The Greedy

It had been 3 days since Bjorn's departure, leaving Bo with the mantle of Materia. The Ursus Tribe was nestled in their camp amid the pink and purple-leafed forest, a haven within the heart of nature.

Bo gazed at the ocean blue sky, with his brown hair flickering in the gently in the calm wind. He pondered, "To reach my goal, I need strength, and this mantle Materia can give me that. But for some reason, it's still not working. I know Bjorn said it wouldn't be able to work right away, but it's been 3 days now."

"I mean I've tried everything."

He thought of the unfolded persistent attempts he made to activate Materia's powers. Ranging from praying, trying voodoo, hitting it against a wall, and even outright begging for it to work, the days had been marked by countless attempts, and each one met with failure. Frustration had grown within him as he clasped his hand around Materia staring into it intensely.

"Maybe this stupid hammer won't ever work. I'll give it one more try, but this time I'll need someone smart to help do it. I can't do this on my own."

Leading himself to the wooden front door of the stone-made Hut for help, Bo busted through the curtains leading to one of the member's rooms and sparked a conversation, "Kirby, you're the only one I know who's smart enough to decipher the mystery of activating Materia. Can you help me activate it?"

"Uh... well, I can give it a try I guess." He scratched his head anxiously

"Great! Now it's not easy, I've pretty much tried everything I could and yet it still won't budge. But I'm sure with your brains and my persistence we can get it done."

Under Kirby's guidance, Bo embarked on a series of outlandish attempts to activate Materia, showcasing their determination but yielding no results once again. The Ursus Camp bustled with their efforts, yet the desired outcome remained elusive.

Meanwhile Outside the camp, just before the forest Leif engaged in his daily rigorous training, cutting down trees with his sword and working out with exercises like push-ups and burpees. He shouted as he struggled his way to his last pushup, "ONE THOUSAND!"

He stood himself up and sat on the floor, "I can still be better, someone out there is doing 1000 pushups without breaking a sweat." His face was scrunched.

From a distance just slightly into the forest, he heard trees collapsing to the ground. Multiple at once. He became curious picking himself and began treading to the sound of the falling giant trees.

As he finally made it to the source of the noise, before him was Eira cutting multiple giant forest trees at once with mere knives. He quickly hid behind a bush and observed her physical prowess, his eyes were wide.

"Who would've thought she had some strength to her." He thought.

Just before Eira was about to cut down another tree, she froze.

"You know you said that out loud right? You should work on keeping your thoughts in your head. Just come out and show yourself." She turned towards the bush.

Leif emerged from the bush saying, "Pretty good cutting skills, for some trashy knives."

"Well, I've been fighting on the battlefields for some time now. Since the age of 7 back in the Outlands, I'd hope there's something I learned in that time. Out of us four kids left, the only person stronger than me is probably Bo, even then I could still give him a good fight." She replied.

"Don't be too quick to count me out!" Leif yelled.

"Yeah... right." She continued as she cut the tree down causing a rumble on the floor. Leif was surprised as he took one step back.

Leif continued to observe before asking another question, "Why do you train anyway?"

Eira came to a halt. He continued, "Usually warriors fight to either serve their Tribe or for their own goals. And to me, you've never struck me as someone who's motivated by anything really. Just always dismissive and bitching about something."

"I'm surprised you even know what the word dismissive means." She rebutted. She stood quiet for a few seconds before speaking once again.

"I'll tell you this. Your wrong... I serve both this Tribe and my goals." Leif fell silent, and Eira added, "I do have a goal, I do have a purpose even if it's little it exists; it's just none of you know what it is."

Coming back to Bo and Kirby at the campfire of the Ursus Camp, both of them sat along the logs circling the warmth of the fire.

In the midst of the fir was Materia covered under an abundance of wood.

"You know what they say, voodoo is done best around a fire," Bo stated.

"Uh, I don't think anyone has ever said that. Actually I'm pretty sure this is the first step to burning this whole camp to a bliss." Kirby rebutted.

"We'll be fine, there's a first time for everything. If Materia can't activate after this, then there's no way it ever will."

Stepping out of the forest, Leif marched over to Bo and Kirby, asking, "You guys still going at it? Come on Bo, I already told you Bjorn gave you a prop hammer."

"Oh shut up. I know you didn't stop your training for nothing. What do you want, is to spar and lose again?" Bo replied.

"Actually, no." He stood quiet, reflecting his tone he became more serious. "I actually wanted to ask you something."

"Hmm?" Bo replied.

The three boys Bo Leif and Kirby were sat around the campfire, and an awkward tension was clouding the area. Breaking the tension Bo asked.

Shortly after a few moments, the three boys were still sitting down around the campfire with all three of them looking down, and their heads were fully tilted towards the fire. Despite the warmth of the fire, the atmosphere of the camp had turned cold.

