Khal joined everyone on the bed only for Laïn to glare at her.

“How… how could you even think of doing that?” Laïn asked but Khal remained silent.

“And you… how come you’re even entertaining what she said?”

Calëb’s face twisted as she gently rubbed Shakha’s back.

“For how much longer will we have to go on like this?” The Arcusus asked.

“It’s almost like he isn’t here.” She whispered.

“It doesn’t matter as long as he’s alive!” Laïn yelled, but no one said anything.

“Eshi?” Laïn called prompting Eshi to place her hands on her enlarged belly.

“D-don’t you think he’s suffering?” She whimpered.

“He can’t feel anything! Those damned Ia doctors said so-“

“Exactly! So don’t you think it’s time we let him rest?” Calëb asked only for Laïn to slap her in the face.

Silence befell the tent as everyone stared at Laïn who’s face was drenched in tears.

“I don’t want to let him go.” She cried.

Calëb wrapped her arms around the weeping woman and gently rubbed her back.

“None of us do, but I would rather he find eternal rest than to waste away like this.” Calëb said.

“Do you honestly believe that any of us will be able to sleep peacefully afterwards?” Laïn asked but Calëb remained silent.

“See! We all feel the same way! So why are you all pretending like you’re fine with letting him go?” Laïn asked as she tried breaking free of Calëb embrace, but the Arcusus held onto her tightly.

“Because this is about doing what’s best for him, not us.” Calëb said before eventually letting Laïn go.

Laïn frowned upon seeing that Calëb was crying as well.

“I… I can’t-“

Laïn suddenly stood up and stormed out of the tent.

“Go after her.” Calëb said and Khal stood up shortly after.

She then walked out of the tent and saw Laïn sitting on a piece of cloth that sat next to several barrels and drums filled with various alcohols.

She sat next to Laïn and the two sat in silence as the minutes of the night slowly ticked by.

“Of all of us, I thought you and Calëb would be most upset and yet here I am, crying by myself like an idiot.” Laïn said.

“We didn’t even manage to pay him back for all he did for us and you… you’ll never get to experience-“

“I know.” Khal said.

“But… we will not achieve anything by focusing on what we will lose in moving forward. We must remember to cherish what we still have.” She added.

“I think one of the best way we could pay Shakha back is by raising his son into a man that his father would be proud of.”

Laïn looked at Khal to find that her eyes were steady and her lips trembled not.

“I see…” Laïn muttered as Khal gently hugged her.

The two then sat in silence as the sun slowly rose turning the sky a pale grey.

They eventually returned into the tent where Calëb and Eshi sat.

Khal looked at Shakha only for her chest to painfully ache as his eyes listlessly floated in their sockets.

She and Laïn returned to the bed and they joined Calëb and Eshi in embracing Shakha who seemingly grew sleepy.

He eventually closed his eyes, leaving the four women by themselves.

“How is it… on the front lines?” Eshi suddenly asked while holding onto Shakha’s left arm.

“It’s… hard. Victory is not a given and our enemy numbers in the tens of thousands. Fortunately for us, most of the humans we face are ill armed and poorly trained villagers and farmers. That being said, the threat of golden knights looms eerily and we never truly know when they will strike.”

“I see. And you? What is it like working with the Black Blades and the Kommáti?” Eshi asked.

“They are… odd individuals, but they are very productive and dependable.” Calëb said.

“I see.”

A moment passed as the four sat in silence.

Then another.

Calëb eventually stood up and walked towards the exit.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“I’ll prepare everything.” She said before leaving.

Laïn sighed as she offered her hand to Khal who gently accepted it.

“Eshi.” Laïn called prompting the soon-to-be mother to place her hand on top of Khal’s.

They all rested their hands on Shakha’s chest as he slept.

“Remember what he said when he became an Arcus?” Laïn asked with a shaking voice.

“He said that he would protect us from everything. From outwardly dangers to our tribes very laws and he did. So tell me… what will we do when he’s gone?” She asked.

A moment passed as Khal painfully remembered the time she’d spent with Shakha.

She then took a deep breath before gently squeezing Laïn’s hand.

“I will protect us in his stead.” Khal said.

“And I will tend to his son and home.” Eshi said.

Laïn squeezed Khal’s hand.

“And what will I do?” Laïn asked as more tears fell from her eyes.

“Just continue doing what you do. Keep helping those in the Oasis and join me in waiting for the day when we are blessed with his son.” Khal said.

“A-alright.”

.

..

Khal sat up after seeing that both Laïn and Eshi were asleep.

She then silently left the tent before making her way to her barracks where her men tirelessly trained.

She walked up to Hanzani who stood up and eyed her over.

“How are you feeling?” He asked.

“Not too great, but I’ll be fine-“

“Uh… boss. We have company.”

One of her men said prompting Khal to look down the hill where she spotted an entire troop of Rendaro approaching.

“Ugh, it’s Zenzen again.”

One of her men said.

Khal sighed and crossed her arms while a troop of armor clad soldiers approached.

One of them walked up to her and he was the only one not wearing a helmet.

He, like all soldiers had his hair cut short and he had a pair of golden eyes.

“Good morning, Khal. I heard that Shakha's going to be cremated and I want to offer my condolences.” The one known as Zenzen said with a saddened expression.

“Thank you.” Khal said as he men lined up behind her.

