Set Sail: What Are You Waiting For? Klajo Who Rode Against The Ocean by Abdullah H. AlFadhli - HTML preview

Chapter 8: All In, or Fold

The next day, the morning came in and they took off back to the island. They arrived, and the city was calm and peaceful the Mountain army were nowhere to be seen Klajoo was strangled with this act, are they fooling us, he was afraid of what plans are the Mountain King making.He called for all the troops that are left in the city ,” every man, every young man who is healthy, to come to the  army camp”, when all were gathered he stated “ We are in difficult time, a time where you have the option to keep your lands or submit to another Kingdom, for do not fear the unknown, the unknown is just a word, for we are unknown to them as well, you shall be trained and equipped, organized, and coordinated in the war for your lands.or you can submit eat the grass, and send your women’s to them” The people cheered for Klajoo, hitting the ground with their tails. Indeed Klajo was a ship who went against, the ocean, indeed his fate was determined, indeed he sailed over every wave that came toward him big or small. He gathered the newly appointed generals, he gave Pedlo, and Callidus new status in the army made Callidus commander of the right wing and Pedlo commander of the left wing.

They were all gathered, seated in the war room He asked every general if he had any plans to come in front and speak, one general, in particular, he stated “let's cut their legs before we strike the head by burning the farms which are beneath the Mountain to cut their food supply which will make the army stay foot beside the Mountain which will give more time to train our soldiers, we already know the geography in that area we can fight there, according to our strategy which will fit their easily for the flat area  beneath the Mountain.beside the river” Immediately Klajo sent a scout and, five royal archers to burn the fields, the scout is ordered to stay there for any sudden movements of their army. They went, when they arrived they saw no sign of the army which was strange as they didn’t see them in the way, the royal archers still executed the plan, they burned the fields, and the scout stayed there above  a tree to see,but no army came to distinguish  the flames only farmers and merchants came to put down the fire, but he stayed there. The royal archers told Klajoo there was no sign of the Mountain army. Klajo said ‘then they have gone to war with the Fire or Mist kingdom, or they coming to us on a larger scale, we should be prepared any moment now, equip the army, and call for the Fire King to assemble his army we shall meet at the beginning of the river, Callidus went to the Fire Kingdom and saw them already prepared he went to the king, to tell him where they should gather,The king accepted the gathering point and, marched his army to the river, they met up at the beginning of the river. They did not merge their troops but they were marching in a double column beside each other. As they came close they saw the scout came running toward them, saying the Mountain people have gathered the Mist with them, But that news didn't change Klajo route instead he was pleased with this great news, but he warned the Fire King that the Dragon might show up since this is a great war, the Fire King went bursting of laughs “ I have been waiting for this time for centuries, while you were in your mother belly .” They came out of the woods, but still beside the woods, because Klajoo has based the royal archers and the flamethrowers up in the trees for a better vision and, range. They stopped to face the Mountain and Mist army. Klajoo and the fire King went to the middle. When the Mountain King, came from the back as he became close to them he went to his original form, the dragon he was breathing heavily with smoke coming out of his mouth as he was walking toward Klajoo, and the Fire King. Klajoo in one hand he was scared and surprised, but the Fire king you can see the felicity in his eyes, The dragon said in a fearful voice “Who are you to oppose me your nothing but merely little creatures, I have given you technology, made a currency value for you nomads, now you shall die for a meaningless reason.” As Klajo was about the speak the Fire king, Shula shouted “We are the people, We are the power that fuels your power, But you're stupid to think we are dying for a meaningless reason, if we shall die tonight it will be a great death but, if we were to vanquish you here, then you're below the Power of man”. The dragon flew above high, and started shooting fire on their armies, Klajo was smart he positioned the army beside the river, and the Water people had a very powerful weapon against flames, a cannon which shoots water in a shape of a ball, they were countering