Ruler's Trials

Chapter 4

Karel reached for the backpacks and helped Savar to stand up. With Savar leaning on Karel, the duo headed for the forest. They settled in a bush big enough for both of them. Nocturnal animals began to announce their arrival. Sounds flooded the forest.

"Let's eat and then you go to sleep, and I'll take the first shift."

"Who made you a leader?"

"You, the moment you decided to take on several contestants all by yourself and injure yourself in the process so that you can't even walk."

Savar mumbled, "I would see you in that position."

Karel laughed, "A sweet lamb sucks two mothers." It is much better to settle the matter with words."

"You explained it well to number 7 when you cut his throat."

Karel's smile fell from his face, "How do you know that?"

"Little secrets of great masters," Savar answered and turned away from Karel.

The night was anything but quiet and peaceful, but Savar slept like a baby. Karel made sure once again that he was in a deep sleep and took out a black box from his pocket. Activating it, a hologram of the moon with 5 glowing points appeared in front of him. 4 matched the flags on the map, and one was in another place, closer to the starting point. Tracking flags in real time? This is a huge advantage. Karel closed the hologram and looked at the clock, still an hour until Savar would switch with him.

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They stayed at the same spot until afternoon hours to give Savar as much time as possible to heal. Karel walked several times around the wider perimeter of their hideout, using the walk to secretly check the movement of the flags on the hologram. Now the two flags were in motion, but neither of them was as close as the one in the swamp. One was approaching their location, and they had about an hour, an hour and a half to walk to intercept it.

Karel returned to their bush, finding Savar lying motionless. Advanced healing required an unconscious state. He lightly touched the purple dots on his neck with her fingers. Instantly, Savar's hand caught Karel's wrist, "What are you doing?"

"I'm waking you up."

"In the place reserved for my wife?"

Karel chuckled, "Sorry, but it seemed like the fastest way. We have to go."

"You're full of shit.", Savar grumbled, "Where?"

"I noticed movement, possibly someone coming with a flag."

"And we're just going to follow your hunch?"

"Why else would someone go back to the starting point?"

Savar gave him a you-didn't-sell-me-the-story look, "This is uncharacteristic of you, acting on instinct rather than facts."

Karel gave him a blank stare.

Savar sighed, "Well, anyways, it's time to get moving and get into the game."

"Great, let's go then."

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They walked for over half an hour in silence, being careful not to announce their own arrival to the predators in the forest, the andams or other Snajans.

"We should consider others who will carry the flags," Karel began in a whisper.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, now a new basis of our society is being created for all future generations. Among the 5 contestants, one Ruler will be chosen, and the other 4 will be his advisers and work closely with him on the future of the Empire and will continue to be so for centuries to come. If we assume that the two of us make it into the top five, who else do we want to work with?"

"Isn't that a manipulation of the Trials?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we've been manipulating our race for over 100 years, and even the Trials favor those who can afford modifications."

"Are you referring to women or modifications? Regarding women, we only helped evolution, accelerated it. Why wait millions of years for something when we can have it now? And as for the Trials, yes, it is true that if you have money for more modifications, you are at an advantage. But even that is limited to 10, so it's not really such an advantage. Anything above was deactivated."

"Our assumption is that evolution would go in that direction. Your sister's example shows that we may be wrong. M.."

"Don't involve my sister in this."

"Why not? You were the first to mention her the other day."

"And I was wrong. She is the exception that proves the rule."

"I am not convinced of that. So you're not in favor of changing how we treat women?"

"I am, but nothing radical."

"Of course, we don't want to jeopardize the position of men."

Savar scoffed. - "We don't have time for this. How much further do we have to walk?"

"10-15 minutes by my estimation."

"Let's keep walking in silence. It's better not to give ourselves away."

"Fine."