Chapter 6: Chapter 6

• 3^rd Person POV

Although it feels like minutes, the conversation between Tianyu and Maleah aided with the translator Chrys took around one and a half hour.

Surprisingly, the flow of the negotiation is smoother than what Chrys expected when he listens to Tianyu’s story as he deeply thought.

(“No wonder… to think they have undergone such tragedy”)

Chrys looks at Tianyu in pity remembering the circumstances that befell upon them. It turns out, Heavenly Sky Sect is one of the ‘righteous’ sect. What Tianyu have told him & Maleah is that, there are ‘internal’ problems that resulted in them moving away from Eastania to stay safe.

(“What he meant by ‘internal’ is most probably a betrayal”)

That’s what Chrys has concluded. Judging by the tense expression and deeply rooted anger upon Tianyu recalling his experience when he told the story.

At the end of the negotiation, both party have agreed in the terms & conditions all of it are written on a vellum paper in both language of Airun and Eastania.

Within that contract, in summary. All twenty Eastanians will be regarded as refuges and be given free accommodation in turn, they will be stationed as workers in Vogun underneath Itgul as their supervisor. Depending on their specific skillsets, they are either going to be the guards / watchers, hunters, and maybe labour helper.

Maleah made eye contact with Chrys for a split second while showing her grin as the negotiation is finished with Tianyu being escorted outside by watchers to their tent near the hunter’s guild.

Chrys knew what that ‘grin’ means.

(“Sigh… ‘Free Labour’ that’s what she meant”)

Chrys sighed internally facing the cheeky grin of Maleah although… Chrys do agree & think that the agreement between the two is fair for both party.

In this case, Itgul will help them grow strong and possibly independent. While also helps the short man-power that the hunter’s guild will have in the future regarding the migration of Gastodons.

In addition, knowing that Leo is going to inherit the head of the tribe seat sooner or later. Which means he couldn’t go to hunting excursions to help with the guild.

“That’s the end of that negotiations, now… what about that mark?”

Maleah’s head tilt to Francis’ direction in which the professor elicit several small coughs before continuing the topic.

“The reason that we haven’t felt the presence of deities in Airun is simple. Its because this continent was devastated by the ‘Gods’ wrath’.”

Francis said as a matter of fact, the older generations of people understood it with their heads nodding to him.

Leo too follow suit as he remembered what Maleah had taught him.

(“Gods’ wrath… The hag told me that it happened a millennia ago. A bit faded in my memory since I was half-asleep that time during her teachings but in short before Vogun has established themselves here. There was several dwellers in this place called ‘Deep folk’ they did something that angered the gods resulting in Airun becoming a wasteland. That’s why the deities left this land to rot.”)

The calamity that hit Airun completely demolish any mana in the land resulting in that wasteland & deserts. Francis continues to speak…

“Until this day, no one knows what the ‘deep folk’ had done to anger the deities. So, Maleah I suggest be careful dealing with the curse marked slave but knowing you though… that’s a futile effort on my part.”

That’s the last of Francis’ opinion with the council think about this situation carefully. Though not for long with Francis already predicted what Maleah would do. She points to one of the watcher stationed near the entrance of the tent.

“Go and bring him in”

The guards came outside the tent and from that, the council can hear the rattling chains slowly getting louder.

Entering the tent, is a human male probably around in late twenties or early thirties in age. His body have numerous scars in which Maleah detected as cut marks rather than whips in addition, several burn marks as well.

He have short unkempt black hair that sticking to his face due to sweat and grime. His pitch black eyes gazes his surrounding in the council’s tent. Just as him seeing the entirety of the council, the members also closely observe him.

They began to notice his curse mark as it is displayed right on his chest since the ragged brown tunic, he’s wearing have a large tear showing the mark.

The mark or symbol depicted a blackened five-headed draconic like creature with its wings unfold. Just staring at that mark exude an eerie feeling. But Maleah continue her stern gaze to that slave.

