Zahir scrambled up the hill, his pursuers had driven him into a corner. There was no way out except Leapers Rest, the ancient suicide grounds. He couldn't die, not yet, not like this, he still had to avenge his father's murder. Still, he had no idea what to do, Leapers Rest was a dead end, no buildings or trees he could use as cover to escape. He stared out at the sea then down to the bottom of the cliff, the waves were rough and unrelenting. If he didn't land on the rocks below the waves were sure to break his body against them.
A silent prayer to the goddesses left his lips as his pursuers came upon him. These men had sworn to protect him before, now they were going to be instruments in his death. The men surrounded him leaving no way out. A pair of well dressed men approached the gathering.
"You've given us quite the chase but here you are little brother, back where you started. In my hands." His brother laughed.
"I will make you pay Zhora!" Zahir pointed to the man at Zhora's side. "His kingdom will see us brought to ruin and you side with him?!"
"No brother, not ruin, peace. Father never did understand that you have to let some things go to keep others."
"You've given them lands with our mines and most fertile farms. How will we feed our people!"
"The common people, Zahir, are resourceful, they will find ways to survive. We are the kingdom, as long as the royal family stands, so will the kingdom. You and I are all that is left of the family, stand with me."
"Not as long as you do the bidding of another kingdom."
Zhora signaled for the men to capture Zahir. He knew his brother, Zahir was boisterous, but a coward, he'd never jump of the cliff. As the men approached Zahir he backed away to the cliff's edge. His chest tightened, he couldn't breathe, didn't want to die. One of the men on his left was closer than the others, a surge of energy poured into him. Zahir turned around and sprinted to the cliff's edge and jumped with all his might.
"No!"
Zhora rushed to the edge but he could not see Zahir's body, no blood, nothing but the crashing waves on the rocks below.
A few days later a couple stood at the edge of Leapers Rest, they professed their love for each other, swearing who ever broke their promise would throw themselves off the cliff. The sound of rocks and dust falling to the sea below caught their attention. The couple peered over the edge to see the bruised dirty face of a boy looking up at them, believing him to be a demon crawling from the depths of the sea, the couple ran away from the cliff screaming.
Zahir's hands grabbed straw, no ground, he'd made it to the top of the cliff at last.
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