Kaleb
We continued with our journey.
With the heavy loads we carried on our backs, we climbed hill tops and passed valleys flowing with rivers of high current. There were places that was difficult for the horses to pass, unsteady rocky areas that one may have to go on foot, and spooky caves that could make one shudder in fear of the thought that it may crumble on you.
We had a compass that directed us though, one that we had obtained from a friend, but still was unsure of the location we were driving towards.
Since we had never set foot in the Great city before, we didn't know where it actually was. We had no other option than to follow the map we had. The journey wasn't completely thought all through, but we were determined to go on it anyways. We had prepared our minds for anything.
Darla didn't complain. She just went through all the obstacles that came her way. She cut down vines that obstructed her from moving. She was really protective and defensive towards me, even against bugs and swamp flies. It amused me at times. I wondered why she had decided to embark with me on this journey, even after I had insisted on going alone.
Forelenes couldn't go on with relocating each time we got raided by the Rocanians. We couldn't keep on running and hiding in terror, sleeping with an eye open and knives under our pillows waiting for the next enemies attack.
Though there weren't much people that agreed to fight back, only the few that I had managed to convince into fighting. So many others were blinded by their accient belief. Their minds had been brainwashed to do nothing. It was the young ones that had agreed to take up a new belief. I told them it was either fight or die without even trying to survive. Fight and die while fighting was far better than not doing anything at all and still dying at the end. As far as we did something, we may survive.
"Do something." I remember someone saying. "As long as we do something we may have a chance of surviving."
This even caused some of the elders to despise me. I didn't mind. It was the right thing to do in order to protect them.
Because of what happened in the village and what seemed to continue to happen, some of the villagers finally listened to me and made me their leader. Well, I had to lead them when it concerned defence and decisions on how to get rid of Rocainian warriors that attacked.
I had managed to train a few groups of Forelene warriors with my minute knowledge. It wasn't enough at all. In number, strength and tactics, the Rocanians out shun us.
I would be lying if I say it didn't bother me sometimes, but I never meant for it to be this way. Me killing my own people was nothing I wanted. Life took a really bad turn on me so I had to move in that direction. What gave me strength and the heart even to fight them was the memory of the unforgettable night.
After passing the mountains, under the rain and sun, I and Darla were now in the body of a very thick forest.
We were in it's middle with huge trees surrounding us like some cage. We could move though, but we decided to set camp as the night came. We made a fire and began studying the big map.
We could hear the owls hoot and the ringing sounds of bugs and mosquitoes.
"We are here." Darla said pointing at a specific spot on the map that was strewed across the ground. We sat on a large log. "We should take the North-East route. There should be other villages up ahead. We could take a bath and a quick shave there."
"That's if we are invited." I said.
Darla gave me a short stare then looked away and sighed, "We should get some rest."
She went ahead to spread the sheet on the ground and laid on it. Our horses were tied to the tree closed to where we were. We finally slept, riding into a deep slumber.
...
The morning came.
I was first irritated as my eye lids opened slowly with the rays of the bright sun abruptly piercing right through them. I saw something unusual. I wasn't instantly sure of what it was that I had seen— that was until my eyeballs dilated in there sockets.
I set my alerted eyes upon a sharpened spear pointed at me. With mouth parted, and saw myself gasp in shock.
I couldn't move because the weapon held me still. My eyes wondered around the place and I discovered that I and my sister had been surrounded by fierce looking attackers that weilded weapons. They wore matching uniforms that were designed to carry weapons. It showed that they were warriors. The way the attackers moved uniformly in a pattern, made them look as though they were highly trained soldiers.
Fearless looking, they were. They needed our surrender and I needed to know who they were. There just happened to be places far more than where I and Darla were aware of.
Maybe this people were who we'd soon dig more information about.
I had my hands up and so did Darla. The two of us had hands binded together tightly with roughly knotted ropes, and we were made to walk to somewhere they had in mind.
I worriedly looked at Darla, who maintained her fierce look. She stubbornly refused to moveb with them, making them use more force on her. It hurt me to the bones to witness that, but I couldn't do anything for I was in the same position as she was.
We were forcefully dragged by these strangers. They pushed us into a completely covered carriage where we couldn't see a thing. It was pitch-dark! I tell you.
Inside the cage, I couldn't help but think,
Who were these people?
What did they want from us?
Where were we going?
I angrily thomped my body against the cage continuously as if doing so would help us get out. It didn't do anything but cause noise. It was of no use. I felt guilt for not being able protect Darla. It was my fault for not staying alert like I should've. I did not put only myself but Darla too in grave danger.
We moved for miles in this small prison-like carriage, and as we did so, my mind couldn't help but worry and wonder about our unknown destination.
…
The carriage finally stopped moving and I thought it had come to a decided halt. We stayed calmed and in my heart, all I asked for from the spirits was to help me take out these soliders that seemed as threat to me and my second-in-command.
I paused, alert. Although I was impatient, I remained physically immobile because I was waiting for the doors to be clanked open. That would'vs been the right time to strike.
As they did clank open, I wanted to jump out on the attacker, but something that was like a shocking machine; which I never knew existed in this life, pierced thunders to my spine. I was forced to step down, and although my right hand warrior was fierce, I knew this situation was hopeless.
It was so painful and made me loose strength.
We were being taken into a hidden area. It had some sort of technique you were required to use in having access, some kind of process of pulling waht would pull another, hitting what would stimulate one thing to shake then finally…finally a secret below ground entrance magically- although technically- opened.
We walked down the unexpected or may I call it an unpredictable gate.
Darla and I were taken to this below ground territory and the stone doors if the tunnel shut down.
"State your name and your tribe of origin." a man and a woman both mentioned and I could swear I had heared one call one sergeant.
I had had by hands binded to a creaky chair with a rope, and I looked around to see a number of crowd all circled up in round high joined desk— like the entire community had been summoned, just like back then at home.
"Kaleb," Darla, who was tied the same way, sat some paces away from my side. She smiled instead of frowning in this situation. "They are Forelenes."
What? What did she mean?
I couldn't believe it. I followed her leading eyes in a daze and noticed the Forelene river drawing on a big cloth like a flag and confirmed the said words.
"It's true." I admitted.
"Hey! You shan't chatter!" we were commanded by one of the warriors.
"This is the Central Forelene City." we were informed by an unfamiliar person also clad in one of those warrior's uniquely designed uniforms. "The original home for the Forelenes."