Preface

"How long have we been... ugh... going up?" The voice seemed to be drowned out by panting and the creaking sounds of the old cart.

— Konfe —said the rough voice with a tone of disappointment and anger— You look like a rookie! You haven't stopped asking me the same thing for hours! Ever since we started the stupid climb you've complained about everything, about the weather, about the height, that if you've been driving the cart for a long time, can you stop for a measly-?!

"Yishe!...it's...Because I've been the only one pushing the cart!" —. Konfe stopped her advance in his tracks, exhaling heavily, fixing his gaze of annoyance on his companion. It's more... You know what? I’m done!

—Tock! —The cart's handlebar made a dry sound as it hit the rocks on the ground, starting its retreat almost immediately, being ignored by Konfe who, with total indifference, looked for the nearest rock to sit on.

— What are you doing!? The whispers turned to muffled screeches as Yishe stumbled after the carriage, holding it by its hair, trying to keep it from rolling down the hill. — If we lose the materials, Urn is going to kill us! —

— And if I don't stop to rest, — the Kelifo said slowly, scratching her bare feet with one of her claws. —  I'm going to die, and Urn is only going to kill you... If the creatures around here don't do it first. But maybe that's what you want, right?!

-— What? Of course not! Just come and help me with this—

— Then keep quiet or you'll wake up half of the mountain! —  Those critters are not deaf, you know? — Konfe reclined his back — And for me, you can stay holding the cart for a while, show the famous resistance of your kind! As it seems you just have the bossy part.

— I’m not...! The cart gave way to gravity for a moment, causing Yishe to momentarily lose his balance, and almost lose his grip. Come here and help me! I can't hold this cart for long°. The being clenched her teeth, letting a drop of sweat run down the large petals that emerged from the skin of his green neck. "You said it yourself!" If we drop this, we're going to alert them that we're here, and if we don't, we're going to delay the mission and Urn's not going to like it at all.

— Well, look who's interested in the mission now, you didn't seem very interested in the entire trip... — The keliph narrowed her eyes, realizing something in her mind. —... Not even when they gave it to us now that I think about it.

Yishe sighed, taking time to reply, — It's not that I'm not interested in Konfe, it's just that... —

—  What? Are you afraid of being eaten by bugs or something? Did you forget to put repellent on you delicate petals? If you want some, I can lend you some… I think I brought a little. —  she said as she patted her brown leather bag.

— Konfe! He exclaimed frustrated, trying to speak. -  The thing is...-.

—Uh... — The Keliph nodded in understanding. —You wanted to stay with the little ones!... I understand, I understand. They sprouted recently, so I understand that you may be reluctant to take on such a dangerous mission. — — The keliph pointed with her index claw to the way they came — But you don't have to be worried, Urn always has the best plans! ... And, besides, somehow you must bring the bread to the table, right?? — Konfe chuckled a little — Hosher would probably cut you down if you arrived empty-handed — Konfe snapped his fingers and drew a big smile, as if he had remembered a good joke.

 Yishe, completely fed up with the conversation, and knowing the longevity of his partner's ravings, decided to focus on the cart, struggling and trying to move the heavy vehicle behind a tree. Efforts that did little more than tire and frustrate the already very desperate angioprosus, leading him to try with a last effort to use stones as a stop, a plan that he decided to quickly abandon when he felt his feet slip after raising his leg to push a rock towards the wheels.

— Oh! Do you remember that time they deducted our reward when we ended up burning down the entire garden of that landowner in Mumelo? — In the end, I didn't know who was redder, the burned garden... or that contractor? HA!  And do you remember? — Konfe's babble was barely understandable while the keliph tried to stifle her laughter in her mouth – And Urn... Oh, Demeris within him bless him. Do you remember what he said with that serious face while looking into his eyes? — The kelifo straightened her back, frowned, and formed a strange sneer with her mouth "A small price to pay for ridding us of the aberrations of your yard", Oh, Oh! And do you remember how, when he found out what happened, your husband sold all our clothes except for our pants and told us that if we were going to burn the money like cavemen, we better dress like them? —Konfe couldn't contain his laughter anymore— My Sun... I adore your husband.

Still holding the cart, Yishe's face was hidden behind his hand, while the petals on his neck turned tomato red. — Are you done yet?... because no, it has nothing to do with my children, nor some stupid insects. Yishe stopped for a moment to look at his partner, trying to figure out if she was playing a joke on him, but he continued seeing her oblivious face — Are you telling me that this is NOTHING weird? that nothing we're doing fazes you a bit? —

— N- nope ?" Nothing in particular, — Konfe said as she walked towards the cart, wiping his hands, bumping them into each other and preparing to grab the handlebars.

