3 A DEADLY EXERCISE (2/2)

The twin brothers ran near the outer rim of the circular clearing to get a view of the one's guarding the flag. They hid through the big-leaved bushes and stayed there for cover which is very convenient because it's very thick. To their surprise, they found the three guards standing on the same spot at the elevated area in the middle of the training ground encircling something big that one can intuitively guess nowhere near to a figure of a flag. The three officers there have real weapons, but they are sheathed. The First Guard is carrying a katana, the Third Guard, the smallest one, carries a giant halberd and the Second Guard, has a humongous broad sword that's obviously very impossible to carry considering her slender figure but she waved feigning it like it's practically light weight.

”Hey Kayzar—” Karus said trying to speak with as minimal voice as humanly possible.”—Uh… I'm not sure how to put this but is that a sack they're protecting? I thought master said we're going to grab a flag. It's what we always do in our monthly training appraisal.”

”I-I don't know. What IS that?” Kayzar looked with a squinted eye of inspection. ”It looks like it's some stuff… that's… big?” he then shifted his concentration away from the target to observe the guards.

”Yosh got something right though. They don't look like they're carrying anything that resembles a projectile weapon.”

”Yeah, good for him huh? His observation skills are something.”

”Okay, uh… I think we can change our plan now, unless Stella can carry that big sack —with whatever heavy thing that's inside— fast enough before the guards can do anything about it,” he then gave a silent giggle and tapped Kayzar on the shoulders giving a sign to back away. ”I think we should head back and regroup. Clearly this constitute as a 'something's-not-right' in Kuya-Reus's vocabulary.”

”How can this be possible?” he said while crawling away. ”They are highly-ranked officers, right? Why are they acting like a bunch of newbie soldiers guarding the target at the center? This makes no sense. No sense at all. It's as if they're waiting for us to appear to them or something.”

”~hey…” whispered a voice somewhere and the bushes behind them moved as if someone is crawling.

”Whoa… someone's coming. Weapons at the ready,” Karus whispered while clutching the hilt of his sword.

Suddenly a face appeared before the bush if front of them that has a very big smile. ”BOO… hehehe…”

”Quit it Yosh,” Kayzar reprimanded with a little smile while slapping Yosh's shoulders, ”They might hear us.”

”Ow… hehehe, come on they know we're here already… you triggered their proximity trap right there…” Yosh pointing obscurely at their back where Reus is crawling trying hard not to trigger it again.

”Where? I didn't see any traps there earlier…”

”There… look at my finger…” he smiled while pointing his finger hard as if frustrated to them not seeing the trap that is obviously located further back.

”Well, no sense trying to find them. You've just activated all of the alarms in this area,” Reus stated finally catching up in their spot. ”But no worries, Yosh sent Luna to set off other proximity traps here so that they can't pinpoint our location. That's why they're just standing there not moving. We still have to be quiet though.”

”HAHAHA! That's your idea of being quiet?!” shouted the woman holding the large broadsword as big as she is that is now half buried in the ground. The guards are now all looking at their direction. ”Come on! Show yourselves! No sense hiding there, we already know where you all are…” she said still shouting.

”Tang'na-Nga'ngot-yan!” Reus cursed. ”How did they know we're here?”

”Maybe they're possessed by the Karshivyk who wants to exact revenge on us all Nagozulians for what the king of the past did to them… and they have super hearing powers… oohhhh…,” Yosh replied sincerely frightened which led for Karus's wide smile, trying hard to control himself not to burst out laughing.

”Seriously?” mocked Karus taking short breaths to contain a guffaw waiting to explode. ”That's the first idea that comes to mind?”

”Oh, come on! That story is about five hundred years now! There's some other explanation. They must have done something here I'm sure of it…” Kayzar rebutted. ”…and spirits don't have any super hearing abilities! So, quit it…”

They stayed there confused for a while thinking how could they have heard them speaking in their distance of at least fifty feet with birds chirping and flying; tree's slashing noises when pushed by the strong winds; and the breeze blowing continuously in every direction. Their eyes moved all around hoping to find some wires they might've tripped earlier.

”If you don't come out there, we'll be forced to pick you up and that would be messy~” shouted the small woman with a small teasing voice.

She threw a knife that almost hit Karus's left cheeks. He was planning to speak at that moment and if he moved just a little bit to his left, he would've been dead. They froze sitting there bewildered asking themselves questions they cannot answer.

