Coward!
That was the word that echoed in my mind as I wished that my daughter would not judge me as one.
Please forgive me, Mimi!
I wept bitterly as I knelt down and caressed the cold hand of my now departed daughter.
With my other hand, I slammed the ground in rage and remorse. I finally realized what teacher was trying to teach me, but it was too late.
All along, I had the potential and the power to protect our tribe from the monsters, but I let my insecurities and fears hold me back. And because of that, Mimi had to sacrifice her life. Sob! Sob! In the end, I relied on someone else to lead me, instead of finding my own path.
◇
I learned the hard way the importance of giving myself fully to someone whenever possible, because I never knew when they would slip away from my grasp, and I was left with the painful realization that I could not hold them anymore. That's why, regardless of any problems or challenges that arose in the tribe, I always made time for Mimi, my precious daughter.
I lift Mimi onto my shoulder after lunch and feel her bounce and giggle. She always wants me to carry her around or let her climb on me as we stroll. "Kaah, what to do with you? Father needs to start adding some exercise in his daily schedule." I say, pretending to groan. "Ugh, my back."
I gently set Mimi down when we reach the central pool. It is a large circular pond filled with clear water that mirrors the sky. Around it, colorful flowers and plants give off a pleasant fragrance. The pool is the heart of our tribe, the place where we gather, celebrate, and make important announcements.
Before we stroll out, Mill approaches me with a capsule in his hand. He is one of my close aides and his brother Mold is scouting the area. I open the capsule and read the message inside. A surge of dread washes over me as I confirm my suspicions. A Giant is on its way here - and we have no time to waste.
I look at Mill and see his face is pale and tense. His brows are furrowed and his lips are pressed together. He clenches his fist around the capsule, which is smeared with blood. The Trabbit, a six-legged animal that can jump high and see far, is panting and licking its wound at his side.
"You know how careful your brother can be, Mill." I try to reassure him. "And we already sent a team to help him. It's more than enough reinforcement to help him flee from the berserker."
Apparently, a berserker has come. All these signs, the berserker and the doom of the tribe, they are all too familiar to me. I feel a knot in my stomach as I look at the faces of my people strolling on the plaza. They are smiling and laughing, unaware of the danger that lurks nearby. I know that whatever we decide today will change our fate forever.
"Sound the horn! Go! Now!" I order Mill urgently. We need to alert everyone and prepare for the worst.
"Ha! Yes Leader!" he salutes, his face changing from worried to proud and respectful.
He runs to the nearest tower and pulls a lever. A loud alarm sounds across the village.
"Buhupp! Buhupp! Buhupp! Buhupp!"
The warning sound rings loudly, and people start to gather at the central pool. They talk to each other in low voices, wondering what is going on.
"So it's true? There is a Giant coming?" one of them whispers, his eyes wide with fear.
"Yeah, well… few days ago, we surveyed near the cockich tribe, and they were fleeing from something." another one says, nodding his head.
"I tell you, they were running for their lives." a third one adds, shivering.
"…we can't stay here, we have to move." someone else mutters.
"…heh, Mill's face always lights up whenever he sees the Leader. Are they flirting?" a girl teases.
"No, they are just good friends." another girl defends.
"You know, the harvest was quite good this season. We have enough food to last for a while." a boy says optimistically.
"…don't say that. You'll jinx it." another boy warns.
"Kyaaa, you're making me blush…" a girl squeals.
I hear some disturbing conversations among them. Some of them are gossiping about me and Mill. Anyway, I can no longer decide things by myself. Whatever the tribe chooses, I hope we won't regret it. This is a crucial moment for our survival.
◇
It happened so fast.
The berserker appeared out of nowhere, giving us an ultimatum: hand over our life core so he could lure the giant away.
He scanned us with narrowed eyes, as if weighing our worth. Some tribesmen stepped forward bravely after he snatched Mimi's life core below her chest. His yellow hair turned black in an instant. At that point, we all knew we had made the right choice.
"Sob! Sob!"
I carried Mimi as I sobbed to the hill of the dead, where she used to dance among the flowers. My tears blurred my vision as I saw her favorite spot, but I also smiled faintly, seeing how she had turned this graveyard into a paradise.
Behind me, everyone was carrying the bodies of those who had given their lives willingly. They knew it was the only way to save us from the giant. If only I had asked them before, instead of making the decision for myself, this wouldn't have happened.
I had this idea of gathering our life cores and using them as bait to lure the monsters up to the mountain range and throw them to the other side, where they would fall to their doom. But I was too afraid to choose whose life to take, knowing that removing one's life core was almost certain death. I couldn't make that decision. Not until I had found a way to increase the survival rate. My wife Lily died because of it, overwhelmed and exhausted by a battle that we couldn't even join. I should have learned my lesson then.
But I buried the idea deep in my mind, ignoring the information I had read about the monsters' intelligence in our repository. I knew too well that no matter how intelligent they were, as long as they had a monster core, they couldn't resist their instinct to devour.
