Gentleman’s Guide to Fantastic Beasts 20

Gentleman’s Guide to Fantastic Beasts 20

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Wordcount: 2500

Commissioned by Sivantic.

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Hash’Im and the other warriors of the As’Kari worked quickly. After giving out the gifts, they requested a location of their own within the town, and swiftly created a camp for themselves. They created a large, circular tent for shelter, dug latrines, kept their potable water far from it, and set up a kitchen. Soon enough, they were eating, conversing, and spending time with one another.

An open invitation for guests, for even prisoners they’ve taken in battle, to speak to them.

I went to them alone.

Hash’Im and the other warriors rose up and moved to kneel in my presence, before I spoke to them.

“Enough. I don’t know what the As’Kari intends, but honors forced upon another are not honors at all.” I made my resolve clear by sending forth my power. I could not make a man topple like Kan’Is, but it was enough to make a man shake. “Now, tell me why you are here and why you have arrived.”

The warriors all looked and turned to one another after I allowed my power to settle, and as I placed the requisite gifts to be counted as a guest and took a seat around the fire they settled. The youngest of the Warriors soon served me stew reinforced with grains and cup of water. My gift was several skeins of water from the lake, which they avoided to ensure to that they were not accused of stealing water, despite its abundance here.

Hash’Im waited until I took a bite and a sip, before speaking.

He offered me the rights of a guest, and I acknowledged him as a host, therefore neither of us could kill the other without bringing great shame and ostracization upon ourselves.

“Honored physician, your works and words while under the service of our Shu’Ann are heeded now more than ever. The battles against the other tribes of the Great Desert are swift and merciful, but the endless tide of monsters have greatly complicated matters, especially without the trade partners we once had.” The warrior had tanned skin and a shaved head. His eyes were almond shaped and his face without wrinkles. He reminded me of many young men who died in war and never returned to the peaceful lives that they should’ve had. “When we found that you helped create a settlement with many peoples, well protected and resources that we require, the As’Kari bid us to come to you and offer terms of trade. The water, wood, and metals of this land are all things that the As’Kari have a need for. The Kingdom’s doors are shut, or their cities besieged and incapable, but your settlement stands tall and proud against the endless night.”

I took a sip of water and a bite of the familiar, spiced stew.

The memories of my time spent on expeditions with the Warriors, simply going forth to find and examine dangerous creatures, and pursuing knowledge nearly made me believe those words completely. It would be so simple and easy to lower my guard and accept a trade deal. To think nothing more on the matter, however, was a pleasure that I could not afford.

“These people have lost their homes and hearths. They are barely beginning to learn to contend against the coming night. They barely have enough, let alone anything to trade, unless they place themselves entirely at the As’Kari’s mercy.” I wracked my mind on lessons learned in my previous life. History and its many lessons remained with me. The exploitation of less-developed nations, or those struggling, came to mind. During the period of colonialism, many tribal nations lost everything through both war and peace. Only through a position of power could this enclave survive the attention of the As’Kari, no matter their intentions. “If you can reach us, then so can the As’Kari’s many enemies. I am not the leader of this enclave, but I will tell them what risks they take if they choose to trade with you.”

Hash’Im frowned at my words, perhaps expecting that I would meekly nod to his statement or sigh in relief.

More importantly, he could not refute my words.

“It is true that the having access to wood, metal, and water would be of tremendous benefit to our tribe, and our foes might think to attack this place, but the As’Kari does not leave their allies undefended. You know this.” Hash’Im spoke and the other warriors nodded. This fact was irrefutable. Though I decried Kan’Is’s desire for war and wish for a hegemon over the Great Desert, I could not deny that he aided and protected the As’Kari’s allies and friends. “This place will be protected by Warriors and we will stop the Warriors of other Tribes from bringing it low.”

