Legend of the Holy Sentinels – Night Hunters - 27 LIBERATION

The moonless night enveloped the world with darkness, granting the joyous revelry of stars to dominate the cloudless skies as they proudly flaunt their prominent winking outfits. But as this specific peaceful night drove any waking eye into reclusion, the contrary can be witnessed at the newly fortified Cotton Village for it seems as though they are all immune to the dancing stars’ lullaby. They all have been looking alive as if it is morning with alert guards patrolling at every angle brimming with vigilance and discipline. Lamp posts can be seen burning their amplified yellow topaz gems trying their best to scare away the night’s cold sleep-inducing embrace, maintaining a bright yellowish radiance around the fortress.

Nagozulians have used oil lamps before, like what the Easterners have in their foreign cities, but they have long replaced it with their gems. They have developed the technology to convert the Gems of Bathala into a form of light source by charging it with their Amplifyers. A truly remarkable and efficient source of renewable energy since it illuminates a constant omni-directional ray of light that is at least ten times brighter than an ordinary oil-based lamp making it the number one and only light source available in every military installation which has brought the oil lamp into obsolescence in the military and thus making the Fortress of Cotton Village that much brighter in night as it is in day.

Though its activation has been expensive, considering the fluctuating price of gems and the constant charging of it by specialized individuals, Prodea doesn’t seem to hold back on the funds to perfect her strategic fortresses for this handy innovation has indeed become one of the tools that aids and maintains the intended quality of security that the fortress needs. Not only does it secure perfect eyesight at night, it also has been proven to increase brain activity since their researchers suggest that the color yellow induces the brain to be alert and productive: an advantage every soldier has proven to have benefited from in the night.

“Hey,” yelled a Nagozulian Sergeant inside the northern tower to his corporal, “Don’t you dare sleep on me!”

He is on sentry duty inside the gatehouse, the stone walled structure that protects and encases the fortress gates, keeping an attentive eye outside – however dreary it is watching the same thing for hours.

“But sir,” mumbled the corporal snapping to attention, “I’ve already gone on triple shifts today. My replacement is out sick, unbelievable as it is – maybe he’s out gallivanting somewhere, there’re a lot of casters to heal him here but – I don’t know. I just want to catch a quick dream that’s all and then I’ll help you out.”

“Here I am rambling on and on for minutes and here you are sleeping on me mid-speech? It’s insulting!”

“Hey! Like I said, just keep watch okay. Y’know why I want to be assigned here. Light’s dimmer here. All of the other parts outside are as bright as daytime and it’s murdering my tired eyes. I’m just going to catch some shut eye.”

“Don’t you dare close that eyes, Arjin!” he roared seeing his lazy eyelids tap a rhythmic touch almost closing as if finding all of his strength to keep them open.

“Hey! It’s not as if someone’s going to dare to attack us. We’re just here to watch for the messengers.”

“Oohhh! If you’re not my best friend, I have reported you already!”

“Pathetic,” mumbled a Sibara apprentice leaning on the shadows behind them.

“Oi!” snapped the Sergeant. “Nobody asked for your opinion Sibara. Just stand there and guard.”

“Nagozulians…”

“Are what?” he angrily challenged. “I dare you to end that sentence soldier!”

The Sibara apprentice just scoffed, still watching outside smiling.

“I thought so too.”

“Hey,” blearily spoken the Corporal Arjin, “I’m not one to point out but are you seeing what I’m seeing?”

“No… where?” asked the sergeant with squinting eyes immediately focusing his attention at the ten-inch high window slits of the Gatehouse.

“You should get your eyes checked sergeant,” the Sibara chuckled. “They are just above that hill up north. You can easily see their silhouettes.”

“I know, I know,” he grumpily mumbled seeing three men and a kid standing there almost quarter of a mile long.

He thought he can’t be blamed not seeing them for they can be seen a little shady and can almost be nonexistent since the moon is missing in action and the fog is quite building up but the Sibara’s eyes can’t be fooled. They are trained for these kinds of things after all and are actually the primary reason why they are in the fortress in the first place.

“Look, the two of them are walking towards us,” the Corporal exclaimed almost jubilant being sarcastic. “This is very exciting!”

“Fine fine! Get some shut eye. We’ll deal with these messengers. After two hours I expect you to wake up and cover my shift understood?!”

