Domain of the Orient

Chapter 8

Earlier, Sword Guard Erok instructed the Young Warriors to venture on the small islands of Masedon for actual combat; and so, the thirty young warriors together with the ten Sword Guards started their voyage.

The ocean waves swayed with each breath of the eastern wind. Every team was rowing hard to propel their small boats forward and water splashed in every move of the oars. Their sailing speed was decent but there was always that last boat claiming the last place.

"Have you not eaten?" Sword Guard Leno asked Marko "Start rowing as you mean it" he demanded

Marko rolled his eyes upward as he look toward him "To tell you the truth, I do not ate my morning food" he answered "So please, stop demanding"

"If you do not row properly, we will be left behind" Sword Guard Leno insisted

"So what if we were left behind" Marko continued his leisure rowing "we will surely arrived... so don't worry. Besides, the small islands were not that far."

"That's my point" Sword Guard Leno said, veins were pulsing on his forehead "It was not that far and yet we consumed a good amount of time on sailing."

But no matter what he said, Marko was nonchalant as ever. It seems that his provocative voice where not entering to his ears "We are going on the farthest island right?" he asked

"Yes we are, mister beautiful" Sword Guard Leno said sarcastically "So please start rowing like an adult so that we can arrive on that island... and evade their criticism on our team. Okay?"

Marko smirked as he gazed him "You can't control how other people criticize you, but you can control how you react" he said playfully "take it as a piece of advice from a lazy."

Sword Guard Leno totally lose it when he heard him "You two!" he shouted on Llandra and Kierra to vent some of his frustrations "If the boats of our comrades vanished from my sight, I will drown this lazy person here. Do you get it?" he threatened them

Llandra and Kierra's eyes widened from disbelief as they were the one who was being shouted and not Marko. Nevertheless, they felt fear and started to row harder. Their muscle swelled in every up and down of their oars, sweat and splashes of water mixed in from their muscular body.

Thankfully, their effort was not in vain as the two boats on their front did not vanished from their sight and the small islands came into their view. After a few more minutes, they finally arrive. They descended on the small boat, pull its outrigger and dragged it to the same location of the other two boats, grabbed their own kampilan and wooden shields, then walked towards their comrades.

"Sword Guard Leno" the scout said as he place his fist to his chest. He was young man of the age of twenty and has a slender body. "Mhers where roaming around the island, it was like they are in search of something"

Leno nodded to the scout "Good work Unro" he said "Leave the rest to us, for the meantime just take care of the small boats." He then looked on the Sword Guards "Rele you take the west coast, Eseri you will take the right and I will take the middle" he commanded

The two Sword Guards did not complain and followed his command, when they set out and took their route, he grinned devilishly. "Lazy one" he said "may you take the lead" he gestured with his hand

Marko shrugged his shoulders, he fastened the strap of the wooden shield in his forearm and go to the front. Sword Guard Leno's intention was clear as the day and Marko was too lazy to give him the reaction that he was seeking. The island where bountiful with fruits and animals. The trees were large, especially the coconuts on the shore. The only thing that disturbed the place was the foul smell of the Mhers.