Red Chronicles - New Exodus

Chapter 20. Down the river

After we ate, Kira changed the bandage on my forehead. I didn't even notice I had it there. Also my taste was dull. Others went to build a raft, but when I wanted to get up and help, Kira wouldn't let me. And truth be told I don't think I would be able to help anyway.

I could move but it was weird. I couldn't trust my body. Everything I did was so clumsy that I rather just sat there and watched them.

I can't say I felt uncomfortable. Others worked and I could sit back and relax. Damn, for a few seconds I thought it would be nice to be like this more often, but I was bored in a few minutes and couldn't wait for them to finish.

Taranis was chopping the trees and Kerim was dragging them to Arnos who cleared them from the branches. Elira and Kira then tied them together with ropes. Shame they spent all the good ropes for this but as I heard Swergids have a good ropes so we could buy some there. After all they live in the trees so I guess they must know how to make a good rope.

After two hours the raft was done. I still couldn't move well, but I managed to walk to the raft. It was a tipsy walk, but at least I could do it on my own. That was a good sign that the antidote was working well.

We all sat on the raft and Kerim shoved us off the shore. Raft was stable. Big enough for all of us and it floated well. Wori is a strong river and it carried us fast. Kerim was using a long branch to shove us of the river's bedrock.

In a three hours we got to Lareboss and passed through the city part where Wori crosses it letting all citizens to look at us with amusement.

We paid the toll when we were crossing the river border gate and continued on our journey. We couldn't tell the difference between Gistor and Swergid kingdom when we passed the border. It looked almost the same.

It is like that because Swergids and Gistors were at war a few centuries ago. And since Gistors were always ferocious warriors, Swergids suffered heavy territorial losses in this war. They were pushed back to forests and they've made use of it.

Gistors couldn't stand a chance against their stealthy ambushes. Never attack Swergid in the woods. That is a war wisdom that was passed down by generations of generals.

Swergids actually do not have a big army. Compared to Gistor army it is ten times smaller. But they are so skilled in terrain and survival that their only strategy is to get pushed back to forests. After that they stay there and after nightfall they send out their assassins which cause causalities to enemy by poisoning their supplies.

If enemy doesn't want to be slowly defeated then he will have to go in to the woods. And that will be his end. This was a reason why Gistors set the forests on fire when they were at war. The fire managed to destroy a portion of initial forests near borders, but Swergids managed to control it and after that their king went out to fight Gistors.

Swergid king is actually a person we were looking for. Because Swergid king is the last Noar Giant. I am not kidding. Swergid's rule system is democratic monarchy which means the king makes all the decisions, but people choose him or her from among the competitors for the crown. They also have parliament that consists of one person from each region of the kingdom.

There is hundred and twenty seven regions here so they have as many ministers. Work of each of them is to collect petitions, make records of all regions needs and to judge criminals of the region.

It works like this for over seven centuries and they are prospering. In the time of war if the main defense fails Giant comes from his fortress and joins the fight. They made a huge plated armor for him. He is like a force of nature if he is in it.