Vol 4: Ch 2 – Uul Kheer Tal
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Thanks again to readers, followers, favoriters, commenters, raters, and reviewers,  

Alone, the brunette named Sam stood as she surveyed the alien world before her. Just moments ago she stood in her room to prepare for sleep. Now, like many before her, she had become a victim of The Convergence. The phenomenon where many young individuals were ‘Abducted’ to other worlds. For a time, she stood on the planes, unsure if it was a dream or reality. It was not until much later that she began to move and follow the trail before her. She hoped to find some form of civilization. As she traveled for hours under the heat of the sun, she never found what she sought. Her body began to hurt as if something wormed its way through from the inside. There she collapsed and fainted under the hot sun.

...

Sam’s fingers brushed her chapped lips as the rocking sensation, and the voices of a foreign language roused her. She opened her eyes to discover she was in a large cart designed like a mobile prison cell. Slavers had, ironically, saved her. The price for her rescue was high as she was now a slave. A fact she was only vaguely aware of as she could not understand what anyone said. She smiled at the young boy and girl who were in the cart with her. They shyly hid by a man and woman who Sam assumed were their parents. Their faces showed their descent, which appeared to be a branch of Asian ancestry, Mongoloid.

The sun traveled across half of the sky until they finally came across what appeared to be a town. The housing appeared to be made for mobility. They were similar to tepees but looked closer to a typical housing structure. The walls were round and parallel to the ground. Only the roof was cone-shaped. As they traveled through the town, she saw many different individuals who would pause whatever they were doing to look at them. One caught her eye for he was thinly cloaked in local attire, hiding his features. The only reason she knew he was a he was due to his muscular figure. After a few more minutes of travel, they stopped next to a substantial structure. It was effectively a larger version of the other houses. To its side was a similarly large dwelling, but made of metal and on wheels. The cart Sam was in entered the structure. There she saw many individuals who spoke around a table. They continued for some time as the slavers instructed the slaves to be quiet.

Sam noticed a young lady who sat in the back. Her hair was black wrapped into a bun held by two needles. Three long strands of hair were braided with beads, and her clothes were relatively beautiful compared to the clothes of the women in the village. She quietly listened to the men talk.

After a short time, a few of the men came over and began to inspect the slaves, especially Sam. Her different facial features and pure white teeth provoked the interest of the men. Terrified, Sam could do nothing to stop them. They touched her but did not cross the final line. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the cloaked man she had seen earlier.

One of the men turned to the man, and a smile appeared on his lips. Though she could not understand what was said, Sam could gather that the cloaked man’s name was Marco.

“I’ve decided on the price for my participation in the Kurultai, Khaqan Ganbaatar,” Marco said which shocked Sam. Not only did she hear modern English for the first time, but it seemed everyone could understand him when no one could understand her. “I want some of the slaves… Thank you.” Marco continued before he made his way toward the cart and looked into it. He paid no heed to Sam. “The children,” He said as he pointed at them. The larger of the slavers to approached the two children as he did so. They made a panicked expression as they tightly held onto their parents. “Wait. Are they your parents?” He asked them to which they nodded. “Then take them too as well as the girl.” He continued as he pointed at Sam. “Put this on.” He said as he gave her a beaded bracelet.

“Is that all?” The man addressed as Khaqan Ganbaatar asked Marco. Sam flinched as she suddenly heard him speak English.

“I would not wish to continue and abuse your hospitality as you are providing for all of us.”

“It’s all worth it to see the strong fight. In return, I expect to see you go all out in the fight tomorrow.”

“Very well,” Marco said with a nod. “Sarnai, will you escort them to the ger?”

“Yes.” A beautiful woman said as she entered. “If you will follow me please.”

The newly sold slaves made their way through the gers. “Do not worry about Marco,” Sarnai continued as she noticed Sam looked around for him as he had quickly disappeared. “He tends to disappear suddenly. I think he is training in preparation for the fights.”

“What kind of man is he?” Sam asked as they continued to walk.

