It was amazing how horses can be so effective, even in these times. I realised I am still very much spolit by the comforts in the High States to judge that I could actually outrun a horse. Boy, was I so wrong. Could this be the end? Will I soon share in the brief existence of the often reckless lives of my predecessors? Will there be no chance for my epic return? For the ought-to-be, Legendary Fission Seer Lauren Davis?!
Bam! A girl in a dress with a money bag crashed onto me from the rocks above. She got up and rattled,
"Hi, I have a proposal for you that you can't refuse. If you sign here, you will recieve a return of up to 300%."
I thought: "Of course! Why won't anything so remotely impossible wouldn't happen to me! Isn't this the path I chose from the beginning?! Face it Mr Lauren! Your life ends today!"
"Haaarrhhh!" I could hear the king's cuirassier shouting with unmistakable unsheathing of the rider's blade.
Then I heard more voices from rocks above.
"He is one rider! We can take him! Get down and after her, she's got the gold!"
"Aarrhhhh!" A swarm of bandits leapt down from the rocks and unhorsed the Delrowan soldier. He will now be busy fighting his way out. Looks like this isn't the end yet. I continued running for the Krosian barrier, glancing back to see the girl and the mob behind her. She and her money bag.
I saw the Krosian musketeers, sitting near their carriages at the foot of sail shape barrier. They stood up, bewildered, wondering if the treaty they made with North Delrowan had just been broken again.
"Don't shoot! I am a citizen of the Federation!" I bet on the fact that the Delrowan rider will catch up again. They're a stubborn people and won't give up easily. I was right. He was back on his horse right behind the mob.
"Get into your firing lines!" The soldiers ahead formed into a line. I ducked to the groud. The girl saw my cue and did the the same. The Krosians rammed their bullets down into their barrels and presented their muskets towards our pursuers.
Then something like tentacle shoved the soldiers out of the way as if wanting a piece of action for itself. It landed on top me on fours, regarded me briefly and turned at our pursuers. It let loose a hail of bullets at them and the bandits scattered back to the rocks. The rider had lost control his horse and it fled, dragging him along. He tried to bend up and shout for it stop, but was involuntarily dragged till the both of them disappeared into the forest.
The spider took off. I saw a dark shape moving behind the sails, it was like the back of a giant iron serpent, covered with tentacles which were aflamed in a mist of glowing red. It submerged slowly behind the sails and disappeared. "A dragon?!" I thought.
No, it was a Generatio machine, a weaponised power-plant from the Galdanian Empire, one of the High States I used to trade in. These so-called dragons are 400 metres in length. Now I knew why anyone who allied themselves with Galdania would always win a war. So, the rumours were true! The Galdanian Empire has a part in the Krosian Federation.
"I am Corporal Aerilus." The soldier said and extended his hand. I shook it. "Welcome home to the Federation. I recommend you and your friend get behind our lines, so you can be safe."
I noticed her huddled at my side. Now, this is becoming interesting. I ignored her and turned to the soldier.
"I am seer, but I am too famous in the Federated colonies. So it will be better that I head out again."
The soldier said with much consideration. "Your lot are always in trouble. Why don't you just quit and get normal job. Be someone like us. It's pretty predictable out here. "
"Yeah. From the looks of all of this, you'll have many more victories to come. But you know the story, my kind and I are people that just won't give up. That's why I am in this business. Thank you for your concern."
I left the soldier standing there and head back out from the barrier. The girl with the money bag followed me with the contract.
"300%" She pestered.
The best returns I ever got was 150%.
"A city for you to build from scratch to last 300 years!" She screamed.
The average life-span of a self-sustaining city was at most 200 years.
I brought up my loud hailer and shot back, "I am not interested in your proposal! I am a seer, not a magician!" And there I left her or so I thought.
I had intended that I would try my luck with barbarian kingdoms of the southern Delrowan. King Fulder, the Redhead was ruler of the ruins there. People there lived a totally nomadic life-style with fire-wood and some coal from among ruins. They were strong and weathered people, only slightly civilised. The plan was simple, to establish a Roman-like civilisation. In that way, trade and diplomacy will be possible. After that, the money will come my way.
The exception was that I wasn't expecting her to be there with me as well before the king in his palace tentage. She insisted that she was my first contract customer and deserved to served first! All this, while we were standing before his royal bodyguards.
