Chapter 142: Sixteenth Episode: Chapter 6 (2/2)
”Ola... actually...” Oscar whipped around to face the girl's father in exasperation, ”how old is she?”
”She'll be an adult next month!” Luke Citel gazed at his daughter with pride.
”Oh my God of Light!” Oscar covered his face, giving a strange yelp, ”do I appear that old that even a sixteen-year-old girl calls me uncle?”
Luke Citel let slip a laugh but immediately averted his head away. He knew that His Highness was trying to take advantage of him all the while and he has to tread carefully.
”Where are we going?” Trinity's eyes shot wide open innocently.
Oscar instead glanced at her father, ”we are going to the Chief of Staff of the Guards, Marshal Robin Sparse's home. He has a colt with quite an irascible temper in the ranch at his home. Your father and I would like to tame it!”
Trinity nodded with understanding. She was aware that her father relied on getting along with horses and training them to make a living. ”Could those injuries on you be caused by that colt?”
Oscar heaved a dejected sigh, ”you guessed right!”
”I'm a little curious!” Luke Citel finally had some interest. He indicated at His Highness Prince's bruised chin and swollen head, ”what kind of colt could make you end up looking this way?”
”Ola!' Oscar sighed while cupping his sore and loose teeth, ”its name is Oslu, a year and a half and is a descendant of Narcissus County's Raytheon and West Percy's blood-red horse!”
”A descendant of a Raytheon and blood red horse?” Luke Citel's eyes flew wide open, ”what kind of monster would that be?”
”Ola!” Oscar groaned in agony, ”you'll know when you see it!”
***************
Perhaps it was because the master of the ranch has already been promoted to the Imperial Guard's Chief of Staff, the once desolate little manor exuded a thriving air. The morning glory on the fence bloomed brilliantly. The tall poplar was intertwined with horizontal grape vines. The summertime sun was like a blazing ball of fire and the scorching sunlight cloaked the pasture below the hills in a dazzling gold.
Marshal Robin Sparse was waiting at the entrance of the racecourse for the young prince who was running late. The old man hung his leg up leisurely, savoring a bowl of iced red date soup beneath the shade of an umbrella.
”Where's Sasha?”
Leaping off the carriage, Oscar pursed his lips in dejection, ”don't bring it up! The other day when I was thrown off by this little brute, Oslu, Sasha was shaken up pretty bad! Today she put her foot down and refused to come along!”
”Hehe!” Marshal Robin burst into joyful laughter. He knew that this kid would have a hard time. ”Who is this young lady?”
As animated as a deer, Trinity rushed towards the old man, raised her skirts and bowed, ”respected grandfather, I am the daughter of Dulin's most famous horse trainer. You may call me Trinity Citel.”
”Marshal!” the former Major of the Special Combat Brigade appeared before his daughter. He saluted with slight awkwardness to the old headmaster.
”Luke Citel!” Robin Sparse eyed his former student up and down, ”you little rascal still dare return?”
”My apologies Marshal!” Major Luke hung his head in embarrassment. He finally felt the inseparable army feelings, especially towards his teacher who earnestly guided him.
”Where is it?” Oscar lost patience. The badly battered prince rolled up the sleeves of his Marshal uniform and tore open his collar aggressively.
Marshal Robin withdrew his gaze on Major Luke and whistled towards the racecourse.
The servant managing the racecourse promptly opened the fence gates. Practically immediately, a muddy black and strong silhouette sprang through the door. The sound of horse hooves rumbled and blood red horse hooves zipped past like lightning. Having a sense of foreboding, Oscar climbed over the hardwood fence surrounding the racecourse. Little Oslu evidently recalled the man who once humiliated it. Its hooves flitted closely past the door beneath His Highness Prince.
”Ola! That was close! Too close!” Oscar screamed with relief deep inside. He retreated to stand behind the fence quickly. Being unable to find a rival, little Oslu broke into a gallop around the racecourse with extreme zeal, showing off its physique to the people.
”It's so beautiful!” Trinity exclaimed in awe. Her father liked bringing her along when he went to train horses and she was only too familiar with these beautiful creatures!
