The night was lively as the stars lit up the sky. The moon illuminated the shadows, and the lively breeze filled the air on this enchanting night, causing Kartia to feel uneasy as she believed a precious soul was on the verge of being lost. Watching the men escort her out of the ceremonial area, she observed their retreating figures as they returned to the festivities, relishing every second of the event.
She felt anger surges, and she drew her daggers from her waist, but before she could attack, a voice of an old man stopped her. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."The old man said. "Chief…" Kartia whispered, her voice filled with shock as she stared at the village leader standing before her, calmly puffing on his pipe.
The old man exhaled a slow stream of smoke before speaking. "If you plan on stopping that ceremony with those daggers," he said, his tone even, "then you might as well be the one killing her with them.", he continued.
Kartia's grip on her weapons tightened. "What are you talking about?" she said, shooting the chief with her gaze full of hatred.
The Chief turned away, motioning for her to follow. "Walk with me. Though hesitant, Kartia followed, her thoughts racing.
"I've hated this ritual since I was a child," the Chief admitted as they moved through the dimly lit path. Kartia's eyes widened. "You… hated it?" she asked, barely concealing her disbelief.
The Chief chuckled at her reaction. "Hard to believe, isn't it?" he asked. "It's nonsense," she said, her voice sharp. "You hate it, and yet, seeing how old you are… how many children have you sacrificed?" The Chief didn't hesitate. "The ritual happens once every four years," he said evenly. "This will be my eighth kill."
Kartia stiffened at his choice of words. He said 'kill'… not 'offering' or 'gift.'
The Chief glanced at her. "Have you ever wondered why I allowed you and your mother to live here, despite being outsiders?" Kartia folded her arms. "Because you're… somewhat generous?" she replied, though her tone made it clear she didn't believe that.
The Chief shook his head. "No. It's because I believed that one day, you would break the blind faith of this village." Kartia stopped walking, stunned. "What?"
The Chief kept going, his voice calm yet deliberate. "I became chief because of my bloodline. But I didn't want this title just to rule, wanted it so I could change things."
Kartia's eyes narrowed. "So, did you?" she asked, taunting the chief.
The Chief let out a low, humorless chuckle. "No. That's why I had to take extreme measures. I killed my own brothers to remove competition. I made myself the sole heir." he said.
He pushed open the door to a dimly lit room, and to Kartia's surprise, she recognized the person inside immediately. "It's you!" she exclaimed. The boy turned, equally surprised. "You?!" Bon exclaimed, both of them speaking at the same time.
The Chief nodded. "Yes. The same boy you had a dispute with earlier. He needs something, and I can provide it… on one condition." His sharp gaze flickered between them. "He helps you destroy this village's belief."
Kartia's expression darkened. "I can't work with him." "Why not?" Bon shot back instantly, tilting his head in annoyance. The Chief ignored their bickering. "He's the only worthy ally you can get," he said. "I saw your fight earlier. He's strong."
Bon jumped onto the table, puffing out his chest with exaggerated pride. "I am Bon! The man who will be King of the Jungle! Of course, I have to be strong." He chuckled, clearly entertained by his own words.
Kartia stared at him for a long moment. "He's strong, sure… but he's an idiot, too." She thought to herself.
The Chief sighed and clapped his hands together. "Alright, listen, both of you." Bon and Kartia turned their attention back to him. "The Couger Village, was founded by Kiora Couger during the reign of Leiroy Silverstran."
Bon's eyes widened. "Wait… the first King of the Jungle?!" The Chief nodded. "But… this village is too shabby for something that old," Bon added, crossing his arms.
The Chief sighed. "That's because Kiora never built this village to thrive he built it to hide." Kartia's brows furrowed. "Hide? From what?"
"I don't know," the Chief admitted. "The original records were burned. The stone carvings were tampered with." Kartia and Bon exchanged glances.
"The belief in the Swamp God didn't exist when Kiora ruled. It was born after he died from illness. The second chief began it he slaughtered seven children as a 'sacrifice' to the Swamp God and convinced the village that it was necessary for survival. Over generations, the story changed, passed down from chief to chief. Each time, the belief evolved."
The room fell silent. Bon, now sitting on the table with one knee up, tapped his fingers against the wood. "So… if the belief changed, that means it can be killed, right?"
The Chief let out a slow breath. "Yes." "But," he continued, his voice heavy, "for that to happen, I the last Couger of this village must die." he said that and the room went cold.
The Chief exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable as he continued, **"I have to die because I am the last Couger. I killed everyone else in my bloodline, and I never had children. If I die, then Couger Village dies with me and so does the belief that has chained this village to its bitterness."
Kartia clenched her fists. "So… will that save Aisha?"
The Chief gave a solemn nod.
Bon crossed his arms, his gaze sharp. "Any belief that kills children—any nonsense people blindly follow just because of tradition—it needs to end. I've decided… I'm going to stop it."
The Chief's lips curled slightly, almost like a smile. "Yes. Aisha will be saved and well. There is no Swamp God. The swamp is just a home to regular creatures, no different from any other part of the jungle. But the people believe in it. So, I will become their Swamp God… and you two will have to 'kill' me."
Bon tilted his head. "And how do you plan to become a god, old man?"
Kartia's eyes darted between them, her mind racing. "Wait… you mean we're actually supposed to kill him? For real?" Bon gave her a sideways glance. "The old man has already decided to die. If this is the way he wants to go, then fine." "But..." Kartia started, but the Chief cut her off.
"It's fine, Kartia." His voice was steady, without a trace of hesitation. He turned toward Bon, his gaze appraising. "You really weren't joking about this 'King of the Jungle' business, were you?"
Bon smirked. "I never joke about my dreams."
The Chief took a deep breath, then laid out the plan. "The ceremony is supposed to happen in the morning. But you'll have to delay it. Steal Aisha before the ritual begins."
Kartia frowned. "And then what?" "Then I will arrive, mad with rage, unleashing my power on everything in sight. I will 'become' the Swamp God."
Bon raised an eyebrow. "And how does that help?"
The Chief leaned forward, eyes dark with purpose. "The people believe in the Swamp God. But if I appear and become the 'god' they worship, their belief will shatter. They will see that their faith was built on nothing but a story passed down by my ancestors. A lie."
Kartia pursed her lips. "That's assuming they believe it."
The Chief nodded. "I've already prepared for that. I have allies within the village. Some of them are at the ceremony now, watching. They will help shift the people's perception when the time comes."
Silence stretched between them as the weight of the plan settled.
Then the chief's eyes flickered toward them both. "I assume you two also possess the power of the Spirit Dive?" Kartia's breath caught in her throat. "How… how do you know that?" She had kept her ability a secret from the village for years.
Bon, however, seemed unfazed. "He can sense it." Kartia turned to him. "Spirit Dive holders have a distinct energy. They harbor a foreign spirit within them, creating a dual-spirit presence. If you know what to look for, you can feel it," he explained.
The Chief gave an approving nod. "Spot on, kid. I could sense it the moment I met you both. And your energy is powerful, strong enough to kill me." He exhaled another long puff of smoke. "Now, go. Prepare for tomorrow." he dismissed them.
Bon turned toward the door, pausing only to glance over his shoulder. "I'll have to burn this village to the ground, too." Kartia stiffened. "What? Why?"
Bon's voice was calm but firm. "This village needs a fresh start. From the flames, it will be reborn." Kartia stared at him, searching for doubt in his expression, but there was none.
The Chief chuckled, his voice tinged with both amusement and sadness. "You really do think like a predator." Bon simply grinned.
And so, the plan for Couger's death was set into motion.