the flames in the air,  ordered the archers, and the flame throwers to open fire on the Mountain,and Mist army. The Mountain and Mist army had the wizards, and the shadow knights the wizards started shooting as the troops were marching towards them, the Knight shadows went from both sides to strike an impact into the left and right side of the army.The Fire King took the army and moved forward with Klajoo marching slowly, but holding the lines tights so they had a higher casualties from the dragon, but that didn’t stop them from attacking they were full of courage, and thick boldness, when they clashed with the Mist, and Mountain army they were half the amount of their army, still they infiltrated hard when the dragon saw this he came down and came from the rear but Klajo went back to face him alone. The dragon breathed heavy flame in his face, Klajo was fast enough to jump from the fire before it touched him,The dragon told him” Do you really believe you can defeat me, only one man who came close to defeating me who cut my left eye, but that man is long gone, his name was Maximus, but you Klajoo don't stand a chance of comparison with that fearless man.” Klajo didn’t reply instead he jumped to strike his sword in the throat of the dragon,but the dragon countered his jump by hitting him with his face in air, that was a blow to Klajoo head made him bleed but not stand down, the dragon was not giving him a break kept shooting flames toward him as Klajo was faith leaping right, and left , two of the royal archers from the rear shoot arrows that pierced through the dragon back which made him furious burning the front half of the woods all in one breath Klajo,indeed is a boldness man, took that chance while the dragon was flaming the woods he jumped to the dragon back crawled to his neck while the dragon was swinging his head left to right to make him fall, quickly the dragon rose from the ground and flew in a straight way up hopefully to make Klajoo fall, but Klajoo gripped the sword as hard as he can and stroke it down to the dragon head piercing through his skull down came out from beneath the dragon head, the dragon body crumbled and fallen  making a hard struck in the earth, every man who was fighting heard that striking sound to look what has happened only to see Klajoo on top of the dragon. Everyone stopped fighting the Mist and Mountain people threw their weapons and surrendered, even the Fire king went to Klajo, bowed to him offering his sword to him which remarked him as the new king of the continent. He took the sword and told everyone to follow him they all marched to the Mountain palace the soldiers were outside the palace only the tribal chiefs, and the king of Fire went inside the palace. Klajo didn’t sit on the golden chair he said to bring the old man who is jailed let me hear his story, they brought him the old man, walked carrying his back heavily, walking with a stick, clothes were brown but crummy clothes , he entered the palace hall , the joyful in his face is inexpressible , Klajo asked him "who are you old man your a prisoner in the castle, the only prisoner why is that ?". The old man said I'm the Man who took the previous named light people to the Mountains, I'm the man who is the rightful King for the Light people, I’m the man which the statues represent in the Continent, I’m Maximus Son of  Kudos, the man who controlled all the Kingdoms. Everyone in the room was shocked how can this man be still alive, and how come nobody knew about that, Klajo said forgive me, I'm wearing your crown, Klajo stepped aside and bowed to him offered him the chair and crown. Maximus stated ‘ Your one of a kind Klajoo, I have seen you through the window how you fought the dragon bravely like nobody before or after, I wish if you can be my Chief of the army and my assistant.’ Klajo replied I'm very grateful for the opportunity that you offer me, but I must go back to my lands for I have a tyrant King ruling, I wish to take him down. The Fire King quickly rose from his chair saying “ I Shall help you Klajoo let me help you in your cause as you have helped me.”Maximus said, “it’s decided you have helped us we shall help you.” Klajo said, “ But I don’t know how I shall return to my world, for an old lady with a snake sent me, into your world, I tried looking for her in your science book, or history but I couldn’t find anything.” Maximus started  laughing,” I know the women you speak of, but I can’t tell her name for I'm forbidden what can I do, may help you, but I'm afraid I and my people can’t follow  you through the gates as we cannot go back if we followed you.” The Fire King said,  “My people are bored, our lands are already starvings, I shall lead them, and settle in the new world with Klajoo.” Mostical came from the back stating” I’m the third tribal