"Alen, no one can use the power of the spirit in the village. It is said that the village is protected by a patron god. If you go there, your powers will be gone," Kim said in a serious tone. She held one of Alen's shoulders as she looked at him. "Why do you think the villagers can the black wings so easily?"
"Because black wings cannot resist ... even flying."
"HMM, finally you understand."
Alen was silent for a moment. Trying to digest Kim's words was really starting to confuse her. After all, he often goes to the Aves Village and USES the magic to hide his wings. He never failed for a second in that regard.
Alen couldn't save the black wings that were captured. Surely, the lives of those captured will be lost. Whereas, the uncertain thing is how his magic was able to function in the Aves Village a while ago?
***
Ozi carried ren up to where the citizens carried the black wings. A girl sitting on her knees with her hands tied behind her back and two tall men guarding on either side. The two of them tried to make their way through a crowd of people who were watching what would happen to the girl.
"Ozi, is your father going to massacre the girl?" he asked ren once they're in the front row.
"My father never broke the rules once. Though life is at stake," Ozi replied as he saw his father appear and stand next to the black-winged girl.
"The guardian god has entrusted this village to be a sanctuary from any ill influences that can enter. Consequently, it was right to destroy all manner of badness," Mauren declared in the presence of dozens of people. "Annihilate him!" he went on sternly.
The citizens erupted into a frenzy as the two burly men dragged the black-winged girl onto a huge pylon covered with gas and kerosene. The girl got thrashed and screamed for mercy. But these two burly guys just listen to Mauren as his superior. "Please let go! Have mercy on me! Help!"
"Ozi, why didn't the girl use any of her spiritual powers? At the very least, she had to sprout her black wings," wondered ren after thinking out loud.
Ozi saw the black-winged girl trying hard to break free. "I don't know, the girl looked helpless. She doesn't look like the Aves. '
Ren nodded steadily. "You're right. He looks like an ordinary man."
Torches were thrown to the piles of wood around the girl tied to a pole. The girl's screams were instantly silenced with a burning fire. The fire quickly spread through the prepared wood, until it devoured the poor defenseless girl. This turned ren away and shut his ears, while Ozi looked intently at her father's laughter, cheering support from the citizens.
Ozi overtook ren out of the crowd in a hurry. However, he saw ren fall to his knees when he got out. "Ren, are you okay?"
Ren closed his eyes to the ground firmly. "No. Clipped wings Felt like burning," his groan shook his head.
Hearing that, Ozi crouched in front of ren. "Get on my back quickly! I'll get you to a doctor!"
"But there are people here," she said in a voice that was almost inaudible.
"You still think about that at a time like this? You should go to the doctor!" worry Ozi. He took ren right away. Unconsciously, his father could see it.
***
"What is this?" Alen asked after opening the door to Kim, who had knocked loudly.
"Factory smoke, vehicles, and fires were everywhere. Dozens were pronounced dead because of one of them," Kim said unconsciously. "What shall we do, Alen?"
Alen was silent for a moment before he finally responded. "I'll be right back!" he said as he stepped out.
Kim grabbed Alen's arm. "Wait! Don't tell me that you are going to the Aves Village! You saw for yourself how their people brought back the bones of one of us."
Alen ignored Kim's words and went somewhere instead. He chose to act sooner rather than think too long. After that, his current objective is to fly to the border hoping ren is there. As expected, ren was alone there probably waiting for him to teach flying. Without a doubt, he spoke right after landing in front of ren.
"I need your help! "Ren and Alen said in unison. The two of them quickly fell silent with the unexpected.
"You go first! "Said Alen, thinking it best for women to speak first.
"Very well," he said, pausing before expressing his desire. "Take me to your city!"
Alen stood there for a moment. "What? That's impossible, Ren. Don't you know our rules are the same? Neither of us can cross the border!" He responds to ren's request. After that, Ren was silent and quiet once again.
"You can break it. You and I can do that," Ren says, glaring closely at Alen's eyes. "You can enter the region without being caught. That means I can get to you without being caught."
Alen doesn't understand the circumstances. What ren is thinking is beyond his grasp. It temporarily thwarted his intention to ask for help. With a slight hesitation, he let out his resignation. "Ren, before deciding, I will take you there a moment. After that, whatever you decide."
"What happened to your face?" Wonder Ren. Without answering, Alen motioned to him to go up to his back. After that, Alen would fly him to their destination.
Moments later, they arrive in Aves City. Ren was dazzled to see the view of Aves City from above. A cloud of thick, black smoke filled the sky until the sky was no longer blue. There's no fresh air, only dirty air.
"How? Do you still want to stay here?" Asked Alen with a sad face to ren carrying him on his back. "The world is not as beautiful as you think it is. From a distance, this place looks so fancy. Still, it's much worse than it looks."
"So many books have I read about the recent destruction of the world. Now I see it firsthand about the chaotic world in which we live, " Ren said with glass-eyed eyes that Alen certainly cannot see.
"Ren, I want you to help me fix this," Alen says.
"What? I'm not saying I won't, but... How can I help you? I couldn't even fly," he blurted out. She could see Alen's desperate face from the side.