If only I had asked the tribesmen then, they might have agreed to volunteer just like today and Mimi wouldn't have died. I wept louder as I laid her down among the flowers.
Coward. My teacher was right all along. I was too blind. Too insecure.
It might have been a risky plan that could have weakened our tribe further, but siphoning a portion of life core could have been possible. Time. It might have given us enough time to find our new strength instead of being continuously overwhelmed by monsters until no warrior was left.
As we mourned our dead, flowers swirled around them, covering them with a blanket of petals.
And so we said our goodbyes.
Mimi, I promise you, father will never be a coward again. You were so brave today, just like your mother always was. I'm glad you inherited her courage.
"I see you at the end of the cycle," I whispered softly.
The tribesmen echoed me: "I see you at the end of the cycle."
◇
I stare at Mill, who is still sobbing silently in front of me. His eyes are red and swollen, his face pale and wet with tears.
"Three survive?" I ask him softly.
He nods, sniffing. "Yes, Leader. But the two of them… they are barely breathing. The healers gave them life core pills, but their cores are flickering like dying candle."
I feel a pang of guilt and sorrow in my chest. I know I couldn't take the risk, but knowing they chose it themselves doesn't make it any easier. It's understandable that their life cores are not forming back. After all, they are not warriors.
"And the other one is fine?" I ask, hoping for some good news.
He manages a weak smile. "Ah, yes, Leader. He is stable and recovering. It's… it's actually a miracle."
I nod, relieved that at least one of them made it out alive.
"I'll look into that after we overcome this crisis. The two whose death is inevitable, tell them the truth, and tell them I'm sorry. And send the signal to the Defenders. I'm not hoping for them to come, but depending on how they handle this, we might change how we do things."
"Yes… Leader." He says in a low voice.
"I can't hear you!!!" I shout, trying to inject some energy and confidence into him.
He straightens up and salutes. "Yes, Leader!"
He runs away, leaving me alone.
I sigh as I watch his back. The reinforcement came back just after the berserker went out. They were carrying the body of his brother, who was mutilated and torn apart by the berserker. And seeing the severed hands that the berserker was wearing as a necklace, he understood what happened. He broke down and cried, unable to bear the loss. It seems like everyone has their own burden to carry.
◇
I step into the sacred hut, where the wooden totems of each warrior are kept. These totems are not ordinary carvings. They are infused with mana by the warriors themselves, making them more than mere symbols of our tribe. They are our final bastion against the dangers that lurk outside.
The totems that still hold mana glow with a faint light, showing their power. They are the ones that form a barrier around our tribe, a shield that even a blue-core monster can't break through. The others are hidden in a secret chamber, waiting for their owners to come back or refill them. But of course, they never will. Their owners have either vanished, fallen in battle, or died defending our homes.
Before, they were always active; but now we only activate them in times of crisis, when their enemy is near. After all, we no longer have warriors to replenish them.
I activate the totem magic, chanting a prayer in our ancient tongue, asking for protection and blessing from our ancestors. I beg them to watch over us, to guide us, to save us from extinction. The sacred hut glows brighter, signaling that it's successful.
◇
I raise my voice and address the villagers, who are gathered in the center of the village, looking scared and anxious. They have heard the news that a large horde of monsters is heading towards us, and they know that we have no chance of fighting them off.
"You all know too well that the totem barrier can't handle the continuous barrage of a monster wave. One or two monsters may slip through." I say, trying to get their attention.
Clang! Clang!
I bang a metal plate with a hammer, making a loud noise. The villagers turn their heads towards me, and I see a mix of fear, curiosity, and hope in their eyes.
"Here lies all the weapons our warriors left behind. Those who have the courage, take one and pick your position here on the map." I show them a map of the village and how the totem barrier is structured. The barrier is shaped like a V, with the village inside the V. I concentrated all the power on the front side of the barrier, not wasting anything on the back. After all, the monsters will only come from one direction.
I point to the gaps in the barrier, where the monsters may break through. I tell them that we need some brave souls to stand guard there, and try to stop or slow down the monsters. I tell them that it is a dangerous task, but also a noble one. I tell them that they may die, but they will die as heroes.
This time, I didn't make any choice for them. This time I only do what a leader should do. To lead by example. I pick up a sword from the pile of weapons, and place it on my waist. I walk towards one of the gaps in the barrier, and look back at the villagers. I see some of them following me, picking up weapons and joining me. I see others hesitating, unsure of what to do. I see others shaking their heads, refusing to fight.
I don't blame them. I know they are scared. I know they are not warriors. I know they have families and friends to protect. But I also know that we have no other choice. We have to fight for our survival. We have to fight for our tribe.
I smile at those who followed me, and nod at them. I thank them for their courage and loyalty. I tell them that we will fight together, and die together if we have to. I tell them that we will not give up, and we will not surrender.
I raise my sword in the air, and shout:
"For our sacrifices! For our lost! For our courage! For our TRIBE!"
The others echo my words, and raise their weapons as well.
We are ready to face the monster wave.
We are ready to face our destiny.