CHAPTER 9- DAGGER OR HAND

In the Southern Highland forests, a herd of Delarths is seen marching with their new warlord.

"After such a long time I got the pleasure of sitting on a horse, I had lost my knees while walking.Well where are we going?"Asher said

"In their village, where you have to do some rituals,the rituals of becoming the New Buruzagi"Audrey said,who was walking right next to his horse.

"Great, so what kind of rituals might we expect?"

"Umm... first you will have a blood bath"

"What! you mean I have to take a bath with blood, really?"

"Yes,fresh dead deer blood will be used to bathe you"

"But why?"

"To cleanse you of your sins,it is a sacred ritual performed by them"

"I haven't even committed so many bad sins that I have to perform these silly rituals"

"Be mindful that rituals are respected.Rituals are created purely for your benefit"Audrey said in a firm tone.

" Ok.. ok fine,don't forget that I am the new Buruzagi of these Delarthis right now"Asher said while glancing at his sparkling ring.

"Because of my plan" Audrey said.

"What?"

"What do you think about why I waited in those tangled trees for those Delarths"

"Are you mad I could have died, if I had known about all this, I would never have come with you"Asher said angrily.

"Why, when you first achieved it, you were so proud and moreover, you survive"

"Do you still believe in me if you say I don't die?"

"I trust your luck not you and keep this thing in your mind that my plan never goes wrong"

"Could you please explain what will happen to me if this is a part of your plan if it is"

"They'll eat their Buruzagi once you take a blood bath"

"What!"All of Delarthis turned to stare at Asher after he shouted so loudly.

"Not you, idiot; Del Guata means their old Buruzagi"

"Ohh.. then it's ok, wait you mean these people will eat Del Guata,a human?"He looked back where two Delarthis were dragging Del Guata's headless body to the ground.

"Yes, the entire village eats the dead Buruzagi in order to honour him and obliterate his presence"

"Means if I ever die, will these people eat me too?"

"Absolutely, with affection"

In front of them was now a village with about hundred of tents.Outside the tents, women were cooking something with large utensils,some children were playing with the young hyenas and the men were sharpening their weapons.

The old Delarthi who declared Asher as the new Buruzagi signaled everyone to stop,then he came to Asher and,"𝘕𝘪 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘢 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘶𝘻𝘢𝘨𝘪"

Asher looked at Audrey, "He is advising to get off the horse" Audrey said.

"Oh.. ok"Asher dismounted the horse,then the old Delarthi signaled the two Delarthis who were dragging Del Guata's body on the ground to come forward, then "𝘎𝘩𝘢𝘭"The old Delarthi said.

"He said to move" Audrey said.

"𝘎𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘢 𝘋𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘴"Old Delarthi shouted his words to get attention.

"I feel like there's going to be a ruckus"Asher said in a nervous tone.

"Yes of course, and I think you're up for it"

"No, I am not"

"You are,now shut your mouth and focus on what's going to happen next"All the Delarthis were gathering in front of them.

Asher couldn't keep his mind steady.

"𝘎𝘭𝘢 𝘋𝘦𝘭 𝘎𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘋𝘦𝘧𝘢𝘭, 𝘬𝘢𝘥𝘩 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘰 𝘬𝘭𝘢",Hearing this, like a wave of sorrow flowed in the crowd,everyone's smile vanished from their faces;even the children had rolled their eyes,the old Delarthi then instructed the two Delarthis to keep Del Guata's body in plain view of everyone,some folks sighed in pain upon viewing that.

"𝘡𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘫𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪 𝘱𝘦𝘴𝘢𝘬𝘢 𝘻𝘢 𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘶𝘯"On hearing this, some women standing in front left from there.Asher observed them all, he could see the sadness in all those blue eyes.That's when, those women returned, accompanied by three more women,Asher was struggling to stay focused after seeing them.Their splendour made it appear as though moonlight had been blended into them,they all wore white clothing and a gold jewellery, which enhanced their beauty.

"Gorgeous" Asher said softly.

