you will live until then?" asked Ramo the trainer of the kids from the shelter
"No, but my blood will. My daughter shall bring a male heir for I have failed it, she will be wed, today or another, and this time she has no choice" said the chief, Pharam with his face looking at chief, mouth open and eyes consternated, full of shock
"You will force here to? Even if she refuses this time" said Pharam
"The blood shall live, spread it my children, that was my father's words and his father before him, she will bear a child, whether she likes it or not, "said the chief
"And that man will go back on his words" he continued before Vonir stood up, a guard came helping him
"We can use him to our advantage" said Vonir as the chief looked confused
"You were stuck on how to deliver them the news; you can use this to your advantage"
"And tell them the blood of the king is a losing Lier," said the chief
"A snake that refuses to shed skin, will only accumulate rot, and this snake's skin has started pealing already" said the old man Vonir as he walked out
"Anyway, I have said my words, I have kids to educate "as he walked out
"And now what do we do" said Pharam
"We need to decide now, anymore wasted time is breaking the foundation we built, in no time we will be buried under the remains," said the chief
"Will you better think fast" said Ramo "For in my experience when a spider nest is falling for the weather, he changes places" as some sound of screams came from outside
A man with his infant daughter and wife is carrying a heavy backpack and is trying to leave the mountain range
"What do you mean I need to wait the chief's order?" said the man
"Ser either this or leave the backpack behind" replied the guard
"And die of hunger? These are my hard work's earnings, are you now going to imprison us now?!" said the man as the chief came to them
"My people fighting is not going to help us in our battle" he said with a bright smile
"Okay, I am not going to fight, as long as you let me and my family leave," said the man
"Leaving to where? All lands are dangerous; you don't want to bring harm upon this angle do you" as he touched the nose of the man's daughter that was carried by the mother, the mother quickly moved her away
"Didn't you say there are other camps? I will go to another one then," said the man
"Well, you need to know they are surrounded having to entrance or exit, it will be much dangerous for you there," said the chief
"I they are in that much of a problem" said a man from the crowd" isn't it the same as being dead? I mean they are stuck without supplies that way, that if they even exist"
"My people you need to know that it is the truth, what the Varish wants is to divide us," said the chief
"The truth? You already sunk us in enough lies, how do we know that the Varish is the one who is our enemies right now" said the man from the crowd
"You need to know by now that he and his kingdom is mouldy to the bone, that kid is proof of their evil deeds" said the chief pointing at Jason "You all know his terrible backstory"
"Lier" one spoke "We know nothing about it but your words"
"Where is the proof"
"Stop leaving us in the dark"
One after another they said
He did not have much of reaction for his mask was still on his face
"Stop the lies blood of the rat, you king in the corner" after that sentence his face changed, the mask fallen
"You want proof, here is the proof" as he grabbed Jason's hand Tightly and came with him forward to the middle "You want proof of his trauma, as he took a torch" he is proof"
He brought the fire in his hand, the moment Jason saw it he broke down, fear in his eyes, speechless pushing the chief and trying to run away, but the chief's hand imprisoned him
"Show them Jason, show them your trauma, your pain and fear, show them how evil that creature beyond the mountains can be", the crowd was silent the whole time, the kids were shocked for they never saw in this situation
"Stop it, dad" said Fara the daughter of the chief and the nurse in charge of Jason as she pushed her father away from Jason
She wanted to calm Jason down but he ran away across the crowd falling and getting up
The chief who has just realised his grave mistake looked at the silent crowd, whispers here and there, his face got serious and shouted
"Is that what you wanted, is this proof enough for you"
"I can't believe you take a kid's fear into your advantage" a sound from the crowd said
"Who said that, you are the ones who wanted proof" shouted once more the chief
From the crowd walked out Pharam, "You are blinded by power" he said
"Power keeps us alive, it is the only thing that could ever do, you think emotions built these walls around us," said the chief
No answer from Pharam, just a cold look that got him back to reality, his mask has fallen and people walked away from him, one after another, he was left holding the torch, the light they use as a guide in the dark, he used to blind them.
He was the skin on the snake all along, and now the snake has peeled it off