Chi Myst'wing

Chapter 5 - The Heroes' Assembly

The Sol awoke with a fresh breeze and chirping birds. Chi had awoken even earlier than the Sol for she had used to her life in Nuwa's Sanctuary. She woke up early to practised her slow-moving exercise of Taiji. When Vincere awoke, he was mystified by her movement. "It is Taiji, taught by Sister Nuwa." Then, they had their breakfast with produce from Nuwa's Sanctuary. Vincere could not get used to having just fruits, nuts and cereals, and he called them 'muesli' which means mashed.

"It takes three days of walk to Kinma City," said Vincere. "We need transport. Equine perhaps, two for each of us."

"Where can we find it?"

"There usually has passing carriages or wagons this morning from the town nearby. We stop the passing carriage and take their equines."

"It is like a broad day robbery!" Chi was taken aback and half-disappointed at what Vincere had said.

"What about the attack on Imperiare? Whom to justify that? Taking their horses is no worse than the attack. Besides that, we are now fugitives. That makes no difference."

"Then, you are no different from them! Goodbye then." Chi spoke, with a frown that made Vincere yielded in desperation.

"Alright, we borrow then. After that, we return the equines to the merchants."

"We'll return the equines to the wild. The equines were kidnapped from the wild."

"I agreed with you, Chi." Vincere grinned to Chi and Chi returned him her smile that made him feels a slight discomfort again.

They had reached the main route to wait for any unlucky merchant. Not long, a carriage driven by a merchant appeared at the far side of the route. The carriage moved with a rattling sound, carrying farm produce. Chi and Vincere stood right in the middle of the route to stop the merchant.

When the carriage reached a short distance before Chi and Vincere, the merchant pulled the equines' rein, stopping his carriage.

"Could you trade your equines for us?" said Vincere.

The merchant raised his long brow, looking questioned. At first, he was reluctant to give away his equines. When Chi offered her produce for exchange, the merchant was more than glad to accept her offer and traded for his two equines.

With the equines, they began their travel. The equines galloped fast as the wind whipped on their faces. "I have never travel by equine before," said Chi. It was not a comfortable journey with an equine that she got rocked and shaky when she rides it. Immediately, she recalled Nuwa had travelled with an equine a long time ago, and this was how all she felt.

When the Sol was about to sink in the western horizon, they could see a small dot of Kinma City. As they rode toward the city, the dot appeared bigger until they could see the city's oriental architecture and they were marvelled at the grand designs of the entrance, tower and fortification. However, under Sol's red light, the wall was reddish and at each side of the gate hung a banner of black and an equine neighing in red.

"Finally, we reached Kinma City, the City Around the Lake and the Alliance." Vincere looked at the entrance with a vast glad on his face.

"Papa," said Chi. "Me hope this is a part of the journey."

"Of course, this is the part of the journey," said Vincere. "We are going to join the assembly."

Somehow, Chi felt that Vincere could never understand her voice with her papa. She kept silent instead.

They both released both equines to the forest nearby. Their long journey was exhausting that they decided to take rest outside the capital. They rested throughout the night.