6. In Pursuit
The city of Trivium is beauty in the night as well as in the day. The three warriors are resting on the rooftop of a three level structure looking at the night lights of the city from their vantage point. They just escaped the Twilight Tower by the same way they came in and now they are contemplating their next action.
"I regret my men's action. I did not know that among us now gold matter more than honor. I must had set a bad example. I give you my oath to help you in fighting Lord Netsu. For now, we have one more task to take care of." General Noah looked to Jedi for his reaction but the Elite Guards leader do was take up his jog of wine to drink.
"The one who betray me and lead you to coming here; General Darren. He is arriving here tomorrow for the ceremony of the Death Festival. His daughter, the sorceress Pipa has arrived earlier." The General looked to him for more reaction but there is none. General Noah reached out for his hand to tap the other.
"I hear you, General Noah. We are not capable of handling them. General Darren is strong and added with his daughter, Pipa; they are a pair. We need to hit them only when we are sure of the outcome." Jedi reached for his jug again. "We need to think of another task. I am still upset of him placing my name on the list."
It was Dern who answered.
"We could create a havoc in the coming Death Festival." Jedi then recalled the festival is on the deads. "If only we have the Oracle. Its said to control the spirits."
"We could find Malech. He has to be in the city. He would take his action on the sorceress who imprisoned him. He would be at the festival. We can find him there and assist him if need be." Jedi spoke to his companions and they all agreed.
The Festival of the Dead is an excuse to hold a carnival and to hold the people belief that the dead cannot be forgotten as that is the other side of being alive. The festivals fun atmosphere are the dances and plays with the games to pleased the visitors, while the priests of the temples hold them to their beliefs of the dead.
Every festival, a lineup of coffins supposedly to contain corpses would be carried throughout the city as a way of appeasement to them but its a gimmick by the priests to collect golds for their coffer. None is so taken in by this ritual than Man while the other nations frown at it.
The Elves Nation and the Dwarf burned their dead so that they would not rise in those bodies but also to free the spirits. The Orcs cast their deads over the high cliffs to the creatures which would devoured it. That was why they were so upset at the Border Camp as not only was the bay Orc killed by Man, but its body hung up to dry like dead meat. They seen how Man handles their dead into holes dug in the ground. Its despicable to them as the spirit is still trapped inside.
There is not one single parade but several as organized by the different Temples with their own assembled priests and followers, but the Red Guards they have their own boundaries to avoid conflict. General Darren is here to monitored that and his daughter to read the mind of any who wants to create ruckus or chaos with her mind probe. For that they would ride around the city streets with their personal guards, now increased to include the twenty odd Jhitai Warriors.
General Noah have set out his men to search for the old sorcerer while they stayed in the 'Raging Unicorn'. They thought they would be but they ended running through the alleys on unsuccessful sightings. Many claimed to see the old sorcerer based on the description given but when they arrived there, it would be a hoax or a plain mis-interpretation of the image.
"Malech knows we seek him. Its best we focused on the sorceress than him. She is not aware of us seeking him, not yet anyway. If he finds her and we would find him." Jedi told the General who directed his men to converge on the new target but they are to keep a distance.
"She would know soon enough and we would be exposed." Then the General told his men to do something else. They are to create chaos when they feel they been probed. Its a chance they have to take. It had to happen. "Kurk Temple at the Sixth Street." The words arrived as fast as the messenger could deliver it.
General Darren arrived at Kurk Temple with his troops. The carriage pulling the Sorceress stopped on the incessant knocking on its wall. The Sorceress stepped out and she shout out.
"He is here. Search the buildings." The sorceress points to the coming parade. "Stop that!"
It was too late to do it. The ten coffins floated above the bearers at the parade looking startled at it. The coffins then broke open and the corpses came jumping out. They land down on the street and started floating towards the General.
"Protect the General." It was the Sorceress shouting out. "Find the old man. He has to be near to control them."
The Jhitai ran forth to confront the floating corpses but they could not stop it. The floating corpses took the slashing but they are also deadly; they grabbed the swords at the blades and pulled it from the Jhitai warriors. The corpses then in turn use the sword to slash back the warriors. Then suddenly, the corpses dropped flat face down to the ground. It ended just as it started.
Jedi took the wand from the old man sitting on the roof of the building overlooking the street. General Noah grabbed the old man as he slide to the ground. The old man is breathing with painful heaving of his chest. The men with the General helped to carry the old man down the roof to the high roofing covered wagon at the alley below. The wagon used to carry traders goods and is sturdy on its four wheels holding the frame. The two horses are fresh and handler an expert in such wagons.
"Hurry, place him on the bedding and covered him with the cloak. We need to get to safety before the guards arrived." General Noah directed his two men who carried the old man down. The wagon driver lashed out the reins to move the horses. The wagon passed the corner just before the Red Guards stomped the roof of the building.
On the wagon, the old man reached up with his right hand to hold onto the forearm of Jedi. He grabbed it tight and he pulled the warrior to his face.
"The sunken City of Aleria. Take me there now." The old man's words came out in small volume to the warrior's ears. "I need to go there." Jedi shook his head but the old man struggled in the beddings.
