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Chapter 8. Pact: Ashki's Authority
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Carysse 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 when something doesn't go right.'' He looked at her. ''I'm on your side or else why did I bother to save you earlier.''
He had a point but she was not convinced. He had to do better. She was already drained, tired, and sick of being surprised or shocked every minute that she was with Chaos. It was like he was a living manifestation of his name.
''That's what I would like to know. You knew they were already there when I said that I felt someone at my back. How is that?'' she asked, remembering what Chaos said earlier.
Chaos took a last peek outside before walking towards them. He took out a whetstone from his pocket and began polishing his sword, a habit that he hadn't given up and he always did whenever he wanted to calm down or think things straight.
''They're called Mahan, the people of the shadows,'' Chaos revealed as he tightened his grip on his weapon.
''They practice ancient magic. Remember how you said you heard footsteps but then no one was there? That's them, using your own shadow. I've had my own experience with them so I'm familiar with how they work.''
That was new to her. She had heard of the ways of the ancient world. Apparently, people before were obsessed with witchcraft, hidden techniques, strange traditions, and other dark powers. It was only at the age of the kings when all these things started to fade. But she had never heard of such an existing group.
“And? How do you know about them?” she pressed.
“They are a rebel group famous in Apharothia where I just came from. I can tell you more about them but we are running out of time. Believe me when I say that I am also surprised that they are here,” he answered.
''Are they humans?'' asked Ashki as he slowly flexed his arm, fingers, and muscles. Carysse finished wrapping what she could but the blood was still soaking it quickly. She will have to change it again after half an hour or else the dirt will cause an infection. The problem was they didn't have an unlimited number of bandages.
''Yes,'' replied Chaos. ''Humans but with beastly intentions.''
Silence filled the cave for a minute or two. Until Ashki stood up.
''Chaos, Carysse, you all know for sure, that the three of us can't continue together, if we want to get ourselves out of this place.'' His voice was thick with determination, the voice of a true leader. ''They will find us sooner than later.''
Carysse immediately rebutted it.
''I don't think we're having that kind of conversation, Ashki. We're sticking to the original plan. We all participate in Gairoshi.''
But then, Ashki looked at her intensely and she felt herself melting. It was dim in the cave but the moonlight from the entrance reflected Ashki's blue eyes as he held her gaze.
He touched Carysse's face and wiped away a tear that was forming. Carysse realized what was about to happen was inevitable and Ashki knew it was hurting her.
Someone had to be a decoy.
Ashki then let go of her with a smile and walked towards Chaos. They thought he was going for the entrance so no one really expected it when he shoved Chaos in the wall in one swift motion and pinned his neck with his strong elbow.
''Ashki!'' screamed Carysse, her eyes widened at what he just did.
Surprisingly, Chaos didn't take it offensively. Even if he gritted his teeth because of the pain, his composed expression showed that he acknowledged it. He was accepting the pain like a proper warrior.
''Will you swear to me, that no matter what happens, you will return with Carysse in one piece?Will you use your sword to protect her and not use it against her just like you did?''
Ashki was not even talking about the success of their mission. He was talking about them going back alive, win or lose. Carysse could just hold back her sobs.
''You know me, Ashki,'' Chaos started, his voice oozing with conviction. ''You know full too well that I won't abandon both of you.''
Chaos looked at Carysse.
''Carysse, I know you won't believe me anymore because I...'' His voice trailed off. His brain was choosing the right words because he was in front of Ashki. ''...wounded you two years ago. But hear me out, even I don't remember exactly what really happened.''
He paused, gathering up his strength for what he was about to say.
''When Thalisse was attacked, I had the urge to leave. I know it was selfish and embarrassing for me after all those warrior training but I just couldn't stay. You were chasing me telling me to come back. But after that, I don't have any recollection. I only remember myself taking you back to the village in a bloody state. After hearing you muttering on why I did it, I left again with no one stopping me anymore, not even Elder Shimar. Because my blood-soaked weapon and hands was more than evidence.''
Yes, Carysse heard of that story. No one else was chasing after Chaos, it was only her. So no one could have brought her back to the village hideout except for him. But it just didn't make sense so Carysse didn't really think about it and asked the Elder and the rest of the remnants to keep their mouths shut on what happened to her, not bothering to know the whole story.
