The Unknown Night

The metallic door swung open with a bang, pouring light into my pitch black cell. Blinded by the light, i could only see figures rush in towards me. Weakened by days of malnourishment, i could not fight, not against that many. The cold shackles clamped down on my wrists, i now had to stand and walk, lest i be dragged on my face to the workfloor. And the Lord Raven will stand. His fellow slaves needed to see him stand...

I remember the day i was caught. Through my investigations, i had found that the Tedari had been working with the Empire of the Eagle. Nights passed as i chased lead after lead, always seeing pieces of a puzzle. I travelled with Jeohn from the port city that housed the Tedari under cover of darkness and into the capital of the Empire. Sneaking into the palace we stole documents that indicated a rapid militarization of the Empire, i remembered the numbers in my head:

4000 Tanks
10,000 Warships
300,000 Men

6th day of Argothan, This year.

I snuck into barracks to see the strength of each man, they were not physically strong, but through the use of technology and those guns, they could bring down men stronger than themselves and from distances of up to 100 paces. Travelling on, I saw factories where large amounts of arms and armour were being manufactured, the lines of slaves forced to put these weapons together. I stole one of their guns for myself and Jeohn taught me to use it. It was simple. Deadly.

We then travelled to foundaries where they built iron beasts known as tanks. Systematically, slaves built carts of iron armour that rolled on wheels. Each cart carried an astoundingly large gun known as a cannon. These, Jeohn told me, could tear holes in the ranks of an army or the walls of a fortress. I imagined our glorious legions, banners flying in the sun and the light glinting of the helms of my men. I see them being blown away by large explosions and i knew i must do something. I see the plans and commit it's designs to memory.

However, one question kept haunting my mind: Where do all these slaves come from?

Finally, after weeks of searching, and following a trail so convoluted i had narrowly missed it completely. I was brought full circle to the port city from whence i had came, sneaking in to a
shipyard, i saw the warships for myself. Ships of varying size and shape were constructed, once again by slaves. Each ship was capable of transporting men, supplies and cannons. These ships would be the force that would bring death to our doors. I had wrapped up my investigation and was just about to leave when suddenly treacherous claws caught hold of me. Jeohn, my guide, on the pretense of getting help from the Tedari to destroy the shipyard, brought me to Griphan...

Shikaze: Regent, I've discovered much about the Empire, and what I found disturbs me. I will need a contigent of your finest to help me destroy a threat to Raxaferh. Quite frankly, I am surprised that your Tedari had not discovered this sooner considering how close the threat is to your home!

Griphan: I'm afraid I cannot do that Lord Raven...You see, we already knew of the shipyard.

Shikaze: What?! Then why did you not-

It was then that i heard several clicks, like the sound of a gun being prepared to fire and the stench of betrayal became painful obvious. I spun around quickly smacking the closest gun away, it fired and hit the floor. I saw the Griphan's bodyguards lined up aiming their weapons at me. "You have no where to run Raven!" shouted Griphan from behind me. I whispered a quick incantation that would temporarily increase my speed and in an instant I was in their lines.

The first guard i reached shot his gun but narrowly missed my head, i sliced his wrist with one of my throwing daggers, swept the feet from under him and stabbed down as he fell. Leaving my blade lodged in his chest i quickly drew 2 of my throwing daggers and sent them flying at my assailants. As they flew in the air towards two guard, i dislodged my 1st dagger and rolled towards another, knocking him down. I quickly stabbed his throat and picked up his gun. Levelling it at Griphan, i aimed but as i squeezed the trigger, i heard a loud bang and felt a sharp pain in my left leg. Turning, i saw Jeohn holding the smoking gun as i collapsed, all my weight supported on one leg and the pain shot through my body. The guards beat me down, trying to defend myself as best i could, i killed 2 more, but there were too many rifle butts, fists and kicks. My vision darkened and my body became numb...

I awoke in the cell, painfully, I used my magic to heal myself, it would fix my cuts and my shot leg, but the pain would not go away. I was taken to the shipyard and put on a work detail. Over the course of the next few weeks, I would learn everything about building and sailing these ships, I would find that the slaves were taken from Raxaferh by the Tedari and I would be the architect of their escape. Secret stashes of improvised melee weapons would be stocked, riots and strikes would tax the slavedriver's security and slowly chip away at their sense of security. While with each successive strike, the slave's morale grew. Soon the slaves would be free, soon the guards would be made to suffer, soon i would return to Raxaferh...Soon. For now, we were arranging the 5th strike...