Whoever sent the letter must die.Carysse gripped the sheathed blade in her hand as she ran past trees and jumped over giant roots.No one knew the secret location of the remnants of Thalisse other than the remnants themselves. Everyone in the village was close and knew each other very well so they knew that the handwriting also belonged to none of them.Go.Was the only command of the village elder earlier. The old man looked at Carysse with an intense look. She understood.It was kill or be killed.The letter that the falcon brought this morni
A fight almost broke out.They walked for more than an hour without talking with only the sound of the chain being pulled and their wooden sandals trekking the mountain trail. She was not deaf to his heavy breathing and too many times she called for a rest just for him, like he didn't train at the mountains of Thalisse with her. Looking back, she was thinking why she was able to strike his wrists easily. He didn't seem to fight back earlier, either. Something was wrong with him.It was at their sixth rest when she realized it.Aside from the wound on his palm which Carysse gave to him as a welcoming gift for finally showing up after two years, the problem was on his stomach. Dried lips, pale skin, and him touching his stomach from time to time when Carysse had her back on hi
''Oh, dears, we are so sor--'' The lady herder dropped her sack of bird dung. The children stopped running. In a second, the sun hid behind the clouds and the wind blew cold.Carysse smelled the danger and immediately planted herself in front of Chaos just in time to parry an arrow.''Stay right there!'' She ordered Chaos behind her as she felt him itching to move. Chaos just made a tch sound. Only the sentries had access to the bows and arrows so Carysse kept moving her eyes around the rocks but she saw no one there. And she could only think of one person who could throw an arrow from that distance.Where are you, freak Bal?With fate's guidance again, the sun peeked a little, and Carysse saw the fai
''Carysse. Carysse, wake up.'' The image of Ashki loomed over her as she opened her eyelids. ''Huh?'' Carysse tried to get up and Ashki supported her, letting her back lean on his arm as she sat. She flexed her freezing fists. She had actually slept outside in the cold night. ''I'm sorry. I know you're tired but Elder Shimar is asking for your presence,'' Ashki said. ''Okay,'' Carysse said with a nod and she stood. Ashki offered his hand and she took it. They both climbed down from the tree and Carysse hid her blush as they walked from the Kairin tree to the tent still holding hands. They had been holding hands since they were at the orphanage-- it was a normal thing as children of Thalisse who were closely knitted together but to Carysse who was a growing lady, it was enough to warm her heart, though she knew it had no meaning to Ashki. To her surprise, none other than Elder Shimar and Chaos were present. She had expected for the village leaders to be also there. The two of th
Carysse’s cheeks went red at his words. Stupid body.“Here is the plan. But first, ever heard of Gairoshi?”Ashki squinted his brows. Carysse tilted her head slightly in curiosity.“Perhaps you could begin on the history of Gairoshi, my child.”“I will answer that later, Elder Shimar. I want to clarify what Gairoshi is to…them.”Carysse knew why he hesitated. He was about to say ‘my friends.’“Gairoshi is a phrase from the old language of Apharoth. It means grit for glory,” explained Chaos. A strong wind blew outside the tent and some of the cold breeze got in. Carysse knew she felt the icy air but also felt it from her insides. It was like Gairoshi was a bad omen.“It is an ancient practice much like the gladiators in the arenas found in the outskirts of this nation. It even almost has the same rules where representatives from each tribe gather to duel, making their way to the top until one only remains. In Gairoshi, it's slightly different. Anyone can join. Everyone, whether you a
Elder Shimar was the only one who moved, Carysse catching the old man by the shoulders because he suddenly attempted to stand without any support.Carysse snatched his wooden cane from the ground and helped him regain his posture. “Elder Shimar? What’s with the hurry?” asked Chaos.Chaos was not the only one to notice the different tone in the Elder’s voice. Ashki’s head turned to the direction of the entrance of the tent. “Don’t tell me,” he said as he stood and went near it, his ear pressed upon the thick cloth acting as the tent’s door.“Ashki?” Carysse asked with a hint of fear.Ashki looked at the Elder and both of them seemed to have a mutual talk with their eyes.''I am so sorry, Chaos, my child,'' Elder Shimar said with a low voice. ''It seems like you won't have the time to visit the children tomorrow even though I assured you earlier and even volunteered to accompany you..''Chaos clenched his right fist but then released it as he slowly stood up. ''I see,'' was his only r
