Chapter 9 - Pilgrim's Way

Six days ago; at the capital.

"So, our mission is to join with the rest of the group and find Izrik," Yiiq-Yin said.

"It would be just one mission if Izrik's group has already found Mingmei's group once we join them," Liam said with a sigh. There was something else bothering him and this time it's not Mingmei.

"I think it's best to catch up with Izrik before he joins with Mingmei's group. He might compromise their cover because he's traveling without a Writ of Passage," Yiiq-Yin concluded then suddenly stopped; there's a dark expression on his face that Liam immediately noticed. "I don't feel good about this thing with Izrik. If we're supposed to be the reinforcements in case Mingmei's team doesn't send an update in five days, that means all of this has been planned in advance, right?" he added as he turned to Liam.

"Yes, that's right," Liam replied in a soft voice and then nodded. There was a hint of understanding in his eyes like he already knew what Yiiq-Yin was going to say next.

"Then why didn't they give Izrik's writ in advance? What were they thinking? Wait five days before they give him the writ? Treat the guy like he's a very dangerous man and then expect him to be part of the reinforcement when things get dangerous for our friends?" Yiiq-Yin vented out. He shook his head in frustration. "One thing we're always made to understand in our clan; is that one mistake in the plan can compromise everyone involved. That is why security missions are always planned days ahead and then simulated multiple times to ensure its success," he explained. "If even just one thing messes up in the plan, the person that you're supposed to protect could lose their life as well as the lives of all the people that you assigned to the mission," Yiiq-Yin explained.

"I totally agree with you. I have the same thoughts. And you know what makes it all worse in my mind?" Liam asked in a serious tone.

"That Master Miramoto is supposed to be a genius as planning? That they even called him a prodigy?" Yiiq-Yin replied in a frustrated tone of voice. He sighed because he had the same thought as Liam.

"Exactly! He's the youngest ever to become a grandmaster, and not just any grandmaster, a Dragon Grandmaster," Yiiq-Yin pointed out. "He's supposed to be so good with combat and tactics that no one was even close to being a match to him during his time! And this is the best plan he can come up with?" he added with a frustrated shrug.

"Let's do this smart. I feel like there is a trap somewhere although I do not know for whom that trap is for," Liam said. "I'm just worried one or more of our friends might get caught in the trap or the crossfire," he added with a sigh.

"Or get used as a bait for whoever the trap was made for," Yiiq-Yin replied as he stared straight at Liam. They were both silent for a time. A shared silence that acknowledged the same thoughts and fears. What Yiiq-Yin suggested wasn't a welcome possibility.

"I agree. We need to determine which way they went. Let's split up and ask around. Someone might've seen one of them leaving the capital. If they were supposed to hide their identity, then they would be in a disguise," Liam said with a nod.

"And we both know who in our group doesn't have any patience for disguises," Yiiq-Yin replied. "We can cover more ground if we split up," he then suggested.

Liam agreed with a nod as he went the opposite direction. "Take north and west," he called after Yiiq-Yin as he went southward. He went past the Garden District and the Temple Way, walking fast. He finally slowed down as he approached the gate that opened to the Pilgrim's way. He then went into the nearest police station and had a conversation with the members of his clan that ran that station.

Yiiq-Yin walked north and spoke with the members of his clan that patrolled the northern gate. It was close to where his clan facilitates training for the wall guards. He didn't get any information about his friends. No one in that area saw his friends exit the northern gate. He thanked his clanmates and walked towards the western gate. As soon as he saw the cavalry running their drills, he understood that they would need to have horses if they wanted to catch up with their friends. Horses would surely be involved if Guunnar was involved. He spoke with the members of his clan that patrolled the area around that gate, but his inquiries were not fruitful once more. He then went back to their clan house which is close to the western gate of the city. He intended to get two horses for them to use on their mission.

Liam had better luck than Yiiq-Yin, someone in the precinct was sure that he saw Ianme exit from the gate and into the Pilgrim's Way a couple of days ago. However, no one else saw anyone else from his group that passed through the gate that exits to the Pilgrim's Way. He then wondered if anyone in the capital would know how Mingmei looked like now aside from members of her house. They were barely seven winters old when she was last seen outside their house. Liam wondered if anyone from the precinct knew how Mingmei looked like now, some of them thought that she died shortly after her twin did. Some thought that it was Mingmei who died and that it was Mingmai who lived.

Liam quickly understood that they were at a big disadvantage in case they need to track Mingmei or if she gets separated from the main group. He thanked the men in the precinct but walked right back in after he stood on the street for a brief period. He asked for a copy of a map of the kingdom. Being a precinct, they should have unused maps. One of the men went into the rear storage and took out an old map of the kingdom. Liam thanked them once more and then left. He went to the city gate the exits to the Pilgrim's Way and studied the map as people passed him by. A few minutes later, Yiiq-Yin arrived with two horses.

"Ianme went out of this gate, but not the others," Liam greeted Yiiq-Yin as he approached. He was not surprised to see him with two horses. "And you know what else I discovered?" he asked with a grin.

"What?" Yiiq-Yin asked curiously. He was already contemplating the possibility that they all took different gates when they left the capital.

"No one in the kingdom knows how Mingmei looks now aside from members of her house. If they went out of the capital in separate paths, there's no way that Mingmei would be recognized by anyone."

"You're right. And she likely dresses up differently now unlike Anika who dresses up the same way. Lynn doesn't dress up the same way too. It's like she's a completely new person now than before."

"But she's not. She still the same. Maybe even too much the same girl as when we were young," Liam replied with a slight smile. He watched Mingmei from a distance almost everyday but to him, she looks the same, only taller. What worries him is that Mingmei would definitely look differently if she now wears make up and accessories like the other girls of her age.

"Did you at least learn anything else that is not Mingmei-related?" Yiiq-Yin teased.

"If the objective is to keep their identities secret, we'd have to be ready to do that as well once we join up with them."

"Right. We wouldn't want to blow their cover."

"Therefore, if that is the objective, then they likely went to the Village of Ichonodo for a cleansing ritual," Liam suggested as he showed the map to his friend. "It's the closest village with a Cleansing Chamber," he added.

"We need to undergo a Cleansing Ritual too, then."

"We do. But we need to do it real fast. I doubt that either group would stay at Ichonodo for very long. There's a Tsuno-Aruma Clan house there; a headquarters for the Jerboa Clan, Hatokotei Clan, Mukade, and my clan. Not a good place to stay if you want to maintain your cover."

"Then we need to go with all speed to Yeongsong. It has a small trading hub, but big enough to allow everyone to resupply after the Cleansing Ritual but is away from any of the main roads," Yiiq-Yin suggested. He traced the roads on the map with his finger and then stopped at the small dot that represented Yeongsong.

"Yes. That would likely be where they would resupply. I am sure that Lynn or Mingmei would prefer to resupply somewhere else, but it wouldn't be safe for them to travel beyond Yeongsong without resupplying first."

"Right. Bandit territory."