“B-but this is my third…”

“Yes! So, it’s either sleep on your third shift and have another round or stay awake until morning and go home. Your choice!”

“Y-yes s-sir…” he said stammering immediately standing up to attention.

The two shadows took their time walking towards them and then stopped after just reaching a little over four hundred feet in front of their gatehouse where they are watching.

“What on earth are they doing stopping there…” the Sergeant mumbled in deep thoughts.

“Hey…” called the Corporal having a wavering voice as if frightened, “Is that Grog!? IT’S GROG! IT’S GROG STANDING BESIDE THAT MAN OVER THE HILLS!”

“Hmmm… an exciting revelation…” the Sibara apprentice smiled after which dashing to the door in a hurry.

“What’s going on?” the Sergeant asked stopping the Sibara Apprentice in his tracks, “Why are you leaving?”

“You can’t see a threat even if it’s staring you in the face, huh?” scoffed the ever insulting Sibara Apprentice. “That there just outside our gates is the notorious Shadow Walker. It’s Yiv in the flesh and we’re going to take care of him once and for all.”

After his maniacal smile, the Sibara Apprentice dashed forth leaving a bang on the door. There are only a few seconds of interval of silence before the earsplitting bells rang forth waking all of the inhabitants of the fortress – both villagers and soldiers alike.

“How could I not have noticed that!?” shouted the Sergeant slapping his forehead in frustration. “Yiv’s get up have been always like that!”

“Yeah, that! That should be sketchy from the start,” the Corporal muttered, being fully awake now standing upright, having concern showing in his eyes. “But I must say, Yiv’s been working with himself all his years. It has been rumored that he has two apprentices, but they always stand behind him and it’s nothing like this.”

“Uh-huh. It seems as though he is behind that other mysterious person there with the same half face mask. It’s unusual because he doesn’t put himself behind a person. He’s too proud that way.”

A loud bang of the door frightened the two to almost jump comically in surprise following the entrance of a Sibara Master and a Nagozulian Lieutenant marching swiftly to the window slits to confirm the target. The Sergeant and Corporal knelt down in attention placing their curled arms to level their eyes in salute to their direct officer.

“Sergeant Djogi,” called the Lieutenant making the sergeant to stand up in attention.

“Yes, sir.”

“How long have they been standing like that there?”

“For about less than two minutes Lieutenant Marko. They appeared in the north there,” he went close pointing to the hills where a boy and a man is still present together with the frightening Grog standing at least twice as big as the man. “That man, together with what the Sibara has confirmed to be Yiv, walked all the way from the hills from their party to there but they are still standing still as if summoning our attention to have a dialogue or such. Assuming that is what they want standing directly to our gatehouse.”

“I thought so too.”

“Lieutenant Marko,” the Old Sibara Master entered in his usual sour look, “with all due respect, I think you are not trained to handle a sensitive situation that is Yiv. Might I suggest for you to stand back and let us clean this one up for you. Stand back, or sleep, or whatever it is you Nagozulians normally do, and let us do our job. By the time you rise up, it’ll all be over.”

The Lieutenant just ignored his apparent insults and argued. “How can you say that he is what he poses to be? For all we know they are just dressed as Yiv to frighten us. After all, it’s only two days till the execution. They may be rebels trying to lure us to open the gates.”

“His posture and stance confirm that he is indeed Yiv. There is a Death Warrant for his head therefore he must be executed on sight by any member of the Daomagarian military at all costs.”

“Master Sibara! Taking life is not our mission. Without the sanction of our Grand Commander, we can’t execute a person be it Nagozulian or anyone.”

“He is Daomagarian and your laws are not applicable to his life and therefore it is not of Nagozul’s concern. We have a kill order for him, and we shall execute our responsibility even without orders from your Queen.”

“What if he’s just posing as Yiv!?”

“Then it’ll be a lesson for everyone not to follow in Yiv’s footsteps. We cannot be held accountable for executing a Nagozulian in the guise of Daomagar’s number one enemy. No sane person will walk to a fortress filled with Sibara dressed as Yiv. No one is that stupid.”

The Sibara Master walked to exit with the Lieutenant stopping him shouting.

“Just tell me this is an official order coming from the Daomagar Chief Deito and not your ambition capturing the most wanted Yiv and I will sanction your request to annihilate him and his party.”

