The mood between them was somber. The members of the Defending Tip lost more than half of their life-long friends and the journey still wasn't done. They still had to traverse the Dreaded Valley.
"Let's play a game?"
A game? The members were confused. Was that needed to have an advantage here in the Dreaded Valley?
"A game?"
Resi couldn't hold back his confusion and puzzled Gotang's intentions. In this serious and deadly situation, was a game the best course of action?
"Yes, it's simple."
Bang listened in to the conversation. He didn't know why Gotang was doing this but throughout this journey, he had been saved by Gotang multiple times. This must help them in some way.
"I'm gonna one of you a secret word. That man has to describe that word without speaking."
'Is that what I think it was? Is that charades?"
The members of the Defending Tip looked unamused but still nodded their heads at their leader. They went into a formation like an audience around Gotang as they looked up at him for instructions.
"Resi. Come here."
Gotang proceeded to whisper in Resi's ear as Resi displayed a confused face. Resi then proceeded to tilt his head left and right multiple times while looking up. He then had an inspiration and pointed at one of their members.
"Me?"
Brad got pointed at. Everyone looked towards him and thought of one thing.
"A drunkard?"
"What?!?! You more of a drunkard than me!"
"Only on special occasions."
"Is there special occasions every day then?"
"Hehe"
Gotang chuckled. He wasn't the only one as Brad's closest friends had fun poking each other for fun. It was like a virus as Brad started making fun of other people and they made fun of other people.
'Did Gotang plan this?'
The mood instantly got better. They had all smiles and happiness, ignoring the pain and suffering they endured. Underneath all those smiles, if you looked closely, was just a facade. They weren't really happy.
"That was fun, they would have liked this."
They all turned silent. The mention of their dead comrades dampened the mood. What was Gotang trying to do? Why did he make them laugh then bring them down again?
"I know it has been hard, but let me ask you this; are you willing to risk your life for our cause?"
The members of the Defending Tip looked up at their dependable leader. They remembered the hardships they had to endure as an unverified group. This whole trip was to step up their group into the big leagues. Into the podium. They were never taken seriously and were ridiculed but that all changes when they reach the promised land; when they get the treasure.
Their somber eyes turned into a serious look. They were reminded of their mission, their responsibility, and the sacrifices their other members had to take. They would too. If they had the chance, they would gladly die for this group, so they shouldn't feel pity nor sadness at the ones who died.
With just one sentence, Gotang was able to turn the mood of his members. His one-sided pursuit of their goal reignited the confidence and their bravado. This is a great leader.
The festivities continued and they continued playing simple games to pass the time and lift their spirits. Even without alcohol, they acted drunk as they laughed without a care in the world.
Bang and Ligi just watched them, without participating in the event. They didn't have a strong intention on this trip like the Defending Tip, they just got stuck here without any safe exit.
Gotang approached them along with Resi.
"Ligi, do you want to practice your skills?"
Ligi looked up longingly and with anticipation. He wanted to be strong like Gotang and this was his chance. He nodded multiple times like a dog to convey his excitement.
"Stand up and take out your shield."
Ligi obliged and stood his ground. He planted his feet firmly in the ground, to prepare any force that comes at him. He had a serious eye.
"First mistake."
Ligi raised his eyebrows. This was always how he had done things. It's what made him survive all those near-death experiences. It's what he had always depended on, and now he finds out he had been doing it all wrong.
"Resi, show him."
Resi smiled at the opportunity. He jumped multiple times in excitement and as soon as his feet touched the ground, he accelerated towards Ligi. Ligi planted his feet further into the ground and waited for the kick or punch that will come his way.
Resi lifted one of his feet from the ground and readied it as if he was kicking a ball. Ligi hid behind his shield and waited for the kick, but it didn't come. Bang watched as Resi feign his kick and twist himself around as he kicked the back of Ligi's head with his heel.
Unprepared for the attack, Ligi fell on the ground face-first as he ate the dirt.
"Owww.....that was dirty."
"No, it wasn't. You should have anticipated my attacks."
"I did, but I should have known you were gonna cheat."
"What? I didn't cheat. You were just slow-witted."
Ligi and Resi started to bicker once again. Ligi didn't want to admit that he was defeated by Resi and Resi wanted to brag about his win.
They stopped talking once Gotang stepped in.
"Do you know why he defeated you?"
"I should have known he was gonna attack my back."
