Over the course of the next 15 days or so we make it to three more Sylvestri camp. I had a few tips on how to fight effectively barehanded from Kamas, which greatly improved my ability, yet he deemed it was a risk at the last settlement and fought himself. They must have been more opposed than the previous ones and sent out their best fighter, but even if they disagree, we seem to be planning on forcing them through the strength they respect so much.
What I bore witness too was nothing short of amazing. The match started with powerful-looking strikes being flung at each other at breakneck speed, most often being blocked, but making amazing sounds as they did so. Kamas's opponent seemed to constantly push for the match to go into a grappling fight, but Kamas kept him at a distance and severely punished him as he repeatedly tried to close the gap their difference in size created, Kamas being a good bit larger than the average Silvester.
Some five minutes in, both contestants were short of breath, but the opponent was clearly worse off, strikes starting to swell and redden, while Kamas looked relatively unhurt. A solid kick to the stomach then ended the fight, as the opponent stumbled back into the perimeter formed around the contestant.
I was not a big fan of fighting sports in my previous life, but maybe that was because I only ever saw a few clips on TV, or from other events at my races, or the fact that the previous world was bound by some troublesome laws of physics. Heck, I regarded the fights I had been in so far here as a chore, and felt they often played out in an almost comical fashion, but this was different. Standing so close to it, feeling the insane power behind his moves, knowing the contestant, I don't know what it was, but I was totally enamored for a while and heavily praised Kamas constantly for the first day of our trip home.
When we arrive at the gates however, the uplifting feeling still lingering in me is quickly shot down. "Ah, you guys, huh?" The guard says "You better return quickly, something has happened and rumours are floating around with treason and the like". Sounds bad... Wait, can what we are doing be seen as treason? I guess at least not if we come out on top, but with the general Silvestri attitude towards Kamas, many regarding him as a traitor, I feel there may be some real negative connotations for working together across species.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
When we arrive at the clan house, nobody is there. Worried, Kamas is asking me to wait, while he is going to ask around, so I simply go to the courtyard and train, making sure to be quiet and attentive enough to be able to hear the door, should any return. And a few hours later a sound is heard, and as I go to check, it is Kamas alongside Bern and Larn, all looking depressed.
"What's wrong?" I ask. It had to be something regarding Atna, since Bosir could not feasibly make the trip to the capital and back in the 15 days we were gone, which unnerved me.
"Ah, I'll explain from the beginning" Bern says, while we all sit down around the large table in the main room.
"When you guys first left, Atna went to the count and had a talk which seemed to go fine. She had brought Mynie along for company, since she is not only the strongest of us, but perhaps even in the city. It seemed the talks regarding you had proceeded without trouble, and a second meeting was set up to discuss potential support for her bid for the throne." Bern's tone of voice feels somehow apologetic. I am growing anxious.
"That's when the first weird thing happened. Two days later, Mynie was just... gone. We asked around, but nobody had seen her, nor did we hear any rapports about fighting, and Mynie wouldn't just be taken down easily, and we still have no idea where she is." Sounds bizarre and almost like he is accusing her of something. Not that I think I would suspect it. I don't know her story in particular, nor anyone else's for that matter, but Bosir seemed to be the recipient of a ton of respect from the people of the clan.
"Then Sirgut announced it was making him uneasy and he was going to retire and drop out of the whole business" I never did have a good impression of Sirgut, but it seemed in line with him. He was generally always complaining and talking about retiring, so it was really no surprise.
"At the day of the next meeting, Caper and Toben went with Atna to see the count, as we were missing Mynie, but none of them ever came back. We tried to go to the noble quarter to find out what is what, but we were not even let in, and we were not about to start a fight we might not need to. To be honest, we have kind of been lost, not knowing what to do since then." Atna is missing??
Thoughts of worry immediately fill my head, and uncertainty strikes me, fearing the worst. My head is immediately filled with speculations. I quickly suspect the count, and my head is already filled with anger for him, even though I realize his wrongdoing is not yet proven, I can't stop it.
"I will go immediately. I have been let in before, so they I can probably get in again." I say resolutely. I must know what happened as soon as possible.