"General Loh! General Loh!", a skinny sixteen-year-old boy, who acted as the royal messenger and delivered important news to several high-ranked positions, ran down the long corridors of the imperial palace, looking for general Loh Zen.
The corridors were long, especially these which connected Palace Wings. These hallways were half-open. There was a pathway of red porphyry* filed smooth to a marble state and expensively decorated with the floor paintings of the monarchy coat of arms.
Every next thirty-three meters one could observe the golden outlines of the emblem that told the story of the Preda clan. A wreath of laurel leaves embraced two crossed swords above a crown. The crown was held from each side by serpent-like creatures.
Tall columns held the roof of the corridor on height above fifteen feet, approximately four or five meters tall. However, the corridors, as said, were half-open. Therefore, there were no walls. One could descry the vast royal gardens from each side.
The boy finally reached the general after a good run of three minutes or so. His breathing was irregular. He caught a glimpse of Loh Zen and his heart nearly stopped. That man was scary!
That man had led the Balhkaran army in several battles and had pledged his loyalty to the current king, Preda Teelh. Loh Zen was sturdy and very polite although his scary appearance would convince one otherwise.
He had a scar that crossed horizontally his eyelid, from his nose bridge along the whole eye-length. It had even scarred partially his eyebrow which was the reason why the hair stopped growing there. It looked horrible as the eye socket has been severely damaged and his right eye was blind.
He usually wore an eye-patch but whenever he wanted to appear intimidating, he would display his scar like an honor medal he wore.
The man was heading at that moment to the Second Wing as there was a meeting between several kingdoms to discuss maritime matters. Some tribes have revolted and have stolen four small boats and one big military ship.
The Lords Union had requested from the Crown to look into that matter as it could be of Balhkara's interest since the kingdom neighbored on the east with the ocean.
Loh paused as his name echoed throughout the corridors. That rascal was so loud! Loh's tall built span slowly on one heel and glared over. The young boy immediately stopped running and lowered his head, standing two meters away from the man.
"My apologies, General Loh! A very important message has to be delivered!", the boy was itching to speak but he could not do so without permission.
"Speak.", said the general in a stern manner. He hasn't even turned completely to face the boy. Loh didn't plan to listen to whatever was to be said for more than a minute. So, instead of spinning like an idiot back and forth, he just halted with his attention averted to the messenger.
"There has been an ambush last week northwest from Luse. The Vlarik Kingdom has also suffered causalities."
The boy began his news update and Loh slowly turned the rest of his body to face the other. He was listening in disbelief. The royal guards lost? The mages, whom the king secretly sent, they have lost as well?
Moreover, Vlarik also had casualties? What on the earth had happened?
"All the goods have been destroyed and all horses have been lost!", the youngster finished his message and awaited Loh's command.
"Who was responsible for that!? Who attacked the trading checkpoint?!", Loh rose his voice and demanded information that there was no way the boy could provide him with.
"I—I don't know…The message did not clarify anything else…", he began trembling since Loh clenched his jaw so hard that the youngster could hear the screech of his teeth.
"Have you notified the King?", Loh quickly asked in his realization that there was a way to halt the king's wrath.
"N-No! General Loh is the first to receive the news, so did the Lords Union request!"
Good. Good.
Loh Zen could delay a bit the horrible news. If Preda Teelh were to learn now that his solid income for the summer harvest was basically wiped out, he would start a civil war. He tended to take it out on Balhkaran people.
Last time he requested, despite that the Lords Union carried out the order, the slaughtering of cattle. Balhkaran people were promised rewards for lending their crops to the bourgeoisie for export, manipulated to believe it was compensation.
However, it was just a win-win for the rich and a lose-lose for the poor. Several villages rioted back then. Thank god it did not lead to a national catastrophe.
Loh could not imagine what the king would selfishly request this time if he learned his deal with Erma was ruined. He might as well blame it to Vlarik for having trash policies on border control and start a war. A war that he would probably throw innocent lives away for.
Loh Zeh looked down at the boy and made sure his words were clear enough, "No other shall be informed of this. Am I clear?"
The young one did not look away from the floor he had glued his attention from the very beginning. However, he could tell by the voice seriousness that Loh Zen would punish him personally if a word happened to slip through his lips.
Shivers ran down the boy's spine. It felt like the general just threatened him instead of giving orders.
"Y-Yes, General Loh! No other to be informed!", the boy repeated to display his comprehension of the task and held his breath in.
