Cossack opened his eyes and pushed himself off the ground with Violin and the old referee helping him. His abdomen clenched at the pain coming from his liver, and his legs were shaking and loose. The two carried him by the shoulders. "Come on. You need to rest." Violin said, "Let's go to the benches."
"Did you guys get shorter?"
"No, you got taller, and your green skin returned. And you got feathers growing behind your ears. You resemble our statues that houses the souls."
"Really?"
"Yeah, but let's not worry about that, let's get you rested first."
"No. The warclub, give it to me." Cossack took his arms off them and held his hands out.
"Are you sure?" Violin asked hesitantly.
"Yes," Cossack looked at his friend and smiled. "Sometimes, it's just not your day. Its no big deal." Despite the tip of his nose broken in half and pointing toward the sky, it still managed to twitch.
"Ok," Violin took out the Krepkiy Club tucked behind her. "Here," Tears began to gush out from her eyes. She quickly wiped them dry as they walk closer to the brothers.
Cossack stepped forward, facing Sun and his brothers celebrating their victory in the middle of the ring. Sun noticed him and stopped his brothers' merrymaking. Cossack presented Sun the Krepkiy Club. The warclub's bronze color coating shined brilliantly in the light of day, and the small blue jewel planted behind the cogs at the tip added a beautiful contrast to the club's orange hue. "This is the weapon and symbol of the Razin Chief, the Krepkiy Club." Cossack raised the weapon into the air, pointing the cog, which acts as the warclub's hammer, at the sky. "This warclub has been used by the Chiefs of Razin to defend our home for generations. Only those worthy to wield this weapon and have the conviction to protect our home can become the Chief. And today, I have lost that title and privilege, and it now goes to you." Cossack lowered the weapon and laid it on his hands, now clean of the purple poison. He presented the warclub to Sun, who happily rejected it.
"I'm not the one you should be giving that to." Sun stepped aside pointed at Smoke.
"What? Me?"
"Well, you're the one that won,"
"Yeah, but I was just substituting."
"No excuses. Now just take it, that way you'll know how hard it is to be a Chief."
"Hahaha! Alright," Smoke walked up to Cossack and grabbed the warclub. It was heavier than any weapons he held before, and the metal handle was cold and uninviting. "Woah, now this is heavy."
"Yes, it is. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to pack my things and take my leave. The head,
"Wait, what do you mean, take your leave."
"Well, I can't stay here. Razin does not need me, and I will only invite trouble if I stay."
"And you willingly leave your home," Sun said with sincerity.
"Where will you go?" Smoke asked.
Cossack was surprised to hear them ask him these questions. Why should they care where he should go? "I don't know, maybe join another tribe or live of the,"
Sun raised his hand, "Say no more! With Smoke leading Razin, I'm down one retainer. How about it?" Sun extended his hand to him, "Join my tribe."
"What?" Cossack, Violin, and the old referee yelled.
"You heard me."
"But aren't you staying here?" Violin.
"Yeah,"
"So wouldn't that mean he stay."
Shuja walked in on the conversation, looking impatient, "Look, are you going to accept or not!" she yelled.
"But aren't you going to torture him, kill him, humiliate him. Aren't you savages! The last time your tribe came here, you had our Chief dance like a fool naked for us to watch! What are you really planning."
"We plan to live here. And we're not Cala." Sun said. Our previous Chief ran away when a troll attacked our home. He was coward, and we're not cowards like him."
"And what happened to the troll."
"We killed it and the other two trolls that followed it," Rock said.
Cossack fell on his knee, shocked to hear the goblins in front of him, and the goblin he fought killed three trolls. "Why do you think we have so many red goblins, and me, and Smoke" Sun pointed at himself and his brother, "And we don't have a name for this form yet."
"So I never had a chance," Cossack whispered to himself.
"I wouldn't say that," Smoke reassured him, "I mean, we both turned into this for a reason, no?"
Cossack stared at his hand, which was no longer swollen and purple, "If you would allow me to stay with your tribe. Then I accept, but on one condition."
"And what's that," Sun asked.
"Can you help me heal someone. She can't walk anymore, but her injuries are still fresh. Maybe she can walk again. Can you help her?"
"Sure. lead the way." Mari walked up to the group. "I'm Mari, by the way, Sun's mother."
With Mari introducing herself and telling them of her healing abilities, Cossack's face began to light up with hope. Violin helped Cossack stand back up and ordered the old goblin to take both tribes to the center of their village. Sun had the Legions help keep the peace and order. Once the goblins formed an organized mob, they began to move with the Razin tribe's guards, and the Legions accompany them. There they will officially make Smoke the Chief before announcing the new order they will place in the Razin tribe.
