Like bees trapped in a box– the people gathered in the hall began to voice their complaints, the chiefs all except Trunson who seemed disinterested on the issue of Ulov killing his people– Avin found that odd.
Selina standing on the back leaning on Avin just yawned as if bored. Avin threw her a flat look to which she responded with a shrug, "what?" She asked.
"Why did you even insist on coming when you're not even interested?" Avin whispered– leaning down.
"I am interested." She replied flatly.
Avin just eyed her, and she said with a smile, "I may not understand half the stuff they're talking about. But I like to be included in the meetings of important people you know."
Avin chuckled, shaking his head, "uh huh, I could never have guessed."
"Three huts were burned and seven workers killed, two women taken. They distracted us with a decoy and when we took the bait–much to my shame–they hit us from the blind spot." Chief Kuron began, his hands folded and a grave expression on his face.
"They used something similar in the Western Ronri outposts." Chief Suon said, scratching his hair roughly before he continued, "they've changed tactics, and… that's not the worst part. I fear…" he trailed off looking at Kevan.
"what is it?" Pevena asked, Flery and Dravel colonies were the southernmost colonies, so they've no raids at all from the Ulov who raised from the north.
Chief Suon's eyes them all, a shadow falling over his eyes, "There were five Ulov raiders that attacked as a distraction to get our attention. Out of the Five, three had painted faces of the Tulok tribe, one rode on a Groll–I assumed their scout who also wore horned helmets of the Aidar tribe and the last one had bone piercings of the Kuso tribe."
There was silence at those words as the implications set in.
Chief Suon turned towards Kuron, "what about you?" He asked.
Kuron's eyebrows twitched, and he sighed, "the decoys were all Aidar but the main force of raiders were.. Tulok."
They all turned towards Kevan, who was resting his chin on his fist, "The decoys were three, one Tulok and two Aidar. The main force well…" Kevan turned towards Avin, and everyone following his gaze turned to look at Avin in unison following the Chiefs gaze.
Avin tensed and said in an awkward voice scratching the back of his head, "the main force was seven Aidar, they all were coming for a quick hit and run."
Chief Suon raised his eyebrows at that and turned to Kevan, "who is this boy Kevan? Is he one of the children who managed to escape?"
Kevan just shook his head chuckling, "No, he is the one who stopped them. All seven of them, alone. He found them scouting for a few days and set up a trap then took them down. He is a patient boy, our Avin is. Like a snake." the chief said with a tone indicating obvious pride.
Everyone regarded Avin with raised eyebrows, chief Kuron and Pevena even nodded at Avin in appreciation.
Selina poked Avin's side with her elbow smirking, Avin threw her a glare in embarrassment which only made her giggle in amusement.
"Regardless.." Kevan said firmly, bringing everyone's attention back on the issue, "the fact that all the tribes are working together and actually trusting each other… tells us something."
Kuron nodded, "Yes, it seems the Ulov have united."
"No wait, we didn't account for the most deranged bastards of them all." Suon interjected, "what about the Kalgin's? Those spawns of hell hounds are nowhere to be seen in any of these raids."
The mention of Kalgin's made Pevena's face grow dark as she absent mindedly touched her scar, Kuron too felt the phantom pain of losing his eyes and winced and then seemed to scowled at himself for winching.
They all knew it, Kuron and Pevena had taken scars from the Kalgin chief in the past. Kezen Kultan, the northern dread. He was the son of the legendary Ulov chief Wulgon who was rumored to have survived the Deep valleys of the very east.
The name Kezen Kultan was a looming shadow on everyone, a man who had fought two Chiefs and had come out victorious.
It was an astounding feat that still made Krimzons wary of Kezen, but what most didn't know, Avin did of course because Kevan had told him.
Kezen hadn't fought chief Pevena and Kuron individually, but had fought them both at once. Giving both permanent scars, Kuron had lost his eye trying to protect Pevena.
