Gaea - Chapter 17

Author's note: The Ebon Masters have reached the safety of Gyudin! Nothing too important here in terms of symbolism and hidden depth that was not covered in the past chapter. The King of Piracy will be making his appearance next chapter, the Ebon Master Saverz! So keep reading.

----------

Chapter 17

Lingering in the air, the fireball of Belrusi lit the path towards Gyudin. The six ran on as fast as they could, running on adrenaline and fear a lone. Leaus had to be carried by Raquil, as his small stature and poor shape quickly tired him out, his fat stubby legs protested with searing pain and he coughed thick gobs of saliva up on Raquil's back as he struggled to breathe.

“What the hell is he?” Leaus gasped between coughs and wheezes.

Tenji who was amazingly spry for an old man lead the way, as he bounded over tree roots and through brambles, “You are too young to know, but Cardinal Belrusi is one of the three Cardinals of Belrin and that means he has incredible divine power-”

“Magic,” Hilga interrupted.

“Not quite so,” Tenji mentally paused for a moment as he turned northeast and followed a stream towards the border of Gyudin, “It is more science then magic, but you can leave it up to your own interpretations. The only ones we have to fear now is their masters.”

“Don't fucking even say it,” Kek yelled at Tenji, “I don't want any more of your bad luck.”

The old man's voice wheezed as he laughed, “You would have preferred to die back there then?”

“Perhaps-”

“Sorry,” Tenji changed the subject, “Who's this lady?”

“Beats me,” Griff shrugged, “Raquil you should explain.”

Raquil ducked low to avoid a branch and Leaus beat him on the back, “Look where you are going!”

Deciding to introduce herself, Hilga said, “I'm your newest recruit. Hilga, the Usurper-

“You are what? No way!” Griff protested with his thumb raised in the air at Hilga.

“Don't like it, tough shit,” Hilga continued, “And after saving your ass too! When we rest I'll tell ya, but you won't be disappointed in the ex-commander of the Order of the Heavenly Snow.”

“Ten-jiiii!” Griff whined, “Do we really have to play with the little sis?”

Hilga unsheathed her sword in a flash and cleaved through the trees in her way, letting them tumble down into Griff's path before falling into the water. Able to dodge the slow falling trees, Griff whined all the more louder, “She's mean!”

“No more whining,” Tenji shook his head in shame, “She will solve our all problems if we give her a chance. She already defected on my council, she is a trustworthy ally.”

“It has never been my business to trust those who betray others,” Kek sighed, “Guess we got no other choice.”

Traveling further up the stream, the eerie fireball died away at last, casting the jungle back into darkness, but still they ran on, the sound of splashing water allowing Tenji to lead them forward towards safety. They took no breaks, if the old man could continue on, so could the rest of them. For five hours they ran up stream, crossing some thirty kilometers to the fork in the stream, the barrier of Fegoria and Gyudin, sparing only to rest for several minutes at a time. Throwing their arching bodies forward and through the stream, they reached the safety of Gyudin before falling to the ground to rest their aching bodies. Only Leaus, who was carried upon Raquil's shoulders was fine, and helped everyone drink from his canteen which he filled from the stream.

“Drink up, drink up,” Leaus ordered as he tried to help Kek drink the water, but it only made his breathing more ragged and desperate.

Tenji rest with his back to the trunk of a tree, panting weakly, “The Tigers will be lurking up ahead, don't attack them and call out your presence for them. Leaus, Hilga, they may be harsh towards you by nature, but don't do anything to insult them.”

“Funny you should say that, peddler,” a voice came from the darkness, a friendly voice which Tenji knew, “What happened cross the border?”

“Teallin?” Tenji asked the darkness, “What are you doing this close to the border?”

“Orders from the Great Chief,” Teallin and three figures moved through the brush, making their way towards the stream, “What brings you here?”

“That blast was meant to kill us, but we escaped with our lives-”

“How noble,” Teallin rest his hand on Tenji's shoulder, “Whatever you did must have been grand to warrant such a response.”

“We killed the Cardinal's two body guards and severely wounded Cardinal Belrusi, but he was protected too well and we were forced to retreat.”

“And of your losses?”

“None.”

Teallin whistled as he approached the others, the armored Tiger wore a mesh of various hides and cloth over his body. The armor was typical of low ranking clan members, but was still as proud and protective as chainmail armor of their southern counterparts. He was a stern faced man and by far from the best looking. Scars to his cheek, eye and forehead made his usual face resemble that of a stone gargoyle, but as long as compassion filled his black eyes, he was more human then beast.

“Who might this lady be,” Teallin looked at Hilga who needed no rest and stood her ground ready to fight at a moments notice, her dangerous eyes fixated on Teallin and his hidden men with distrust.

“Our latest recruit,” Tenji came off the back of the tree and over to Teallin, “She defeated one of the guards and wounded the Cardinal in a split second. She comes all the way from Frae to join us.”

Hilga's bloodstained hair gave the impression of a far more brutal slaying then the graceful precision she displayed in battle, and Teallin's eyes lit up when he saw the hatred in her eyes. So powerful was that emotion her entire being gave out an aura of darkness, blood and fury. Teallin bowed his head to the woman, “It is an honor to meet a woman of your strength.”

Hilga stared into Teallin's tiger skull mask and saw the man underneath, “It is good to meet blood brothers even this far from home.”

“You seem to be most capable, shall you accompany us back to the Great Chief Umil-Somil?” Teallin asked Hilga as he cast one final look around to the weakened Ebon Masters.

“If they do not protest. I do have my own agenda to fulfill.”

“She will go,” Tenji confirmed, silencing the others before they could speak, “We will catch up by dawn or noon at the latest.”

“Very well, we will be expecting you,” Teallin saluted with his right fist over his heart, pounding his chest hard enough so that the beat sounded like a silenced drum.

Teallin took off at a full sprint into the wood, the three figures hidden in the bush followed with him and Hilga grinned to Raquil, “You guys are fun, you know that?”

“Catch up if you can,” Raquil snorted as he raised his hand to see her off.

Hilga took off at full speed after Teallin, even under the weight of the armor her body knew no limits. Years of intense training, pain and suffering had pushed her limits beyond that of the average soldier. Her injured leg, fixed by Raquil's healing touch did not hold her back as she took great strides across the ground, wary of the exposed roots, plants and fallen branches that littered the ground. As she caught up with Teallin, the man grinned behind the mask and sought to add this promising recruit to the Tigers. Her long white hair flew back in the wind as she ran so elegantly through the dark jungle, she was strong. So very strong.