The Red Lands

Companions

"Human owe Hakkim. Bound by oath..."

The words raised an eyebrow on the puzzled face of the boy. Chu swiveled his head to the left and right in the small room. Besides himself near the door, and Zubyia who pasted his little frame on the floor, only Ishara and the Goblin Shaman occupied the torch-lit room. Raising a hand, Chu pointed a finger at his face.

"Which Human? This human?"

Chu had planned this as his final entry so as to bid goodbye to the Goblin Shaman. Out of sheer courtesy, he also wanted to wave farewell to the Hakkim. Before he could voice his words, Ishara had mouthed out the sentence he was all too familiar with.

On seeing the Hakkim nod in the affirmative to his question, he then signaled the alluring creature to pause. Strolling to the door, Chu opened it and called out.

"Lucy! Bring Dyna and our translated notes. Like hell this human owes anything..."

A few minutes later, Lucy and Dyna sat on a pair of stools on either side of the standing boy. The girls held on to stacks of pages with the words barely legible from the flame of the torch. Chu had them fishing for words as he formed his sentence.

He locked eyes with Ishara while pointing to himself and his companions.

"Humans in room not owe Hakkim anything. Hakkim owes us."

"Human prove worthy. Require humans to help us in saving and gathering the rest of Sky Tribe."

Chu frowned while Lucy and Dyna searched for the meaning. Ishara repeated the words slowly to offer them assistance. She also used broken sentences with basic words to make it easier to translate. Chu noted her consideration, something not shown to a race she previously deemed insignificant. The act, however, did not sit well with him.

"Save Sky tribe from what?"

"Kurat."

Chu did not require a translation for the representation of that lumbering foe. His eyes narrowed while constructing a reply.

"Kurat dead."

"Kurat not one but many."

Chu watched as Ishara used her hands to elaborate. His eyelids popped open on receiving the revelation.

Sheep...

One sheep...

Ten Sheep...

A name that acted as singular or plural. Nobody would say ten sheeps...or in this case ten Kurats.

"How many?"

The words tumbled out from sheer curiosity.

Ishara had barely formed the ancient numeral for a hundred when Chu squashed her request.

"Hell no!"

"Human need to help. Did you forget the second part of the Shaman's warning?"

***

The journey to the farm progressed smoothly if one could only ignore the biting wind and mounds of snow. Before leaving the ruins, Chu held a fruitful discussion with the Champion and the Goblin Elders.

Presently, he was engaged in a profitable skirmish.

Chu stared down the fangs of a lunging wildcat before sidestepping. The evasion placed him mere inches to the left of the pouncing beast. Watching in slow motion as the jaws snapped the empty air where his throat once occupied, he raised his sword.

Like an accelerating car, his vision switched to normal, just in time for his horizontal blade to slice across the neck of the passing attacker.

The rippling muscles of the shoulder dropped as the wildcat tottered and fell, bleeding on the snow. Nearby, Lucy buried a bolt into the flank of another and then pierced a dagger into the ear of one who tried to dash past her.

Dyna flitted between them while aiming and stabbing the eyes and neck of those trying to initiate surprise attacks.

"Only three, no two left...make that one."

Ming counted.

Close to him, Ishara removed her foot-long dagger from the heart of a slumping wildcat and then retrieved the other from the carcass lying at her feet. The group then concentrated their eyes on the hulking, variant, red boar.

The bulky beast snorted and ambled towards a huge tree while ignoring the lone wildcat clawing on its side. With a powered burst of speed from the short legs, the boar suddenly accelerated and slammed sideways into the solid trunk.

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The beady red eyes locked onto the impressed spectators admiring the flattened predator sliding down its side. Before the variant boar could amble forward to begin its trademark charge, Ishara bolted. The Hakkim dashed headlong toward the muscled mass.

Slipping inches away from the twisting tusk, she buried a dagger between the eyes of the tough beast.

The variant red boar cut an angry bellow short and slumped on the ground. With a dumbfounded look plastered on their face, the onlookers registered the kill. Or rather the deadly strike.

The Hakkim stepped forward and ripped the blade that pierced hilt-deep into the thick skull. Ming gave the lithe beauty who hid such explosive power a nod of approval. Then he tugged on the robe of the raven-haired boy.

"Hey, Chu. So, why is she here again?"

"Why are you asking me? She just up and decided to follow us."

Chu replied to the whispering boy. Opening and closing his fist, Chu gazed at his hand. Within four years, they had progressed to a level where he didn't fear to confront a rampaging boar. The wolves had led them to this skirmish between the hungry band of wildcats and the foraging boar.

The prey became the hunter, and the hunter became the prey. Their performance ranked as an admirable one where they did not even require the assistance of the wolves.

"Make a sled, we can't have all this go to waste. Dyna, let's have the wolves help us. We have a day's journey left."

Chu said. The goblin party with Zubyia in tow separated two days ago at the mines. The present party consisted of two abnormal wolves, four children, and one Hakkim. If that didn't raise an eyebrow in the forest, then nothing would.

