Six months pass and Lady Mari has left the village, leaving Tori to do her usual. That's until one of the taxmen comes along.
"What do you want?" Tori asks, unimpressed
"Taxes, you've not paid yours." The taxman responds
"I'm not employed, nor am I married or plan to get married. So, you're barking up the wrong tree, sir. Unless you're here to steal money again, like usual."
"What's it to you? You're just a woman."
"At least I'm self-sufficient, unlike you and your other taxmen scum."
The taxman is quickly silenced and goes on his way to steal money off other villagers. As for Tori, she returns to her walk around the village, for her friend Carrie to arrive.
"Hey, Carrie. What's up?" Tori asks
"Hey, Tori. The taxmen have been bothering us ever since Lady Mari left for her journey, with the same thing as you've got just now." Carrie answers
"What's the king doing about this?"
"Nothing, I've found out through intelligence that he was murdered by one of the taxmen, of whom was money and power hungry. Ever since, we've not had a leading monarch to stop the taxmen's rampages for money. You're better off leaving for the royal residence and seeing what can be done to stop this; even if it means becoming the leading monarch yourself. Please, save this village, and other villages, from these monsters."
"I won't let you down, Carrie."
Soon after, Tori leaves her home village, quickly acknowledging the task ahead. What she doesn't realise, is who she has to fight in order to save both her home, and other villages alike.
A few days pass and Tori is only halfway to the royal residence. Exhausted and becoming frustrated, Tori decides to camp in the woodland, using her power to protect her overnight. The next morning, Tori continues her journey and comes across a woman, being held hostage by a taxman and former royal guard.
"What do you want from me? Get away from me!" The woman asks and cries
"You know what we want. Give it to us, and we'll leave you alone."
"I don't have it, get away from me!"
Tori quickly notices this, making her sword appear on her waste as she approaches the men.
"Get away from the young woman." Tori orders as she approaches
"What's it to you? Get lost!" The taxman responds
"Like I've said, get away from the young woman. She has said that she doesn't have what you want, take her word for it and leave, before a draw my sword and kill one of you."
Without further instruction, the taxman and former royal guard go away from the young woman, running back to where they came from. As for the woman, she runs to Tori and hugs her, still scared.
"Oh, thank you miss. I can't repay you, but thank you so much." The young woman says
"It's alright, you don't need to repay me. Where did those men come from?" Tori responds asking
"From where I live, the village closest to the royal household. I could take you there, as a thank you for saving me."
"Oh, thank you, that would be nice."
Soon after, the woman escorts Tori through her village, for the villagers to bow in Tori's presence.
"Why are they bowing before me; am I some form of saviour?"
"You're the woman that the village has been waiting for; taxmen and former royal guards have been threatening the villagers for months, ever since the king's murder."
"Wait, why am I the one that everyone has been waiting for? I'm not anything special."
"You see, our village is full of human-spirit hybrids. But, we can't stop the one behind all the trouble, since our powers aren't strong enough."
"Who's the ringleader?"
"The taxman, he's been using his powers to force the former royal guard to do as he wishes; the taxman has been using his powers to control the other taxmen into stealing the poorest of the money they work hard to earn."
"And this is against the other taxmen's beliefs."
"Yes, that's true. The taxman in question also knows how to make fire with his hands."
"Pyrotechnics."
"Yes, and every time he uses his powers, that fire power steals our strength and makes him stronger."
"Not with me around; I know how to use water with my hands and water often puts out fire."
"That's unless the fire is spiritually made and kept alive by stealing other people's powers." Someone else says
Soon, Tori turns around to see Carrie walking towards her, with an army of villagers from her home.
"Carrie, what are you doing here?" Tori asks
"You can't do this alone; that taxman is ruthless and will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants." Carrie responds
"What does he want?"
"Something that the king had that that taxman will never have. The king was born with powers and his responsibility was not only to lead the village, but protect it from the likes of that taxman. Unfortunately, that wretch got to the king and murdered him, putting the village's survival in jeopardy and the former royal guards trying to use their powers to prevent getting brainwashed." One of the villagers answers
"That's why we're here to help; we want to protect these people and stop that wretch from ever using them again."
"What do you mean 'again'?"
"That taxman has used these villagers for his evil doings before, and used them to get away, without punishment. The taxman has also abused these villagers, in more ways than brainwashing them. But, I won't delve into that; it's too sensitive."
After realising how serious the situation is, Tori looks for somewhere to think of a plan to bring the taxman down to his knees. Soon after, one of the villagers offers Tori a place for the night, oblivious to what else the taxman has planned.