And since nobody had seen a single Kalgan, that led to an obvious conclusion, well two actually as Pevena said, "Either Kezen is dead and his tribe wiped out in the process of the Ulov's uniting, or…"
"Or Kezen has united the four Ulov tribes and is commanding them from the back." Kevan finished it for her, sighing and shaking his head.
"He is probably trying to weaken the other Tribes by using them while also making the position of his own tribe stronger at the same time. It's a ruthless but clever tactic on his part–if that is in fact what he is doing. The other chiefs that have tried to unite the Ulov pushed their own tribe the hardest in order to prove their dominance, only to get stabbed in the back at the slightest show of weakness."
"What about the elders? Would they support someone who has gained more influence than they themselves?" one of the officers from Suon's retinue asked.
Kevan just shook his head, "no they will support Kezen if he has the power to unite them, they won't risk it considering their slippery ways. In normal circumstances yes, they will try to oust the one trying to gain leadership over more people than them. But this is not a normal situation. In the end strength rules absolute. And so far as we know, Kezen possesses that power."
"Kezen has changed, he did not seem the kind of man capable of this kind of sharp leadership. Back then he ruled by the law of power, charging head first into battle and reaping as much blood as possible. Most of them are intoxicated in Amberlips but he seemed like a natural beast." Kuron scratched his beard as he looked into the distance as if gazing into the past, a deep frown on his face.
"It's that bloodline, Kezen, before him his father. That monster Wulgon, they're not normal, they have old blood in them I'm telling you." Suon shook his head in disgust.
"Regardless, what blood they have doesn't matter. What matters is their tactics, Kezen. Despite our judgement has grown into a greater threat than we had expected." Kevan said, tapping his fingers on the tables in a rhythmic motion, "what matters is what are we going to do about it?"
"We need to hit Kezen himself– personally, ambush him and just take him out. Once he's gone, the rest will fall apart either by infighting, or bad leadership." Pevena suggested, Kuron eyes her.
"Confident for a rematch are you?" Suon said with a smirk to which she replied with a glare. Suon just coughed and turned away from her.
Pevena then turned towards Kevan, "what about you Kevan, what do you suggest?"
Kevan just shrugged, "taking him out would be the quickest way to solve the problem. And if we can pull it off with as few men as possible the chances of loss would decrease. But…"
"If he is not showing himself then he is in deep hiding in the northern mountains. And I'm not confident in venturing deep into the Northern Valley, infact it would be near suicide to venture into their home territory."
They all nodded at that, "Then we will have to lure him out." Kevan said.
"And how will we manage that? What bait do we even have to lure him out?"
What followed after that were suggestions, arguments, a bit of insults thrown between Suon and Trunson again, some drinking which was followed by another argument. And Avin would be lying if he said he wasn't sick of it all, so he and Selina sneaked out of the Gathering halls and decided to go look around in the market.
Well looking at the market and wandering around might just be a means to an end for Avin if he was being honest.
"Hey, didn't you say you had some business with Elizei?" Avin asked Selina, looking around, he searched each head and the hair on it that passed by.
Selina, batted her eyes innocently at Avin and tilted her head, "who me? When did I say that?"
Avin threw her a glare and smiled, "back when the chief invited me to the chiefs gathering. You said that you had some business with her. Did you forget?"
"Ah, did I say that? Oh well, you know me. Little liar Selina-" her words were cut out as she squeaked in pain as Avin grabbed her by the ears. The people around them turned towards them but Avin didn't care.
"You know maybe I will hang you by your toes from the great bark."
"H-hey let go you idiot, it's your fault for falling for it. Elizei is an apprentice Oracle, she never stays in one colony for long! How am I supposed to get in touch with her? I can barely get in touch with you when I want."
Avin let go of her and just sighed. She was right and Avin felt a fool, well he was a fool regardless considering his circumstances surrounding Elizei, he was standing in a desert with a bowl hoping to collect rainwater.
"You're a fool Avin, a real big one." Selina said whining and massaging her ears. "She will become an Oracle one day Avin, you know what that means right? She can't marry, and Not to even mention that Oracles lose the ability to have children, I may be a child but even I know–"
"Oh hush you brat, you think I don't know that. And who says I want marry anyone? We're just friends."
