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Sorry for LATE release, was busy these past few days...

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Chapter 57 – Plan.

As always, it was much more easier to me to get familiar with women rather than men. That must be the reason why rest of crewmembers were looking at me with despising eyes. I didn’t care way to much about anyone except Ashod. Reason why most of them were with us was money. Lots of money. Enough to cover their expenses till the end of their lives. Maybe I would have agreed without thinking much, if I was my young self but in this case knowing what future holds for our world , money was not an issue to be taken seriously.

World was going to be upside down in few years and a new order will be established after my old self’s and Gorn’s disappearance. I was planning and getting ready for that moment.

Going back to trip to land of beastmen, we were getting to know each other as days passed. It was a long trip to Tigran even though we were on a balloon ship which was much more faster than riding horses. Time was playing into Ricat’s hands to make sure that crewmembers know each other well and are accustomed into each other before we get to danger zone.

Simone, Lajla, Zahra, Sheila and Anja were mages who were accompanying us. Anja and Sheila were healer type of magus while Simone, Lajla and Zahra knew spells and chants that were offensive type. All of them had battle experience, mainly have been actively involved in battles in different bridges before the truce between Kingdom of Kali and Demon Lord Kimbra. Ricat didn’t know much about me, but I knew well who he was and what he was capable of in dire times. Rest of the crew were not much of interest to me, while I have to admit that most of them were from Kali tribe and capable warriors.

Ashod was introduced as an accomplished mapmaker and craftsman. Ricat and Ashod could lie to rest of crew but not to me. Those hands of him were more like of a woman’s rather than a craftman’s hand. Too delicate to carve anything, too delicate to be writing or drawing maps for long time. Those hands and body were of a man who was a wanna be noble but not one yet. His reddish hair, black eyes and white skin with reddened hair on it made him look like a fox in my eyes. Beauty is in the eyes of beholder’s. He was good with words, and sometimes it felt as if he is Ricat’s boss rather than how they made it look like as if Ricat has hired him.

For almost three weeks balloon ship landed once a day to resupply fuel and water so that we do not delay until we reach Tigran. I was learning stuff from Anja and Sheila, especially healing magic. The idea behind it was pretty simple though application was hard enough. Especially if you tried to heal somebody else. Simply put mana was channeled to body in atomic level to restructure places of injury. However process was much more complicated. I tried few times and Sheila was into teaching me how to do it but I couldn’t.

Tigran was a border city. It was closest city to Kastiff Mountain Range in north-east of Kingdom of Kali. Closest mountain was renamed to Hallum few years ago. None of us get to know Tigran as we reached it after the sunset and rested in a inn called “White Rabbit” for night. Early in the morning, Ricat gave all of us enough food to put into our backpacks to cover our meals throughout the journey to and back from northern lands. We took dry rice with us, smoked fish and smoked beef. Handful of rice could feed a man for day as boiling it was the best way in travels such as this one.

Eyes can not grasp distance properly if we are talking about long range area. Far enough, as we stood on our horses, few of crewmembers thought that we will be near Hallum after few hours of ride but it took us almost a day as there were members who were not adapted to riding horses for long hours. It looks elementary but after riding a horse for more than few hours, part of your body in between your legs gets so painful that you may have problems getting off the horse even after riding it. Joints get numb, or I felt so when I was young.

Hallum Pass was not an easy place to go through. Mainly it was due to snow covering it almost all seasons. That was why a legion was station on our side of Hallum becuase beastmen who would want to attack us had to pass Hallum first. It was a long and tiring journey and beastmen would weaken by the time they reached our side.

Ricat showed few papers stampted by officials from Mehn which were like permission for us to pass to north. Battalion commander was called Azer. He was from our tribe. He told us about few tips and tricks about first part of our journey.

It took us almost 5 days to come half way through Hallum’s pass. We were walking from sunrise to sunset. At dusk we were setting up our tents to sleep and 2 warriors were protecting us while rest of us slept. A warrior called Azim was trying to get close to me. He was a small in height. Maybe 5’4’’ but not more than that. He had wide shoulders and his build was of like a rock. Big sword and a hammer was on him at all times. He was a funny fella but sounded stupid sometimes. As we talked more and more I got to know that he was trying to hang out with me to get close to women. He had a funny accent.

It was on eighth’s night that a pack of wolves attacked us but Azim and others defended perfectly while Simone and Zahra used magic to fend them off. Fortunately, nobody was injured. Wolf attack was swift, and our reply was indeed very well. Most probably warriors who were hired had fought together, that’s why they were in perfect arrangement when counter-attacking wolves. Ashod was bystanding in calm manner which caught my attention. I assume he was a mage but was hiding his abilities to his best. Probability it was but Ricat was panicking while Ashod stood still to observe as if he was in control of situation and could reverse it according to his will. Nevertheless, wolves are not beastmen so it does not mean anything.

Next morning we were in a point on Hallum from where we could monitor north lands by eye. View was heart-warming. Forests everywhere as much as eye could catch. Flock of birds flying over trees and landing on them. Initial evaluation that popped up in my mind was that beastmen were like elves in sense they were living in balance with nature. I couldn’t see any high-rise building or cement made walls anywhere. I like it that way, but nevertheless human society is different to others because of our group mentality that spawns from physicial and magical weaknesses in comparison to elves, dwarves, beastmen or demons.

By the time we got off Hallum mountain, our perception of surrounding changed. Ricat told that according to information that he has got from his source we had to walk into forest close to two days in north-west direction.

[Ricat]: I was told that historically it has been in that course.

[Me]: Inside information, ha?

[Sheila]: What you mean, B? (Females were calling me B, instead of pronouncing Bartholomew)

[Me]: HISTORICALLY only Kali tribe has used Iron Tree...

[Zahra]: Most of us are from Kali tribe... Never heard of it before...

[Me]: Whatever. If its two days of walk, then it means today we going to sleepover in forest?

[Ashod]: Yes... Right on spot. Should we move now, Mr know it all Bartholomew?

[Me]: We should but before there is something we have to do!

[Ashod]: Do you understand that you are stalling us? (in high voice)

[Azim]: Oi big shot, ca’m do’n. Ba’tholom’w is ri’t, we got’a hav’ a plan.

Next: Chapter 58 - Sr'et?