Lurking Evil: Part 1
Chapter 2: Lurking Evil: Part 1
Istablbul Palace
It's been over a month since Laa-Mohr's case. Grand Vizier Caliph was in a meeting with Sultan Nahaar (Morning). A conversation of the utmost importance was inbound after exchanging greetings.
"This is an emergency, your Highness," stated the Vizier, gritting his teeth "We can't let them control the country from inside out."
"I know, Caliph, I know," said the Sultan, sighing "But their influence on the country's economy is crucial. Their collaboration is critical to our well-being. Their actions might be... barbaric but the problem is that they have the biggest role and own the biggest share on the markets."
"How did they get in there in the first place intrigues me. That is not something you can easily obtain without any internal aid." the Vizier questioned.
"Do you think somepony in our midst is behind all of this?" the Sultan asked, terrified.
"Let us not fear the worst, your Highness. Let us not fear the worst." reassured Caliph, tapping on his shoulders.
Laa-Mohr wasn't one that likes meetings and talk. He was the chancellor indeed but he was still a beginner. He begged his father to reconsider his position to no avail. He was in the training hall, practicing his swordsmanship and honing his skills. Sweating bullets after a long three hours training, he went to take a shower. As he went, all the servants' eyes were at him, murmuring about how charming he was, how alluring he trotted through the halls. He did nothing but trot through the halls, head down, and that's all it took to attract their attention to him. As he took his shower, he thought of trying to convince his father again to reconsider his position. Finishing his bath, he headed towards his quarters to get some sleep. As he entered, he saw the Vizier waiting.
"Ah, my son," he started "Just the pony I'm looking for."
"Father!" exclaimed Laa-Mohr "To what I owe this visit?" He did not expect anypony to come by, especially at a time like this.
"Why weren't you at the royal hall this morning? We had an important matter to discuss with the Sultan."
"I told you before, Father, I am really not one for politics. Please find somepony else to replace me as chancellor." he begged.
"That's why I am here," this surprised Laa-Mohr "to give you a dangerous mission that will determine whether you're a pony for the field or for the desk." Laa-Mohr's hooves trembled not from fear, but from excitement. Finally something that would bring his dulled body back in action.
"I am ready to give my life if I have to." said Laa-Mohr without hesitation.
"Are you sure about that, son?" asked Caliph with a bit of concern "It might really lead to your death."
"Anything to relieve me from my boredom! Anything to relieve me from my position!" with a stern look, Laa-Mohr answered his father.
"... I see... Alright, the matter is yours then," the Vizier conceded "Do you know about the slave trading market in Siraj El-Akhal? (The Black Firefly)" Siraj El-Akhal was the most powerful economic center of Saddle Arabia. It got its position mostly via slave trading.
"How or whoever they got to that position is still a mystery even to us," said the Vizier "and the townsponies there were sworn secrecy whenever they come to the capital. I want you to infiltrate Siraj El-Akhal and expose the mastermind and investigate the reason of such secrecy, alone." Laa-Mohr stomped forward as he took out his scimitar and planted it on the ground.
"I shall be your pony then, father! I will leave right this instant. I will come back if that's the Creator's will for me to do so." Laa-Mohr was so determined that he put on a black cloak on him and trotted out of the castle. The Vizier put his hoof on his chest; he had a bad feeling about what will happen to his son. He felt irresponsible, yet it was his own son's choice.
"May the Creator watch over us all!"
Nighttime, Siraj El-Akhal
Trotting in the city of Siraj El-Akhal at nighttime was the last thing you'll ever do. The sinister and dark atmosphere was looming around the alleys as the screams of slaves were in the air. But where were they? That's what Laa-Mohr was trying to find out in the past month during his stay. He was trotting this city from head to toe yet no clue and not a soul was in sight.
'This is infuriating!' he thought 'Every morning, this city's activities are as normal as any other city works but as soon as the night comes, it becomes silent as if Death itself claimed all the citizens' souls. Something really stinks around here but I can't lay my hoof on it.' As he went to another alley, he finally stumbled into somepony in this city, trotting casually. The old brown pony's face was full of wrinkles and flashing red for some reason. This reason being known as Laa-Mohr put his hoof on his nose: The old pony reeked of booze. He finally opened his eyes, seeing Laa-Mohr.
"Oh! Exchuse meh, young'in, I diin't shee ya at all" he started "What dosh a young'in like ya doin' in a shitty like shis?" Laa-Mohr dusted off his cape, eyeing the old pony.
"Ahhhhh! Ya must be lookin' for the Coliseum..." At this, Laa-Mohr had his attention on the old coot.
"Coliseum? What Coliseum?" he asked.
"Ya mean ya don know about the shekret of shis shitty? Oh well ah ponyfeathers!" exclaimed the old pony. Realizing that he goofed up, his expression changed from old drunkard to sweaty old suspicious pony all of a sudden. Laa-Mohr kept his cool and got a purse of golden bits from his cape and opened it in front of the eyes of the old pony. The ragged old pony's eyes simply widened at the amount of money in there as he tried to take it only for Laa-Mohr to grab his hoof.
