AC: Here's chapter 10. I hope you like it.
Curse of the 5 halos
Act 1: I live until I stop dancing
Chapter 10: The Samurai
The trio continued to run at the direction of the scream for a while. Bartus easily caught Yumil and putted himself in front of her for whatever might come. They ran in the forest when another screamed is heard. They continued until they reached the part where the scream came from.
They saw a living being in a green clothe standing in front of a beast ready to strike. His green hood hid his face. He has by his side a katana inside his silver scabbard and seemed calm. Around him are 2 beast already slayed by the living being. He looked at the beast. The beast jumped at the direction of the samurai and Yumil gasped when she saw it. Suddenly, a flash of green and dark line appeared when the beast was closed. The beast suddenly separates in 2 half with red blood falling on the 2 side of the being.
"Already over?" He said. He putted his katana back into the scabbard.
Nothing was around him. He had defeated the beast.
"Are you alright?" Asked Yumil.
"Who's there?!" Asked the warrior putting his hand over his katana.
"Calm down!" Shouted Zazak. "We are not bandit!"
The warrior looked at them. He saw Bartus by their side and the warrior only saw him as a treat...But he didn't give him that impression.
"Alright." Said the warrior. He moved his hands to his hood and he took it off his head. His face told them who he was.
He is a Sangheili being who's 8,1 ft. tall. His jaws are quadruple-hinged, with an upper jaw and four mandible-like "lips" with 6 teeth. His skin is gray over all of his body on his reptilian body. He has dark eyes which are sharp and seems like piercing the souls. His body is muscular with his chest and legs more develop than the rest. He wears a long green coat covering most of his body from the neck to the feet. He has a dark green belt to attach around his waist. He has a green hood on his back and he wears it sometimes on his head. Bartus looked and he saw that he wears a dark silver katana as his main weapon with a special material to make it very solid.
"I do not know who you are...But I do not need your help...As you can see." Said the Sangheili when he shown some dead beast cut in pieces. "I already clean up this part of the forest."
"Then we will make our leave." Said Bartus. He was about to turn when Yumil.
"Wait...Are you injured?" Asked Yumil.
"Well...My clothes may seem clean and fine...But I am greatly injured and bleeding to dead." Said the Sangheili with a sarcastic voice.
"Where?" Asked Yumil walking closer.
The Sangheili backed away and looked at her.
"I was sarcastic." Said the Sangheili.
"What does that mean?" Asked Yumil.
"What this thing said is that he was sarcastic...It means he's telling the opposite of what he meant. He is not injured." Said Bartus with a face palm.
"Oh...Then why saying that?" Asked Yumil.
"If you're trying to humor me...It will not work." Said the Sangheili. "Anyway...I have to get going."
He then turned around and walked away.
The 3 looked at him without saying anything.
"Good. He walks away...I hate Sangheili." Grunted Bartus.
"Yumil...Don't walk on your own...You might cause us some trouble." Said Zazak. "It's a forest and it's dangerous. I don't need to repeat it...But it's dangerous."
"Alright...But I cannot let anyone down." Said Yumil.
"Sometimes...You have to let someone down." Said Bartus. "Especially if what you are doing is for everyone else."
"..." Yumil didn't answer to that.
"Alright...So...Where are we?" Asked Zazak. "We moved deeper into the forest and quit the road."
"Well..." Bartus took out his map. "From what I can guess...Lost."
"LOST!" Shouted Zazak pulling his pipes. "I don't have unlimited methane! I'm going to die!"
"You have 2 weeks of methane!" Shouted Bartus. "I just need to climb higher and used the star to guess where we are and where we should go. Just wait here."
Bartus walked near a tree and he jumped in the air and start climbing it up. He climbed with agility of an ape. He reached the top very fast and looked at the sky.
"From what the stars are showing...We are...Hum...too much to the west...We can join the road by moving to the east." Said Bartus.
"Lost too I see." Said a voice.
Bartus turned to the right and he saw the Sangheili. He had climb in the tree also...But he wasn't that far from him.
"Not anymore...Sangheili." Said Bartus.
"...The name is Sako'Gamai. And! I am not a thing." Said the Sangheili.
"Don't care about your name...Good luck finding yourself out of this forest." Said Bartus.
"...Where are you going?" Asked Sako'Gamai.
"Not of your business." Said Bartus.
"Well...I don't know where this place is but I hope you find you own there." Said Sako'Gamai.
"You want to fight me?" Asked Bartus.
"Hum...I can say yes." Said Sako'Gamai. "But I am not interest in this. I have to return to you...I cannot leave those beast there when I've ate nothing for a while."
