Connecting Dots

Chapter 14
The Rutero chieftain, Err Seldam, had something weird wrapped in the cloak of time.

His exact age was unknown, but it was said that he has lived for generations before the current generation.

Despite this, he didn’t look frail.

He looked like a man in his sixties, of medium build, with graying hair hidden beneath his tribe's traditional headband, a long gray beard that touched his chest, and black eyes that were as sharp as a hawk.

Err Seldam drove everyone out of the tent with a simple gesture, leaving only himself, Karyan, and Radoff.

As the tent flap returned to its place, leaving the three of them, the chief stroked his beard attentively, his eyes never leaving Karyan.

"I know what you're asking," he began, his voice steady and seemed to be filled with ancient wisdom. "Ordas Bermund... She is indeed a Ruteron."

Karyan's breath caught in his throat.

Apparently, the assassin was not lying, at least about her name.

Err Seldam continued, his gaze stayed the same. "Ordas has always been a mystery, even to our own tribe. She left our tribe many years ago, seeking power and knowledge beyond our borders. The woman you know as Ordas Bermund is a shadow of the Ordas I once knew."

Karyan clenched his fists. "She told me, she was just a hired gun. But she wouldn't say who sent her."

"We do work as hired killers, Karyan. But there's something people never know. We are very selective about the job. We will only kill someone if the reason is absolute justice. If an innocent child is killed and the mother wants to take revenge, we will do it. But, if someone wants to kill someone else to take away their property, we won't do it. But as you know.... " Err Seldam sighed. "The Ruteron tribes that live separately have different principles. Perhaps Ordas has different principles from us as well."

"So... there is nothing you can do to help me find out who paid Ordas?"

Err Seldam looked at Karyan with softened eyes. "Tell me, is the woman Ordas targeted dead?"

Karyan shook his head. "No."
The chieftain nodded. "Who is she to you, your wife?"

Karyan's face flushed. "That is not our concept, Err. Wolves do not marry like humans, but become mates. Nalani was sent to me to be my mate.

Err Seldam nodded. "If she is not dead, I cannot hold an extraordinary trial for Ordas," he said. "All I can suggest is that you get her to confess somehow. But I, on behalf of my tribe, would be most grateful if you did not kill her."

"But, Err... you are the Knower of the Universe. Can you give me an answer as to why someone is after Nalani?”

Err Seldam sighed deeply. "Your partner is a special woman. I can only tell you that, because the Universe still wants to hold her secret."

Radoff shifted uneasily, the weight of the revelation pressing down on him as well.

Karyan stepped closer to Err Seldam, his pupils turned bigger. "Then tell me how to protect it. How to keep her safe?"

"She is already under safe protection. In your hands."

***
Karyan had been friends with Err Seldam for a very long time. He was 10 years old when he ran away from home. He was lost in an unknown wilderness, as a hungry and frightened little wolf.

For days he was lost in the forest and finally lay weak and waiting to die under a tree until Err Seldam found him.

He was nursed back to health and returned to the wolves' territory. Two years later, Karyan got lost again because he was too busy playing with tracks.

This time he got lost with his best friend, Radoff. Without realizing it, his instincts led him to the forest of the Routeron again, the Ruteron territory guards recognized him and took him to their settlement.

Err Seldam fed them in his tent.

“Do you know the legends of my people, Karyan?” the chieftain asked, his voice was like a deep, resonant tone that drew attention.

Karyan shook his head. “I know some parts, but not the whole story.”

The chief nodded, as if he had expected this.

He gestured for Karyan to sit on the cushion in front of him. Radoff remained standing near the entrance. Since childhood, he has always positioned himself as Karyan’s bodyguard.

“Long ago, my people, the Ruteron, lived across the great ocean,” the chief began. “We came from a vast plain dominated by a colossal mountain, a mountain that had stood for thousands of years. It is our protector, our god, and our destiny.”

The chief paused for a moment, his eyes were as distant as if seeing the events unfolding before him. “One day, the mountain erupted with fury. Fire and ash rained down, obliterating everything in its path. Those who survived the initial disaster fled on the backs of giant eagles, birds of incredible size and strength that carried us across the ocean to safety.”

Karyan listened intently, the story conjuring up vivid images in his mind. He could almost see the eagles towering over the turbulent ocean, carrying the remnants of a once great nation into the unknown.

“We landed in different places, scattered and alone,” the chief continued. “But over time, we found each other and settled in this land, which we now call home. However, not all of us chose to reunite. Some tribes prefer to seclude themselves, settling in unclaimed territories, living in secrecy.”

The chieftain’s eyes sharpened as he focused on Karyan. “This history is not only the story of our past, but also a lesson in resilience and unity. We are a people of survival, Karyan. And that survival always comes at a price.”
Karyan always remembered the story, and the chief’s sad face bore the weight of the memories of his ancestors.

This time the same sadness appeared on that face. Karyan didn’t understand why the chief should feel burdened by his reasonable question about Nalani.

The chief stood up, signaling the end of their discussion for now. “I can say no more. Whatever forces seek to harm her, they must fear what she represents. And if she truly is the key to something greater, her safety comes first.”

Karyan rose and bowed in respect. “Very well. Thank you for your wisdom.”

As Karyan and Radoff left the tent, the weight of the chief’s words still tightened his shoulders.

Karyan’s mind was drowning, but one thing was clear: Nalani was more than just a pawn in his game.