“I’m not sure how to answer that. He’s a foreigner who appeared three days ago and created quite a ruckus. If you want to hear more about it, I’ll tell you once everyone gets settled in. Unlike most men I’ve known, he seems to do things on a whim. I don’t understand half the things he does, but he’s not a bad person. He is incredibly kind and considerate.”

“What exactly are you to him?”

“A servant to his family. My father gave me to him because of his strength.”

“Gave you to him?”

“Givin you appear foreign as well, I assume you are unaware of our culture as he was? Our hierarchy is based on strength. Many fathers give their daughters to promising young men as servants. If young men prove their strength and are pleased with the women, they take them as their wives or concubines. He hasn’t touched me because I requested it, but I think he would’ve refused even if I desired it. Though I wouldn’t be too sure about you, seeing as your physical appearances are quite similar.”

“Then… The reason he picked me was?”

“Because of one of his whims. I’m not sure what’s going to happen to any of you, but don’t run. The punishment isn’t worth it, and he is a good person.”

Roughly half an hour later, Sarnai recounted what had transpired when Marco first entered the village.

 

[*Khaqan Ganbaatar, the leader of the Khans who themselves were the leaders of the ten nomadic tribes, sat around a table with four other Khans. He was the Khan of Khans, but he had very little authority over the other tribes except for when they needed to unite for war. One of Ganbaatar’s generals stood behind him while he listened to their conversation lit by a campfire as night had fallen. Some distance behind them, one could hear the quiet conversation between Ganbaatar’s daughter, Shalgana, and his general’s daughter, Sarnai.

“How long until the other Khans and competitors arrive?” Ganbaatar asked the other Khans.

“According to the messages they sent us, they should be here by the end of the third day from now.”

“Very well, then the first of the two days of fighting shall begin in four days.”

“Will everything be ready by then?”

“We are ready now. What’s all the commotion about?” Ganbaatar asked as indeed there were many voices outside along with the occasional trace of conflict.

“A scuffle from an argument, perhaps?”

“Not from what I am hearing.” Ganbaatar continued before as he made his way outside while the other men followed. When he exited the large ger, the men were all surprised at what they saw. The culture of The Clans was intrinsically based on strength. As a result, people were well trained in personal force and warfare. An individual who was not well versed in multiple weapons was considered strange and often looked down upon. Suffice to say that all of the men, being Khans and militarily oriented, were very strong themselves. Because of this, they truly understood the spectacle of what was before them.

Near a dozen well-trained young men who were supposed to guard the area were gathered. All of them surrounded and were focused on a single individual. The individual was cloaked in local garb in such a way so his features could not be seen.

“Can we stop this now? I only want to speak with whoever is in charge.” The cloaked figure said as he had gained some distance from all of them.

“As if we would allow a suspicious individual like you meet them.” One of the young men said before he charged at the cloaked figure, scimitar drawn.

Effortlessly, the cloaked man dodged and pushed the attacker away without any harm to either of them. The other dozen also followed suit, but they could never trap the individual. He positioned himself well so that they could never surround him. If they ever did, he could effortlessly repel them.

“I’ve never seen a fighting style like that.” One of the Khans said.

“Indeed, but that alone is not accounting for why he is so easily fighting them off.” The general interjected. “He seems to be well-versed in fighting against multiple opponents. Fighting against so many armed barehanded would normally be suicide. However, not only is he doing so, but he is also going out of his way to make sure no one is being hurt. It’s almost as if he’s not even afraid of being struck down. Sometimes he seems to defend his blind spot perfectly… What are you planning, Ganbaatar?” He asked the Khaqan informally when he saw the exuberant expression on his face.

A small chuckle escaped from Ganbaatar. “Everyone, cease fighting immediately,” He shouted quite loudly. Surprised at the sudden voice, the 12 guards quickly backed off from the cloaked individual. Humiliated by a single opponent besting them in front of the Khaqan and the other Khans, the guards sheathed their scimitars.

“You there, stranger. You want to speak with who’s in charge? Well, that’s me. Come inside, for I want to talk to you as well.” Ganbaatar exuberantly continued before he turned back into the ger being followed by the other men as well as the cloaked figure.

