Back at the ocean, Azun and the old man camped for the night. The sound of gentle waves filled the air, mingling with the crackle of a small fire.
“Captain, do you think we’ll be able to restore peace in this world?” Azun asked, his voice heavy with concern as he gazed at the vast night sky.
The old man tilted his head, his firm and authoritative voice breaking the silence. “What is peace, Azun? What do you think peace is? If you find the answer to that question, you’ll know what our chances are.”
Azun shook his head in frustration and rose from the spot where he’d been lying. “Can’t you just answer me directly, Captain?” he sighed. “By the way, when are we heading to Ikuli village?”
“Tomorrow at dawn,” the old man replied simply, settling onto a cloth spread on the ground. “We’ll leave as soon as the rest of the group joins us. Now sleep, Azun. Get some rest.”
Meanwhile, in Ikuli village, the gathering had come to an end, and the villagers began to disperse.
“Zee! Zee, the meeting’s over. Let’s go,” Lisa called out.
Zee, lost in thought, didn’t respond. Frustrated, Lisa stood before him, waving her hand in his face. “Hello! Didn’t you hear me?”
“Oh, sorry. What were you saying, Lisa?” Zee asked, rubbing his eyes as if to dispel a lingering vision.
“Unbelievable,” Lisa muttered. “I said let’s go home.”
Zee nodded absently and stood.
“Wait, Zee,” Jin interjected. “First, I need to introduce you to the village elder since you’re a visitor here.”
“Do I really need to meet more people?” Zee thought to himself but nodded in agreement.
The group—Jin, Zee, Lisa, and Lika—stayed behind to meet the elder. Jin approached the elderly man, bowing slightly in respect.
“Elder, good evening. Sorry for the inconvenience, but I’d like to introduce you to Zee. He’s my visitor.”
The elder’s calm eyes rested on Zee, and he offered a steady smile. “Good evening to you too, Doctor Jin. And welcome to our village, young man. I suspected you were a visitor when I saw you during the gathering. Where are you from, and what brings you here?”
“Well… I’m from Zukili village,” Zee stammered, visibly nervous.
“Zukili?” The elder’s brow furrowed slightly. “I’ve never heard of that village. Still, you’re welcome here.”
“Zukili? Seriously? Is that the best I could come up with?” Zee thought, grinding his teeth. Aloud, he asked, “Elder, may I ask you a question?”
“Ask away,” the elder replied with a gentle smile.
“What happened to the Sun God? Why hasn’t he helped this village in its current state of despair?” Zee’s voice carried a mix of curiosity and challenge. “If you ask me, it seems the so-called Sun God has abandoned you. You should find a way to protect yourselves.”
Jin’s face flushed with alarm, his eyes darting nervously between Zee and the elder. “Zee, you don’t need to ask such questions. Elder, I apologize for the inconvenience. We’ll leave now.”
The elder, unfazed, studied Zee with intrigue. “You’re not entirely wrong. The Sun God has indeed abandoned us, but his name still gives hope to the people here. Even in his absence, that hope sustains them. Hope is a fragile flame that flickers within the darkness, yet it illuminates the path forward, reminding us that even in the bleakest moments, the possibility of a brighter tomorrow remains.”
Zee, taken aback by the elder’s wisdom, chuckled. “Alright, then. I’ll be that fragile flame. Let me help you burn away your problems. I’m a warrior where I come from.” He extended his hand to the elder.
“Thank you,” the elder replied warmly, shaking Zee’s hand. “Come to my house tomorrow morning, and we’ll discuss this further.” The elder departed, leaving the group to themselves.
“You’re a warrior, Zee?” Lika asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. “Honestly, you don’t look the part.”
“Yeah, I know,” Zee muttered with a wry smile.
The group returned home, and Zee settled into Lisa’s room for the night. As he closed his eyes, a sudden burst of light pierced through his lids. When he opened them again, he found himself in the spiritual realm, standing amidst an endless desert where Atisen was playing with sand in the distance.
“Hey! You know, you could at least warn me before summoning me here,” Zee shouted, running toward Atisen.
“So, why do you want to help the villagers, Zee?” Atisen asked without looking up.
“I figured it’s the right thing to do,” Zee replied, sitting beside him. “I’ll put this power you gave me to good use. Helping the weak and oppressed is my way of restoring balance to this world.”
Atisen studied Zee with a nostalgic expression.
“By the way,” Zee continued, “earlier today, I couldn’t use my fire powers. I hope you didn’t summon me here just to tell me you’ve taken them away.”
Atisen chuckled and stood. “No, you still have the powers. You just don’t know how to control them yet. Practice. You’ve never used them without my assistance, so you’ll need to learn.”
“Without your assistance? What about when I fought the demon in Zucheal or when General Felmod attacked me?” Zee asked, confusion written all over his face.
“That was me. I was controlling your body,” Atisen replied with a smirk as he turned to leave.
“You mean you possessed me?” Zee interjected. “Wait! Before you go, do you know anything about the Sun God or the Alascope group?”
Atisen paused briefly, scratched his head, and waved his hand dismissively before vanishing.
Zee blinked against another flash of light and found himself back in Lisa’s room, lying on the bed.
“So he won’t give me a clue. Fine,” Zee thought, determination hardening his resolve. “I’ll help this village and take down the Alascope group while I’m at it.”
YOU ARE READING
FIRE PRINZEE
FantasíaThis is a tale of a young prince, a descendant of Zeus's bloodline, who is banished from his kingdom after attaining forbidden powers.
