Chương 53: Qhidah-Shi

It was a night just like the day before. The world was bright, for there was no real sun here, and the time of the storm neared on the horizon. The air was already horrid, or was it the effect of the gloom on the streets? But unlike yesterday, the caravan was buzzing, not with excitement, but deliberation on whether this was a good omen for them or a bad one. Was it a test from the Gurvantha and Gurvanam Deities, or just an ordinary incident?

The Rakamels were somber creatures, and they gathered in hordes to watch, or perhaps, to bear witness to an event unlike anything in centuries. Even children were present to watch. Liesel had only caught glimpses of the crowd, but she was certain almost everyone in the village might be gathered here. She was meditating, having drunk a calming concoction given to her by Kfahan's replacement. It had cooled her body. Liesel felt fresh, but it was an enhancement.

She'd have refused if she had noticed it before drinking. It was not strong, though, so she was not going to feel a lasting recoil from it. I have to capture the Mutated Beast tomorrow. The expedition crew, except for Fiya, were also in the crowd, in a spot that Drahk had arranged for them, surrounded by his people. Liesel appreciated his effort, but his increasingly considerate attitude towards everyone felt like a knife in her gut. What did he want from them?

Liesel was currently in a square room made of stone poles and fabrics. Excluding Fiya, it was empty. The mage sat on the other side of the room, worried sick on Liesel's behalf. A part of Liesel was somewhat distracted by the mage's effort to sit still, but unable to. A small part, of course. Auram seemed to have grown friendly with the mage and was trying to comfort her. Largely, Liesel spent her time channelling Materiality through her veins, trying to feel the rhythm still.

The hours earlier hadn't been as fruitful as she had hoped. She wished her materiality returned to how it had been, but at this point she had given up hope. The reason for evolution might be something she would need to worry about tomorrow. Fiya sat with her other sword, as she was responsible for watching over it. In case Liesel died, she hoped Yehia might find better use for it, but also could consider it as an artefact worth trading with the caravan in return for some help.

It was Yehia's responsibility to figure out the right equation on those considerations. Liesel hadn't told them all its functions, but had left a note with Auram, who would give it to Fiya. It might be her only property that wouldn't be seized by the Empire. Liesel could imagine being written off as deceased in their records by now, unless they went through the trouble of finding an archive master and checking the System's data. Under current circumstances, no one would go through so much effort for her.

So her property, a fragment of a building and an account holding all her savings and bonuses, might have already been claimed by institutions. Focus, Liesel... Liesel pursed her lips and quickly latched onto the distraction as Fiya jumped to her feet in surprise.

"What do you want?" Kfahan entered the room.

"Garhalik wants to talk to her," she said to Fiya, who couldn't understand Kfahan's words.

"Can he see me?" Liesel asked Kfahan.

"Fiya, can you go and ask Drahk if he can?"

"What?" Fiya seemed confused.

"Ask Drahk if Garhalik can talk to me, and if he can, I don't mind having a conversation," Liesel said. Fiya hurried out, and Kfahan stared at her in disbelief.

"You don't trust my words?"

"I do not know your customs, Kfahan. I will not blame you for any underhanded method you employ. After all, something very precious to you is on the line," Liesel said.

"I hope you can understand the reasoning of my caution." Kfahan, perhaps, smiled bitterly.

"Have I lost your trust, then?"

"No. I believe you have every right to stop the duel from reaching its destination, which means finding a technicality where Elder Ahura would strip my right to a duel. I cannot say what I may have done in your place, but I like to imagine you are here for more than just hoping for a conversation between Garhalik and Garhalik."

"I will never dishonor his name with an underhanded tactic as you suggest! How can you even think so lowly of us? Was it our fault that this happened to you and us?"

"I would think very highly of you, Kfahan, if you were able to see the damned road your honor is leading you down. Act on your desire to preserve, selfishly. You must see me as anything but a demon who will take something precious, a relationship that you will forever feel the emptiness of." Kfahan stared at her weirdly. She settled on the bench beside the entrance.

"You are... I don't understand what kind of person you are." Liesel didn't have an answer to that. While everyone in the academy was taught the honor and virtues, the aspirants White Crusaders were only taught how to use it against their opponents; even demons succumbed to the foolish idea, after all. Fiya returned a few minutes later and said there was nothing against the conversation. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

"Can I have a minute with her privately?" Garhalik asked. He was clad in colorful clothes, mostly deep red, patterns woven all over them, of strange runes and symbols that might be a tribal thing. He looked like a champion of the Goddess. Liesel nodded when Fiya looked at her questioningly. Garhalik approached her as Fiya withdrew to the other side of the curtain.

"I apologize for what Kfahan did," Garhalik's voice was soft.

"I don't blame her, or hold it against her," Liesel replied.

"She acts with a pure reason. Even if I am the target of it, I will not fault her for it."

"You are generous, but she absolutely was. To make my opponent watch me receive my last gift, it is heinous, especially when you have done nothing wrong. You did not deserve that guilt."

"I forgive her, and is that all you are here for? To apologize on her behalf? Guilt eats her from inside. You should spend more time comforting her."

"I was here to make amends on her behalf," Garhalik said.

"I shall not call upon sand crawlers to assist me."

"If that is your idea of being an honorable warrior, it is nothing more than a wide-eyed boy's naivety," Liesel said. She wouldn't say she didn't feel insulted by it. On some level, this willingness to give up his advantage was nothing more than a manifestation of his arrogance and assurance in his victory. And an attempt to soothe his soul of the guilt that would come after.