Inside the ger, Ganbaatar sat in the far back, next to Shalgana. To his side was his general whose daughter, Sarnai, stood slightly behind him. The other Khans stood to the side as they wondered what type of conversation would take place.

“May I see your face?” Ganbaatar asked Cloaked Figure. The Cloaked Figure drew back his hood but did not remove it.

“A young foreigner?” One of the Khans to the side remarked when they saw the Cloaked Figure’s face.

“I am Khaqan Ganbaatar. What is your name and purpose here?”

“My name is Marco. I am an explorer of sorts who has traveled from very far away. I had some business in this area and wished to pay my respects.”

“Tell me, where did an explorer learn to fight like you do?”

“I’ve studied a few forms of martial arts and have had weapon training. I like to think I am a skilled fighter.”

“That is certainly a humble statement,” Ganbaatar replied with a chuckle. “Those young men are by no means weak, and you appeared to be toying with them.”

“I meant no offense by it. I wished for no unnecessary blood to be shed.”

“Then, while you are in the area, will you accept my hospitality?”

“I own nothing but what is currently on me, so I have no way to repay you.”

“You do not have to. I have more than enough to take care of a single guest.”

“Is there anything you would request of me then?”

“There is nothing you have to do, but right now we are preparing for the Kurultai. I would like to see such a strong individual as you fight in it.”

“Ganbaatar, you’re going too far!” one of the elderly Khans snarled. “He’s a foreigner who is not associated with a clan. Allowing him to participate would be an insult to the Kurultai.”

“How could a strong participant possibly be an insult to the Kurultai? Its very purpose is to showcase the strong. As to being associated with the clan, he can fight under mine. After all, he would become family if he wins.”

“I do not want a foreigner participating.”

“There is no rule preventing it, and the Khaqan has the right to decide matters involving the Kurultai, remember your place,” Ganbaatar retorted with an angry tone. “Or should I disallow the tribes to seek external aid?”

The Khans all remained silent. There were numerous tribes throughout the plans, and each of the Khans had some participants from these smaller tribes. This was because they based their rank as Khan by the number of wins their clan had.

“Forgive me for interrupting, but this argument is pointless if I do not agree to participate. I am unaware of your cultures and customs. What is the Kurultai?”

“I understand. Then I shall attempt to explain it to the best of my ability assuming that you know nothing. The Kurultai is a competition and subsequent celebration for announcing a new Jinong, who is next in line to be Khan for his clan. The Khaqan is the Khan of Khans. With rare exceptions, the Kurultai is held when two conditions are met. The first being the Jinong position is unoccupied as the previous one has become the current Khaqan. The other condition is when the current Khaqan’s most beautiful unwed daughter, or a close relative, has reached the age of 16, as my beautiful daughter has.” Ganbaatar said as he motioned to Shalgana. “The individual who becomes Jinong is decided by having many battles against another individual. It is discouraged to kill in these fights, and one may become disqualified for causing unnecessary death. The number of days the competition consists of typically depends on the number of fighters. I believe this one will last two days of two matches each. After the Jinong is decided, there will be a day of celebration for both the new Jinong and his subsequent marriage to the Khaqan’s daughter, which ensures the blood of the strong continues.”

“I believe I understand the gist of it. However, several circumstances dissuade me from participating. The most prudent on my mind is the fact that I am already happily married.”

“Bachelorhood is not a requirement. The only requirement is that you be under 30 years of age so that there is less of a chance for quick replacement of the Khaqan. It would not be surprising for one who is as strong as you to have many wives and concubines already. I happen to have a dozen; Shalgana being a daughter of the last.”

“I see. Then I shall ask Shalgana, hypothetically, how would you feel about marrying a man who is already married?”

At his questions, Shalgana looked at her father who, in turn, nodded to give her permission to speak. “Interesting you would desire to speak with me,” She said with a beautiful voice.

“I mean no offense if that is how you take it.”

