2 days later...
In the aftermath of their hard-won triumph, both the elusive assassin and the disgraced Toragol found themselves shackled, their deeds exposed to the scrutiny of the world government. Toragol's true nature was revealed, a grim spectacle for all to witness. The villagers of Avalaya were tasked with delivering his punishment while the survived nobility, their faces ashen and cloaks trailing, deserted the place posthaste.
Others, however, were not so fortunate. They were seized by the villagers, bound by the hands and carted off to prison, where they would be the wards of their erstwhile victims.
"Roznok, my boy, my gratitude to you is boundless. You honored your oath to me," the village elder said, his voice choked with emotion. He bowed deeply, his forehead nearly touching the ground. "The same goes to you, Sougo, Mika, and Kimaru."
"Hold on, I helped too, y'know?" Luna interjected, her lower lip protruding in a pout.
Mika, Sougo, and Roznok leveled a collective gaze at Luna, their eyes narrowing. Luna had indeed played a part, but her contribution had been limited to aiding in Toragol's healing and safeguarding Kimaru.
"Please thank her, she was great help." Kimaru defended Luna.
Roznok sighed, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "Enough. The time has come for your rewards," he declared, bringing the conversation to a halt.
Roznok led the motley group to his office, where he bestowed upon them a golden reward of substantial value.
"Holy crap... One point three m-million RU'US?!" Mika barely managed to stammer out the words, his eyes wide as saucers at the sight of the special, 10-gram gold piece Roznok had presented.
"I discovered it during one of my patrols. And yes, it's worth 1.3 million Ru'us when sold. I have no need for wealth; your assistance is reward enough for me."
Mika was still struggling to comprehend his good fortune. "I never thought... I'd be so lucky... to receive such a reward."
"Compose yourself, Mika," Roznok advised. "And where might your seniors be?" Mika asked, curiosity piqued.
"After gaining their freedom, they hastened to reunite with their families. They've been here far longer than I; I can't fault them for their haste," Roznok explained.
"What about your family?" Mika asked, concern etching lines onto his youthful face.
"Let's not delve into that. After all, who's here to hand you your reward?" Roznok deflected, an always stern look on his face.
Mika grinned widely and accepted the gold, his heart pounding with exhilaration.
The victory was a cause for universal joy; the tyrannical caste system and the rampant racism were finally eradicated. Toragol's downfall had reduced him to a pitiful wretch, his sons and the assassin sharing his fate.
Entombed deep within the earth, Toragol's furious outbursts echoed through the silent darkness. "I swear I will break free! You vermin think you can contain me? You mongrels believe you've won? I will slaughter you all like rodents you are!"
The assassin, clearly irritated by Toragol's incessant roaring, dealt him a swift blow, silencing him despite his chains. His punishment, along with that of the remaining nobility, would be to endure the same humiliation and hardship they had once imposed on the enslaved.
In the heart of Avalaya, a sight caught Mika's curiosity. "What are they building?" He asked, his eyes tracing the scaffolding and busy villagers. The village, once known as Lalapila, had been reborn as Avalaya.
"The villagers are erecting a monument, not in Toragol's honor, but for Avalaya itself. A symbol of their liberation from Toragol's tyranny," Roznok explained, his voice carrying a note of pride.
"I'm delighted to see they've finally won their freedom," Mika said, his eyes shining with joy.
"I've reached out to those exiled long ago. They'll soon return to Avalaya, to the vibrant, bustling village they once knew," Roznok revealed, a rare smile of relief softening his usually stern features.
"So, Mika, where will your journey take you next?" Roznok queried, his curiosity piqued.
"I'm heading to Auberyonne," he confessed.
"The southern city? The one I dissuaded you from reaching via the Salanka river?" Roznok recalled, his smile lingering.
"That's the one. I promised to meet someone there. She's waiting, and so is my horse."
"Care to join?" Mika extended the invitation to Roznok, surprising him.
"And what brings you to traverse these lands, if I may ask?" Roznok queried.
"I'm on a quest for knowledge, to quench my thirst for understanding. Sougo seeks answers about his family, and Luna... well, Luna is on a journey to rediscover herself, having lost her memory," Mika confessed, sharing not only his motivations but those of his companions as well.
"I see. I, too, am on a mission - to seek justice. That's why I've chosen the path of law," Roznok stated, his hands resting on his hips.
He took a moment to consider her offer before finally accepting. "Well... I'm sure I could assist you all in your quests. But in return, I won't tolerate any unjust actions. I suppose you could use a companion who can fight, scout, and fly?" Roznok accepted Mika's invitatio.
Mika laughed. "Great! I'll let my friends know. But first, I need to inform Kimaru about my leave. She'd be heartbroken if she doesn't know," he said, chuckling at the thought.
"Go ahead," Roznok gave a nod of approval, his eyes relaxed with anticipation for the shared journey ahead.
Having won the favor of Roznok, Mika could hardly contain his elation. He was eager to share the news with his comrades before embarking on the quest to locate Kimaru.
Meanwhile, Luna was accompanying Kimaru on a leisurely stroll, observing the aftermath in the wake of Toragol's downfall just a mere 48 hours earlier.
"Wanna eat meat buns, Big sis Luna?" Kimaru suggested with a warm smile, presenting the tempting prospect of a shared meal.
"Absolutely, I'm also hungry. And... EEEEK! WHY ARE YOU SO ADORABLE! YOUR KINDNESS OVERWHELMS ME, ESPECIALLY SINCE I DID LITTLE TO EARN IT. YOU EVEN THANKED ME!" Luna's cheeks flushed as she enveloped Kimaru in a tight embrace, her hands squeezing the other girl's cheeks.
"It's okay. I always happy to help," Kimaru responded, her smile undiminished.