— seriously? Doesn't it seem strange to you that, first, a person would look for us directly without going through the guild first? Yishe raised his hands in question. —Second, that this person is a landowner from a small town that doesn't even appear on the map. —

Well, Yishe — She answered as She raised the cart —Obviously our fame has spread throughout the country, it is not uncommon that, with so much time in the business, people appear who want to use our services directly —.

Yishe pushed the cart, helping it pick up speed — I'm not saying it's unthinkable, but, usually when that happens, the contractors ask us directly, but from the guild, not with a letter without a return address and a meeting on a random bar —.

Konfe shrugged, tilting the cart suddenly, jerking the small ceramic urns back. — I don't blame him for wanting to remain anonymous, imagine what the townspeople would think of him if they knew he was spending tax money on something he should be able to do? Konfe shrank back. — I'd see him walkin’  right straight to a trial by fire. If I were him, I would hire the right people, completely anonymously and from the furthest damned place from my turf.

—That's the problem, we're not the right people!  send me to the Exile! We are damned exterminators, one thing are the offspring, but the government should take care of this, not a group of 3 people! —

The Keliph couldn't help but sigh in annoyance. "Yishe don't be so paranoid please, I already told you that Urn had a plan, besides it's nothing to worry about, after all, they're just a bunch of stubborn and underdeveloped...".

— Get down! —  The words whistled in the wind above Konfe's head, while the arrows that went straight to her neck passed by and broke against the stones in a loud CRACK. Yishe, who was the first to notice the movements in the trees, could hear the tightening of ropes and the hiss of arrows heading towards Konfe. Knowing that this she would not be able to dodge the attack, he pushed the cart in front of her, causing the keliph to lose her balance and fall under the cart.

—3 and 10 o'clock! — — He shouted, crouched on the back of the car, while listening how more of the arrows penetrated the car, breaking the ceramic jars and spilling the yellowish liquid kept inside – They are breaking the load, the sons of curses are breaking the load! —.

— I need a moment Yishe, you have to distract them! Konfe yelled from under the car, I need time to get ready! — Crack! Yishe could feel how more projectiles stabbed into the wood, each time getting closer to the rear.

—Whatever it is, do it quickly, they're approaching the rearguard, and they won't let m-  Crack! —. Cracking pottery and splintering wood were the sounds that greeted Yishe as he tried to stand up and take aim with his bow — They won't even let me aim! —

The pressure caused by the continuous rain of arrows did not stop falling, and Yishe could watch, helpless, as the shots were alternated by the wiggling of the tree branches, getting closer and closer to the sides of the cornered Angioprose.

"If I shoot the moment they jump, I could take one or two at most, and then the other side would have no problem filling me with holes before I can duck." His trembling hands clenched tightly on the arrows, covering himself with the sweat that was already running through his hands... — But, if I don't go out and do something — He swallowed hard — They'll kill us anyway!

 Crack, Crack, Crack! The arrows were getting closer and closer and Yishe knew he was running out of options, if he had any to begin with. Fear and shock prevented him from thinking clearly causing vague thoughts to plague his mind — I shouldn't have raised my voice so much, Konfe... Konfe was right... But this job was too much for us from the start! And now we're going to... to... Hosher, the children I...

May the calm engulf me if I'm not an idiot! — His hand made a dry sound as it crashed against his cheek — Come on Yishe, it's not time to make your prayers! You have to... you have to... Oh God in my body... I don't know what to do! Yishe slowly passed his trembling hand across his forehead, wiping away the sticky, greasy sweat that seemed to trickle down from the top of his head, bathing him in a strange smell. - What? What is this?... — Suddenly, Yishe opened his eyes wide open. With a sharp breath and turning to the contents of the cart in a divine inspiration, he knew what to do.

The shots rained down furiously, one after another, only pausing for the short moments when the assailants jumped from branch to branch, searching for their prey with murderous patience. Second by second the moment was imminent.

The sound of perpetual metal rain moved to the background in Yishe's head, who had no time to notice them, He couldn’t. —  Very close, they are very close. Jump... shoot. One jump left.” Yishe bit down as hard as he could on his jaw, driving the terror out of his teeth. "Come on... GO!... Jump!" —.

If the shooters could see it, it wasn't until too late, Yishe made sure of it.

The first urn went flying to the right. Like a torch, the burning piece of cloth served as an omen for what happened next. An incandescent light was the first to enter the scene, dazzling the entire terrain, blinding anyone slow enough not to close their eyes. Even so, this fact would prove to be insignificant, since it would only have served for the opening of the show just unleashed.