“Not at all, in fact, the opposite. I am honored. To answer your question, it does not matter to me. It is my honor, privilege, and responsibility to marry the man who becomes the Jinong no matter his situation, nor who he is. Would you mind humoring my curiosity and tell me why you asked me such a question?”

“I believe marriage to be important and sacred. As such, I merely wished to know if she was willing.”

“I see.”

“Khaqan Ganbaatar, my other concern is that after my business in this area is concluded I plan to return home. My home is very far away. It would be impractical for me to hold any position as the length of time to get in contact with me, much less finding me, would be impractical.”

“That is not a problem. If you do become Jinong, you can appoint a Mirza, who has the authority to speak for you. So long as they are from the same clan that you are from, mine in our case, there would be no problems. The Jinong often travel to hone their strength, so you not being here is a non-issue.”

“I cannot stand for this!” The elderly Khan interrupted them angrily. “Not only is he a foreigner, but he also has no plans on taking up the responsibility!”

“Leave now,” Ganbaatar said to the elderly Khan in a dark tone. With a glare, the elderly Khan looks between Ganbaatar and Marco before he stormed out.

“Do not mind him. He hasn’t liked me for some time, ever since I beat his son in the last Kurultai many years ago.”

“I am quite used to glares. It’s all right so long as they stay at that level. Back to the topic, while you have substantially alleviated my concerns, I find no reason for myself to participate.”

“Then name your price to participate. If it is within my capacity, I shall see it done.” Ganbaatar insisted pleasantly, almost as if desperate.

“I’m afraid that there is currently nothing I desire.”

“That is a shame. Well, there are four days until it will begin in earnest. If you do find your price, let me know.” He said as he patted Marco’s shoulder and began to whisper. “The real reason the old man that just left was so adamant against you is that his grandson, who is not a good person, is the expected winner. I do not wish to give Shalgana to a degenerate, so I’m asking you as a father.”

“... I understand. Forgive me, but it has been a long day of travel. I would appreciate taking some of your hospitality now.”

“If you would give me some time, I will see a couple of gers and plenty of food is set aside for you.”

“Before you do, may I ask you something, Marco?” The general to Ganbaatar’s side asked which prompted Marco to nod in affirmation. “Would you take my daughter, Sarnai, as a servant to your house?”

“He even impressed you, did he?” Ganbaatar remarked silently.

“Forgive me, what are the implications of accepting?” Marco asked as he saw the shock and disturbed face that appeared on Sarnai.

“She would be tasked to seeing to your daily life.”

“Could I… Give her back?”

“You could if you are displeased with her. She is a fine young lady I do not believe you would find fault with her.”

“But there are no negative implications to my returning her to you, are there?”

“So long as you do not wait for her to be beyond marriageable age without finding her a suitable husband or if she is with your child, none unless you publicly express your dissatisfaction with her.”

“I see. And what do you have to say about this, Sarnai?”

“I… I will do as is expected of me,” Sarnai replied with a hint of nervousness and slight displeasure.

“I see. Well, I guess I will accept the offer then.”

“Very good,” Ganbaatar said as he appeared amused at the conversation. “I shall see that Sarnai’s ger is moved. Sarnai, take them to the exterior if you would. The two of you can share that one until a more permanent residence is established tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, Khaqan,” She replied with a pale-face and a bow. “If you will follow me.” She said to Marco, who nodded and followed behind her.

In silence, he followed her as she led him to an area a short distance away, and they entered a ger. The inside of the ger was straightforward. There was a campfire in the middle and furs placed on the floor.

“Do you require any food?” She asked nervously.

“No, thank you. Instead, I would like to talk to you.”

“Yes.”

“Be at ease, please. It’s a little uncomfortable to speak with someone who appears as if they’re about to faint.”

“I apologize.”

“It’s quite alright. Now, because I believe your father wasn’t completely straightforward with me, can you tell me the full implications of my accepting you as a servant of my house in detail?”

“I understand. It is common practice to do so for friends of the family or an attempt to gain the favor of a young man towards their daughter he may not have an interest in. The general hope of the father is that their daughter will please the young man so they would take their daughter as a wife or concubine.”

