THE LAST KEEPER

Chapter 68: Chapter 68: THE WARNING

The third year outer nonagon gate opened with a groaned open. All cadets stood in neat lines staring into the darkness. If anything the tension had grown a notch. The third year outer pentagon gate did not open to the same terrain as the fourth year pentagon. all the pentagons opened to different terrains and different training grounds.

”The night is calling yet again, cadets. Tonight as you can see we are changing the terrain but the game still remains the same.” miss lakiya took to the centre. She was as cheerly as always when announcing games. sagiri found her irritating just like everything else. Something inside him was convinced that the game-like exercises were her ideas. What she said next however had him excited more than he should have been.

”There is only a small adjustment to the rules. Firstly, those who survived yesterday will receive special flasks. The set of flasks can only burst when a specific spot is pierced. That is where a second upgrade comes in. because it will be a bit tricky to burst the flasks, cadets will have to use more than just the element of surprise. Cadets will be allowed to use hand combat without limit. any cadet who gets injured or can’t continue can forfeit the match at any point. Daggers can only be used to pierce the flasks, not each other.” she finished. sagiri could not help but get excited at the mention of unrestricted combat. He had not been able to stop thinking about getting into a fight. The pain tearing him on the inside had stopped momentarily when he was confronting the twins as if the separation inside of him agreed on one thing and granted him relief for a moment.

”Now pick your flares, a pair of each this time except for the purple and orange. Afterall you are just one of you and you can’t be eliminated twice.” The cadets followed her instructions in uniform. After everyone picked flares next it was the flasks and a clear had managed to be drawn between the superior flasks and inferior flasks. It was only expected that the levels of hostility could rise. It was even more clear that teams had formed. Even team 25 had an additional member. Marana had asked to join before the assembly started and kiuga had been happy to oblige much to Kaka’s dismay.

The terrain beyond the gate this time was more and more desert-like with additional artificial desert modifications to aid with training. It spread far beyond where the eye could. Even the trees were way shorter. It did not provide for much cover except for the big rocks and jagged rocks terrains. Those from Konate academy were more excited for this exercise because konate academy was surrounded by a similar rocky and desert terrain.

”Just like yesterday, cadets are not advised to go too far into the terrain.” Captain fuwuka was in charge this time.

”Watchers in position!” he announced and the instructors in charge of watching from the wall scaled the walls quickly with their hooked ropes. There seemed to be more of them than the previous day. Perhaps they expect more eliminations tonight, Sagiri thought.

”Ground supervisors take position!” Unlike yesterday where they only carried daggers and hooking ropes, today all ground supervisors carried spears. The sharp blades on the ends glimmered even in the dim light of the moon and stars. They scattered in different directions out of the gate till they blended into the night. The moon was full illuminating the endless terrain yet the jagged rocks cast even longer shadows now. It was a perfect environment for hide and seek indeed. The ground supervising instructor’s job was to remain invisible and only intervene when it was necessary or when a yellow or red flare was fired.

Kiuga had already come up with a strategy and it was for the team to move out among the first this time and to run through the centre. Considering how treacherous the terrain was. if they waited and be last to leave like the previous night they would be setting themselves up for later. The terrain provided shadows and good hiding places. It also did not have many high positions and teams that took the scarce high grounds stood more chances. For this exercise mistakes could be fatal and delay even more detrimental. Everyone had to bring their best out. With the addition of uncontrolled combat nothing could guarantee that it could not turn deadly.

”Sagiri the blind, I need you to bring your best sensory skills into this. you don’t look normal today but we need your head in this game.” Kiuga said. he was standing closest to sagiri who was standing between him and nvaru.

”I’m good,” he said in a scornful tone. He in fact had never been better and he almost could not wait for the game to begin.

”You smell even more different now. Try not to go overboard again.” nvaru whispered loud enough for only sagiri to hear. sagiri was tired of two guys pestering him and he just wanted to put back his oru-shells not to hear whatever they were yapping about. He wanted to just dive in alone and let loose.

”Move out!” fuwuka gave the command finally after a long moment of silence. cadets moved out in shared interest teams. it could be foolish to go in alone unless you were kaka asakana but even he could be outnumbered so a team was the best option and many cadets understood that. There was commotion for a few moments as the cadets ran deeper into the terrain but it soon quieted down.

Night pressed low over the rocks, turning the terrain into sharp silhouettes and moving shadows. sagiri and his group approached depending on the light from the moon. The ground was broken stone and shallow ravines, ridges cutting the earth like old scars. Boots touched down only where weight would not slide. Breath was controlled.

Sagiri walked in the center. Marana had asked to be in the lead because he was conversant with such terrain. She walked the front with Maita while Kaka franked with Ulekai, banga and zoliath. It was a perfect triangle formation. Marana in the lead with Maita directly behind her. kiuga and nvaru behind them. Zazarie sagiri and bukata followed and kaka and the three at the far back. They had not stopped running since Fuwuka gave command. It was only natural for most teams to avoid the centre and Kiuga suggesting they stuck to the centre was a big gamble. Kaka being on their team was a plus too. Most teams could avoid direct confrontation with him. Even so, it was a gamble.

Sagiri was more sensitive and Presence reached him like pressure through water. Each body registered as a distortion of heat, intent, breath, tension. Five hundred feet out, the awareness softened but did not fade. He could tell who shifted weight. Who hesitated. Who was thinking too loudly. His jaw tightened. He had not slept for more than a day and he did not know how long his body was going to keep it up for. As night kept dragging on, so did his discomfort. Every nerve in him leaned forward, hungry. The rocks felt too fragile beneath his feet, the silence too thin. His hands flexed, aching for impact.

