BXBX NOVEL Chapter 173: Signs
"This is odd," Yenya began, her voice echoing in the meeting hall, "Something\'s amiss in our beloved hot spring village. The very essence of our peaceful lives has shifted, and that is not for the better."
A murmur of concern swept through the gathered villagers, their brows furrowed with unease. Yenya continued, "Animals are fleeing our surroundings, sensing a disturbance we can\'t ignore. Our connection with nature is faltering, and we must act swiftly."
An elderly villager raised a trembling hand, "Yenya, what should we do? Is it a sign from the forest spirits?"
Yenya sighed, her eyes scanning the worried faces. "I fear it\'s more than that. The hot springs, our lifeblood, have become too hot to use. The very heart of our village is in jeopardy. We must inform Garnt, the patriarch of our main village. He needs to know of this upheaval. He might have some answers to what is happening here."
A young villager voiced the concern lingering in everyone\'s mind. "But Leader, what if Garnt can\'t help? What if this is a fate we cannot escape? After all, this is the hot springs that we are talking about. They are like our children."
Yenya met the villagers\'s gaze, her expression firm. "We cannot succumb to despair. Garnt has guided our village through many trials. We must trust in his wisdom. Together, we will find a way to restore balance to the village"
And so, the villagers, their hearts heavy with uncertainty, decided to send a few messengers so they could contact their leader, whom they had their faith placed in but as soon as Yenya ended her speech, an explosion happened in the mountain which caused all of them to be shocked and fearful.
"What was that?" Yenya questioned as she saw black smoke billowing from the mountain area of the village.
"The mountains are angry!" The people in the village started to panic, and some of them attempted to run into the cave. However, Yenya quickly instructed guards to prevent people from doing so, knowing that if the cave closed while they were inside, it would be an even bigger disaster.
"What caused that explosion? And what is this black smoke? What is happening here?"
She felt that this was truly a threat to her people as she pointed her finger, and a piece of black soot landed on it, indicating that it was indeed the result of a fire—the only source capable of creating these black substances.
"No one is allowed to enter into the caves until I order you, also make sure you are ready to escape if something happens. This is not looking too good for us,"
She ordered and sent a few messengers to let Garnt know about the situation. On the other side of the same land, Baktou was looking at the ocean, which had some strange movements compared to before, worrying him.
Kalina was standing next to him, and she was rather pale, looking at the ocean because she knew what this could mean. After all, it had been only a few hours since they experienced an earthquake that almost broke some of the weakly built buildings to the ground, showing it wasn\'t an earthquake of small magnitude.
[I didn\'t expect something like this, but Baktou, it looks like you need to be ready to evacuate to higher ground if needed. These signs—the earthquake and the insane waves of the sea—all of them are screaming one thing: A dangerous incident that even manages to scare us modern humans.]
The female voice inside Baktou\'s head gave him the warning, creating suspicion, while Kalina already knew what this phenomenon would lead to.
[It\'s a tsunami.]
"These are the signs of a tsunami,"
Both the voice and Kalina muttered at the same time, showing it was indeed a well-known incident in the modern world, which worried Baktou because he knew neither Kalina nor the voice would truly overestimate something.
"Are you telling me to abandon this place and move? What about the people?" Baktou asked, but he knew no matter what he couldn\'t leave all these people to die. They were still his villagers even though most of the people in the village hated him for betraying Garnt.
[Of course, you have to take them. But I doubt they would listen to you, so use force if you have to. A normal tsunami is already dangerous, but don\'t forget. Inside that ocean, there are so many things like megalodons that are unknown to us, and the tsunami will allow them to visit our land without any problems.]
"Megalodon!" Baktou was reminded of the giant threat that he had fought the other day and knew that no one else in the village, not even Garnt, would be able to handle that creature. The obvious choice was to retreat, but he had a question. "But what is causing all these disasters? It feels like something big is going to happen, but I can\'t put my finger on it."