“I see. Then do you have any desire to become the wife of a man you just met?”

“I… With all due respect, no, I do not.”

“Good. It is good you are honest. Please understand that honesty is not something I will ever punish.”

“Then… Then… Can I request that you not require me for any… Nighttime activities?”

“Of course. I will never take an unwilling partner.” Marco replied, which caused Sarnai to sigh in relief.

“Thank you,” She replied as she gave a smile for the first time.

“Don’t mention it. I should thank you as you’re going to be taking care of me for the next while. I look forward to your company.”

“Thank you for your kindness and consideration. If there is nothing else required, it may be appropriate to prepare to sleep.”

“Very well, let’s do just that.”

...

Late that night, a dark figure made its way through the camp. Silently, it made its way into the ger which was occupied by Marco and Sarnai. With a dagger in one hand, he approached one of the figures as they slept. He placed his hand on Sarnai’s mouth and whispered to the startled young woman. “Quiet Sarnai, it’s me.”

“Abaka, what are you doing?” Sarnai replied in a hushed panic.

“I came as soon as I could. I’m not too late, am I?”

“What are you talking about?”

“He hasn’t… Done anything to you, has he?”

“What? No! You know you can’t enter someone’s a ger unannounced like this! Much less a personal guest of the Khaqan. You need to leave quickly!”

“Not without you! I can’t stand the thought of you being with another man. Let’s run away together.”

Even in the darkness, one could see Sarnai flinch. “I’m flattered that I mean so much to you, but we can’t do that. You know that father would never approve of you because you’re only good with a bow. That is probably the reason why he gave me away; to keep me from you. We can talk about this later, for now, hurry up and leave before he wakes up.”

“Too late.” Marco’s voice said from the darkness as he lit the fire. The ger, now illuminated by the firelight, revealed the three of them. In a panic, Abaka moved between Marco and Sarnai, dagger drawn.

“Abaka, stop!” Sarnai said in a panic as she grabbed him. “I am sorry for this, Marco. Please forgive him.”

“What are you doing here, young man?” Marco asked Abaka.

“I… I won’t let anyone else have Sarnai,” He said as his body trembled.

Marco chuckled when he noticed Sarnai’s reddened face. “I see. Tell me, why do you think her father gave her to me?”

“Because you are strong.”

“Indeed. From the fact that your balance is off and you have plenty of openings, I’m far stronger than you. So what will you do? Will you attack me and sully the hospitality of both her father and the Khaqan?”

“I don’t want to, but… But I cannot back down!”

“That’s a good look in your eyes. Tell me, are you willing to risk your life for her? To die for her?”

“Without hesitation,” Abaka answered immediately.

“Who is your Khan?”

“Ganbaatar,” Abaka answered, confused by the question.

“Perfect. It wouldn’t hurt to have some insurance, and now I have a reason to fight. Abaka, go back to your ger and get a good night’s sleep. I’ll find you in the morning.”

“What?”

“Don’t worry; I won’t touch her. So long as she’s with me, I’ll ensure you that no man will.”

“Abaka do as he says. You do any more, and you could be executed. He seems to be a good man, please.” She said as she pleaded with her eyes.

“I… I guess,” He said as he sheathed his dagger. “What do you want me for?”

“You said you would die for her if need be. Well, let’s say I’m putting that to the test. Now then, I suggest you leave before you overstay your welcome.”

“I… I understand,” Abaka replied as he gave Sarnai a worried look before he exited the ger. A couple of seconds passed as nothing was said between Sarnai and Marco.

“Do you think I scared him enough?” Marco asked with a chuckle to break the silence.

“What… What do you mean?”

“To test his willpower for you. Even a fool could see he’s captivated by your presence and you care for him deeply. I have some free time; perhaps I could help you out.”

“How?”

“We shall see. But keep this a secret. It won’t be any fun if he finds out what I’m up to.”

“Very well, if that will keep your silence about what just transpired.”

