The End

[Reckless Banzai Screamer 15456]

 

 

 

 

Fliers are sent across the realm of Vandoria, from Khalestine to Hallowvale.

 

"Escúchame chingatumadre, nunca me encontrarás. So para de mirar, no me controlas.

¡Te controlo!
¡Controlo a todos me respetan o se mueren!
¡Soy el NAFIS YAR y la hago en HALLOWVALE!"

 

In Khalestine in particular, a crowd of citizens displaying a mix of emotions some in favor and some opposed gather to find the corpse of Emir Alai Kharadeen hang just outside Al-Wakhrah by one of the Oasis Grove's palm trees. It appears someone had dug him back out. One of these fliers is pinned to the corpse's clothes. Perhaps a suitable vengence for Charles.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Earlier...

 

With Nafis' White Riders spread thin, the insurgency compound was ill-prepared to handle House Kharadeen's retaliation for Nafis' harsh words about the new Vanderguanese regime.

 

"Caliph Arlen Kharadeen decrees you have one Khali hour to go to Al-Wakhrah and face trial for your treason, Al-Jaban Nafis Yar." Alhasan shouts to the insurgency compound outside of the makeshift wall.

 

Sahárfajhari looks cautiously to Nafis, a cold expression on her face. "Nafis, they're here." She whispers to him as they crouch down. Nafis looks to the armoury room by them and after creeping inside, he gestures for her to grab one of the arbalests and follow his lead.

 

"Alright, I'm comin' out!" Nafis shouts as he secures the arbalest under his foot. He pulls the string back, taking a long inhale. "I got a chicken cookin' and boy - is it hot as a motherfucker. Just let me take it out. You want some, Alhasan?"

 

Right outside, Shaheen Alame who was one of Nafis' comrades steps towards the gate behind Alhasan. "Salam!" The masked sixteen year old Qalasheen boy says, unsure of Alhasan's intentions. Immediately, Alhasan draws his shield back to try and bash Shaheen away. As the young boy takes a step away, he is stabbed in the back by Caliph Arlen Kharadeen who was accompanied by the Alwahdat Alwaqi.

 

"Surrender!" The men of House Kharadeen demand. As Shaheen raises his hands into the air in compliance, The Caliph tries to choke Shaheen, holding the boy infront of him as Nafis and Sahárfajhari reach the roof with their loaded arbalests. Unfortunately, the two are unable to get a clear shot on the Caliph who hid behind Shaheen.

 

"Whose the Al-Jaban now, Arlen?" Nafis calls down mockingly in his own frustration. He knew he was unable to save the young boy his enemies and it unsettled the freedom fighter. A great feeling of inferiority began to take hold on Nafis.

 

Their shots hit the ground below as the Alwahdat Alwaqi fired back with their inferior crossbows. Shaheen reaches for his dagger to try and stab The Caliph in the belly, but the small weapon could not pierce the armour the latter wore. In grizzly defiance, Shaheen bites at the Caliph's wrists and breaks free from the Holy Ruler's grasp. Now unsheathing his scimitar, Shaheen began to try and take on three of the Alwahdat Alwaqi including the Caliph. Alhasan reaches out to try and take the blade, only to have his wrists sliced open by Shaheen who hisses back. Despite being a young boy, Shaheen took up arms against House Kharadeen after the death of his father who opposed the Dwarven occupation of the Northern Bank. Upon hearing of Nafis' cause, he joined in hopes of reclaiming it and the rest of Khalestine from Vanderguan.

 

Shaheen, surrounded and bleeding out, turns the blade on himself and thrusts into his neck after shouting "Subhanallah!"

 

"I think your rafiqi is dead," Sahárfajhari says as she grips the handle of her dagger. She and Nafis had made their way inside as one of the nimble Elfen Alwahdat Alwaqi members scale the makeshift wall surrounding the compound and open the gate for the others. "Everything was just an illusion of happiness. Kharadeen is full of liars and manipulators." She spits on the floor. "I hope they all die for this."

