Pursuit

Dorj and his bodyguard Jegei began their mission to locate Mandukhai. They were surrounded by ten Zuchi khankhuu's troops on horseback, racing towards the presumed direction of Mandukhai's escape. After fourteen days of searching, they had arrived at the north-western corner of Mongolia, Mount Munkh saridag - a mountain so grand that the summit was covered in ice and snow throughout the year. They passed by the Khereit tribe without incident, being separated from Mongolians by hundreds of miles. However, the hoofprints had been wiped away due to snowfall over the past two weeks and their efforts had been in vain.

"My lord, we have crossed the immense steppe and arrived at the reindeer herders' land. It was my mistake that guided us here. I humbly beg for your forgiveness!" Jegei said as he kneeled in humility.

Dorj gave a wave of his hand and pulled Jegei up. "Jegei, it's not your fault. Without your guidance, we likely would have been lost. At least now we are aware that we have made it to the reindeer herders' territory. Please, don't blame yourself," Dorj replied sorrowfully.

Tseren, the squad leader of Zuchi khankhuu's troops, queried,

"My lord, the coldest month of winter is coming, if we don't withdraw soon, we could perish from the cold. Shall we make our way back now?"

The other guards also looked to Dorj apprehensively, hoping that this would be the conclusion of the pursuit.

"Let's approach a reindeer herder and inquire if they have glimpsed Mandukhai. If she is not here, let's go back," Dorj spoke dejectedly.

'Even if I return without Mandukhai, Lord Temuujin may spare my life. He values skilled people the most. Even though I let a girl to escape, I trust he won't decapitate me,' Dorj thought, accepting the fact that he will not escape punishment.

The squad leader of Zuchi's guards bowed again and instructed his troops to enter the forest.

Jegei, who was looking around the trees, warned the minister,

"My lord, you must be careful with the reindeer herders in the forest. They are familiar with every part of the woods and they are skilled with bows and arrows."

As Minister Dorj and his guards galloped their steeds into the woods, the sunlight was blocked out by the trees. An hour later, the party could hear a drumbeat coming from somewhere nearby.

Squad leader Tseren proposed to Lord Dorj that they must look for the shaman nearby and placed his right hand on his chest.

In response, Dorj guided his horse forward, in the direction of the drumbeats. In a part of the forest where trees had not grown, a shaman had lit a bonfire. His face was covered with a veil while he was jumping and moving to the rhythm of the drum. His clothing, which was made of animal fur and feathers, moved along with his body as he danced.

The reverberations of the shaman's voice, which sounded as if he had aged a century, echoed through the woods. He was praising the sun's life-nurturing rays, the fire that cleansed the wicked, and mother nature.

As Dorj and his entourage took a step out of the woods, they accidentally stepped on a twig, which snapped in two.

"Crack" the sound of twig snapping alarmed the shaman.

The shaman bent backwards, as if his backbone was about to snap. His eyes were wide, alight with a brilliant white glimmer, and bubbles of foam trickled from his lips. As the shaman ceased thumping the drum, the woods became still and quiet.

"My lord, I think the shaman is possessed by the spirit of his ancestors now. His eyes are shining." said Jegei while standing in front of his master Dorj.

"Messenger of Tenger, step forward." called the spirit that possessed the shaman with a hoarse voice. The shaman unbent and stood straight.

'Whoa. A spirit again? Why is the spirits this common in the 13th century? I have never seen a spirit before when I was in the modern era.' thought Dorj and moved forward to have a conversation with the shaman.

Jegei grabbed from his master's arm and asked with a worried tone. "Master, are you sure that this shaman wouldn't curse you? I heard that the reindeer herders' shamans are more powerful than our tribe's shaman."

"Jegei, it's alright. Since he called me as the messenger of Tenger, he should not have any ill intention towards me. If I ask him where we could locate Mandukhai, it is better" replied Dorj easing his guard.

The squad protecting Minister Dorj lowered their swords and stood still.