But now that she was hearing it herself from Chaos, she was lost on what to believe and what to feel. Her hand was again on her chest, feeling it throb harder. She felt numb to Chaos' reasons.
Ashki then let go of his hold on Chaos.
''Now that it's unclear on what the real story is, I ask of you two, lean on each other, at least for now.''
He then extended his ax towards Chaos.
''Both of you know what I'm about to do. Diversion is where I excel at and I'm the best that you have.''
''Do you even know how many of them are out there?'' Chaos asked.
''Less than twenty. That's few compared to the soldiers that attacked the village two years ago.''
''Ashki, your wound,'' Carysse pointed out in concern. She was not liking this one bit. She wanted to volunteer herself to be the scapegoat. Chaos and Ashki had the two most important roles for Gairoshi. She could be discarded and nothing would happen.
Ashki seemed to read her mind.
''I'm the perfect one for this, Carysse. You have your own mission. No one of us will die.''
Ashki looked towards the entrance of the cave.
The sound of a troup approaching alerted the three, making them all look at the entrance of the cave.The leaves were shuffling and footsteps and voices were surrounding them.
''They're here,'' Carysse whispered, her heart hammering in her chest because she knew exactly what was going to happen next.
''Run and don't look back,'' Ashki finally said as he stationed himself at the front, one step away from the moonlit ground of the cave's opening. ''I'll be returning to the village. Me, Elder Shimar, and Thalisse will wait for you.''
Chaos held his sword and with a soft clink of their weapons, like a toast of wine, Chaos said, ''See you soon, brother.''
Ashki nodded and with a final look towards Carysse, he jumped out of the cave, towards the shadow enemies.
Bab terkait
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 9. A Smell of Death
As soon as Ashki jumped, Chaos grabbed Carysse by the waist again and carried her out of the cave, plummeting to a ravine.They were not hybrids unlike in the age of Elder Shimar where everyone practiced ancient magic. But what they lacked in magic, they made up for their trained bodies. They were pure humans but leaping to dark chasms weren’t really that new to them. It was one of their regular physical exams when they were still trainees. Still, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t scary.Carysse shut her eyes as she felt trees wheeze past through them and gravity pulled them to the ground but Chaos did a good job of holding her tight.By luck, for the second time, they fell on water, and that was a thousand times better than crashing on earthen ground.This time, the river was a little warmer and wider that they had to swim. Chaos helped her up. She was surprised she still had her bag. Chaos also has his lightsword strapped tightly at his back. It made her think of Ashki already and she supp
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 10. Battle at the Boundary
They were jumping from one branch to another, making Carysse hope that they could actually go over the boundary without any Mahan at their tails. She had lost count of how many minutes they were already running peacefully.If that was the case, then Ashki bought them enough time. A wave of guilt washed over her mind knowing that they left behind a friend just for them to be able to move forward. No, we will see each other again.Ashki said it himself. No one was going to die tonight, only the Mahan. He was not a weakling. He was the best of them three. Carysse filled her thoughts with positivity. She had to stay focused on her own goal.Chaos was in front of her, leading the way. As his back was facing her, she couldn't help but see the similarity two years ago when she was chasing him, trying to make him come back.They pressed on, passing through trees, until they were almost past the boundary.After that, the moon was covered by clouds, and the shadows came.Carysse didn't know if
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 11. Unsheathed Hope
The old fort was gloomy than ever. Once upon a time, it was a stronghold for the kings of Apharoth whenever their main camp in the flatlands was wiped out. The place served as their last resort, hence the name, Bezelius or Last Bronze in ancient Apharoth language.It had walls that soared fifty feet high. Plus, it stood on top of a hill and so the four towers touched the clouds during the wet season. It was one of the reasons why it was abandoned. During the seven years of the Great Cold, it was rendered useless because it froze its own soldiers. Shrouded in fog, heavy clouds, and continuous rain, the country began to slowly forget Bezelius that once acted as a shield of the people but of course, people always forget. Only the shadows stay.Now, it was a perfect hideout for the Mahan people.“It’s been three days,” a bearded man wrapped in a thick purple scarf started. He sat cross-legged on the small plain throne “Why haven’t the assassins returned?”“Maybe they encountered something
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 12. A Court Clash
At the palace, another war was being fought, not by mere weapons but sharp words that were far more dangerous than swords.Visian Vahamor, the king of Apharoth, garbed in velvet and gold clothes, was doing his best not to explode in anger because of the dispute before him. His right and left chancellors were at it again. They seem to have forgotten that they were in the presence of His Majesty.Chancellor Dasran, the king's only sure friend, was already red in restrained anger. The king wanted to take a break from this spat because they had already been debating for more than two hours and no one one was backing down.''Chancellor Dasran, do you really think, with all your experience as an aide to the royal throne for almost twenty years, that reviving an old tradition is an effective way to stop a war?'' A brown-bearded man with a calm expression asked Dasran. He was Waharis, the Left Chancellor, and his subtle tone even with all their bickering meant that he came here prepared.''It
