Chapter 48:
The Master and The Slave
Three months have passed in a blink of an eye.
Nesto and the people he chooses mainly young humans but old enough to swing a sword that he trains personally with everything he knows about wars, strategy, tactics, and fighting technique. People still couldn't believe how the people that Nesto trained have changed so much just after three months of training in the woods.
Still, people wonder what kind of training that they went through because when they came back, there are scars on their body that wasn't there before. Even without the scars, their changes are also visible by their attitude because they seem more discipline and acting like soldiers.
But there is one good thing that came out from the training, the bond between the trainee is stronger than a bond between a brother and sisters. While the people that were chosen to train under Nesto went to the woods, the rest of the humans help by making armor and weapons for them. A few others also help Digia and Lilia with their projects of their own, but mostly they help Digia build something big near the lake.
On how they gather the material to make their stuff is thanks to Neya, she makes all necessary deal to get her people the funds and material for it. During the three months, Vizrez and Vel prefer helping out at the farm fields, getting ready for the trade between Materna and Outcast company instead of training for the war.
Some of the humans, that is too old and too young is left behind at the camp like the two kids; Om and Nel. They also left someone to be in charge while Neya and the other were going away, that someone is Grie most trusted person; Jil Grud. She was Grie assistant while he runs the camp after Neya was gone for a couple days.
After, Za death, Nel and Om have been working hard for the camp, instead of playing around as they do. For Neya it's sad to see that they completely stop being a kid, but what she can do, she not exactly the same after her traumatic experience.
She also has to stop being a kid.
She let out a long sigh and continue to wear the dark green overcoat as a cape on top of the black suit that she is wearing. The suit actually compliments her slender figure and surround her with an air of authority.
"Are you and your squad ready?" Neya asks Nesto just a few feet from her.
Nesto put on the only armor; a metal chest piece, that the company can prepare in a short time over the full leather armor that he is wearing. He tightens the leather straps of the chest piece and grabs the dark green overcoat that is laying on the crate next to him. Nesto wears the dark green overcoat then he saddles his saber on his back along with his wooden staff.
The squad behind him did the same things by wearing their metal chest piece, overcoats, and saddling their own wooden staff that they make on their back.
"I like the menacing embroider large symbol on the back of our overcoat. It looks similar to a dragon," one of the younglings in squad comments.
"It's not, it's a Wyvern," Melud comment.
"Oh, I get it now, the chief and the Wyvern," one of Melud teammates said.
"The tailor groups really did a great job with the overcoat," Melud compliment.
"Form up!" Nesto order and the squads position them self into a line then straighten their body.
"Ready as they can be," Nesto replies to Neya earlier questions.
"Why do I have to wear the same things similar to you people again? It's uncomfortable for me to fight in this," Vizrez said, as she walks to them with her large weapon on top of her left shoulder while a few buttons of her shirt let loose revealing a cleavage underneath it.
"Agreed. Why?" Vel shows up after her.
Neya almost drool when she saw how striking the Woodfolk man... she means the boy look. The dark skin that the boy had complimented the leather armor he is wearing, and show the outline of his muscular, yet slender body.
This is the first time that she ever saw how beautiful his blonde short hair really is. Neya gulps her saliva and shakes her thought away when she saw the wooden bow on Vel back. It's not the time to be checking out the merchandise, wait... she means examining her own people.
"It's because we want to look like formal organizations rather than a ragtag group," Neya replied.
"Digia, where are you? We are going to be late," Neya call out.
"Just helping Lilia loading up some of her potions on board my magnificent creation, yet to date," Digia said as she slowly places the crate next to Nesto.
"Is this it? I'm not impressed," Vizrez asks, as she looks at the crate.
"What? No! It's the ship behind me!" Digia said as she outstretches her arms toward the brigantine behind her.
"I call it the Windcutter," Digia exclaim.
"How are we even supposed to use that ship? We are in a closed lake and the ship has no sail on it," Melud said with skepticism.
Nesto notice there is also no mast on the ship and there is a large contraption fixed to both side of the brigantine. He looks closely at it, and he swears that he has seen this machine before, but he can't remember it.