 

"Maybe...-in another timeline we are truly happy. And everything worked out for the best." Nafis replies as the Alwahdat Alwaqi break through the windows and storm the parlour below them. He raises his arbalest and points it at the staircase, waiting for the enemy to come up the steps.

 

"I won't let them kill me, Nafis. I won't let them have the satisfaction...-I don't blame you for any of this, rafiqi." She holds the dagger to her neck.

 

"When they get close, use that on them. Don't take your life...-just yet." Nafis says, a chill running down his spine. A droplet of sweat from his brow falls down his cheek as he thinks back to his daughter Almas and all his loved ones - both alive, dead and presumed dead. He lowers his arbalest on to the floor and places his right hand on to the white fabric tied like an armband around his arm held in place with a golden flower pin.

 

A white hijab.

 

"Sahárfajhari - if we make it out of this alive, we should totally get married." Nafis chuckles nervously as the Alwahdat Alwaqi began ascending the stairs. In quick reaction save for a moment of hesitance to swallow his pride, Nafis chucks the loaded arbalest down the staircase in an attempt to slow down the trespassers and grabs ahold of Sahárfajhari's hand. Ascending the rest of the flight of stairs, the two barricade themselves into one of the upper story bedrooms. Through a backdoor, Nafis leads the Qali woman to the balcony. He looks to her before speaking.

 

"We jump."

 

Sahárfajhari grips Nafis' hand tighter, giving a firm nod of approval.

 

And they jumped.

 

A dozen Dunamian Cavalry scour the land on the Caliph's orders for the two runaways. Heading east which in itself wasn't the safest place given they were surrounded by Kharadeen to their west, Sutica to their south, Dunamians to at the heart of the land, and Morvan's warband in the direction they were headed. In fear, Nafis refused to let go of Sahárfajhari's hand as they ran across the vast plains of Vandoria. At one point, Nafis closes his eyes and mumbles to himself.

 

"Shokran, as always - Zahrah."

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Notes are dispatched to all of the White Riders of the Hallowlands.

 

"The Compound has been stormed by the Vanderguanese Dogs and Arlen has bent over to Harold IV. By the generosity of Prince Charles Horen, he has allowed us to regroup at our old home, Ard Ghorrock. Altthough this is our comrade Shaheen Alame's end, this is only our beginning. His sacrifice will be remembered and he will be with us in spirit on the battle field when we assist in the conquest of Fort Dunamis. Remember your tasks and see them to the end, comrades.

 

Subhanallah,

Nafis. "

 

[Malocchio 983]

Sahárfajhari emits a softened exhale, her slender fingers working at brushing a dampened cloth, soiled crimson, over her wounded forehead. She reclines further back within her seating, acknowledging the fact that now- the two were safe. At least for the time being. Though next time, she thought, it wouldn't be such a close call and Nafis wouldn't be caught off-guard by the kalbs. Next time, it would be an even match. She gives a shake of her head at the lingering thoughts, setting the soaked cloth upon the table in front of her, reaching for her most trustworthy pipe which was strangely engraved.

 

"Bunch of fuckin' kalbs, huh, Nafis? Next time our bolts will hit old Faiz right in his fuckin' forehead."

 

The woman chuckles at her statement, clearly amused, working at catching the packed cactus green in the end of the pipe alight. After doing so, she placed the mouthpiece between her lips, dragging from in for a few moments of ponder, only to exhale a ring of smoke, musing aloud. "Allah has no place for the two of us, Nafis. But he has 'place' for them."

 

An extended pause was offered between the duo before she finally continues on.

 

"A-ozu billahi mena shaitaan Arrajeem. Astaghfirullah. The only good Kharadeen is a dead Kharadeen."

[WuHanXianShi14 0]

Enepay opened the gates of Ard Ghorrock for his brother and Sahar, having been holed up there upon reclaiming his old stables.

"I should've been there," He muttered, letting a shadow of self loathing pass before straightening himself stoicly and offering a brotherly salute. "With you 'till the end, Naf."

[Skippy 2466]

"Just don't leave yer children near t'e prince, he has a way wit' children," Thorgran would remind everybody!

[tilly 5115]

Moved to the Archive. It shall be sorted into the appropriate category shortly.