Murim Recurve

Chapter 103 - Surviving From A Gaze

"Everyone, head into the shelters!" Re'Rak shouted, watching all the soldiers under him retreat into the wooden bunkers they had created. Once they entered them, they pulled in a rectangular vessel—that was filled with rainwater—over the bunkers. The Water Qi in it acted as a form of defence against the Kalhas.

Moreover, it prevented the Kalhas from sensing their presences. The Kalhas were sensitive to the presence of other creatures. Whenever a creature gazed at them, irrespective of the method employed, they would sense it and reverse trace it to the source. Moreover, they were able to transmit their attack through any means of perception. It was one of the reasons they were feared the most.

Re'Rak entered a tower they had created. It was a large container, sporting double walls; their inside was filled to the brim by water. Re'Rak and a team of ten soldiers entered it, quickly taking up positions within. They closed the entrance at the top with a vessel that conformed to the ceiling's shape, filled with rainwater.

There was a gear affixed at the bottom that a team of two soldiers began to rotate immediately. There were altogether 36 holes near the top of the tower, spanning its circumference. This allowed them to see the outside in every direction.

But, it was dangerous considering the Kalhas were on the move. As the soldiers spun the gear, a thin veil of water flowed over the holes, acting as a blanket. There were also wooden plates attached next to each hole to be slid over when they were not in use.

This was to prevent perceiving the Kalhas by mistake or causing them to enter within.

There was a semi-circular platform at the top where Re'Rak and two other soldiers stood. They closed all the holes for the time being. One of the soldiers lifted a bucket—filled to the brim with water.

Collected on the floor, below the rotating gear was rainwater. The remainder of the soldiers were ready on the platform above it, holding buckets filled with water each.

The second soldier beside Re'Rak fitted himself within an apparatus, clamping his hands into it. He could still move his wrists and touch each other, but he couldn't bring them close to his head. The apparatus locked him in a stiff position; a gear attached at its base allowed him to turn a full circle.

And, his eyes were aligned with the holes; he was the scout that was about to gaze outside and keep track of the situation. Otherwise, they wouldn't know about the activities of the Kalhas.

The Kalhas could control every being whose eyes they had burrowed into. So, there was a considerable chance they would stomp through their defences using the beasts they controlled. Once their defences were breached, they too would fall under the control of the Kalhas.

That was why they had erected this tower. It was to observe the movements of the Kalhas and relay instructions to the army accordingly. They had done it twice before and were glad it worked without a hitch.

Their army wasn't imposing size-wise, only numbering in the five thousand. But, they had more than 100 Harmonisers. So, in times of need, they could put up a fight accordingly.

Everything would be easy as long as they knew where to attack. It was why the soldiers in the tower were risking their lives for.

"Are you ready?" Re'Rak looked at the soldier strapped to the apparatus, seeing the other party filled with resolute fighting spirit.

"My lord, if I am unable to endure, please give me an honourable death." The soldier smiled.

"You have my word." Re'Rak patted his shoulder, making eye contact with the soldier standing nearby—with a bucket—as he muttered, "Look at the west first."

"Yes," The soldier took in a deep breath as Re'Rak condensed a thin lens of water, fitting it within a hole as he opened its cover. The soldier stared with widened eyes, gazing at the eye cluster and their movements, taking everything of note within the instant of duration available to him. The instant he gazed at them, the eye cluster looked back at him.

The soldier became dazed as his hands tried to move towards his eyes. But, his hands remained stiff, unable to close in on his eyes; a bucket full of water poured over him. Thanks to the angle of the splash, the water went into his eyes, nose and mouth, causing the soldier to cough as he regained clarity.

Re'Rak had long since closed the hole shut. The water lens he created had two purposes: one, to allow the soldier to gaze afar with clarity and two, to filter out the potency of the Kalhas' gaze while also preventing their scent and sound to travel within.

It took him three breaths before the soldier regained enough clarity of mind to convey the message, "They are battling the 100 Punous in the area. The Punous are blasting their breath attacks into the sky and are whittling down the Kalhas. But within 10 breaths, they would start to fall within the control of the Kalhas. It seems they plan to breach the city walls and invade using the beasts."

"Good job." Re'Rak patted his shoulder, commanding a soldier stationed at the bottom to relay the message to the troops as he said, "Now, let's look at the north."

"Yes," The soldier took in a deep breath, turning the apparatus as he positioned himself before the hole pointing north. A soldier from below passed on another bucket—filled to the brim with rainwater.

Re'Rak condensed the water lens before the hole as he pulled open its cover, allowing the soldier to see everything that happened beyond. The curvature of the lens gave him a wider scope. This time, the Kalhas he saw were already controlling some animals and hence, were a tad slower to gaze his way.

The moment his eyes widened, a bucket of water was poured over him, causing him to return to normal after a couple of breaths. Re'Rak swiftly closed the hole as he sighed in relief, hearing the soldier say, "A large cloud of Kalhas is within our attacking range."

"Great!" Re'Rak clapped, transmitting the message to the rest of his troops as he seemed intent to annihilate them.