"Yes, but that's not the point. Try it again. Resi, do the same thing you did."
Ligi picked himself back up from the ground and glared at Resi. Resi pulled his cheeks down and took out his tongue.
"That's 1-0 but soon to be 2-0."
"Heh, you wish."
The same scenario happened again. This time, Ligi anticipated the kick. Now that he knew what was going to happen, he readied himself to guard the back of his head. Resi feigned his kick and twisted himself. Ligi turned his upper body and his shield in an attempt to guard the kick. It didn't work.
Ligi, once again, felt a sudden force that accelerated his head down into the ground. He stayed there, confused as to why his guard didn't work. He repeated the same scenario in his mind but he concluded that he successfully guarded the kick. Why didn't it work?
"See, that's 2-0."
"You're too rigid. Allow your body to move more freely or else your defense will be full of holes."
Gotang walked near Ligi and helped him up off the ground, to the dismay of Resi. Resi swore to kick harder the next time they fight again.
"What do you know about Resi? Did he kick with his left or right?"
"Left."
"Then position your feet like this. With this, you can easily twist your body and position your right hand properly."
Ligi quickly took on the wisdom that was being imparted upon him. He visualized himself in the right position and found that it was easier to twist to the right. With his left foot forward and right foot back, he can protect his right side. The downside was that it was harder to move to the left.
Gotang smiled when he saw Ligi experimenting and wondering by himself. It reminded him of the good old times when he was a sponge that absorbed everything.
"I see that you noticed the vulnerabilities of this technique."
"I don't have mobility in my left."
"That's right. That's why you need to take into account the powers of your opponent. If he was left-handed, then you put your left foot forward and if he is right-handed then you put your right foot forward. Don't worry this skill will accompany you as you grow."
Resi couldn't take it anymore and accelerated towards Ligi with the full intention of using his full power in the kick. Ligi was surprised but he was ready. The same happened thing happened again except Resi kicked with his right foot in an attempt to get Ligi off guard. It didn't work.
Ligi anticipated that Resi would pull some kind of trick so he switched his footing in the last second and successfully defended the back kick. Resi's eyes almost blew out of eye sockets as was flung backward due to the reflected force.
"Heh, try harder. 2-1."
Resi spat out the soil in his mouth and folded his fists in anger. His eyebrows slanted as he glared at Ligi.
"That was lucky, how about this?!"
"It won't work. I'll defend every attack you have."
Ligi and Resi kept fighting with each other. They had serious looks as they fought and pushed each other around. Time passed and they went through almost 50 rounds as they both look exhausted; even still, they had the will and desire to best each other.
Bang and Gotang watched at the sidelines.
"Should we stop them?"
"Why?"
"They look like they'll kill each other at this point."
"They won't. They finally found someone that challenges them to be better. They might not know this, but they're gonna need each other to improve."
"Can you tell me why we're relaxing now, instead of preparing?"
Gotang looked at Bang and smiled. Gotang could see the curiosity forming inside Bang's eyes; this was a sign of a good student.
"We need it. They're far too absent-minded right now to take on the next challenge."
Bang stayed silent at the remark. He understood why he did it but he did not understand when to do it. How did he know they need it? Is there some kind of formula to do it?
Gotang laughed at Bang. He could see that Bang was calculating and overthinking in his mind, a signal of a naive leader; this reminded him of his own mistakes in the past.
"It's not so complicated. You just have to feel it."
"Feel it?"
Was it in the air? A temperature change?
"You'll learn it in time. In your experiences."
Bang and Gotang watched the revelry at the sidelines. They watched as the members of the Defending Tip laugh without a care in the world. Somehow, this made Bang smile. Even though he didn't personally know these guys, he saw their hardships and sympathized with them.
"Can I ask you a personal question?"
"Depends on the question."
"Why are you here on the Dreaded Valley?"
Gotang stayed silent while looking up at the sky, at his dreams. There was a self-deprecating smile that formed on his mouth.
"I have a dream. A dream to step onto the stage as a fully-fledged group."
"Aren't you already one?"
"No. Not yet. We need a base."
"Why is that important?"
Gotang closed his eyes, crossed his arms, and debated with himself. Should he tell this budding leader about the cruelties of the real world? He heaved a big sigh and leaked the information.
"That's just the way it is around here. You wouldn't be accepted without a base."
"Can't you just relocate and find a base?"
"You need a core pillar to do that."
"Core pillar?"
