Return of the Energy benders Ch. 6

Chapter 6 - Knowing the Test


Silence combed through the harsh tundra of the arctic, white screamed every where you looked. But water fought against the sound and calmed the breeze as soft waves rocked the silence.

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A man walked silently, his musk ox hound seemed to bound behind him in happy spirits. "Calm down Vandet, you'll crack the ice." the voice sounded in a soft chuckled before the animal listened to his words. A soft whine left its muzzle before it nudged the man every so often. 

Listrum pushed the large calf pup to the side with a soft laugh, "No is not the time for play." he chuckled before Vandet did it more wagging his tail. they sound arrived in the northern village, soft hums of voices and laughter from the children and adults alike. 

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Yanak moved and dodged as best she could as she sparred for the day, it had been three days since the start of the trials. So far she had success but today seemed to be an off day. "Straighten up, but keep loose!" Mairro said walking along the side as he shadowed his young students. 

Yanak's opponent was a young boy, Jahto, two years below her but from the way he fought she begged to believe he was eight. Jahto leaned forward and lunged forward, energy humming around his hand. Yanak moved quickly redirecting his hand to the floor and grabbing his back left foot to insure he would fall. 

This was the first chance all day she had gotten to actually counter him at close range. She had been on the defensive for the most part, bending shields and side reflecting his attacks. Now it was her turn to let it loose, she took in a deep breath. With out a second thought she unleashed all she had. Loud pops could be heard as she began bending energy bursts at Jahto in a almost blurred motion.

Jahto moved to dodge being hit on the floor, he slid to the side and ran around as energy danced at his feet from Yanak's bending. Yanak saw an opening and smirked, she saw the way he ran was a bit off. He was starting to get tired from being the attacker for such a long period of time. 

Yanak's sent a strike of energy at his feet before one hooked his foot from the front tripping him up before he was nailed in the stomach as he fell forward. Yanak gave a victory laugh with her hands on her hips. Jahto winced a bit but knocked his fist on the ground in disappointment. 

"Very good, tiring your opponent out was a good strategy." Mairro said as the match had ended on that note. Jahto slowly stood, holding his stomach for a second before both he and Yanak bowed to each other in respect. 

"Well done both of you." Mairro smiled at them, Yanak blinked but smiled all the same. Jahto gave a small smile though he was a bit disappointed that Yanak had gotten the best of him. "Now take your break for the day and we will resume training in the morning." Mairro said gently patting their heads as he walked past with a soft chuckle. 

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"Listrum has gone to the north sir and Erium to the south." A scout reported to Ganten who nodded, "I shall let the elder Drownis know at once, carry on." he said before the scout nodded and they headed their separate ways.

"My elders." Ganten voiced reaching the room after a few minutes of walking. "Listrum beckons the north and Erium the south. The plan is set and reports should come in within a day at the most without delay or suspicion by the people of Brason and Galitroah." he added. The elders all nodded in approval, all that was left for them to do is wait of the news and prepare as  needed.

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Kota had tears in her eyes again, it had been almost two weeks since the arrest and they had not yet returned. "Please, please!" she begged the small group of older men of the town to send men to investigate what was happening and what might happen. Fear of the towns people who rebelled being executed was instilled in Kota as well as a few others.

"We can not risk it, this could put all the plans of their release in jeopardy." one man said to the sum of twenty numbering in both men and women who had relatives or spouses who were arrested that day. "Then what are suppose to do, except their deaths and not avenge them!" Kota was grieved at their decision  on the matter. 

"They are not dead, there would have been word sent out of their execution as well as the reasons and crimes they committed against the empire. We must wait until the full moon to engage and free them, patients is needed." the man said to them before they could get any louder than they already were.

"One of our own stands among the surge guard, as long as he is there, there will be nothing to fear for our captured loved ones." the elder assured them. Kota was about ready to go and get her husband herself, waiting wasn't her best quality when it came to the life of those she loved. But what stopped her was the fact that the full moon was tomorrow.

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Erium shivered a bit as she walked into the hut she was given by the village chief. She had since abandoned her surge knight helmet, as well as the uniform that accompanied it. Her hare stallion Jackel laid on his side outside the hut, next to the warm fire.  

