What a journey it’s been!! The reign of Lord Dreck has been nothing but horrific. Now he’s been killed. Finally!

Time to bring this story to an end…

“Lord Dreck and his minions are dead. Mandeland is free.”

As the first rays of the morning sun began to creep over the horizon, casting a warm and golden hue over the village of Mandeland, many villagers had had no idea what transpired at the palace the previous night. Just as Dreck’s invasion and takeover that fateful evening was unknown to them, his defeat was also unknown.

And only revealed that morning, as some men walked through the streets, crying out these words.

Relief washed over the villagers as this good news broke out among them. It had been weeks of living in sheer terror, wondering if it would ever get better. Lord Dreck had terrorized them with a passion, and for many, despair and hopelessness had set in. Any attempt to fight back had been brutally quenched, and it looked like there was no end in sight to this nightmare.

Now, in no time flat, the streets were filled with many teary-eyed villagers, overjoyed at this news. Happy that they could safely walk the streets without fearing harassment and torment from his evil bandits.

“Oh, thank the heavens!”

“I can’t believe we can walk the streets without fear now!”

“Yes! It’s finally over. Lord Dreck and his men are no more.”

“No more living in fear!”

These statements and many more echoed throughout the village, a testament to the joy that had swept through the town.

Yes, so much destruction and loss of lives had occurred. But Mandeland had survived, and was now free.

***

Billa was wrapped in a blanket, shivering violently as he sat on the couch in the living room of one Eron, a survivor of one brutal attack from the bandits that had cost him his eye. Diyaka sat next to him, his arm around his shoulder as he spoke. After setting the tyrant’s body ablaze, the boys had rushed to Eron’s house to get some sleep before officially informing him of what had happened.

“So you mean, this elder actually stood up to Lord Dreck?” he asked curiously, quite taken aback by the story Billa and Diyaka had told him.

Billa nodded. “It was a fierce fight. They really went at each other, and for a moment, it looked like Soayi was going to defeat him.”

Eron shook his head. “Wow. Incredible. And… and he also killed all his other men?”

Billa nodded again. “From the other elders to the bandits. Every single one of them.”

Eron shook his head again. “Amazing! But… but why would he turn on Lord Dreck?”

“I think it was more of a personal issue he had with him,” Diyaka answered. “He mentioned something about Lord Dreck killing his cousin or something while they fought. More like a revenge mission that just happened to favour us.”

Eron folded his arms. “Hmmmm. Well, I guess we can only be grateful that he did what he did, and that he took you two along. Because only heaven knows what would have happened if you weren’t there. The very worst could have happened. Imagine if his plot had failed; Lord Dreck would definitely have taken it out on us.”

Billa sighed. “Yes. I just wish he hadn’t died. Maybe he would have turned over a new leaf or something like that.”

Eron shrugged. “Well, we’ll never know at this point. But whatever the case may be, Mandeland is forever indebted to him. It might have been you that struck the fatal blow that killed Dreck, Billa, but without all the work Soayi did, you clearly wouldn’t have been able to get close to him in the first place. So yes, he may have died, but his actions in saving Mandeland will never be forgotten.”

Billa and Diyaka nodded. It was no less than he deserved, with all he had done. Without his decision to turn on the evil lord, they would most certainly be cowering in their homes, waiting for his bandits to wreak havoc and destroy them.

“So… uh, what’s… what’s next?” Diyaka asked.

Eron seemed to think about it for a moment, then sighed. “I’ll have to speak to some of the other men. We may need to call a meeting at the square and let everyone know exactly what happened, and what we’re going to do to revive the village. So… you boys just stay here and rest while I go and speak to those I can think of. Just relax and have as much of the honey and mint drink as you can; Alda has prepared more than enough.”

***

The central square of Mandeland was slowly filling up with villagers as the morning sun hung high in the sky. A major announcement was to be made concerning the end of the tyranny of Lord Dreck.

As they trooped in, the joy of their freedom waned as many of them remembered their last gathering at the square, and the reality of how much they had lost really dawned on them.

In time, the atmosphere grew heavy and bittersweet. Yes, Lord Dreck had been vanquished, but that didn’t change the fact that so much damage had been inflicted, and it was plain to see. The communal tables had been destroyed, the pavilions burned, the market nearby a shadow of its former self… and the reminder that so many people they had celebrated Ashrei with were no more.

