Chapter 246: Three men
The afternoon light had started to fade a little when three men broke through the last line of trees of the Gaiya forest. Their boots kicked up dirt and leaves as they half-ran out of it, half-stumbled toward the tall wooden walls in the distance. The one in front, a broad-shouldered man with a thick beard and torn leather armor, carried another man across his back. The unconscious one’s head lolled with every step, arms hanging limp.
Behind them, the third man gripped a rough axe in one hand and kept glancing over his shoulder like something might still be chasing them.
“Boss… how much longer do we have to keep running like this?” the man with the axe asked, his voice rough and tired from panting. Sweat ran down his face, mixing with dirt and dried blood from a cut on his cheek. He continued, “Boss, are you even sure there’s a village out here in these outskirts? It feels like we’ve been walking in circles for hours.”
Even though the lackey was complaining, the boss didn't slow down. His shoulders stayed set, even with the extra weight on his back. He barked, “Fool. Just shut up and follow me. Don’t ask many questions.”
“But we’ve been running for hours now, boss. How long till we reach there? I can’t go on anymore like this.” The lackey looked like he might collapse any moment as he spoke.
“Huhhh….? You idiot, you already forgot? Don’t you remember? This is the path to Buena village. The same one where our old settlement used to be.” He shifted the unconscious man higher on his back, gripping the legs tighter. “Did you hit your head too hard when we stumbled into those monsters back there? How do you forget your own home ground that fast?”
The man with the axe scratched the back of his head, nearly dropping his weapon in the process. “Sorry, boss. After running without any rest for hours straight, my head’s not working right. You can’t blame me for that, can you?!”
The boss stayed quiet after that. He kept his eyes forward, scanning the trees and the growing shape of the village wall ahead. His steps stayed steady even though his own legs looked ready to give out. A long cut ran down his left arm; the cloth wrapped around it was dark with old blood. None of them had stopped even for once, let alone eat anything since the fight that forced them to run. Their clothes hung in torn strips, covered in dirt and claw marks from monsters they had barely escaped just moments ago.
The man with the axe wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “At least we’re still breathing. That’s something, right?”
The boss grunted. “Shut yer trap and keep moving. Can’t you see the village walls just ahead?”
Even though he said it, that guy still couldn’t see it. Being much taller, the boss could see the walls, though his lackey still couldn’t.
They pushed on. And as the wall grew bigger as they got closer, finally, the lackey could also see the walls. The wooden reinforcements looked newer in some places, like someone had worked hard to strengthen them recently.
When the gate finally came into full view, both men picked up speed. Their tired legs found one last burst of energy. The boss nearly jogged the last stretch, the unconscious man bouncing on his back.
The man with the axe said, pointing ahead. “You were right, boss. We found it. This is definitely the village. But now what?”
They were now out of the tree line completely, looking like three rough travelers who had seen too many fights. The axe, a couple of knives at their belts, and the boss’s old sword all caught the light as they came in front of the huge wooden walls now. Their torn clothes and exhausted faces made them stand out against the calmer village surroundings.
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On the other side of the wall, Kaela stood with her arms crossed, staring out through one of the narrow viewing gaps. Maen and Shilla stood close on either side of her.
All three still wore the dirt- and dried blood-mixed clothes from the earlier fight with the kobolds. None of them looked happy to be back on wall duty, looking and feeling this filthy.
A Fiora hunter walked up behind them, her steps quick as she finally found who she was looking for. “Oi, Kaela. The elder asked for you. Go to the chapel.”
Kaela turned her head just enough to glance back. She spoke in a rough voice, as if a little frustrated with this sudden summons. “What for?”
The hunter stared at her for a second, clearly surprised by the question. “Oi, what do you mean, why? Didn’t you say Niruha sent you three back without explaining anything? Of course the elder wants to know what happened and why she did that. Do I even have to spell it out for you?”
Kaela’s jaw tightened. She looked back out through the gap, frustration clear on her face. Her face said only one thing clearly: that she had no interest in standing in front of the elders and answering questions right now. Maen and Shilla, though, straightened up right away. They were ready to go.
Maen started to turn. “We should head down then. Elder Verna doesn’t like to be waited on much.”
Shilla nodded and took a step after her.
“Wait.” Kaela’s voice stopped them both.
They turned back and looked at Kaela. The woman now had her eyes on the gap, looking out of the walls. “Look through here. See? I think some men are coming toward here.”
Maen and Shilla leaned in and peered through the same opening, curious. They saw right away three figures moving out of the forest edge toward the village. They looked worn down and rough. One of them carried another man on his back.
Kaela asked, “What do you think? Are they coming this way?”
Shilla watched them carefully. “Yeah. No doubt about it. And it looks like there’s someone on that big guy’s back, too.”
Kaela shoved her sideways a little so she could get a clearer look herself, as there was only one hole to look out. “Yeah, you’re right. There is someone on that man’s back.”
All four of them glanced at each other. The hunter woman who was still waiting for Kaela shook her head. “Whatever it is, the gate guards can handle it by themselves. You three are supposed to present yourselves at the chapel at once. Elder will get angry at me for being late.”
She had not even finished the sentence before Kaela was already moving. She pushed away from the wall and started walking quickly toward the gate entrance before the men arrived at the gate.
“Kaela, wait!” Maen called after her.
Shilla reached out like she wanted to grab her arm, but she couldn’t. Kaela was too fast. “The elder is waiting. Where are you going? We can’t just…”
Though all three of them kept calling her back, Kaela did not look back. She kept walking, her sandals hitting the steps hard. For her, the summons could wait; it was not very important. But something about those three men coming out of the forest did not sit right with her. And she always follows her own instincts.
By the time she crossed the short distance to the main gate, the three men were already standing in front of the four women on guard duty. The large man had set the unconscious man down carefully against the wall and was speaking in a low, rough voice to one of the guards on duty. The man with the axe stood a little behind him, still holding his weapon but trying not to look threatening.
One of the guards had her hand near her spear, looking straight at the axe-holding man. The other two were just standing as if it was none of their business.
Kaela walked straight up to them and spoke in a loud voice, which was enough to cut through the conversation.
“What happened? Who are they?”