“I will. At any rate, we should get back to sleep.”

“Okay,” She replied as she laid back down. Though she did not face the fire, she could swear that it was unnaturally snuffed out.*]

“That’s the gist of it,” Sarnai said to the slaves as she finished her story. “Are you okay, Sam?” She asked when she saw Sam with an expression of pain on her face.

“I don’t know,” She replied honestly.

“Well, let’s see how you feel in the morning. You will all sleep in this ger. Please don’t run. There isn’t any work to be done. I’m not even sure why he wanted slaves in the first place. I’ll find some chores for you to do. Have a good night.” Sarnai continued as she left them. None left for they were surprised by the amount of food they were given and they were grateful to be purposely kept together.

 

Back on Earth, Marty rode a public train on the way to Sam’s house. Cali, who he solely brought with him, currently sat in his arms. Given that and her features, it almost appeared as if he held an eerily realistic doll. Though many stares assaulted him, he ignored them as Cali had immersed herself as she watched the surroundings pass by. After a short time, she sunk back into him. Momentarily surprised at her increased contact, Marty froze up before he petted her head with my free hand.

“That feels good,” She replied sweetly with a soft smile that she quickly hid.

...

Marty knocked on the door of Sam’s house sometime later with Cali at his side. After a few seconds, the door opened and revealed Sam’s mother, who looked very disheveled thanks to a lack of sleep and crying. Understandable, given that she witnessed the disappearance of her daughter.

“Thank you for coming, Marty,” She said weakly with a small smile. It pained Marty quite a bit as she was always kind to him, unlike her husband.

“I’m not sure what you expect me to do; I will do what I can. Just don’t expect much, Mrs. Eldir.”

“I understand. Who is this?” She asked with a smile as she motioned to Cali.

“Cali. Nice to meet you.” She replied with a slight bow.

“She’s from the world I went to and knowledgeable about this kind of thing so I brought her as a second opinion,” Marty added.

“But she is so young.” Mrs. Eldir replied in surprise. “Would you like a cookie, Cali?”

Cali looked at Marty expectantly with a bit more emotion than usual.

“One,” Marty said with a smile and sigh.

“Make yourself at home.” Mrs. Eldir replied as she went into the kitchen.

Cali and Marty sat on the nearby sofa. Shortly after that, Mrs. Eldir came out with a cookie and a glass of milk which she set before Cali before she took a seat in the chair nearby.

“Marty, is Sam still alive?” She asked bluntly.

Marty paused and pondered what to say. He was under the impression she wanted someone to tell her it was going to end alright. “Honestly, I can not say with any certainty. Some worlds are more dangerous than others. Even though she hasn’t been gone long for us, the flow of time could be different. The highest I am aware of was around 16 times faster.” Marty finished just before Cali nudged him. Because of that, he realized Mrs. Eldir was about to cry. “However, that’s all just speculation. The majority of the other world’s time is equalized to Earth. If you take me where it happened, I might be able to tell you more.”

She nodded her head as she barely managed to hold back her tears as she led them to Sam’s room. “Where exactly was she when it happened?”.

“By the foot of the bed.”

“Cali, take a second to feel around the room. Tell me if anything seems out of the ordinary,” Marty said, and she replied with a nod.

Marty sat at the end of the bed on the floor and took a meditative-like posture. The very first thing he did was check the surroundings with his Ki. He sensed nothing out of the ordinary, so he attempted to find anything strange in spacetime as he learned back in Camelot to use his dimension door. Here, he took a moment of pause as he did sense something. Due to his curiosity, he extended his consciousness towards it. As soon as he did so, his mind felt as though it had been nearly separated from his body. It felt the same as what would be required for him to travel between Earth and Albion but was slightly different. The best way to describe it was as a possibly infinite space within various lines that all faced the same direction. In one of those lines was where he currently resided. One of them felt strangely connected to where he was, which probably meant it was the world Sam was taken to. However, he also sensed many other lines which he deduced to be different worlds, if not realities. It was as if it also represented the time flow of each reality. Perhaps due to this realization, he also understood that there was a relative time to other worlds. This might explain why all the lines would never touch one another.

