Hardcore: Qi Worlds Chapter 26: Vaugend Trial 8

 Benzhi stood patiently waiting for a sign, he wanted to ensure the soldiers of Vaugend came to the right place, the defendable mountains. It did not take long for a shout to come from the gate towers "Barbarians." It carried across the distance between him and the towers effortlessly at this quiet time of morning.

 With the telltale shout emanating from the gate tower, Benzhi turned and ran north. He was not certain how the men would react, but he was certain of one thing, they would come for the Core. Everything he had learned thus far, about this world, showed that the Cores were fundamental, including the words from the Adept Soldier last night.

  While running north, towards the Fae base in the mountains, Benzhi considered what he had learned and how it may change his plans. 'What if he turned back now and just killed the Duke or whoever was the master at the keep? That could save a lot of needless death, wouldn't it? But what if he were unsuccessful, no one would know what to do and the Forest would be in a much worse position that it was in now. It probably wouldn't change the course of Gilford either, the men needed to learn that the mountains and the forest were not their domain.' Benzhi weighed up his options and came to a determination. If the master did not show quickly, he would at least have the opportunity to explain to Gisael and the Gaels what he knew. He would then return to Vaugend.

  Skirting wide of the Vaugend's mining camp, Benzhi arrived at the cache, which was in the closest proximity to the mine, slightly after midday. He found stockpiles of food, arrows and a grumpy Gael.

 "Oh, who be ye now!" the Gael accused.

 "I am Benzhi," Benzhi supplied.

 The Gael growled, "then this be all ye fault."  He said waving his hand around indicating the cave and its contents.

 Benzhi just stared at him. The Gael waited for an answer which Benzhi did not supply. Benzhi made himself comfortable and began to meditate, he needed rest. It had been a long couple of days and perhaps more to come. He also had the Core in his backpack and could feel it pulsating as if it had a heartbeat of its own.

 "Don't ignore me!" the Gael accused furiously, "this be our haven. It dinnae belong to ye."

 Benzhi imagined qi punching the Gael in the face, or throwing him, head first out of the cave, but in the end, he was right, the haven belonged to the Trovas Clan. Benzhi opened his eyes and turned to the Gael.

 "What is your name?" Benzhi asked.

 "Skanvord," the Trovas Clansman answered.

 "Alright, Skanvord, do you want to be rid of all the men from the mine, mine camp and the troop of one hundred soldiers for good?" Benzhi asked.

 "Aye, but.," Skanvord replied, Benzhi held up a hand cutting him off.

 "Don't you think sharing the havens, with an ally, which will make this happen is worth it?" Benzhi asked.

 "Aye," Skanvord replied considering. "But ye never asked."

 "We are in a war, I apologise I did not have time to ask," Benzhi apologised. "I expected you to understand, once you found out that I had the blessing of the Seer."

 "We do ken," Skanvord had been mollified. "That is why all ye crap is still 'ere."

 "Can I rest now?" Benzhi asked politely, "it's been a long day."

 Skanvord nodded, "should I summon the Clan Cheif to meet ye?" he asked quietly.

"Either here at midday or at the Seer tomorrow morning, whichever works for you," Benzhi responded.

Skanvord shook his head, "It will be 'ere, too far to the Seer for a meeting on the morrow." 

'This was a Trovas haven it would stand to reason their hold was closer to this place than to the Seer. Without tree-run it would be quite a hike,' Benzhi speculated and nodded. "I will be back by noon tomorrow. 

Skanvord just stared at him scratching his head. "A'right, I be off," he said and added belatedly on his way out, "don't piss or shit in me haven."

 Benzhi rested until dusk, at which time Gisael and four Guardians, including the apprentice Sakaala, arrived back at the cache.  Sakaala immediately swooped on Benzhi to give him a hug.

"We was so worried," Sakaala cried as she hugged Benzhi.

Ailen patted him on the back, "bah, I wasn't." He stated confidently.

 Gisael stood at the rear, looking a little uncomfortable, "You are still wearing that?" she asked indicating Benzhi's garb with a flourish of her hand.

 "It's warm," Benzhi replied, "what no hug from you?" He directed at Gisael.

 She held her chin up, haughtily, "I too was never concerned with your demise."

