The Runic Alchemist

Chapter 156: The Challenge

In A Beaatmen village somewhere in the forest near Dreaded Lands, current time.

"It can't be ignored anymore. We have to protect ourselves, our land," said Kazak. He had said the same thing months ago and received the same murmurs in response, though this time it was louder.

"The lord's men will handle it. This is exactly why we pay heavy taxes, right? For protection in his region..." old man Kilmar said, gaining the support of many of the old-timers.

"But Lord Asher has gone to join the Eldoris forces with his best men. William is a good boy and a worthy heir, but I don't think he's ready to face such grim situations yet..." another old man added. Neo didn't know his name; he always knew him as the wise old fox who lived near the jackfruit trees.

"Have you all forgotten how we got this land? The lord's men have many villages to look after. We fought for this valley with our own hands. Now it's time to defend it. Can't you all see that?" Kazak said, standing in the middle of the beastmen council, his voice growing louder with each word.

Neo had never seen Kazak like this before; he had always been calm and wise, warning them of the risks of hunting and fighting.

"Neo, let's go. We shouldn't be eavesdropping here... This is too risky," Zinshi whispered in his ear. Taub and Vilnar heard her too, their reactions equally opposite.

"No one can find us here. I'm telling ya, this is the best hiding spot," Vilnar said, defending the place he had found for them to listen in on the council meeting.

"Zinshi's right, Neo. Let's go before someone catches us. It's not like they're going to listen to him this time either," added Taub, always quick to suggest running away when things weren't looking good. Can't blame the guy, though; most of the time, he was right.

Neo figured there was wisdom in the majority and was just about to sneak away when the scene inside the chief's house drastically changed.

"Are you really just going to trust them and wait for those Ashenvale bastards to come to our doorsteps?" Kazak shouted. Now he had done it. Speaking like that in full council was the stupidest thing one could do. Neo silently prayed the chief wouldn't be too angry with him, though he had every right to be.

The murmuring grew more intense as many beastmen scolded Kazak for his disrespect, but eventually, with one hand raised, the chief silenced them all.

"You do understand the weight of your words, Kazak, right?" the chief said, half-growling. He was of the proud Earthbreaker lineage. Those old furry grizzlies from the stories were known for their pride and honor, and the chief would never tolerate such an insult.

"I'm left with no choice, my friend. The enemy has sharpened their swords and waits at the entrance of our valley. We need to prepare. And if my reasons aren't heard through sensible words, maybe my fists will speak louder."

"Oh damn..." Vilnar blurted out so loudly that Neo thought they were caught, but the noise inside the council chamber drowned them out. Kazak's open challenge had sparked a chaotic uproar.

This was unexpected. Kazak was never one to lead people or involve himself in council meetings or village gossip. He was the lone hunter, training in the way of the Fist that his lineage was known for. Occasionally, he would lecture them about avoiding the forest and staying mindful of the monsters lurking beyond the peaceful valley.

"Hah... You think a few years of sitting under a tree makes you stronger than me? Fine then, it's been a long time coming. We'll fight tomorrow morning. May Astreae favor the righteous among us."

"She will, brother, she will," Kazak said, turning to leave amid the chaos of the councilmen gathered from all the villages in the valley. Discover magic on m_v_l_e_m_p_y_r

Neo climbed down from the roof they had been watching from, peering inside the chief's sturdy house through the gaps. Neo had been worried the whole time that Taub's massive gorilla frame would make the roof collapse on them, but fortunately, it held, and so did their cover.

"Come on, let's go before they—" Zinshi began, as she always did, jumping down first with her agile, rabbit-lineaged body. But she suddenly stopped. Neo thought something was wrong and jumped down as well. It wasn't too much of a drop, considering he was from a proud warrior race himself—the mountain wolf lineage.

However, instead of landing on solid ground, he was caught mid-air by a white, fur-covered hand with black stripes. It belonged to one of the last surviving members of the four great beast tribes, Kazak, the last of the great white tiger lineage.

"Next time, you idiots will be punished for disobeying the council's rules. Consider yourselves lucky I was the one who caught you." Both Zinshi and Neo nodded like newborn cubs. Kazak let them go, throwing them into the dirt. He then caught Taub effortlessly, despite his absurd weight, while Vilnar nimbly dodged. With Taub in Kazak's grasp, the quick-footed hyena had no trouble slipping away.

Kazak dragged them back toward their village, leaving the chief's house behind on the elevated plateau. The whole way, he lectured them on the importance of rules, order, and discipline. Neo had only one question on his mind though, and he finally got the chance to ask it when they were halfway home.

"Are you really going to fight him?"

The others stopped grumbling and looked at Kazak. He glanced back at them, then toward the chief's house on the high ground.

"Sometimes a warrior stands at the edge of the village, protecting it from dangers no one in the village will ever know about, doing his duty in silence. But sometimes, a warrior has to roar to wake the village, to make them take up their weapons and fight. The brave know the difference, and they pray those times never come. But the wise? They prepare anyway."