Ch 21 - The victorious return

After a thorough interrogation by Ali and Dom(highly likely there was awful torture done to her, her state after they were done was horrifying) the woman named Moraea was gagged, tied up and imprisoned in a small cell in Catun castle.

We lost about one hundred and twenty-odd men in the fight, most of them were the survivors from this city, yet still losing over forty of my father’s men was a hard blow.

Once the battle was over and we took over the castle we sent scouts to bring Juls, Azer and the small group of soldiers we left behind to keep them safe.

Thanks to the information gathered from the now imprisoned Moraea, we sent three squads of thirty men each to Blightmoor, Heabluff and Imil (the imil squad was to take the long way home and camp in the ravine between the Shadow Downs and the Jade forest, hidden in wait for the group sent there to return and ambush them).

And so we started to put order in Catun, after three weeks, half of Dom’s men using their own ship, sailed with the exiled family to plank them in the shores of the Island of the Forgotten and were ordered to shoot them if they try to resist or swim back.

I’m not really happy seeing Grant go that way after he so much repented of his actions, but his father choose exile instead of letting his younger son be executed.

It can’t be helped.

And after two month and a half of occupying the City of Catun, we managed to free the nobles and restored the control of the city to the Gerfast family.

There was some opposition as they were not high nobles, but they were the ones who managed to send word of what was going on. And against the banner of The Pegasus they couldn't do much but reluctantly accept.

For the sake of ensuring that the Gerfast family was safe, we left the other half of Dom’s men with the order of protecting them and keep order in the land. This was done publicly by me in the central square plaza in the middle of the city, having behind my back the Knights of The Pegasus and their banner clear in view.

This way we can avoid any attempt of a coup by those nobles that weren't happy about the appointment.

Holding a new (albeit temporary and not at their disposition to order them about) almost two hundred strong army, the rule of the Gerfast family was set and the Head of the family swore his fealty to me after thanking me for saving his city and some of his remaining men.

When I was about to tell him that his fealthy needs to be sworn to the king, Aaron and Azer stopped me by interrupting me and changed the topic skillfully.

Now, with a new prisoner to transport back to the capital and a new ally in our midsts we are set to return home, to at last finish our business as we wanted to do a couple of months ago.

Graduate, form a squad, and leave again (if possible).

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On our way back home Gat, Ali and this new guy Dom started talking to us about something really out of this world.

They called it ‘qi’ and it seems to be super hard to train and master.

It seems it exists in every living being and they planned a small test and a schedule to train those who could use it.

The test was something really frightening, I’ve never felt such fear in my entire life!

Gatriel stood in front of us and looked at us intently, she didn’t say a word, nor moved a muscle. She was just standing there staring at us, and suddenly, I felt the need to run away.

I was scared shitless but my legs couldn't move.

At first I thought was due to the stab I received in our graduation mission, but then I realized what it was.

FEAR, plain and simple, awfully frightening feeling that told me, if I gave my back right there and then I would have been killed.

My body lost strength and I fell down.

Many didn't feel a thing, but there were some who felt it.

Gatriel had a disappointed look on her face when she saw how few of us ‘passed’ her test. But then after dismissing those who ‘failed’ we received a clear explanation, of what it was and what happened by Gat, Ali and Dom.

If you can't feel it you can't use it as your ‘qi’ is just too low and would be extremely difficult to develop it, it is that simple and if you can feel it then you can train it.

In total only 12 of us could feel the energy.

Dan said he felt somewhat afraid but didn’t feel the need to run just froze in place, so he felt it.

Lord Aaron Rourat froze in place and started to sweat and shiver so no doubt he felt it.

As I said I fell down thinking I was going to die so I felt it.

Gali started crying faster than anyone, then screaming, covered her ears with her hands and tried to run away. But ended up crouching to the ground when Gat stopped her, so indeed she felt it.

Azer started shivering and stuttering incomprehensible words, asking for forgiveness even! That was quite the reaction.

The rest were some of the Higher Knights and some rank and file with similar reactions to the test.

That marked the beginning the training of our ‘qi’ by Ali, Dom and pointers from Gat every odd day of the week. Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun. Four days a week we would receive training, leaving us to train by meditating ourselves the other three.

