Section 46: The Hunt (Part I)

“No, we must leave the orc territory as soon as possible and return to your human lands. If you truly cannot walk any further, then I will carry you for a while,” Indira said.

“No, I can still walk.” Sisley was reluctant to burden Indira. Although Indira could carry her for a distance, it would greatly drain her strength, and Sisley did not want to trouble her friend.

The two continued onward. Suddenly, Sisley’s expression shifted; she stopped and cupped her ear, listening intently. Without a word, she cut the side of her garment beneath her arm, and two pristine white wings unfolded, fluttering as she took to the sky.

Sisley looked at Indira in confusion. Though she didn’t fully understand why Indira was in such a hurry, she guessed it might be because of the orcs.

Indira soared high and scanned the horizon. Whatever she saw changed her expression drastically. She suddenly dived down, and before Sisley could react, she scooped her up into her arms and beat her wings swiftly, flying far away.

Not long after Indira and Sisley left, the thunderous sound of hooves approached. A squad of Haus warriors appeared—tall and heavily armored, their four sturdy legs resembling pillars, each wielding crude spears.

At their forefront was Brokka, chieftain of the Haus tribe and one of the seven orc generals. The Haus and the Wolf Cavalry were the two main forces of the orc legion. The Wolf Cavalry was fierce and agile, but the Haus cavalry surpassed them. While the Wolf Cavalry depended on coordination between rider and mount—a level of synergy humans could only envy—they still fell short compared to the Haus, who were both mount and knight in one.

“Were they just here?” Brokka asked.

A short Dug tribe member leapt down from Brokka’s back. This Dug was peculiar—limbs short, but with a large, black nose occupying nearly a third of his face.

“Respected General Brokka, they must have stopped here. I can smell their scent, especially that human woman’s. But for some reason, they vanished all at once. The scent just disappeared from here,” the Dug stammered.

Brokka pondered, then suddenly lit up. “I get it. I forgot she’s from the Smai tribe—they can fly. That means their scent wouldn’t linger on the ground; if there’s any, it’s dispersed in the air, so you can’t smell it now. Listen up, everyone! Divide into eight squads and search outward in all directions from here. Watch the skies carefully—if they really took flight, we might spot them there. No squad should engage them directly if found; just tail them quietly and signal the others. Although the Smai can fly, our Haus warriors are no slowpokes either. Young men, are you confident you won’t be left behind by two women?”

“Of course we won’t be left behind, Lord Brokka! Rest assured.” Several Haus squad leaders raised their spears, bows slung across their backs.

“Indira, have the orcs caught up again?” Sisley asked nervously from atop a rock.

“Yes. They’ve been following us all along. Although we’ve put some distance between us, they know the terrain far better than we do. They’ll catch up soon,” Indira’s face darkened.

“Maybe…” Sisley hesitated, then finally said, “You should leave me here and escape alone. They might know the terrain better than you do, but your flying speed is faster. If you don’t carry me, you can get away.”

Indira looked at Sisley, surprised. She had considered this—if she had flown at full speed when they first spotted the Haus, leaving Sisley behind, there’d have been at least a ninety percent chance of escape. Later, when only one squad was tailing them, abandoning Sisley and flying alone at full speed into the sky would have had at least a seventy percent chance. Even now, when her energy was nearly depleted, if she left Sisley behind, she still had a fifty percent chance.

When only one squad pursued them, Indira had planned to wipe them out quickly. That way, the other Haus squads, searching in other directions, wouldn’t catch up in time, and she could escape with Sisley. But things didn’t go as planned. Her aerial assault on the ground forces failed to yield the expected results—the enemy had archers, and Brokka’s personal guard arrived just in time.

Indira’s lips moved silently. Though she would immediately take to the skies with Sisley whenever the orcs approached, escaping their pursuit across this endless wasteland was nearly impossible. They kept shadowing them, repeatedly closing the distance after being left behind.

But for some reason, Indira couldn’t bring herself to suggest abandoning Sisley. Perhaps it was their growing bond, an inexplicable tenderness toward her, or the deep pride of the Smai tribe that had endured for a thousand years.

Now, with Sisley herself offering to be left behind, Indira found an excuse. The pride of the Smai would remain intact, for it was not Indira who abandoned her companion, but Sisley who asked for it.

“But do you know the consequences if I leave you behind?” Indira asked gravely.

Feigning calm, Sisley straightened her clothes and stood. “Of course I know. They will capture me. But don’t worry—I will tell them my father is a renowned human craftsman. That might be of some use. If they want money, I’m willing to pay ransom for myself.”

Indira’s nose tingled with emotion. Beneath Sisley’s calm exterior, she detected trembling. A human girl falling into the hands of the Haus cavalry—renowned for their brutal prowess and nicknamed the “Fangs”—would not find it so easy. Once they used their prowess, it wouldn’t matter if she was the daughter of a craftsman or even the pope’s illegitimate child—there would be no special treatment.

“Very well. Stay here on this rock and don’t move. It’s quite high, and maybe they won’t be able to climb up. I’ll draw them away. If they all come after me, I’ll make a full escape, and you’ll be safe. Once I’ve led them far away, you find a way down and don’t look back. Escape back to the humans—that’s where you’ll be safe,” Indira said, forcing a light tone.

Happy New Year!