Erium took in a deep breath before she walked out of the hut with her coat wrapped tightly around her, "Come on Jackel let's meet up with the hunting party." she told the lazy beast. Jackel groaned a bit but got up, shaking the snow off before he bumped her with his butt and seemed to laugh. Erium had a twitch in her eye before she shook her head. "Your gonna get enough of doing that." 

She mounted the steed before he sprung forward off towards the front of the large village. There the leading hunter sat on his ox rabbit, the others next to him on their beasts as well. "The new comer is coming, so wait for her." the leading hunter Jedak voiced before the other moved to try and leave. "Ok we'll hold on, but just for a second." a tomboyish young female said holding the reigns back on her eager steed.

Jackel bound over Jedak and his oxen rabbit and landed a few feet from them, "Sorry I'm late." Erium voiced with a nervous chuckle. Jedak blinked, looking back to we're she had come from, impressed a bit at how fast she had gotten there. "No problem, let's go." Jedak said with a bit of a smile and chuckle. 

Jedak led the team, the oxen rabbits and jack rabbit horse moved at a steady gate through the snow with easy. They scanned the small hills and ice chunks for signs of any wooly caribou  tracks. "A, Jedak stop, theirs a small herd on the left past that one piece of ice." the tomboy girl Anai said slowing her steed down a bit almost to a complete stop.

Erium seemed out of place but she didn't think too much of it, though it was her first time on a any hunt period. Jedak turn his steer around to back track to Anai, "Aha I seem them, ok here's the plan." he said having the others gather beside them. 

"Erium and Anai take the east side, use the rocks for cover. Icar and Dotath you two the west." Jedak said, Anai was going to protest working with the new girl but gave up the thought with a huff. Erium on the other had nodded and smirked a bit, adjusting her speak a bit, Jackel looked back at her with a snort and quick head bob ready to go before looking ahead. "Wait." Erium said to him patting the thick of his neck, "We'll go in a minute."

Jedak slid his spear to his side, "I'll drive them down the middle, then both teams ambush them from the sides ok?" he said to them, all responding with a nod. Both the girls and brother and sister nodded before going to the east wand west. Jackel was careful, creeping in the snow as best he could along the covers they used as cover.

Anai watched the herd for a bit, making sure they hadn't started to get anxious and uneasy yet. Erium looked ahead not wanting to mess up her focus and drop something or make an unseemly noise. She held the reigns a bit tight but let them loosely dangle along Jackel's neck.

Once everyone was where Jedak had planned he readied his steer before charging the wooly caribou. The large beasts looked up at the sounds of tossed snow and pounding of large paws. The matriarch gave a call before the herd rushed the other way, crowding their young. Jedak gave a whistling call before the siblings and Erium and Anai stung from their hiding places and went on the offensive.

A count of four went down, older and on the outside of the mass of fleeing creatures. "Good hunt everyone better this time than the last." Jedak smiled as he dismounted, grabbing rope from the saddle pack. The others smiled with pride gleaming in their eyes.

Jedak began tying rope around the dead animals  ankles before tying the other end to the saddle fork on his steer and the siblings steer. Anai dismounted quickly to help, tying the other two wooly caribou's ankles and tying her ropes end to her and Eriums saddle fork. "Let's head home guys." Jedak smiled before the started back to the village.

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Tek sighed as they stood in the court yard of the prison, it was strange since the ground was metal instead of earth. He looked as the sun was hidden by the clouds unlike yesterday where as it nearly roasted them on the unforgiving metal ground. "Alright, your meals are ready. Please this way." a prison guard said to them.

Tek and the others including Fargus followed behind the guard, with chains linking their wrists and ankles together as they walked. As they entered most gave sighs of relief that the food actually looked edible this time. The guard left them to their food once they were all in the dining area of the prison. Wynat stood guard over the lunch area, watching them all closely, some looking back at him namely Fargus.

The prison escort soon left, leaving only Wynat to tend to the prisoner. He quickly went over to them once the door shut, "Father what are you guys doing here?!?" he asked keeping his voice low. Fargus sighed some as he gave his sons hand a gentle pat, "it's part of the rebellion son." he said, "I know it is but, I had not expected you to take the lead in this phase." Wynat voiced a bit distressed.

"It's fine my son, nothing abusive has happened. You need not worry, your time will come to carry out the next part." Fargus gave his son a loving and reassuring smile. "As you say father, but please be careful, all of you." he said, they all gave small smiles to Wynat for they all what position the young man was in.