CHAPTER 6 : GATHERING THE BRAVES

An arrow flew through the tall trees of the forest, went in between two branches which stir up some birds resting on it, the arrow flew over a small pond and started to descend sharply then it came into contact with a hand that suddenly captured it.

Looking at the arrow, a strong hand with veins protruding all over the arm squeezed it and dropped his hand down revealing a man in a long kaftan with short sleeves, a trouser, a black belt at his waist, a red long strong of cloth tied to his forehead and a silver ring on his finger indicating he is known other than the commander of the archers army, yusuf son of jatau.

Each division of army of hardrock has a commander and what they are specialized in. Commander yusuf is great archer and is good at catching loose arrows, that is stray arrows, targeted arrows, arrows aimed at him and even invisible arrow, arrows shot at night. He had an eye sight like none other and can sense things in the dark.

Earlier during the meeting with the king, kabeer ordered shamsuddeen to recruit his commanders for the up coming war. Shamsuddeen already recruited those men he need in his mind since from the time he heard about the war. He went to the archery camp to find yusuf but shamsuddeen was a person known for his testing ability.

He had to test his commander to see if he is still capable after years of peace, who knows whether he have slack down. Shamsuddeen asked for the arrow to be shot at yusuf and it got caught by the commander. Commander yusuf was at the top of the list.

*

A bullet hit a target, followed by three more with each hitting the target directly. Lieutenant yusuf was in his training outfit, a black shirt and an army trouser. From the distance of twenty five feet, he hit the target successfully and a thin smile appeared at the corner of his lips. Just then, he saw the field marshal. Whatever brought the field marshal there must be extremely important. However, he had to impress the marshal.

Taking up the gun again, he reloaded it and ordered a soldier who was standing beside him to blindfold him. The soldier brought out a black cloth and tied it around the lieutenants eyes. Yusuf put up is hands slowly aiming at his target, his hand tightening around the trigger, he pull back on the safety and when he was ready, he squeezed the trigger.

A soft sound snapped through the air due to the gun has a silencer, the bullet hit the target straight. Lieutenant yusuf was known for his mysterious target skills. He hits his target from every distance. The field marshal smiled.

The wind blows slowly twirling the leaves of the trees in the forest in the dark. A blindfolded man held a spear vertically, standing quietly as his ears picking up every sound from the surroundings. The quack of a crow, the screech of an owl, the movement of the nocturnal animals and insects then....

A man flew from nowhere attacking the blindfolded man. The two engulfed in a tight battle of spears and all of sudden, the blindfolded man threw his attacker on the ground, aiming his sharp spear at the man's throat. He shot the spear backwards, hitting the target on the tree which was hundred feet from where he stood. The blindfold was off, revealing the man behind it.

Commander of the spear piercers army, ibn muttaqa, known for his ruthless spear piercing ability makes him the next on the general's list.

*

Many army trucks were deposited everywhere in the base practice field and a man was underneath one of the trucks, fixing the engine from below.

"Always beneath the iron, aren't you, lieutenant?"

Quickly sliding out from beneath the truck, ibn muttaqa saw two legs and he quickly stood up and saluted.

"General of the army, field marshal shamsuddeen, general khalid, sir!" he saluted both his superiors.

Yes! This lieutenant has always been beside shamsuddeen no matter what mission they go to. He doesn't ask questions but execute the mission. He's always successful and when he hold a gun, shamsuddeen had to reminisce on how ibn muttaqa scattered an army of rogues who have been disturbing the northern part of rock country. He was given the permission of shoot to kill and executed it madly. He could work with him.

Ten horsemen were running with full speed across a wide field, racing to reach a stop point set at the end of the field with a cloth to mark the spot. Each of them gave their energy, their sweat, canning their horses to make them run faster to achieve their goal, as they were approaching their stop point full of hope, a horseman sped up through them, reached the stop point, take off the mark, raising the cloth high in victory with front legs of his horse up in the air.

The other horsemen resigned in defeat. Who can match the great commander of the horse riders sadi ubandoma, whose speed was like a lightening, he was the fastest person ever known when riding a horse. No man can beat him in horse racing and his horse is the most strongest and fastest ever which made him next on the general's list.

*

Speeding up a long lone road, two army bikes were tearing the street in a race with each opponent hot side but side with each other. The heavy bikes groaned along the road and their riders kept increasing speed trying to get ahead of each other. They were approaching the end of the road which leads into a great fall. The first guy looked at the other guy in panic. Did this person see that! Why is he still increasing his speed? The other person was in no way giving up.

Just as the tarred road came to an end, it wouldn't be long before the fall. The first guy gave up. It is not worth risking his life with this man that care less about himself. So damn ruthless and too dangerous. He came to a halt and the other person sped up like lightening, he suddenly hit the brakes which make the sand to rise up filling everywhere with dust.

The first biker dropped from his bike in haste and anxiety, running towards the dust, trying to locate his opponent, hoping against hope that the madman didn't went over the fall. He was even known to be called mad colonel. Now you see. As he approached the fall, the dust was almost clear and he halted.

The view was spectacular. He saw the lieutenant colonel sitting on his bike with the hind tyre of the bike tilted up high in the air, the man was looking like a hawk perched on a tree, looking dangerously at his prey. Suddenly the tyre dropped down and his gaze landed on the private. How his heart beat, hoping that the colonel have no more other dangerous ideas in his head. Such is a man, the dangerous lieutenant colonel ubandoma which qualified him to be in the general's list.