<h4>Book 3, Chapter 20 – Rise of the Highwaymen</h4>


    ckfiend imed to be a defector from the elysian army, a general. Hemitted some crime that deeply offended his betters and caused him to be a pariah. However, it was clear just by his presence that there was more to him than that.


    The elysians would not sit idly by as a high-ranking member of their army became a wastnd warlord. Elysians were a harsh and paranoid people, full of pride. Allowing a general to openly defy them, then letting him go free, just didn’t add up.


    However, these discrepancies didn’t affect ckfiend’s rise to power. Everyone had their own history and experiences, and were often loathe to share all the details. Cyclops and the others epted him as their master. At first they made their living through murder and banditry, but before long they began to grow dispirited. The goal they all strove for seemed further than ever from their reach.


    They realized they could only seed with more strength. More likeminded men were gathered to their cause and the highwaymen were born.


    Cyclops never liked the name. He would have preferred if they called themselves ckfiends. It sounded far more… imposing.


    But his master disagreed. He saw no fault in a highwaymen. Living a simple and straightforward life like their lowly namesake seemed appealing.


    ckfiend felt that a dramatic name would only bring more attention, and with it more trouble. ‘Highwaymen’ didn’t sound like the sort with lofty ambitions, certainly not worth the sweat of elysian soldiers. Out in the wastnds pride meant nothing. It was always survival first.


    Over time, twenty bandits became a hundred, then several hundred. At present the Highwaymen boasted a thousand strong, bing one of the bordends’ fiercest group of bandits. Cyclops, because of his years of service and experience in war, was given a position of leadership. ckfiend put him in charge of one or two hundred men.


    He thought back to one night in particr.


    They’d just finished a big job, one thatted them seven or eight thousand gold easy. Their score also came with a group of about a hundred ves and a dozen pretty young girls. As the crew celebrated, ckfiend summoned all the leaders before him.


    After twenty years ckfiend hadn’t changed much physically. His shining ebon skin and burly frame looked just the same as he did all those years ago, when he came to Cyclops in the street. The only indication of his age was the grey that’d crept into his beard by the corners of his mouth. That, and his slowly growing collection of scars, were the only indication of the passage of time.


    At fifty or so ckfiend was growing older, but no one dared challenge his leadership. The highwaymen owed their existence and growth solely to this man’s leadership. Cyclops and the other leaders had fought shoulder to shoulder with him for years, one desperate struggle after another. During that time the general ckfiend once was became clear. He knew how to train soldiers, andmand them in a fight. They were bandits, yes, but under ckfiend’smand they were a tremendous force. Years of harsh existence in the wastnd tempered them. Though they could not stand toe to toe with an elysian bastion, out here in the wilds they were nigh unbeatable.


    ckfiend ordered wine bowls for each of hismanders. “I must go away for a while.” [1]


    The others exchanged curious, uneasy nces. But not asking questions had been beaten into them after years of servitude. If ckfiend wanted something said, he said it. If he didn’t, then they didn’t need to know.


    He raised his bowl, and said to them something the original Highwaymen couldn’t quite understand. “In thirty days, if I return, things will change for the Highwaymen. Anyone who wishes to leave can, without ill-will. If I don’te back, then the Highwaymen will scatter.”


    Thirty dayster, no sign of ckfiend could be found.


    But the highwaymen did not disband. Cyclops and the others refused to believe that ckfiend would discard those who had been his brothers for twenty years.


    It took fifty days, but eventually ckfiend did return. Only, he wasn’t the same man who left. He called himself the chosen of the wastnd and took on a number of shocking habits. For instance, upon his return ckfiend developed a preference for the blood of the young. There were also powers, mysterious abilities that made no sense. After a time he came before them again with an announcement.


    It was a challenge to another mighty bordends outfit, who called themselves the Ligers.


    Although both groups made their living in the bordends, both wereparable in strength and tended to keep to themselves. So long as one didn’t encroach on the other’s territory, there wasn’t a problem. ckfiend decided that needed to change. Strange and sudden though it were, bandits were a savage people. Without even stopping to question the state of things, the Highwaymen chose to attack.


    When the war began, Cyclops and the others didn’t even need to raise their weapons.


    ckfiend stole into the Ligers’ den alone, and by himself tore the life out of forty men. That number rose to a hundred before he was done. The enemy bandits shot him with guns and arrows, stabbed him with knives and swords, but he would not die. ckfiend trudged through their hail of steel without pause. The Liger’s bandit king even chopped ckfiend’s head off. But he simply picked it up, and put it back on the jagged wound of his neck. It healed instantly.


    Any damage they did to heal vanished as soon as they dealt it. He was immortal!


    It didn’t matter how dire the wound or how often he was hit, ckfiend recovered in seconds. Alone he obliterated the opposing bandit n. With a single punch he reduced half their leader’s body to gruesome paste.


    Whatever happened to ckfiend in his nearly two months away was a mystery. The devastation he caused was a shock to any who witnessed it.


    The Highwaymen absorbed what remained of the broken bandit n. Overnight their numbers went from a thousand to a fifteen hundred. Their march of destruction continued, consuming several more bandit crews. Recruiting, expanding, bing more powerful with every victory. Gradually, ckfiend brought an end to the piging of bordend caravans so that they could continue to gather strength without attracting elysian notice.


    ckfiend’s reputation grew with every sh, transcending into the realm of godhood. He was worshipped as such by his men. With more fame, ckfiend became ever more mysterious as well. Fear gripped the hearts of those who heard his name. The highwaymen were no longer a mere bandit n. They were a cult, in service to their undying god.