“Marty!” Cali exclaimed in a small panic.

Marty opened his eyes to see her intent stare. Her usually emotionless face instead showed concern and a bit of fear.

“What’s wrong?” He asked her, confused.

“It felt like you went somewhere far away, and you’re bleeding.”

“I am?” He replied, surprised before he felt a slight trickle from his nose.

“I’ll fix it.” She said as she healed and cleaned it with magic.

“I’m glad you’re doing well in your studies,” Marty replied to her with a slight smile as he realized the precision and understanding behind her healing.

Cali had been given a crash course of the body. Because she processed at the level of her soul, her recollection was extremely high. After she had finished healing him, for a brief second, a beautiful smile appeared on her face.

“Are you alright?” Mrs. Eldir asked with a concerned expression.

“I’m fine. Cali, do you want to go on a trip?”

“With you,” She replied to him innocently as she took his hand.

“All right then. I should help her out, as her former friend.” Marty said under his breath. It wasn’t as if their relationship was bad. He had drifted apart from their social circle and ended up ostracised thanks to Freed’s interference. Sam had decided to end their friendship, against Marty’s wishes, so Marty decided to help out to obtain closure; to fulfill what he felt was his responsibility, break away from his past, and move forward.

“Mrs. Eldir, don’t tell them what you’re about to see. If anyone asks what happened in my absence; tell them that the last you saw me, I left.”

An expression of confusion appeared on her face as Marty whispered something to Cali. “Can you do it?” He asked her.

“Yes. Tired after. Carry Me?”

“Okay, do it when you are ready,” He replied as he quickly sent Anna a text to tell her they would be gone for a few days. He watched her for roughly 30 seconds in silence. Then, to imitate Marty, she snapped her fingers and what looked like a mirror with no reflection appeared in front of them. “Be back soon,” He said with a smile and a wave to Mrs. Eldir just before the door consumed them. Like Sam, they disappeared without a trace.

End of Day -126

 

Sam awoke in a more comfortable situation than when she had fallen asleep. The pain she had felt previously was gone, and her body was full of more energy than ever before. The sun had already been up for some time, and she heard movement around the ger, which she shared with her fellow slaves.

“Oh, you woke up?” Sarnai asked as she entered the ger. “Perfect timing. Marco said not to wake you as you felt unwell. Since he’s fighting, I decided to take the five of you to watch so you can see how strong he is.”

“I see,” Sam replied.

“We have to go now,” Sarnai said as she helped Sam up.

Along the way, Sarnai clarified the rules of the fights. “The opponents start roughly 10 meters apart. Weapons can be held in-hand, but weapons such as bows or other ranged weapons may not be held in a way where they can immediately be fired. To win, one must force the other to concede defeat, knock the opponent unconscious, render them unable to fight, or if a majority of the Khans or the Khaqan declare their loss. That latter occurs if one unnecessarily kills an opponent or is spared from an attack that would otherwise kill. Clearly showing your superiority without killing your opponent is preferred.”

After they had walked for a short time, they entered an area surrounded by gers behind the larger ger. There was a temporary structure were all the Khans, and Shalgana sat so they could get a clear view of the fights. There was a large area designated for the fights. Viewers could only watch in parallel and did not surround for fear of casualties from ranged weaponry. At least one match had already happened as there was a young man whose wounds were tended to while another received congratulations from a small group. When they reached a place which seemed to be reserved for Marco, the six individuals sat down to watch. From there, they observed many fights occur. However, when one of the fight’s participants was declared, Sarnai’s face turned to panic.

“Abaka? What are you doing, you fool?” She asked under her breath when she saw him take the field.

“Someone you know?” Sam asked as she barely heard her.