After the embrace, Kimaru decided to venture off on her own. No longer shackled by fear following Toragol's defeat, she aimed to retrieve some meat buns for Luna.
"Just remember to stay close," Luna advised, her smile radiating relief as she released Kimaru's hand, allowing the girl to embark on her brief solo journey.
A deep sigh of tranquility escaped Luna's lips now that the oppressive reign of Toragol was finally over. She was astonished by the strength and resilience of her friends, and she found herself lost in her thoughts.
Suddenly, Luna spotted a familiar face in the crowd. A woman with emerald hair and eyes that mirrored Luna's own. Although the woman was dearly beloved to Luna, her identity remained elusive. Luna felt a stabbing pain in her head as she tried to remember.
The mysterious woman disappeared as quickly as she had appeared, leaving Luna frenzied and confused. The onlookers expressed concern for her wellbeing, noticing her pallor and irregular breathing.
"What's wrong, miss?" A passerby inquired, alarmed by her distress.
But Luna hardly noticed him. She was too focused on the woman who was now ascending a nearby staircase. Luna pursued her, but the woman vanished like a specter, leaving Luna even more bewildered and frightened.
A voice echoed in her mind, growing louder and more insistent.
The voice screamed, "MY DAUGHTER! MY DAUGHTER!" and Luna nearly collapsed under its intensity.
"Luna…" A familiar face appeared before her, laden with concern and sorrow. And then, darkness.
Luna fell unconscious, causing a wave of shock to ripple through the crowd. Kind-hearted strangers rushed to her aid.
Five hours later...
Luna awoke in a bed, surrounded by her friends who had been tending to her. Mika explained that Luna had been struggling with repressed memories, which had triggered a severe headache.
While unconscious, Luna had muttered a single word - "M-Mother."
Mika was deeply concerned that Luna's past might be marred by some tragic event or accident. Luna had wept in her unconscious state, leaving Mika utterly perplexed about the circumstances surrounding the incident. It was a mystery that demanded answers, but for now, they could only wait and hope for Luna's recovery.
"Are you okay?" Mika noticed Luna had woken up.
With Luna's severe headache, she realized she had fainted.
She shook her head in response to Mika's question.
"Is she alright?" Roznok was beside Mika and asked her condition as well.
"Well, I can bravely say, her condition is improving. I'm not an expert of neurology, but when I use my electricity on her head, her neurons spiked." Mika revealed he had check her brain condition by utilizing his electricity magic in order to know.
"I... I'm sorry for worrying you all." Luna frowned.
"It's no big deal. Well, when we first met, I did promise to retrieve your memories back. I always protect my vow. Say, what was the last thing you remembered? You were talking in your sleep, and you mentioned about your mother..." Mika crossed his arms and listened to what Luna had to say.
Luna gave a small nod, her throat working hard to push out the words that danced on the edge of her memory.
"It's all so vague, like a dream fading with the dawn," she began, her voice thick with unshed emotion. "I saw someone, a woman who might have been my mirror image. She had hair as green as mine, and her eyes are blue. Her form was mature, like an adult's, and the words she spoke still echo in my mind. She called me 'my daughter.' That's all I can remember." Luna's voice wavered, the heaviness of her recollection weighing on her spirit.
"I see," Mika murmured, his thoughts whirling like a raging storm. "Any piece of memory you can retrieve may help us piece this puzzle together. Kimaru was shocked head to toe when you collapsed, she was utterly terrified." He recounted Kimaru's reaction to Luna's sudden fainting spell.
Kimaru had been quick to respond when Luna had fallen, her worry turning into a primal scream for aid. The first person she had sought out was Mika, setting off a chain reaction that alerted both Sougo and Roznok to Luna's condition. Luna had been swiftly moved to the health center, though the Physician had recently gained their freedom and had left. Thus, Mika had stepped into the role of Luna's caretaker.
"I see," Luna whispered, her words barely audible. "Please, tell Kimaru I'm sorry."
"Will do," Mika assured her, his smile a beacon of relief in the gloomy situation.
After attending to Luna's fractured memories, Mika left his temporary office and found Luna in the hallway.
"Why the long face, Kimaru?" Mika questioned, noticing her crestfallen expression. "Luna's doing well, there's no need to worry."
"Mr. Sougo told me... you're all going to leave soon..." Kimaru's voice trailed off, her eyes welling up with unshed tears.
Mika sighed heavily, his heart aching at the thought of leaving Kimaru behind. "I was going to tell you myself, but it seems Sougo beat me to it. Yes, we are leaving."
Kimaru's response was silence as she abruptly turned on her heel and fled, her sorrowful wails echoing through the sterile halls of the health center. It was a sound that Mika had never heard before, the raw grief of a girl who had come to see him as part of her makeshift family.
"Please, have patience with Kimaru," the village chief pleaded, appearing at Mika's side. "She was a happy child, surrounded by family, before tragedy struck. She's strong, rarely showing her tears. This is only the second time I've seen her cry. I was the one who told her that her parents were never coming back for her. I didn't want her to live in false hope, but my words only drove her away. You understand, don't you?"
The chief was a stoic man, but his voice trembled with emotion. "I know you're an adventurer, and that comes with its own set of risks, but..." He fell to his knees, bowing deeply before Mika.
"Please, take her with you," he begged, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're the only hope for Kimaru." The village chief bowed to the level of Mika's feet.
"Hey, there's no need for that. I... In exchange, will you do something for me?" Mika accepted but with one condition he had in mind.
"Anything." The village chief gave an answer.
"Tell her, about her parents' death. Please, we don't want her to feel troubled finding her parents on our way."
"If that's what you want, then I will tell her everything. I am also a fool to tell her lies, but I will make it up for her with honesty." The old chief smiled, relieved that Mika would take Kimaru with his group.