The sturdy man kept his eyes for several seconds on the shivering-from-fear kid and left without a word. He had the privilege to leave without excusing himself. Other than Preda Teelh, no one else would request from the kingdom's first general to justify his leave.
He paced away from the boy, lost in thoughts. How long could he delay the news? It has been a week since then! Were their spies and messengers so slow to deliver the news? At that rate, the King might learn from Vlarik, or Erma any moment soon.
Erma was far enough to expect such a delay of a few weeks before the carriages arrive but what would Vlarik kingdom do? In fact, why were Vlarikian so quiet? Or could it be that their messenger had yet to reach Balhkara's capital?
Loh Zen sped up his walking and disappeared into the long halls of the palace. He had a meeting to attend and he hoped he could bluff his way through without showing his concern. The king would not let it be if his general appeared troubled!
The excellent warrior wasn't the only one in a bad mood due to bad news. It has been over three days since Kal, Koh, and Bave had been taken to a village deep in one of the many pine forests Balhkara had.
'Village' was an exaggeration to the description. It was more of a camping site that sheltered less than 100 people from different regions. Probably the reason that they lived in wooden houses, rather than in tents, was why one would associate it with a small village than with a camping site.
The three hunters were welcomed and respected despite that they kept their guard up. Even when the night befell, either Kal or Koh would take a night shift and play it a guard. Bave, however, was still unconscious.
His teammates were already suspecting that their hosts were doing something sketchy. How come after so many days their captain has not flinched a single finger!
"What?! You did tell us that you can heal him if we come with you! We also decided to give up on the Nominalia!", Kal was yelling outside one of the wooden houses that belonged to an old lady.
It was true. They let the precious book be taken. One would even say it was a sort of payment for the captain's wellbeing.
After all, it was a bit too obvious that they ambushed the carriages for it. No one would actually attack for tons of dried hay.
"Calm down…", one of the three men who assisted the old lady interrupted, "We didn't say he can't be healed… We just don't know why is he not waking up…"
The man stated sincerely but it only enraged Kal further.
"You don't know? Who would know then!", he waved hands in the air, gesturing along with his aggressive tone.
"What bullshit! Who is in command? I will talk to your leader!", Kal continued and started pacing, his lips pale from anger and ears red from the rush of blood in his head.
"You know what! Forget it! I will find him myself!", the angry hunter kept shooting sentence after sentence, unable to contain his rage.
As soon as he said he would find the leader of the ambushers himself, he picked a random pathway and stomped away. The men could hear him cussing down the path, " 'We don't know why he is not waking up'…Blah blah blah. Fuckers. Who would know? I? Should I fucking punch you unconscious and wonder why you are not waking up! Incompetent idiots!"
His loud ranting continued for as long he was visible on the pathway before he disappeared in the forest to look for the one in command. Koh, on the other hand, knew his teammate and he didn't want to anger him more if he tried to calm him down.
It was impossible to calm Kal down once he lost it. In fact, it was probably only Bave who could punch him out of his blurred state of pure rage. Alas, their precious captain was in a coma.
"…I am sorry…", Koh lowered his fatty chin a bit, trying to offer his apologies for Kal's rudeness.
"I understand, don't worry.", the old lady spoke in a trembling voice. She was the main healer but she felt bad that such a young swordsman was rendered to a state of helplessness.
Besides, Bave's name was well-known. So, she knew who she was trying to heal. The youngest captain in the Association Hunters Bar's history. It wouldn't do any good if she failed to do so. The very least, her pride as an herbalist would be wounded.
"Can I see him?", Koh looked hopeful. They haven't seen their captain for seventeen hours now. Supposedly he had to soak in healing clay mixed with dried herbs for three hours and then go under acupuncture session.
"Of course! We just took out the needles and laid him back in bed. Please…follow me…", the old lady turned around slowly as she was suffering from hunchback and walking was hard.
The three men assisted her upstairs the wooden house and Koh patiently followed. He felt saddened but it wasn't the first time their captain suffered grave injuries. It is just that he usually recovered quickly. Alas, it felt different now. Kal and Koh both feared to lose their leader, their teammate, and their friend.
The noon approached but the skies were dark. It hasn't stopped raining in the north ever since Bave lost consciousness. The old herbalist even made a comment that probably heavens are angry that such a handsome young man was bedridden.
Koh and Kal wished that the rain could wash all the bad and once the sun showed again, Bave would wake up. Hopefully, the heavens had good intentions.