Chief of the second and first  mist village, I too wish to join you, and go, since our lands don't bring us any light.” Unfortunately Mostical is a kind person but, his people have been coated with evil from the dark they have been living through, as thus one of the rivalry Chiefs known for his vicious attacks in the war ,who rules three villages  rose up, holding his sword pointed it to Mostical stating "you shall duel me Mostical for if I fail, you shall be the chef of the Mist land but if you lose I shall be the chief of the land, after the blessings of Maximus." Maximus agreed, and ordered everybody to give space for their duel, Mostical is brave indeed, and honest, truthful for a duel they started dueling, his opponent was a cunning man. Mostical struck his first strike with most of his might upon the head of the Chief, but the chief blocked it by his hand where Mostical sword couldn’t pierce through his hand , but he pierced halfway through, The chief swung his sword and struck it in Mostical neck where his head went flying and left Maximus, and  Klajo face pale and gloomy, but they can’t interfere for if they did there might be an irreversible consequences of series of coups. Maximus got up from his chair looked in Klajo pale face yet motionless desperate to make a move you can see it in his eyes, but his ship is powerless in life and death, his sails had no air to spread. "Today is a victory day"-- Maximus said --" there be no celebration today, for we have lost a good chief today.’ then he walked to Klajo whispered in his ears "Come to my chamber". He did follow him to the King's chamber, where he found Maximus sitting holding a small page in his left hand.”Klajo come set, the women who sent you here is a mystical creature she sent me too, four centuries ago when I was in my village, she came to me I still don't know why she came to me especially but she offered me a whole new life I didn’t know the catch was I will not see my wife ever again what a shameful act I have done but that's history. No book is written about her, but I had the chance to meet her , she came to my cell when I was imprisoned, for four days, the first, second, and third  day she would come when the night would dress the sky  and laugh in a hysterical way, mocking me, for I have a failed in what you succeeded, for that I envy you, but you're a courageous and modest two categorized rare elements, for that I highly respect you, she gave me this paper the fourth day as a courtesy of mocking me, this paper has the spell to take you back to your world but the scheme to it, is that you might lose an arm,or leg if you got lucky you might not lose any parts which is why you can't take anyone with you for its dangerous never been tested as far as I know, for the spell to work you must be at the place where you first arrived at this world, at midnight you shall recite these words beside a fire, after reciting the words jump into the fire, so be careful not to miss a single word while reciting, I prefer that you would settle here with us, you have earned a high place in our hearts and books.” Klajo “ I have my world to take care for, for they are poor people getting burned alive, buried alive though they still walking, eating, drinking but their mind have been burned, I must go back and try to wake them up from  the coma they living in, under the unjamdon regime.” “You're a powerful man to think about your country, yet you have saved this world, now going back to save your country. Books will be written about you, sculptures of you will be placed in every corner of every kingdom in this world, but I must inform you be careful I have stayed long enough in this world to learn about its dark secrets,you see the dragon you fought today is merely nothing compared to the size of the beast you have in your world, the one in your world is the true father of these creatures, it’s true they are a monarchy living with us before we even were born, the dragon you killed is his thirteen son, so beware when you enter those rainy nights, he has an army of spectres, the old women told me that at the fourth day, she was drunk, I think that explains her hysterical laughing, I wish you the best of luck in your voyage.”

 Off the Cursed or blessed ship have set sail from the port to enter the vicious world of his ocean again to ride the high tides  ,but the tide he's going to enter is nothing like the previous tides these tides are high and strong, old with thick water, thick with layers of salt, air blows for minutes and stops for days, sea monsters roam , whales are there, will see if Klajoo ship can overcome the ocean and become the man who really went up against oceans and succeeded, or the mock of the ocean, a daydreamer wondering the ocean, searching for the unknown.

Author: Abdullah H. ALFadhli