Chapter 5: Chapter 5: The Rattled Oasis

She squeezed her eyes. The morning sun made her wince. She pushes her blanket off, revealing her toned body, at the same, it revealed the left part of her body that was burned, her burn scars trailed from the left part of her face, down to her left thigh. She winced at the sight of her own body. She darted her eyes on the wall. Her brigandine was hung on a nail, along with her new sword.

Memories flashed. The scene of that grey-haired man took a lasting impression on her. His jet-black eyes marked with the sigils of Dove of Thorns and The Snake of Woes, a sign of hardship and suffering. His expression didn't even wince or cringe at the sight of her scars. Even she would feel disgusted by her own scars, yet that man never thought about it. He must have seen a lot, she thought.

The noise from outside was quite loud. She walked to where her brigandine was, her hips swaying. She garbed herself and fastens the sword she brought and walked out of her room. She was greeted with an empty corridor with worn walls. She trotted down the stairs. A woman was straightening her hair. She noticed Ciara and winced. How boring, Ciara thought.

She ignored the woman and sidled out of the building. Her face crumpled, her eyes squeezed against the searing sunlight. A group of women readied their swords and swung it. The rest are jogging while the tall woman with wavy hair stood with her arms folded. Her face was riddled with scars. She has huge gashes that it was enough for her to be mistaken for a man. Her mouth was opening and closing. She shouted at the women who were running around the field. "Lazy! Run faster! Do you expect to beat anything with such laziness?"

Ciara's expression tightened. She sauntered towards the tall woman and saluted. The woman noticed Ciara saluting by the corner of her eye. She spun, her face transformed into a scowl as she inspected Ciara. "You slept too well, Sergeant!"

"Pardon, Captain Celesta!" she said.

The Tall woman snorted, her jaws tightened, her eyes turned cold. "While you were asleep ten noble merchants had their throats slit! In one single evening, we have ten dead noblemen! Do you understand the situation!?"

Ciara's face didn't change. Her expression remained perpetually bland. The tall woman hissed. She slumps her shoulders and said, "That burned face of yours doesn't except you! Do you know that the ten nobles are important figures in this city?" The sun shadowed the tall woman, her face changing to a furious one. Ciara took a step back at that face. "These are men that keep this city alive! They handle the rations which mean that you will all starve! Not to mention that there are now various tradesmen are gunning for the control over these supply lines! It is chaos!"

Ciara's mouth curved. Her brows knitted together. "So you are saying that we in trouble?"

The tall woman grimaced. "That's right. It would have been fine it was only one nobleman that died. But ten of them died in a single night. I don't know what person was thinking of doing this. But the assailant disrupted the city. The order that was created is now broken. I hope God will be lenient. We cannot fight the enemies with an empty stomach."

Ciara frowned, her forehead wrinkled. She understood that the situation was nothing to scoff at. No matter how tasteless or cruel these men are. They have the power to keep the men and women of Oasis City alive or dead. They can muster the troops and have the coffers to supply the city. The King of the Oasis and the Ministry of Trade handles the situation. Ciara didn't dare to think how she would handle the situation.

Captain Celesta's face was riddled with trouble. Her brown tanned skin shone as her eyes looked at the distance. Ciara grabbed her left wrist, she shuffled her feet. "So what do you want from me, Captain?" she asked.

"Gather those who can fight. Locked the doors of the storage and tightened the security around our hold. Assigned people to buy bulks of food and barrels of dried meat and buy enough water for a month. Get some of the trainees to look out for any caravan and have them buy their supplies. The Throes will be favored for they guard the perimeter of the city."

"What about the Bleak Walkers?" she said while thinking of the bleak walker that helped her.

"What about them?" she said with a dispassionate voice. "The Bleak Walkers practiced misfortune. Months of little food won't take those men down. They are the hardest whoresons you will ever meet. Those tough sons of bitches could trek through barren lands and eat one single bread and they won't lose their strength!" her tone was that of admiration.

"They are that hardened?" asked Ciara.

"Steeled, focused, committed, and have sheer will despite being gloomy. What made you mention them?" she raised her eyebrows. Her mouth slanted.

Ciara said, "I met someone yesterday, Captain." she said softly. Her expression was warm, and her lower lips trembled. "The person who helped me was a Bleak Walker."

Captain Celesta widened her eyes in surprise. "I see. How did you know he was a bleak walker?"

"He had two sigils in his eyes."

"Two sigils!?" shouted Celesta.

"Is there anything?" Her brows met. She looked at Captain Celesta with an inquisitive look. "If your words are true then you met someone experienced."

"But he looked young."

"Age doesn't matter," retorted Celesta. "There are orphans that walk the Bleak Path early in their life. I am guessing that this walker you encountered is one these orphans that walked along with veteran walkers through barren lands, living a nomadic life."

"Is that?" she nodded. Her eyes rippled.

Captain Celesta sported a glance at Ciara, "Enough about the Bleak Walker. Try and focus on the task. I need you and others to move immediately. I'll be giving you fools talon coins. Don't lose them and make sure to buy oil from the merchants."