Dom is quite the character, he's more like Ali than Gat but his fighting style is somewhat similar to Gat yet not as free/wild?.

He stopped calling her that ridiculous name prior to leaving the city-port ‘Heavenly Commander’ I remember I laughed my ass off the first time I heard it, that is without doubt one hell of a ridiculous title if you ask me.

To allow us for more time to train Gatriel proposed we take the long way home, that way in three and a half months even though she says is practically nothing we should grasp the concept and no one complained.

She sent a small group of scouts through the Jade Forest just to be on the safe side.

And so we spent three and a half months being scared shitless by Gatriel at every turn!

No wonder she is that strong! I mean come on, whenever Dom or Ali attacked us with their ‘bloodlust’ we felt fear indeed and I mean it FEAR, but only Gat could make some of us faint(some rank and file soldiers fainted a couple of times)

And then we arrived home right in the middle of an afternoon!

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As we arrived to Imil by the end of morning, as we crossed the doors in the rampart I rushed my horse leaving everything behind, I couldn't hold it anymore I needed to get there as fast as I could.

Being away from home for that long and after all that much fighting, all I wanted to do was relax in the back garden and tell the stories. How we recovered a city and defeated our enemy, how allies joined us at the last moment and helped us to finish our task and after winning our trip back home with victory in our hands.

As I galloped through the streets I crossed the merchant district of Imil, stores and stalls were lining up everywhere and the citizens were cheering on us for our return, it was a really heartwarming scene.

The merchant district is fairly large, starting from the very eastern entrance of the city ramparts. From there you can get to the industrial district by going west, by going north you can get to the slums and the commoner’s district, and by further south you can enter the noble’s quarter.

I ran and ran towards the nobles quarter and crossed the four divisions inside it, reaching at last to the high nobles district, it is a district of its own as it hold castles and huge properties for the high nobles and wealthy of the country. If you go further south you reach the center of the city and the Royal district.

It took me an hour at full speed but at last I’m here, in front of the castle I so much wanted to arrive to.

The large castle of Lord Mark Regenald Decebal, The Pegasus, my future father in law.

His daughter, my fiance the last time I saw her asked me to return alive and here I am.

I want to see Lady Gatriel.

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The City is really cheery today! It seems our return this time is as warmly welcome as ever if not warmer. It’s good to be back home and even more so to be welcome back like this!.

Inside the crowd that is welcoming us, some talks among themselves.

I heard some chatter as I passed by some stalls here in the Merchant district.

“Oh it’s the second squadron to return”

“Look! is The Pegasus daughter”

“So father and daughter returned the same day”

“The price will be surprised”

“Hahaha as he should, with such a godly beauty as his fiance”

So they have already returned!

I’m glad for Gat that her father is home, but I can't deny that somewhere in a hidden corner of my heart I wanted the prince to fall.

I can't let those feelings out my mouth, that would be high treason. I need to compose myself and smile for Gatriel, yes, smile for her who made her mind and accept the marriage.

As we go through the streets and get flowers thrown at us, we continued to advance. The destination is the Order of Knights, we have to report the mission and turn over the prisoner.

While thinking of that I look upfront and some jealousy starts to prick at me, there riding in front is as always Gatriel, to her right a barely behind rides Aliyah, which is also normal. But to her left now rides Dom, their old friend as they explained it.

But why can’t It be me there?

I need to make up my mind too, If I continue like this, following Gat will turn unbearable.

Come on me, let’s form my resolve and convert her into the greatest of friends already, that way I can be happy and support her happiness without getting bitter or sacrificing my own.

I’ll accept Azer and Juls invitations to the brothels next time and rebuild myself from there! Yes that could help me to find a new me that’s not the current me!

Ok me follow through and accept the truth and move forward. As Gat always says “ahead is the only way to go”

Oh we arrived! Let’s get this over with so we can go celebrate our second return and victory! Well call friends over to the bar order a lot of food and drinks and spend the rest of the day partying and drinking! Together as always, because from tomorrow onwards, Daniel Lief will be reborn into a new man with a new resolution and goal of life.

Let’s do this!

Thanks for reading my fiction! I hope to get your comments and help from now and in future issues.

Give and Take you know undefined, you help me, I help you! isn't that the main reason why most of us gather here in RRL? to learn from each otner?

Cheers.