Selina just snorted, "friends? she has talked to you how many times until now? Two? three times? You're an acquaintance kid, nothing more. And even if let's say that she doesn't become an oracle, there's no chance she will look at your ugly mug."
"Just like nobody will look at your weasel like face, you lying manipulative brat."
"Boo hoo weasels are actually very cute so thank you for that compliment you dumb rock. You can't even insult someone, how the hell are you going to impress one?" She said with a smirk that made her look very annoying.
"You damn brat–" Avin said grabbing Selina by her ears again, making her squeal in pain.
"Don't you feel any shame bullying a child?"
Avin and Selina both turned towards the voice in unison and froze, Selina's ears slipped from Avin's fingers.
Three girls stood, all dressed in the same white dress and a simple red sash with small tied with a cord wrapped above the sash. The one at the front was a black haired woman with a round face and a slightly broad figure, with rabbit red eyes. "Fuwina." Selina said dumbly.
The one on the right was a black haired girl which she had obviously tried painting and was left dark brown.
"Yeri" Selina nodded slowly.
And on the left… If you look at her from Avin's eyes, she had a beautiful Shard round face, a perfect pretty nose, red lips and bright red eyes. And the only Krimzon Avin had seen, who had that dark red hair like polished redwood. Avin didn't know how else to describe those unique hair locks, each one seemingly having its own distinct shade while also melting into each other so seamlessly like clouds on clouds, taking his attention away and rocking something inside him like how a storm would rock a half complete bird's nest.
And if you looked at her from Selina's eyes… well nothing would really change except for the fact that Selina won't gawk at her the way Avin is doing right now. And that Selina won't see the light rays bending and thickening around her like a halo and well you get the idea.
"Elizei" Selina said out loud.
'Elizei' Avin said under his breath.
These were the three Oracles apprentices.
"Don't you feel any shame bullying a child!" Fuwina's words snapped them out of being frozen from shock.
Avin pulled his gaze away from Elizei as nonchalantly as possible and turned to the girl glaring down at him, "I-Im sorry?" He said dumbly.
"You" said the girl on the left scowling– Yeri, "harassing her in the middle of the market. Who do you think you are?"
"Me? Harass? Who?" Avin asked again tilting his head, genuinely confused.
"Am I talking to a rock?" Fuwina asked, "yes you! We saw you grabbing her by the ears." She stepped forwards and grabbed Avin's ear and twisted making Avin wince in pain but he didn't cry out like the girl had expected him to.
"You are right girl" Fuwina said, snapping her hands back in frustration, "he is an ugly brute isn't he?"
Avin massaged his ears and before he could say anything to dispel the misunderstanding a voice called for Avin from behind and he turned to find Korli calling for him, "the chief is calling for you!"
Avin turned towards Selina who just shrugged, the girls were obviously confused and wanted to interject but the mention of the chief made them pause.
"I'm sorry but we can clear the misunderstanding later alright," Avin's words were meant for Fuwina but he was looking at Elizei who hadn't said anything but was looking at Avin with curiosity.
After Avin left Fuwina, Yeri and Elizei turned towards Selina who was staring at Fuwina with an impassive expression.
"You.." Selina began.
"Don't need to say anything child, I understand. I'm the apprentice Oracle so don't worry, and you were right, I heard you call him ugly brute from back there, and I agree he does seem like an ugly dumb–" Her words were cut off as Selina's fist pulled back and slammed back into Fuwina's abdomen, folding the girl in two and making her fall on the floor in a fetal position gasping for breath.
Yeri and Elizei looked at Selina in utter shock.
"Watch your mouth bitch… ugly brute? I admit he is kind of average looking, but If you knew him you would be begging for him to look your way."
As much as those words came from Selina's heart, she was also hoping Elizei would hear them and take them to heart. Gods knew Avin was a dunce, she had to do the work for him.
With a wince, she massaged her knuckles and walked away, "Ugh, this is why I can't make friends."