From a distance stepping out from the camp's hut was Nero and Namon. Nero began marching toward the fire, his face had sparked with curiosity.

"Why the long faces, is this all because of Materia?" He looked towards the kids yet their heads were still faced down.

He continued attempting to cheer them up. "Hey look, how about I tell you about the time I was able to activate a mantle and use its magical powers. It was long ago..."

"We don't have time for this," Namon yelled, he firmly gripped Nero by the collar and dragged him away from the 3 boys.

"Wait where are you two going!?" The 3 boys asked, with their heads suddenly raised.

"We're going hunting, the camp's running low on food because you guys eat like pigs," Namon answered.

Nero asked, "Can't we stay back just a little longer?"

"We have to leave now there's no debating it."

Namon kept marching off with Nero, and as the two kept fading further away, Nero quickly blurted once more.

"Sticks boys, you guys need more sticks! Toss them into the fire on top of Materia and poof like magic Materia will be fine and dandy!"

Bo, Leif, and Kirby looked at each other with unimpressed faces wondering if they should trust his word.

Just before Namon and Nero would vanish into the deep forest, Namon had come to a full halt and turned back to Bo, Leif, and Kirby.

He stated, "Since were gone, rightfully as the new "King" or whatever your brother claimed you to be. Bo, you're in charge of the camp until we come back, alright?"

Bo's eyes opened, and a sense of realization coursed through his body. he stood at once precisely shouting out, "RIGHT!!"

Finally, Namon and Nero had gone off into the deep pink and purple-leafed forest until they vanished from the camp's scenery.

"Well, it's just us now." Said Lief,

"We might as well continue trying to fix Matiera." Bo insisted.

"But how? We still don't have any answers." Kirby rebutted.

"Well, it won't hurt to try Nero's advice right? After all, we are out of ideas."

Leif stood himself up on his two feet and chimed in, "Well you guys can keep trying to figure that stupid prop weapon out. After today's workout, I think I deserve a little break. Just 10 minutes to myself, now where's my bed."

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

He walked into the hut with his arms rocking at the back of his head.

Bo laid back on the log surrounding the campfire, staring deeply into the fire once again. "It's you and my Kirby."

Suddenly, from behind both Bo and Kirby a person's voice emerged from the woods.

"You forgot one other person." The voice eluded.

The two boys turned their heads directly behind them, their eyes widened as they noticed who had emerged from the deep forests, it was Eira. Her hair was swiveling in the wind as if it were a kite.

She kept walking towards the two. Saying, "I think it's best to lock off the camp and stay inside the hut until Namon and Nero come back."

"But what about the voodoo we're doing? We need the camp for it?" Bo rebutted, waving his right hand against his chest seeming puzzled.

"Our safety is most important, if we stay in the hut the likelihood of us being loud enough to be noticed by others is much slimmer... and this voodoo crap Nero has you guys doing doesn't actually work. Didn't I already show you guys that man is full of shit?"

"Well it's worth the try, we're out of ideas. Right, Kirby?" Bo dug his shoulder into Kirby's and nodded his head to influence his answer.

Kirby coughed before answering, "Yeah Eira, Bo's right."

Eira rolled her eyes, crossed her arms, and looked off into the blue sky, "I must be the only one in the camp with a brain right now."

As Bo, Eira, and Kirby had continued arguing by the campfire. Inside the hut of the tribe, Leif was in quick need of rest. He sluggishly threw his two swords once he kicked himself through the front door, his back started hunching as he slowly approached his room with the though salivating thought of sleep.

Finally, he pulled the curtains to his room, and before him was a frail-looking boy with a slight build, his eyes were blue with ginger hair. His hair was flowing down to his waist yet it looked like it'd never been washed a day in his life, not only for his hair but his entire body seemed dirty frail, and wounded. He had bandages patched from head to toe and wore a small bush skirt that could only cover his private areas. He took one step back in shock at Leif

Leif's eyes had fully opened wide, as he fixed his posture back up standing straight again. He thought, "It's the boy Bjorn came back with before leaving. So he's actually alive huh."

The boy's eyes scowled across the room, though he seemed barely conscious he was still aware that the Ursus Hut was foreign to him.

He spoke softly, "Where am I?"

He looked at Leif once again with greater detail, his eyes searching him from head to toe, he assumed, "He must be a warrior."

He then dropped to his knees, closed his eyes, and clasped his hands together as if he were praying, saying. "Sir please don't hurt me I won't try running again! I promise"

"The hell's with this kid?" Leif thought. he looked off the fragile boy.

"Relax buddy, no one is here to hurt you."

The fragile boy's eyes opened up, he was surprised to hear those words from Leif.