“But, if you were not here and you did not trade with us, then there would be no other Tribes aiming to bring this place low. Trade will give this place much, but I am of the belief that the risk is too great… and I am sure that you can see that truth as well.” I insisted and met Hash’Im’s gaze. The older warrior flinched and the younger ones looked around. The town was just past a hundred residents, a grand number in the Great Desert, but there all peoples were adept and capable of fighting and surviving the wilderness. The people in this village were just learning how to fight and how to survive. “Imagine if this is your tribe. Would you accept the protection of a greater Tribe knowing that it would most assuredly bring the wrath of all their foes upon you? Would you believe that the greater tribe you call friend would value your protection over itself?”

Hash’Im hesitated for a brief moment, before answering my question.

“In all the Great Desert, I cannot imagine a cadre of warriors that could possibly defeat you, Will.” It would’ve been better if he was trying to compliment me, but he was not. I have fought beside many of the As’Kari’s warriors many times over. They have seen me fight and win victory and victory against the innumerable legends and monsters of the Great Desert. “They would have to send their Shu’Ann to face you with any hope of victory, and they cannot because the As’Kariw ill destroy them if they send such a force forth. Even with your vow against taking lives, there is no force capable of opposing you that can leave the Great Desert.”

Even if the As’Kari did not send anyone to protect us, Hash’Im and every warrior under his command was sure of victory.

And, it was because of my own mistake.

I had never considered leaving the As’Kari until the eternal night fell and others in foreign lands called for my help. Only when I learned that Kan’Is intended to unite the Great Desert through war did I begin planning to leave. Before that time, I sought out methods to embolden my status and acquire what I needed to pursue my work as a doctor, and help the people that I was born into for my second life. In my pursuit of that, I gained fame alongside the fortune and influence that I sought, thus I now reap what I’ve sown.

The As’Kari pursue me for my ability and strength to the point where they are willing to create a whole line of trade between the people I protect and themselves.

Without a doubt, the As’Kari will continue to watch and pursue me for the rest of my life, because they know of my talent and ability.

They will not force me to work for them, but if they can find a way to convince me to, then they most certainly shall.

The future that I tried to make for myself amongst them was haunting me.

I sighed at those words, incapable of refuting them, before focusing on my meal and consuming it a decent pace while surrounded by silence.

There was nothing I could do to convince them that the As’Kari trading with the encampment could result in its failure, because I was present.

All I could do now was somehow convince the people of the camp to be cautious about the offer and pursue their own independence before taking the generous offer that was sure to come.

…

I headed out to find Gale when an alarm resounded from the gate.

A murmur spread across the camp at the oddity.

“Another attack?”

“Usually there’s only one a day?”

“What’s going on?”

A member of the guards came forward to get the civilians into shelter, while I moved towards the gate with their questions in mind.

What they said was true.

Usually monsters attacked only once in a single day. The deaths of their own discouraged them, until their keen hunger and short memory bid them to try and test themselves against our defenses once again.

As I neared the gate and the wall, I expected to hear bows firing and spears being readied to fight against any who managed to reach the wall and began to scale it.

The lack of sound worried me, especially when I found many of the guards with eyes filled with hate.

I realized who the alarm was sounded for the moment I arrived.

On the cleared field past where our trenches, spikes, and other defenses lay was a party of five Knights. Unlike those who arrived before, with their armor tarnished and weapons in poor condition, these ones came forth in gleaming plate, fresh horses, and holding a standard. These were not the Knights that left the kingdom, so that they could save all that they could. They were Knights that were called back, who heeded that call, and manned the walls that kept so many out.

So, I did not hesitate in my decision to reach out and retrieve the bows and lock away the spears from the hands of the guards.

The officer assigned to the guard looked at me in shock for a moment, as though I betrayed him, until I spoke.

“Go back. Against these five, you and yours will die if battle occurs. I will fight against them myself, if needed.” I spoke and some of the despair in the eyes of the officer faded. However, hatred filled him still and many others felt the same. Thus, I seized them all and lifted them up with my threads. “Go now. Fetch the Knights of the Bull and Erucic. And, if you can, tell Gale to stay away.”