“Oh, Lieutenant, you’re being too naïve. With or without your permission we will engage the target to exterminate him and his accomplices. I’m only telling you this in respect to your position as the commander of this outpost – for the time being.

“Though it is true that great honor will follow those who can best Yiv, even replacing him as Number Two. Regardless of that fact, he clearly is still a menace that needs to be eradicated. The world will be a better place without his existence threatening everyone’s lives and that is our number one priority – a thing no one wants to do except our clan since everyone’s afraid to taint their hands with blood.”

“We won’t open the fortress gates for you and your men. It’s our orders to keep them sealed shut at all times. I hope you won’t have a problem with that.”

“Gates are for commoners. We don’t need the gates to enter and exit this fortress. You keep forgetting that we are Sibara.”

After this he left them with the Lieutenant biting his lips in frustration which bothered the Sergeant.

“Sir,” he started, “What does he mean by that besting Yiv will replace the Number Two?”

“It’s just a ranking that the Daomagarians have in their Palace. They place the strongest Daomagars in a list with the twelve of the most powerful warriors alive written on the tablet that is placed at the Tower of Daomagar for all the people to see. They call it The Great Twelve. Yiv currently holds the number two slot which means they’ll be clamoring just so they can kill him and be placed on that board. The Sibaras have focus as sharp as daggers but if there’s one thing that would disrupt them, even making them crazy, it’s the chance for their names being placed in that ridiculous list and they will do anything in their power to be there. Especially in the Number Two spot.”

“But he’s evil right?” entered the Corporal, “I mean why are they placing evil people in the board?”

“The Daomagarians do not question one’s moral alignment when ranking their Bathala-given skill and power. They put people there whether you’re good or evil that’s why a few of Sibara’s own are included in the Twelve.”

“Who’s Number One? If I may ask?”

“Oh, that’s retired General Narra, father of General Anagea and step-father of our Grand Prince Artemus.”

“Really? He’s the strongest?” the Corporal exclaimed shocked.

“Apparently so. Yes.”

“But he’s too old…” the Sergeant mumbled. “No disrespect intended but I thought it’ll be that frightening General Enro because he’s big and muscular and scary.”

“Indeed,” Lieutenant Marko laughed and then started explaining. “But General Enro places only Number Twelve in the list. Grand General Anagea too has her place on the Great Twelve being Number Four, beating General Enro eight places up the list so you see, it’s not all about strength. There are certain ways to display their superiority, and tactics in battle is one of them. Strength can be defined by many measures. You can be strong but if you’re way too smart for your opponent, however skillful the enemy must be even if it is ten folds your level, you could cripple him and win with an advantage greater that what is expected. It works even to us Nagozulian Elementals.

“In General Narra’s case, he has proven himself unbeatable every time there is a challenge and you can only challenge them once every five years in a festival they have in some sort of a dangerous no-holds-barred duel. To make matters worse, the Great Twelve are mandated to accept only three challengers in those week-long festivities and there is a long list of wait before you can be listed in those top three contenders not to mention the screening process to make you eligible and even then, only one or two faces the challenge since they either quit before the bout or simply get cold feet.”

“Ah… so that’s why they’re so eager to kill Yiv,” Sergeant Djogi smiled figuring.

“Yes, with Yiv being the most wanted Daomagarian, anyone can challenge him in a form of an arrest. Killing him or subduing him can be considered a win by the challenger since a criminal will surely resist his contender and that constitutes as a duel between Daomagarians.”

“If that’s the case, there’s nothing we can do here sir – I mean no Nagozulians placed in this fortress can do anything about him since he’s Number Two right?”

“Yes, and they can’t do anything either but they’re too blind to see that,” Marko agreed anxiously peering into their window slit seeing the Sibara Clan Masters and Apprentices all lined up in front of the gate, ready for battle. “That is, if that’s really Yiv. If not, then Bathala have mercy on his soul for fooling those sour-tempered Sibaras.”

“What do you want to do, sir?”

“Corporal Arjin,” he commanded, “send a message to the sentries to deploy messengers to other fortresses. Order them to send reinforcements to our location. Tell them to bring their best teams! Tell them it’s Yiv.”

“Yes sir!” And the Corporal ran immediately banging the door in a hurry without regard.