”The next ones not 'gonna miss~!” the little voice of the Third Guard shouted still with an annoying teasing tone.

Reus stood up angry and a few seconds later the other's followed him gently, especially Yosh, who's still looking for something to prove they don't have super hearing powers. They immediately noticed the Second Guard pulling the broadsword from its buried state and dragged it as she started walking closer to them together with the two guards on her side leaving the slouching big sack on its own. She appears to be the highest-ranking officer there based on how quickly they responded.

They were curious on what their commander was wearing. She didn't wear armor, but a red battle uniform made up of what seems to be a silk-like texture and a huge thorny silver pauldron on her right shoulder which is where she probably puts on her heavy broadsword at the ready. It is a long-sleeved blouse with running lines of silver embroidery of a figure of the sea dragon Nanreben. She wore a normal blue silk pants that moved about every once in a while, because of the strong breeze that flew through the grounds. They assumed automatically that she needed light clothing for her to maneuver her big broadsword to any position she desires. They thought that that person can be frighteningly dangerous if left alone with her quarry.

”Ah! Glad you quit sitting around in the bushes. I'm thankful we didn't resort to literally beat around the bushes to get you out.”

The Third Guard, who appears to be the youngest of the three, rolled out a series of laughs which the brothers didn't find quite funny. Even the First Guard didn't break a crack of smile on his serious appearance. They know there's a famous idiom somewhere in her sentence, but they know that she didn't mean for it to be a joke and they are confounded as to why she's laughing. There's no joke to be found there, especially when they threw a dangerously fast dagger to kill Karus.

”We were really bored here waiting for you all to come out there,” she shouted putting her big broadsword on the pauldron on right shoulder as they have guessed. ”I am Sword Master Camyl of the Talim Clan, Major to Nagozul's Southern Warrior's Hundred Sword Elites relief force,” she bowed low who appeared smiling as she introduced herself. She then stood straight again and pushed her sword to the ground. He then moved her hand to her right as if directing the attention to the big fully armored guard whose dark hair is short and spiky. ”This is one of my many captains, Captain Gab of the Talim Clan, Captain to the Grand Unit of the Southern Warrior's Hundred Sword Elites relief force,” while introducing the big scary-looking man, he unsheathed his sword then spread his arms and bowed down pointing his sword far to his side. His cold eyes appeared, as always, ever frightening. His battle-scarred emotionless face pierced through their souls as if slowly killing them from suffocation.

”Wow! That title is too darn long to remember…” said Yosh mocking Captain Gab while trying to smile though deep inside there is a deep fear that is slowly growing. ”…I really won't remember any of that in the future if you ask me…”

”No,” he replied with a very dark and ominous voice. ”It is very easy to remember the title your highness --- once you know the honor it brings.”

”Uh… okay…. Whatever!!!” shouted Yosh then he smiled and whispered to his brothers. ”I don't like him. You guys take him out fast, okay?”

The brothers ignored his joke at that moment because they focused their whole attention at the movements of the guards for, they may strike at any time considering that they already made a deadly action towards them.

The major moved her hand to the left and introduced the last guard. ”…and Lastly, Lieutenant Tarni of the Sibara Clan, Master Assassin and Lieutenant of the Eastern Sentry's Reconnaissance Team.”

”Wait a second! Are you the Tarni known as the Shadow Veil? Isn't the rank Lieutenant a very low and insulting position for such a skilled master of the Sibara?” mocked Reus.

”Trying to get back now, are we? I see that you're still mad that I threw that dagger to your brother earlier, right? Well, for what it's worth I really meant to hit him. I mean, he's kind of laughing and I wanted to make him stop. He didn't even tell me the joke and he's laughing.”

Reus just smiled and opened his bag. The other three followed and readied their weapons. ”So, how does this work? Can we make our move now or should you go first? Our conversations are turning tedious and I appreciate it if we could move things along faster.”

”No, no, no, Prince Reus. We called you out in that bush because we wanted to make a deal first. If we wanted to attack, you'll be lying on the ground already.”

”Oh? Is that so? Well, you haven't tried that so who knows what would happen. Maybe it'd be you lying there…”

They smiled taunting the enemy into action, but they remained still in their positions almost forty feet away from them.

