Chapter 36 - Pursuit

A fair distance away, situated within a sparse outgrowth of trees in the meadow were a group of people on horseback. They numbered twenty, each exuding a powerful presence. Some of them carried large rucksacks, their postures still. The only difference was the faint movements from within the rucksack, a sign of struggle. "Master, Re'Kha disappeared somewhere around here. Her trails stopped abruptly, but there are no signs of protest or resistance. The possibility of a bird-type beast lifting her is high." A man that seemed the youngest of the group said, riding his horse to stand beside the middle-aged man at the front.

The middle-aged man had a medium stature with toned muscles. He was the leader of the group. He wore thin clothes, the indentations of his muscles apparent thanks to the rain. He felt the rain fall on him, unaffected by it as he listened to the report, his calm voice ringing out, "There are no bird-type beasts in this region. If there existed one and had moved so close to the Kuhera Forest, the Kalhas wouldn't have left it as is. They would have obtained it."

Seeing his disciple wish to speak further, the man shook his head, letting out a deep breath as he gazed forward, "If you act based on what-ifs, you would never reach the truth. Only derive based on what you see, hear, and perceive."

"Yes, I understand." The disciple made a light bow, "Master, then what do you suggest we do now?"

"Lady Re'Kya wanted the corpse of Burkurel Re'Kha to be well-preserved. On the off chance she had survived, her destination would be Burkurel City. Before that, she would have ventured into one of the settlements. As the Burkurel Ju Clan's western settlement is the closest to this place, we'll start there."

He gazed at the sky, watching the rain fall without stop, waving his hand once, making a tiny arc with the water his palms crashed into. The group began to move at his signal. The horses were covered with a type of armour that prevented the chillness in the rain from seeping in. All the riders too wore similar armours.

Their equipment seemed minimal at first glance, but upon a closer view, one would notice numerous tools tucked underneath their armours. Their armours were sophisticated for investigation, carrying everything they needed within.

The group marched on without rest, their postures erect, battle-ready. They seemed like hardened warriors that had enough experience to retaliate against any situation. The meadow spanned for a large distance, with canals flowing amidst.

Soon, a large settlement came into view, the stone walls raised up high. A breach among it was laid apparent, with water flowing out from the raised settlement. To prevent any floods in the region where rains were plenty, the entire settlement was constructed on a raised platform.

Moreover, since it was wholly carved from stone, there wasn't much chance of it getting damaged by the rain. Through the breach in the walls, rainwater poured out in a large stream, making the place look like a short waterfall.

The group stopped a fair distance before the breach, still seated on horseback. The leader motioned with his hand; one of the underlings alighted from his horse before throwing the rucksack on the ground. He opened the cover, gazing at the fright-induced face of a shivering boy.

The boy seemed 15 years in age, slightly malnourished. He gazed at the man with fear, his trembling voice resounded, followed by intermittent coughs, "Sir please, I am not part of any insurgent organisations. I am just the son of a farmer."

"The one who made the claim against you was your father you know," The man stared with an expressionless face. The boy shuddered under his gaze, the chillness from the rain numbing his limbs. He bowed his head, his limbs constricted, unable to move.

"I'll give you a chance to prove your loyalty to our country," The man said, untying the ropes, allowing the boy to warm himself. He then opened a scroll, displaying the face of Re'Kha painted on it, "Head into the settlement and find traces of this girl. Our sources state she is an insurgent and holds sensitive information. If you accomplish this, we'll vouch for your innocence and even give you a better life."

"Thank you, for your magnanimity." The boy prostrated, displaying an expression of relief. He stumbled as he stood, massaging his legs to relax the muscles. He then bowed as he spoke, "Sir, how should I inform you when I find her?"

"Take this," The man handed a pouch, "Contained within is an oil that would make anyone dizzy. Just throw it on her and run back to us. We'll take care of the rest. Now get going."

The boy bowed and walked towards the settlement, feeling some difficulty in entering the breach due to the power behind the water current. He managed to get inside using the support at the edges and looked around, seemingly looking for traces of Re'Kha.

The moment he walked away from their view, he started to run, "Dammit, I had almost died. I have to escape before they realise something."

He threw the pouch towards a corner and looked around, picking the way to head towards the east gate of the settlement. That way, he could escape and avoid pursuit. The group that had captured him was stationed on the west side of the settlement, so by the time they started to chase him, he would be long gone.

'Besides, they seem to be searching for that woman. This is my only chance at escaping.' The thought just flashed in his mind when the boy noticed the door to a nearby house strewn about, seemingly smashed by something heavy.

He craned his line of sight through the entrance, noticing hundreds of eyes stare at him. It was the eye cluster. The moment he noticed them, his eyes widened as time seemed to slow down. His heart thumped faster and faster, each beat powerful enough to be heard in his ears.

His expression slowly morphed into one of fear while his hands moved towards his eyes.

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