Two hours had passed since the soldiers began their pursuit of Yousafer and Yuray. One of the soldiers returned by boat to the warship, where he met the rest of the crew who were also returning from the explosion site toward the shore.
The soldier recounted the events that had unfolded once the two youths reached land. A look of deep contemplation crossed Ron's face; it seemed certain now that they were the ones behind the blast.
Ron turned to the soldier and said, "Well done."
The soldier bowed his head. "It is my duty, Lieutenant."
Darum muttered under his breath, "There's a high probability they are the cause of the explosion."
Ron began to pace with lazy, deliberate strides, resting a hand behind his head. He spoke with cold confidence: "That is obvious. Who else could it be? It seems our enemies multiply every day like flies."
One of the soldiers rubbed his temple, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear: "We should have apprehended them and conducted a deeper investigation. Lieutenant, shall we pursue them?"
Ron whispered as he watched the sea, "There is no need. Their banner is new. Many banners rise and fade with time, and their owners perish before a single star is ever printed upon them. Besides, we have a mission to capture that charlatan."
"By the way, Lieutenant," another soldier asked, "does the Human Demon's banner have a star?"
Darum interjected, clearly annoyed. "Are you witless? Why would we waste our time chasing—" He stopped abruptly, as if realizing something, then corrected himself: "That scoundrel... we will capture him regardless of whether his banner bears a star. He was born in *that* year."
A younger soldier looked as if he wanted to speak, but he stammered and fell silent. Darum noticed him and called out, "Kaysen, do you have something to say?"
The boy's face flushed. He was new to the army, distinguished by his shimmering silver hair and sharp facial features. "What... what is the story behind the stars on the banners and the revolutionaries, Vice-Captain?"
The other soldiers looked on with curiosity, waiting for Darum's answer.
"Some things remain hidden from the masses," Darum began, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked kindly at the boy. "Especially matters regarding revolutionaries. The stars determine the threat level of the banner's owner. For example, the revolutionary 'Human Demon' has a star on his banner. The more stars, the greater the danger. As for the revolutionaries, they are those who abandoned the National Banner and rose against justice. They claim to seek freedom, but they are nothing more than demons."
The crew listened intently; some knew the stories, while others were hearing them for the first time.
"Vice-Lieutenant," one asked, "why would they abandon the banner of the Church of the Union of Nations?"
Ron interjected, "I will answer your question with another: Why do they rebel against the army in the first place? Or rather, why do they rebel against the world?"
The soldier fell into deep thought. "How should I know?"
Ron looked at him and continued, "The minds of those wretches have become inhabited by false myths and delusions. They act for a goal that does not exist. Every revolutionary is an enemy of the world, and they know it, yet they chose this path for themselves."
Ron stopped, scanning the men with his eyes. "That is enough for today. You will learn the rest later. Now, let us complete our mission and find that demon."
"Yes, Lieutenant!" the soldiers shouted in unison.
***
**Back to Yousafer and Yuray.**
At the entrance of a dense forest, two figures stood with unshakable resolve. Yousafer, his dark hair casting shadows over his brow, held a medium-sized leather map, glancing between the parchment and the forest trail. Before them lay a straight path, overgrown with thick weeds—a road that looked as if it hadn't been tread upon in years.
"This is a shortcut to the Kingdom of Randor," Yousafer said, "but it seems it hasn't been used for a long time."
Yuray whispered, "Perhaps people found another shortcut instead."
"Maybe," Yousafer muttered. "But I read recently that this forest is a haven for many bandits and revolutionaries. That's likely why people avoid it, or perhaps there is another path they use that isn't on this map."
Yuray nodded. "Regardless, let's go in and find out. We have nothing to lose, and circling the forest would take too much time."
"You're right. Let's move." Yousafer stowed the leather map in his bag and slung it over his shoulder.
***
**The Kingdom of Randor.**
Somewhere in the Kingdom of Randor, a young man sat atop a tower, gazing at the blue sky. There was no difference between the color of the heavens and the color of his eyes; in fact, his eyes were a deeper, more piercing blue. He had arched brows and sharp features. He wore a dark blue cloak adorned with black shells that trailed down both sides. On his chest sat the emblem of the Church of the Union of Nations. He wore black trousers and tall boots that reached his knees.
On his back hung a long, dark blue scythe, its blade curved inward.
A shout from the base of the tower broke his concentration. "Maimun! Maimun! We have to leave now to finish our mission! The Commander will be furious again because of your negligence!"
Maimun glanced down at the youth below, who was dressed in similar attire with brown hair slicked back. "I'm coming," Maimun said.
He looked at the sky one last time, murmuring a few words to himself. Then, he leaped from the top of the tower—a fifteen-meter drop—landing gracefully on the ground.
"What are you doing up there, you idiot? Contemplating the sky again? I'm the one who gets scolded by the Commander because of you!"
"How annoying... couldn't you finish it alone?" Maimun asked.
"Even if I could, you have to accompany me. Do you think you can just sit around staring at the clouds? Don't forget, you are a Knight of the Kingdom, and every knight has his role, you fool."
Maimun looked ahead and said nothing. He knew if he spoke, his friend would never stop talking.
***
**The Forest.**
Deep within the thick woods, Yousafer and Yuray walked through golden threads of sunlight filtering through the branches. Yousafer wore his black clothes striped with purple, the red banner adorning his chest. Yuray was in white with silver engravings, bearing the same banner. The emblem embroidered on their chests was the one Yousafer had drawn with his own hand; one looked like the dark of night, the other bright as day.
Yousafer looked at the youth beside him. "Yuray, are you ready for this journey?"
Yuray replied without turning his head, "Of course I am. I'm happy to be doing this with you. I've been looking forward to this, despite the difficulty."
Yousafer placed both hands behind his head. "I don't know why, but I feel like I need this journey. Like something is drawing me and keeping me excited."
"Soon we'll be wanted men," Yuray said. "We'll be hunted everywhere. That's actually great; it will help us develop our abilities."
"Developing our abilities, searching for the 'Relics of War', unearthing the history of this miserable world, and finding the cause of my nightmares... that's what we set out for. I hope I find this world entertaining."
Hours passed as they ventured deeper. The path became choked with long, yellow grass, slowing their pace.
"This forest is strange," Yousafer muttered. "There's an eerie silence. Is it abandoned? I hope we run into some bandits or revolutionaries here."
"Night will fall soon," Yuray noted. "The sun is sinking. We need to find a spot to camp, and besides, we have no food."
"No problem. There's still time before sunset. We'll hunt something on the way."
*Rustle.*
They walked a bit further, then Yousafer suddenly tilted his head toward Yuray with a wicked grin. "We're being watched."
A smile touched Yuray's lips. "Do you like that? But don't get too excited; it's only one person watching us."
"I know. But don't you see? We're likely lost in this forest because of this tall grass. Finding someone here to act as our guide... that would be perfect."
*Rustle. Rustle.*
Yuray's expression shifted. "There's another... no, a third person."
Joy spread across Yousafer's face. "They're coming... they're coming..."
The grass beside them moved violently. Yuray's face turned serious, while Yousafer watched with a smile as the grass swayed left and right, as if a path was opening before them. Suddenly, an arrow hissed out from the weeds, aimed at Yuray's face. Yuray tilted his head just in time, and the arrow thudded into a tree.
A voice called out from the grass: "You won't escape again."
**End of Chapter**