When Dorj has reached the shaman, The shaman circled Dorj and sniffed his body while he was observing him.

"Yes, yes. You have the scent of the Tenger. I asked my medium to come here and make a tribite to the Tenger. I foresaw the future that I would meet the messenger of the tenger here." said the shaman with hoarse voice. Whenever he says a voice his eyes started to shine.

Dorj bowed and asked "Spirit, Please forgive me for my rudeness. But can you explain me what are you?" asked Dorj due to his curiosity. His curiosity had been piqued by the presence of the Deer totem during the Khukhchu shaman's ritual.

"Ah, a curious one. Your belief in Tenger is not strong. Yet you already have met a deer totem and you are not persuaded?" replied the possessed shaman with hoarse voice.

"I apologize. But I came from a land where spirits is not common. Can you elaborate where you from?" asked Dorj again.

"In total, there are ninety-nine Tengers, or realms, for people to ascend to once they pass away. However, if someone has committed a sin during life, they won't be able to reach the Tenger and will instead remain on Earth as imps or demons. As the numbers of demons grow, they create a hierarchy, with the strongest demon becoming their ruler." explained the possessed shaman.

Dorj is amused to hear the explanation. Somewhere in the past he has heard something about the 99 Tengers, but he never believed that it is actually true.

"I understand. Spirit, do you know why I am summoned here? Do I have any way to go back?" asked Dorj. Actually if Dorj can go back to the future, it would be better.

The shaman remained silent for a while and replied.

"You have a mission assigned by the Tenger. If you achieve your assignment, naturally you would have your way to go back. But I assume this is not your reason for coming here?" asked the shaman.

'I have an assignment here? What would be that? Oh, I almost forgot I must ask where Mandukhai is.' thought Dorj.

"Spirit, there is a girl I am seeking, do you know where she is at the moment?" asked Dorj.

"The girl you looking for is at the reindeer herder's camp. If you want to retrieve her, I suggest you to talk to my medium, he can help you." said the spirit.

"Thank you spirit." bowed Dorj.

"Last thing, take this amulet. This will help you somewhat in the future. Also if you want to come back again, our tribe will welcome you anytime." said the spirit and handed a pendant with a crystal bear carving.

The shaman's gaze no longer glowed with a bright white light and he crumpled to the floor.

Dorj inspected the amulet that the shaman had given him, and found that it had a crystal bear embedded on it. 'Could this be an amulet? He said it would help me. I'd better put it on.' Dorj thought.

As the shaman passed out, Dorj's guards swarmed in and surrounded him.

"My lord, are you okay? Why did the shaman collapse?" Jegei asked, filled with concern.

"Mandukhai is with the reindeer herders. If we follow the shaman, we can meet her." said Dorj.

"Oh goodness, How on earth did Mandukhai come this far? If we have just retreated, we would have never meet her in the future." said Jegei with relief.

Soon not long after the shaman regained consciousness and sat to find himself surrounded by people. The shaman can vaguely remember that his spirit told him to help those people to reach their settlement.

"You want to meet the reindeer herders?" asked the shaman with young voice.

When the shaman took off his veil in front of his face, a young man who is about in his early twenties could be seen.

Dorj and the others become intrigued by the fact that this shaman is so young yet when he makes a ritual, his voice becomes hoarse and elderly.

Dorj stepped forward and shook the hand of the shaman to pull him up.

"Yes, the spirit told us that the people we are looking for is at your settlement. Can you please guide us?" asked Dorj.

"Ah, you are after the two girls who came earlier two days ago? It is not a problem for me to guide you. But I heard that our tribe leader's son fancies one of those two and want to held a marriage ceremony next week." claimed the shaman.

"What? Your tribe leader's son wants to marry Mandukhai?" Jegei's eye widened.

They came here to bring Mandukhai back to let her marry Yelu Bukai, but now the reindeer herders young master wants to marry her.

'Oh crap. What's with this girl's luck? Whenever I am about to see her, she is going to be bethrothed to a different person.' thought Dorj and put his palm on his face.