 "Tell," Benzhi asked for a report using Gisael's terminology.

 "We are creating chaos as planned," she said sitting in front of Benhi facing him. Her closeness sent a thrill through Benzhi, more so now that he was grown, down there, he was even starting to grow some hair. 

 "As expected given your skills," Benzhi said and waved his hand indicating that he included all of the Guardians, "Numbers?"

 "We have lost fifty arrows and removed through death or maiming thirty enemies," she reported. They continued to discuss the successful operations for an hour.

"Can Talila lead tomorrow?" Benzhi asked.

 Gisael nodded, "Why?" she asked.

"Because I want you with me," he answered. Quiet for a long time Ailen chuckled too loudly, Gisael looked at him with daggers.

Not to be cowered Ailen teased, "you should keep warm tonight with Benzhi, trust me he has a hot body."

Gisael went bright red. Benzhi laughed, 'Ailen probably wasn't aware he just created a pun,' he thought and lost all composure.

  Mortified, Gisael distracted herself by setting a guard rotation roster, locations and checked supplies. The group were settling down for the cold night ahead. When finished Gisael noticed she couldn't even get close to Benzhi, Sakaala was on one side and Talila on the other side of the large brute. Sighing to herself, she settled down to rest until it was her turn for watch. Gisael was woken by Benzhi before dawn. "Time to go," he said. 

 "It's this way," Benzhi said as they left the cache. He led the way to the Seer, switching between night vision and qi sight to ensure they were headed in the right direction. This was not the forest, Gisael had trouble keeping up with Benzhi, he had to wait for her on occasion. This was not something she was used to and she didn't take being inferior in anyway well.

 They made the Seer's cave not long after dawn, entering the cave cautiously Benzhi announced himself and Gisael. 

 "Welcome, welcome," came the raspy voice. "I was expecting ye."

 Benzhi laughed. "You always say that."

 "Aye, well this time, I can see ye two cores and that massive Core from many mountain away. Ye are like a walking sun. I am sure ye had no trouble with critters, they would run from ye like an earthquake." The Seer rambled on.

 "Ok, we have the core here, what now?" Benzhi asked.

 "Ye knows the answer already, join it with the mountain core. One thing is cause for worry though." The Seer replied and continued. "Show me the Core."

Benzhi handed it over and the Seer inspected it with his hands and his own qi streams reaching out. "It is big, three times the size of our Core."

 Benzhi was confused that did not make sense. The gemstone itself was not that large, it was slightly larger than the original Forest Core. Looking at it under qi sight, he could see what the Seer might mean. The Core's power was dense and it had many streams pouring out of it like it could not contain them properly. It was not like this when Benzhi first saw it or when he stole it. It seems to have bloomed after he removed it from the keep.

 "What are the risks, what could go wrong?" Benzhi asked.

 The Seer was silent a long time. "Nothing worse than leaving this in the hands of evil," he replied cryptically.

 Benzhi nodded. He had already embarked on this course of action, the only other alternative was to take the Core back to The Forest, which he had considered. However, he decided that united they stand and divided they fall was the order of the day and there was no better way to unite the two cultures than to merge this Core and establish some sort of alliance the Mountains and the Forest created with himself as the conduit. Benzhi looked at Gisael, gauging her expression and seeking her opinion.

  "Don't look at me," she volunteered. "I stopped understanding your hair brained ideas a long time ago." With that Gisael removed her mask, for a second, and spoke from the heart, "I trust you Benzhi. Your heart is right." The fleeting moment had passed and her mask went back on. "Now hurry up, we haven't got all day."

 Benzhi nodded, thinking she must be cold from the morning run, as was he, he gave her a mighty hug. "Thank's he said, I was cold," and let her go after a minute.

  With a nod from the Seer Benzhi walked up to the cave wall where the Mountain Core was embedded. He closed his eyes, engaged qi sight and held out the Vaugend Core. He slowly pushed it into the Mountain Core sensing the acceptance, he felt rather than saw, the rock part and allow the new substance to make its home. He massaged the new Core, shaping it like it was clay until it felt right. Benzhi took a step back and relinquished qi sight. The wall looked like nothing drastic had happened, its shape was similar, only the colour had changed dramatically.