[I don\'t know. There are many reasons that a tsunami can happen, so don\'t dwell on it. Do your thing, and nothing will be able to harm you or this village.]
***
The two stood in a small clearing, the sun dappling through the leaves overhead.
Kara, a seasoned warrior with a tough exterior, looked down at Guni and smirked. "Alright, little one, let\'s see what you\'ve got. Show me what Dad\'s been teaching you."
Guni squared her shoulders, her small fists clenched, and replied with a bright smile, "I\'m ready, Kara!"
The practice began, and Kara showcased her skill with fluid movements, effortlessly dodging Guni\'s attempts to land a hit. Guni, however, displayed surprising agility and quick reflexes for her age, managing to land a few playful taps on Kara\'s arm.
Kara chuckled, "Not bad, Guni. But let\'s see if you can handle this!" She swiftly executed a series of well-practised manoeuvres, easily outmanoeuvring Guni at every turn.
Guni stumbled but regained her balance, determined not to give up. "You\'re fast, Kara! But I can do this!"
The little girl lunged forward with a burst of energy, her tiny fists flying. Despite Kara\'s dominance, Guni\'s enthusiasm and determination were undeniable. Kara continued to showcase her superior skills, but Guni\'s relentless spirit couldn\'t be ignored.
Kara smirked, "Impressive, Guni. You\'ve got heart, I\'ll give you that."
Guni panted, a mix of exhaustion and excitement on her face. "One day, I\'ll be as strong as you, Kara! Just you wait!"
Kara ruffled Guni\'s hair affectionately. "I look forward to it, little sis. Keep training, and who knows, maybe one day you\'ll be the one impressing Dad."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the sisters laughed together, sharing a bond that went beyond the practice battleground. As the meal time arrived both of them went back to the patriarch square and couldn\'t help but appreciate the current mood of this special place.
"It was like a private place for Garnt, as most of the people in that place were women. There were only a few kids running in and out of the square as they delivered some messages or small things, and that was the only part where they saw a male, except for Garnt in that place.
"Hmm~ that cocky brother is not coming to eat with us. I\'m pretty sure he is with his girlfriend. I can\'t believe he found a girl that suits him," Kara muttered while walking with Guni, and she looked at Kara with a confused look.
"Sister! Why does a brother need a girl? I don\'t understand why a father needs a woman like a mother too," It was a question that came out of a kid who was curious about everything, and Kara decided to explain things in a way suitable for her age so she wouldn\'t be misguided in the future.
She crouched down, meeting Guni\'s eyes with a gentle smile.
"Ah, little sis, love is a complicated thing. You see, when two people care deeply for each other, they become partners, like Mom and Dad. It\'s not just about finding someone who suits you; it\'s about sharing your life with someone special. A girlfriend or a wife is like a companion, someone to support you, understand you, and share both happiness and challenges."
Guni tilted her head, absorbing Kara\'s words with wide-eyed wonder. "So, is it like sparring? Like when we practice together?"
Kara chuckled again, appreciating Guni\'s attempt to relate the concept to their training. "Well, in a way, yes. Just like how we support each other in training, partners in love support and care for each other in life. It\'s a different kind of bond, but equally important."
As they reached the patriarch square, Kara gestured to the lively atmosphere. "You see, even in this square, it\'s not just about training and fighting. These women are like a big family, supporting each other and sharing their lives. And one day, you might find someone special too, someone who makes your heart flutter."
Guni pondered Kara\'s words, her gaze wandering across the square. "Like brother and his girlfriend?"
Kara nodded, "Exactly. Now, let\'s go enjoy our meal and celebrate the bond we share as sisters. And who knows, maybe one day you\'ll find a special someone who appreciates your determination and spirit, just like I do with your father."
"Sister, like my father? So are you going to be like my mother then?" Guni asked a little confused about how that would be possible and with a grin on her face, Kara nodded her face, as if she was enjoying the moment.
"Yes, yes I am. I will be your mother, just wait and see,"