image [https://i.imgur.com/DKj8I92.png]

The Lanky, white-haired man dashed through the undergrowth. His white Sun Fox followed next to him. He sprinted, not caring where or what he stepped on as he moved.

He turned behind him. The flames burned through the woods as they made their way towards them. The smell of burning wood and the screams of beasts filled his ears as they met their end in the fire.

The Sun Fox looked sadly behind him.

“Well, well, well,” a voice came from the surrounding woods. “I’ve finally found you.”

“Who’s there?” The white-haired man shouted. “Reveal yourself!”

A bald, brown-skinned man walked out of the clearing. He carried a red bow, similar to his own. Kitsu growled as he approached.

“It really is a Sun Fox!” he eyed Kitsu while licking his lips. “This is the first one to appear in ten years.”

“Who are you?” The white-haired man asked. “What are your intentions?”

“Do you folks from the life villages always struggle with basic comprehension?” The Bald man asked. His tone was condescending and relaxed.

The white-haired man gritted his teeth.

“In the name of John Fauster,” He said. “I will not let you come any closer.”

The Bald man smirked, as if he had heard a funny joke.

“And how are you going to stop me?”

“Like this,”

John Fauster jumped onto the back of Kitsu, who released a flash bang. Without looking to see if it worked, Kitsu darted forwards. However, just as they nearly made it out of the surrounding clearing, the Bald man appeared before them.

John Fauster's face fell as he saw the man’s unaffected countenance.

“Such petty tricks will not work on me,” he said grimly.

Kitsu leapt over the Bald man, but a wall of flames surged upward, blocking their path. With no other options, they darted toward the dense thicket of trees, the crackling flames nipping at their heels

“Damn it,” John said. “That should have stunned him.”

The Bald man readied his bow, crimson energy swirling between his fingers and forming into the shape of an arrow.

John’s eyes widened as he saw this.

“You–That technique belongs to the life villages!”

“You’d be surprised what secrets folks spill when you roast them nice and slow.”

The Bald man loosed his arrow, it was ten times the size of John’s own arrows, and shot like a bomb towards him and Kitsu.

Bang

The arrow exploded, hitting John in the back. He fell, tumbling off Kitsu, rolling on the ground. The flames burned a hole in his armour, singing his skin as it did so. He screamed in agony.

“Hand over the fox.” The Bald man approached the two of them, bow in hand.

Kitsu stood between himself and the Bald man, snarling and baring its fangs.

John Fauster shakily pushed himself off the ground. He faced the bald man with sweat running down his face, his expression contorting from the pain.

“Why…” he said between breaths. “Why are you doing this?”

image [https://i.imgur.com/9s19VLK.png]

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Meanwhile, at the set feast

Taiyo’s bangles jingled as she shook her arms and stretched. “I’m exhausted today, Yuuki.”

“You’ve been busy, sis,” Yuuki said. He had grown to about the height of her shoulders at some point. He had the same silver hair just like their father, but his eyes were icy blue, unlike anybody else in the Village.

“You’ll be turning 15 soon, huh!”

“Hmm…”

“You know, Yuuki,” she said. “Ever since mother passed away over a year ago, you’ve become really quiet.”

“Have I?” he said.

“You used to be so naughty!” Taiyo said. “Mother used to chase you around, telling you to wear pants before you go outside.” She giggled. “We’d have guests in the temple praying, and can you imagine their shock when they’d see you scampering around in your underwear?”

A slight smile crept onto Yuuki’s face.

“I’d never have dared to disobey her,” Taiyo said. “You always got away with it, though.”

“But dad always favours you,”

“Don’t say that,” Taiyo said. “He loves both of us equally.”

“No, he loves you because you’re smart.”

“Yuuki! I know you guys don’t always get along but—”

“What are those two doing?”

Taiyo looked at where Yuuki was pointing. On one part of the stage, two towering men were drinking alcohol, and the nearby villagers crowded around them.

They were both much taller than Taiyo. The shorter one had dark skin and wore ceremonial braids. Taiyo recognised him as the Village chef.

The taller one was pale skinned and wore tattered blue leather armour. His hair was the colour of bronze. The taller man had a stack of twelve cups next to him, and the shorter one had five.

“Isn’t that?–”

“I can’t believe they’re drinking that much Sun Whiskey!” one villager said.

“Sun Whiskey?” Taiyo and Yuuki looked at each other.

“I know that man,” Taiyo said. “Yuuki, I’ll be right back.”

Taiyo walked up to the two men.

“Hello, you two,” she said.

The two men paused their drinking as she approached them.

“Sun priestess,” Bronx said. “To what do we owe the honour?”

“Oh nothing,” Taiyo observed the taller, paler man who was currently busy eyeing his cup. He had broad shoulders, larger than anyone she had ever seen. His face was angular, and his grey-blue eyes twinkled like stars.

“What’s that you’re drinking?” Taiyo asked them.

“Sun Whiskey,” the towering man spoke. “Probably too strong for you, though.”

“Oh, really?” Taiyo smirked. “Give me a glass of that!”

Bronx poured the red crystalline whiskey into a cup and handed it to her.

“You sure can drink, Sun Priestess.” Victor eyed her while she downed the cup of Sun Whiskey.

“I’ve been drinking this stuff since I was 18,” Taiyo said, wiping the whiskey off her mouth. “And just Taiyo is fine.”

“Victor.”

“I recognise you,” Taiyo said. “You saved me from that mud jackal 6 months ago.”

“You fought a mud Jackal?” Bronx’s eyes widened in surprise.

Victor's gaze became fixated on his cup of whiskey. His eyes turned downwards in a way filled Taiyo with sadness. “You’ve got the wrong guy,” he said.

“No, I’m certain,” Taiyo said. “Bronx, get him to admit it!”

“Me? Ehh…” Bronx looked between the two of them anxiously.

Victor silently downed another cup of whiskey.

“Sis, you can’t ditch me and go have all the fun–” Yuuki came up to her. “Woah this guy is tall!”

“Yuuki!” Taiyo’s face turned slightly red in embarrassment. “Have some respect, please? This is Sir Victor, my benefactor.”

“I’m no benefactor,” Victor said. “Just some bum living in a tool shed.”

“You know,” Taiyo said. “Every set feast since then I’ve searched for you, but it was like you had disappeared.”

“It’s no use, miss,” Bronx said. “This guy is more stubborn than a Bastodon.”

“I’ve got an idea!” Yuuki said. “How about a game?”

“A game?” Victor’s eyes lit up at hearing this.

“If you lose,” Yuuki said. “You’ll tell my sister about yourself.”

“And if I win?” Victor asked.

“Then…” Yuuki put his hand on his cheek. “Sis will be your servant I guess–”

“Hey, Yuuki!” Taiyo put her hand over Yuuki’s mouth.

How am I ever going to live this down? She thought.

Victor and Bronx watched the pair of them with bemused expressions.

“Ignore my Idiot brother.” She faked coughing to regain her composure. “However, my father is the head priest of this village. I’m sure if there’s something you want, I can ask him to get it for you.”

“I have no need for servants, anyway.” Victor shrugged.

“So what do you say?” Taiyo asked. Her heart pounded as Victor squinted his eyes at them.

“Well then,” he said. “What’s the game?”

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