 "It is done," announced the Seer. "Benzhi, ye are now really part of us. Before ye had my blessing, now ye do not need it. It has come to pass as I foretold Ulfgrim and Reyas."

 "Hang on," Benzhi questioned. "I thought you said you didn't see the future just the present and the past?"

 The Seer's gurgling chuckle reverberated throughout the cave, "That may be true, but I am old and seen much, I can see things without qi. I use this and this," The Seer tapped his head and then his heart.

"Benzhi, the Gaels, my people, will naturally follow ye. Please look after them." The Seer stated matter of factly.

 Benzhi nodded. "I came here looking to protect the Forest, but never at the expense of the Gaels. This rock," he tapped the cave wall, "was made to smash the greed of men on." Again the Seer had given Benzhi more insight, he would return when this Trial was over and discuss the words he overhead from the Adept Soldier. One thing was apparent from that meeting, the Duke and the Adept Soldier did not naturally follow the other player.

  "Where I come from there is a wise saying," Benzhi continued, "united we stand, divided we fall. This is how I think of the Mountains and the Forest."

 The Seer nodded. "Indeed wise. What will ye want now?" The Seer looked at the merged Core. It was now four times its old size and pulsating with power.

 "Let's chat once the danger has passed," Benzhi stated, "Until then do nothing. I will be back as soon as I can." And Benzhi meant it. He wanted to be rid of the threat from Vaugend and come back to the Seer, there was so much to do. 

  Benzhi and Gisael left, running to the Staggan hold they arrived after only a few hours. The journey would have taken soldiers from Vaugend a few days and that was assuming they survived. 

 The Seer was not wrong, in contrast to his last visit where the Gaels had been wary albeit polite, now they were openly welcoming.  Benzhi did look the part with his white fur and leathers, he would have to thank Ulfgrim since they were destined to be the possession of the Clan Chief before Benzhi purloined the outfit.

 Speaking of the older man, he walked directly up to Benzhi and clasped his arms in a greeting the Gaels enacted with friends or comrades. "Clan Chief," Benzhi began, "uh, I must repay you for this magnificent outfit."

Ulfgrim laughed openly. "Nay, never speak of it again or I will be aggrieved. It looks good on ye, it must have been fate that I had it made, aye."

Benzhi went straight to the heart of his current concerns, "How are the preparations?" Suddenly Benzhi was inspired, He took a step back and spoke to all the onlookers, invitingly. "Are YE ready to smash some little men against these fine mountains?" Using the Gael vernacular for you Benzhi called upon the Clan to cheer their enthusiasm for smashing little men. He was not disappointed.

 After the Clan quietened down Ulfgrim spoke, "let us meet with the other Clan leaders, one be here, Vaunruld, the Clan Chief of the Bravrak and Gwaflathri's hold be near the haven where ye Fae are camped."

 Benzhi nodded, "great minds think alike," Benzhi stole credit for another Earth saying. "The Clan Chief of the Trovas will be at the Haven at midday, we need to move quickly so we don't keep him waiting." Benzhi finished.

 "Her waiting," Ulfgrim corrected Benzhi and laughed at him. He leaned closer to Benzhi, "I am looking forward to ye meeting with Gwaflathri," with that cryptic statement he laughed again. Ulfgrim retrieved Vaunruld and his entourage, with a brief exchange of greeting the group set off to the haven.

 The party consisted of Ulfgrim and his warband, Reyas foremost amongst them, Vaunruld's entourage were most of his warband and then Benzhi and Gisael. The group totalled fourteen, seven from Staggan Clan and five from Bravrak Clan. It seemed each of the Clans population was approximately one hundred souls with about seven full-time warriors. The Clan Chiefs did not feel the need to call upon all the hunters and able bodied clan members at this stage.

  Out of the fourteen most were male, and out of those ten males most fell in love with Gisael as she led the group to the haven. Benzhi chatting with Ulfgrim and Vaunruld as they moved. Gisael's skin glistened in the snow, she was blonde and tanned where all the Gael women were pale skinned and dark haired.

