The sky was still gloomy with an eerie howling winds mixed with dust whipped their faces, it was hard to tell which direction they were heading.
But, a faint light of burning torches around three hundred meters ahead, made them easier to pursue them.
Xiao Wang Wei smirked at his enemy stupidity to show their location.
"KILL THEM ALL!" He roared, his horse galloped in the front line.
A loud thunderous sound was heard as a replied for the prince's order. Their eyes were bloodshot red with anger, it was an humiliation to be ambushed by merely small group of people.
A few hundred meters at the front line, Senja couldn't hear what Xiao Wang Wei had told to his people, but by the clamor sound that they produced, everyone knew that they would kill them without a second thought if they managed to catch up.
"They are chasing after us!" Yi Qing was shouting beside Senja, as his voice washed away by the harsh wind.
"Good!" Senja tilted her head and gave the young man a lopsided smile.
Yi Qing chuckled.
It was indeed good.
Xiao Wang Wei had come willingly into their traps.
The route back to the northern fortress was taking five hours, but in their situation, both party managed to reach the north by only four hours.
This was something that Senja had predicted as well, based on the speed of their warhorses, it would be faster.
They didn't lure Xiao Wang Wei toward the northern fortress, but instead they attracted them to the other direction, the prince couldn't tell their direction as he hardly to see his surrounding, he only relied on the faint torches ahead of him.
Within these four hours, Senja and Yi Qing's troops managed to keep their distance that made him aggravated even more.
At that time, the sun that should have risen couldn't be seen as the ferocious howling was heard.
"The second gale is coming!" Senja shouted and the information was relayed among them.
In front was a higher ground that consisted with large rock. At this point, those people who were holding the burning torches threw them aside. They didn't need the light as they knew where they heading.
With the sudden lost of light and the howling gale that approaching, Xiao Wang Wei raised his hand and signaled them to stop. He looked his surrounding, but could see nothing except vast barren plains. He didn't have idea where they were or which direction was north or east.
The strong wind made those people who was sitting atop of their horses bent their bodies and put their arms in front of their faces, shielding them.
Only at that time, Xiao Wang Wei realized he was being tricked.
"RETREAT!!!" He roared in panic as the strong wind made their horses staggered and neighing furiously.
At that time, a loud swooshing sound filled the air along with roaring gale. They didn't have much time to comprehend what was happening when three rocks as big as a human size was thrown at them in rapid succession.
An agony cried added the creepy sound in the bloody morning. Even the sunlight couldn't penetrated the dark clouds on the sky and help them to see their attacker.
Behind the fogs at the base of the cliff on the landside, three trebuchets were standing defiantly, launching the projectile toward the sea of the lights from the burning torches far away from them.
Reload.
Launched.
They kept repeating the process even until all of the light had extinguished.
"Stop!" Senja said.
"STOP!" Yi Qing repeated the order louder for everyone to hear.
Their spot was shielded by the cliff behind them, hence the strong wind from the storm has a little effect on them, in another word, they were very safe even though the gale was raging around them.
"Let's wait." Senja was squinted her eyes, hoping she could see something other than the strong whirlwind, but nothing that her sight could catch.
At this time, the sandstorm would be passed around an hour later, so all they could do was waiting.
Senja was sitting at the back of their spot, leaning her back against the rock wall while wrapping her body with blanket, the wind that blew make her felt unease.
She was kneading her aching head and closed her eyes as they were waiting for the storm to pass when Yi Qing knelt before her and brought a bottle of water with him.
"Young Miss Senja, are you alright?" He asked softly, hesitant if he should leave her alone to rest. "You look so pale."
Senja slowly raised her head and looked at him calmly. "I am fine, I think I am just tired."
Yi Qing handed her the water that Senja received with gratitude.
After chugged down the water, she felt slightly better.
When the storm had passed and the sunlight illuminated the vast plains, the warm felt refreshing and reinvigorate them again.
Senja stood up and walked out from their shelter.
"Let's go." She said weakly at Yi Qing while mounting on her horse.
Promptly, Yi Qing announced their departure.