”Save your eagerness later young prince and hear my proposal. One week from now our very old Master would leave your pretty little Palace and will go to report to your father the Grand Prince Artemus and deliver his monthly supplies at the Northern Encampment. Unfortunately, the messenger hasn't arrived yet and therefore the supplies and orders needed by your father in the North are unknown. This is most dangerous for them --- especially when they are fighting the most fearsome elemental and Daomagarian criminals that are hiding there… 'The Pusakals'.”

”What?!” Reus shouted.

”Don't worry; we intercepted the messenger and got all his effects snuck up in a neat cute little package there… Although I must say, he won't live long enough for a week. Apparently, he's been attacked by Grog, the Demon Wolf of the Dark Jungles of Narra. So, I guess the whole point in this is that the message of the messenger will not be delivered.”

Yosh shouted fiercely. ”NO! You're lying! The Grog only attacks when he feels that his territory is threatened!”

”Yes, you're true… but is seems as though he did…” she replied smiling to give Reus a rage. ”… and that one over there,” she pointed at the sack at the center of the field. ”…will be buried with him if he plans on taking his sleep tonight. The Grand Prince Sarram asked me to dispose of him but I felt like doing a game and made him my stake. Clearly we're getting bored here without anyone to fight…”

”What the hell are you doing?! You're a Daomagar! You shouldn't interfere with the affairs of Nagozul! By doing this you're giving leverage to Uncle Sarram!” exclaimed Kayzar with his hands holding the daggers trembling in fury.

”And that messenger is a Daomagar too! He's your brother! How could you!?” Karus shouted furiously.

”I don't care who he is! I don't care WHO BECOMES KING OR QUEEN in your pathetic kingdom! Whether it's Prince Sarram, your father or even Princess Prodea!” He pulled her planted broadsword and pointed it at them. She walked closer and closer to them as the two guards backed away near the sack where the articles of the messenger are located and unsheathed their weapons also. The four brothers readied themselves and their weapons. They moved away from each other slowly. ”Grab that sack away from us and take it to your precious Palace! IF YOU CAN!!!”

With a shout she strode to Reus like an angry tiger pouncing to her prey. They were all shocked for she looked like she jumped with one foot to their location dragging her big broad sword with her in dash. A thirty-foot dash carrying that humongous broadsword in just a blink of an eye is nearly impossible for a mortal in their point of view.

This highly secret Daomagarian Technique that they call the Great Dash is a sprint using one's thigh, pushing one's body almost instantaneously. Usually, a renowned master can dash to a length of as much as fifteen feet per dash and that requires a lot of energy and concentration. That's why the brothers were stunned at the main sight of it. They were keeping a twenty-foot distance all the time in anticipation for the Daomagarian's Great Dashes, but this is beyond their assessment. It's totally unexpected!

Reus just stood there stunned by her speed. Thanks to Karus's reflexes and nimbleness the attack was swayed, and his move made the Major's blade miss cutting Reus in half.

”WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!! MOVE!!!” he shouted to Reus till he snapped out of his daze.

The other two moved in towards the guards. Clearly they are doing improvisation at this time considering that Kayzar is going one-on-one to the left with the big Captain Gab while Yosh readies his arrows, whistling calling his friends to his aide and running to the other side to confront the Lieutenant Tarni who is very happy for some action.

Reus ran to Yosh's position to help him somehow to distract the enemy while he can formulate a plan to take the sack.

”Fools! You can't defeat us!” Major Camyl lifted her heavy broadsword and ran to Reus ignoring Karus.

”Hey! You!” Karus shouted slashing her at the back which she seemed to parry. ”I'm not done with you yet!”

Karus continued a barrage of slashes in every direction that Camyl easily warded off with her big sword. Her humongous broadsword's wide blade trumps Karus's short sword in terms of defense so Camyl is not breaking any sweat.

The major found him interesting for it seems that every blow he made, he accurately tests and calculates the enemy's movements and analyzes it to find a weak spot. Truly a basic skill only a sword fighter can perform, nay, only an experienced sword master can do.

”Oh no, young prince! You don't get to study my defenses!” she made a hard blow striking him and got thrown for about eight feet away by defending with his sword. ”As I've said,” she positioned herself and prepared to take a lunge. ”You can't defeat me! NOT IN A THOUSAND YEARS!!!” and she jumped turning her broadsword all around.

”Uh oh…”

-------ooO0Ooo-------

Meanwhile, Kayzar ran to his opponent and grabbed his twin daggers from his back.

”Daggers? You reached out a dagger to fight me?!” said Gab with a dark and frightening tone of anger. ”Are you MOCKING ME?! ARE YOU BELITTLING ME!?” he feigned his sword and dashed in front of him like the major did but a little slower.