“So… the great Skullcrusher will soon be no more. Does this mean you and his other wives will have to return to the Oasis?” Zenzen asked and the air suddenly grew hotter, even though it was still quite early.

“No. We still plan on living freely.”

“Is that what the Arcusus allowed?” Zenzen asked while scratching his chin.

“That is what we choose.”

Zenzen’s eyes flashed momentarily but he waved his hands dismissively.

“No. I cannot allow this, as a Foph warrior. Who will watch over and protect you all now? I mean, I could, but I’d have to consult the Arcusus on the matter.” He said with a smirk.

Khal nodded before raising her hand prompting her men to back away.

“Do you really think you could protect us?” Khal asked.

Zenzen’s eyes narrowed as Khal approached him.

“I am a Foph warrior. It is only natural.” He said as he Khal placed her hand on the chest plate of his armor.

“I would more than gladly welcome your protection… if you best me in a duel.”

Zenzen’s eyes widened.

“Mmm… I know very well that you are deadly, Khal. After all it is you who leads a renegade troop on that cursed plane. I just… I just think that maybe it would be better if you laid down the sword and lived a peaceful life under the wing of a capable warrior. For his sake.” Zenzen said only for Khal to smile.

“And I am more than willing to do that… if you best me in a dual.”

A faint frown formed on Zenzen’s face.

“Oh, we will dual, but it will have to be at a later date. Do not forget that we are at war. We shouldn’t waste time and resources on things like this.” He said with a cough before turning to leave and this point, the air was so hot, it sizzled.

“Alright. See you then, I suppose.” Khal said as the air returned to its normal state.

“First Gid, then Shakha and now you. When will he learn?” Hanzani asked as he stood next to Khal.

“Meh, I think it’s fine, so long as he doesn’t actually fight anyone. Light magicians have a collateral damage problem.”

“True.” Hanzani said with a chuckle.

“The Mark 4’s should be arriving later today along with the supplies you requested. What should we do in the meantime?”

“Train, eat and rest-“

“Oh- boss, we prepared something for ya!” One of her men, a young soldier named Tinah, said before rushing into the main tent.

He then returned with a fancy wooden rectangular container.

He offered it to Khal and she accepted it.

She opened the box and tilted her head in confusion after seeing what looked like a half eaten cake.

“That cake is a delicacy down at Mt. Jivu. It’s called a Louwa cake and apparently the recipe dates back all the way to when the great Rendaro tribes were united.” Tinah said with a smug expression.

“Aww… that’s nice, but look.” Khal said as she showed her men the half eaten cake.

Their faces then all twisted into frowns.

“Who ate it?” Tinah gasped.

“Wasn’t me. I was hanging out with my friends near the western wall.”

“I definitely didn’t eat it.”

“Me neither.”

Such things were said while Khal gently smiled.

She then noticed that Hanzani was quietly walking away.

“Hanzani?” Khal called prompting everyone else to glare at him.

“Y-yes.” He said without turning around.

“Was it perhaps you who ate it? I’m not upset, I just think we’d all like to know.”

“N- of course not! Well… I didn’t eat all of it.” He said although he whispered the last part.

“BASTARD!” Tinah yelled before rushing in to tackle Hanzani, but Hanzani was far large then his fellow warrior and so he easy pushed him to the side.

“GET HIM!” Tinah cried prompting everyone to grab and pin Hanzani to the ground.

Tinah then placed his foot on Hanzani’s face while Khal watched with an amused expression.

“Spit it out!”

“I ate it hours ago, you moron!” Hanzani yelled.

“I don’t care! You know what’s funny? You scold us for the tiniest things and yet here you are digesting someone else’s cake!”

Khal burst out into laughter before taking a bite from the rather sweet, dense and moist cake.

Hanzani and the others all stared at her as she walked towards them.

“Here. Why don’t we all share it.”

Tinah and Hanzani glared at each other for a moment before eventually sighing.

Everyone got up and dusted themselves off before joining Khal in eating the cake.

They then returned to training while Khal entered the second of three tents where she documented various things.

The time eventually came for the things she’d requested to arrive and they came in a large dark crate which had been brought by two Rendaro.

One of walked up to her before standing attentively.

He held a long wooden box which he offered to Khal.

She accepted the box and like that, the two Rendaro disappeared.

Khal’s men surrounded her as she opened the box.

“Mmm…” She droned upon seeing eleven medals that took the form of golden Ravens.

“Wow… they actually counted.” Tinah commented.

Khal sighed before handing the box to Hanzani.

“Do whatever you want with them. We will probably never be invited to any victory parades or parties, so I see no point in keeping them.” Khal said as she walked up to the crate with the other supplies.

“Let’s organize everything.”

.

..

The afternoon sun hung high as Khal and her men cleaned up the barracks.

A guard from the Oasis eventually arrived and he told Khal that Calëb was finished.

Khal and her men then followed the guard far south to a spot in the desert where a small group of people were gathered around a dark bed atop which Shakha slept.

Khal walked up to Calëb, Laïn and Eshi who stood next to a tall, dark being which was covered in jagged armor.

Standing in the distance was Yna, who held in her hands Katsíki.

Nothing was said as the Kommáti walked up to Shakha, who blankly stared into the sky.

The Kommáti then raised its hands as wisps of white smoke rose from its hands.

The smoke then fell into Shakha’s body.

Khal’s eyes widened and Laïn loudly gasped after seeing that Shakha was no longer breathing.

The Kommáti had given him a swift death.