12 Volume 2: Chapter 2- Answers and Secrets (1/2)
”What do you mean he disappeared!?!” Sala Rosine Augustus Monte Rondeleia shouted at the top of his lungs at Mekros who was sitting down in Sala's office on a chair with a crutch on the side of the chair.
Mekros's expression could only explained as shamed, his eyes were grim, his face dark, full of dread. ”I am very sorry.”
”Goodness! I asked you to keep an eye on him, how hard is it to keep track of a single human being?” Sala's rage knew no bounds.
”The last I saw him was yesterday morning and he didn't come back since then.”
”Why is it always like this? Try to keep track of one thing and you lose track of the next! Next thing you know, there a multiple reports of plant monsters wreaking havoc and right when you think everything is handled, the person who needs to be kept track of disappears! Are you guys trying to send me to an early grave, because you are doing a great job of it so far!?”
”Following your highness's order is my sworn duty; I would never endanger your well-being as long as I live!” Mekros loyally replied.
”Never mind, just find him, wherever he is, we can't have him fall into enemy hands!” Although Sala put a contract spell on Bakit, there were still some loopholes in it. If Bakit were to spill his secret, then the entire plan to succeed the crown would be ruined.
”Prince Sala! I received a message that everyone in the supply trip organized by lord of Venlander towards Ashu has been massacred; none of the people came back alive. Our men tracked down the caravans; they found all of them dead.” Aurelia burst in, bringing dire news.
”All of them dead? How is that possible? How many people were there?”
”Around thirty, I believe. Majority of them were trained knights, but they also coerced local squires to come with them, so the total number might have been higher.”
”Thirty knights? How did all of them get killed? Don't tell me they were ambushed by foreign army, demons, or Divine Lords?” If the Divine Lords were involved, then the situation was dire indeed.
”No, your majesty. From the corpses we found multiple shards of crystals, there is no mistaking the culprits, the Elementals.”
”Damn it! One problem after the next…And now the Elementals have stolen the supplies that were meant for the city on the brink of ruin after a battle.”
”There is also a rather bad possibility that the idiot…I mean Bakit, could have been forced to come with the knights under the threat of being executed for treason. Apparently Lord Venlander gave such an authority to his soldiers so that they would have sufficient numbers without expending too much on soldiers.”
”That Lord Venlander…Always looking for loopholes. That sly fox.”
”What shall we do your majesty?” Aurelia asked.
”We need to focus on the situation first. The knights were attacked by elementals before reaching the city of Ashu, meaning they are very nearby. That is a problem. We need to track them down and destroy their nest before they strike us; otherwise I fear that none inside the city of Aina is safe. Have the troops examine the tracks left by the elementals and track their movements. We might have a lead towards their location. Also…” He paused. ”Organize for the soldiers to collect the remains of the deceased. They will be given proper burial. I will write their families letters of condolences. I will also have you deliver a warning to Lord Venlander, his action this time went too far with so many lives lost… Is that clear?”
”Yes, Prince Sala.” Aurelia meekly replied and left the room.
”Your majesty, what about my student?”
”Currently the Elementals require priority. I truly hope he was not forced to go with those knights and is just taking his time drinking in some tavern. If he doesn't come back within a week, then the most likely case is that he has perished. Only time can tell.”
”Understood.” Mekros grimly replied. Being told that his student might be dead was a rather harsh sentence even for a mighty warrior who had seen death countless times.
* * *
”Say, what's up with the poster on the table?” Bakit asked, still unable to fully stand up due to pain. He was told that he would need at least half a day to regain his energy. Right now, Rainir was keeping him company.
”Oh, this? It's the Death Hand.” She took the paper and showed it to Bakit. There was a picture of a very scary man, with a large scar on his face, two big horns on his forehead (apparently he wore a horned helmet), and a large goatee that looks like mandibles of a giant roach.
”Death who now?”
”Death Hand, also known as the Hand of Death. Have you not heard of him before?”
”I can't say that I have.”
”The bastard is very well known around here. He is one of the Divine Lords and the most wanted man in the entire kingdom.” Rainir answered with a hint of anger.
”I wonder what he did to make himself so notorious.”
”He has killed countless people, noblemen, people of authority, entire families, women, children… he had massacred so many innocents. When I get my hands on him I will…” She clenched her fists and Bakit could hear a distinct crack.
”I suppose as a member of Holy Swords you are obligated to bring him to justice, right?” Bakit asked, but now he was face to face with Rainir whose eyes were full of concentrated hatred.
”My brother, Relok Renow and his entire team of adventurers were massacred by the Death Hand. All of their bodies had Death Hands signature mark on them. Not only that, Death Hand took my brother's body with him. My family couldn't even let him rest in peace, and now there is no telling what happened to his corpse, dishonored even in death. I will slay the Death Hand for what he did to Relok. That is my vow.” She put her hand on the sheath of her sword, Bakit could feel a cold pressure radiate inside the room. He immediately recognized it, it was killing intent.