Saturday, June 25, 2011

Kaufman's Fortunate chapter 6

“And that’s what I’ve been up to since we last saw each other”  Raven said.

He looked around and all their jaws were still dropped.  He didn’t know it was about the flying city, about the tablet that spelt out his destiny or that Vesperia was endanger to being eaten by a large monster.  As Yeager was about to finally say something a tiny bird flew into the room.  A note was tied on the avian’s leg.  Raven gently picked up the bird and, removed the note from its skinny leg.

“What’s that?”  Nan asked.

“It’s what separates a good spy from the great ones.  Information, I have informants all over the world that provide me intelligence.”  Raven explained as he rolled out the note, and fed the bird before it flew back off.

Raven read the note silently.  The next moment surprised everyone, the cool and calm leader slammed his fist on the table.

“Bastard!  What kind of man does that?”  Raven screamed.

Yeager picked up the note and read it aloud.

“Dear my friend, it’s terrible, Duke and Barbos have made a labor camp of women.  They are torturing them and holding their children imprisoned.  Come quickly my friend we’re at Halure, rescue them please, signed Cumore”  Yeager read.

“Cumore?  He is a spy inside the Blood Alliance, I never expected”  Yeager added.

“I have quite a few Blood Alliance members secretly working for me, you included remember Yeager”  Raven proclaimed.

:No longer working in secret”  Yeager countered back.

“Kaufman, have the course set for Port Torim that’s the closest we can get to Halure from sea”  Raven ordered.

Raven knew that was why Duke must had chosen that area.  Being that it was landlocked no one could attack him from seaside.  Raven also knew that meant that instead of a rescue he needed to take control of the camp for they couldn’t get the prisoners out quickly cause of the location.  Raven quietly wrote a note and placed it on a leg of another bird.  He whispers something to the small bird before letting it fly off.

“What was that for?”  Yeager asked.

“Just in case”  Raven answered.

Raven looked over towards Kaufman and, softly growled.  He was still fuming over this behavior.  He still was having trouble understanding how a man could treat women this way.  He would never lay a hand on his wife or any other female either and, the idea that Duke was torturing innocent women and keeping them from their children just boggled Raven’s mind.

At Torim, Raven dipped several of his arrows into a poison.  He knew his usual tactic wouldn’t work.  He usually never intended to keep someone.  He would do just enough  to get the job done but, that was against men.  He had figured out that Duke isn’t a man at all.  A real man wouldn’t do such a thing.  Real men know that they are nothing without a good woman along their side.  For she completes the man and gives him balance in their lives.

“No, that bastard is no man, he’s a monster”  Raven declared.

They traveled during night to give them more an edge approaching Halure in secret.  Halure had a huge wall around and barb wire wrapped around the top of the wall.  However Raven, had something for that wall.  He pulled out an arrow and fired into the wall.  Few seconds later, the arrow exploded and the four heroes rushed in through the gap.

Raven fired arrow after arrow which dropped each thug with effective toxic that quickly took their health and fight out of them.  He did not see the two he really wanted to get a taste of his venom though.  He did see though women both young and old with blood stained clothes.

Yeager ripped through former members of his Blood Alliance with mighty swings of his sickle.  He reached the prison gate and broke off the lock with a slash of Leviathan’s Claw.  The image of young boys and girls shaking in wet and cold clothes made him as anger as his fearless leader.

“It’s alright come with me, Lady Kaufman has food and blankets for you”  Yeager led the children out.

Kandor slammed his hammer on the ground and the thugs fell down from the rumbles.  He continued to grunt and slam his hammer as he took on each enemy.  Suddenly, one  of them though tripped him with a lasso.  The killer stood over him with his sword ready to end the dwarf’s life.  Kandor closed his eyes as the sword began to come down towards him but, then he heard a thump.  He opened his eyes and the thug was on his back and Ringbores was lying next to the thug.

“You alright?”  Nan offered her hand to him to help him up.

Kandor froze for a moment.  The thought he was just rescued by an elf girl was a blow to his pride but, after giving it some thought he reached up and accepted her hand.

“Aye, but don’t think this will become a habit, I don’t need your help elf”  Kandor grunted.

“You’re welcome”   Nan replied.

Raven continued to fire arrows all around and, making his way to command center.  He wondered who Duke might had left in charge of Halure until he saw a familiar face.

“Miss me Raven?  Did you really think our fight was over”  Zagi said.

“I warn you Zagi, my arrows are poisoned, if you do this it will be to the death”  Raven replied.

“That’s fine with me, my daggers are poisoned as well”  Zagi threw a knife at Raven.

Raven dodged the small blade.  Before he counter though Zagi was on top of him.  He grabbed Zagi’s wrist as Zagi attempted to stab him with a toxic blade.  Suddenly, there was a great rumble from the distance..

“It’s the Knights!”  A Blood Alliance thug shouted.

“That was the just in case”  Yeager said with a smile.

Zagi got off Raven and began to ride off on a black horse.

“No, I don’t think so this time”  Raven fired an arrow as he rode off.

It hit Zagi in the leg and, he fell off his horse.  Zagi pulled the arrow out and continue to limp away.  Nan was about to throw a throwing star but, Raven stopped her hand.

“He’s already dead, he just doesn’t know it yet.  Don’t waste the star”  Raven ordered.

“Raven!  It’s good to see you old friend”  Leblanc rode up on a horse.

“Sir Leblanc, I offer the order of the Knights this fine fort for the order.  Take good care of it”  Raven hugged his former student.

“Perfect, we take a place from Duke and give it to one of our allies, that’s killing two birds with one stone Raven”  Yeager laughed.

They all laughed together.

Over the next few days, Kaufman provided warm clothes and meals to those who had been mistreated by Duke.  Leblanc had been named the commander of Fort Halure and, was given an unit of two hundred knights and thirty archers to help him defend his new post.

It was a victory today but, it was only the first fight of many to come.  Raven received another message bird that told him a small village was being bullied by Duke’s Agents.  He gathered his friends and, wished his former pupil well.

“I’m very proud of you, Sir Leblanc, we have to go to help more people being mistreated”  Raven explained.

“Thank you my friend, if you ever need help, just send message my men and I will serve Raven the Great!”  Leblanc shouted as Raven rode off.

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