THE LAST KEEPER

Chapter 62: Chapter 62: THE TURN OF EVENTS

”What was that?” Kaka spoke right after they were far from the cave.

”What was what?” N’varu asked, but Kaka was already approaching sagiri. ”A snake listened to you. A snake you haven’t trained. Not even the Tsanka tribe can talk to snakes they haven’t trained, ”Kaka asked, standing in front of sagiri. The Tsanka tribe of the west were known for their prowess in taming snakes and using them as weapons too. Their tribe sometimes is referred to as the snake whisperers. The fiercest tribe of the west.

”It didn’t have anything to do with him.” They all stopped. The rain had slowed down but it was still heavy. If not for the fact that they were standing under a tree canopy they would have been able to hear each other.

”I know what I saw. What tribe are you?” Kaka asked his tone just as always but Sagiri could only sense weariness and curiosity.

”It’s fine N’varu.” Sagiri laid a hand on N’varu’s back to hold him back from standing in front of him. kaka was not stupid and if they insisted on acting oblivious it had many chances of going sour.

”I don’t know how I did it. I just wanted to save Kiuga.” Sagiri answered honestly and his words broke through to Kaka. even he could see that sagiri had done what he did to save his friend. ”i also don’t know my birth clan or tribe. I was adopted as an infant,” sagiri continued.

”Are you a descendant of a lost tribe?” Kaka asked, his brows knitted tightly.

”Perhaps.” Sagiri answered. He had always thought he was from one of the lost tribes who had grown extinct due to war or pandemics.

”You can’t tell anyone.” N’varu chimed in his eyes flickering uneasily.

”I will keep it. only just because you saved kiuga. I don’t know why the gravescale obeyed you. maybe your lost clan kept them, but if you put any member of the team in danger again i will kill you.” he said and sagiri had a feeling he meant this time. he did not mean the team in general but kiuga. if he put kiuga in danger again kaka was going to admit it. The guy cared for his friend more than he let on and sagiri was not willing to taste the limit. He also had no desire to watch a teammate get eaten by a wild snake. That is fate he could only wish on the tamelku twins who harmed him. no one else.

”Let’s move.” kaka added leading the team of three much slower and silently this time. They had only been airborne for a few minutes, swinging silently from tree to tree when the smell of blood filled the air. sagiri did not need his sharp senses to catch the scent and neither did the other two. They all paused silently hiding between branches and leaves as they scanned the surroundings.

”Do you hear anything?” N’varu directed the question to sagiri silently.

”It is just us and the smell of fresh death.” Sagiri answered but they all remained still for a few moments.

”Let’s check it out.” Kaka said impulsively, jumping into action and the other two only hesitated a moment before they followed him. The smell of fresh death and blood was so thick in the air sagiri could almost taste it on his tongue. The closer they got to the scene the more nauseated he felt. They were getting dangerously close to the scene where they had engaged the Vorrash in battle and with each distance covered sagiri could feel the hairs at the back of his neck stand. Something was not right, his gut could feel it yet he could not turn around without seeing what had happened. Besides if the gravescale had killed another beast it could be sleeping to digest and not attack them.

”What is that?!” Kaka exclaimed lowly his hooked ropes stuck to the branch he was crouching on as he stared at the scene below. Two orange flares shot up at that same moment as the sagiri and N’varu came to a stop behind kaka. They burst in the sky, shading light on the gore scene in front of them. Both boys came to a stop franking kaka and silence prevailed as they watched the scene in front of them.

The grave scale was lying on the ground in a fatal position. Its insides were torn from its body and spattered around the scene as if something had torn it into pieces. Its eyes were white with no sign of life yet its body still radiated warmth as if it had not been dead for long. All the three boys had witnessed how hard the gravescale’s skin had been. Yet it now lay before their eyes guts out and cut almost straight through on different parts of its body. Its skull was the hardest yet it now lay burst open. It looked like a team had gone to work on it. sagiri could not imagine anyone so vicious and strong enough to kill the beast in such a short amount of time and in the most gory way.

”It could have been the flare. Could it?” Sagiri wondered if the flare he shot down its gut was powerful enough to kill the beast.

”Its insides might be soft but the flare could only deter it for a moment and irritate it.” N’varu answered

”Could it be that captain...” sagiri began to speak again but Kaka cut him off immediately.

”No. We of the bami clan don’t kill our enemies for sport. Even a beast deserves an honorable death. This is the work of a person who kills for sport. the killer perfectly knew where to hit to kill the beast yet he toyed with it before bursting its skull open and tearing its insides after it was already dying.” Kaka explained as if he was an expert and being raised in the north the boy was raised to be an expert in the art of war since he was old enough to walk. A purple flare lit the sky again followed but another orange one in close durations aiding sagiri in seeing the scene in front of him so clearly. It truly looked like the killer of the grave scale enjoyed killing it.

The three stared at the scene below for a moment before kaka finally spoke again.