Kayzar, after seeing this, reached something in the bottom of the hilt of his daggers and pulled. A thread with an inch-sized pin now dangles at the end of the hilt. He faked defending with his daggers concealing the fact that he threw his almost invisible threads to the attacking enemy. Unfortunately for him, the metal pin shined reflecting the orange skies of dusk. The Captain's keen eyes spotted the two pins coming his way and immediately dodged it almost instantly. He then backed away to keep his distance to Kayzar.

”Tch!” Kayzar remarked disconcerted. He missed his target by a third of an inch because he hesitated in throwing it. This is his first time to calculate such speed by an enemy twice or thrice his speed. This is also his first time to miss something. He never misses and he never fails, but this time he did and that upset him tremendously. He felt a deep chill inside, a deep chill of fear.

”I see. So, you're the one who uses poisoned weapons,” he chuckled as he watched him from afar thinking of the best way to make contact. ”This is the first time I've seen a person throw a pin into someone that is connected by a thin thread since the legendary Yiv.”

Captain Gab just thanked Bathala in his thoughts for the sun setting in the west illuminated the pins revealing its deadly figure. As strong as he is, he recognizes the potential of Kayzar. For his age, his skills can easily land him as one of the supreme fighters of the Eastern Sentries having an automatic promotion to captain or as low as a lieutenant's rank at least on that demonstration alone. He believes that there won't be a miracle next time that's why he needs to maintain his distance and to keep a keen eye with his surroundings.

”What captain? Are you afraid of my daggers?” Kayzar shouted as he taunts him to get close to attack.

”Your pins won't work on me again m'boy!” he drove his sword into the ground and grabbed the twin daggers in his back which almost looks like a short sword in size. He thought that by using the daggers, he can both have the maneuverability to attack and the agility to counter anything. ”You want fighting in close quarters? I'll give you your close quarters and I promise you you'd wish you didn't!”

”Okay…” He stepped backwards and opened all the flaps in his loose shirt. Thin threads started to dangle with small sharp metal pins at the end dancing. ”Show me how good your clan really is…”

”Oh, I hope that's not an insult, child!” he shouted smiling devilishly as he ran towards him.

He slashed his way to Kayzar attacking every single angle he can.

Kayzar was terrified deep inside as he saw the fearful speed that the Captain demonstrated. At that rate, he might cut his limbs apart if he's not careful.

”GOT YOU!” the captain shouted driving his dagger to his right.

Kayzar noted nimbly moving the dangling threads on his left hand to attack his enemy while he moved the other threads from his right to try and tie the enemy's dagger hoping that it makes a lock in time for him to dodge.

Luckily for Gab, he saw his needle attacks from his right and immediately cancelled his move. He then made a counter to this and slashed Kayzar's threads so that the pins won't hit him. His desperate move to escape made Kayzar safe for a while but at the expense of his poisoned needles. He jumped back to set up his defense perimeter so as to avoid other counterattacks made by the enemy.

”Good one kid! You have talent, I'll tell you that!” said Gab now having a very disturbing smile. ”but talent won't give you anything if you're fighting me!”

In his situation he saw a large gap of power between him and the Captain. It's as if a dark ominous energy is slowly eating him alive. The only thing left for them to do is to retreat, he thought as fear churns up in his body robbing all the warmth of his almost trembling hands. While he was thinking he made a quick look to his surrounding and saw Karus in danger.

At that time the major prepared a lunge that then readied herself to jump hastily to Karus's. Kayzar immediately threw three pins to her direction that bounced at the Major's broadsword. The sounds that the pins created while hitting the metal of her blade made her cancel the attack. Camyl jumped backwards to look at Kayzar which is also slightly moving backwards to her captain.

”RETREAT!” Kayzar shouted as he leaped backwards and blew a whistle that is swinging on his neck. After this, he ran with great haste as he saw his other brothers retreating.

Reus and Yosh on the other side heard the whistle and stopped showering their enemy Lieutenant Tarni who is clearly just playing with them, dodging the stones and arrows with little effort. They ran embracing darkness in the forest as night gently falls into the training ground.

”HAH! YOU BETTER RUN AWAY, LITTLE CHILDREN! THERE'S NO HOPE IN YOU DEFEATING US!” Captain Gab shouted in a deafening tone as they dashed along, slowly disappearing into the thick dark woodland.