"You give up on your sword, use a fragile weapon to face me," Garhalik said, flicking his eye onto the Blood Devourer sitting on the other side of the room.

"Do you have any right to call me naive?"

"It is the necessity of my reality that dictates I handicap myself, for tomorrow, I will wake among people who are your brothers and friends. It is not for a nebulous idea of ephemeral glory that does not exist."

"Then why do you reject my offer to give up an advantage? Is that not out of the so-called grander notion?"

"Because you are not my enemy, I'd rather not see you deceive yourself into a grave. I have survived seven nights of storm ash and the swarm of centipedes. If not for yourself, at least your wife and child, you should use all the tools in your arsenal to win. It will also relieve me of the guilt of having slain a man bound by his circumstance. I can find a hundred people who are less deserving than you to fight."

"Gurvantha chooses honorable men, not wretches."

"You have seen Auram. Does she look like a jewel to you? Am I Dermak, as your elders claim?"

An hour later, Liesel was led to the fenced field. It was at the outskirts of the village. She could feel the hum in the sand as she walked into the arena. There was nothing fancy about it. The villagers were gathered on only one side, within the village boundary, while the fence was circular and half exposed to the desert. She spotted the crew quickly. Fiya had also joined them, and the Blood Devourer was in Yehia's hand now. Shh... For a moment, silence enveloped everyone.

Their noise was dull to begin with, but the abrupt quietness was heavy. Liesel turned her head towards the sand. The desert was curling. The sand flowed like a waterfall as something rose from its vast blanket. It was distant and small from here, but how massive it had to be to even be visible from this distance. The air quaked as the Materiality coursed through it like a crackle of lightning. The wave of sand rose from the center of the wasteland and raced towards the village.

It collided with the invisible barrier. For a moment, it was dark. Truly a night, as the sand covered every inch of the barrier in all directions. The Materiality hummed around Liesel, like angry mosquitoes buzzing in her ears. She began channeling the Materiality through her body to assuage the unease that her body felt from the lingering memories of the swarm. Elder Ahura prayed in their language for a long minute. It was enthralling and calmed down the Rakamels; even the children stopped crying.

Garhalik walked out when Elder Ahura stopped her singing. He was carrying a sword today, instead of a spear, marked with many runes. Liesel exhaled as he stood opposite her. There was a circle for her and him to stand in before the duel began. It was close enough for a fighter to catch up, but distant enough for a mage to cast a quick spell or prepare a barrier to protect themselves. Garhalik didn't say a word, and Liesel respected his decision to remain silent.

She could've used mock as a way to rile him up, but that was unnecessary. She could read his intentions clear as day. He was far too steady to fall for that trick. She had been told there would be two signals before the start of the Qihdah-Shi. The first one would be to prepare their bodies, but only on the second signal were they supposed to use any Materiality or leave their circles.

The sand slipped to the side of the barrier, and it was day again, but they were surrounded by walls of sand on all sides, and it was a dull moment. Liesel clenched the sword with both hands, as she channeled Materiality into her legs and arms, gathering it at the tip of her finger. Garhalik, on the other hand, lowered himself to his knees. His hand hovered over the sand. His eyes sought a reaction from her, but Liesel gave him nothing. She remained steady, eyes locked onto his, but they were vacant.

"Qhidah-Shi!" Elder Ahura roared. Liesel released her faux seal first. Her soul began withering at a rapid succession. Garhalik slapped the ground, sending a hum deep into the sand. His eyes shook as he stared at her, perhaps realizing what had been wrong with her this entire time. He got to his feet. The sand beneath their feet was shaking. Liesel pushed the Materiality into her sword, as she burned almost everything into her feet and body. She dashed towards him. Garhalik blinked.

His foot dug into the ground at an angle, as if he understood exactly what he had to do to win. Liesel sprinted, trying to keep track of the course of the flowing Materiality in the blade. Her victory entirely depended on whether he would face her or run away. His foot twisted and angled at her. He roared as he charged at her. He said something that Liesel couldn't understand, but she felt it nonetheless. How can I run away? Or do you expect me to run away? Or I will not accept a coward's victory? Was that pride?

It was far from a wise decision. And Liesel knew she would never make this choice. Life was too precious to waste like that, but she couldn't look down on him for making it. She only hoped he didn't do so because he underestimated her chances of victory. Regardless, he charged at her. And his blade came down on her head like a lightning strike. Liesel burned Materiality into her ankles and leapt to the side. Pressing her toe into the sand, she lunged forward. Not yet. She waited for the Materiality.

It was aberrant still. He seemed bewildered by her hesitation to swing her sword. He didn't hesitate to strike at her, though. It was fast and merciless. Even though she dodged, it cut across her elbow. A sting was overshadowed by the beckoning of Materiality. Abruptly, she felt the correct hum, and swung her sword. It clashed with Garhalik's blade. Clink! For a moment, it felt like the entire world had lost its light. It was black and quiet. She was tumbling through an unknown place.

When Liesel could see again, the barrier on the other side of the arena was collapsing. And the sand rose from the ground, rushing towards her. Garhalik dropped his sliced sword and took a step. His body fell onto the sand, coloring it red. He didn't move. Liesel heard the System's ting that she didn't want to see. Did I cut the barrier?