Until she speaks…

“Where are you from?”

Maleah voice is stern and uncompromising, her intimidating posture would cause the hardened guards to shiver yet he didn’t react to it at all rather his gaze landed to Maleah with dead eyes for few seconds then began to open his mouth.

As the slave tries to speak, no voice coming from his throat even if the visible muscles in his throat contracts

Maleah’s eyes twitched seeing this happening before her. Then glances to Francis with the professor put his right thumb below his lip. That’s the usual gesture when he’s thinking.

Maleah raises her hand making a gesture to stop with the slave closed his mouth and looked at Itgul and her son. Those stares elicit a hidden message.

(‘Observe him’)

Leo and Itgul nods replying to Maleah’s message with the pair landed their gaze on that man arms and legs. Making sure there’s no hidden weapon or flaw on the chains just in case it can be broken instantaneously for an ambush.

Upon confirming that there’s no such thing as that, the two replied to Maleah by making a hand gesture. That’s a hunter’s signal that she’s familiar with knowing her past as if saying ‘It’s safe’

In which, she nods before asking a question to that man.

“Are you able to write?”

She made a gesture as some workers bring vellum paper and writing tools in front of the table near the slave. Even with the restriction on his arms and legs, he should be able to manoeuvre his wrist just enough to write. As the man moves forward and picked up the writing tool.

He began to write something for several seconds then put it right next to the paper after he’s done writing.

(“He can write…”)

Maleah thought upon seeing it and made a gesture to bring the paper to her.

It’s written…

{I… don’t remember who I am. When I woke up, I was in a vast port with these restrains on me and sent to this place}

Upon reading that, Maleah looks confused albeit she did not showed it explicitly as she send the paper to Francis with the professor read them and his eyes widened for a split second.

Seeing that reaction, Maleah made her decision as she declared.

“We’ll call you ‘Black’ and for now, you will be under Francis’. Any complains?”

Maleah voice resounded in the tent with her looking at the rest of the council. Francis himself agrees to her suggestion and the others as well.

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It is a logical choice, Francis has proven to be knowledge able in terms of mysterious forces known as magic in this world. Including the deities and their curses or blessings as such he is the perfect choice to contain and learn what kind of curse that’s been inflicted to this poor man.

Maleah made a hand gesture to the two guardsmen near the entrance of the tent as they come and escorted that man to Francis’ and Cecilia’s extension tent where they also took patients. Since Cecilia is in charge of medicine, she too would be a tremendous help in solving this case.

After that man left the tent, Maleah asked Francis.

“What are you thinking, Francis?”

The old man rubbed his under chin as he regulated his thoughts, after few seconds have passed. He began to speak.

“I believe in this case, Black have multi-layered curse in him. The one that made him unable to speak would be the ‘Curse of Silence’ a somewhat ‘common’ based curse in the cases that I’ve read and witness.”

Francis went into deep contemplation after ending that first speech before starting again with uncertainty.

“As for the case when he didn’t remember who he is, that might be another layer of the curse. I haven’t encounter any of them in my lifetime. But I am sure I am capable of figuring this out as time goes by”

Francis nod to himself seeminglu confident on his knowledge about the deities & their mysterious powers.

“Alright…”

Maleah said without further ado as she started to discuss with the entire council about what’s going on in Airun. Especially the appearances of new water sources & emergence of mana. In hopes of getting feedback ideas from them.

Although it needs several years to go by before it finally taken any major effects. Nevertheless, Maleah asked for further preparations just in case that powerful beasts have mutated due to the mana and decided to attack Vogun.

Francis and Cecilia will do some further research regarding the changes in the beasts’ behaviour and possibly new plant life that would emerge from these newfound oases that could be useful for the hunters that provide food for Vogun.

Itgul was given a task to enhance the security within Vogun and sent their scouts to observe the wildlife, and record for any changes that they have found.