“Yes. I don’t know what he is doing. He’s only good with the bow, and, at that range, he can barely get a shot off before the opponent reaches him. I told him not to participate because losing was not a way to gain Father’s favor, but…” She trailed off as his eyes met hers. Even from a distance, she could see the strength in his eyes; strength she had never seen before. Then, he took a stance towards his opponent with his bow, and an arrow in a quickdraw fashion, in his left hand. Because of the rules, he could go to a point where he almost knocked the bow, so long as the arrow did not touch the string. Because of that and his skill, he could get off a shot, but no more.

Sarnai held her breath in anticipation of the match. The moment it started, Abaka drew and fired his bow as his opponent charged forth. Even though his opponent had angled his body to lessen the target, Abaka’s shot was straight on. Confident in his ability, the opponent took his drawn scimitar and slashed to intercept the arrow.

Though it would be challenging for a regular human back on Earth, those who lived in Uul Kheer Tal were trained to fight at a very young age. On top of this, even though there was no real understanding of it, all of them naturally had Ki. Ki naturally boosted their base abilities beyond that of a typical human from Earth. As such, it was not uncommon to intercept arrows in mid-flight. However, this time was different. As if possessed, the arrow seemed to fly around the blade before it cut underneath the armpit. Surprised at the sudden pain and loss of most of the use of his main arm, the man continued to stumble forward toward Abaka, who had taken a few steps forward with his drawn scimitar. In one swift movement, Abaka’s blade made contact with the neck of his opponent. There was a gasp of surprise from the spectator, but it soon turned to relief when they realized that Abaka didn’t follow through and used the back of his blade.

“It’s over!” Khaqan Ganbaatar said as he stood up with a laugh. He knew full well of Abaka’s abilities, or lack thereof, as Abaka was part of his clan. In secret, he liked the boy quite a bit for his spirit, which never gave up even when others mocked him. Ganbaatar hoped that he wouldn’t get defeated too badly and was now beside himself with joy for Abaka having betrayed and vastly surpassed his expectations. “The winner of this match is Abaka!”

A look of relief could be seen on Sarnai’s face, which was matched as she locked eyes with Shalgana, who was worried for her friend. When she looked back at Abaka, she saw a smile which she had never seen before. It was more like a grin which declared to her that he would come for her. Her face heated slightly from embarrassment. “That idiot.” She said under her breath, unable to contain her smile. However, that did not last long for the match after also caught her attention as it was Marco’s.

Marco was clothed as usual to hide his features. At his sides were two scimitars. While not foreign, it was relatively rare for one to dual wield as few had the natural coordination of dual weapon fighting. Unlike his opponent, his scimitars remained sheathed. Not wasting the opportunity, Marco’s opponent immediately dashed toward him as soon as the match started. In response, Marco crossed his arms as if he was going to draw his scimitars. When the opponent saw the opening, he slashed down with the scimitar. However, Marco’s movement was a feint. With his arms still crossed, he stepped into the attack and blocked it by placing his opponents arm in between his crossed arms. Then, in one swift movement, Marco brought his opponent off balance as he disarmed him and brought his opponent’s scimitar to his opponent’s throat.

“That’s enough!” Ganbaatar shouted as Marco withdrew and left his opponent’s scimitar. “I declare the winner-” he continued before he was interrupted by what he saw.

From the crowd, four cloaked individuals charged out toward Marco. Right after they started to move, six arrows were also fired at him. The six arrows were all directly on target and would have surely struck if Marco hadn’t drawn his scimitars and quickly intercepted them just before the four other assailants reached him. They attacked him all at once, and while he managed to parry two of them, he had to dodge the other two. The result was his hood being cut, which revealed his face. Perhaps because their surprise attack had failed entirely or because of the external pressure they felt emanating from Marco, the assailants quickly backed off and retreated. Marco, who appeared not to want to give chase, sheathed his scimitars with a sigh. Even though he had hidden his appearance, everyone knew he was a foreigner; that was not a secret. Knowing he had been exposed, he locked eyes with the one person who was most surprised by his appearance. Sam, who was indeed surprised, stared back at him as the name she knew him by was not Marco, but Marty.

In the chaos that followed the surprise assassination attack, no one seemed to notice a cloud of fine black dust which blew across the ground as it eerily followed one of the assailants.

 
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