”whoever killed it might not be far, he might have been watching us fight or came right after but something is odd.” Kaka said in irritation watching the scene below in disgust. not at the guts spattered everywhere but at how the killer had executed the kill. ”How shameful.” He snickered.

”I didn’t feel anyone then. I don’t feel anyone’s presence now either.” Sagiri said but he was beginning to think he missed something. Was there someone out there perhaps a student so good at keeping their presence hidden and strong enough to kill such a beast?

”Maybe it was a team.” N’varu said not believing one person was able to take such a beast down.

”No. It was one person,”Kaka answered immediately. It seemed he was the best among the three in breaking down a crime scene. or perhaps it wasn’t his first.

”Is there a Konate student strong enough to kill it?” sagiri wondered and he could almost feel Kaka’s rage rise. He hated to know someone his age was stronger than him was out there. not just him but the sagiri and kiuga did not like the idea of a student that strong being out there.

”Whoever he was, he had no honour and he did not use a dagger. It must not be a student.” kaka seethed and the sagiri nodded. students were only equipped with daggers but it seemed whoever did it used something longer. like a sword. not just any sword but a sword sharp enough to cut through scale like it was wet sand.

”whoever it was might still be out there and if it was not captain salka then he might me an enemy. Let’s get the herbs and leave.” N’varu said, scanning their surroundings repeatedly. Since the grave scale was dead, they did not have to be scared anymore or be silent but now they were all filled with even more doubt about who was in the woods who was not captain salka or fuwuka and was strong enough to tear the beast to pieces.

”N’varu get the bamboo canes we need cups.” Sagiri said. ”I will get the herbs.” he started lowering himself into the shrubs below. Kaka breathed sharply at the idea of being helpful but he retained his position above ground to watch sagiri and Nvaru’s back. It did not take them long to get what they wanted and after a few minutes the boys headed back to the cave.

sagiri immediately got to work crushing the herbs on a rock with care and all the while kaka watched as if he feared sagiri could poison the herbs. N’varu remained outside to collect the rain water with the help of Ulekai and sagiri was stuck ponding the medicine. He collected the soup into a conned cup before moving on to the next mixture. He had never been interested in learning about healing but he had been stuck pounding herbs for Rusha many times than he could count and he had naturally learned how to do it.

”Why did you not join the Cilsi Healing Academy, you could have done well there.” Kaka said, still watching sagiri pound the herbs.

”I am not as good as my stepmother when it comes to healing.” he said in admiration. He had always wondered why Rusha lived in a small village when she could have made more money healing in cities. She was the best of the best yet she just preferred staying away from city life.

”You are not good at the Art of War either.” Kaka continued. If sagiri could not perceive feelings he could have thought kaka hated him but the guy never oozed of hate. pride maybe but he was just wondering why sagiri could choose galka when he was not cut out to be there.

”Yes.” sagiri answered. He did not want to go into details on how it was not his choice to come to Galka. Besides, the answer could have angered the guy even more. ”I will try my best.” he continued, finally finishing up. N’varu brought in the rain water just then and he squeezed the soup into it.

”Are you sure it is not poisonous?” Kaka asked, looking at the cup skeptically. sagiri just answered by taking a small sip and swallowing the bitter mixture before he headed to where kiuga was lying.

”Lift him up slowly” he instructed and Kaka got to work without question. kiuga had been staring at the fire saying nothing and sagiri had never seen the gut stay that silent. He must have been in a whole lot of pain. He groaned deeply when Kaka lifted him slightly.

”Hang in there, you will feel better soon.” Rusha had always repeated to sagiri to always be kind to the sick and he had learned the bedside manners to a tee.

”sagiri the blind, is there something you are not good at?” Kiuga groaned, opening his mouth slightly. He gulped down the bitter substance without question before lying back down.

”He cant fight,” Kaka answered and kiuga punched him slightly.

”Can you be kind to my healer,” he chastised. Before Kaka could answer back, however, Kiuga’s eyes started rolling back to the back of his head and Kaka’s eyes widened in horror.

”what did you do?!” his voice accused looking between sagiri and kiuga, who had passed out like a light with no warning. ” He was fine just now. kiuga! kiuga!” he bellowed and even sagiri could feel the fear and murder intent directed at him. If he wasn’t busy calling his friend’s name, Sagiri could have been dead. All the guys suddenly came alert jumping in to see what had happened.

”Did you kill him?” Kaka was too frantic to even check Kiuga’s purse. The cafe fell into chaos and commotion faster than sagiri could even speak but he had to before things got out of hand.

”The herbs kill pain but they have side effects.” he started and Kaka paused and glared at him. ”He will be asleep for four hours at least.” he finished and breaths were finally drawn.

”Why didn’t you just say that sooner.” Maita pinched his brows.

”I did not think it was necessary.” sagiri answered, looking at Kiuga, who was passed out peacefully. Everyone fell silent at once and now that they were silent they could hear kiuga snoring.