"I must or I would die." Jedi told the General of the old man's request.
There was an exchange of words between the two leaders and then the agreement was reached. The wagon driver was told and the destination was changed. The wagon lead for the Eastern Gate. A bribe exchanged hands and the wagon was allowed to leave the city uninspected.
It would be a two days ride to the City of Aleria. The ride covers some hills and forests before reaching the ferry stop at the Iris River.
Once they crossed that, its the pass through the dry acrid land of the gas vents from the ground before they reached their destination. Its part of the wasteland; a landscape created not by nature but by its retaliation for the workings of magic on its soil by the previous wizards. The most powerful of them all was Aleria then, when she commanded the magic bearers with her influence and fear.
It was the combined efforts of six magic bearers; three sorcerer from the Elves and two wizards from Man, with one Spellbinder from the Goblin that defeated her. After they have defeated her, the six combined their magic to pushed the city of Aleria to the sink into the ground where its tower cannot be seen from any distance before its edge.
The six were never seen again nor was Aleria, with the city sunken below; no one dares to venture there. There were rumors of robbers or treasure seekers who dare the venture but none came back from it.
That night as they rested for the night, while the horses are resting; five of them sat close to the fire place with the old man lying there looking more frail. General Noah is looking at the wand and smiling.
"So this is the Oracle? I was expecting maybe an amulet that is size of my fist or maybe my big toe, but never thought of it as a wand? How did you know, Jedi?" The General asked the Judas warrior. Jedi looked at him and smiled.
"I saw a drawing of it when I was an apprentice with the Guards. We are to know the shapes of the artifacts of the Houses in case we come across it. But I note something missing there. If I am not mistaken the wand has an amulet with it that the host is to wear on the body." It was then the old man pulled again at the warrior's right leg next to the old man. Jedi leaned down to see the old man.
"Beware of Kiring of Karen. She is here. Dangerous." The warning came just in time. They find themselves surrounded by a group of five hideous creatures as they are creation of magic. They are tall in height of Man, but their bodies are covered in scales like that of the serpent. That is not so as they have features on their limbs which baffles us. They have four limbs for arms in which each holding a short double blade sword. Each hilt holds two blades instead of one.
"Karen's blades!" General Noah hissed in curses. The five of them drew their swords and stood around the old man. The creatures came without warning. "Karen' are always like that; no war cries only bad calls."
General Noah blocked the swing of the double blade sword but had to jump aside to avoid the third thrust coming to him. He was not in the clear as he almost ran into another creature. He crouched down and rolled forward like a barrel. That took the creature off the feet and the General is out of the trap for now. He stand up to see his three men went down slashed by the creatures. He turned to see Jedi and that warrior is holding his own against two now. The other three are coming towards him and he is need of some extra hands.
"Silver, get them." The white large wolf sprang out from the forest trees to bring down two of the scale men. The third killer looked to the fallen warriors when a large creature swoop down to grabbed it and flew it up high before dropping it down on the hard rocks nearby.
"Who are you?" The General spoke up in surprise and then find himself looking at the wolf sinking its fangs into the scale killer neck while the other is already dead with a spear in its head. He turn to look above and see the winged creature land next to another warrior armed with a bow and a quiver of arrows.
"Thank you, Cedi of Canaan. We were doing fine." Jedi introduced the newcomers while the last surviving creature escaped to the forest. Jedi had nailed the other with his sword in the chest.
"Is that Malech the Spellbinder?" Cedi asked Jedi and he nodded.
Then he looked at the other warrior. "General Noah, I presume. We been observing you for the last day when we arrived. We heard about the incident at the Kurk Temple. We rushed over. Does he has the Oracle?"
General Noah walked up with the wand. Cedi took it up and looked into it.
"Thank you. The wand goes back to the people of Canaan." The low voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Cedi, I need the Oracle. Its the only thing that can save me. Let me have it, and I would help you. I know about your plans. You need me to fight my previous student, Pipa and now also includes Kiring. I can't fight if I am dying." The old man has used his elbow to rise up to a sitting position. "I must have that when I am in Aleria."
"Who are we dealing with, Malech?" Cedi asked the old man but he did not reply. Instead he spoke on another issue.
"The answer may lies in Aleria. The six wizards did not go missing. They are trapped in there. More to it, Cedi. I need the amulet on your chest. Its the missing controlling unit that prevents the Spirits Guardians to suck at my soul when someone used the Oracle. Without it, you would end like me now." The old man faded back to unconsciousness.
"I am needed elsewhere. More to it, Malech is from the House of Genoe. He is Medi' concern." Cedi looked at Medi handling the wand to Medi. "I am giving you this again. Help Malech and find out what he knows in Aleria."
"Jedi, I have a task for you. We found a settlement of Judas at Tiruk. They move there since the House collapse. There could be some warriors there." Cedi gave Jedi his new task and then looked at General Noah. "There is some golds here for you."
Cedi handed over a pouch to the General.
"I need your network to tag the General Darren and the sorceress. That should cover their costs."
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