Commando Part 40

Whichever section of Khasungai they found themselves in was empty. The entire section appeared more of a courtyard turned into a city block only built with stones, rocks, timber, mud brick fences forming around several gardens. Several small structures too small to be houses and shaped like those pyramids. In these gardens Maurice could only tell the shadows and shapes of any plants trees or pretty flowers. Minerva dimmed her light a little. On the other side their eyes spotted movement near one of the pyramid shaped structures. Eluna took the lead grabbing Minerva by the arm show she was scared.

Gadruun's voice emerged at his side who shouted at the figures. The movement stopped near flames in the distance leaving only the flickering of the fires in the dark. Minerva insisted on making her light brighter to illuminate the path. Toberis muttered something to her. She snapped back at him with loud voice that caught the attention of the figures and shadows they did not notice. In the light of the fires they saw shadows heading towards the. Maurice's mind seemed to race trying to think of who these figures were. He drew his revolver, ready to shoot whomever or whatever was approaching his party. As the leader of his group he ordered his party to be ready for another conflict in the dark this time. The darkness covered everything in the area. What didn't help were clouds covering the moon. Minerva let loose a ball of light that shot out of her hand. This ball of light exploded illuminating everything in this large courtyard. In the light conjured by Minerva they could see various people in the vast section such as Khasungai guards, and some other figures who were hiding in the gardens. Minvera's light was so bright that it blinded those in the courtyard. Maurice squinted his eyes because of the bright light. He caught a glimpse of other figures.

They were actually ghouls that did in the darkness, a few others who appeared to be goons, and others were just drunk outlaws. He did not count the number of figures since his group were in a rush. Eluna tugged at their clothing trying to get them to leave this area. Gadruun snatched a torch up and led them to a path veering to the right. Maurice's party and the duo rushed to follow the two Khasungai towards a street. There they came upon an empty area much like a culdesac. It was only lit by brazers, and torches scattered along the edges of the street and a few in the center. Multiple guards stood at attention while a few patrolled the area. They slowed their pace to a walk attempting to appear unnoticed.

Five guards confronted the group stopping them in their tracks. Gadruum spoke for them in his own language. When he spoke the guards snapped at him and began to argue. Gadruun growled and yelled inciting conflict over an issue with this. He demanded to know something yet it was not given so lightly. After an exchange of a few words that sounded angry the guards let them on their way.

Gadruun led them back towards the markets, which were empty and silent save for patrols. From there they made it back to their new dwelling. At the new hideout they parted ways with Gadruun and Eluna. The two of left the new place for their own homes. Maurice's attention went straight for the corpses that were picked down to the bone. What remained of the goons were bones, and what must have been blood in puddles along with scattered pieces of flesh. He ignored this as did his own party and the duo who had their own lodgings else where. Maurice's party found their designated sleeping quarters and slept until dawn. Each one woke up to another day with two less gangs to worry about Maurice's party and their steeds feasted on breakfast when Gadruun, Minerva, and Toberis found them.

Not many words were exchanged between the groups. Everyone's mission was clear to one another. This time Maurice's party headed out in force leaving all the steeds cooped up in the most furthest room in the back. Toberis and Minerva led them all back to the markets where the merchants were just now setting up their products. For half the morning they searched for Eluna who was nowhere to be found. They tried looking for her stand, but it was not there.

Toberis and Minerva asked around where Eluna was. Some did not know where she was, others pointed them in other directions. A large woman wrapped in a cloth dress pointed towards a shrine to a deity. It had the statue of a reptilian creature flanked by totems depicting toads. Maurice and his enlarged party made their way towards the shrine next to the markets. Each one of them had to shoulder, squeeze and snake their way through the crowd, and pass multiple vendors. A few times they had to separate before reaching the end of the markets. Next to this shrine stood a pyramid painted green and blue. The area around the shrine was almost clear save for some guards, and prisoners bound in ropes. In single file these prisoners were brought forward from the right. Maurice's party stood at the very front of a crowd that started to gather. Displayed in front of the crowd and the shrine were twelve prisoners who were labeled as thieves, robbers, and a few murderers. These included criminals such as three Caligari goons, two pirates, and the rest of them were Khasungai citizens who committed crimes. Among them was Eluna who appeared to have been roughened, beaten, and humiliated.

A high priest and a few elderly looking leaders dressed in more elegant robes and tunics with feather capes approached them. One by one they sentenced each one to a different punishment depending on the crimes. Every thief was sentenced to dancing in fire coals. Murderers had been sentenced to either imprisonment, drowning, in the swamp, beheading, or fed to the monsters of the swamp. According to Toberis the latest of the two punishments go hand in hand. For Eluna she was to be dangled and sentenced to a year of enslavement to the ugliest member of Khasungai. Out of the crowd came this grotesque looking man in a wrapped shawl tunic over a loincloth. The grotesque man had warts, scars, bumps, crooked hunchback posture sauntered over to Eluna. He snatched up her bindings and dragged her away. Master and slave disappeared into the crowd. No one lifted a finger or took action to stop it from happening. Maurice felt betrayed by this act of judgment being passed. He believed the Khasungai would actually be able to help. Instead Gadruun must have given her away to the authorities.