Ciara nodded. She spun and walked to one of the buildings. Captain Celesta focused her eyes on Ciara before shaking her head. She pointed her eyes at the women practicing, she gathered strength from her diaphragm and started shouting.

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The Caravan Master felt his folded arms stiff. He looked at the person across the table who was offering him a map with details that would be treated as gold in his line of work. The person mouthed the details with an obsessive-like demeanor.

The Caravan Master was named Diego. Although his ears were perked up, he thought. "This person knows this kind of supply line! He knows a route that would allow us to hasten our travel an old route built by the ancients! Why would he tell us about this route, unless..."

"Do you hear me?" said the person.

"Yes. But I cannot understand why you would want to hand this treasure to us?"

"I have my reasons. But if the route is true then will you give what I want?"

Diego stroked his chin, "I believe you. Your eyes don't lie."

The person frowned, "How can you be so sure?"

"I have met people and traded with them. I can tell by how you move your body and eyes," he explained. "Even if you are lying to me right now and I am being fooled. I will still take this chance. This route that you are showing us will cut the time to travel within a week! How can I let this opportunity go?" Diego's eyes sparkled, his grin clear as day.

The person gave a quick and a nod. "I will trust Master Diego to do his best. You have read the rest of the details. Are you worried?"

Diego's eyes turned solemn, his face serious. "A horde of beasts will try to destroy this city. I am worried about it, who wouldn't worry? But if your words are true then this route that you gave us will be a goldmine of success. We can hire the people that you want and defend this city. Even the King will not take this information granted! Not from a person like you!" Diego curled his right hand.

"I am no one important," said the person. "I merely walked the barren wastelands and discovered many things. You are quite lucky, Master Diego. With the ten nobles dead you can take the reins and petition the King to give you control of the trade of the city."

Diego's mouth curved into a frown, his eyes slightly narrowed. "Do you know what happened to the ten nobles?"

"Who knows?" the person said, his eyes darting towards the door. Diego swiveled his head and saw the door swung open. Three women wearing brigandine and swords on their hips appeared. The person saw them and turned towards Diego. "That will be all, Master Diego. I hope that you'll have good fortunes and you will not be like those ten nobles."

The person's eyes burned with serene fury. His countenance was of that a Specter that suddenly rose out of nowhere. Diego sweated, he moved his chin and watched the person crept out to the back door of his building. The three women caught a glimpse of the person but didn't ask.

Diego craned his neck at the women. His face winced and cringed at the sight of the woman that was leading them. "Ciara...why does Captain Celesta always send you to my company?" he folded his arms. "Does she despise me so much?"

Ciara sneered. "Perhaps, but I came here to order supplies for the hold. Barrels of Dried Meat, Water, and Pots of Oil, the Hold will take care of the payment once you deliver them."

"Is that so?" Diego shrugged. He lifted himself up and sidled towards his charter and started writing. "Is there anything else that you ladies of the Sword Maidens want other than this? How about ammunition for your bows and crossbows? Powder for your cannons? Metal Balls for your cannons? Anything, do you need lamps?"

"Add the ammunition," said Ciara. She then thought of the person who they caught talking to Diego. "Who was that person, Master Diego?"

Diego's eyes seethed. "It is none of your business. I prefer customers that don't pry. My company has good relations with your hold and I rather not spoil it with your needless prying."

Ciara nodded. "I understand. That will be all."

"Right," Diego examined his chart. He called for someone. An attendant appeared and took the charter, bring it with them.

Ciara looked Diego, her eyes trying to pierce through. Diego ignored Ciara and slid back to his seat. He dragged the map and papers to him and started to study them. There was nothing to do so Ciara and the two women who were accompanying walked out of the building.

The road was bustling with people wandering the city. In one of the corners of the road, a Herald stood in a platform. He announced decrees and news from the government. His bald head shining as light strike it. His brown robes billowed as he gestures with his hands.

Ciara folded her arms. Ever since leaving the hold she has observed the situation outside. The traders were wary and have started gathering supply. Most of the traders that she tried to deal with refused her request and even though they were going to pay, they still refused. Only Master Diego's Trading Company didn't refuse them. If she came here first then she would have assumed that it was because of the relations between the hold and Diego's company. But even those who that have better trading relations with their hold refused. It bothered her that Master Diego traded with them as if he didn't have any worries about the incident that shook the whole city overnight.

A wind blew from the east, carrying dust. Ciara raised her cloak and covered herself. The two women that followed her raised theirs too. "We should go," one of the women said. Ciara turned to the direction where the wind blew. Her eyes misty as a storm conjured inside her head.

She marched forwards. In the shadows, a person stared at Ciara's departing figure. His eyes longing, his mouth curved into a grimace. His nails were digging into his palms as he mumbled, "Let it go, just walk away and try not to show off...damn it!" His eyes teared up. He took a deep breath in and out. He spun, his gait lonely as walked to his destination.

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