If they had left one minute later, Bal would have caught up with them.''Bal?'' Chaos asked as they ran the trail.They had knocked the two guards unconscious earlier at the village entrance. Bal had taken all the guards and even their weapons for his bravery show. That was careless of him. What could have happened if the real enemy suddenly showed up? Would the two incompetent and drunk guards be able to defend the village? Would Bal make up for it?Earlier, when Carysse heard the sound of weapons clinking and the footsteps together, she could only think of one man that could gather such a force. It would be impossible for a normal child to discern such noises but they were warriors of Thalisse. They trained with nature ever since they could hold weapons. This already happened before when he wasn't in favor of Elder Shimar's rules and she couldn't believe he was actually doing it again. She was late to perceive it though. No wonder Elder Shimar and Ashki noticed it first. A renowned
Carysse almost cried as she bandaged Ashki's left arm. Good thing it wasn't his battle arm but it still hurt to see her friend wounded badly. Ashki was the first to be attacked when he scouted for them. He said that they came out of nowhere, the same as how Carysse felt it earlier. ''I don't know but.. it felt like they were waiting for us,'' Ashki said. True enough, the mountain was filled with different routes and trails. Why were they on the specific road that the three of them took? Their attacks were also intentional, intended to kill them. They weren’t holding back. Ashki’s words made the atmosphere colder than what the night should be. Carysse saw Chaos clench his fists near the entrance, his eyes hidden. ''Chaos, do you have any idea who they are? You always distance yourself if you know something.'' Carysse didn't mean to be harsh but if this was part of Chaos' plan, she was not falling for it. ''Then you have to relax yourself. You also tend to pinpoint your fingers w
Carysse lied when she said that she already ate her midday meal.Truth was, her stomach was feeling queasy and she didn’t want to enter the tournament with an upset stomach so she opted not to eat.She was met by Master Saber at the gate.“Do not doubt yourself, Carysse. You are strong. Have faith in your own strength,” her master emphasized.“Of course,” Carysse affirmed. “But I will be lying if I said that I am not nervous right now.”Carysse was confident in her fighting skills. Other than that, she was useless. Yet in Zeikontour, those ‘other things’ were the core.“Tell me, master, will I do all right?”“It does not matter, young one. We are humans who are naturally flawed. We are strong in one area and lacking in another. But it is in those weaknesses that miracles happen only when we conquer them. So go, be overwhelmed, feel inferior, and be worried. Whether you will do well or not, it all boils down to the meaning of why you’re doing it.”‘So I should put my life on the line i
When Carysse received the letter from the council that was in-charge with Zeikontour, she had a flashback when Chaos also sent a letter to announce his comeback to the village.That was more than two weeks ago. So little time has passed yet much has happened. Never did Carysse imagine that two weeks was enough to change the direction of her life. But looking back, she was somehow glad of this turn of events. She was just a mere guard, fighting everyday for the survival of the village but thanks to Chaos’ chaotic appearance, they finally got a chance to end their misery.“What does it say?” Chaos asked as he appeared from the doorway to the battlements. Recently, it was where they always found each other deep in the night. It was not surprising though. Even when they were children, they shared favorite spots.Carysse carefully folded the letter in its original form.“It will be tomorrow after the midday meal. Miss Veina Sahazii even sent her greetings saying that she is looking forward
Carysse pulled Chaos inside the carriage. “You’re awfully burning,” she said as she quickly brought out the herbs and oil that she brought earlier. She stooped and grabbed hold of something below the cushions. It was a good thing she had a thoughtful master. “The one you’re guarding is not any noble. He is the royal and only prince of Apharoth. It’s expected that some might attempt to endanger his life. You have to be always prepared,” Master Saber advised her once. Carysse brought out the box that her master had gathered himself. Inside were rare medicinal herbs for different kinds of poison, bandages, blades, some silver and gold coins, a wooden pounder, spoons, and small bowls for mixing. In this case, it was nature that was attempting to weaken him. She grabbed the leather skin that was hanging and poured water on one of the bowls. She took three leaves of the different herbs. She didn’t know their names but she was familiar with what would work for fever. Even Master Saber wa
Chaos and Carysse were watching the last match of the morning. This time, it was between two young knights. No wonder why the arena was so crowded when it was such a spacious building.“The brown-haired one is from Rayrra, the Lone Island of Apharoth,” Chaos said.The man was a deadly tornado with the twin swords twirling in his hands. He kept on missing the vital parts but his opponent was already bleeding in many parts of his body. Despite being clothed in armor, the hook of his sword was able to squeeze some cuts in the place where the armor can’t cover. Even his fighting style was not that of a knight. It was more like a barbarian whose strikes had no sense of direction. He was just attacking to wound or kill.Although it would be expected since Rayrra was a remote island who has had few exposure to how the knights outside Rayrra behaved and fought. Rayrra wasn’t originally a part of Apharothia but because of the success of the First King of Apharoth, the island voluntarily associ
