A group of older boys and several adults stood vigilant on the high plataeu. Imass and Kobalt were among the dozen people present in the party watching the progress of the Fall Season’s Rite of Trial participants. Lurik was among the dozen hunters. He was Naeya’s younger brother and Imass’ peer. That was the major reason why Imass was even present. Kobalt, Naeya’s older brother, was present to witness his younger brother’s Trial as well. The rest of the Akalaks were watching their respective kin.
Looking down over the plains the hunt unfolded before their very eyes. Kobalt spoke, “Imass... they try for the Ba-ha-lan...” His eyes were glued to the scene and he spoke absent-mindedly.
The current hunting fad for the young Akalak boys was charging Alpha-male Glassbeaks head on. It was a brutal and quick hunt, but extremely effective. The Akalaks completed such feats not only for personal glory, but for racial pride as well; the blue-men were out to prove that they were the biggest and best hunters in the Sea of Grass. They would disregard the Glassbeak’s claim of dominance on the food chain and fight them honorably instead; the species would clash openly for the mere sake to test their own superiority. This idea was ingrained in the minds of the boys now on the Rite of Trial. Although they were hunting, it was the warrior’s mentality that lead to this fad.
Thus, the prevailing strategy they employed was known simply as “weave” or “Ba-ha-lan” in crude tukant warrior slang. A squad of swordsmen and a squad of lancers would charge a Glassbeak head on and cause the predator into a weave of assailants. The tactic was based on simple geometry; two lines of warriors took perpendicular angles as they charged the animal. This tactic forced the Glassbeak to chase only one group of horsemen. If executed correctly, the predator would be forced to choose an angle of pursuit that was perpendicular to the path of at least one squad (i.e. if the swordsman group gets attacked initially, the lancers would be in position to intercept the Glassbeak and vise versa). Bascially, the moment of contact was eight Akalak horsemen and a Glassbeak running in between each other at different angles and because of this image the strategy was named “weave”.
Imass responded some time later, for his attention too was on the hunt commencing below, “Yes... Lurik has already taken his position with bow... it is the Ba-ha-lan...”
Melee contact was very important for the Ba-ha-lan, however the job of the bowmen was much more crucial in the scheme. They were tasked with shooting the Glassbeak with a large, barbed arrow attached to a strong rope. One end of the rope was tied to the horseman’s saddle horn so that they could pull the line taut. When the Glassbeak was strung up and immobilized by strong horses. The only issue with the bowman’s job was that they only had one or two shoots and they needed to get extremely close to the Glassbeak and risk melee combat. This was no issue if the Ba-ha-lan was performed correctly.
At that point, the lancers would charge in and finish the kill by simultaneously piercing the predators neck and chest, aiming straight at the heart (the kids would want to keep the actual head preserved as a trophy no doubt). The battle between the two species was always dangerous, but even more risky if the proper angles were not taken by the horsemen. The hunt never lasted more than a chime before a bloody conclusion. Two dozen seconds of battle would be the most adrenaline filled moments of a young Akalak’s life. The battle would be over before anyone knew it and triumph waited the boys at the end of a spear point.
Secret :
The Rite of Trial participants were acting solely on their own and would receive no adult help in this hunt. Standing on the cliff, with his hand over his brow, Imass squinted to clarify his vision. The dozen fifteen year olds were forming a staggered line, which was not the conventional ‘weave’ technique taught by the adults.
Imass exclaimed, “Kobalt -- look -- they are lining up differently... what do you think they are going to try?”
“No choice.... two brood males are galloping...” the tall Akalak responded.
A league away on the flat plains where two Aplha male Glassbeaks charging straight for the group of hunters. Hunting down one Glassbeak was hard enough, but two enemies changed everything making the encounter twice as difficult. The boys would need to use all their wits in order to be successful. Even though the two Alpha’s were spotted by the hunting party five minutes earlier were fighting each other over dominance over a female and her brood, the participants decided to attack anyways. It was obvious they had devised some sort of alternate weave strategy to accomplish this task; perhaps a father taught a son an advanced tactic. Lurik and the boys were now faced with an extraordinarily intense and bloody hunt.
