Before this feeling could get out of hand, Sol stopped and said to the boy.
“Amon, I really can’t go to the temple today.”
The little boy named Amon turned and asked with a disappointed look.
“Why? Why can’t you just come to the temple? Do you know what the other kids are saying behind your back? They’re making fun of you saying you’re scared and you’re not the strongest in our village anymore. And even though your father has been the village’s guardian for so long, they’re saying they don’t need him anymore because we have the church so he should leave. After so long of him protecting us how could they say such things? It’s so frustrating listening to them! You need to come to the temple big brother Sol so they can stop…Sniffle…”
As Amon spoke, he became emotional and began to tear up.
Sol saw this and smiled before he bent down to pat Amon on his head.
“It’s okay Amon, I don’t mind what they say about me. But I’m glad that you’ll get this upset on my behalf.”
“Big brother Sol, boss Amon doesn’t just get upset and cry like this on your behalf, he also picks fights with the other kids!”
Amon hearing this suddenly glared at the boy who said that and yelled.
“Bah, I’m not crying! Who’s crying? It’s dirt that got caught in my eyes! And so what if I beat up those ungrateful losers? I’ll fight anyone who talks badly about big brother Sol!”
Sol hearing this immediately shook his head and said. .
“No matter what, we come from the same village so you can’t fight with your fellow tribesmen, even if it’s for my sake. Do you understand?”
Amon frowned, but when he saw Sol’s serious expression he reluctantly nodded, and so did the other kids.
“Alright, it’s almost time for morning prayer so don’t be late.”
“Ah!”
Amon suddenly remembered he had to go to morning prayer so he and the other kids rushed towards the temple.
“See you later big brother Sol!”
Amon turned and yelled from afar with his hand high above his head waving at Sol. The other kids followed his actions and Sol happily waved back at them.
After watching the kids being welcomed by a man in golden robes and entering the temple, Sol hefted the carrier on his back and began heading towards the village exit.
However, he suddenly paused and thought for a moment. Soon after, Sol continued walking but his destination changed. He instead began heading towards another direction that lead to the other side of the village.
….
…
..
In a large hall, several people could be seen sitting around a large rectangular table.
All of these people had complex green markings over their bodies that were exposed as they wore no upper wear. However, some hid these markings by wearing golden robes from the Church.
This caused a clear line to be seen between the people in this room, in addition to the fact that both parties were on the other side of the table.
The only one who had no markings on his bare chest was a man that looked to be in his mid to late twenties. He was sitting at the end of the table closer to the exit.
He was Sol’s father and the acting guardian of the village, or at least that was his title up until this point.
“Vice Chief Ro-Dune! What is the meaning of your words?!!”
A man with exposed markings that was close to the head of the table yelled and slammed his palm on the table. He was glaring at the middle-aged man dressed in fancy golden robes on the other side of the table.
Vice Chief Ro-Dune calmly repeated his words unperturbed.
“As I said, brother Han no longer needs to be our Village Guardian. After we join the Church fully we no longer need to be scared of the attacks of other villages and Ibbian Beasts.”
The man with the exposed markings narrowed his eyes and said.
“We are not going to join that outside force because even now their motives are unknown. Guardian Han is and always will be this village’s protector, and that’s final.”
The calm look on Vice Chief Ro-Dune’s face fell this time and he coldly uttered.
“Vice Chief Fogon, who are you to make anything final? Are you the village Chief?”
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through the room from Vice Chief Ro-Dune’s side.
“Ro-Dune, you have become too influenced by these outsiders, are you even fit to be a Vice Chief for this village anymore? You might as well leave and go join those outsider’s Church!”
Another gust of wind appeared in the hall on Vice Chief Fogon’s side.
Both of these winds were peaceful at first, but as they clashed the results were violent. A shockwave of wind blasted through the hall flapping the robes of the others in the hall.
A look of struggle appeared on everyone’s face, except Sol’s father Han Min. Ever since he sat down he hadn’t said a word. No, since the village Chief ignored his advice and allowed the Church to build their temples here, he haven’t uttered a word in the past two years they had these meetings. Not even once.
As the pressure became increasingly stronger from these two Vice Chiefs, an old man at the head of the table open his closes eyes and softly said.
“Enough the both of you.”
As the old man cracked his eyes open, a green light flickered in them and the intense pressure in the room was squashed by an invisible force.
Both Vice Chief Ro-Dune and Fogon’s bodies jerked when this happened.
“I apologize village Chief.”
“Forgive me village Chief.”
Ro-Dune and Fogon were heard apologizing right after.
With a sigh, the old man then raised his head to the ceiling and said.
“Guardian Han will continue to be our village’s protector.”
“But village Chief, the Church requested that-”
Doom.
Vice Chief Ro-Dune was about to object to the village Chief’s words, however, a terrifying aura suddenly leak out of the village Chief to wash over Ro-Dune.
This power was a Will and as it spread out, it merged with the surroundings.
The ground, the walls, and everything in the hall began to bend to this Will.
If the Will wanted them to break they would break. The same went for Ro-Dune as the Will enveloped him.
If the Will wanted him to die he would undoubtedly die.
This Will was the power of a village Chief, to be able to call upon the natural energy the Ibbians called Spirit Essence. However, this power was only granted to a village Chief, someone everyone in that village acknowledged.
However, a limitation of this power was that it can only be used inside that said village.
But even with that said, this ability the Ibbian Tribes possess was still absolutely terrifying. With this power, a village Chief was everything like a God in their village. Though only a select few can wield this power, those that have been acknowledged by the village Guardians to be selfless individuals that would use this power to protect the village.
However, this village had lost its guardian a long time ago. If it wasn’t for Han Min who came, their village would have probably been destroyed by Ibbian Beasts or swallowed up by another tribe; losing their tribal identities.
“Ro-Dune, are you a part of that Church, or are you a Vice Chief of this village?”
The village Chief’s voice softly spoke, but the feeling of death came ever closer towards Ro-Dune.