It was a week after the events in Gisela. Tosu's death was still fresh in Gum's mind; and the shaman was locked up in a Radasanth jail cell. Just moment's earlier, the judge presiding over his trial had flippantly passed his sentence. The Xangu native was to be put to death.
Through devoted eavesdropping, Gum had learned from the guards that it was likely he would be hanged at noon the next day. A big crowd was expected, many were excited to watch a foreign terrorist die. Radasanth had seen a rash of political assassinations. Most of the killings had been perpetrated by Storm Veritas and his resurgent Castigars. Pinning them on Gum was a nice bookend to that revolutionary subterfuge.
On the morning before his trial, Gum received a special visitor.
"Ahh, my honoured guest!"
Gum recogised the voice immediately, it was serpentine Senator Fordstein.
"I trust you've been well catered to, old bean?"
The shaman flared his nostrils, inhaling audibly but without responding.
"I appreciate your acute anguish, Gum. I truly do."
The senator's sarcasm failed to rile the stoic prisoner. Again, the shaman sat silent in his cell.
"Forgive me," smirked the senator. "But, you and that elf did plot to assassinate me. I think under the circumstances my coming here to visit you is quite generous."
Gum still didn't respond.
"Hmm. Quite. Well, fortunately for you, my generosity is as abundant as my wealth and power! I have an opportunity for you. One that might keep you out of the gallows."
"I am prepared to enter the Underworld." When Gum finally spoke, he did so with moribund gravity.
"Oh, don't be so macabre," flapped the flamboyant politician. "We're going to war again. Instead of letting these cat people and their Lion Warriors come to us, we're going to go to them!"
"You are going to invade and conquer another nation?" Gum turned his back to the senator, facing the blank wall of his jail cell. "Does your greed know no limit?" he asked while looking away.
"They started it!!!" The senator rattled his knuckles on the iron bars of the cell. "Nevertheless, the fleet sails tomorrow. Why don't you fight for your freedom? I'll give you another chance to prove your loyalty to me. And if you do prove yourself loyal, maybe there's still a chance we can take this grand army of ours to the Xangu Basin and liberate your people from those dreadful Dheathain dragon people?"
Gum sighed. |