"Don't tell me..." Said Bartus.
"I don't intend to camp with you. I just need the food." Said Sako'Gamai. He jumped down of the tree.
Bartus did the same.
"So...Where do we go?" Asked Zazak.
"East...But the Sangheili is coming here." Said Bartus.
"Why?" Asked Yumil.
"He had to eat." Said Bartus. He looked at the beast. "There is enough for us...We can eat some of them and conserve some of our supplies."
"Thinking about taking some of my hunt?" Asked Sako'Gamai joining them.
"Why did you walk away if you suddenly come back?" asked Zazak.
"..." Sako'Gamai looked at the Unggoy. "I forgot about it with the confusing talk with this female human. Anyway...I'll take what is mine...The rest is good for you."
"Wait...Why don't you stay here and camp with us?" Asked Yumil.
"? What? Staying with a Jiralhanae?" Asked the Sangheili. "Sorry but I don't think I can accept the offer."
"What about all the danger in the forest Zazak is talking about?" Asked Yumil.
"An Unggoy often dramatize the situation with their voice." Said Sako'Gamai.
"..." Bartus looked at the Sangheili and he smirked. "I know what is going on here. You are trying to use us."
"No...I am not trying to do that." Replied Sako'Gamai.
"He is just acting up. I am sure he has no map to guide himself." Said Bartus.
"I don't need a map." Said Sako'Gamai.
"...I understand what you are implying Bartus. You are lost and need help." Said Zazak.
"...No." Said Sako'Gamai.
"Got you." Said Bartus with a smirk.
"..." He glared at them. "I am not lost. I'll take the beast I cut in half and leave."
"Going to cook it?" Asked Bartus. "Because it is not eatable if it is not cooked."
"..." The Sangheili looked at him.
"You know that you can camp with us." Said Yumil. "If you don't know all the basic of...Whatever Bartus knows, he knows how."
"...You want the true...I am not lost. I am trying to orient myself to find the bandits lair. They have stolen my stuff, food, water, money,...one thing and my map." Said Sako'Gamai. "I am hunting them down."
"Need a little hand?" Asked Bartus.
"I don't need your help...But I think I cannot refuse your proposal this time...But when I know how to camp...I'll leave you." Said Sako'Gamai.
"Alright." Said Bartus. "The sooner you leave...The cleaner the air will be."
"If there is someone who stinks...It's you." Replied the Sangheili.
"...*Sniff* Don't smell anything." Said Bartus.
"That's your own smell...Ask the human girl." Said Sako'Gamai.
"You will not!" Shouted Zazak.
"Quiet little one." Said the Sangheili.
"I'M NOT LITTLE! TAKE IT BACK!" Screamed Zazak.
"...No." Said Sako'Gamai. "It's a fact."
Zazak tried to jump on him but Sako'Gamai blocked him with his arm. Zazak moved his arm in the air and couldn't hit the Sangheili.
"Fact." Said Sako'Gamai.
Zazak eventually gave up when he was too exhausted.
"Fine...But it isn't over." Said Zazak. "Unggoy revenges will come soon."
"...HA!" Shouted Sako'Gamai. "With that voice...I am not afraid of you. Unggoy voices are not scary...Just laughable...And I almost never laugh."
"Agreed with you...But they can't be underestimating...His revenge cost me a lot." Said Bartus.
"...Okay...If you said so." Said Sako'Gamai.
"Alright...I'll prepare the food." Said Bartus. "Watch it stinky Sangheili because I won't explain it."
"I don't need explanation stinky Jiralhanae." Replied Sako'Gamai.
"You both repeat the same thing." Commented Zazak.
The 2 said nothing and Bartus started to prepare the food. He asked to bring some wood and after this he took a branch and started friction on the wood. After a few seconds, Bartus successfully started a fire.
"I do not understand how you have problem in survival tactic." Said Bartus. "I know Sangheili has talent for this."
"True...But it is made for the continent our kind live in...If you watch Sangheili carefully between me and those who lived in this continent...Our mandibles start to be a little different." Said Sako'Gamai.
"Evolution you mean." Said Zazak.
"Adaptation to a new environment." Said Yumil. "I know about that."
"Okay...Now we need to cut-" Bartus was cut by the sound of a blade.
"Already done." Said the Sangheili.
"..." Bartus said nothing. He took some wood stick and pierces the flesh of the beast and he cooked them. "Now we only need to wait."
"Alright." Said the 3 others.
During a few minutes, nothing is said and they just watched the fire cooking the meat.
"Mister Sangheili...Where do you plan to go next?" Asked Yumil.