One by one the Sibara Masters approached Yiv with much eagerness yet with a careful stance. The masked man in his crossed arms removed his Katana in its scabbard swinging it into action and then burying the blade on the ground as if giving off a warning which gave no fright to the Sibara Assassins.

With a tap to the masked man’s right shoulder, Yiv walked on forward as if asking permission to take all of them for himself. The masked man pulled his sword from the ground and sheathed it. He then resumed to place his arms crossed again as if confident to his Yiv’s strength. The Lieutenant saw this and was shocked stammering with his mouth wide open.

“S-sergeant…” he feared, “follow the Corporal and ask him to give the order to mobilize the Palace’s Elite Forces. Immediately!”

“Sir yes sir…” he rushed almost stumbling as he ran to the door convinced with the fear encumbering the Lieutenant’s voice.

Without moving, the Shadow Walker waved his hands magically placing all three of the Masters in his direction into a sleeping spell – a rather distressful sleep that is, since all of those Sibara Masters affected were convulsing for a second or two until they lie still, face on the ground with their limbs twitching. It is not a spell or any kind of Magick. He knows since he did not detect even the slight of it, but his moves proved to be magical. He waved his hands and people stumbles down without any explanation. This is not good, the lieutenant thought with his body almost leaning on the wall to support his shaking knees.

Yiv is very widely known as the destructor of evil. By that, he knows that it meant he kills everyone who stands in his way of what justice is in his own definition. By locking the Cotton Villagers, robbing them all with their freedom to a point of starving them as punishment, he knows that all of them are in great peril, a peril involving crosshairs on every head of every guard that is stationed in that hapless night.

The fall of the Sibara Masters led all of those other remaining Sibara Clan members to jump and attack all at once resulting to an ensuing ruckus that disturbed the silence of the night. Anyone who came close to at least ten feet from him stumbles into the ground twitching. A monstrous power that cannot be compared to any Daomagarian warrior he knew about.

No one can best a Sibara Master one on one because of their treacherous attacks and even if one can be seen at par with them, it’ll take a long time before they can be defeated since their mastery of pain and battle speed is second to no one in all other Daomagarian Clans. It’s rather impossible to focus on defeating one Master and surprisingly he’s been battling out thirty Sibara Apprentices and ten Masters, which is rather impressive. Since Yiv is a Sibara Master too and the infamous Number Two, it’s only right and proper for him to pick them off one by one making the battle as if a full grown man is violently playing with thirty three-year olds and ten six-year olds – an event one can think to be rather depressing and hopeless when watching at a distance.

Lieutenant Marko now focused as he saw him disappearing. He doesn’t know what’s happening. He appears and reappears on one location in an instant. That movement exceeds the speed of the fastest dash in existence giving him the thought why he was called the Shadow Walker. In every disappearing dash, he has managed to eliminate one or two Sibara Apprentices reducing their number greatly by the second. His partner, the masked man, still stood there unaffected, crossed arms as if bored. The Lieutenant felt chills running down his spine as an epiphany entered his mind. With Yiv wanting his blessing to eliminate all of their enemies, one thing is certain: it is indeed the fact that Yiv respects this individual so much that he wants to do all of the tedious work of ridding their enemies. That’s why Yiv’s been standing behind him, he figured. The masked man might be stronger than him or much worse, he may very well be his master.

As half of the apprentices fall down on the ground and four of the Masters came stumbling incapacitated, Yiv now pulled four daggers and swing them openly into the air. The Daggers moved flying on top of him slashing aggressively on the air at every angle. The Lieutenant knows of this move. Yiv’s profile has been hidden and is classified information since his techniques can be regarded as a Sibara secret and that only when a soldier reaches a Captain class can anyone access this information. This secret has turned into a rumored myth for no one in the Sibara Clan has ever managed to master the Great Sibara’s three ultimate techniques and he knows one of them – this specific technique to be precise. Rumor has it that Yiv can control four daggers, besides his own equipped daggers on both hands, and maneuver it to his desired location to mutilate his enemies. This is known as the Floating Daggers and no one has ever seen it applied in real life and lived to tell about it – except now, or up until Yiv is done with finishing them all off in the fortress after killing all of the Sibara in their way.

Yiv dashed on everywhere eliminating all of them, Apprentices first and then the Masters, until just after three minutes, no Sibara Clan Member is left standing. The Lieutenant was left with jaw unhinged in sheer anxiety now summoning all things in his power to manage an idea to spring up to provide them a miracle to survive just until the reinforcements arrive.

