By Eddlynn Jennifer Mangaoang
Please do not repost or copy to another site. Thank you. Enjoy reading.
"Jebal!" A shout reverberates through the clearing. His leader angles the spear in his hand and thrusts toward the boar's eye. He misses. He calls out again, "Pull yourself together and get up! We need your help! Deo! If he doesn't get up by himself, then leave him to die!"
Jebal snaps out of his stupor and takes his bow. He nods at Deo before rejoining the battle. However, it seems they're bound to lose. "Rami!" He shouts when he sees the high-level summon tosses his friend to the nearby birch.
Ingkantado iti bakir, denggen ak kuma
Dagitoy lanut iti dagam
Pagsardengen na atoy naatap a baboy
Jebal and the hunters stop on their tracks as they witness vines crawl towards the boar and hold it in place. A figure rushes past them then jumps forward over six feet. She raises her silver-bodied sword high and poises as though she will slash the boar in half; however before the cold blade touches the boar's skin, it disappears, and the vines holding it in place fell from the gravity.
The female in white, loose sleeves shirt and black cotton pants sighs. A teenage boy in similar clothing, with spiky chestnut brown hair, and a pubescent girl wearing a knee-length yellow balloon skirt and yellow ribbon tie, join her. The boy waves a magic staff - he must have cast a barrier spell since Jebal can't hear anything they're saying. They exchange some words with each other then slowly turn to the group of men gawking at them.
"Hello," Hamina smiles and tries to approach them. As she takes a step forward, she notices their suspicious glare.
"Who are you, kids?" the leader frowns and brands his makeshift weapon, a hoe he uses when farming. "What are you doing in the forest?"
Abagat snorts and swings his halberd smugly at them. The halberd is unique and contains three small octagon-cut turkesa at the base of the axhead and another bigger, circular cut on the body of the hook. The blades are sharp and on the axhead, there's are a swirl-like shape that looks like a wind or cloud symbol carved out. It's also throbbing with power. "Is this how you treat people who saved you? How rude."
"Y-you!" Jebal points at him; incensed and a bit embarrassed. Ifufe kicks Abagat behind his left knee and smiles at them as her older brother falls to his knees. "Please forgive him," eyes gaze at them innocently, "he's an idiot. My name is Ifufe. She's Hamina, and that," she jerks her thumb at her brother, "is Abagat. We're siblings."
Leader steps forward and bows, "I'm Borga. We're from Sumana Village. May I ask what business you have in these woods?"
As if signaled to do so, every member of their group offers their own respect sending the three a half-bow which they too return.
"We apologize for butting in your battle earlier. We thought you might have needed help. If it weren't for us, the summoned creature might have not gotten away - as well as its summoner." Hamina finds a tree stump freshly created from the earlier battle and sits down. She gestures for others to do so as well. "As compensation, I can heal your wounds for you."
"No," Borga chooses to sit at the base of a tree while those who are wounded form a circle near Hamina, "Thank you for actually doing so. If it was not for your intervention, some, if not all, of us might end up dead."
Abagat leans on a tree trunk and closes his eyes. Ifufe turns her back and walks toward the sound of running water. When she comes back, she offers drinks to them.
"We are from Lireo Village on the other side of the mountain range," Hamina's hands glow over Jebal's injury. "Our elders told us to find a man named Ulap in Amari country. We've taken this route because it was easier to evade the south and we came upon such a dangerous battle."
"I've heard about what happened to Lireo Village," Borga offers his condolences. "Our Sumana had traded with them for decades now. We thought everyone died from the noble's attacks. To learn that some of you survived is a blessing."
"Thank you."
"No need for a thank you. I know it's been hard for the northern Irunians because of the civil war happening right now in your country, and to think that a total annihilation of one of their villages can actually incite a civil war - well, it's been a long time coming."
Jebal listens to his leader talk. He is eighteen when the civil war in the neighboring country started - just about a year or so ago, and he really doesn't care too much about it as long as his country is not affected, but then the southern Irunians start sending spies and soldiers northward through the Tinago mountain ranges that border Amari and Iruna, and their Sumana Village is at the foot of the mentioned mountain. Their livelihood includes hunting, but their usual hunting grounds become more dangerous since an Irunian summoner who is hiding within the forest's foliage lets loose his summoned boar beast and frightens the smaller, lower-level beasts around. About a month ago, the summoned beast starts attacking villagers who come to hunt.
Reminded that the root of their problem is an Irunian like the person who just healed his injury, Jebal gets angry, "I don't know what you Irunians think you're doing in other people's territory but get out-"
"Jebal!" Borga barks.
"But, leader!" He stomps his way in front of him. "They're creating trouble for us! It's been a while since we caught anything in these woods and the winter is nearing! We wouldn't have any meat if that happens."
"These kids are not at fault, and you know it!" Borga also straightens to his feet to smack him, but Hamina is quick to calm him.
"None of that, Sir Borga," she says, putting herself between them. "I don't want you undoing my work. It's okay." She turns to Jebal, "I'm sorry for whatever my fellow Irunians are doing that causes you so much trouble, but in truth, my siblings and I have been in isolation for a year and we only heard about the war when we came out. Right now, we're trying to look for Elder Ulap, but once we've accomplished our goal, we will be joining the northern Irunians in suppressing the crown and its southern allies. I hope you understand that in no way do we associate ourselves with whoever causing you hardships, and we offer our services hoping to capture this summoner."
"Thank you for your offer," Borga says. "The sun is climbing down. Please, I offer you a place in our village. We can also talk about Sir Ulap and other things."
Hamina smiles and her siblings join her side. "Thank you. I do have a lot of questions."
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