Little Oslu, who just received praise, reared up and gave a long neigh towards the heavens. Its muscles shone with a dazzling splendor and perfectly proportioned lines flowed with every movement.
”Indeed a fine steed!” Luke Citel nodded repeatedly, ”Your Highness, all your sufferings are worth it. This little thing is worth all the riders in the world doing their utmost for it.
The attendants around the racecourse gathered forwards. With difficulty, managed to subdue little Oslu that was galloping ceaselessly using thick lasso poles.
Oscar couldn't help but complain to Marshal Robin, ”what do you usually feed it? Stimulants? It's like a psychotic patient who had just sniffed on opium!”
Marshal Robin shrugged, ”little Oslu and its younger sister love carrots. Didn't Sasha just ride away on little Catya that same day? This just indicates that you are incapable!”
”Catya is even more docile than a cat. Can she be compared to her brother?” Oscar roared in fury. Really! Having the nerve to say he was incapable!
The young prince brought knee and elbow pads for himself. He wanted to once again challenge Oslu's willpower!
Little Oslu sized up the man who was approaching it with vigilance. It yearned to give him a good kick, but it was trapped in a narrow stable, unable to move an inch.
Oscar climbed over the surrounding poles of the stables. The attendant already put a completely new saddle onto the little black horse, causing its temper to flare.
The young prince mounted his horse carefully. Fortunately, nothing happened this time. However, he knew that the little black horse was preserving its strength. They were both waiting for the moment the surrounding fence opened.
Finally, a daring servant opened the gates. Oscar gripped the reins tightly and secured a firm grip on the stirrup. With a neigh, little Oslu leaped out urgently. It soared in a magnificent arc in the sky and landed on the ground heavily. The great inertia tugged the young prince towards the air! Oslu sprinted in every direction. It wanted to trample the rider on its back on the ground while the rider intended to completely subdue it.
The two stubborn male creatures refused to give in to each other. Their perspiration soon mixed together and their willpower gradually fused together.
”Oh!” the people around the racecourse suddenly cried out in alarm. Oscar was flung up into the air as the little black horse halted urgently during one of its leaps. His Highness Prince was thrown onto the ground heavily, stirring up a cloud of dust that was like fog.
The attendants used their spears and lasso-pole to drive the indignant little Oslu to the other side of the racecourse at once. The people feared that the violent little creature would trample on the prince who has fallen onto the ground.
Just when the people thought His Highness Prince was about to breathe his last, Oscar suddenly sprang up. He rubbed his chin that seemed to be off to a corner and spat out a mouthful of thick bloody phlegm.
”Darn it! Again!”
Thus... another round of wrestling commenced!
”This isn't the way to go on!” naïve Trinity tugged at her father's arm and cried out anxiously as she gazed at ”uncle Oscar” who was covered all over with dust, ”we need to find its weakness; it definitely has one!”
Luke Citel gave a slight smile and merely stroked his daughter's head.
With its powerful explosive force, high-speed turning, quick reaction, insane jumps, and muscles that were similar to that cast by the devil, Little Oslu seemed to have no weakness. It threw its rider onto the ground like a sandbag, repeating it relentlessly.
”Its shadow! Its shadow!” Trinity suddenly cried out loudly, pointing towards the little black horse that was zipping everywhere, ”have you all noticed its shadow? It always has its back towards its shadow! It keeps running towards the direction of the sunlight!”
Luke Citel and marshal Robin glanced at the girl.
”What does this imply?” the old Marshal did a once over of the young girl gleefully. He knew that she was a very bright young girl.
”This implies... this implies that...” Trinity's lake blue pupils suddenly dilated. She raised her hand towards Oscar, who was still wrestling.
”Uncle Oscar! It's afraid of its own shadow! It's afraid of its own shadow!”
The call of Uncle Oscar already made the youngster lose his focus and the prince once again slid off the horse. He rolled repeatedly the moment he landed on the ground, evading Oslu's hooves that kept kicking at him, for his life.
”What did you say?” Oscar hurried to stand before the girl.
Trinity jumped up hastily as if showing off her breakthrough, ”It's afraid of its own shadow! It's afraid of its own shadow! It's afraid of its own shadow!”