    Cyclops didn’t understand any of it, but he watched with one fervent eye as the Highwaymen grew day by day. Equal parts shock and excitement filled him, for he knew that if they continued at this pace the Highwaymen would soon surpass even the infamous Dark Atom. Sooner orter his people woulde to inherit all the wastnd and call it their kingdom. ckfiend the Undying would be its master!


    ***


    Barb slowly extracted the golden needle from his head. Cyclops’ eye rolled back into his head andy in the dirt, twitching.


    The process of dredging up these memories was barbaric and harmful. He’d made it worse by resisting, and as a result he’d caused great damage to himself. After the reading, what was in his mind became a shattered mess. If he lived, he would be only a shadow of a man.


    Cyclopsy in the sand, jerking every now and again, lost between reality and his memories.


    Cloudhawk and the others had watched Cyclops’ life unfold like a book. It was a normal wastnder life – full of pain, loss, and hope. Full of blood, murder and evil.


    “That’s a damn fine relic.” Cloudhawk didn’t even spare a nce to what was left of Cyclops. There wasn’t anything left there but a mindless sack of flesh anymore. He wasn’t worth another thought. “It’s just a shame about the side-effects.”


    “That’s not important. The problem now is this dark power growing in the wastnds. And we had no idea. Incredible. I’m willing to bet this ckfiend will be another Wolfde if given the chance, and will be just as much of a threat to Skycloud.” Barb’s face was stern. She had to get back and report what she learned to her superiors soon. It would definitely be worth something to the right pair of ears. “Have youe here to investigate ckfiend, senior? I’m sure figuring out where they’re holed up will be very useful for the leadership back home. We should make a report right away!”


    Cloudhawk shook his head nomittally. This left Barb puzzled. Something this important didn’t even get a glimmer from his eye?


    “You think Skycloud domain doesn’t already know about the Highwaymen?” Cloudhawk looked at her. “You underestimate the big wigs back across the border. I’m willing to bet they don’t just know, they probably have some ins we don’t know about. If you go rushing back with this news before you know the real deal, six to one odds you die before you get there.”


    Barb’s eyes nearly popped out of her skull. What he was implying seemed nothing short of ludicrous. “How could Skycloud allow an evil like this to continue?!”


    Barb was young, and idealistic. Cloudhawk had been like her, once.


    “My mission has nothing to do with this, but we should take a look since it’s on the way.”


    His decision took bothdies by surprise. Autumn even blurted out, “Are you crazy?”


    It was clear from Cyclops’ memories how terrifying ckfiend was. He was a monster the likes of which the wastnds had never seen! Obviously it would be better to enlist a group of demonhunters toe and deal with the problem, if not a full army corps. Although Barb did not question her senior’s abilities, it seemed reckless to go after whatever this ckfiend was on his own.


    “Rx. I’m only going for a look, not to pick a fight. It’ll be fine.” Cloudhawk looked from one pensive face to the other. “I’ll take care of it myself. The two of you should stay here.”


    “No way! I’ming too.” Barb didn’t leave any room for argument. “I want to see this nest of evil myself. If I’m going to be a master demonhunter then I can’t be afraid of a bunch of garbage bandits! What sort of shit demonhunter would I be then?”


    Autumn wasn’t eager to go running headfirst into new conflicts, especially ones that involved immortal former elysian generals.


    However, the problem she faced now was clear. Either go with them, or split up. Even if it was only temporary, she hade to understand how dangerous it was out here. Following Cloudhawk into the heart of a bandit camp, or cowering alone in the wilderness. She preferred the former.


    Anyway, Cloudhawk had said they were only going to take a quick look.


    Cloudhawk looked at Autumn. He knew from Cyclops’ words and memories that ckfiend was interested in her ancient heritage. Whatever ce she came from was hiding an unfathomable treasure. Whoever controlled it was sitting on inexhaustible energy and wealth.


    Why was it the wastnds never openly fought with the elysiannds? In a word: poverty. Elysian divine energy was infinite, so wastnders weren’t going to fight their way through their holynds. Not unless they found an infinite power source of their own. Anyone with even the faintest hint of ambition would see Autumn as the key to limitless power.


    And that was a problem.


    Cloudhawk found himself conflicted, but often the most dangerous ce was also the safest. Maybe bringing her into the belly of the beast was a good n.


    It was decided. The three gathered up their provisions and prepared to set off. Autumn took onest look back.


    Cyclopsy in the sand, twitching, blood trickling from his mouth and nose. His one good eyes stared nkly toward the sky and his hands groped at air. He was reaching for something, but it was something only he could see. His lips worked but nothingprehensible came out. He hadpletely lost his mind.


    Autumn felt a sense of sadnesse over her.


    No one was born evil. That eighteen year old boy named Sprout was a good man. If he’d stayed back in his home with his lover, lived peacefully in the bordends, what sort of man would he have been then? How would things have been different? She didn’t know. This was the wastnds. No one knew what the next sunrise would bring.


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    1. Here is an example of a wine bowl from Iran. This is more of an Asian tradition, but for brigands I imagine they would drink out of whatever they had at hand instead of bothering with fine ssware.