We rested well for a day. We slept till afternoon. We had the meals the inn can offer. We bought another set of brown clothes for each. We stayed at the bar area of the inn all day speaking with everyone who came in. By now, we are quite friendly with the local people who usually comes to the bar. At night, we made a campfire and sang the songs from the earth. It was a peaceful day.

-------------------------

Today, just after we wake up, we see someone Larry sent. Her message is to come to her as soon as possible. We washed, changed clothes and had our breakfast before we go to her.

“Hey Larry, why the rush?” I asked.

“I have a quest for you guys”, she said “and reward will be a map from our village to the Cyclop town. You guys are moving out soon, right?”

“Yes, I think we should move on so that we would know what first class soul master is and how to be one.” I replied. I was thinking to continue our journey since we know what a village is about. And staying here for a long time won’t help us reach our goal. Going to the place where the goal exists, is the ideal track we have to follow. We have to become first class and pass the earth’s government’s test.

“Cyclop town is more populated than our village. You might find the information you want there. How about it? Would you like to accept my quest?” She said.

“If the quest is not too difficult or too dangerous, I wish to accept it.” I replied.

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We walked to the headman’s hut on the hill. It looks like she doesn’t want anybody to know.

“Black came back last night. This afternoon, he will go on a trip to the starry desert. He has to hunt giant-crow moks to get a mok-soul. And you have to assists him. If you agree, I will give you the map immediately.” She said.

“Do you really believe in us? We might not assist him and just go on our way.” Rey said seriously.

“I believe in my judgement on people.” She replied.

“Okay, we accept the quest but I don’t think the quest is as simple as you mentioned.” I said. “You said he hunted a bat-mok himself a long time ago. Besides, you could have hired the local villagers. They would happily help their headman. Am I right?” I said.

“Yes, you are such an intelligent person. If you don’t accept the quest I asked, I won’t tell you the second part. Now that you have accepted it, I will tell you. When Black go for hunting, there will be another 5 people who will follow him.” She paused for a while before continuing, “They are the riders. The mok-soul is for one of them. Do you notice that the five star quest has been removed? The bat mok-soul you got the other day is the reward for that quest.”

“Aww, is that so? I thought the headman was generous.” Intervened Rey.

Larry smiled and continued, “Riders are one of the exiled tribes. About a century ago, the emperor exiled them from the legal tribe list. I don’t know the reason why but since then, the exiled tribes have been living only in the deep forest or blended into other tribes without exposing themselves as one of the exiled tribe. When a member of an exiled tribe is spotted, he or she would be caught and sent to the royal city. There, they will be put into jail for life.”

“Then, why is Black co-operating with riders?” I asked since it concerns one of the law of this soul world’s ruler.

Larry smiled and turned around to the other side.

After a brief moment, she continue “What will you do if you fall in love with a member of an exiled tribe?”

“So, you mean the headman is in love with a girl from the rider tribe?” I said.

“Yes, he fell in love with a girl when he was young. That girl lived in the depth of the white star wood. At first glance, he knew she was an exiled tribe member since she is with her dog-mok. Only exiled tribe members have mok as a pet. We, legal tribes can’t take them as pets due to the emperor’s law. But Black pretend to not know the fact that she is an exiled tribe member. But a villager saw them. That villager reported the seeing of an exiled tribe member to the authority in the Cyclop town. We don’t know the particular villager who reported since the authority keeps it as a secret. He might be living in the village till now.” She paused for a moment.

“A group of soldiers came to our village to catch the girl and her tribe. Black told her about the soldiers and the fact that he had already known her identity as an exiled tribe member. She told him that she was a rider. She also told him that she has to move alongside her family and to wait for her if he truly love her. She said, one day, she would definitely come back. Black tried to follow her to her tribe and live with them. But before their conversation ends, they heard the soldiers’ footsteps. Black acted himself as a rider by carrying the girl’s dog-mok and ran in the other direction. The soldiers followed him thinking that he is an exiled member. On the way, he released the dog-mok and it ran away.” Larry continued, “When the soldiers catch him, he acted as an idiot. He said he was hunting a mok when the footsteps are heard. He thought it was the exiled tribe the soldiers are trying to catch. So, he carried his prey and ran. The soldiers don’t believe him but when his parents and the headman of that time guarantee for his legal status, he was released.”