"...Well...I was going to Sky city. I had finished a visit of the Cathedral." Said Sako'Gamai. "My reasons are not of your business of course."
"What a coincidence? We are also going to Sky city." Said Yumil.
"There is not a lot of choice when you go into the forest." Said the Sangheili. "But I am worried about the human girl."
"Hum...Why are you worried about me?" Asked Yumil.
"The forest is dangerous and you have no weapon to protect you...Also...The robe isn't a cloth to wear when you travel. You're giving sighs of settlement." Warned Sako'Gamai. "You are not a traveler right?"
"Well...I'm-" She was cut by Zazak.
"She's a woman who needed an escort to go to Sky city!" Shouted Zazak.
"Hum...If you said so." Said the Sangheili without really believing him.
"She is not use to traveling...But we will give her other clothes when we reach Sky city...More adapted for traveling." Said Bartus.
"True...Anyway...You're purpose is not my business...And even less about the reason you are escorting her... Jiralhanae." Said Sako'Gamai.
"His name is Bartus." Said Yumil. "My name is Yumil and the Unggoy and friend is Zazak."
"Oh yeah...I haven't present myself to you and the Jiralhanae never told you my name. I am a wandered. My name is Sako'Gamai." Said the Sangheili.
"It's a pleasure to see you." Said Yumil. She was the only glad to see him.
Zazak was cautious around him and Bartus just dislike him.
"I have a contract." Said Bartus returning to the subject of his purpose. "I'm paid to escort her."
"It makes sense." Said Sako'Gamai.
"So...Is it ready soon?" Asked Zazak.
"Almost...The smell isn't telling me it's cooked enough." Said Bartus.
"...You're kind have a good nose...So we can assume you are telling the true." Said Sako'Gamai.
The Sangheili looked at the food and he could fell the hunger.
"And...Ready." Said Bartus.
The 4 took the meat and they start eating.
"It's good." Said Yumil.
"Compare to what I usually eat...It is good for something we eat after killing it." Said Zazak. "I don't try to be difficult."
Bartus just smirked at him.
"Not mad. I'm used to hunt and survive. I am often on the move and I don't care as long as it is food." Said Bartus.
"Not bad...For a Jiralhanae cooking." Said Sako'Gamai. "I will not bother you anymore tomorrow."
"Do you need help to find the bandit?" Asked Yumil.
"No." Said Sako'Gamai.
"...Yumil...I think it can be a good idea...I think I need some exercise." Said Bartus.
"What are you proposing?" Asked Sako'Gamai.
"We are going to the same place and we have some time to spare." Said Bartus. "Also...I know where the bandits can be found."
"...Alright." Said Sako'Gamai.
"First of all...Where did they steal your thing and how?" Asked Bartus.
"Well...It was yesterday...A little north of here near the road...I was camping there for the night and...I felt like I was about to burst from the inside and he ran behind a tree to...Pee." Said the Sangheili nervous.
"And this is when you were stolen." Finished Zazak. "Awkward."
"I know!" Said Sako'Gamai.
"Well...Do you accept the proposal?" Asked Bartus.
"Well...Since you want some action and I want my stuff back...Alright...It will be an interesting fight." Said Sako'Gamai.
"Don't expect too much from bandit." Said Bartus.
"I won't." Said Sako'Gamai.
"WAIT!" Screamed Zazak. "You're going to put Yumil at risk?"
"Well...She is the one who wanted to help him." Said Bartus.
"We cannot put her in danger!" Shouted Zazak. "What if the bandit kidnaps her?"
"They won't because you will protect her." Said Bartus. "You will remain hidden when we hunt those bandits...I don't think she wants to see what we will do."
"It's okay Zazak." Said Yumil. "I will be careful and you will be protecting me."
"But...But..." Zazak pulled his pipes.
"You are a little too much excited Unggoy." Said Sako'Gamai. "Just like a little bug."
"Little..." Said Zazak.
"Alright...Time to sleep." Said Sako'Gamai.
"I will have my revenge one day." Said Zazak showing his fist in the air.
"Keep telling that. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ." Said the Sangheili before falling asleep.
...
"He fall asleep fast." Said Bartus.
"That...Sangheili douchebag." Grunted the Unggoy before falling asleep.
"At least he forgot panicking." Smirked Bartus.
"Alright...I'll be sleeping..." Yumil putted her head on the ground and she fell asleep.
"Well...We forgot to give order of who's watching this night...Anyway...I always woke up when danger is near...And I hope I will not stand corrected." Said Bartus.
He closed his eyes and felt asleep.
AC: Chapter 10 is over.
Chapter 11: Bandit hunt.