Because of Tersherri’s presence, Carysse had her senses up throughout the ride. But when they reached Saphiruss and saw the wooden coffin of Liblei inside, Carysse switched over to her vulnerable side. She immediately broke down at the hall, holding back her mouth as she sobbed and sat beside Azelle and the other servants. “Change into your mourning clothes later. We will be having a special ceremony in an hour. I am sorry. Although I said that we will mourn together, I cannot hold you long in this castle for your own safety. I’m sure her home awaits for her as well.” Carysse knew Chaos was tired. But for him to go such lengths for her sake, he was also showing his soft spot. Azelle and the other servants wouldn’t stop thanking him. It was just too good to be true for a royal prince to show them this much kindness. An hour after, they were instructed to form a circle in the castle garden. They placed Liblei in the center and formed a ring around her coffin. During the ceremony, e
The whole point of being excited for the Gairoshi was ruined.Carysse was just supposed to be by Chaos’ side watching his back. Already, she was relishing the fact that she would be called as the royal prince’s escort. She thought this might be her opportunity to build some connections, especially that she was in contact with the royal family. She thought that this was the day that she would start her dreams of being a diplomat one day, a desire of hers that was put in the dark because of the two years that they had been living in fear. Now that she was in a steady pace, slowly reconciling with Chaos bit by bit, living in a castle life, experiencing new training under a second master, and even meeting a friend that was old and affectionate enough to be her mother, she thought she was getting back the life that was stolen from her because of the Thalisse attack that shook her peaceful world.But yet again, the death of Liblei shattered her heart. If destiny was a person, he must be a
Carysse froze. “What..” “The name of the woman was Liblei, I think,” the lady turned to the other at her back. “Right, sis?” “Yeah. Poor lady. She must have been stressed with what Mahan did to the noble ladies last time and the Zeikontour itself. But the organizers have no choice. They have to continue with the tournament as stated in the rules. May her soul rest. I heard the woman has been through a lot in her past life–” Chaos pulled Carysse away. The conversation was getting out of hand. He had to calm her down. She could feel her trembling hands. “She just met with me earlier. That doesn’t make sense,” she stammered. Chaos, too, didn’t feel like someone like that would suddenly take her life. She was pretty cheerful for the Zeikontour. Chaos could smell it. There was something more to this. “I have to go,” Carysse said and was about to walk but Chaos pulled her back. “What?” Chaos could see that she was about to cry. It was refreshing to see that Carysse was concerned with
Because of her insolence to not sleep earlier, Carysse had barely three hours of rest when she heard the sound of Master Saber’s bell outside her room. She was high up but with her keen hearing, it was enough to wake her up.She threw her blankets to the floor and opened the window in a grogged state.“Have you already forgotten, young lady?” Master Saber shouted from below. “Today is the day that you have been waiting for–your first ever formal training.”“Can’t you give me a break? I have my duties today as Chaos’ escort to the Gairoshi as well,” she bargained.“Only the dead deserve rest,” the master said with a firm voice. With no other choice, Carysse put on the first tunic that her hand found at the chair. She grabbed her dagger and jumped out of the window. Her body was jolted awake when her feet made contact with the ground. She just hoped that she would not pass out later because of lack of sleep.“So, what will you teach me today, master?” Carysse asked.“Something interesti
Just as Chaos thought, Carysse was at the rooftop again.Her room was just beside him so when he didn't hear any sound of her door opening or closing when he already passed by Master Saber entering into his own room earlier, he assumed that she was still outside.''It's already past midnight,'' he said. Carysse was staring at the stars with her arms resting on the spikes of the battlement like she was taking a nap while standing.''I know,'' she answered.''Tomorrow is already the start of the Gairoshi. It will do you good if you can get enough sleep. We don't know what the enemy has in store for us. We can't show any sign of weakness, especially that the people already know that you are my escort.''Chaos expected her to retaliate at his words. Surprisingly, she was in a good mood. Chaos went near her. Could it be that she had already fulfilled her first task to Master Saber?''You're awfully calm,'' he said. Carysse chuckled.''Relax, I'm still irritated by the fact that you are he