"Comes aboard and I will show it to you," Digia said with a grin on her face as she walks backward.
After Lilia the last one to come aboard with her potion's supplies, the people from Digia group raised the walkways and untie the knot. Digia grabs the wheels and turns her head to look at her first mate; Grie.
"Grie, ready the men!" Digia said.
"All brace for takeoff!!" Grie shout outs and his men hold on to whatever close to them.
Nesto, Neya, Vizrez, Vel and their squads did the same things after seeing what Digia's crew just did. Digia pulls the lever next to her, and the ship entire body starts to tremble. Nesto sees the source of the shaking; it's coming from the two devices attached to both side of the ship.
Nesto finally realized what it is, but before he could complete his thought process, the ship suddenly took off from the lake at medium speed and climbs toward the sky. The face shown on Nesto's squad was priceless as they see the ship actually flying toward the sky.
After the ship takes off from the lake, it slowly sails across the sky like a normal ship.
"Your crazy girl, I love you!" Neya shouts.
"Please don't fall, please don't fall," Lilia prays as she held on to Nesto while he let out a chuckle.
"Now this is impressive!" Vizrez compliments.
"Beautiful," Vel said, as he never has been this close to the sky before.
Melud pokes fun at his friend for being scared of height, his friend shakes his head vigorously while holding on to the railing near him. Digia laughs maniacally, as she steers the ship toward Targia.
*
The Gate of Targia.
Where a large fortress stood at the border between Targia and Rochia. Two guards overlook the market below them from the tower connected to the wall that encloses the entire fortress. People from all over Arorona line up at the gate to get in Targia through the checkpoint.
The guard said to his friend, "I think, I found a perfect soulmate down at the marketplace, do you think I should ask her out?"
His friend ignores his word and kept on staring at the sky far away from them with his eyelids scrunch together, hoping the scrunching help with zooming at the object coming toward them.
"Are you listening to me?" He asks with a slightly annoyed tone.
"Yeah, yeah, do you know what am I seeing right now?" His friend asks.
The guard turns to look at the silhouette that his friend spoke of, he also scrunches up his eyelids and said.
"Isn't that a bird?"
"No, I'm certain, it's not a bird."
"A Wyvern?"
"Are you mad? Wyvern doesn't fly this close to a populated area."
"You're the one that's asking me, I'm just laying out possible suggestions."
"Wait, is that a ship?" His friend asks with skepticism seep into his questions.
"Now who is mad right here? A ship doesn't fly." He said and look away while leaning on the battlements.
A gust of wind causes the two guards to lose their footing, but manage to steady themselves once again while a large shadow cast over the fortress as a ship passes overhead the market.
"We need to sound the alarm!" His friend warned.
But before they could sound the alarm, the trap door to the tower open and reveal a superior officer head.
"Don't sound the alarm, they are friendly, they are here to help with the war." The officer said.
"Sir, what in the name, is that?" He asks the officer.
"That is from the outcast company, I was told to expect something unusual passing through here, but I didn't expect a flying ship." The officer said while letting out a long sigh.
"What are we going to do about the ship?" His friend asks.
"Nothing, just go back to the task," The officer said and his head disappears back into the trap door.
His friend looked at him, and ask "What were you saying about a girl earlier?"
*
Targia port.
A flying ship certainly grabs the attention of the people walking near the port, their face in awe as they watch the ship descent and beside one of the docks available for a ship. The moment Brigantine land on top of the water, some of its rises upward and wetting the dock beside it.
One of Grie's men drop the walkway and help secure the ship into the dock while Neya, Nesto, Vizrez, Vel and the rest of Nesto's squad walk down to the dock. Grie and Lilia wave their hand at them, wanting to stay behind with Grie as they unload the crate.
People of Targia gaze was grab by the group of human and others, all of them were impressed, afraid, amaze, admire and some of the woman or man even found them attractive.
Neya looks around, and quite uncomfortable with the stare at first, but with her family and friends near her, she needs to be brave and confident.