"These three are the widows of Del Guata"Audrey said.Hearing this left Asher feeling a little let down.The three of them bowed down before Del Guata's body and sobbed.

"𝘞𝘰 𝘫𝘢 𝘋𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘎𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘢"One of the three women, whose face was covered in tears and had green eyes, said sobbing.

"𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘪"That old Delarthi made a gesture toward Asher.Along with those three women, the whole village looked at Asher, which made him very nervous.

"𝘗𝘦𝘩𝘭𝘯𝘪 𝘥𝘢 𝘯𝘪𝘭 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘶𝘻𝘢𝘨𝘪"The entire tribe, with the exception of those three women and a small group of individuals, kneeled down as soon as that old Delarthi uttered it aloud.

"𝘈𝘭𝘻𝘢𝘳, 𝘥𝘢 𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘳"After hearing the old Delarthi's words, some of the women there took those three women with them and left.Asher's eyes longed to look at the three women for a while.

"Audrey what did he said.. Ahlza Alga... "

"Alzar means ritual, maybe your blood bath is about to happen now"

"The smell of blood makes me gag",The old Delarthi signaled some people to lift Del Guata's body, then he came to Asher and, "𝘎𝘩𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘶𝘻𝘢𝘨𝘪"

"He's saying to follow him"Audrey said.

Asher sighed and said "Ok".

They both started pursuing the old Delarthi while being pursued by other people.They are all making their way along a strenuous trail on the opposite side of the village.While walking,they came across the idols of two enormous eagles, which were built on both sides of the road.After coming a little further, now there was a gigantic statue in front of Asher, on which an animal of an eagle's face was made and a woman was sitting on it.

"Audrey what is this?"Asher asked in a surprised way.

"Dimasha the goddess of light, the one who dispels darkness and rides the Griffin who is the king of all flying creatures"

"What kind of place is this?"Asher asked while observing his surroundings,next to the idol was a sizable drum, and not far away was a tent where a flag with an eagle's insignia was being waved by the wind.

"This is their holy site, Sakratua;it's more stunning and ancient than anything I'd read or heard before"

"𝘞𝘢𝘫𝘪𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘯"The old Delarthi told the individuals holding Del Guata's body,Del Guata's body was placed just beneath the statue, which was now covered in flies.

"Nothing looks bloody to me here"Asher said.

"If we can't see something, it doesn't mean that it isn't there"

"Huh... when will your practise of giving this esoteric knowledge come to an end?"

"The day when you will rule over the nine kingdoms"

"𝘈𝘭𝘻𝘢𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘢"The old Delarthi said.

"What!"

"What happened?"Asher asked him.

"This ritual had entirely slipped my mind"

"Which ritual?"

"To choose"

"To choose but who?"

"𝘉𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘶𝘴"That old Delarthi said in his loud voice.The same three stunning women then emerged from the tent next to the idol, along with a few additional females,now all three of them were dressed in black.The old Delarthi went and posed in front of the statue.

"𝘈𝘭𝘻𝘢𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘶𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘭 𝘥𝘢 𝘻𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴"He said, indicating the three women.

"Audrey"

"Yes"

"Do I have to choose them?"Trying to hide his joy, he said.

"What no,instead, these three will pick you"

"What!",Then the old Delarthi comes to Asher and gives him a very sharp dagger.

"𝘠𝘦𝘭 𝘥𝘢𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘵"The old Delarthi said.

"He's telling you to hold it in your right hand"

"Ok"

"𝘠𝘢 𝘈𝘴𝘢 𝘬𝘩𝘰𝘭"He said and went back in front of the idol.

"He is saying to put both your hands forward for choosing"

"But why do I need this dagger?"

"Don't worry,it's not for you"

"Audrey,would you kindly explain it to me in detail"Asher said angrily.

"Huh... those three women will come to you one by one and judge you, if you are worthy of them then they will hold your left hand and if not then they will choose the death which is in your right hand"Asher was now focusing on the dagger, the tip of which was shinning in the sunlight,his mind was now compelled to think of several thoughts,'Will all three of them choose their death over him','Will he witness the three of them dying one by one',These thoughts terrified him;'No,no one picks their own death','Why would anyone choose his own death'These thoughts gave him some courage.

