The seven worlds was a big place. In addition to the kingdoms controlled by the jinzidal Kings, many countries weren't under the control of anyone. Such cities constituted the free kingdom. The people living there were called free people.

You would often find each town with its local leaders who weren't under any major tribe. Such leaders only prevent violence and oppression among the citizens but the free people didn't owe them any allegiance. Everyone had the right to pledge allegiance to any party. And because of that, you would find a free man bowing down to Ururu while his wife pledged allegiance to another House. You were free to do whatever you wanted.

Meanwhile, in a free city south of the equatora, a meeting was being held between two parties. One party had at least twenty men and a woman all sitting at one end of the room while the other party had two men standing on the other end of the room. The twenty men wore different clothes, which served to show their different flags, and behind each of them was an armored guard wearing a matching cloth.

One of the men caressed his long beard and stared at the two men standing in front. He said, "You still haven't given us a single reason to follow you. For over a thousand years, the free people have chosen to live without any banner. And we enjoy our lives just like that, away from warring tribes. Our concern is ours, your concern has nothing to do with us. Why do you come now and ask us to pledge allegiance to you? Though I should ask you to be careful of your words when you speak to us. You have brought us out of our cities and prevented us from doing our daily business. We may choose to punish you if your answer doesn't satisfy us."

The man put his hand on his sword and the other men nodded, showing their support. Only the woman was smiling.

The two men under question took off their hats and untied the turbans that covered their faces. One was Ikenga O. Bayajidda, better known as the gifted one. The other was Kána, the old man who was always together with him.

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"You are..." Everyone knew something about Ikenga and how his hometown was destroyed by Ururu. Ikenga had become even more popular when he received a bounty a few days after Armad had received his own.

People had long wondered why Ikenga didn't have a bounty. Especially considering his parents and all the people of his hometown were rebels destroyed by the Ashura of the first world. And despite being impaled by many arrows and spears, Ikenga had refused to die. Everyone thought that Ururu would hunt him down and kill him, but for some reason they just ignored him. To this day, no one knew how Ikenga survived so many arrows to the heart and why Ururu didn't put a bounty on him until now.

As for Ikenga, he'd long made a promise to himself to ascend to the first world and cut down Ururu from their thrones. He would kill them with his own hands and avenge his House. But fighting Ururu needed planning and more important allies. That was why he was here.

Ikenga cleared his throat and smiled at them. "A thousand years before anyone settled in the lower worlds," he began. "Even you free people didn't live this way. History has shown that you were under the rule of the Wilberforce dynasty. But the Wilberforce Kings didn't have the strength to defend you, so Ururu defeated them and drove you out of your country. It was then that your parents and grandparents decided to stop bowing to anyone. You set up your villages and call them free cities.

"We all know some Wilberforce survived the battle of commandments and they followed us to the lower worlds. Yet, while you were all suffering here they ignored you. My father was the first to start the rebellion to restore the prestige of the old empire that has once fought against Ururu, and some of you free people pledged allegiance to him, but in the end, Wilberforce helped Ururu to stop him.

"Even last month, I asked a young Wilberforce to pledge allegiance to me but he refused. Their hearts are still full of fear. They even hide their names to please Ururu.

"Bayajidda is old. My tribe has been around since the first dawn. We exist long before Ururu came to the west. And we don't fear them. I have already found a way to subjugate all of the equatora and the wall prison. Soon, I will join my forces. An army that's never seen before. And with it, I will fight them.

"I'm Bayajidda and I'm the one who deserves your allegiance, not Wilberforce."