Yiv composed himself standing among the bodies of the lifeless Sibara Clan members after kicking down the last of the Sibara Master who is trying his best to admirably stand up. He then looked up the gatehouse as if he knows he is watching him and then pointed at him. He immediately turned his finger down pointing to the ground as if commanding him to go outside and meet him there which instantaneously drained all the warmth from his body in fear and hopelessness.

“Lieutenant Marko,” smiled the Sergeant Djogi slamming the door as if in surprise, “Help is on the way sir! Those smug rascals won’t know what hit them when our forces arrive.”

“It’s over…” Lieutenant sat trembling on a chair.

“Blast it!” shouted the Sergeant in disappointment, “I thought I can witness a splendid battle.”

“No, you’re getting me wrong. The Sibara failed to capture the targets and has indeed lying dead on the grounds as we speak.”

“All of them, sir?” he asked as he ran towards the window slit only to find Yiv staring at him as if he can see him looking at him. Djogi just crouched in fear seeing the mighty Yiv and the havoc he has created. “Sheesh… He practically took out almost fifty of them nasty Sibaras… Just when I thought I can get some rest, eh sir?”

The Sergeant’s Amplifyer attached in his uniform, as a badge in his right pocket, glowed in activation until the Lieutenant stopped him.

“No,” he lashed out angrily, “Do not activate it! They can feel an elemental charge! He wants to talk so it’s best to hear him out first before getting all riled up.”

“They should’ve placed some physical barrier or some sort to these fortresses. It’s no use to have a magical walled fortress if those damned rebels can just ask some Daomagarian criminals to their aid. They can practically jump from there to here like cakewalk.”

“Yes, but I do believe these fortresses are built against Nagozulians not Daomagarians.”

“So, who shall we send sir?”

“I’ll be the one who’ll go there.”

“But sir…”

“He wants me.”

“But if you go…”

“Don’t stop me sergeant,” he clicked his tongue in frustration, “If I don’t return, you’re in charge. Call all the enlisted persons and the Privates. Call all the Sergeants and the Corporals and do not leave this fortress. Fight them to the death. Understood?”

“Yes sir.”

“Mabuhay to our Queen! Mabuhay to Nagozul!” he smiled.

“Mabuhay!” the Sergeant replied fast and proud but with weary eyes.

As the Lieutenant opened the door, the Sergeant sighed.

“Sir, to think that if their attack happened tomorrow midnight after the mobilization of the Generals and the Strike Teams…”

“No, Sergeant Djogi, It’s just our time. We can’t question fate now.”

“I’m just sayin’… The Sibara Masters and Apprentices that we have here are not from the best divisions.”

“What is done is done. And besides, have some respect for the dead Sergeant. It seems as though you are insulting them. Even though they are a bunch or ungrateful ill-tempered men, they have risked their lives for Nagozul.”

“Right… Sorry sir… Well, we’ll be ready to kick their asses, sir!”

“It’s an honor…”

“Hey,” Djogi interrupted, “We’ll kick their asses if something goes wrong and we’ll get you back don’t worry.”

The Lieutenant just smiled without confidence and then he left the room with a click on the door to a shut.

The Fortress gates gently opened just slightly for the Lieutenant to squeeze in. He walked proud and commanding even though his heart is pounding madly in fear, choking him just enough to hinder his nervous swallow. It must’ve been the longest walk he ever did but this did not make his resolve waver even though in his mind he is indeed trembling. As he approached his enemies’ eye to eye, he gathered all of his courage to speak trying his best to hide the fear he has in his heart.

“We are not surrendering the fortress to you rebels. It is our duty to defend the flag of Nagozul and we will never back down, not even to you, Yiv.”

“How admirable,” said the Masked Man behind Yiv. Strong and confident with a ridiculously low pitch as if he’s trying his best to talk with that low tone which is almost worthy of a laugh, if only he’s not that frightening but the Lieutenant just ignored that fact as he continue on. “But there is a dilemma here Lieutenant. You see I wouldn’t want bloodshed, but I will be forced to reckon the idea if you persist on your stand.”

“You have already taken that step the moment you annihilated the Sibara Clan members…” the Masked Man pulled up his palm stopping him in his speech and then directed his hand towards the Sibara men lying on the ground.

