Down System

Chapter 29

"Can we make a potion that will make me invisible and at the same time, will not able people from hearing and smelling me?"

After asking that question to the old woman, she ordered me to wander the mountain to look for ingredients that would be useful in potion-making.

Since I was that too desperate, I roamed the forest even so not yet familiar with the corners and paths. Nevertheless, I had the map with me. I knew I wouldn't be lost. I trusted myself enough.

While walking, my eyes were looking at every side, hoping to see a Hufana leaf— the main substance that would make the magic effective. Namika said it was rare, and so it would be hard for me to find one. Also, this kind of leaf would only be found at the tribal locality.

I released a deep sigh as I continued to went up the mountain. I still had to hike how many meters to reach the top where the tribes were. However, I was still observing every corner. Who knew there was also Hufana here, just hiding from the trunks?

After many hours of going up, I had decided to take my rest. I was running out of breath, and my water was now insufficient to make me hydrated. I was about to look for a drink when random shouts rang in my ears. I steered my sight throughout the surrounding, and at my back, there was a little boy who had the same age as me who was being bullied by a group of men.

I abruptly ran from them and held the hand of the boy. "Don't touch him!" I told the men; however, they just laughed at me. "What's funny, huh!"

"Can you see this small girl defending this girly-boy?" one of the men asked his companion, still laughing.

I gave them a scathing look. They had no right to belittle me! They didn't know me, in the first place.

Presently, the man who talked walked towards me and touched my lower chin. "You wanna fight, tiny girl?"

"I don't wanna interact with such narrow-minded man!" I said, moving my face away from his rough hand. "Let's go!"

When I was to leave with the boy, the man held my hands and sharply looked at me as he said,

"Who told you to leave, eh? Don't make me lose my patience!"

"It seemed like you have now your match, man," one of his comrades said. "She's brave in all fairness."

The man gripped my hands even tighter, but that didn't give me a hint to express pain. "I will really punch your face if you didn't let go of that boy," he said.

"Then, punch me!" I said. "You wanna fight with me because you are weak. You only punch those people who you think can't knock you back."

The man's friend laughed at him, which made him clench his fist and give me a blow. But, sorry for him for not hitting me because I was able to avoid it.

I knew he would do it.

Still holding the boy, I kicked the man's cheek. My leg was that long for that annoying face of him!

"Freak," the man whispered while holding his jowl. When his companion surrounded me, he stopped them saying, "let this be a one-on-one battle."

I smirked. So, he was really going to fight? Well, if that so, I would apply the old woman's teaching.

Before the fisticuffs could begin, I told the young boy to just stay at the side. I warned as well the man's friends to not dare to touch their hands to him; it was a good thing they knew a word.

I prepared my fist as I smilingly looked at the man who was also readying his arms to hit me a blow. I was still about to speak when he attacked me; fortunately, I had avoided it by jumping over his head.

This man was fighting unfairly.

Meanwhile, the other men clapped their hands and shouted a joy of victory as they had seen my first move. They even cheered for me, saying I was already their bias.

The man's nose blew a smoke of anger. After seeing me standing firmly, he tried attacking me again with his thick fist, but he was unlucky enough to touch my face.

"You move too slow," I told him while sidetracking. "Can't you make it faster?"

I couldn't stop myself from grinning when the man followed what I had said. Nevertheless, he couldn't still hit me. It was just a waste of night fighting back, so when the right time came for me to punch his cheek again, I did it.

While sharing fists, the other men kept on expressing a loud whoop of joy. It seemed like they were just watching a mini-show in the mountain.

After minutes of fighting back, I had turned the man's face into a red one. I was still to kick him to knock him out, but he raised his hands, saying he already gave up.

"That's it?" I smirked at him. "I didn't enjoy that much. What a waste of time you've brought me."

The man stood and ran to his friends, asking them to hit me for him, but they didn't agree with him anyway; instead, they happily walked towards me and lifted me as they shouted victory.

"We are now hers!" one of them shouted.

"You damn traitors!" the man with a red face said, frowning at us. He was about to leave, but I halted him saying,

"I hope this serves a lesson not just to you, but also for you, guys." I looked down to the man who was carrying me, then stood fiercely in front of them all after telling them to bring me down. "You must stop bullying."

"As you said, boss!" the group of men said with a grin.

"If I hear something from you doing the same thing again, I won't only give you a punch, but death," I warned them that made them bow their heads.

After saying goodbye to them, I continued walking with the boy named Keanu.

Keanu didn't let me go on by myself. As a reward to me for saving him, he asked me to go with him to my desired destination. He insisted this on me when I refused, saying he knew the tribes, as well as about the Hufana leaf.

At last, I accepted his offer, thinking he could help me. However, I was a bit worried about him and his family that were probably already looking for him; but since he told me it was totally fine, I stopped overthinking.

"About what you've said a while ago," Keanu said, "did you mean it?"

"What part?" I looked at him, creasing my brows.

"The death thing."

I chuckled. "It was just a joke! I didn't mean it. But if I knew they are bullying you again, I won't let them pass. If suffering will help them realize things, then I'm willing to give them trouble, but not quietus."

"Oh, I thought you weren't facetious about it. I'm scared they'll be sent to death."

"Why? Do they always bully you?"

Keanu nodded worriedly. "They kept on teasing me because of the way I act and speak. They say I am not like a man."

My eyes burned. "What's wrong with them? They have no right to judge you and hurt you."

"They just did."