”It's afraid of its own shadow?” Oscar eyed the little black horse that had retreated to a corner to rest dubiously. It hung its head and licked the red-brown hair around its hoof; its shadow fell to one side of its body.
”What does that mean?” Oscar gazed at the old Marshal who has a slight smile and remained silent.
”Actually... it's not afraid of its own shadow, but its father. This foolish little thing doesn't know that it is now taller than its father. When it sees the humongous shadow it itself leaves on the ground, then by instinct, it assumes it to be its father by its side. Its father left a deep impression on it when it was young and it is forever etched in its memory!”
The prince bored into Marshal Robin with a dark look, ”you already knew that since long ago, didn't you?”
The old Marshal gave a sinister laugh, ”of course! But as I've said before, it's because you're incapable!”
”Dang it!” Oscar cursed under his breath, but this discovery wasn't too late!
The young prince again leaped into the racecourse, but this time brimming with confidence.
Young Oslu, who was dripping with sweat, assessed its adversary carefully for the first time. It has to admit by all means that this adversary was indeed strong and persistent, but it refused to give up its inherent honor. Despite it feeling that the youngster before him was a little familiar looking, it still refused to yield. It could sense that the hour of a decisive battle has almost arrived!
The Raytheon's shadow appeared before Oscar's eyes. He still remembered his stallion's final moments before it breathed its last. The Raytheon was the noblest creature on the battlefield and one had to subdue it, one had to pay with their blood and life.
The young prince drew out a glistening dagger. The cold light from the lethal weapon made Oslu, who has its eyes locked with his, retreat a small step.
Oscar used the sharp blade to slice against his palm and blood flowed out along the wound. With extra care, Oscar placed his palm that was dripping with blood on Oslu's forehead. The black-bodied, red-hooved young stallion blinked several times, feeling the warmth that radiated out between its eyebrows. An ancient desire surged up within it and Oslu huffed out labored breaths. It was familiar to this throbbing in its veins but didn't know what it should do.
”Your surname is Raytheon! Your name is Andrew! You are the world's greatest, noblest creature of the battlefield from birth!” Oscar pointed towards the horizon at the east, the place where the sunlight ended, ”you will set off on the road of conquering with me! Are you ready?”
Oslu huffed heavily.
Gripping the reins firmly, Oscar leaped swiftly onto the back of the horse. The stallion was momentarily stunned before letting out an earth-shaking neigh! It still refused to give up its pride!
The spurs on the leather boots dug deep into the horse's abdomen and the pained stallion shot forwards. The jolts and jumps during the charge didn't perturb the rider. He held on fast to the reins like mad. Oscar's looming shadow kept being cast in front of it. The stallion that was already weary beyond words finally felt at its wit's end! Its father, tall and imposing, kept appearing before its eyes, urging it to grow up quickly and to run faster!
Faster! More! Catch up with father! Surpass father! Faster!
The horse's black shadow galloped at breakneck speed away from the sunlight. The rider on its back continued to cheer! The fine steed was chasing after its own shadow, unaware that it was pursuing a task that was impossible to complete!
Gazing at Oscar and Oslu who were gradually disappearing along the horizon, Marshal Robin heaved a contented sigh.
”Come sit!” the old man gestured towards Luke Citel who was standing there gaping. ”Little Oslu can gallop for two days and two nights. Our Highness Prince will not be back anytime soon!”
The former Special Combat Commander of the Guards eyed the seat beside the Marshal uneasily; he knew what the old man wanted to say.
The sound of a girl's joyful laughter traveled through the quiet open ranch. Trinity hugged a lamb and kissed it and soon she started to chase the calves that were frisking around.
CItel watched his daughter's silhouette, lost in thought. His daughter could absolutely get a better life. He knew that she loved studying and was aware that she secretly used the meager income from doing laundry in exchange for attaining the right to listen in during evening school. All the more, he knew that she was like the other girls of her age who longed for romance, trouble, and friends.
However, what has he given her so far? A shameless mother, oh that's right, a spy mother, a tiny room, dresses that didn't fit, work to cover the house expenses, and...
”You really don't want to come back?” the old Marshal interrupted the train of thought of Major of the Guards.
