NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter-120 Invitation
Inside one of the tents of the medicine unit.
“You woke up?” Kiev said, taking a seat beside the bed. The tent sat empty, and the wind from the crevices of its flaps chilled the insides as the city bled into the night.
“Is it over?” Ewan asked, rubbing his eyes, and stretching. The movement irritated his wounds and he winced, taking in a sharp breath.
“We just came back,” Kiev said. “How’re you doing?”
“As good as an injured patient, I guess.”
“Sorry for the delayed treatment, we lack good healers like you here,” Kiev said. “I sent someone to fetch some healing potions, he should be here soon.”
“Don’t bother, they won't have any effect on me for some time,” Ewan said. “Saturation.”
“They’re Step-1 potions, they’ll be effective.”
Ewan laughed. “My efforts weren’t wasted then,” he said.
“No, they weren’t.” Kiev smiled. “Don’t worry, your contributions have been noted. No one can contest you for that.”
Ewan nodded. “Kiev, I’ve never hidden my intentions, and I presume you also want the same. So, let’s talk straight,” he said.
Kiev looked towards the shadows of the people outside fading away then looked at Ewan again.
“I’m taking a ship out to the ocean a few days later. Would you like to join me?” he asked.
“As long as you don’t kill me and feed to the fishes.” Ewan chuckled. The invitation to the ocean was an invitation to the table—this was what he shed his blood for, this was why he strived in the war. Only his actions weren’t enough, however; he was sure of it. The reason for his expedited ticket lay on the other side.
“That will not happen,” Kiev laughed.
“I’ll join you,” Ewan said. “So? Did we win today?”
A short pause quietened the tent and accentuated the whistling wind.
“Is it really winning?” Kiev took a deep breath and leaned back. “We chip away at each other’s numbers. We lose no ground; we gain no ground. At best, the survivors earn the loot,” he said, sprawling on the chair, spreading his legs.
“You sound tired.”
“I am tired,” Kiev said. “We’ve lost too many and too much. Yet, we can do nothing but continue fighting this way.”
“I could suggest developing towards a colony if it’s getting tough, but I’m guessing the war isn't as simple as defending the city and the right to rule it,” Ewan said, staring at the concaved ceiling of the camouflage tent.
A walled colony had its disadvantages. The long-term peace it provided rotted the inhabitants’ survival instincts, made them weak, and rendered them unfit to survive in the outside world. It nibbled away at the awareness of the threat of nature, and that festered several problems within the society that couldn’t exist otherwise—the conflict between the Kyrons and the Ashevas in Obria was a prime example of this.
Yet, a walled colony was also the safest choice for a society. It promoted population expansion and improved life expectancy of Kyrons—the roots of Ashevas.
“Not here, brother. Walls have ears.” Kiev chuckled. “The tents do too.”
“I’m looking forward to our voyage then.”
“I won't take you if you’re not healed by then.”
“And here I thought it would be a peaceful journey.”
“Far from it. Some trade routes are acting up, we need to settle them down,” Kiev said.
“Peaceful negotiations won't cut it, I assume?”
“They might.” Kiev shrugged. “But it’s better to be prepared. You don’t know when something will go wrong out there.”
Ewan nodded. “By the way, do you really use stars to navigate?” he asked. The textbooks said so, but he needed confirmation from someone who had the ocean as his backyard his whole life.
The egg he found on the ocean bed where he came out of the space crack, and the island where Nana ended up, both cases required traversing the ocean. And if he were to maintain the secrecy of either, he would have to know his way around the waters.
“Are you interested?”
“Little bit.”
“I’ll send you some related books. It won't be too hard to learn them.”
“Thanks.”
“Rest up then. I’ll go deal with the aftermath. Remember to take the potion,” Kiev said.
“I’m also leaving, I’ll rest better in my own bed. Just send the potions to my villa,” Ewan said, dragging his leaden body off the bed, groaning.
Kiev laughed. “You’re really not standing on ceremonies anymore.”
“I shed a lot of blood for you. We’re way past that mark.”
……
The Step-1 healing potions suppressed his saturation and healed him and Orange in a day; their wounds scabbed and some left scars behind. By the time Cork fulfilled his end of the deal and sent a non-native Staron slave to his villa, Ewan recovered back to full health.
It was a Boxafly—a humanoid Staron with compound eyes that bulged out of his sockets and a pair of insect wings that trembled on his back. His wet beige hair falling over his extended straw-like ears, the fresh clothes that actually fit his size, and the floral scent of shampoo and cologne, they all hinted towards his sold status. He was a product, and they delivered him to the customer in the best condition possible. Even the old wounds and the bruises on his pale scaly skin showed signs of healing—they left their customers no place to complain about.
“Sign here, boss,” Kidd said, handing the delivery receipt to Ewan.
His <Identify> confirmed it, and he also read about this species before. Red blood, not native to Airadia, and a Staron; since this Boxafly ticked all the details he asked for in the contract, he signed the receipt, accepted the slave, and paid Kidd the due amount. This would be the sacrifice for Iris.
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