"𝘈𝘭𝘻𝘢𝘳,𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵"The old Delarthi said loudly.A man passes by the side of Asher and stands behind the drum.Asher wondered if they would stay in his life or leave like others as he stared at the three of them.

"𝘡𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘦 𝘈𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘳𝘢"On hearing these words of the old Delarthi, the man standing behind the drum played the drum once, whose voice reverberated throughout the forest.The green-eyed lady slowly started approaching Asher,he was afraid as she approached him.Those stunning eyes caught his attention.

"Stand straight"Audrey said softly.

"I'm trying"Asher tried in vain to maintain his balance.

"Put both your hands in front of her"Audrey said.Asher cautiously extended both of his hands and presented them to her.

"𝘕𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘭 𝘥𝘢 𝘻𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴"The old Delarthi said loudly.

"Dagger or Hand" Audrey said in a light voice.Everybody was looking towards Asher with all of their attention.Asher could sense the sweat dripping from his ear.He was ruminating that a blood bath would have been preferable than this.She was giving him a cold, impersonal stare.

"𝘕𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘭",She grabbed the dagger out of Asher's grasp in a flash and it happened in just a moment.Asher didn't get a chance to say a word,she was lying on the ground and the dagger was through her neck,she didn't even bother to scream;does death seem so easy after losing someone close.Asher cast a gaze in all directions,some individuals' eyes were lowered out of sadness and seeing some other people it also seemed that they were not affected by this incident.A woman went to the dead body which was a living beauty a while back and took out the dagger from her neck which was stained with blood.Asher observed those lovely lifeless eyes fixedly gazing at the grass.Asher could feel the blood on the dagger when the woman handed it back to him.Some people laid her body next to Del Guata's body.

"𝘡𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘦 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦",The drum was played once again.Now another woman whose eyes were as black as a lake, came to Asher.Looking at her,it seemed that she was more nervous than Asher.

"𝘕𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘭 𝘥𝘢 𝘻𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴",She observed the two cadavers,perhaps the prospect of death frightened her,her eyes began to mist up once more as she turned to face her belly.Finally, she turned her gaze to Asher, gazing into his eyes as if she were eavesdropping on his thoughts.Her eyes were closed as she placed her hands on Asher's hands.Looking at her, it seemed as if a war was going on in her mind.Asher could see the tears on her eyelids.

"Sorry" She said softly.Asher felt the burden on his right hand again,she took the dagger softly out of Asher's palm.Asher closed his eyes, he didn't want to see this.He just heard a scream.

"No"Asher said softly.When Asher opened his eyes, the dagger was buried in the centre of her belly.Asher's self-assurance had now completely crumbled,he was ashamed of himself,he was now just motionless, standing there like a statue.Once more, Asher's right hand received the dagger after it was removed from the body of another person.

"𝘡𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘦 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘢",The drum was played again.The last woman who had blonde hair and light brown eyes came to Asher.Asher closed his eyes, he didn't want to see it anymore,he could feel her breath very close to himself.

"𝘕𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘭 𝘥𝘢 𝘻𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴",Will it end with one last death,Asher was too nervous to think that anything positive would occur.But this time he felt a light weight on his left hand and,"𝘡𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴"She said softly.He was astounded by what he heard.

"𝘡𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴" The old delarthi said loudly.The drum was now being played continuously, the joyful voices of the people were heard, but Asher still kept his eyes closed.His eyelids felt heavy to him,he was soothed by the fact that Ameira's hand was still holding his.He felt that someone was tying something like a thread on both of their hands.

"𝘡𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘦 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘢 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘶𝘻𝘢𝘨𝘪"The loud voice of that old delarthi came from beside him.When he finally opened his eyes,he saw that all the people were looking at him happily.

He observed the blue thread that was tied around both of their hands,then he turned to gaze at Ameira, who was smiling at the crowd.Asher couldn't believe his good fortune,he turned to face Audrey, who was grinning.

"Happy Wedding!" Audrey said.