"Ah-ah-ah!" he said as he shook his head "No reward until you tell me about this 'secret'. And trust me I won't rat you to anypony. Let this be our 'own' secret and then we part ways, okay?" The poor pony nodded in defeat as he started forking up information after sobering up.
"Everypony in town knows about the secret of Siraj El-Akhal! As you know, this city is full of slave-traders but that's not their only occupation. They pay handsomely townsponies and authorities in order to keep their bidding as disclosed as possible from the public. There is a Coliseum built under this city that serves as a keep and prison for the slaves. During the night, whoever is rich enough can eat, drink while spectating a massacre as slaves kill each other! It is entertaining I can agree to that, but absolutely barbaric. That is why you cannot find ponies to talk to at night: They're either sleeping in fear or watching for entertainment and gluttony. Whoever responsible for these acts I don't know since they don't reveal themselves publicly. I have a family, young one. I was afraid of what will happen if I told somepony outside of the city about it! Please don't let this old pony's talk in vain!" As Laa-Mohr listened attentively to his story, he gave him the purse full of gold and grabbed him again.
"Where can I find this underground passage?!"
The Coliseum
A guard was patrolling what looked like the entrance of the Coliseum. When suddenly, he heard hoof beats coming his way.
"Who goes there?" he asked, alerted by the presence. It was a well-dressed elderly carrying a youngster in rags by a rope tied around his neck. The youth looked in tatters, head down and walking by what seemed to be his master.
"Hello there! It's me again," said the old pony "And I have a rather good find for your slave market: A fine young stallion I found in the Grand Worm Desert. I captured him by sheer luck I tell ya. I wanna see if he can stand a chance in the arena." The guardspony eyed carefully both of them thoroughly until he sighted a sword on the old man's sheath.
"And what are you supposed to be doing with that?" he inquired.
"O-oh this? I intend to give it to him as a good luck charm for his fights." He answered, looking left and right. The guard simply nodded as he allowed them to pass.
The underground tunnels were so dark that you can't even see your own hooves inside them. If it weren't for the torch in the guard's possession, anypony could be lost in this labyrinth of breath-taking walls. As they arrived in front of a metallic door, the guard slid the key, turned it and opened the door. The sight was unbearable: Camels and ponies all over the place were either in rags, weeping, bleeding, or in torture slabs, ready to be disemboweled. In fact, somepony or camel intestines could be seen lying across what seems to be the torture chamber's room. As they arrived in front of a cell, the guard spoke to the prisoner.
"This is going to be your room from now on! I will ask the boss to schedule a grand fight between you and your cellmate tomorrow. I wish to see whether is old man has brought us some fine merchandise."
"Excuse me if I ask" the prisoner suddenly spoke "But who is this boss of yours?"
"Ah! You have a tongue you can speak with! This is amazing!" the guard responded, impressed "But to answer your question, nopony knows who the boss is as he's always wearing a mask during his fight sights. He doesn't allow anypony to go into his turf. He's that secret of a pony I tell you."
"Thanks for the honest answer. I have accepted my fate as a slave and I will accept my fate as a fighter tomorrow as this is the destiny bestowed upon me." he said solemnly.
"Good luck with your fight tomorrow. Make sure to know about your opponent, that is IF you can get anything from him." he said, laughing as he and the old man left to discuss payment and bets on the fight.
The room was like any other prison room except for one difference: The cellmate was a white, gargantuan camel about three times his size covered in scars and with crimson eyes as menacing as he looks. The camel didn't move an inch as his new cellmate entered and laid down in his bed, which was unusual since his figure was rather frightening to his previous cellmates that he regrettably butchered. He started speaking although his speech was unclear and broken.
"You new cellmate?" the prisoner was surprised: He thought that all camel slaves were unable of speech and what surprised him even more is that his voice was surprisingly sweet for somepony(camel) of his size.
"How is that you can speak?" he asked.
"Me hear me repeat. But me not understand everything. Me brought here from Camellia, clan mine. Captured me while getting food for clan." the camel answered with the best of his abilities. "Name is Kamal! Name of somepony that I kill tomorrow?!" the prisoner's eyes met his future opponent as he raised from his bed and answered with one singular word.
"Laa-Mohr."
Laa-Mohr's POV
It was under those circumstances that I met the most loyal friend a pony could ask for, Kamal. He didn't seem as a friend to me at first but just you wait as I uncover the mystery behind this trade, a secret so deep that it will change our lives forever.
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It's good
Alright, I don't see any spelling errors nor grammer, however a few questions:
It's clear that Laa-Mohr sneaks into the coliseum, but why keep it a secret until the end?
Also why is it that most prisoners/camels don't talk? There should really be an explanation somewhere
Finally, do you want me to put this in a few groups?
Other than that, I look forward to more chapters.
5332564
For Camels, they don't know Saddle Arabian, they are primitives so they only know their own native language (Spoilers: Kamal will only learn Saddle Arabian but NOT common Equestrian which means he will not understand anyone coming from Canterlot for example). As for the other prisoners (most prisoners not all), they are either silenced or have their tongues cut off. As for Laa-Mohr, it's for infiltration purposes. You'll see why in the next chapter. Also, yes, you can put this story in other groups!