The snow fell lightly on Cadaoir as he made his way through the stone streets of Hattsu. In the distance the horizon was breaking to blue, soon the sky above would be clear. When the weather was best, the Monk would make his way south, up river, from Hattsu to Chira. This was a mountain village at the foot of The Temple, the largest mountain in the north of Amaratsu.
Cadaoir had spent four days in the snowy city after being denied his request for a duel with the female soldier. He had given the Spear-woman a second opportunity to accept his offer, this time in open terms. For four days he would wait in the city for her to come to him for a private duel. By the afternoon of the fourth day, if she did not come, he would leave to continue his pilgrimage. She had not come.
Cadaoir retrieved his travelling supplies at the inn where he had been lodging. Then paid his bill in silver, with coppers as change. Afterwards he headed out the south-east of the city with his hempen backpack shouldered, to take up the southern road. The sky was clear above and to the west coast, the east was still grey over the hills, but moving on quick.
The city gates were open to many travellers, Soldiers heading to and from the academy. Many of them were part of caravans or riding single horses. Cadaoir never rode, he preferred to enjoy the world at a slow pace, despite how inefficient it was. He stepped through the huge stone archway and passed dark iron gates, moving in and out of an oncoming crowd, trying his hardest not to bump anyone. A fruitless act.
A horse and cart came from behind, two men sat up front, a Soldier and a Bowman. In the rear of the cart were tarpaulin covered supply crates and sacks. Following the cart was a dual horse drawn cart covered with a white canopy. Another Soldier and Bowman sat at the front. It wasn't until the horses passed Cadaoir that he saw they were pulling a cart full of infantry. All were wearing Amaratsu red. Following that cart were horses trotting in twos, a long line with riders in black and red tunics and red enamelled armour. On the red chest plate of each man and woman was a black footprint missing the largest toe. Near one-hundred horses went by. As the last two finally passed Cadaoir, the first two horse drawn carts were completely out of sight ahead of him.
By this time, the southern road had reached the River Spear and followed its path on the northern side. The land was green but frosty, hills and grass with small groups of trees breaking up the uniform colour of the ground. The cobbled road gave way to loose stone and then gradually dirt. A number of bridges crossed the river, but Cadaoir, unlike the others on this road, would cross the very last bridge before the river's end. This took him to Chira on a longer path.
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At the first bridge the Monk saw the train of Amaratsu infantry and cavalry attempting to cross, but another carriage train had been coming the opposite way towards Hattsu. Merchants met soldiers on a bridge too narrow to pass each other, and both sides were reluctant to give way. Some of the red and black Soldiers argued with the Merchants, hands on sword hilts, losing their composure. Cadaoir walked along the queue of warriors, receiving a glance here and there, a mutter and a laugh now and then. Once he was beyond the bridge, he gave one last look over the event, just in time to see the infantrymen drawing their swords. He stopped and watched as they advanced on the outnumbered and under armed merchants. It was then that a woman's voice broke the commotion.
From the canopied cart came a Spear-man, the same woman that Cadaoir had challenged in Hattsu. Her voice lowered as she headed to the front of the train, meeting the Traders and the other soldiers at the middle of the bridge. He could not hear what was said, but Cadaoir was sure that she was breaking the tension and resolving the situation peacefully. Her comrades listened and then sheaved their weapons, walking back to their steeds behind the horse drawn carts. She has strength. Cadaoir continued on his way, disappointed that his duel had never happened.
It was not long until the sun sank in the western sky, gold turned to red and pink and purple, and then grey blue took over. Cadaoir moved off the road and walked down an embankment to the river edge. It ran quick but quiet, and Cadaoir was happy to listen as he made camp. He dropped the backpack from his shoulders, pulled from it a thick bed roll and laid down on the soft grass to rest. There were no trees or forests nearby, so no wood could be gathered for a fire. He would have to rest in total darkness, with only the twinkling stars above him. Not so bad.
It was the perfect time to log out, he thought. A hour had passed and his time in this place had solidified his save and spawn point for next time. Cadaoir eyed the white bar in his periphery, but then a sound from the right took his attention. The sound of splashing, dissimilar to the regular sounds of flowing water.
His eyesight had adjusted to the darkness quite well, yet it was still too dim to see what was in the water. Something headed up river, fighting against the current. It wasn't until he heard low whispering that he finally discovered what was passing him by. Boats. Lots of boats. They did not speak much at all, they travelled by night, and they rowed as quietly as possible. Amaratese travellers would not fear being discovered, especially in these numbers, these boats must have belonged to someone else. By all likelihood, they were raiders from the island nation of Churash.
Cadaoir kept quiet, waiting for them to pass. When they were surely gone, he logged out.