"All you need to do is stay your butt in this room. I'll be back." Leif quickly sprinted out of the hut busting through the front door.

Both Bo and Eira were still arguing against each other, trying to assert their might over one another for seemingly little reason. However, in one moment the two's bickering would come to an instant halt.

"YOU GUYS MIND CHECKING THIS OUT?!" Leif shouted as loud as he could.

Bo, Eira, and Kirby's heads all shifted to the hut at once.

Leif shouted once again, "YOU HEARD ME THE KID BJORN LEFT HERE IS AWAKE!"

In the Hut of the Tribe, the four kids Bo, Leif, Eira, and Kirby all stood in front of Leif's room, pushing the curtain that covered the entrance aside. Inside the room sitting on the edge of the fur mattress that laid on top of a pile of rubble was the fragile boy, and before him, the 4 kids stood upon him as if they were shadows. The boy was visibly worried about what could happen next.

The four kids were left with puzzled faces, they couldn't even grasp where to start questioning the fragile boy.

Kirby stated, "He's been knocked out for at least the last 3 since he got here, and those bandages wrapped all across his body, could he really be hurt from head to toe?"

Examining the fragile boy, Bo thought, "Well, He looks really beat up to me, even if it's slight his face is definitely swollen."

Bo leaned himself closer meeting the boy staring eye to eye, he inquired, "Do you have a name?"

The boy, struggling to utter words, managed to weakly say, "Yes. my name... is Feng." He quickly looked and broke eye contact with Bo.

"Feng, do you know why you were dropped off here?"

Feng began panicking, he started blurting out his worries, "I don't know! Actually I have to go back there! I Should leave. But if I do go back I'm in trouble, oh what can I do? It's over, it's all over!" His thoughts were moving quicker than his word, he put his hand against his head and his eyes were wide.

The four kids looked at each other skeptically. Kirby whispered, "What do we do with him?"

Suddenly, in the midst of Feng's panic attack, Bo laid his hand on his shoulder gently. He looked him deeply in the eyes with a gentle smile, "Calm down, you're okay. Let's start from the top, what did you last remember before waking up?"

Feng's anxiety eased down, and his pulse and arms relaxed. He began pondering, before explaining.

"There were 5 of them, beating me as usual... and everyone was laughing... all those people pointed at me. I was hurt, I couldn't do anything about it... they were just too strong."

His eyes widened and his bones shook, "But that man, yes with the long hat and brown hood. I could barely see him, I closed my eyes for a moment, and all those who were beating me, and laughing at me... were gone. The entire town had died at once..."

Bo, Leif, Eira, and Feng were bodies started quivering, their eyes open as if they were a Grand Canyon. Kirby covered his mouth.

"The only person who stood in the abyss of blood was the brown-hooded man. That's all I can remember before fainting."

The four kids stood frozen, all of them speechless, they tried wrapping their heads around what they had heard.

Breaking the silence, Kirby exclaimed, "That brown hooded man, it can't be..."

"But it is, that man was definitely Bjorn!" Bo replied, folding his arms, his eyes where were low.

Eira pondered, contemplating why the boy seemed so battered. Suspicious, she stated, "This kid can only be bad news."

Everyones head's turned toward Eira. She continued, "If what he's saying is true. Then that means this situation can only get worse. You don't just get away with killing an entire town. Naturally, someone will come searching for who did it. It's best he leaves before someone finds this camp."

Bo retaliated with an aggressive tone, "We can't just leave him for dead out there! Where can he go to if he leaves the camp then huh?"

"That's not the point, kicking him from the camp falls in line with the same reason why I said we should lock ourselves inside the Hut. While Nero and Namon are gone we are most vulnerable. So we have to make sure we do anything to prevent ourselves from being someone's prey. It's just common sense, but I guess it's not common with you 3."

Bo was troubled, he clenched his fist and his mind recalled a moment from when he confronted Bjorn. " Bo, what are you willing to sacrifice to fulfill your dream? Is it the tribe, is it your morals, is it your innocence?" Bjorn stated back then.

Finally, Bo had come to a conclusion, he firmly addressed Eira, "Namon and Nero left me in charge of the camp, so my decision is final. Feng stays here." He pointed to the floor.

" You guys can't possibly agree with this right? Leif? Kirby? Say something!" Eira demanded, yet no one could second her opinions.

"Oh right I forgot, I'm the only one in the camp right now with a brain. Leif's an idiot too, and Kirby's too scared to ever say something. I'll be outside since we're not using our heads."

She stormed out of the hut in a blaze of furry. Her frustration seeped through every step.

The hut had fallen so silent you could hear a pin drop. However, the boys seemed unphased by Eira's frustration.