Imass knew exactly why the young boys would risk such a hunt though; the prestige from killing two alpha males at once would be great for each boy’s respective family. Lurik probably didn’t care much, but undoubtedly others would have pushed for such a confrontation. Imass, was had complete faith in Lurik. Although the kid was not terribly interested in such martial extreme, Imass was confident that Lurik would do anything to raise his family's status. In some ways the fame and triumph for such a battle was vital to the Akalak race. Imass and undoubtedly the rest of the Akalak present not only supported the participant’s decision, but understood the choice intimately.
“...they are going to spread the line out in order to account for two Glassbeaks... It is a bold, yet risky strategy...” Kobalt said when the group finally got in formation. Contact would happen any second now.
Secret :
The observation party stood silent. Imass held his breath.
The swordsmen raised gleaming blades high in the air, pushing their horses from a gallup to an all out sprint. Lances were slowly lowered into place as the riders thundered over the green fields. Bowmen, along with Lurik, aimed their cruel barbed arrows and clenched the horses hard at the knees. The whole party was in a full out charge as the gap between the two predators closed. The Glassbeaks sprinted almost twice the speed of the horsemen. Whether Naeya’s brother knew it or not, the next minute would be the defining moment in Lurik’s life so far.
“This is it!” Imass exclaimed. In less than a chime the battle would be over and it was sure to be bloody.
The two Glassbeaks ran together and would not separate until collision. The swordsmen chose their angles of pursuit; the first two swordsmen reined their beasts to the left at almost a forty five degree angle, while the second pair swooped in perpendicular to them trying to screen the Glassbeaks into their weave.
The two bird like predators suddenly crossed paths at speeds so quick the shock troopers could not react. The first pair passed in front of their prey, missing their mark by some yards. Luckily, this is where the Ba-ha-lan technique excelled; the second pair roared behind and made contact. The third swordsman raised his shield in protest to the bird’s tackling claws, but it was no use as he was thrown off his horse backwards into the dust. The second bird was not as lucky; the fourth swordsman heavily slashed his broadsword at the predator, effectively slowing it down.
Lurik and another bowman broke off and changed their angles of pursuit almost ninety degrees to the left. The second pair of bows continued charging in hopes to surround the Glassbeaks. The second bowman loosened his quarrel on the Glassbeak that had been cut; he was successful! Out of the dust charged the second Glassbeak taking an angle that crossed paths with Lurik.
“LURIK--” Kobalt screamed.
Another bowman loosed an arrow. Lurik tried to rear his horse to get out of the Glassbeaks way. The second animal was now held by two ropes. Lurik shot his weapon, but missed. The first group of swordsmen turned back to rejoin the fight. The lancers were but a second away. Without a moment’s pause, Lurik and his horse collided with the first Glassbeak. Naeya’s younger brother got flung off his horse and fell shoulder first into the dust.
Imass’ face turned pale with extreme panic when he saw Lurik fall.
Another arrow was loosened on the first beast and now he was held by one horse. The first pair of swordsmen charged into the cloud of dust in attempt to save Lurik. The Lancers arrived to stick the second Glassbeak that was being held down by the rope. Two more lancers entered the fray over Lurik’s fallen horse. There was a second of pure confusion, then the dust settled to reveal another successful kill. The group of spectators cheered...except for Imass and Kobalt, who watched in horror as Lurik and his horse laid motionless on the grassy plain.
Ten thousand emotions ran through Imass’s body like he was struck by greased lightning. He didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, scream, fight, cuss, or run; he was absolutely out of his mind. The whole battle only took a several brutal ticks and Imass was still trying to figure out what happened. One thing was for certain though, Lurik was not okay.