The formation changed when they reached a more rocky terrain. mountains of rocks scattered for a long length. It had been an hour and a half since they started to move and they hadn’t stopped a moment. After what had conspired yesterday he did not want to slack perceiving their surroundings at all times. Sagiri took the lead this time. They narrowed through a stone corridor in a slow walk finally. Sagiri slowed half a step after a few steps and the others matched him instantly. He could have sworn he sensed a hidden presence but it was gone just as first. When the path widened again, the line bloomed outward, fluid, practiced. He felt their trust settle on his shoulders like weight.

”We should rest for a while. Sagiri needs to rest.” N’varu said, watching the shin of sweat that had broken out of sagiri’s forehead. The heat under his skin had started to feel like fire while his insides felt like they were dipped in ice.”

”I am fine, let’s get to a high position first.” Even his voice was not recognizable to his own ears.

”I think we should rest for a bit too. My back is aching.” Kiuga said, yawning dramatically. The team was now standing under a rock and they were hidden in the shadows. ”This seems like a good spot to...”

”Quiet.” sagiri spoke his own voice, tearing to his ears. everyone quieted down immediately sinking into defensive positions in formations of two. He had only then captured the presence of two pairs of feet. He could have missed it again if it was the day before but he was more sensitive even to his own voice now and he could feel them ever so slightly.

”What is it?” N’varu whispered. It was only natural that none of the boys could feel nothing or hear nothing. The two were as sneaky as ever.

”Come out.” Sagiri snarled. The two must have been the presence he perceived but then it disappeared as first when he had perceived it. They had already been here and they were watching them.

”N’varu, throw a dagger in front of us slightly to the left as if you were aiming for that rock. Aim it low.” Sagiri instructed loud enough for everyone to hear and before everyone could question his agenda the sound of two daggers being unsheathed reached his ears. It was sharper than usual now and he fought the urge to flinch.

N’varu released one then another in the direction then another followed. The first hit a rock harshly but the second met metal in a loud collision before it bounced back from the force and hit the ground in front of them. Everyone else retrieved their daggers in unison ready to attack.

”How many?” Kaka’s voice bellowed.

”Only two.” Sagiri answered with ridicule piling to his voice. He could not even stop his voice from changing patterns anymore. either he was full of mockery, ridicule, irritation or something colder.

”The two wide eyed duo stepped out looking as disconnected as always.

”Don’t look the girl in the eyes.” N’varu warned and everyone evaded their eyes away strategically.

”So you have been following us all along. What do you want?” Sagiri asked, not evading his eyes. N’varu did not either but his pupils disappeared and he looked at them with his all whites taking advantage of the others evading their gazes.

”Not all of you. We have only been following you child of memory.” The girl opened her mouth to speak. Her voice was soft as if made of breeze. It was the first time he had heard her talking.

”Her voice is too dangerous too, cover your ears.” Sagiri said feeling himself almost get pulled under. He probably could have already been under her hypnosis if not for the fact that his body was tearing itself apart from the inside and the outside, but he could feel her attempts pushing on his mind so strongly.

”Marana, why are these two from your school so annoying?” Kiuga said, uncovering his ears when the girl finished talking.

”They are not from Galka Academy?” She returned the question and everyone physically froze. ”I have never seen those two.” She continued, and Sagiri could feel alarm rolling off of everyone. If they did not belong in either school then that could mean one thing.

They were intruders.

”What do you mean you have never seen those two? They are wearing Konate combat suits?”

”Have you forgotten that first wrongblood? you almost buried us alive back then.” The girl spoke again and her voice pushed against Sagiri’s mind.

”I guess I should have finished the job back then, you two disgust me.” Sagiri reiterated his voice full of disgust. His words are the opposite of what he wanted to do back then. After he calmed down and looked at what he had almost done he felt guilty. His parents had raised him to be kind yet he had almost ended six lives on the spot. He felt like a monster back then yet now his mouth was spewing things he never thought he could say

”What are you all talking about?” Ulekai asked and Sagiri could feel the curiosity rolling off of everyone.

”Sagiri the blind, what are the weirdos yapping about?” Kiuga asked and Sagiri’s lip lifted in a menacing smile.

”Maybe I should show you while I bury them.” He said sinking low touching his right hand to the earth. The boy immediately moved in front of the girl, retrieving a thin weapon that looked like a spear but it was short with jagged blades on both sides.

”We only want you to come with us, and none of your friends will be hurt,” the boy finally spoke and his voice was thick like a grown man’s. So he was a man in a child’s body.

”Well, I think we should see who is faster. the sand or your weapon.” Sagiri snarled and the ground beneath his hand stirred slightly.

”You have until midnight to decide. Pretending to be just a student doesn’t suit you.” The man said before sticking the weapon to his back. He carried the girl who was the same size as him as if she was the same size as him and scaled the rocks. Everyone watched as the duo disappeared before they finally turned to Sagiri.

”Now would be the best time for you to explain what the freaks meant.” Maita said, turning hostility oozing off of him.

”Yes, Sagiri, what did they mean by you almost burying them alive?” Bukata asked.

”You can’t even protect yourself. That’s ridiculous.” Kaka snickered, shaking his head.

”One thing is for sure. Those two are way out of our league, we need to fire the yellow flare.” kiuga said, analyzing the situation. He was right but sagiri did not care. He was done running and with his body torturing him. He needed answers from them. ”Our Sagiri has not been himself for a while. I will ignore him for now. Someone, fire a yellow flare now.”

”You do that. I will chase after them. I need to know why they keep coming after me.” he stood to his feet and went after them disappearing into the darkness before anyone could stop him.

”Darm it!” N’varu cursed not hesitating before giving chase.