A group of armed Wolics walks toward them while keeping their stare on to her, Vizrez, Vel and Nesto place a hand on their weapons in case anything happens. The group of Wolics stops near her, "Neya?"
A very familiar voice makes its way into her ears, she looks at the group and tries to find the source of the voice. The group of Wolics split apart, revealing a young elf man with a short, slick, black hair and wearing leather armor; the same as the Wolics near him.
A smile of relieved make its way to his face, "Neya, it's me."
"Kinnith? Is that you?" Neya ask.
"Yes, it's me. I try to chase after you, but I couldn't find you," Kinnith said, he tries to rush to her for a hug, but Vel stops him with his wooden bow.
Vel glare at the elf boy with sheer intensity, Kinnith eyebrow furrow while he looks straight at the Woodfolk boy. Vizrez bumps her arm with Nesto and asks, "Am I seeing this right? Neya first lovers quarrel."
Nesto shrugs his shoulders with a look of 'don't want to be a part of this'.
"I send you letters, but you didn't reply," Neya said.
Kinnith let out an embarrassed laugh and said "I kind of took a wrong turn to Sanestria, I thought you went there, but the moment I enter the Kingdom. A civil war just started there, and the border close before I could get out, but thanks to my friends, we escaped the kingdom together."
The Wolics near him let out a proud smile as a few of them mess with the elf hairs and said: "Every single night, our boy here wouldn't stop talking about you, it is driving us insane, but it shows us how he really misses you."
"Guys, stop it," Kinnith said while his cheeks blush bright red while the Wolics let out a toothy grin.
"I'm sorry about the letter, but did you get my letters?" Kinnith ask.
"I... didn't," she was interrupted when a courier elf step in with two large stack letters on both his hands.
"I'm sorry for interrupting you both, but I have tons of letters for you," the courier said, and he hands both Kinnith and Neya their letters. Then the courier left the group in a hurry.
Neya and Kinnith check the sender name, and they both find out that the letters are from each other. It must the courier could reach them both because of the Sanestria border closing.
"I thought you didn't want to speak to me," Neya said.
"What! No, I want to be with you, that's why I chase after you," Kinnith said.
"Kinnith..." She was interrupted again when two royal carriages stop near them, and the doors open revealing Princess Caretena with Venhana at her side, wearing a captain outfit.
"Venhana?" Nesto said then she dashes toward Nesto for a hug.
"Nesto, it's good to see you again," She notices a quite a few new scars on his body, "What happens?"
"It's nothing, but why are you here?" Nesto ask.
"I'm helping my father with the War. I mean, I serve under the admiral now," Venhana said as she let him go.
"A captain, impressive," Nesto points out.
"I'm sorry to interrupt whatever you all were doing, but Neya and Nesto need to come with us, we have a meeting with the king," Princess Caretena said.
"It good to see you again, Nesto," Princess Caretena said as a smile of relieved form with her lips.
Venhana let out a grin when she looks at the cyclops woman, she taps Nesto shoulders and asks, "Who is your beautiful friend there?"
"Her name is Vizrez, and a great friend to me," Nesto said.
Vizrez notices how Venhana is looking at her up and down with lust, so she replies toward her with a flirty wink. Venhana bit her lower lips as she bore her lustful sight on the tall and muscular woman.
"Let's go," Princess Caretena said.
"See you again later," Neya said to Kinnith then walk to the second carriage where she boards it.
Vel pushes the elf boy away with a glare, Kinnith looks at him and clench his fist. Nesto passes a few coins to Vizrez and whisper, "My money on Vel."
"That's two on Vel and one on Kinnith," Vizrez said.
"Tell me who will win later," Nesto said as the boards the second carriage.
Princess Caretena tosses a coin at the cyclops woman and said "The elf boy" before she gets in her carriage. Vizrez catches the coin and nods her heads.
Venhana waves seductively at the cyclops woman, as she gets in the princess carriage. Vizrez reply with blowing a kiss toward Venhana, she catches the kiss and places it on her chest.
After both of the carriage left, the groups of Wolics and humans circle both Vel and Kinnith together. Then they all shouted "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Vel let out a growl while Kinnith put both fists up in front of him.
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