Chrys will try to procure more resources such as ores, recruiting manpower for the crafting district of Vogun, and tries to establish more comfortable relation with the refuges.

Since he knew little about Eastania’s distinct ‘Martial Arts’. He hopes that the information he gained from establishing friendlier relation with them could allow cultural exchange and maybe it would helped the hunters in gaining strength against the unknown dangers that would occur from this mana emergence.

In turn he will work with Itgul to handle the refuges. Last but not least, would be Leo and his personal group of hunters will try to integrate Eastanians and possibly personally interacted with them since they are on the same age group after all.

--

Meanwhile, Chen Tianyu entered the rectangular tent in the residential district of Vogun. It is fairly standard barracks copying what the hunters used to do.

Across as far as eye can see, there are hammocks with poles from animal bones splayed out ready to be used for resting. It is adequately comfortable but not luxurious that Chen have experienced before when he’s back in the capital city of Eastania (Yichen).

His sect, the heavenly sky sect was one of the five great righteous clan of Eastania’s Murim world. But… their clan have been betrayed by the other sects.

(“They aren’t what the rumours told us”)

He thought….since Chen was raised, he’s always told that people of Airun are savages, ruthless, and murderous. Yet, what he’s experienced here are completely different.

In fact, his clanmates are given free lodgings and their demand is just helping the hunter’s guild. The guards although look intimidating. He could tell that they show no bloodlust rather just normal wariness on foreigners.

He walked to one of the hammock as he sat down to the soft fabric.

“Sigh…”

Tension leave his body as he sighed to the air, his taut shoulder slumped down as he relaxes and built his thoughts.

He recalls the guards and other people when he passes through the district within Vogun as he concluded something.

(“They have trained themselves in ‘External Arts’ extremely powerful one at that. I’m not even sure I could defeat them using both of my ‘Internal Arts’ and ‘External Arts’ combined. Especially…”)

He thought about Maleah, the chieftain of Vogun. In his mind, scenarios of battle popped up in his head about him fighting against her and ultimately the result would’ve been a total lost against her.

Before he can further his thoughts though a voice cut his train of thought.

“Elder brother!”

That cheerful and relieved voice reverberate through the tent.

Appearing after the tent flaps open are several figures of human male & female wearing the same garb as him. Although they are in different states of damage, cut marks, scorched, and frayed.

The one that called ‘Elder Brother’ is a female figure younger than Chen probably by 5 years as himself is around 28 years old in human age.

She has lean but built body focusing on agility and flexibility. Her movement is well practiced making no sound at all upon walking.

“Are you alright? Did they do something to you?”

She’s clearly concerned about him who faced with the council on his own. But he reassured her that nothing major happened and relay what has been agreed upon including his own experience encountering the council members.

All twenty members listened to Chen’s explanations as he’s the first disciple of the heavenly sky sect and all the elders have been exterminated so he’s the de facto leader of the clan.

“It seems I was wrong thinking about Vogun would be the land of barbarians.”

Upon he said that, most members nod to him agreeing to what they have experienced. Most of the citizens here are friendly or at least neutral occasionally telling them where to get water, where to shop for things, and get the most delicious food even with broken speech.

Some even say they would stay in Vogun if they are that friendly. Upon hearing that though, Chen’s expression changes as if he’s shouldered & thinking something heavy. He asked something towards the group of people in front of him.

“It seems, things are going to get a bit different from now on. Are you still going to follow me to the end?”

He asked that with slight uncertainty, he had a massive goal at the end. That would be gaining enough strength until he can return to Eastania and topple the traitors down. It isn’t an easy task knowing how powerful those traitors. That’s the reason why he asked that.

But he didn’t anticipate the replies.

“We will follow you to the end!”

All of the twenty members perform a salute that’s characteristic of the heavenly sky sect. That act alone touched his heart. A surge of joy and relief rushed into him as he gives a rare smile to the others.

(“I can trust them with my life”)

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