He twisted his mouth while looking at Ishara, who replied with a smug appearance. The scarlet-skinned young lady locked his eyes with a defiant gaze.

"She is your responsibility."

He reminded Lucy of their last night in the ruins. If what Ishara revealed back then was true, then Chu needed to prepare for the worst. As for listening to her request for aid, he vetoed that demand. To venture north, as he was now only led to death and zero profit.

The stubborn Hakkim refused to accept his refusal or his advice to seek help elsewhere. Instead, she tagged along in his group while hoping to sway his mind.

***

An answering howl drifted from the farm when the party exited the forest. Over the rolling blanket of snow, gentle wisps of smoke curled from the chimneys behind the stout wooden wall.

Beyond the farm, belches of gray and black puffed to indicate an active forge. The creaking of the turning vanes from the windmill accompanied a strange yet rhythmic thudding. Watching a rider drawing nearer, flanked by a bounding wolf, Chu exhaled with a smile.

"It's good to be home."

After a welcome soak in a hot bath, Chu tapped his fingers on the table while sitting on his familiar seat. Noticing the stealing glances and curious looks directed at his traveling companion, he sighed.

"Okay! Let's eat first, and then we'll talk later."

This family of his had grown all too liberal during their introductions to members of strange races. By now, a city would be in an uproar with the town criers screaming their lungs off. On his farm, however, they treated this as an ordinary occurrence.

The thought of hiding the Hakkim in the barn had crossed his mind, but he decided against it.

The thirty-plus members of his farm were all family. If anyone wanted to betray him, they would have sold him out long ago by snitching about his deals with the goblins. Since he attained the capabilities of a Sersen, his worries were over.

Unless assaulted by an army, he had no problem fighting or escaping. What threatened him came from the north.

Ishara removed the hood of her cloak, revealing the flawless oval face and captivating golden irises. Lush raven-colored hair cascaded behind her. The scarlet hue and shapely form raised the blood pressure of the diners.

Eating in a manner befitting a highborn noble next to Lucy, she pulled views from males and females alike. Chu swore she shot him a fleeting smirk as if having triumphed in a hidden battle.

Unfortunately, the naive Hakkim failed to understand that this farm housed only one dictator.

"The goblins have confirmed there are no demon beasts near us in the forest. We do need to be prepared since they suspect raids from the north might occur again. If the Military fails to stop them, then we must prepare our defenses."

Chu looked to the construction group.

"Have the numbers ready, as to how many workers we require. Between the villagers and the slave traders in Karst, I can have them here by the end of Spring."

"Will do, Boss. We already placed a miniature model on a table in the barn for your inspection. My son, Pine, was only waiting for the little Boss to return. He and Jim want to begin felling trees in the forest. By the time the snow melts and the road becomes passable, we'll have logs ready. Cutting and hauling stones will be a major issue."

Chu pondered the words of his Grandmaster Artisan. He had taken a fleeting glance at the model in the barn before walking over to the workshop. Halter had outdone himself in the practical design and thick walls. Pine followed in his father's footsteps and inherited the same hawk-like appearance and clever thinking of his old man.

"Hold on with the tree cutting, Pine. Tomorrow, I have some designs which will prove useful in construction. Before we even begin, proper tools, machinery, and equipment must be built. We cannot afford to skimp on the thickness of the stone walls."

Chu said while tapping his chin. Portable cantilever cranes on large rollers, compound pulleys, block and tackle, large wheel transport wagons, gear-operated jacks...all easy to design in this medieval time.

"Stonemasonry requires a large labor force, Boss. We'll need to set up houses and kitchens."

Ms. May muttered. A teen with broad shoulders sitting next to Dareck raised his hand. Chu recalled his name as Dale, who worked in the blacksmith division.

"Boss, housing the people we require will take time. We will have to construct houses, dig wells, and distribute supplies. More importantly, we can't have strangers wandering around the farm. I don't know if you realize, but our everyday schedule is not normal."

The round-faced teen scratched his bushy red beard while making a wry smile.

Chu nodded, acknowledging the important point. Sersen training, casting magic, a goblin here, a Hakkim there, no way would the Empire leave him alone.

"Why not put them up in the village then? It's not that far by wagon from us. When the midwife, Ms. Jean, taught us in the village, Elder Jim used to sometimes carry and bring us back every day."

Fanny said. She had been one of the older girls chosen to learn the skills of a midwife. With her basic health skills, she also worked in the infirmary. Chu approved of her suggestion.

"Great idea, Fanny. This saves us the burden of added construction and hiding our secrets. I'll pay a visit to Chief Drey tomorrow. He should be very pleased if we provide work and repopulate his sparse village. We have the horses; all we require are a few more wagons."

Everyone on the farm belonged to a specialized division. All they needed were workers. He glanced at Ishara.

"This young lady is called Ishara. From today, she will be the new combat trainer. Starting next week, mandatory practice in fighting and defending yourselves will become necessary. When we construct our castle, we must be able to defend it..."

He smiled at Lucy, who was responsible for breaking the news to the Hakkim.

"Nobody lives for free under my roof..."