I turned my back on them, untethering lightly from most of my threads, save for one until a certain distance to make sure that they all left.

As they ran and searched for those whom I asked for, heavy footfalls reached my ears and I sighed.

Gale was already here.

“The Crown! They dare come here!?” Gale spoke through gritted teeth and her hands gripped the chest-high wall of the gatehouse and found purchase in it. She was clad in a gambeson reinforced with patches of chainmail and stout helmet with a face-shield. Erucic was teaching her how to use a sword, but for the most part she used a spear and buckler with a cudgel at her side. She was quickly becoming adept with the blade, just like the weapons she already had. “What do they want?”

I did not know, and I worried that would aggravate Gale, but Erucic’s heavy footfalls calmed me down along with his voice.

“Hm, chances are the lot of them have found places like this elsewhere and waited to see whether they’ll get shot at or offered some words.” Erucic was clad in his armor. Many of the plates were now repaired and since we met he and his men covered it in some form of dull black paint. The dim light of the massive tree of light made it so that shadows were deeper, thus they benefited greatly from the concealment offered by their armor’s new tint. “ Or, perhaps, they’ve heard of my exploits and that of my men, and decided that we should be brought in kicking and screaming to serve as guards.”

“If they try, we’ll fight.” Gale growled and nearly hissed at me when I reached for her hand. The cracking of wood had ceased and a new scent reached my nose. Blood. She calmed somewhat when I forced her to unhand the wooden edge, but her teeth were still gritted with malice. “They’re not taking anyone. Not after they’ve taken so much already.”

Erucic was silent at those words, but I felt his stare.

The question was obvious.

“They own nothing by the people they have abandoned.” I spoke simple. Gale nodded at my words, while Erucic let loose a sigh of relief. I’ve made many choices that placed the encampment above all else. However, that did not mean I was willing to lose people in exchange for the safety of others, especially those who were already betrayed by the Crown once. “Erucic, you and your entire Order have helped us and saved many others. We will not give you away to these men who have only come forth to make demands.”

“Thank you.”

I gave a nod in return to his thanks, before taking control of the situation, and simply leaping over and falling before the Gate.

There was a commotion above, until I yelled their way.

“Man the battlements and keep the town safe. I will return.”

With that said, I moved forward towards the five Knights on horseback from the Crown, and one of their own came forward while four others stayed behind.

Soon enough, I stood still and across from a dismounted Knight.

My mask met the Knight’s helm, until the Knight moved to remove their helm.

A shock of white hair took me by surprise, because it was for that reason one of the Crown’s Knights begged me to return with her to save her people. That Knight’s words echoed through my memories, as a red gaze bore down upon me, and power flowed forth from the Knight.

If I recalled correctly, that blonde Knight described my hair and features to be much like that of the Crown’s royal family.

I could only surmise that I stood before such a person… and that she was testing me by forcing her power upon me.

Her power was nowhere close to Kan’Is.

It was not even close to D’Jet.

The force of her power summoned a gust whereas the As’Kari’s greatest could call forth a storm.

I idly wondered who was before me, before I returned the test in kind against the four Knights and their mysterious leader.

The moment my strength touched them… the four behind the white-haired stranger fell against their horses, while their steeds suddenly succumbed to gravity and fell to their knees.

The same happened to the stranger’s steed and it knelt, and stretched its neck, while on the knees of its forelegs.

It was a strange sight.

Who taught a horse how to kneel?

However, I disregarded that matter for a moment, and met the gaze of the stranger who confronted me.

She was sweating and struggling to continue standing with her back bent… but she was not as heavily affected by my power.

And, I realized that her power had faded from me, so I ceased reciprocating her action and crossed my arms.

“Speak, Knight of the Crown, and I will listen.”

I knew not the custom of this land, but I strove to do my utmost nonetheless.