EGBERI

Chapter Nine - Icon

A week later he journeyed home with the pack. Tarja wept at the sight of him. After 5 years, a very long time since she last saw him. The entire clan assembled outside his parents house in hopes to see him.

There was a more bigger problem with his clan. The heavy taxes the king demanded had made everyone poor and in much debts, working twice as much. Most of them were even falling sick. It's was almost like famine because no one had the chance to work on their own farms as much as they did the kings shifts.

Razan became sour, he wondered if a clan like his is capable of helping him gain access to the kings cabinet.
He got home after moving around the town, at night he met his family, they'd all grown up, he was now 30.

That night he drifted to the spirit plane to seek Trivan's advice. He asked if sick people are pleasant in the king's eye and in a response Trivan suggested an approach. He said to him, you have to heal them first, so they can look pleasant in the king's eyes.

He would have to make a bargain with them. That he would help them pay up the debts they owe the king but they would give him access to their farms while those without lands would work shifts on his farm since he was the only person with enough gold for the kings taxes amongst a few nobles not more than 3.

He asked where he would get enough laborers. Trivan replied saying he should not refer to them as labourers rather, an army. The "Street Lords" he said had run out of golds to rob and they'll be willing to work on the farms. He would have to build fences around all his farms in an effort to hide them while they work, their heads were more than wanted by the law.

Beyond that he would also make comfortable tunnels and structures under his house, in his compound where they would live unnoticed, feed them and take care of them.

The next day, he had a chance to really meet his siblings, Theli was already 16, practicing hunting with the spears. Atran, 22, was learning how to write scrolls while Salsa, 20 , practiced with the whip. She heard the tales and modeled Dune. He spent time with them and they asked so many questions about his adventures. Koffe was a wanted outlaw in hiding with the Street Lords.

Days past and and he went to meet the street lords in their dens, they were glad to see him and he made his proposition to them. They had no choice, they also starved. So he assembled the people and also requested for their lands and work shifts. They also had no choice and agreed.

Months passed and they secretly worked on the farms without suspicion, Dune also gave birth to a girl for the twin. With time there was enough harvest, proving food for the town and also putting money in their hands. They all praised and thanked him even the leader of their clan rented his farms after he saw people getting paid.

Soon everyone cleared their debts, with golds to spare. He had all their support and there was no better time to challenge the clan leader for his position. He defeated the leader and became the new clan leader, with the support of his subjects and the street lords, making them rich and safe.

He used the opportunity along with his wealth as he was very rich from accumulated profits of their farms, building improved camps with better conditionings, making them free to learn from as well as the spirit temples.

He made the street lords freemen and their families supported in majority. News of this reached the king, he requested for the head of Razan. His clan defended him, killing the kings messengers, declaring war on the continent. The king ordered a clan close to them "Munmba Clan" to destroy their village.

The clan was same size as theirs. Razan drifted to Trivan on what to do. In a response suggested a surprise attack. He would have to empty the village into the tunnels and structures under his house and when they were at the heart of the village they would ambush them. Also if they split themselves up, they would be cornered and killed.

As planned they lost no one, killed a large quantity while the rest fled. This made the king more furious. He ordered a bigger clan "Ditii" twice their size to destroy them. They decided to play smart and send silent assassins to take out their leader before marching on to attack.

The assassin sneaked into their village attacked Razan while he was alone in the king's court. As they fought Dune entered and joined the fight. The assassin threw a dart and it slit the throat of Dune, and he made a run for it but he was chased and killed by the guards.

The entire clan mourned with the twin, at night, Razan drifts to seek Trivan on how to defend against a clan twice the size of his. Trivan suggested that he should raise high fences all around his village so much that it is impossible to see the inside from out by covering the inside with leaves. They should also make barriers to make the fences strong but there should be no entry point.

He did as Trivan suggested and the attacker roamed around the fences, and we're killed with spearheads when they were close enough. Any part they tried so hard to pull down had the entire village pointing arrows awaiting them, they killed scores before the walls were breached.

At a glimpse of the breached fences, they ran into the tunnels and killed them gradually as they did with the first clan. So they fled in defeat. News of their second victory spread and the king feeling insulted asked "Ladam" a very big community to destroy them.