As Billa and Diyaka, accompanied by Eron and a few other elderly men, entered the market square, the bittersweet feeling slapped them in the face. Billa’s eyes couldn’t help but water as he observed the large surroundings and he remembered the Ashrei festival.

Sitting with Diyaka and his parents, watching the tribe’s different stage plays. Watching the late King Karomo deliver a goosebumps-inducing speech. Watching the fireworks display with his dear friend Chika…

He sniffed and wiped his eyes, the sting of those losses hitting him. Diyaka, who walked next to him, put an arm around him, his face also conveying much sorrow.

As they mounted the makeshift podium, Eron beckoned to the now sorrowful villagers to gather around. Once they did, he stepped forward. Watching the faces of his fellow villagers, he took a deep breath, then began.

“Friends and family of Mandeland, we have gathered here to share news of a victory that has been long-awaited and long hoped for. Lord Dreck and his bandits are no more. Our village is free from their tyranny.”

A murmur of relief and subdued cheers rippled through the crowd, but the atmosphere remained heavy.

Gesturing toward Billa and Diyaka, he continued. “Last night, one of Lord Dreck’s elders, the one they called Soayi, took these young men, Diyaka and Billa, into the palace, on a mission to defeat the evil one. He defeated all the bandits that have tormented us all, before taking on Lord Dreck in a fierce battle to the death. Unfortunately, Lord Dreck got the better of him and defeated him. Thankfully, that gave our dear Billa the chance to strike the tyrant and bring his reign to an end.”

The people began applauding, with some more subdued cheers.

“We may not understand why he did it, considering his allegiance was with Lord Dreck, but that matters not. We are grateful to Soayi for his actions. Without him, Billa and Diyaka would never have had the chance to defeat that tyrant. So, along with these boys, let us acknowledge and celebrate this man called Soayi for saving us from this evil scourge. Their names will forever be etched in Mandeland’s history as saviours!”

The applause grew louder, and cheers broke out. The boys bowed gratefully before the people, glad to receive these plaudits.

When the applause died down, Eron sighed as a somber look crossed his face.

It was time to face the hard part.

“But… as we rejoice in our newfound freedom and celebrate these heroes, we cannot forget the price we’ve had to pay. Our homes are scarred, our fields lay fallow and burned, and many of our loved ones are no longer with us.”

Billa’s gaze shifted to the broken benches and tables nearby, thinking sadly of every family that had suffered a loss.

Eron’s voice cracked as he carried on. “We mourn those who are gone, and we honor their memory. From our beloved King Karomo and Queen Marenah and the precious Prince Chika, to our dear Mr. Azibo, to every single person who fell victim to Dreck’s reign of pure evil. Our hearts remain heavy, and our wounds run deep, but we must stand united in the face of adversity.”

 Eron bowed his head, as did the men with him, and Billa and Diyaka. The crowd fell into a solemn, reflective silence, the weight of their collective grief palpable. The victory over Lord Dreck and his tyranny, though sweet, was tempered by the somber reality of the devastation they had endured.

Silence reigned for about a minute.

Then Eron raised his head. “Dear people of Mandeland, the road to recovery will be long, and the scars may never fully heal. But Mandeland shall endure through it all. We will rebuild, we will heal, and we will remember the price we paid for our freedom. We will honor the memory of those we’ve lost by forging a stronger, kinder, and more resilient Mandeland. Together, we will rebuild our village, and from the ashes, we will rise anew.”

Many of the villagers nodded as they listened to Eron’s words, knowing that their journey toward healing and rebuilding had only just begun, and needed to be taken as seriously.

“There is work to be done, and so much to put in place to make our village better and stronger. Some of us will begin discussions on these matters, and you will be informed on certain decisions, or meetings held here for us all to decide on certain issues. But people of Mandeland, the rebuild begins now.

“And never again should calamity like this befall our beloved village. Never again should any man, woman or group lay siege to this beloved village of ours and cause such devastation. Never again should our history be filled with a tragedy like this. Never again, my fellow villagers! Never again!”

“Never again!”

THE END

Well, that’s a solemn but hopeful end to what has been a major thriller. Evil visited this land and caused much chaos, but ultimately, it lost. Hopefully, Mandeland will rise from the ashes and become stronger.

Thanks for reading, and as always, continue to enjoy yourself around the State!