”Why should I go back for? I am already sick of the slaughtering and also of dealing with the noble commanders' antics.”
”It's more of the latter, right?” Marshal Robin broke into a wry smile, ”this morning didn't you hand in an answer sheet that was full marks? This proves that you are still the Luke Citel of before! You're still the one who was known as the Crossbow of the Guard's Special Combat...”
”Enough sir!” Luke Citel couldn't take it anymore, ”until now I still feel endless guilt for what I have done before! Every night I have nightmares and every day I will...”
”You're a soldier!” bellowed Robin Sparse suddenly, ”don't forget this point! You're a soldier of the Empire! This isn't the oath that you swore beneath the 8431 flag!”
”8431 no longer exists!” the Major suddenly snorted quietly. The sharp old man noted all these.
”But now you've obtained the opportunity to rebuild a Special Combat Team!”
”What... what are you saying?”
Marshal Robin looked to one side in triumph, ”You heard me!”
”Rebuild a Special Combat Team?” Luke Citel's eyes were wavering. He couldn't deny that offer that the Marshal threw out was even more alluring than the happy life he longed for. ”Why... why me?”
”Because you are worth the trust! Because you are phenomenal!” exclaimed Marshal Robin while indicating the direction in which the young prince has disappeared into. ”Haven't you already met my child? He may be young, but he has already assembled a group of the most outstanding soldiers by his side, but he still needs your help. Otherwise, he will definitely lose his way in the southern mountain area.”
The former Commander of Special Combat gulped with difficulty. ”South? Is His Highness Prince going to deal with 8431's old friends?”
”That's right!” the old man nodded, ”it's time to get rid of those bandits! Don't tell me you don't even have the slightest interest? I recall that you kept brooding over your brothers' sacrifice. You probably won't get another chance for vengeance better than this your whole life!”
”I cannot accomplish anything alone!” Luke Citel gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He concluded a lesson from the experience of the special southern battle. The 8431 brigade suffered heavy losses mostly due to having only a single special battle tactic and a weak composition of military strength. If he could gather a great number of elite soldiers to pull it off this one time... oh gosh! Has he gone into character that soon? The Major was astonished at his thoughts! Hasn't he always been avoiding it?
”Of course you wouldn't be alone!” Marshal Robin's words once again attracted the Major's attention.
”'Big Worm' Blasky, 'Alligator' Macier, 'Fire Eyes' Arthur, 'Ghost Archer' Mitchen, 'Gay' Mike! Oh, that's right, there's also 'Zero'! Marksman Monia Amerson! If all these most outstanding Special Combat Officers are taken into account, is it still not possible?”
The Major was dumbstruck. These people were the Guard's most precious battle resources. ”Does His Imperial Highness Prince... intend to level out the southern mountain area?”
”More or less!”
”Then I think... these men aren't enough!”
”Oh?”
”We need to add on Heavy Crossbow Luke!”
Marshal Robin gazed at his former student and finally expressed a proud smile. ”That's right! You must include the Crossbow of the Guards – Luke Citel!”
The sound of galloping came again and both the Marshal and Major twisted their heads around in astonishment.
”Back so soon?” the old man glanced towards the hillside with disbelief.
”Uncle Oscar!” the innocent girl waved excitedly in the direction the rider was charging from.
The black giant creature was carrying the future Commander-in-chief to across the hillside and its massive shadow appeared as if it has fallen from the sky! The man adjusted the angle of the horse's head. Just when a fierce gust of wind whipped up the girl's skirts, ”Uncle Oscar” dashed past. Using his strong arm, he lifted the screaming girl onto the horse's back! Not long after, the heavens resounded with the girl's joyous laughter.
”Don't worry about your child, I'll take care of her! She will receive everything that a teenage girl can ever have. She no longer has to rub her swollen hands and squeeze into the small classroom of the evening school. She will be an envied university student!”
Luke Citel nodded, ”thank you, what else can I say?”
”Then don't say anything! We are soldiers! I only care about what you will do and not so much about what you say!”
”Hehe! I've been fighting in one place after another in the southern mountain area. Marshal, you should believe in me for I surely know what I should do!”