“You have failed to notice that we have no intention of spilling blood in order to attain our goals. We did not have to employ murder to prove our point unlike your Nagozulian Grand Princess. These Sibara Assassins are merely poisoned, paralyzed and asleep. They are indeed in need of medical attention, but they are not harmed to an extent that is fatal. We can exterminate all of you inside with as little effort as what we did but we won’t. We are appealing to diplomacy first before acting out rashly on your fate.”

“What are your demands, Daomagar?”

“We do not want your fortress. We only want the villagers inside. Free them within two minutes and your lives will be spared. Comply or we will be forced to enter your fortress and extract them forcefully from you clutches.”

“But we can’t! We have orders to contain them in the fortress.”

“I don’t think I have made myself clear Lieutenant. Free them or we will slaughter you all inside applying the most painful death a mortal can feel as possible. We are creative in exploring the realm of pain, Lieutenant. Don’t make me prove it to you.”

“Understood. But at least give us an hour to prepare them for travel.”

“Make that ten minutes or I will strike you now to prove my point.”

He didn’t have any words to say but a silent nod coupled by a crunched nose of anger.

“Instruct the villagers to leave their unimportant articles for the travel.”

“Okay,” he finally said while nodding to turn away.

“And Lieutenant,” the Masked Man added, “the clock has been running since we got here. Better run fast.”

“Sergeant Djogi!” shouted the panting Lieutenant running towards the Gatehouse. The Sergeant went ahead and craned his head outside to heed to his summon.

“Sir! What happened?”

“Release all the prisoners!”

The Sergeant followed with haste ordering his Corporal to relay the commands to the other Sergeants and then ran towards the Lieutenant who is then ringing the bells to get the attention of all the people inside.

“Sir!” Sergeant Djogi shouted as he ran towards him and continued after catching up as if whispering, “Not to question you sir but are you sure it’s a great idea to release all of them out there? We’ll be severely punished for that and I just got my promotion last week.”

“It’s either that or we die tonight Sergeant.”

“Yes, but what about the Grand Commander Prodea? It’s better to die than to be humiliated and demoted by her highness.”

The Lieutenant smiled getting the joke, but he explained. “You see Sergeant, this plays to our advantage more than you know. They can liberate the prisoners anytime they can, but they chose to spare us and let us deliver the prisoners to them instead.”

“Wait… how can that beneficial to us?”

“We can let them temporarily take the prisoners from us, and then we could strike them back after the reinforcements arrive. That’s beneficial since we’ll be alive and, at the same time, we could get the prisoners again in mid transit.”

“I see,” he smiled with profound joy. “Genius! Great thinking sir!”

“Thank you,” he smiled too believing in his brilliant plan, “They chose the wrong fortress to mess with. We are in the center of all of the other fortresses and there will be no escape since we are the center of all roads to anywhere.”

“But sir, what about the hills due west? They might take refuge in the obscurity of the forest there.”

“No worries Sergeant. After the reinforcements arrive, all we have to do is surround the forest and then have a grid search there. We’ll be trapping them in their own plan, and we will be reclaiming our prisoners in no time. That is if you’ve sent for the best. Have you?”

“Yes sir! I have sent communications to the Palace as well. All of the first-class strike teams will be in here together with first class Master Assassins of the Sibara and their own strike teams. Even Yiv can’t take all of them all at once.”

“Great Job Sergeant. Now to prepare the people here. We only have five minutes to get them out of here.”

“Yes sir!”

The gigantic double metal doors of the fortress opened wide as the surge of anxious villagers ran out in exodus. They saw the masked man pointing towards the western hills which all of them followed without question. Anything is better than being trapped there and no one wants to be trapped further in the fortress, so they want to hastily move out to taste their right to freedom which has been so illegally taken from them.

Grog howled running towards the villagers, but they did not flinch in fright. If Grog is with those brave men that gave them salvation, it’s only logical that he’s not there to eat them all up as the rumors say. That thinking was automatically inscribed on every single one of them giving them the urge to move their foot quicker than the other in a sort of a run – except Of course, for the kids who hugged their parents tight being struck with fear leaving for them to be carried by piggybacks to save some time.

The Lieutenant ran towards the Masked Man as the last of the remaining villagers ran towards the hills. He was fueled by anger after seeing them not leaving, still standing firm on the grounds watching the procession of the villagers.

