What do you know about the two cities since you have to go to both?" Kiuga asked after staring at the map. "What about the security system and shifts?"

"Sagiri shook his head. The South really kept a tight lipped kin.

"They are impenetrable, unlike Alika and Ko’alsi. Everyone who enters has to speak one of the four southern languages. They have an identification of tribe and a clan identification with a chief’s stamp." N’varu said, and everyone sighed.

"What are the South keeping in the cities?" Kolu shook his head.

"Well, you can’t blame us after we let you come into our walls and you slaughtered an entire tribe and its thirteen clans!" N’varu snapped. Everyone went silent for a little while.

"What is he talking about?" Lotaga asked.

"Sagiri’s clan, the north, slaughtered all of it, and he is the last one left." N’varu shook with rage.

"So that is the person you want to balance scales with?" Salka asked, seemingly in deep thought.

"I will balance the scales even if one breath is left in my lungs," Sagiri said. "But that is mine to do. Right now I have to go to the capital. N’varu let it go for now. We will settle the scales after this." Sagiri said, calmer than everyone had expected. Perhaps too calm.

"As far as I can see, breaking in won’t get you far," Kiuga said.

"Then what do you expect me to do?"

"Walk through the front door," Kiuga said, and Sagiri’s pupils dropped.

"You might still be suffering from the Boni valley stupidity," Sagiri said, but Kiuga did not seem offended.

"N’varu, you seem to know better about these cities. Will you tell me more about them?" Kiuga said.

"You expect me to tell a future Tagayia general about the south. So you can wipe out more clans..." N’varu started.

"Tell him," Sagiri said.

"You are making the wrong decision."

"I believe everyone is a friend. Killing a friend is better than killing an enemy I don’t know. Tell him," Sagiri insisted.

"You speak as if you have grown a decade since you went south," Lotaga said.

"You should take his example and grow up, too," Yavaga said.

"I will put you two on pet tending duty if you don’t shut up." Salka snapped at his two grown kids. That is what they seemed like. "Nvaru. You can trust my squad won’t say a word of this."

There was silence as all eyes fell on N’varu.

"The South survives because of Thazir and Azareen. Those two capitals make invasion almost impossible." He dragged a finger across the map that Sagiri’s scouts had drawn. "This is not exactly accurate. Thazir sits in the western stone ranges. To reach it, you have to pass through canyon systems so tight that large formations can’t even deploy properly. The roads twist between cliffs hundreds of feet high, and every section above those paths is fortified. Archers, artillery, kill slots carved directly into the rock. An army marching toward Thazir is exposed the entire way while the defenders remain protected inside the mountain itself. And even if someone survives that, the city walls are layered upward into the cliffs. You don’t breach Thazir in one attack. You have to climb it while being crushed from above. Simply putting it is impossible to break in, even if you have the map. You will need at least an amount of fifty thousand to make it to the city walls."

"Wow," Kolu said, licking his lips as if the information was exciting

His finger moves east to the undrawn part of the page.

"Azareen protects the eastern side of the South. The city sits beyond the deep desert of the east, and the desert is part of the defense. There are only a few stable approaches large enough for armies to cross, and the south controls every one of them. Wells are hidden or sealed. Supply routes are monitored constantly by the desert guardian. He is another deadly opponent. If an invading force loses direction out there, they die before seeing the city." He tapped the map again. "Then there’s the wall system. Azareen isn’t protected by one wall. It’s protected by several defensive rings built across elevated ground. Every layer forces attackers into open killing fields overlooked by towers and heavy weapons. Retreat becomes difficult once you enter those layers because the paths behind you can be sealed." N’varu said proudly. No one really loved his homeland more than him.

It was clear that everyone around the fire had never heard of such information, and they were amazed.

He folded his hands and stepped back slightly.

"That’s why nobody invades the South directly anymore. Even if the South tries, they will fail. They were only able to touch N’folu because they did not live in the city. They hated cities and lived up north peacefully. If Thazir breaks the armies before they can enter from the west. Azareen starves them before they can enter from the east." N’varu finished stepping back.

"I don’t think breaking in is possible," Zazarie said. "That is suicide."

"Just like I thought, the south is like an onion or like nvaru. full of secrets but never talking about them. Sagiri, you will have to walk through the front gate. They are scared of you but have not made a deal. If you pretend that you are on their side or strike a deal, then you can have the man you seek without getting hurt. Once we get inside the city, I will help you come up with another plan." Kiuga said.

"What do you mean by ’we’?"

"You said I’ll become a general. I have to make sure you don’t die. We have two more weeks before the merit collecting exercise comes to an end. I will come with you." Kiuga said.

"These kids!" Salka said, but did not make a move to stop Kiuga.

"I am coming too, then," Kaka said, looking away slightly.

"I can’t let an Asakana out-merit me. I am coming." Maita said, and Banga nodded. It was the same old same ole. Had they not learned anything?

The chain went on until everyone was in.

"I guess I am coming too," Lotaga said, and Salka split his head in half.

"I can turn a blind eye to the warrior initiates, but you are always with me. You can’t act recklessly."

Hold up. I did say you can come with me. Has everyone gone mad?!" Sagiri snapped. "If I am going through the front gate alone, then I go alone."

"When they asked you to go alone, they by all means did not mean for you to show up alone. We ten can be considered not a threat." Kiuga said, standing up. "I can’t rest for a day, even before I have to lead another suicide mission. Perhaps they should call me the suicide mission strategist in the future.

"I have not agreed..."

"We have to prepare, then we can’t go looking like this," Nvaru said.

"We can pass for Tatani. It’s good that you went with them south." Bukata said.

They were all ignoring Sagiri as if they could not hear whatever he was saying.

Damnes squad 25, he had almost forgotten how persistent they could be.

"I did not hear any of this conversation. You have to be back before the two weeks elapse. I almost thought you were going to let your squadmate make a stupid decision alone. I don’t know if I am more proud that you are acting like a team or disappointed that you have to do everything suicidal." Salka said, getting up and turning to his squad. " We are behind schedule by a day. We should get moving back." He said.

He turned to look at Sagiri.

"Good to see you again, kid. Now think twice before you do anything." Is all he said before he turned around, and the four with him followed after saying their farewells.

Well, they did not leave before Lotaga squeezed him into another crushing hug that had Kaka looking nauseated. Salka had to turn back and pull him away before the five disappeared.