The last steps have been reached and the village is finally within visible proximity.
Koman finally arrived in the village, and a feeling of relief washed over him after all those days of endless running. The pain in his hand was still there, and he felt exhausted, but the sight of the small village ahead of him gave him new hope. He moved forward, his steps slowing as he took in the village. It seemed calm and peaceful.
As he ventured deeper into the village, the villagers noticed him. Their gazes were curious and cautious, and soon quiet conversations spread like wildfire. A whisper reached his ears: "Lately, there have been many who come to us, haven't you noticed?" "Yes, that's true. I wonder why. What is there to experience here anyway? The world is full of bad experiences."
Koman could feel the distrust in their voices. But he couldn't blame them. They had surely had enough of strangers who only brought trouble.
A small group of villagers finally approached him and asked what he was doing there. Koman looked at them, his eyes tired but determined.
"I escaped from the kingdom of Vylsandra," he said calmly, "and now I'm seeking shelter and refuge. A wanderer advised me to seek out the village governor, Teng."
The villagers exchanged glances, some seemed hesitant, but eventually one relented and showed him the way, his rough condition and the state of his hand seeming to soften their doubts.
When Koman finally spoke with Teng, he told him of his escape and that he wanted to stay in the village for a while. Teng studied him skeptically, but Koman could sense that, despite the man's cautious nature, he had a good heart. Teng eventually nodded and said, "You're welcome, boy.
But things aren't so simple here." Despite these words, he welcomed Koman, gave him food, and treated his injuries.
Teng, the village chief, was a friendly and charismatic man. He listened to Koman's story and welcomed him warmly. In the days that followed, Teng looked after Koman and taught him everything from the principles of village life to the simpler crafts that would help him make himself useful. A bond developed between the two based on trust and understanding. Koman was surprised at how quickly he was able to build such a relationship with Teng.
Over the next four days, They spent evenings sharing stories , stories of their lives, lost dreams, and unfulfilled wishes.
Koman felt his view of the world change. He had believed that only the strong survived, but Teng showed him that there could be dignity in weakness as well. "Sometimes," Teng said, "surviving itself is already a victory." Koman nodded, but he couldn't accept the injustice in this world.
One evening, Teng mentioned that every Monday a band of thieves came to the village to plunder. "We have no other choice," Teng said resignedly. "It's better to give in than to risk the whole village."
Koman felt something stir within him – a feeling he couldn't shake. Was that really the only way? Always bowing down without resistance?
"Why don't you do anything about it?" Koman finally asked, and his voice sounded harsher than he had intended. Teng looked at him, a mixture of pity and resignation in his eyes. "There's no sense in creating problems we can't solve. We're farmers, not warriors."
But Koman didn't give up.
The thought of simply submitting to these thieves made him angry, He would never tolerate this kind of injustice again - he had enough of it.
After much persuasion, he finally managed to convince Teng and the other villagers to set up an ambush. He knew it was a big risk, but also that it was a chance they had to take to free themselves from the constant threat.
One evening as they sat together in Teng's small hut and thought about their plan, Teng looked seriously at Koman. He stood up and opened a heavy wooden box that he had always kept locked. Inside the box were yellowed scrolls, old maps, some personal items, and a strange metal symbol.
"This box contains everything that's left of my past," Teng said as he carefully removed the items. "I originally emigrated from a town in Manzenier, in the west of the world.
On the left is Manzenier, on the right in the east is Zarne, in the north is Vylsandra, and in the south is Pandora. Each of these regions has its own history, its own secrets."
Koman listened fascinated as Teng continued. "I once saw something that I will never forget. Something... magical. It may sound crazy, but I believe that there are people who have powers we can barely imagine." His eyes shimmered in the darkness as he said this, as if he was reliving the memory. "Maybe there really are magicians in this world."
These moments increased Koman's admiration for Teng. The governor shared with him his deepest beliefs and trust, which made Koman feel like he finally had someone who trusted him.
But the loss will be great…