It was early morning when Chinua started down the mountain road, but then she decided that since she had left the training camp, she would head to the nearest village to observe. She strolled along the small dirt road, rice fields stretching to her left. She knew that because of winter in the north, harvests occurred only once a year. Farmers were already working in their fields. The voices of many woodcutters already echoed with the morning chirping of birds. As Chinua approached the village, she could see many people selling their goods on the street.
By this time, Chinua was very hungry, having eaten only two yams in the past two days. She had no money with her. She stood watching the many people in the street, inhaling the fresh, warm goat's milk and steamed food in the early morning air. She decided to keep observing until noon, then she would walk back to camp, hoping Khunbish and Khenbish might find her on the way.
"These are junk for children; how dare you sell them on the street!"
"What do you mean? It's not junk!' Hye looked up at the man. "If you don't want it, leave it alone."
Chinua saw the calm youth still patiently carving his wooden toy on the table next to the others displayed on the black mat.
The man smashed a small crossbow heavily to the ground. "I won't buy this piece of junk," he declared, "not for a single piece of copper, nor four pieces of gold."
"Well, if you don't want to, then move along," Hye said.
The man kicked the small toys scattered on the mat, then turned and left.
Hye watched the man's retreating back and muttered to himself, "Brainless." He quickly picked up the toys and put them back on the mat.
Chinua looked at the many toys on the mat; some she had never seen before. She squatted down, picked up the crossbow, and asked, "How much is this toy?"
Hye looked at Chinua. "Four pieces of gold," he replied.
Chinua was taken aback, looking at the little toy that was worth as much as a house. "What makes this toy so special, unlike other children's toys?" she asked.
Hye continued to carve his toys on the table. "All these toys cost four pieces of gold each," he said. "Take it or leave it."
"I have no money, but I'm very interested in your little crossbow. Can I exchange my ring for it? My ring is worth more than four pieces of gold." Chinua took out the ring and handed it to Hye.
Hye picked up the ring and examined it for a while. "This is no ordinary ring," he said. "Where did you get it?"
"My brother gave it to me," Chinua said.
Hye looked at the ring. "This ring is worth more than four pieces of gold. I can't accept it," he stated.
"Then I'll buy all your toys," Chinua said.
Hye looked at Chinua, who was determined to buy the crossbow. He picked up the two toys he had just carved and walked to the mat. He then gathered all the toys, wrapped them in black cloth, and handed the bundle to Chinua.
Chinua smiled excitedly. "You even carved small arrows for this crossbow! This is amazing!"
"What's your name?" Hye asked.
"Chinua," she said.
"You must be a soldier?" Hye said.
"Unofficially at the moment, I'm a new recruit. I haven't passed the final exam yet," Chinua said.
Suddenly, everyone rushed towards a large open area.
"What's going on?" Chinua asked.
"I don't know," Hye said.
Chinua stopped a woman. "What's going on?" she asked.
"There's a shooting competition over there," the woman said. "Whoever wins will get a jar of silver."
Chinua slowly followed the villagers toward the shooting range, noticing that Hye was following her too. She turned and asked, "Are you going to the shooting competition too?"
"You brought all my stuff; I have nothing else to sell," Hye replied.
A merchant walked over. "Gentlemen near and far, we're about to have a truly wonderful performance today!" He pointed to the people on the opposite side. "There are numbers on the target." He pointed. "The slave can only take as many steps as the number your arrow hits. When the slave reaches the finish line, you win the pot of silver. One coin will get you one arrow."
A man stood up and threw a silver bar at the merchant. He smiled. "How many arrows will you give me?" he asked.
"Sir, this will get you twenty arrows," the merchant said.
The man stood up and took up the bow and arrow. He chose slave number four. His first arrow missed the target, which stood fifty yards from the starting line. The arrow fell a few yards from slave number four. He drew a second arrow, which hit the outer ring, meaning the slave wouldn't take a step. The man became frustrated, shooting wildly until he reached for his last arrow. The slave was only halfway across the field.
The man angrily shot the arrow into the slave's chest. The slave slowly fell to the ground, and everyone around the shooting range took a deep breath. He threw the bow on the ground and threw a silver bar at the merchant. "'It's for that dead slave,' he said."
From Hye's face and clenched fists, Chinua knew that the slave standing before them might be someone Hye knew. "You know that slave?" Chinua asked.
"That's what happens when a kingdom falls," Hye said, his voice tight. "Those who suffer the most are ordinary citizens who fought no war. When a king falls, another king rises. In the same land, a fallen king becomes a slave, and a rising king remains in power." He gritted his teeth. "It's all because of greedy men who cherish their golden chairs more than the lives of ordinary citizens."
"Which kingdom did those slaves come from?" Chinua asked.
