THE LAST KEEPER

Chapter 234. THE REUNION I

You don’t have to work for them. If you are doing it for us, then we don’t deserve it." Bakuru said. That was a week ago when they had been brought to one of the shadow corps fortresses.

"Yes, Sagi, it’s parents who should protect their kids, not the other way around," Rusha agreed. She looked to have aged a little and thinned a bit since Sagiri last saw her. Bakuru looked even guiltier. He reeked of guilt so much so it was hard to ignore. She always called him by half his name. Sagiri had never understood it before, but now it made him feel warm.

"They will use you as leverage," Sagiri said.

"Even better, because they won’t kill us even when you leave. They need to hold something dear over you. I am your mother, remember, and I am the toughest woman. No one can make me suffer." Rusha, even with tears in her eyes.

"I have no right to go south," Bakuru mumbled, the guilt he carried growing even bigger by the moment.

Wham!!

"Don’t be the rain on this sunny day!" Rusha slapped Bakuru across the head.

"Don’t mind your father, if you want us to come, I will drag him south myself," Rusha said, pulling sagiri into the sixth or seventh embrace since they met. Not that sagiri was complaining.

"You are one to talk, when you have not stopped smothering the boy. He is a man now, and your affection will make him soft." Bakuru said a little of the guilt was lifted. They were back to bickering like they always did, and the mood was much better than when they had first met. They both looked guilty and apologized over and over for failing to protect him and not telling him the truth about his origins sooner. He had told them it didn’t matter anymore over and over, but it was futile to try to stop Bakuru from apologizing and Rusha from weeping. It was followed by a series of tears from Rusha and an embrace enough to squeeze the life out of him. Men are not supposed to show too much affection, and so a pat from Bakuru to his head was as far as he could go. Rusha did not allow it, however, because he pulled them both into an embrace the second time. Perhaps it was to help Bakuru forcefully show affection.

"Are you saying he is less of a man now. And I am a bad mother for loving my child?" Rusha accused, and Bakuru gasped.

"I- stop twisting my words. Of course, you are the best mother." Bakuru had no choice but to give in and let Rusha squeeze sagiri into as many embraces as possible. Each one made him feel lighter, less angry, and more relaxed. It was perhaps good for him to see a familiar face. His parents could remain in Alika city henceforth. It was not comforting at all, but at least he knew they would be safe from other factions. If something happened to them in the city, at least he knew who to kill.

They had been allowed a day of reunion before they were taken out of the inner city to the outer city of Alika, where they would be staying. Since Rusha is a healer, an apothecary was set up as cover. Rusha still embraced him twice before she was peeled off him when it was time to part. It had to be done, however, because there was no other way. Even with her tiny form, it took Bakuru and another warrior to tear free of him. Such a fierce and feisty woman.

It was now a week since then, and it was time for another reunion. Even though they had come to an agreement that Sagiri could pick his own squad. Tsaka had still hand-picked an elite unit of thirty warriors to accompany them. They were to take instructions from him. Sagiri knew another reason they were there was to spy on him and send back intel to Tsaka.

The orientation week had elapsed, and Sagiri did not have to go all the way to the Lofekeni tribe to find Kiuga. His disguise by Tsaka was to dress him as a college instructor. A black combat suit with a red overcoat whose hood covered his head and face, and a veil to hide his face.

The four colleges are built between Ko’alsi and Alika city. The great collegium of Tagayia, involving the four colleges, is even bigger than the two cities. The four colleges are a city by themselves. They are so different yet the same. Each college is its own city, yet they are still conjoined together.

The Kavuraka war college. Its architecture is brutal and functional. Black stone walls rise in layered tiers, lined with training grounds, weapon forges, and combat arenas. The Zentara College, where historians, diplomats, and other studies outside of war, healing, and innovations took place, stood apart in both colour and structure. It is built in earthy colours. The Yakama Healing College also stood apart in its white colours to show the purity of the healers’ to save lives, and lastly, the Innovation College, the Kentu Innovation College. It’s an arrow symbol to show their determination to steer Tagayia to the next stage was attached to each of its building peaks. Its architecture is the most complex, and the red walls make it look like a red city. The black, green, and brown, white, and red colleges stand apart yet together.

Sagiri just had to convince Kiuga to go with him, and Tsaka and the mandra could take it from there to get him out of the college for a few days without affecting his training and record. Kiuga was already a genius, and it could only take him a few months to grasp all there was to be taught in college. The first part could be done and executed by him. It was up to him to convince his squad, and Tsaka could take it from there.

It was midday when Sagiri made it to the Great Collegium of Tagayia. It was not hard to enter the academy with his fake identity, but it was in no way easy to find who he wanted in the big city. There was no doubt that Kiuga would be in the war college.

The collegium was huge, and it made Galka look like a baby in comparison. The place could fit four cities, and it was a wonder how cadets would get from one building to another. Of course, there were untouched places and deep woods, even the colleges being stuck between two cities. Even moving at top speed from the southern gate, where the war college was, it took sagiri an hour to break into the first building. This was much tougher than he had imagined. He was used to kiuga’s presence, but finding him in the place was going to take him some time. Sagiri found himself perched on top of the tallest building of the war school a few hours later. It was as if Kiuga did not want to be found.

He stood under the now grey sky and pushed his senses out.

Come on, Kiuga! Where are you!

A few minutes later, Sagiri felt another familiar presence. Bingo!