Short Story: Double Cross- The folklore of how the city of Kofa became accursed

It was not dawn yet when he stepped out of the house, thanking the owner for the brief respite. He squinted in the grey light looking up and down the narrow street; and there at the north end of the narrow lane surely enough, the soldiers were there to arrest him. I have to inform of this betrayal to my Master, stop him from coming here. Or die trying.

He was a warrior lord. A brother of the Master himself. A brave warrior having proved himself in many a fight, fondly called "The Lion" by many a warrior, but some say this is in the memory of his grand uncle- the "Lion Slayer". He had come to Kofa the great city at the banks of Euphrates, as a herald, bearing good news for the Kofans- That in answer to the thousands of letters, written over months, by the citizens of Kofa pleading for help and counsel, the Master was coming to them.

The city had welcomed him just yesterday with open arms. Hundreds of people, jubilant at his arrival, had thronged the streets in his support. He had avoided the Governor's troops and accepted the hospitality of an old friend Haney - now a rich influential merchant of Kofa. In the afternoon all numerous the clan lords and most of the respected merchants numbering more than a hundred, had signed their support to his cause, promising to disavow the Governor. By nightfall everything had changed.

Fearing the loss of support the Governor had asked for help from the dacoit Obayd. In the evening Obayd and his horde had entered the city. His first act was to retire the governor and announce that all citizens who were opposed to his rule should be killed and their belongings be divided among the soldiers. He killed two people who tried to speak up, right there in front of the Governor House. His second was to close the gates and appoint his men as the officers in charge of the local militia. Then he ordered a raid on Haney's house to find and kill all men found there.

Haney managed to smuggle him out, but himself was caught and soon beheaded. His corpse strung up at the city gates.
By this time all the support for him had vanished, replaced by abject submission to Obyad's vicious demonstration of violence. So in this strange city he was totally alone, not knowing any way out of the city. With a cloudy night and not a soul out on the street except the marauding soldiers, he wandered from lane to lane keeping away from soldiers patrolling the city. He was resting at a doorstep when the old lady -the owner- had offered him cool water and asked him in. He had objected saying the troops would find him eventually and he did not want to endanger her. But when the lady had asked him to honour her contribution to the Master's cause, he could not argue and accepted the simple hospitality.

Now he stepped out into the middle of the street and stood facing the soldiers; his right hand on the hilt of his sword and his left holding his helmet. The lane was narrow and no more than three soldiers could approach him at a go and that too by huddling together- their spears held out in front. "Lion" let them approach, leisurely putting on his helmet. Then suddenly he darted left grabbing at the spear held by the nearest soldier while shouldering him back. With a violent jerk he half lifted the soldier throwing him at the other two as they attacked him. The soldier on the far side had just enough time to swing his spear away but the second soldiers spear pierced his colleague's neck. Lion completed the move by impaling the spear in the hapless soldiers eye and turned to face the third and only standing soldier. Easily ducking the thrown spear Lion stepped near and broke the soldiers neck.

The rest of the soldiers were frozen in shock but the leader attacked, urging his horse into a gallop, his sword drawn and held high. Lion just went down on one knee and scooped up a spear; aiming and throwing in one fluid movement. As the troop leader fell back with the spear point sticking out of his back the soldiers fled.

After half an hour soldiers entered the lane from both ends. Three on each side, two soldiers with long spears flanking one swordsman. This time the Lion unsheathed his sword and roared as he rushed the soldiers at the north end. Hacking off the spear tip and in the same swing cutting off the swordsman's arm. He bludgeoned one spear man with the hilt of his sword and ran the sword through the other s heart, all in a few seconds. Then he picked up the spear and threw it at the soldiers waiting at the northern end, hitting one in the shoulder and dispersing others. He turned in time to deflect the spears thrown by soldiers approaching from the opposite end. They turned and ran back.

The Lion killed thirty two soldiers and wounded a score of others. In the end they had to trap him with archers on the roof to support the armored soldiers on horseback rushing him from one side while a pit was dug at the other end into which he fell. Obayd himself ordered his death- He was thrown head first from the roof of the Governor House. His hand and feet were cut off and his mutilated body hung from the city gates.

From that day the citizens of Kofa have been under a curse. Never to be relieved till this tragedy would be avenged.

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