Chapter 305 - The Salute of a Stranger (1/2)

*Eldovian Era 1713, 11th day of the 4th month*

”It truly baffles me how impossibly stupid the lot of you have evidently become!”

Even Aegin felt a tiny, almost imperceptible flinch at the rage of the Red-Eye's Chieftain. He'd never admit to it though, and anyone who dared bring it up was tempting death.

”You tried to face the Sand Devils! Alone! Without any clue as to how to beat them!” the Chieftain continued.

”Well, Aegin-”

The Chieftain's eyes swung at Sevis, and his son's mouth snapped shut before he continued to look at the ground in guilt.

”I do not care for the advantages you thought you possessed due to Aegin's path. The fact is that you did not know for sure he could do anything to help, and the fact that he has returned with meat enough to feed the village in a grand feast lasting three nights tells me that there was nothing he could do short of distracting them long enough for you to get away!”

Aegin bit his tongue in order to hold back a protest. This encounter had deeply wounded his pride as a Warrior and as a Vampire. He didn't need somebody to rub it in his face like this.

”Rima!”

Rima's head snapped up in response, eyes expectant though fearful.

”Surely you were against this? Surely you should have talked them out of it. You seemed like a sensible child, and have been nothing but obedient and kind in your time here with us. You too Tigin!”

Tigin glanced up in acknowledgement, then back down again, ”Sorry, Sir, I-”

”Apologies are not what I want!” snapped the Chieftain.

Tigin and Rima flinched back, but quickly regained their posture. Aegin huffed, then looked up, ”We get it already”.

The Chieftain turned on Aegin, ”Do you? Because I would have thought you would at least be cautious after all you have been through”.

Aegin frowned, then caught Cara's look to the side. The woman had a loose tongue clearly. The Betrayal wounded him more than he expected.

”My past has both nothing and everything to do with why I insisted on carrying out this plan,” Aegin snapped back.

The Chieftain clearly did not wish to be talked back to at such a time, but Aegin stepped forward anyway, shaking off Sevis' attempt to stop him.

”For the past week, I've found more than twenty bodies mutilated up and down the border of the Sand Dunes. Unlike the night I found your son and his companions, it was too later for them. Still, behaviour like that made me wonder if it was truly the work of animals or spirits, or something more. It turns out I was right to be curious about such a thing,” Aegin said.

He looked over the eyes of the elders, ”Someone North-West of your Territory has a Djinn at their command, and they are using it to eradicate trespassers, soon, I have no doubt they may see it's effectiveness and wish to expand. That is the threat you face. A Djinn”.