Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Master of the Desert Nomads Part 2: On the Asanda


Over the next several days, the raft continued its way up river. One day, they met a group of soldiers who confessed that they had deserted from Fitar’s army. With encouragement from Bo Jing, they agreed to redeem their army and join the party. During the day, they saw deserted and destroyed villages and one day encounter two rafts filled with refugees making their way downriver. During the nights, the party saw many strange sights including fire-breathing dogs.

One day, sailing up the river, the party found themselves in the midst of an army camp, with about 20 horsemen on one side of the river and 30-40 infantry on the other. They were spotted almost immediately and soldiers from one side of the river challenged those on the other to a contest of target practice. But before anyone from either side could score any points, Bo Jing put the contest to an end. With two quick shots from his own bow, two of the cavalrymen were shot dead. Most of the others fled for cover in the underbrush. The infantry archers on the right bank were more disciplined, but their aim was poor. Most everyone on board the raft took cover and rowed harder while the leading warriors took well-aimed shots at their enemies. Tetsukichi instructed Mustapha to use his best illusions; moments later a second, larger raft appeared behind the first. The enemy captain orders the archers to train their arrows on this second raft while he and his bodyguards charged out onto a sandbar and intercept the first raft. Bayan and Tetsukichi were glad to join in melee combat against these over-confident foes, cutting them down as they tried to reach the raft. The sohei and the reformed deserters did their part, slaying those infantry soldiers who escaped the flashing blades of Tetsukichi and Bayan. Bo Jing challenged the cavalry Captain to enter the water if he dared.

At this moment, two enormous tigers came charging out of the infantry camp and flung themselves onto the two rafts. One of these rafts proved to be a product of Mustapha’s illusion and so one tiger found himself splashing foolishly in the middle of the river. The other, however, landed in the middle of the real raft, testing the courage of the inexperienced soldiers. But this beast was the challenge that Bo Jing had been waiting for. He leapt into combat, putting himself at risk of the flashing claws and powerful fangs of the feast and then finding the right moment to strike with his katana of fire. The beast howled in pain and the other soldiers chose this moment to strike with their own swords. But for nought! The brilliant orange and black coat deflected their blades better than any armor. Only the gift of Saradin could harm the unnatural beast. Bo Jing ordered the soldier and sohei to protect Mustapha and to assist the other leaders in fighting their human enemies while he fought the tiger. The blow of a single claw sent him sprawling to the deck. The tiger pounced and clamped his jaws around Bo Jing’s forearm, the strong fangs barely repelled by the the steel of the warrior’s armor. And now the second tiger proved to be very comfortable in the water; it swam after the first raft and with one motion, climbed on board. Al-Fitar, fighting side by side, turned back in time to see the brave young noble in peril. Clutching the hammer passed down to him from generations of honorable warriors he threw himself into battle against the two beasts. With one blow, he stunned the first tiger. Bo Jing wrenched his arm free of its jaws and found his feet. Al-Fitar struck the second tiger, knocking it off the raft. Bo Jing stepped backwards and let the first tiger come to him; he struck at the moment when the tiger pounced, slitting its throat open wide. As the tiger fell dead and slid into the water, its body changed to that of a man. The second tiger was not deterred by the fate of its brother, but jumped back onto the raft, as hungry for battle as for the flesh of the men it would consume if victorious. But now the odds were against it. As Bo Jing had struggled to fight two tigers, now the tiger struggled to fight two powerful men. Convinced of unnatural wickedness, they would not let it escape, but fought the second tiger until it too was dead and had resumed its human form.

During the course of this battle with the weretigers, Tetsukichi and Bayan, assisted by man brave soldiers and sohei fought and killed many of the enemy including the cavalry captain. While many of the heroes suffered grievous wounds, none were killed. They rested for the remainder of the day, allowing the light wind to catch their sail and take them further up the river.

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