Chapter 6. The Plight and the Promise

Elder Shimar was the only one who moved, Carysse catching the old man by the shoulders because he suddenly attempted to stand without any support.

Carysse snatched his wooden cane from the ground and helped him regain his posture. 

“Elder Shimar? What’s with the hurry?” asked Chaos.

Chaos was not the only one to notice the different tone in the Elder’s voice. Ashki’s head turned to the direction of the entrance of the tent. “Don’t tell me,” he said as he stood and went near it, his ear pressed upon the thick cloth acting as the tent’s door.

“Ashki?” Carysse asked with a hint of fear.

Ashki looked at the Elder and both of them seemed to have a mutual talk with their eyes.

''I am so sorry, Chaos, my child,'' Elder Shimar said with a low voice. ''It seems like you won't have the time to visit the children tomorrow even though I assured you earlier and even volunteered to accompany you..''

Chaos clenched his right fist but then released it as he slowly stood up. 

''I see,'' was his only reply, his eyes showing sadness but when he caught Carysse looking at him, he brought back his straight face with no emotions.

The Elder let go of Carysse's hold on him and walked towards a wooden chest sitting in the corner.

''Carysse, my child, be vigilant. Always. The reason why I'm telling you to leave right now is because I smell predators marching right up to this tent.''

He opened it and snatched three small stuffed bags made of snakeskin. It was their supplies specifically stored for the assigned scouts or hunters who would be expected to be out for a night or two.

''Elder Shimar, it's not yet the season for the wolves in the forest to--''

Carysse stopped when she heard it herself.

Her heartbeat spiked.

''No...''

Ashki grabbed her by her elbow, his small but deadly ax already in his other hand.

''Let's go, Carysse.''  

''But our other things,'' she said.

''This should be enough,'' Chaos said as he took hold of the bags. ''Don't worry about your other necessities. I have everything prepared at Apharothia.''

''You heard him. Now go, my children. I can't accompany you with my weak legs. I will stall them here. They can't harm me anyway.''

The three looked at Elder Shimar leaning on his cane. Stories said that he was the best warrior of his time and he was the only one to live to such a ripe age. There was nothing they could give  but reverence to the old man.

''Mark my words, Elder Shimar. You will see Thalisse restored with your own eyes,'' Chaos boldly said.

''Aye, I will make sure that I will not die yet. Neither are you allowed to, until you fulfill your promise.''

The Elder walked to the entrance and held it open with his shivering hands.

''Run along, my children. And don't look back.''

***

Never had Bal the Big Man been so irritated in his life.

After the incident earlier this afternoon with the entrance of Chaos, the youngling who deserted the village two years ago, he was so pissed off with how the rules were broken.

Any outsider that hinted of the location of their hideout should be killed immediately.

The village agreed. Everyone swore that they would never compromise their location even if their heads were about to be cut off.

Many heads rolled for the past two years. It seemed inhumane but if it was for the survival of Thalisse, even Elder Shimar approved of it. They threw to the river the bodies of any unaware soldier that attempted to pass through their territory.

Some of the villagers even got caught outside by the roaming soldiers while hunting for food or just scouting but they chose to die by the sword rather than expose the secrets of the whereabouts of their sanctuary.

And now that someone actually had the guts to write them a letter and leave it at the entrance of their hideout, that was way beyond more than being knowledgeable of their whereabouts. Someone knew of the exact location. 

That was why Bal was so infuriated when Carysse, the girl who was taking orders from the Elder, brought the rascal into the village. And to his anger, that scarred boy named Ashki actually approved of it.

Of course he had his doubts so he kept an eagle eye on Carysse. And then, Chaos' face was revealed.

No wonder the sender of the letter knew the entrance to the hideout. 

He couldn't blame the Elder for taking him in immediately. That was how he was--a soft old man who was overjoyed at the return of an adopted son whom he had brought up. Bal would understand if that son of his stayed by his side as a proper kid would do but when they needed Chaos the most, he left them without any word and without clear reason.

But it just didn't sit right with him.

Why would a deserter suddenly appear after two years?

It was not impossible to think that he came back as a spy. Another thing that justified his doubts was the leaked story of what he did to Carysse two years ago. 

Carysse was chasing him to the boundary, they said. And then he did the unthinkable--something considered grave to Thalisse where they treat each other as family even when not related by blood. The girl only tried to stop Chaos from leaving and the boy tried to kill her.

No matter how much he hated the younger generation, he still could remember he actually pitied the girl when they brought her back to the village, bloody, pale, and was on death's door.

And her bringing him back to the village safe and sound after two years was the dumbest thing Bal had ever seen. If he were the girl, he would have sliced him the first moment without any hesitation.

Which was why he led twenty full grown men equipped with spears and swords towards the tent of Elder Shimar.

They were walking through the forest that led to the tent, hidden with the help of the night. The original plan was to move earlier at dinner but he didn't want the women and children involved and so they had to wait until everyone was sound asleep. 

He never underestimated the three younglings. He knew of their potential and even more for the Elder. As a retired veteran of war, Elder Shimar was still sensitive to his surroundings.

That was why they chose midnight as their meeting time but to their bad luck, it was the full moon. They would be easily seen and so they had to move along with the help of the shadows.

One of his men informed him that the candles were not yet out at the Elder's tent. Meaning, they were still awake.

They had to move before morning. Bal was not raising a revolution. He only wanted to express his dissatisfaction with the presence of Chaos in the village without any disciplinary actions imposed on him. The women were scared of Chaos and they had every reason on why they should be.

He had to do this for the sake of Thalisse. He may be sent to the caves that served as their makeshift dungeons as punishment but he will be glad to go if he will be imprisoned along with Chaos.

Now as they were walking towards the tent, one of his men was running towards him--his informer.

''T-They left! They already left!''