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 13. Returned and Alive
They had detected her. Of course, they would. Carysse was not from here so it was inevitable that the city guards posted on almost every visible rooftop would notice. The singing drunk men sang of the mighty Apharothia at the ship last night. They mentioned the city with flying gold swords. Carysse thought that it was just a play of their tipsy state. The sentries at the entrance weren’t strict as they let anyone enter. But now that she was walking the first street, she could see why Apharothia was called the center city and why they were worthy of being the host for Gairoshi. Their guards weren’t on the ground. They were stationed above. Clothed in red and gold armor, they were like magicians with swords or arrows. She saw one of them nudge his pair's elbows and his partner nodded to the others, as if giving a signal. Looks like it was true that Apharoth was not lenient to its security. Carysse walked faster, her wooden sandals pounding the pavement louder than she intended. The a
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 14. Rising Reminders
“Zeikontour, huh.” The word was foreign to Carysse’s mouth. She knew that in the ancient language, it literally means ‘raise your ranks’. But with her being a Thalisse citizen, it was not unusual that they didn’t know a lot of things in the outside world. “Gairoshi was banned for centuries, right? But Zeikontour wasn’t. It was meant to be for those who wanted to become queen but when Gairoshi became dormant, it was now an event that opened opportunities for ladies who wanted to rise above society. Now, any girl can go from being a stable girl to a feudal lady and even higher,” the lady explained. “Just like me,” she giggled. “I am a daughter of an ordinary merchant. But now I do my own trades. My goal this time is to go a little higher than just being a merchant boss. I’m aiming to become a feudal lady–a true achievement of those who were born in the slums.” Carysse looked at her while they were walking. “Ma’am, may I know your name?” she asked. It was preposterous of her earlier
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 15. A Mother's Eyes
After what seemed like a century, Carysse finally woke up in a good bed with warm blankets, soft pillows, and a peace of mind.It was a distant feeling that she hadn’t felt in years while they were hiding. She never had a bed and decided not to have one because it would only be rendered useless as she was the guardian of Thalisse. She should never feel comfortable or else her senses will become dull.She had always to be in an environment that challenged and pushed her to always be on guard. Because of that, she forgot the feeling of having a straight sleep. A simple scurrying of the bushes or a random howl of a wolf or dog was enough to wake her up. This was why despite her small stature, no one regarded or recognized her as an eighteen-year old kid. They always thought she was older. They said it was because she had the tired face of an adult. Funny as that may be, others said that it must be saddening on her part to be young yet not feel young. But rising up from that unusual mor
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 16. War of the Women
Carysse had heard of castles only from the travelers that passed by Thalisse. They were described as gigantic and towering buildings that could house hundreds and even thousands of people inside, depending on the royalty residing in the castle. The travelers did a good job of describing them vividly that Carysse immediately knew when she saw one.As she and Liblei got out of the carriage, a stunning castle with a horizontal structure, ivory beams, bronze walls, and fluttering flags with different colors was placed on top. Carysse assumed the flags represented the eight provinces of Apharoth. On its walls were random giant holes filled with glass-like objects. The castle was literally sparkling. ’’This is the Adreic Castle, home to one of the highest families in Apharothia. It is where we will be having the first meeting for the Zeikontour,’’ Liblei said. She was wearing a proper attire fit for a noble already. Dressed in an emerald-colored long gown that swept the ground and her hair
Bab terbaru
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 40. Layered Answers
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
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 39. Two Challenges Each
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
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 38. Fate: A Change of Plans
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
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 37. Fever and Firm Feelings
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
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 36. Remaining Ashes; Lingering Intents
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
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 35. Another Escort
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
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 34. The Lady of Genade
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
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 33. First Day, First Blood
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
Gairoshi: Grit for Glory Chapter 32. Midnight Moments
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