"It's what we got here for. If we get to the end, we'll have a core pillar."
Bang didn't know the complexities of having a group so he passed it off as something simple but it turns out it was anything but easy. They lost more than half of their members just to have the opportunity to get the core pillar.
"It's been a long time coming. We've dreamt of this since our group was conceived."
In front of them, Ligi and Resi were sparring with each other with both of their competitive spirit leaking out to everyone. Most of the remaining members stopped their merriment and watched them fight it out.
"Resi's gonna win of course."
"I don't know about that, this new guy's pretty good."
"What are you talking about? This is Resi you know?!"
"Yeah, but didn't you see Gotang teaching the new guy?"
"Wanna bet?"
"I'll bet my 10 silver at home."
"Same."
"I'll take some of that action."
Different discussions about the outcome of the fight flew across the members. As the fight got heated, they stopped talking and observed the fight intensely.
"Hahhh.. hahhhhh....you're not so bad Ligi."
"Hehh....not so bad yourself."
They smiled as they recognized each other's strength. They may have acknowledged each other but that didn't mean they would relent; it only made them more fierce.
They fought and fought until the night came, then they collapsed on the ground. All the variations and possibilities of their moves were exhausted in the fight as they knew more about each other than themselves.
It was now time to eat. Gotang prepared some uncooked meat and grilled it using a makeshift pot using wood and stone. They surrounded the pot, waiting for the aroma to waft around their noses. They deserve this. They needed to fill their stomachs after that hair-wrenching hole they were trapped onto.
They shared the warm meat soup all around as they bonded through suffering. They felt closer together than before. The crackling of the firewood filled the silence in the night. This safe haven of theirs cannot be found all over the Dreaded Valley; this was their only time to relax.
Using leaves, they made beds and put them closer together. The starry night filled their vision, a gentle reminder of their hopes and dreams. An unending pursuit, no matter how difficult, will be fulfilled if they didn't give up.
Bang looked at the stars and raised his hands. It looked deceptively big like he could grasp the twinkling stars. He knew that was nothing more than a fleeting dream. He didn't have the means to do it. Furthermore, he lacked something much more critical; he didn't have the motivation.
He envied Gotang. He wanted to have the passion and focus on a single cause. He wanted something to fight for, to sacrifice his life for; he wanted something to put his life on the line for.
He slept peacefully that night without a care in the world. Somehow, being under Gotang's lead made him feel safe; he was going to be alright.
Early in the morning, Bang woke up in a serious mood. Everyone was sharpening their swords with whetstones. Lobo, who was silent the whole night yesterday, was energized today. He was talking enthusiastically with Gotang.
"So you're saying if we go through this route, we'll bypass the trolls and end up in the main swamp?"
"Yes, leader. I scouted last night when I couldn't sleep."
Gotang looked around his members and saw their sharp eyes. They were ready. The relaxation yesterday did wonders for their performance so he nodded to himself and spoke.
"Okay. We'll go there. Good work vice leader Lobo."
Lobo smiled, with dark circles under his eyes. This was his way of relaxing, by being useful to their leader. He always looked up to Gotang and even had dreams of replacing him when Gotang retired. He knew that was a long way to go since he still had a lot to learn from Gotang.
Once they were all set up, they embarked into the Dreaded Valley with renewed vigor. Their formations were tighter, though with fewer members. They felt their backs were safely guarded by their members.
Lobo, Bang, Resi, and Ligi formed a group positioned in the back. Resi and Ligi were walking together like inseparable brothers who just couldn't keep competing with each other. Bang could hear them playing 'i spy with my little eye', they also played 'rock-paper-scissors', and anything they could compete with.
"124-125 with me to lead" - Resi
"What?! It's 125-125, I won; you used scissors, I used rock" - Ligi
"Yeah, but your hand was too late. It doesn't count." -Resi
"Okay fine, I don't need it but you're gonna need the advantage." - Ligi
"I don't need it. Fine, its 125-125." - Resi
"No, no its 124-125." - Ligi
"No, I'll give you the advantage. It's 125-125 now with your lead." - Resi
"Okay hehe." - Ligi
"Did you trick me?" - Resi
"Too late. That's the score." - Ligi
"Tsk." - Resi
Bang smiled at the interaction of the two. Ligi was this quiet kid but now he's actively talking with another person. Who knew that putting these two together would have this good of an effect?
Short chapter since I wanted to separate this from the next event
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