Currently, the members of the Cutaina tribe are gathered around Damien in a big circle, cheering loudly. Upon hearing about his success and how he easily defeated the chieftain's son, the entire tribe becomes ecstatic.
Damien smiled brightly seeing everyone's reaction. ‘I am glad I helped them.’ he thought to himself.
Suddenly, however, he seemed to realize something and a serious look appeared on his face. ‘System, how long until the next event?’
“Responding to the user, the next system event is to be held in one week.” his expression immediately turned grave upon hearing this.
Looking all around him Damien spotted Aponi off to the side chatting happily with the old sage, making his way through the crowd of tribe members he called out to her. “Aponi!”
“Hmm?” Turning her head she saw Damien with a look of worry on his face “What’s the matter? Is the Unania trying something?” she asked adopting a serious expression of her own.
However, Damien simply nodded his head no making her sigh in relief. “I have to go, the next system event is in a week and I have someone to meet up with before that happens,” Damien stated while thinking about how Ela would react if he did not show up.
Aponi frowned at his words as she did not want him to leave, “Do you have to go?” she asked with an almost pleading look. Aponi knew she was being selfish but she wanted him to stay, she felt safe with him around.
“I'm sorry but yes I have to go,” Damien said while feeling a bit bad about having to leave, if he was not here the Unania tribe was sure to make a move.
Adopting a thoughtful expression he began to stroke his chin while trying to think of a solution…” Ah I have an idea.” he said aloud before taking something out and displaying it to the old sage and Aponi.
Glancing at the object the old sage’s eyes lit up, “Is this a map?!” he asked while staring at it like it was a family heirloom.
“Yeah it is a map, I plan on leaving it with you guys in case the Unania tribe attacks after I leave you can head to this town right here on the map,” Damien said while pointing at Newstar.
“Will you be there?” Aponi asked with a hopeful look.”
“No, I will not but one of my friends will be, once you reach the town ask to see Ruby and show her this map and tell her I was the one that gave it to you. That should be enough for her to take you into the town until I return.”
With that Damien handed the map over to the old sage believing him to be the best one to hold onto the map. “One last thing, when we were at the Unania tribe I sensed someone who was not among the crowd… they were stronger than the chieftain himself and had strength almost equivalent to my own.”
Hearing Damien’s words the old sage frowned deeply, “There is only one person who would be stronger than the chieftain in their tribe… someone I had believed to be dead.”
Aponi gasped at his words, “You could not possibly mean?”
“Looks like we will be heading to that town regardless of whether they attack or not, it is no longer safe to stay here when they have bad intentions towards our tribe especially after Damien hurt his son to such a degree.”
Damned nodded his head and wished them luck before saying goodbye to the tribe as a whole, he did not have much time and it would take a week to arrive at Owlshire if he went at his normal speed.
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Once he had bid everyone farewell Damien activated Lighting-fast and vanished only reappearing miles away from the tribe, glancing back slightly Damien could only hope that the tribe was able to take care of themselves.
***
While Damien was heading for Owlshire back at the tribes all hell was issuing, about an hour after his departure the Unania tribe showed up and demanded that they hand Damien over and that outsiders had no right to participate in the tribe's ordeals.
They had somehow figured out Damien had left and also that he was not a part of their tribe, Aponi and the old sage immediately jumped into action, while the old sage stalled Aponi was gathering their tribe and was preparing to use a technique that would transport them away from the area far enough to allow them to escape.
“I will not ask again old man, hand over the outsider. Should you do so your tribe's punishment will be lessened and you might preserve your lives.”
The old sage scoffed at his words and said, “Oh please little Hanti you know me well in that I would never sell someone who helped me out and besides the man you speak of is no outsider at least not to our tribe.”
Little Hanti or in this case the chieftain of the Unania tribes turned red at the old man's words, “I told you to stop calling me that!” he yelled in anger.
“I’ll call you whatever I want boy, now where is that old fart I know he is still alive have him come out and face me you’re not strong enough.”
Hanti began to shake with anger and his aura exploded out in all directions, “OLD MA-” Suddenly he was gripped by someone on the shoulder making him turn his head. Behind him stood another old man who was giving him an unreadable look.
“Go find that woman I will deal with him, you are not his match.” the newcomer stated with a blank expression.
Shaking the old man’s hand off his shoulder the chieftain grumbled to himself but did not dare refuse his orders and after giving the old sage one last hateful look he took off to the area below to search for Aponi.
“Long time no see brother.” the old sage said aloud while examining the man across from him.
“Indeed it has been a long time, I must say though you look horrible… Old age finally catching up I suppose?” the man responded with a smug look.
“Oh shut up you old fart acting like you are not even older than myself. Now tell me how are you still alive, I watched you die personally.”
“Ah, the million-dollar question? Well, I would tell you but where would be the fun in that it's better to leave you in wonder about how I achieved such a thing? Anyways how about you have a spar with your big bro? It’s been an extremely long time and I am itching to find out which one of us is stronger this time around.”
“I thought you would never ask.” The two men flashed in each other's direction and their fists collided against one another the area around them shook violently due to the force of the impact and the ground developed cracks.
The old sage covered his hand in a green aura and slammed it into his brothers making the man fly backward but remain relatively unharmed. With a crazed smile, he responded with an attack of his own and similar to the old sage covered his hand in an aura but instead of being green, the aura was pitch black.
Raising an eyebrow seeing the color of his brother's aura the old sage felt like he had seen it before however, he could not remember where and his brother was not going to give him time to ponder about it.
Fending off his brother's attack the old sage put two fingers up in front of his face and began to chant something aloud, green beings started to appear one after the other each holding various objects that Damien would have no way of recognizing.
“Ah wind elementals? It has been a long time since I’ve seen them. Let me show you my new friends in return. Once again the old sage's brother copied his actions but instead of the green beings appearing black skeletons started to crawl up from the ground.
A look of realization appeared on the old sage's face seeing this, “No… HOW DARE YOU?!”
Seeing the old sage’s reaction his brother started to laugh madly his laughter like that of Ahanu’s mist, cold and unfeeling.
“You thought you stopped me all those years ago? HAHAHA! It’s so funny, little did you know that your actions were what allowed me to achieve not only the thing you dreaded so much but also allowed me to be reborn!”
The old sage’s face turned grim and he glanced down at the area below him, ‘I hope she was able to get away in time.’
Looking back at his brother a tinge of sorrow appeared on his face, if only his brother had not turned out like this… “No matter, for going against the clan and down the forbidden path of necromancy I will personally see to it that you do not walk away from here alive.”
His brother smirked at his words seemingly unbothered, “I am going to enjoy this.”