“We have relinquished our prisoners to you. What else do you want?”

“Nothing anymore. Your existence is not of my concern. Follow us and you’ll die. Plant a spy and you’ll all die. Understood?”

“Yes. But remember you may have defeated us, but you’ll never win against Nagozul, not now that you’ve stirred up quite a commotion here.”

“You’re wrong Lieutenant,” corrected the Masked Man, “It is not we who defeated you but Nagozul. Nagozul wins by giving freedom for the innocent whom you have tagged as guilty by exploiting their weakness and by abusing your power. We are not the enemy of Nagozul, you all are. It is you who should’ve been locked up starving not them. You should all be ashamed of yourselves!”

“Wait!” he shouted as they turned their backs to move out. “What’s your name, rebel? Give me your name so that I may report the news of your radical insights to our Grand Commander!”

“I am Magnus!” he exclaimed almost in a laughing manner, “And I am not afraid of your weak-minded leader. I am not afraid for you to spread my name. In fact, it’ll inform them of our deeds so that others might see how you insult Nagozul with your corruption!” and then he dashed on forward disappearing into the shadows along with Yiv who’s eyes appears to be smiling all the while.

——-ooO0Ooo——-

“Arjin I want you to follow them and don’t leave them out of your sight!” whispered Djogi fitting a camouflage jacket to his Corporal.

They are behind the western walls just outside the fortress crouching to hide themselves with Corporal Arjin almost annoyed as if being forced beyond his will.

“Hey! I don’t really want to do this! If you want to, you can do it yourself! I’m not going to subject my wellbeing for your sake!”

“This is for US! Stop whining and receive your order soldier!”

“OH! So, now, I obey your every whim? Is that it?”

Djogi restrained himself wanting to smack some sense into his Corporal slapping his thigh instead to alleviate his frustration. “It is not just my whim! It’s a tactical decision. I’m second in command in this fortress until the generals arrive tomorrow so I’ll be inside the fortress to receive them when they turn up! You, on the other hand, are free to gallivant around without nothing much to do because clearly there is no one you’re guarding inside right?”

“Yeah, so pick other people out there! Why me!?”

“Why YOU!? It’s because I TRUST YOU you lazy monkey!”

“Hey…”

“It has to be you! So that when the troops come in, we can get the general’s attention and have great merits after we capture them again!”

“Oh! I see!” he smiled finally making the Sergeant sigh in relief but suddenly backtracked again into his annoyed look. “So, I go there and be spotted then be killed so that you can get your reward and be promoted further?! My life for your promotion?! Is that it?! Does it look like it’s not Yiv there?! Have you lost sense of everything reasonable!?”

“NO!” he clicked his tongue in further aggravation, “You’ll be wearing a disguise and will follow them to a distance at least five hundred feet. You could crawl on the ground to do that! That’s why I’m fitting you this camouflage! You won’t be seen. Not in this dark night!”

“Okay! Okay! Geez! You and your plans!”

“Hey, don’t forget it’s my plans that landed you being Corporal!”

“And you being Sergeant!” and he walked away stomping his feet in great dismay almost running to avoid him having the last words.

The villagers ran forth like clumped ants towards the hills and into the forest. They all ran in an orderly manner in which no one strayed to the group as if being in synchronicity talking with each other using only their minds. There is no light, no torches, not even an activated Amplifyer to light their way. They are moving following the person in front of them which is ultimately following the howling Grog marching to the forest just a mile down the hill.

The Corporal, upon seeing this, smiled figuring what’s happening. It’s an inside job! It has to be! Or that’s what Arjin thought. All those villagers are too trusting to the rebels leading them to the forest and that’s just unusual. Plus, the fact that they are running quietly means that this all planned out perfectly. That’s why they waited for this specific night to strike. The fortress was left vulnerable this night for a pressing matter on finding the missing gold cargo intercepted by some rebels in the Golden Road to the trading posts at the southern edge of Nagozul. It curious to see all of these events being too interconnected but he did not dwell on thinking about this. He’s convinced he’s not that smart after all and this kind of thinking may very well lead for him to be ridiculed being too paranoid. No one wants that kind of a title especially in the military. Never mind death, social exile is much more frightening.

