2025-02-15 06:49:50Alkan flinched and quickly looked ahead. The three men were already frowning at him. But because of the light he had seen, his earlier plan to leave now seemed unlikely.
He needed to find out which tribe the child belonged to and why it was surrounded by light. He cleared his throat. "What tribe are you from?" The three men narrowed their eyes at him and slightly lowered their heads into a stance ready to attack. A chill ran down his spine, and he quickly raised his hands. "I mean no harm. I just want to know if you're allied with the White Wing Tribe and if that’s the reason the Black Wing Tribe attacked you." At the mention of the White Wing Tribe, the tension in the air slightly eased. He couldn’t quite read the three men’s expressions, but he noticed the women averting their gazes. Soon, the man in the middle straightened his stance. He looked Alkan over from head to toe. "We are not allies of the White Wing Tribe, but neither are we enemies of the white sawikin. We have lived peacefully in the Black Wing Tribe’s land since our ancestors' time, but the black sawikin attacked us because they want to expand the influence of the Black Palace. Our ancestors once signed a contract with the Black Palace stating that the priest’s tribe would never ally with the Black Wing Tribe. Because of this, the first king of the Black Palace allowed us to build our settlement in his land, on the condition that in every generation, one of our priests would serve in the Black Palace. But the current king seeks greater power. He wants to conquer the west, which is ruled by the White Wing Tribe, and he started with the tribes within his land that have not sworn loyalty to the Black Palace." "The Black Palace?" Alkan frowned. The man looked at him with mild curiosity before answering. "The Black Palace is where the Black Wing Tribe resides." "If that’s the case... where is the Black Palace?" With that question, the tension completely dissipated. The two men on either side of the middleman straightened as well before walking toward the women. Only the man in the middle remained. "Now I know you weren’t sent by the Black Wing Tribe." The man took a deep breath and smiled faintly. "The Black Palace is in the south, while my tribe’s land is in the northwest of the palace. A few kilometers from this cave, you’ll find the river that serves as the border between the south and the west." Alkan frowned at his words. He no longer regretted coming here, even though he knew he had strayed from his intended path to the Black Palace. In the past few days, he had been unsure where the black sawikin had taken Valeria. But now that he knew what and where the Black Palace was, he was certain that was his true destination in Tribal. But now wasn’t the time to go there. He didn’t know what awaited him. It was better to be prepared. Besides, he needed the White Wing Tribe’s help. Now that he knew the white sawikin indeed held power and influence in Tribal, rescuing Valeria would be much easier. Surely Gio understood why he had rushed to Tribal, right? It wasn’t as if he had planned to end up in the black sawikin’s land so soon. He had intended to seek the white sawikin’s help to prepare for Valeria’s rescue. The man suddenly cleared his throat and continued. "But that river isn’t safe. The sirens allied with the White Wing Tribe dwell there. They serve as the first line of defense against the Black Wing Tribe due to their unique abilities." Alkan nodded, recalling what Manuel had told him about the sirens or mermaid. If the creatures in the San Roque River were real, did that mean the sirens living there were originally from Tribal? His eyes narrowed. He wasn’t sure about his theory yet, so he set it aside. He looked at the man. "You said your tribe is one of priests. I don’t know what kind of beings you are in Tribal." A smile played at the corner of the man’s lips. "The priest’s tribe is one of the beings capable of manipulating an exorcist’s magic. Our tribe is one of the five pillars of Tribal. Our ancestors were able to negotiate with the Black Wing Tribe because our tribe is vital to maintaining order in Tribal. We have the ability to suppress or nullify an exorcist’s magic. Likewise, only an exorcist can directly counter a priest." Alkan's lips parted slightly. He hadn't expected such abilities to exist in Tribal. "The exorcists..." he muttered. "Where is their tribe?" The man’s smile faded, and he frowned in irritation as he recalled their adversaries. "They are allies of the White Wing Tribe. I don’t know their exact location, but I’m sure they hold a high position in the White Palace, just as our tribe does in the Black Palace." Alkan nodded. It seemed there was a system of balance and checks in Tribal. Just as the White Wing Tribe opposed the Black Wing Tribe, the priests countered the exorcists. "You," the man suddenly said. "What tribe are you from? I don’t see any signs that you belong to the Black Wing Tribe’s allies. Does that mean you’re with the White Wing Tribe?" There was no malice in his voice, only curiosity. But because of the cave’s silence, everyone heard his question. All eyes turned to Alkan. Some looked at him with curiosity, others with suspicion. Some even stepped back, putting distance between themselves and him. Clearly, while they weren’t enemies of the White Wing Tribe, they didn’t trust the white sawikin either. Alkan swallowed and clenched his fists discreetly. His gaze flickered to the baby that had caught his interest earlier. His heart sank even more when the mother stood up and took a few steps back, pressing herself deeper into the cave’s corner. It seemed she was afraid of the white sawikin. He cleared his throat and looked at the man. "I don’t belong to any tribe, nor am I directly allied with the White Wing Tribe." He exhaled. "But I can manipulate shadows, so you can be sure I’m not from the White Wing Tribe." Instead of relief, more suspicious stares fell upon him. The man’s lips pressed into a thin line. "If you're not with the White Wing Tribe, does that mean you’re allied with the Black Wing Tribe?" Alkan quickly shook his head, especially when the man’s gaze sharpened. He sighed. "I am not allied with the Black Wing Tribe. Like you, I am free and unaffiliated. So you don’t have to fear that I will betray your tribe." A tense silence filled the cave. Then the man spoke, his voice serious. "You say you can manipulate shadows. Only one tribe is known to have that ability—the witches, who are allied with the Black Wing Tribe." Gasps echoed through the cave and Alkan's face darkened.
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"What’s the news?" he asked Anino, who had returned after hours of monitoring the Black Palace and the witches' tribe. "Yesterday, the transformation of the mortal woman was completed. She no longer remembers her past, and the king took advantage of her lost memories to convince Valeria that she is a Black Sawikin." Alkan’s eyes narrowed. "What about the witches' tribe?" "Nothing suspicious happened, except for their plan to attack the tribe tomorrow night." Anino cleared his throat. "The higher-ups of the Black Palace have sensed your power. They now know that the strong force comes from the southernmost part of the land." Alkan nodded and turned toward the tribe, where everyone was busy with their tasks. The sun had already risen in the east, and he had left the cave without informing anyone. Even Yuli, who had placed the restriction at the cave’s entrance, h
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