บท 49: The Centrak Horses
"Indeed. That is why I'm not a chief but a lord."
Silence reigned, and the captives looked at the old woman anxiously. They could tell she was slowly getting to Asher's bottom line, and their saviour would quickly turn to become their killers if things were not restructured.
"What do you want?" Katarain asked.
"I want a trade, but if things get out of hand, I have an army to protect me."
Katarina slowly narrowed her eyes.
"I believe an outlander lord like you must have heard of the clan's powerful horse, the very reason that the Bashan clan has the strongest cavalry in the southern part of the basin. You want the Centrak Steed for your cavalry?"
Asher squinted. "The Centrak steed?"
"They have heavy-muscled bodies, dwarfing all the horses I've seen throughout my life. The centrak's hide is also thicker than any other, with defensive horn-like protrusions along their legs and for the males, adoring their heads.
These powerful horses can only be found in the Bashan clan, and they have all been domesticated and are not for trade because they are prized possessions of the clan and are for their warriors solely."
Katarina exhaled.
"You can't get a centrak unless you do it the hard way." She concluded.
Asher entwined his fingers. "You just told me about a mount that I could use to form a powerful heavy cavalry, and then you suddenly ended up saying I can't trade for it. You want me to fight the Bashan clan."
Katarina chuckled.
"I never said that."
"You did not have to. But I have no plans of fighting any clan if we can collaborate in peace. War is a last option."
Asher got to his feet.
"As you can see, I have hundreds to feed and cannot afford more mouths, so... tell me one thing that will make me accommodate you."
A gleam flashed through Katarina's eyes. Perhaps she was wrong about Asher's leadership capability. Although he was young, he was as decisive as a mature ruler.
"I know a chief who will be willing to trade centraks with you."
Asher, who was about to walk away, turned back.
He smiled.
"Good. You'll lead us there by sunrise."
They retreated back to the camp, and Asher went into his tent. He was already making plans in his head about what he would trade to get some centraks. He had seen the character display of the centrak steed before he transmigrated into the realistic version of Boundless.
It was until Katarina began to describe it exactly as it was written in the descriptions that he remembered. Centraks were indeed treasured, high-quality mounts, but he never knew it was hidden in Bashan.
And a Centrak had a nature-given armored body. Their hides were thick, and the horn-like protrusions made them a great nightmare to other cavalries.
Once he changed the Bladebreakers horses for the Centraks, it would officially birth an abominable land force that would match the elite forces of apex powers in Tenaria.
This would make him a step closer to becoming a great Ashbourne lord, regaining their honor and surpassing their peak!
The tent curtain opened, and a blonde-haired woman walked in with a washbowl. "Welcome back, My Lord." She said it with a soft, comforting tone.
Asher turned toward Cynthia.
"Where have you been? Eritrea had to serve me because you were not in your duty post."
Cynthia bowed her head.
"I was supervising the meals before they were served, and Miss Eritrea was persistent, so I made the mistake of allowing her."
Cynthia replied with her head lowered.
Asher approached her and tilted his head before taking the towel in the washbowl to clean his face.
"I will need your clothes, Your Lordship."
"I'll send them to you later." Asher said as he waved his hands dismissively. Many things had happened today, and he needed some time alone to ponder.
Thinking alone helps him sort things out and also makes him calm. It was a habit he developed in his college years, and it helped him in the creation of Boundless.
"Kelvin kept that in your luggage. He wanted you to see them for yourself, but you haven't opened it since we left the stronghold."
Asher looked at where Cynthia pointed and saw a leather pouch.
He knew that Cynthia was trying to redeem herself, for she felt he was angry at her.
He walked over to the pouch, loosened the rope, and poured the content on his palm. Fiery red gemstones came out.
These were fire elemental stones!
They were found in the exact spot where the drake slept.
Asher counted 15 stones.
As rare as these stones were, only mages and master-grade apothecaries could use them. Aside from that, the stones were almost useless.
"When will you eat?" Cynthia asked.
"At first light."
Creases appeared on her forehead, but she bit her lower lip, bowed, and left the tent.
Asher dropped the stones and went straight to his bed. He stared at the ceiling for some time before he fell asleep.
....
A pair of dull golden eyes opened and saw a thick fog had covered everywhere. He looked down and saw snow!
"Am I in a dream?" Asher cocked his head. "I'm clearly not in a dream, or I would not have asked myself that question. But if this isn't a dream, where am I, and why is there still snow?"
"You're in the spirit domain, and also in the past."
Hearing that familiar voice, Asher turned to the 7-foot-tall man who had his arms crossed with a small smile on his face.
It was Atticus.
"It's you."
Atticus raised an eyebrow when he heard Asher's tone. "My mother cast you out of your space, and I knew you would feel bad, so I came to encourage you, but you don't seem to acknowledge this grace I chose to give."
"Apologies."
Asher bowed.
Atticus approached him and patted his shoulder. "Impressing the dread knight won't be possible at your level. Her idol was Lord Zenas. Any other was inferior. Why do you think she had no friends?"
"I did not exist in her time, Lord Atticus. But she referred to me as Asher. She did not acknowledge me as an Ashbourne."
Asher said solemnly.
"You have potential, and I'm here to guide you so you won't make the same mistake as I did. None of them are happy with you going into Bashan because they think you'll end up like me, but I believe Bashan has more than the high plains put together."
"What am I going to face at Bashan?" Asher asked.
"Death."
Atticus' response made his eyebrows furrow.
"If you want to conquer, prepare to handle crises and deaths and not flip like you did. Your talent grants you access into the spiritual world. Don't play with it before you wake up and find out you've slaughtered every breathing thing. Lessons will be gradual, but for now, I want you to have a glimpse of my battle skill."
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