 She must have looked exotic especially considering her lack of clothing, she had dispensed with the cloak during the day, preferring to travel light, it was now rolled up in Benzhi's pack. Gisael wasn't curvy like Reyas, but she was lithe and toned. Every movement was graceful, even traversing snow covered trails, her tree-running made it seem like she danced across the top of the snow, where the poor Gaels sunk deep and used their special shoes to keep them on top of the snow. Benzhi was beginning to worry he might have to hurt some of them so they didn't get the wrong idea and get themselves killed by Gisael when attempting whatever passed for a Gael mating ritual. When he to Reyas to see what she thought of the commotion amongst the men, she plainly ignored him like he had done something to offend her.

 Benzhi laughed to himself as he pondered. He didn't have to worry about these men following them into battle anymore. Gisael could wiggle her tight posterior and they would fall over themselves to fight for her.

 It was well past midday and the group arrived at Clan Trovas' haven which Benzhi had appropriated to be the Guardians base. The entire group, including encourages, was far too large to hold a meeting inside the cave. They held it on the mountainside outside on the flattest section they could find.

  Gwaflathri was the Clan Chief of the Trovas Clan, she was tall, six foot one, strong and self-assured. Her raven hair was contrasted with her piercing blue eyes and white skin. She was muscular, with wide shoulders and hips. Her aura emitted 'a don't mess with me' vibe. Benzhi could immediately see why she was a Clan Chief, she was a born leader, strong and beautiful. If he was to hazard a guess she was in her mid to late twenties.

When the group, consisting of twenty Gaels and two Guardians, had settled Gwaflathri spoke first, "Aye, welcome to the Haven of the Trovas Clan," she pointedly bared her teeth at Benzhi and Gisael who were sitting together on a boulder before she continued, "We 'ave been waiting since noon, the appointed time, if ye cannae even keep to a meeting how are ye going to lead us to war?" She directed a question at Benzhi.

Benzhi was about to speak and Ulfgrim came to his defence. "It is not his fault, we delayed him to attend this meeting."

With that, Gwaflathri nodded but showed no forgiveness. "Does he speak? The Clans need to hear his words now."

Benzhi stood taking the floor. "I do not have a speech, I just have questions."

The Clan Chief's did not look amused with the start. Ulfgrim, waved his hand, "ask ye questions. I want to hear them."

Benzhi continued, taking centre stage, "oh these questions aren't for the Clan Chiefs alone. These questions are for all of you." The crowd fidgeted nervously, Benzhi was almost challenging the authority of the Clan leaders with the way he phrased his words.

 "My first question is," he paused waiting a good five seconds, "are ye cowards?"

As expected uproarious anger and clamorous denials. The Gaels had heard this already from the messages Ulfgrim passed on, and to hear it again, was insulting to their honour.

 "I take that as a no," Benzhi continued, "then I ask why is there a mine down there and a hundred soldiers marching about as if they own the place?" Benzhi waved to the direction of the mining camp. He was directing their anger towards to the miners.

 Some mumbles about how it didn't affect them, the men would never climb to their heights of their holds.

 Benzhi just shook his head. Saying nothing and allowing shame spread through the group.

 "I will rid this place of those men, will you follow me or will you go home? That is my last question." Benzhi said vehemently. Benzhi had built up a despicable outlook towards the greedy men from Vaugend. They issued deeds to mine and log where they had no right. They took and destroyed where they pleased. Everyone was beneath them. Their city was a stinking cesspit of rude assholes. 'Where does this animosity come from?' Benzhi asked himself. It was like he was mad at the world he had come from and was taking it out on its like in this world. 'Good enough,' he thought to himself, 'fuck them all.' All of this self-introspection took mere seconds. 

 The Gaels looked nervously at their Clan Chiefs, they wanted to say they would fight, but they were loyal to their Clans. Ulfgrim was moving to speak when Gwaflathri stood. She had standing, it was her Clan's territory, after all, she was the theoretical if not practical host.

 "I have a solution," She spoke and walked slowly to Benzhi. "I will marry ye and ye will join the Trovas Clan." Everyone including her own Clansmen, including Benzhi were too stunned for words or sounds.

Gwaflathri continued, "The Trovas Clan will rid our lands of the men from Vaugend. The other Clans, our allies, will come to our aid." She pointed to Benzhi, "Ye, as my husband, will have the right to lead the Clansmen in battle."

Chapter end