Chapter 7 (Hope)

Zeya was amidst the calamitous village. Noises of cries, despises, curses and screams were exploding in his head. Smokes and flames had covered his eyesight. His breaths were shortened by the stress of the situation. There were clings of swords and spears. There were cries of despairing women.

The imperial soldiers were catching all young men in their sights. They burnt down the houses that hid the youths. The mothers who had lost their sons, and the wives who had lost their husbands, all were crying in their lungs. The soldiers killed everyone who refused to participate and join. As they killed one or two in public, more came out due to fear.

The village was a merchant village. Merchant villages were forbidden from drafts. It was the law of ancient Burmese kings. Now, the Narapati himself violated it and had ordered to arrest of every young and strong male without showing proper reasons. The ones who violated the law more than the king were his soldiers. As the merchant village is rich, they robbed the possessions of residents. They captured young men from thirteen years old to ones in the mid-thirties. All were afraid.

Zeya was disgusted by the actions of imperial soldiers and began preparing for an attack. Just then, a soldier tried to grab him and capture him as well. While he was using his psychic power and twisting the soldier’s hand, a snake appeared and bit the soldier in his neck.

“Zeya, you are now here,” Saw Nan Mon said and appeared beside him.

“What is happening in here?” Zeya asked.

“I don’t know how much you have been talking with Kavisara Bo Bo. But it has been three days,”

“Three days! I talked with him only for a few minutes. He said there was a problem in Ava and came here. Has this lasted for three days?”

“Well, time works differently in different places. A moment there lasted several days in here,”

Saw Nan Mon said while breaking the arm of a soldier who tried to grab her. Zeya also used his mind to lift several soldiers and knock them down while listening to Saw Nan Mon. This shocked the other soldiers and made them surround Zeya and Saw Nan Mon.

“So, why are they arresting young men?” he asked her while kicking a spear-holding soldier and grabbing the spear.

“They fabricated it by saying it was to arrest you! In reality, they wanted young men to make Nanarupas (cyborgs), you know? The whole ‘arresting you’ thing is a cover-up!”

She said it while drawing two swords from the air and using them to chop the soldiers up. Enraged, “So, these are related to me!” he spoke and broke the necks of the soldiers nearby. Because of him, villages were burnt to ashes and young men were captured. Zeya was loathed. He felt a great sense of gross on the imperial soldiers who would do anything they were ordered. As his flames of anger raged, the Ankh figure on his chest brightened. His attack became violent and more than 30 soldiers were defeated within several minutes.

Saw Nan Mon became aware of Zeya’s ferocity and told him,

“My brother, even if it wasn’t to arrest you, U Agga and Narapati will still arrest young men by showing other reasons,” But her words didn’t enter Zeya’s heart well.

“Where is that Shin Ye Htut?” he asked.

“I saw him here just now,” she said.

Zeya flew and searched the area. Even though Shin Ye Htut was a spy, Zeya considered him as a partner. Also, he was just a kid and didn’t deserve to get arrested. Thus, he searched in a hurry.

When he found him, the soldiers were binding him with ropes and taking him inside a giant horse-drawn prison chariot. A stubborn boy he was, he struggled to cut the rope. The soldiers got annoyed and positioned to strike him with their swords. Zeya controlled their hand and attacked them, helping Shin Ye Htut. As soon as he got the help, Shin Ye Htut broke the ropes that bound him with the sword of a fallen soldier.

“You still help me….” he said in a low, polite tone.

Zeya couldn’t speak more and had to help the arrested young men. (By that time, some of the chariots had escaped) Then, he threw his assault on the imperial soldiers. Saw Nan Mon, too, attacked with her snakes, swords, and flames, killing many soldiers at once. Her flames were not red or orange but purple. These purple flames swept through the soldiers, leaving nothing but ash in their wake. Even water couldn’t put them off.

Last, not resisting the attack of Zeya anymore, all imperial soldiers ran away as wild dogs.

As the soldiers had left, the villagers were coming out from their hiding places amongst houses and ravines. As they saw the attack, they knew their savior. Quickly, one by one, they knelt before Zeya and Saw Nan Mon. An old man said with a cracked voice,

“O, young weizza lord, and witch lady, all of our possessions were left because of thou,” His voice was a mixture of fear, respect, and reverence.

“O, Lord, take Ava and become our king!” Then, Zeya was too uncomfortable with their words. The eyes they looked upon him were gleaming with hope and fear. He doubted if he deserved to be their hope.

“O, Grandpa,” he called. “Please, stand up. I did this not for the throne. Neither am I a weizza. Nor shall I desire to rule. I desire ye not to suffer because of what I did. It was my responsibility to do this. Worship me not, pray me not, knelt and bow not in front of me. This tragedy was part of my commitment,” Zeya said steadily although nervous inside. The villagers listened in awe.

“Now, we have attacked the imperial soldiers. In other words, we have rebelled against Ava. Narapati will not spare us. Soon, a greater army from Ava will arrive for sure. They will arrive within four or five days. We can’t resist them like this. We, two, also cannot fight all the soldiers. Thus, thou shall build a base and prepare for resistance. Let us start building a base,”

As he said, the company of villagers obeyed and began cutting wood.

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