I stopped walking and held Keanu's hands. "Listen to me," I mouthed, staring directly at his blue eyes like the ocean waves, "the next time this will happen again, fight, okay? There's nothing wrong with defending yourself."

Keanu smiled as he thanked me. "You are such a blessing in disguise. I wanna be friends with you, Aleera!"

"Sure, we are friends now," I beamed.

"Cool! Can I now tell you a secret?"

My eyes grew big. "You trust me that much? Your capacity of trusting new people is different!" I chuckled.

"I found you trustworthy," Keanu said, "and you can't blame me for that. Now, will you let me speak things to you?"

I held his hands even tighter. "Go on."

"Aleera, I ain't really a boy."

I puckered my eyebrows. "What do you mean you're not a boy?"

"I mean, I am a boy, but my heart isn't like a boy. I don't know how to describe this, but it feels like I am more a girl."

The smile on my lip grew even wider. "That's amazing! I fully understand you, Keanu. Just be yourself, alright?"

He hugged me and thanked me again with the endearment: sweetie. So cute!

Honestly speaking, there would be nothing wrong with being yourself. Your gender wouldn't affect your life, as well as other's business. If you found yourself happy with a certain thing, follow it and be it.

I was proud of Keanu for having the courage to speak up. Though it was my first time to hear such a thing, I felt overwhelmed.

After hours of walking, we finally reached the tribal community. The people there were indeed not the same as us just by the way they wore clothes and presented themselves.

"This tribe is called the Samaran," Keanu told me. "They are living here on top of the mountain since the beginning. My mom told me that their race is the original resident of Mount Marrior."

I looked at those people with amazement. Knowing that thing from Keanu made me want to know more about them.

"Are we allowed here?" I asked Keanu, doubting when noticed the people looking at us.

"Everyone is permitted to go here, Aleera," he answered. "Don't you worry, the Samaran tribe has a beautiful heart, just like me! You know, I'm drop-dead gorgeous."

"Lovin' that confidence!" I said and gave him a high-five.

Keanu was a different person. He was unexpected to be this cheerful despite the criticism he was receiving. Since we walked away from those men, he started showing off his real colors, and that was something to be happy about!

As we continued walking, I kept my eyes on the Samarans who were passing through. The style of their clothing was far from us— men wore only a black short, while women were into short skirts and a n****e cover.

The structures also varied; the house was composed of woods and leaves. Nevertheless, they looked sturdy because of the big rocks that served as foundations.

Since we were on the top of the mountain, the wind was colder there. My body was shaking because of its touch. I should have brought a coat with me. My bad.

We were still walking when one of the Samarans approached us in asked what was our motive there.

"We are looking for a Hufana leaf," Keanu answered. "Can you help us find one if you don't mind?"

"Sure. Come with me!"

One thing I had also noticed with the Samarans was the way they speak— it had an accent. Nonetheless, it wasn't a problem, since it was still understandable.

After minutes of steering us in a garden, the Samaran showed us a Hufana leaf. He offered it to us and left.

The smile on my face couldn't be faded now that I had found what I was looking for. It was really a Hufana!

"Is one enough?" Keanu asked.

"I don't think so," I answered. "It is okay if we still get some?"

He nodded. "Besides, it's free."

Because of what Keanu had said, I didn't hesitate to pick more Hufana. When I was done, I told him we can go, but another Samaran approached us, asking where we were going.

"Uh, we're now returning from our homes," Keanu replied. "We've just got Hufana leaves. Thanks for them!"

"It's no problem," the Samaran woman mouthed. "Would you mind coming to my house before you leave? I would be glad to serve you."

"U-uh, n-" I wasn't able to continue speaking when Keanu cut me off saying,

"We are glad, too!"

The Samaran woman smiled. "Good! Come with me and I'll give you the food I've cooked the best so far!"

I doubted following her. I had no problem with benevolence, but her kindness was a question to me. Was it just right to welcome in your house the people you had just met and hadn't even known yet their names?

My thoughts were like a train that had no plan of stopping, not until Keanu informed me of the Samaran's culture. Little did I know that being this thoughtful of strangers was just normal to them, besides it was one of their ways of showing their obedience to Gandor. I also found out that refusing their offer would make them mad and curse the person.

When we finally entered the Samaran woman's house, I wandered my eyes all over the place. It was just small, yet something you could call enough a home.

The woman told us to have a seat, and she would just be getting the food, and when she came back, she asked us about our main purpose of going in their place; Keanu answered the same thing— for Hufana.

"Do you want some trivia about a Hufana leaf?" the Samaran asked.

The two of us nodded.

"According to the tale, Gandor produced this leaf for his people to heal from their sicknesses. Our ancestors believed that, so they tried applying it to the deceased. However, there's this one baby girl who went missing after her parents used the leaf to her."

"Who's that girl?" I asked.

"Her name is Hufana," the Samaran woman answered. "And that's why this lead was named after her."

"B-but, why was she lost?"

"I don't know," she shrugged her shoulders, "but they said, Gandor took that girl and made him a princess in another life."

My eyes grew bigger. "Really?"

"That's what they said, but I don't know. No one really knows. After all, it's just a myth. But who knows if that was real?"

"What do you think why Gandor let that happen?" I asked.

"Maybe because he knows the future of that baby girl— pain and suffering, and that's why he took her with him."

Myth or not, it was a horrible story for me. If Gandor was a real god, how would he let that baby be born and lost her life in just days? If he knew her future was nothing but suffering, why did he make her exist in the first place? This was all nonsense.

Who would believe Gandor was a false god, anyway?