“Since then, Black never finds her again. He always volunteered to hunt for the village when a strong mok appears in the star wood hoping he would find her again. The bat-mok Rey received yesterday was one of the souls he got from those hunts. For the past decade, many strong moks appeared in the star wood. Five years ago, when the headman passed away, Black was pointed as his successor to help protect the village and make it prosper. But a decade has passed and she hasn’t come back for him. Black becomes more and more dejected that he couldn’t even handle the duties of a headman. So, I have to help him. He was like that until you tell him that you saw a rider.” She continued.

I asked, “Don’t you worry that we would report the existence of a rider to an authority in the Cyclop town as well?” But in fact, I don’t find a reason to report hearing the headman’s story.

“I’ve already told you. I believe in my judgement on a person. I’ve known about you guys. Rey have told me about your story in the mango park. And I have been watching you guys through my people since your arrival to HighJump village. I believe all three of you are trustworthy.” She said looking into my eyes.

“Please continue what you are talking about” Rey intervened again.

“After this trip, he might never come back to the HighJump village again. He won’t want to face another report. I want to follow him. But for some reason, I can’t.” she paused and turned around. She continued “He will tell you more detail when you leave. If you guys are okay with co-operating the riders, I’m relieved.” Her voice becomes a bit softer.

“Rest assured. We will do our best to complete the quest you gave us” I said, “Miss Larry, one of the five riders is his girlfriend, right?”

“Yes” she replied.

I made Rey and Brick return to the inn to prepare for the trip. When they are gone, I said to Larry “Ms Larry, the next question is serious. I hope you would be able to answer it” I continued, “Are you sure you want to help Black co-operate with the riders?”

She didn’t reply for a while. Then, she said slowly and very softly “That fool, even after a decade, he didn’t see it. May be because it was too near.” Her voices were very weak and she seems to be trying to stabilize her shaking voice.

“Are you sure Larry? You want to help him? If you don’t want to, we can simply reject the request ourselves. The reason is it is dangerous to hunt the giant crow-mok.” I said.

Only after a long time, “I’m sure” she replied.

“Okay, if that’s your wish, we will accept your quest. But the condition is after hunting a giant crow-mok soul for one of the riders, Black must help us get a giant crow-mok soul too.” I said.

“He would definitely help you get one if you guys help him fulfill his dream.” She replied.

“Larry, you know who reported, right?” I said.

She couldn’t stand anymore. She seem really weak. She sit down facing the opposite of me.

“If in the past decade, Black saw just a piece of what you see just after listening my speech, how nice would it be. I would happily accept his punishment if only…..”She was sobbing, “I can’t bear to look at his dejected self any longer. I wish him lead a happy life until his death. Please, help me make him realize my feelings for him. I.. I.. really” she can’t continue anymore. No words came out of her mouth anymore.

I went to Larry and sat down. I put her head on my shoulder and let her cry before she was too tired and fall asleep.

I patted her head and said. “I’ll help you make him know your feelings, Larry. I will definitely do it somehow although I think it is unnecessary. I just wonder how Black managed to pretend not to see your affection for a decade. Even Brick might notice your affectionate voice when you talk about Black.” I don’t think Larry hear my words. I sat there for about an hour until Larry wakes up.

Although I know what she is feeling, I don’t know how to appease her more than that. Life is sometimes very strange. The curse, one has faced is from another perspective, a blessing for another. And that blessing can be fake and the curse somehow becomes a blessing in disguise. It’s too complicated.

Both Black and Larry, their loves are eternal.