Commando Part 51

Maurice prepared himself for another day, and this scouting mission that he was about to undertake. In the quarters Odeliah gave him, Maurice studied a tribal map next to an incomplete one that had been found on a deceased explorer who was among the mercenaries. He did the calculations and pieced everything together inside his head. Maurice compared the two maps to each other. Pinpointing the location of the ancient cities, and the ones still standing was clear enough. However, finding the rivers, and the roads would prove difficult. Things change over the course of a millennia, centuries, decades, and a few years. Some of the cities on the older map were still around. Both maps did not show much of the vast regions between the Sarcagos and the more civilized regions. He located Waikun and another city called Rednight Fangsir. This city rested on the coasts of Gantronese territory. It lay within the mountain range that acted as a thick wall between the Unknown Lands and the Gantronese Empire. Rednight Fangsir caught his attention however it struck a bit of fear inside him. When he was about to ask Odeliah about this settlement they landed. The landing was not the smoothest landing, yet it did not cause much rocking on board.

            Odeliah confirmed they had arrived at Waikun. Maurice gathered his party of Twenty-two warriors, soldiers, and mercenaries at the main loading hatch of the ship. He had them gather their mounts, equipment and supplies for the scouting mission. With nothing else to check off their list and to do for preparations Maurice and his twenty-one-member party exited the pirate vessel. Odeliah landed in a field next to a road on the western side of Waikun. She must have chosen this location to keep them hidden from Waikun authorities, and spies lurking in the city. There were no doubts there were others watching them, and spies from the trees, and behind thick brush or tall grass. Just before they set off to the road Odeliah stopped them to provide information on the area.

            Waikun was a city-state home to the Gora Sone, and another Uxane tribe called the Utsali whom had their own set of towns along its limits. There was another Uxane nation called the Atuux who stretched from the southern edges of Waikun to the outskirts of Kilscar Orvain. A third tribe in the area who called themselves the Ibawee dwell along the coast and less swampy regions as far as Oramatra. To the west of everyone else were the Mikani, another Uxane tribe who were mixed in with other savage tribes, monsters, and Drow settlements. Maurice and his party would find them fighting among themselves, other tribes, and units of the Caligari Syndicate. All the other tribes they heard of and seen had other settlements closer to the more civilized regions, and the edges of the vast savage wilderness his countrymen slogged through.

            Captain Odeliah bid them farewell tossing him a hand radio to keep in touch while he and his party scouted the area. She boarded her vessel and left them next to the road leading up to Waikun. Her leaving them took away one from the party. As he had expected to happen groups of Uxane children raced out of the bushes, trees, and tall grass followed by adult members of the nation. Several Uxane armed with rifles in dyed and stitched up uniforms. All the children raced over to greet these foreigners, and Uxane looking warriors. Many of them chattered in their own languages that most of his party did not comprehend except a few of the mercenaries, Uxane members, and a few of his own countrymen. Their little hands touched uniforms, hilts, and some even approached their mounts. A few of the children received snorts, and licks from a couple of the cat steeds. Oraceth had to keep his own mount from laying down to let the children rub its fur. He looked down at the faces of the children who crowded around him and the rest of the party. Most of them hadn’t even mounted when they were intercepted by a large group of Uxane looking children. Party members such as Vylinsis, Odoz, their orcs, and Trion their canine companion got the most attention. Each humanoid was meddled with, fur rubbed like a house pet, wings tugged at, and entire body climbed. Trion growled causing some of the children to run away behind the adults. Many of them were wearing hide skins mixed with colorful pieces of fabric either woven or came from another part of the world and wound up here. Maurice counted sixty-one children looking up at them with smiles saying hello in their own tongues. The adult members, mainly women herded the children away from the strangers, and made way to the soldiers. Each one of them kept glancing at each of the Uxane, and the strange humanoids among them.

            Maphai spoke on behalf of the entire group as did a few of the Vestrisians who had been here. Although he did not understand a word, they said Maurice could tell they were explaining their story to these Uxane soldiers and guards. At the very mention of Caligari the children clung to each other, legs of those who could be mothers, aunts, or older siblings. Many of them even raced back in fear of hearing that name. Many of the non-warriors gasped, became afraid, and even stepped a few feet away from them. Some of the soldiers winced and glared at them while others held shocked faces of disbelief. Maurice could tell the Caligari Syndicate terrorized these people to death and brought fear into them. This nightmare needed to end, even if it opened the doorway to a new one. He confronted Maphai who was in mid-sentence, cutting her off. As the leader of their party, he demanded to know where they could find the Caligari Syndicate’s lair. Obeying his command, the mercenary spoke to one of the more renowned warriors who wore a sash with claws, and knives from other parts of the world showing he had fought against many enemies and slain numerous predators.

This one Uxane wore a plaid green shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a shirt dyed red, white, gold, and black. Both shirts were tucked in what appeared to be a kilt decorated in beads, and small carved bones. His hair was tied in a bunch of dreads, and braids kept up by a thick layer of bandanas. He had rib bones, claws, fang teeth, small antlers, and buckles in his hair and on his bandanas. On his nose he had a nose ring, and a few bone piercings over one eyebrow. The Waikun was armed with a Grussian issued Severance .88 bolt action rifle, a war club made from a monster’s jaw with some of the teeth knocked off. It hung from his kilt next to a decorated knife. For a fourth weapon he was also armed with a machete that could be used as a tool and a weapon. He introduced himself as Donewann Usti of the Dreadlock Clan. Donewann Uste pointed towards a path that trailed off the road that lead straight to a patch of thorn bushes. He explained to them that the thorns were often cut up to clear a path, and they must take this path to avoid the eyes of their enemy.

      Maphai took the lead alongside Maurice who took the large party towards the path Donewann told them to take. Mounted on their jumbo cats, and reptile looking mounts Maurice’s party made their way on the main road to reach the path. It was marked with a totem with three arms pointing in separate directions. They found it flanked by tall grass, a few trees, and a few bushes. Most of this path was just dirt cleared of any foliage, and marked with flat stones, and pieces of slab. Some of the path of smooth rocks and stones meshed together to make a pathway. As they came upon the thorn bushes they noticed it forged a tunnel over the path. In no hurry Maurice and his party entered the tunnel of thorns. As though there was a barrier in the shape of a snake like road the thorns made way to forge a clear path for anyone to travel through. At a closer look the thorns were trimmed and cut back to clear the way. Using what lanterns and flashlights that worked the troop of twenty-three tread through the tunnel following the path as closely as possible to avoid getting caught in the thorny walls. It took the large group a little longer than they thought it would. Darkness had already dropped down forcing them to go slower and search for the path while keeping their lights on the walls of thorns.

      After what felt like a few hours the entire party of twenty-two warriors, soldiers, pirates and mercenaries exited the tunnel of thorns. Outside the tunnel came into the open with night already fallen over the region. Those who had any form of light or night vision searched the area for a nice open space to make camp. For several minutes they searched in the dark and found a few suitable places. Each spot was marked with a light and lantern to allow enough light to get a few fires going. They had to split up the party according to their designated factions. One group were the Vestrisians, a second had Maurice’s company and the duo, another consisted of the pirates, and the last one consisted of the mercenaries. Split into four groups Maurice’s party slept for the rest of the night with two members of each group keeping watch. Their scouting mission would continue the very next morning.