Chapter 9

THE DAY became hotter, making Yric sweat a lot. He wasn’t complaining, even though he was wearing a thick sweater. The heat would never end. But a lot of townsfolk still gathered.

Wiping the sweat on his forehead, he gazed at the wide-open area in front of him. People were preparing for the parade to start, wearing their masks in distinct colors and shapes. In the very middle of the ground, bulky half-naked men carried drums attached to their hips. Their hands moved in unison. They made loud thumping sounds, filling the air while a group of women sings with their hearts out. The women wore white long dresses touching the grass.

The bands looked like a cult in his eyes, which creeps him out. But he still looked at them without moving where he was standing. He ignored the lingering feeling on the back of his neck.

His two friends checked the stalls near the old two-story building. He didn’t go with his friends since he felt tired all over his body.

The land where the start of the parad