He crawled going downhill slowly but without taking his eyes away from the running villagers. With his camouflage equipped, even standing to run to follow them wouldn’t raise any suspicion but he doesn’t want to risk it. It’s his life after all and his birthday is coming up next week. He invited Prince Yosh and his brothers and he’s looking forward for that – especially after hearing out Prince Yosh just confirmed yesterday and is going to give a secret gift to him. A rather unusual thing for him but he’s just happy the prince has such concern for a lowly soldier like him and Djogi. He even asked questions about the fortress, how many friends he has there and how strict the soldiers are to him, being a newly promoted Corporal. It’s as if he practically interrogated him about his job and the fortress but he thought he’s just curious about the duty. After all, what does he know about being a soldier? And besides, there’s nothing he can talk about a prince except his job. A young prince should also learn what a lowly soldier does and it’s a privilege, nay an honor, for him to offer his ideas and teach him everything he knows about the fortress and what being a soldier feels like. He feels he’s an inch close to being friends with the Prince Yosh and that gave him much eagerness in his crawl, however difficult that may be. Having friends with royalty is very rare for commoners and he’s not going to let that slip away easily.

A fast arrow came flying swiftly above him, impaling his left thigh on impact. The wound grew big and bulgy. It’s an Elven Arrow! He grunted silently curling up in agony thinking on how they could’ve spotted him being careful at almost a mile away. He tried to break the arrow taking heed not to disturb the throbbing wound but the barbed vines encircling the shaft just cut his wound even further making him cry a little bit in excruciating pain.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” whispered a kid holding an Elven Bow behind him with an almost smiling tone.

The kid then knelt down almost sitting on the ground just a foot before him. His eyes glowed yellow like a cat. He’s the kid who’s standing on the hill with Grog from before and, like Yiv and the other mysterious man, he has a half face mask equipped in place hiding his identity. He wears a black thickly woven muffler and a light silver hunting armor worn only by the mythical Elven Warriors.

Elves. They don’t exist. Or do they? Mixed emotions filled him topped with confusing ideas trying to merge into his consciousness rendering his tongue to maneuver a series of slurred rambles. He couldn’t maintain his calm anymore. Even if he attended all those talk and courses about pressure and fear in combat at the academy, it’s still different from the real thing. It’s different when death is staring you at the face. That led him to beg.

“P-please sir… Don’t kill me… I’m just following orders… Please sir. I’m sorry… I–”

“I won’t kill you Arjin,” interrupted the Elven warrior, “Just don’t follow us further. Okay?”

“How’dya know my name? Who are you!?”

“I am Aether and we are the Night Hunters. And by that I trust that we can have an understanding when I tell you that we see everything in the dark.”

He stood up stashing his bow to his back and redirected his eyes towards him. His yellow cat-like eyes turned dead serious until he felt a slight shock on every single part of his body. He’s paralyzed. He can’t move, he can’t speak, he can’t even blink his eyes. He just lies there unresponsive to any sensual feelings. The radiating pain is slowly fading away too giving him a false sense of relief as he continued on talking in a weird language. After his weird chants he pulled the arrow right out of his thighs returning his legs to normal, except Of course, from the lacerations coming from the barbed vines from before when he tried to break it apart. The Elven warrior Aether turned to him with smiling eyes and then continued.

“I’m sorry. I have to stop you from following us any further. Don’t worry you are not harmed. You’ll be standing up and about in no time. There is no point in following us either. You won’t find us after this.”

He waved his hands as if saying goodbye and with this he magically vanished leaving him like a stone just lying on the ground helpless.

As this hapless night grew dim and gloomy, at least there’s still one miracle to appreciate about and that’s the wide array of magnificently enthusiastic bright stars dancing in the skies like fireflies. It’s as if they have been grabbing the attention of mere mortals like him that night but was just left aside and ignored. People have the mistake of being busy with more pressing matters that they do not have the luxury to sneak a peek from that endless free show in the heavens. That is up until now when he was forced to look up to the skies. The calm lullaby fixed his unresponsive senses but instead of standing up and running to the fortress, he gave in to its intoxicating sleep-inducing rhythm. All those tension and fear and trouble is taxing to the tired and weary body. He can always blame them from knocking him out cold as a justification. At least there’s something to salvage in tonight’s mishap and that’s a good night’s sleep, he thought as he surrendered himself to sandman’s kind invitation to dreamland.