Chapter 4

"THE next time I hear you going after those women in Kozania, you will have your horns removed," I threatened him. I know that it is an insult and shame on their kind to have their horns removed and I would never hold back again once he angers me and repeats his wrongdoings. The next time we meet, will also be the last. 

I stood and got back to my comrades but his words stopped me.

"You think I'm gonna follow what you're blabbering out here? I will capture who I wanna capture because they are weak and have no leader to protect them. Like your kind."

I frowned at what he said. Once again, I come to where he is now standing, still struggling because of the injuries I gave him.

"Me. I will be the one who will save every citizen of Kozania. Those who perish on your hands, a disgusting man like you," I said in gritted teeth and gave him a hard blow of a punch in the face that made him unconscious. He fell to the ground. 

I sighed. A long and deep one to relieve my growing wrath because of what he just said. Truths are really hard to swallow.

Kozania is one of the three kingdoms that fell after the war. The war that is ignited because of greed. They all want power and the throne. But that is not a valid reason to kill us. Normal citizens like us have rights too. We have rights to live freely in the hands of scums like them, the cruel Losairon. In this world, people should have a taste of freedom, a chance to defend ourselves and our kind. 

"I have no reason to have you alive if not for your purpose in the future," I muttered under my breath while glaring at his unconscious body lying on the floor.

I fastly got back to my comrades using my agility. The enemies are all done and the women are being freed by Matias and Suri from the chains that bind them. 

"Safe! The women are safe!" said Vivi while settling to my left shoulder. 

"We are raiding the auction," I unconsciously told them. With his head nearly falling, Matias looked at my direction rapidly. Wondering if I am being serious or not. Well, he should. That auction is highly guarded. Full of creatures with extraordinary powers. They are monsters. It is suicide. 

"You are not being serious, right? We are not capable and you know it, Aliara. They are far more powerful than all of us combined. And the visitors, you forgot them or something?"

"We can, Matias. We can take them down if we have the right plan," I said persuading them. "And one more thing, we have the strength. Just have to train it more. We have a chance. I know we can do it."

Palming his head while he shook it, he walked in circles in front of me, feeling restless. Feels like he is thinking deeply. I watched him until he stopped and stared at me for a moment. Seems to me that he is contemplating the odds and our advantages. Our comrades are just waiting for us to decide.

"Alright, they ready for morning body aches?" he said pertaining to the men staring at us, our comrades. I just nodded to him while eyeing each one of them to see if there was any disagreement with my decision.

I will never let anyone from Kozania be captured. To be sold again to those inhuman nobles and royals who felt bored of their fortune and decided to spend it the wrong way. We are long gone past that. We are never going to suffer on their hands again. It is time we stand up and go against them. Time for a change. I cannot swallow any of this anymore. I will start with taking down the auction and bar that Dardo has been so proud of.

"We are going to do our plan on the next full moon," I announced full of determination, watching the gleaming moon above us. They all shared a stare and eventually nodded to us as a sign of agreement.

"On the full moon! On the full moon!" Vivi said while flying around my head countless times. I lift my arm and let him settle there. 

Indeed, Vivi. Let us attack them on the full moon. We will slowly eradicate the cruelty of this kingdom.

IT IS early in the morning when we have finally arrived at our lair, which is near the center of Kozania. We were welcomed by more of our comrades. Hurisa hurriedly came to my way briskly as she saw me, the oldest of us, and the one who watched me grow.

We are ages apart yet our looks differ only in the slightest like we are of the same age. The time that we set foot here on Exo Losairos, at the age of eighteen, aging will be slower than usual. Even if you reach hundreds of years, wrinkles on the skin will come slower.

"How was your trip, Aliara?" She held my hand to assist me down the horse, one of the two horses from the Vendantes we brought home. 

"We saved the women from them yet they do not want to come here," I reported.

Sighing as I toured my eyes around my comrades who were happily welcomed by their family. Exhaust is visible on them, all of us were, but the joy of coming home is still dominating on their smiles. "I did not convince them to come. There is nothing to do here. Even our resources are still insufficient for all of us. We were all going to starve if we have not enough fortune," I sighed again as I looked at her.

"Do not be too hard on yourself and think of those problems alone, Aliara. I am positive that they have chosen the right path for themselves." She looked at our comrades. "Many of our kind were working hard to make a living. For their family."

"But it is still lacking, Hurisa. The lands in Kozania were almost dead. Almost. How can we live like that? Are you not worried about the future?" Maybe if the lands here are still bountiful, they do not need to go outside Kozania to work. We can live off farming and planting but no, in this state, we have to work harder than others to earn money and buy food from the neighboring kingdoms. In addition to that, there is no one here that has a power to liven up the lands. To give life to it and be useful again for crops and other plants.

"Someday, Aliara, our kingdom will rise again. I assure you," she told me as if to guarantee that the near future will be for us. She held my arms and gently smiled at me.

"And I will make sure to make it happen, Hurisa," I said, determined. I moved my sight again to our little town and shifted my attention to Hurisa. I got the bag of coined silver and gold, which came from Dardo, from my waist and gave it to her. "Use this to buy the food that will be distributed to all of them."

She smiled as she happily received the bag of money and then nodded. The food that will be given to them was supposed to last a few days in the least on that one bag of money. That is enough to get us by for a little while.

"Miss!" With smiles on their faces, the children who were playing around approached me. They gave me the only remaining kind of flower that the land of Kozania can retain. This flower is pretty rare considering the dying land of this kingdom. There are also trees which cannot bear any fruits. This land has no hope. For now.