"There she goes again bitching." Leif remarked.

Bo switched the tone of the room shifting the conversation, "We didn't even get to introduce ourselves properly to Feng."

Bo shifted his attention to Feng, "I'm Bo, these two are Leif and Kirby. Why don't we set some games up to let our minds rest for once? I'm sure Feng would like that."

Feng slightly grinned, hinting at a spark of comfort.

The three boys and Feng would go on for hours playing a slue of childish games to ease their minds and get acquainted until the sun blazed. However, on the top of the Ursus Hut, sitting next to the Ursus flag marked with the brown bear and blue base was Eira. She was carefully watching the sunset. She seemed to have found solace in the beauty of the view just before the blazing sun was the abundance of the giant pink and purple trees complimenting it, and chirping birds soaring through the sky.

She pondered, by herself, "It's been hours, Namon and Nero should've come back by now. We need them... just in case."

As she kept looking at the pink and purple leaves, she noticed that some of them had started turning grey. In mere moments More leaves started followed suit, grey leaves turning into ashes one buying all edging closer to the Ursus camp by the minute. Disturbed animal cries echoed through the forest, mingling with the sounds of men charging toward the camp.

Her eyes became wide, and her suspicion had turned into panic. She quickly jumped off the Hut's roof, assessing herself she thought, "What's going on."

Meanwhile, in the Hut the three boys and Feng were engrossed in their games.

Kirby suggested he was laughing with joy, "Let's play a game of charades." He continued, "Let me go first."

He began poking his hands out from the back of his head mimicking something of a deer. Both Bo and Leif began hysterically laughing,

"Come on Kirby that's too easy! It's obviously a deer."

However amidst the joy of the boys, Feng was completely frozen, he stared as if he saw a man die just in front of him. But what he was just staring at Kirby's mimicry disturbed.

Kirby, noticing Feng's unease, asked, "Is something wrong."

All Feng could muster was, "They're coming. The Jutonn... Is coming."

Eira, wide-eyed and panicking, burst through the hut's door, shouting at the top of her lungs, "WE GOT PEOPLE COMING STRAIGHT FOR US!!"

As she flung the door open, the storm that was quickly emerging from the woods, forcefully broke through the door tossing her aside and trampling over her Eira in their path. Bo, Leif, and Kirby's bodies were shook with chills running down their spine, and sweating profusely. Feng quickly through himself behind Bo.

Just before them was a hurd of warriors each dressed in half burgundy and brown fur cloaks, with iron boots alike. The same clothes those 5 warriors that were beating Feng wore.

Amongst the hurd one of the warriors strides forward, he wore a similar uniform as the rest however his cloak was fully burgundy. He was fair-skinned, with stark brown hair, a wacky combover, and a bushy mustache. He addressed Bo in a sarcastic manner, "It seems like the cape on your back resembles the flag on top of your hut, so you must be the leader here I assume? So Leader my name is Joar, as you can see my men are weary, and we need that kid behind you. So, if you wouldn't mind..."

Leif glanced at Bo, who was too stunned to respond. Leif's anger was apparent, veins popping through his forehead as he looked at Eira who was being stood over by dozens of the warriors before them. He grabbed his two blades from his room and lunged at the enemy, shouting, "No one treats a member of the Tribe like that! "

However, his attempt to attack was halted by Bo's urgent plea, "Leif Hold on!"

He thought, "We're way too outnumbered to be engaging in a fight. Also, Namon and Nero are still out there hunting." He clenched his fist asking himself, "What can we do."

Suddenly popping out from behind Bo, Feng smiled wryly and remarked, "It seems I've been caught again. A slave should know they can never escape, right?"

Joar, who seemed to be the apparent leader, responded, "Yes! At least the stupid slave understands. I'll be taking the kid now."

Bo observed Feng inching ever so closely to Joar and his hurd of warriors, grappling with an unfamiliar emotion. He looked down and closed his eyes pondering, "It's best I probably leave him be right? Just let him go back to those men and make sure the tribe is safe. But what type of person would I be to let him just go back to these people? I get it I hardly know this kid, we just shared names only a few hours ago, and he adds nothing to my tribe or my goals, but there's more to this life than those things, there just is!"

Bo looked around the room once more and thought, "So this is what Bjorn meant huh? It's either one slave or my Tribe. I'm sorry everyone... but I really am greedy."

Bo lifted his head and pointed at Feng, "Feng... do you want to go with these men?"

Feng halted, his steps faltering as if a burden lifted, and he released the inner pain he had been holding back. With tears flowing down his eyes like a river, he exclaimed, "NO! I NEVER WANT TO BE TAKEN AGAIN"

Bo smirked and folded his arms, finally coming to a firm decision, declaring, "Alright... let's handle this then."