Crimson Chorus, From the Nine Kingdoms (Chapter 2)

  ***

  It was the 1st golden-hour. A wagon with course northwestward the sand sea from the capital was letting a trace of dust in its way. Reenjeen was guiding the skareelo, and other three was like passengers; among them were Manol and Seenan; the last one was Fay’ario, member of the militia. The costumes they wore were distinguished as merchants; there was a purpose behind their hidden identities.

 

  “This is the place, Reenjeen,” said Fay’ario, warning them.

  They slowed down until stopped; they descended and each one took place strategically, looking suspicious: Fay’ario was observing the surrounds as a good guide-being did it; Seenan and Reenjeen were pretending to revise the caravan skareelo...

  “Manol, I want you to inspect the terrain,” ordered Reenjeen.

  Manol nod, then, he took his immature carmine-bird that was sleeping on his shoulder and whit a soft whistle he woke it, doing to the little bird fly, vanishing like a small red point almost imperceptive in the blue sky. It had disappeared to the others but his tamer was following it with his eyes.

  Each one stayed in their position during the hours they spent. Their behavior had changed, no one were so motivated. Suddenly, the little bird returned from the north, sitting again on the shoulder of his tamer; interacted with a sing.

 

  “Reenjeen, they come from the high north, degree east!” informed Manol with his singular accent.

  “Attention, prepare!” alerted Reenjeen.

  In the direction given by Manol, it was raising a dust storm. It was indicating that had a lot of movement in that place; evidence of two factors: whether it was a product of a sand tide, whether it was a caravan that for the extension possibly a big one. Effectively, for the amusement and the bad luck of the four, it was the second one.

  “Reenjeen ...” said Seenan worried.

  “I know ...”

  Both were worried, because they had attached to the plan which was to face with a small group of mercenaries, even against a medium group because for that they were trained but, the number of opponents was exaggerated in comparison of their expectation. Null was the opportunity to retire because the enemy already had detected them and was for sure that he would reach them. It was a little favorable to move but they still could use the factor of lying; continue to pretending that they were merchants. They stayed in their places, waiting. In minutes they were surrounded by enemy wagons owned to all theirs victims.

  The ringleader descended from one of the vehicles, who being arrogant, he approached at a convenient distance.

  “I’ll explain you what’ll happen,” said the ringleader loudly. “You’ll give your goods without resisting, and we’ll let you leave but, you’ll carry a message for the watchers of guild Wall East ... This territory don’t belong them anymore. Now, take their vehicle!”

  The four stayed away from the wagon but without lowering their guard, while they were merely watching how was taken away.

  “Thanks! Grateful traders,” said the ringleader, leaving, “we’ll leaving with yours ...”

  For some reason, the mercenaries hadn’t taken the trouble to examine the wagon, and when one of them did so, they already had prepared the leaving; but, they still weren’t so far enough, when the ringleader was warned, who intrigued ordered to stop the wagon immediately. The ring leader ran to the stolen vehicle to corroborate.

  “YOU ...!” exclaimed the ringleader, stopping the four.

  “Will you keep your word?!” inquired Reenjeen rapidly.

  “What are you talking about?!”

  “We let you the wagon in exchange for indulgence.

  “You ... aren’t you merchants? No ... you’re just pretending ... You are watchers! Surround them!”

  The ringleader had noticed, alerting to his henchmen. Again, Reenjeen and the others were surrounded. The mercenaries lacked of will-mind and they weren’t rivals against a watcher or for someone with equal grade of will, that’s why they always moved in group like weaker beasts, because the added will also was a way to be strong.

  “Surrender, you aren’t rivals against us!”

  “Don’t compare us with you,” said Reenjeen challenging him. “Come closer and you will know it!”

  “Then indeed, you are watchers ...!”

  “Yes, we are,” assured Reenjeen. “So you can be sure that your message had been delivered. I am Reenjeen, sandean descendent, and the hand of guild Wall East!”

  “I am Seenan, a watcher and a sandean.”

  “My name is Manol, tamer-being!”

  “And I, Fay’ario, guide-being.”

  “Mercenaries lacking of will, never forget these names!” exclaimed Reenjeen heroically, because he was conscious that their team wouldn’t win but they would never surrender. “Let our legend begin here!”

  It was a moment of the tension for both groups.

  Suddenly, an event changed the luck for the four. From behind, the mercenaries were surprised by a group of Eskagreeo’s riders. These beasts were cousins of the skareelo’s but with the notable difference that their head was adorned with two long frontal horns and other many uneven along the skull that were used to attack those who dared to threaten them; also to be more aggressive because they were difficult to tame.

  The tackle was mortal for the first back rows of enemies who perished in the act. And as the riders were advancing, enemies were catapulted because the aggressive greeting from the beasts. The smartest chose to retreat towards a convenient direction (free of ridden beasts), and those who weren’t, they were immortalized in gravestones.

  “They are riders!” exclaimed Seenan relieved.

  “Aye, it is Panphro ...” added Reenjeen, recognizing the renowned rider leader.

  It was Panphro and his horde of Tamer riders. He highlighted among the other riders because the beast he was riding, a Superior Eskagreeo. In minutes they finished with all mercenaries without suffering casualties, including the mercenary ringleader. But they forgave those who had escaped.

  “Stop, riders!” ordered Panphro with leadership. “Today won’t be more enemies defeated! For to those who has conserved their life-time could tell this battle!”

  The great leader approached victorious to the four.

  “You are fool merchants,” said Panphro as greeting. “You have ignored the warnings of our friends.”

  “We are not merchants,” responded Reenjeen as greeting, “but we are watchers from the city.”

  “Watchers ...” said Panphro dismantling his big beast. “That explains your brave behavior. But it doesn’t explains, why weren’t here the militia?”

  “That is because the security of the east sea is on our jurisdiction.”

  “I know that, guild hand Reenjeen,” add Panphro recognizing him. “Although without discredit you, the security of this place don’t belong anymore to you only.”

  “I do not understand. It was just a simple group of mercenaries. We were cornered because we were ignoring the number of their members.”

  “And you still doing it,” added Panphro. “You weren’t dealing with a simple group of mercenaries ... but a guild.”

  “A guild ...?”

  “Long ago that we fight against them. But, their will-collective isn’t limited to only this group. There are more of them ... an alliance.”

  “How is it possible this? I feel ashamed ...”

  The four were ashamed because their abilities were less useful than the riders.

  “It isn’t your fault. All this had origins from other reasons.”

  “There is any way that we can help you?”

  “Of course,” responded Panphro, deciding to give them a task. “I need you to give important information to general Solaris ...”

  The four exchanged glares of confusion in the middle of the sandy murmur.