Chương 27: The Saman's Fury

"What was that?" I mumbled upon my wake.

Somehow I have a vague idea about that place.

It's like a dwelling place for my consciences...

Perhaps those different versions I saw who are kneeling are my different personalities?

Too much bizarre things are happening with me, it all started from that weird light I saw when I died.

"Ack!" It hurts.

Dizzy like scorched freckles, burning at my skin.

But in my case, it was at my head.

That's how I would like to describe myself, as I woke up in a grassy plain.

With a blurry vision and aching flesh, two silhouettes greeted me, one whose small with wrinkles at his forehead although he looked young I wondered why he had all those wrinkles.

Beside him was another figure who looked familiar.

Ahh, I remembered...

It was Aen and Malpi.

"What happened?" But words won't easily come out of my mouth as I find it difficult to speak.

It sounded like a mumble.

I tried to get up but my body won't let me.

"Don't move yet" Malpi gently intoned, "your wounds might open up."

I saw him soaking a cloth with a wooden bowl at his side, his feet were crossed while sitting.

And with that, I simply nodded in reply.

Relaxing my body as I calmly laid down myself.

And when I remembered the man in the tree, I looked around my surroundings to find him.

"Talto? He survived, he is fine now." Aen smilingly implied as his hands quickly moved, bandaging my wounds with some herbs. "All thanks to you." He added.

From which I shook my head, it is not the answer am looking for.

"Oh! Do you mean the gorilla? He is fine, he is outside, together with Talto, they seemed to get along really well," Aen gently simpered close and he added, "I must say, he did look like a gorilla, and yes you are right he is not." He said while laughing coyly.

His cheeks contorted closely that his wrinkles at his forehead made a visible curve.

"You should sleep first, let your body rest and we will handle the warty pigs instead," Malpi interjected as he finished wrapping my arms and legs with a cloth.

I wondered where did they even get those tools they were using.

And what should I say to the guards or to that Saman if she saw my condition later?

Also, what was that strange place earlier?

As I thought up those questions, swirling in my head, the back of my head ached.

It was ridiculously painful.

Thus, as always, I decided to put everything at the back of my head.

I slowly closed my eyes and tried to rest.

...

"Say, Badong was really awesome! He killed those crocs away! Now forget those warty pigs, these crocs are enough to appease those stupid guards."

A slender figure gave a lopsided grin towards the burly man.

"Agreed, I want him as my personal warrior. Speaking of which, what tribe do you belong?" inquired the burly man.

At a small grassy hill, two figures with bandages dyed in red were happily chatting together.

It was Talto and the man in the tree that was initially thought to be a gorilla by the trio which is seen squatting down together, forming a small circle.

"Ahh that... Were from Lumin's Tribe." Talto while scratching his head replied. Then asked,

"Also, If I am allowed to ask... What is your name?"

"Hmp. I thought you wouldn't ask. The name's Banuk-Rhanuk" Plastering a smile on his face followed by a boisterous laugh. "Haha, my name was so regal ain't it?"

The burly man whose name was Banuk-Rhanuk jokingly asked which Talto answered with a Squinch.

His shoulders shrugging.

"Haha yeah, am quite an important figure back at our own banwa—community/tribal place."

"I see." replied by the seemingly clueless Talto, "And that..." observing the man with his eyes as he shifted his gaze towards the bladed spear, planted firmly at the ground beside Banuk-Rhanuk.

"Ah, its a bit crooked and broken but it is alright. It has served its purpose really well." while suddenly frowning. "Which reminds me of that brat, I wonder if he is alright? Well, he should be. After spouting those audacious words Haha he better be!"

Recalling the words Miguel said to him while he was stuck at the tree's branch.

(Put your pride to rest and let me handle the rest.)

"Hmp. that cheeky brat." Banuk-Rhanuk inwardly thought as he stared at the distance.

The vast expanse of grassy hills and bamboo grass-covered their view.

It had been slightly wet due to the sudden downpour of rain accompanied by those echoing thud of thunder and flashes of lightning which was suddenly extinguished, vanishing like a lie, after a brief heavy rain pour.

...

Meanwhile...

At a quiet void-like space, a figure of a kid is heard heaving a heavy sigh

"Now, where am I again?"

"The last thing I remembered was me and that Miguel who claims himself to have possessed my body and is currently living as me."

"Was all of that just a dream?"

"Where is this place anyway?"

"Hey! anyone here?"

Argus who are trapped inside of a dark space bellowed.

Shouting and screaming all over the place, but nobody seems to answer his pitiful cries of help.

...

[Lumin Tribe's Kanya: Saman's Courtyard]

"The two of you, better speak now, what you know. Do you know where that brat Argus went to?"

Below the stairs of a simple yet elegant wooden hut made from different materials, ranging from bamboo stalks and Anahaw leaves, two Alpins were seen kneeling at the top of a winnowing basket filled with monggo beans while their arms were raised high.

And a voluptuous figure was in front of them haughtily standing still while her forehead creased into an ugly frown.

She seemed to interrogate these two, roaring madly at them.

It was none other than the Lumin tribe's Saman, Talia herself.

And the two Alipins were Amaya and Aryan themselves who then pitifully cried out a plead of innocence.

"Our dearest Saman, we have no idea where Argus went to."

"Please! Take pity on us, we really don't know... Saman Talia..."

"Hmph. You think I did not notice your flirty gazes with Argus?" The Saman's eyebrows rose, she was clearly suspicious of them.

"But... But—"

"Shhh" The Saman hushed their retorts before they could even speak. And she added,

"You won't get up there until I saw Argus flesh standing at my sight."

As she declared, she walked away from the two, leaving Amaya and Aryan pitiful and helpless.

Then, just before the Saman went back to her room, she stomped her feet as some clear realization had suddenly hit her.

"Psh. Just like what I thought... It was him" recalling the moment when she heard someone's voice when she was bathing at the lake bellow the Mount Asalah surrounded by the tall bamboo grass.

"Hmph! That Argus! Just so he wait, see how I'll handle him later."

And with that, she harumphed, walked straight into her room, ruggedly while stomping her feet—furious and fuming mad at Argus.

Little did she knew, that the Argus whom her anger was directed at was in a critical condition, after his long arduous battle against the crocs.

The sun is rising high, it burned brightly above the sky which signaled the start of noon.

It is the middle of the day and in the middle of her wit's end, the Saman gazed outside the windows, wondering where Argus had gone to.