Hye looked at Chinua. "Wailldom Kingdom," he said.
"But it was the King of Wailldom who decided to attack Nue-Li City," Chinua said. "In that war, the King of Wailldom ordered his men to kill everyone. Afterward, the entire Nue-Li City was littered with corpses."
"Do you think it's fair that the citizens of Wailldom should face the same fate as the citizens of Nue-Li?" Hye asked.
Chinua turned to Hye. "What do you mean?"
Hye smiled bitterly. "So, you don't know the full story?"
"What's the full story?" Chinua asked.
"Has it been written in the history of Hmagol Kingdom that Prince Dzhambul ordered his soldiers to kill, rape ordinary citizens, and slaughter surrendered soldiers? Or is that part not written?" He grinned at Chinua.
Chinua was taken aback. No such event had been recorded in Hmagol Kingdom's records. Chinua shook her head. "There is no record," she said.
"Then I suppose there will be no record of people boiled and burned alive. Or people decapitated and left to slowly die." He turned around. "At least the soldiers of Wailldom only kill, they don't torture." He turned and left.
Chinua grabbed Hye's arm. "Are you going to save them?" she asked.
"Saving a slave makes you a slave," Hye said. "I don't think you've heard of that either, have you?"
"Give me five coins, and I'll save them all," Chinua offered.
"Little girl, go home. This is not a place for children to play," Hye said, turning around and starting to walk away.
"If I can't free them all, I'll be your slave." Hye turned and faced Chinua as she approached him. "Do you dare to bet with me?"
Hye walked over to Chinua. "Little girl, you have guts," he said with a smile. "Your chance of getting a husband is greater than your chance of freeing those nine people."
"If I can free them, you will sell me your life." She looked Hye in the eyes. "Do you accept?"
Hye looked at this young woman who was taller than any woman he had ever seen. He saw the firm look in Chinua's eyes. He opened the palm of his right hand, revealing five silver coins. "I accept on one condition," he said.
"What?" Chinua asked.
"You can never harm surrendering citizens or soldiers," Hye stated.
Chinua took the five coins. "I agree," she announced. She went to the merchant. "I want five arrows."
"Only five arrows? Are you sure, young man?" the merchant asked.
"I only need five," Chinua said.
The merchant handed Chinua five arrows. She grabbed them and the bow, then walked to Hye's side.
"Which one do you want me to free first?" she asked Hye.
Hye pointed to number ten. "Him," he said.
Chinua nocked the first arrow, looking past the little boy standing beside the target. She released her arrow, which arced through the air and hit the bullseye. The people around her gasped.
The young boy quickly took ten steps forward.
Hye looked at Chinua, who stood only a length away. He stared as Chinua nocked the second arrow and released it, splitting the previous arrow in two.
The young boy quickly ran to the next marker.
When Chinua's final arrow hit the bullseye, the little boy was just a few feet away from her. Chinua looked at the boy. "You really don't need to take ten steps," she said with a hint of a smile.
The merchant smiled. "Your archery skills are very good. Do you want this jar of silver, or that slave?"
"I'll take the slave," Chinua said.
"Wait, let's make another bet," the merchant suggested.
"What kind of bet?" Chinua asked.
The merchant, not wanting to lose his slave, said, "This will be a very exciting bet—a bet of a lifetime!" With a wave of his hand, two servants dragged a man in chains into the shooting range. "See if your arrows are faster, or if that beast is faster."
"What if he's faster?" Chinua asked.
The merchant nodded to a servant, who threw a knife to the ground. The merchant laughed. "If your arrow is faster than the beast, then the beast dies, and this pot of silver is yours. If the beast is faster than your arrow, he'll stab you in the head, and the beast will be free."
"'Sounds boring,' Chinua said. 'You're a man full of excitement, let's add a little more.'"
"If the beast crosses the line and doesn't kill me, you'll die in his place."
"Fine, your feet aren't allowed to move from this circle," the merchant agreed.
"Alright," Chinua said.
The merchant threw an arrow and a bow to Chinua. He nodded to the two servants, who then unshackled the man's hands and feet. The beast picked up the knife and rushed toward Chinua. Chinua picked up the bow and shot an arrow at the opponent's feet. This brought the beast to a sudden stop.
"Sell your life to me, and I promise that for the rest of your life, these shackles will never bind your hands or feet again," Chinua said. "Refuse to bend your knees and cross that line... and you'll take those chains and shackles to your grave.'
The beast looked at Chinua. "I don't believe you," he grunted.
"I'll make you believe it." She hurriedly pointed the crossbow at the merchant and pulled the trigger."
The small arrow directly hit the merchant's left temple. He fell to the ground and died instantly. She turned to Hye. "I won our bet," she announced. "Bend your knees."