Then Cossack and Violin led the brothers in the opposite direction, towards the foot of the hill. But before they could leave, Mari had to stop them. "Actually, before we go, Smoke, I think Cyrus needs you." The brothers stopped, and they saw Cyrus sitting in a fetal position with Natasha comforting her.
Smoke rushed to her side, "Mom, are you ok?"
"No, go away from, go away!" She yelled.
Smoke kneeled down embraced her, "Mom, it's ok. I'm not going to do anything." He could feel her body shiver when he touched her body. Her tail's fur puffed out, and her hair was a mess. "Mom, just look at me, please."
Cyrus hesitated to release her grip, but eventually, she let her head free and took a quick glance at her son. "Smoke?" Tears began to swell up from her eyes. There was a sense of relief flooding into her body as she looks into Smoke's beautiful green eyes. "Smoke, that's you. I can see you!" Cyrus jumped on Smoke's arms, and the dam keeping her tears back broke, "Don't leave me." She repeatedly said as she cries.
"Guys, I might have to stay here a little longer." Smoke told them.
"No worries," Sun said, "Just be sure to be at the town square. We'll have to talk to them soon."
They left the mother and son alone and walked under a small gate of the walls, while the mob of goblins tried to squeeze through a slightly larger gate several meters away from them. Dawn and Natasha separated from the group and followed the mob into the village. When they arrived at their destination, the caretakers residing in the barn bowed their heads at them. The caretakers could not help but take glances at Sun, for this is their first time seeing such a strange-looking outsider. But some of them recognized Sun's look. It resembled the small statues they have in their homes that act as a home for the soul of the deceased to rest in.
Inside, they walked into a room in the back. When they entered the poorly lit room, Mari gasped to see the elf sitting on a dirty. "What the?" The elf asked, "Who are you people?"
"Love, calm down, this is the Lev's Chief, his greatness Sun."
"Cossack?" Artio stared in disbelief, "What the hell happened? Is that really you?"
"Yes," Cossack turned to the rest, "And this is Artio. She was crippled when I found her."
After a few seconds, Artio returned to her senses. "Sure I was," Artio whispered under her breath.
"We tried our best to heal her, but none of our healing methods could do anything."
"Oh please," Artio said in frustration, "Don't lie, you prob," But she paused when she looked at him. Cossack's nose was not twitching. "I see," She quietly said.
"Well, I don't know how much I can do, but if it means anything." Mari walked up to Artio and kneeled down to look at her properly, "If you could wait for just a little while longer, and I might just have enough mana to heal you."
"You can't be serious. Are you implying that you're a healer? I'd rather hear Cossack lie to me than this joke."
"I'm not," Mari stood up and walked up to Cossack. Her palm began to emit a gentle gold light as it hovers on Cossack's nose. Then, as if a miracle occurred, Cossack's nose straightened in place. "As you can see, I am in fact,"
"What's a healer doing here!" Artio yelled out, causing Mari to jump in surprise, "And why are you acting like this is normal."
"What do you mean?" Sun asked.
"It's rare for anyone to be a healer. It takes an exceptional type of Kas to allow someone to use healing spells so casually. And I only very few people that have it."
"Really? I thought there were few healers because the secrets of healing spells are only given to noble and such," Mari said.
"Oh, I wish because at least we have lower nobles joining mercenary companies as healers instead of mindless warmongers. Your Kas is a rare gift that can only be found one in ten thousand. But don't think you're anything special. Just like any Kas, you have to go through intense training or extreme shock to awaken it, and if you want to improve your abilities, you have to push yourself to your limit and face hurdles most would die or lose their sanity. But I guess you are special, seeing you are here, walking without any fears, or regret." Artio laid on her back and gave a relieved sigh, "But if you really are a healer. Then I'm willing to wait a little longer. And Cossack," She pulled herself in an upright position, "Thank you." Cossack's cheeks turned rosy red after hearing her gentle voice for the first time.
"And how does one know if someone can use healing spells?"
"There's a special tool that allows you to see the intensity of mana circulating inside your Kas. A gentle light, a light not too strong and overbearing, but soft to the eye, is what you need to have. That Kas is rare to find. Some people could see them naturally, although those people are even rarer."
While they ask more questions about Artio, outside the walls of the Razin tribe was Smoke sitting under a maple tree with his mother wrapped in his arms. She looked in peace, knowing her son was still the same as when she met him after escaping another hellish experience. Only this time, there was a soft light coming out from Smoke's body. Light so warm and tender, just like Mari's light.