In the heart of a remote forest stood a large tent surrounded by small other tents, hidden among towering trees.
Inside, wooden chairs were arranged in a circle, a fire crackled quietly and shelves were filled with scrolls and old books.
"Mother Venice, are you certain he is the chosen one sent by the gods?" asked the woman who had spoken to Chayil. Her voice was firm, despite the doubts swirling around in her head.
Mother Venice, a respected elder and shaman in the village, made important decisions and communicated with God.
"Naisha, do you think I would lie about the vision God have shown me?" she asked. Her weathered eyes looked at her. "It's no coincidence that I was shown that a man would be sent to the forest. A man appeared right where the gods directed me.
"He looks weak and is not reliable or skilled like us. Besides, he has a Verdant I.D.," Naisha's jaw tightened as she spoke. And her hands unconsciously clenched into fists at her sides.
The meeting room erupted in murmurs at the mention of the Verdant I.D.
In addition to Mother Venice and Naisha, the elders also met with them.
"If he is like us, how can he save us?" said one of the others.
Everyone agreed, believing Chayil couldn't save them if he were like them.
"Even us, as Verdant I.D.s, were powerless against those with abilities, how much less could that guy do?"
In this world, a person's status depends on the color of their I.D.
There were five types of I.D.
The Luminous I.D. was the strongest. Its white screen was known for taking down rank S monsters, thanks to its rare and powerful abilities.
Next came the Crimson I.D., with unmatched offensive skills. Its screen glowed a deep, blood-red. Then there was the Azure I.D., all about defense. Its screen shone a cool, steady blue.
Then, there was the Terra I.D. for commoners. The abilities were nothing to brag about, just basic skills useful in daily activities.
And at the bottom? The Verdant I.D. Those with no abilities at all. Useless. God's unfavored. They called it the "Slave Identification." Because that's what it was.
"So what do we do now if he has no abilities?" asked an elder in the meeting.
"I don't know God's plan or how He will act. "We just need to have faith," Mother Venice said. "For now, let's postpone any decisions about him while I seek another vision from the gods tonight."
"Dismissed."
Since it was late, everyone left the tent, including Naisha.
"Sister Naisha! Sister Naisha!" the kids yelled, racing toward her with uncontained excitement.
Deep in the forest, the camp was quiet under the night sky, but their little voices pierced the stillness.
Naisha was on her way back to her tent, her steps slow and her mind heavy with everything that had happened. She hadn't even noticed the kids waiting for her near the edge of the campfire's light.
Naisha smiled and spread her arms to welcome the children, hugging the two boys tightly.
"Why are you still awake? Were you good to your auntie?" she asked the two.
"Don't worry, these two are very obedient," their auntie said as she walked toward them.
Naisha patted them on the head: "That's good. As I promised, here's a toy for you." She handed them a wooden human statue. "Go to sleep now, all right?"
"Yehey!", the two boys happily took the toy and returned to their tent.
"How did your mission go? Did you meet the Chosen One?" the aunt asked as they walked behind them. "Can we finally get out of our situation?"
With a heavy sigh, Naisha replied: "I doubt it."
"Why, what happened?"
"He's just like us, with a Verdant I.D., and he's a perverted idiot. He seemed unreliable and worthless," she said, annoyed.
Her aunt chuckled softly: "Sounds like you two are already close, judging by your tone."
"What? He's so rude. There's nothing good about him."
"Okay, if you say so," Auntie said, still smiling.
"Whatever."
***
At Chayil's cell…
Mother Venice arrived, her frail frame draped in layers of weathered cloth. Trailing behind her were two of her guards. Their clothes were as plain as could be, brown tunics and worn-out boots that seemed ready to give out any second.
She gestured to them to give Chayil what they had brought.
They handed him a blanket, some clothes, and a bowl of food.
"Well, this is… charming," Chayil said with a smirk while wearing the commoner clothes. "Geez, it's freezing cold…"
Then he holds up the blanket. "I don't think I've ever seen a blanket so thin, I could probably read through it. But hey, at least it matches the pillow." He patted the cushion and chuckled.
Then he glanced at the stew, swirling the bowl a little, watching the vegetable bits bob around. "Looks like someone worked hard on this. Thanks," he said. "Really. I appreciate it."
"You must be shocked and tired. Eat and rest first," Mother Venice said, her weathered face softening into a small, knowing smile.
Chayil eyed her for a moment, then tilted his head. "Who are you, ma'am?"
"You can call me the head chief," she answered, calm but firm.
"So, you're the boss around here." He gave a quick nod as if mentally filing that away. "Alright then. What's the plan for me, ma'am? Any big surprises I should know about?"
Mother Venice shook her head, her smile fading slightly. "For now, you'll have to stay here. It's not safe in the forest at night, and this is the best we can offer. If we had an actual room for you, we'd give it, but all we have are tents. It's not ideal."
Chayil shrugged. "That's alright. I've had worse. No complaints here," he said, grabbing the bowl of stew and taking a bite, not even flinching at the taste. He flashed her a quick smile. "You know, I could get used to this... probably."
Mother Venice gave him a small nod, looking somewhat relieved. "Good. Get some rest. We'll talk more in the morning."
With that, she and her guards turned to leave, not bothering to lock the door behind them. Chayil raised an eyebrow as they disappeared, almost impressed by their trust.
A couple of minutes later, after finishing what passed for food, he leaned back on the lumpy pillow, staring up at the broken ceiling. The cold air bit through the thin blanket, but it wasn't the discomfort that was gnawing at him.
"I'm so confused about what's happening," he muttered with a sigh. He lay back, folding his arms behind his head, lost in thought for a moment. Then he smirked, shaking his head. "Tomorrow, huh? Guess I'll find out then. They seem like decent folks... for now."
With that, and despite his confusion, Chayil felt himself drift off, surprisingly at ease inside the cell.
***
2:00 AM.
A little distance from where Chayil was sleeping…
The night was still, and most were lost in deep sleep. But in the shadows, three watchmen, positioned at the outskirts, were taken down one by one. There's no sound, no struggle. Just the quiet thud of bodies hitting the ground.