21 The Courage That Has Been Taken

The atmosphere became tense after Arzlan took a reckless action, actually this was due to the attitude of the youth and the villagers who looked like they had given up on the situation. This attitude made Arzlan very emotional.

"Calm down!" The elf woman who was with Arzlan tried to block Arzlan's heavy sword. The pressure comes from Arzlan's very high emotions.

If Arzlan want he could instantly kill the woman without mercy. Moreover, the woman's level is only 17 which is still far less than Arzlan who has reached level 35.

Arzlan drew his sword, then he turned his body. "I don't care about them anymore. Whatever happens, take it as punishment for those who have stopped believing in good fortune!"

His footsteps began to carry the huge back.

The woman lowered her head. Her hands clenched into fists and he shouted, "Why can't you understand? They only need someone who can be considered a leader, why are you so selfish? Don't want to see them complain? Then you must be able to keep them believing in destiny in this cruel world!"

Hearing those words Arzlan's legs felt heavy, he stopped and tried to digest what he just heard.

"Do you think someone like me deserves to be their leader? I am from the same race as the people who have given them nightmares in life! Will I be the leader of them the feeling of resentment that is in their hearts will disappear? However, I'm already about to finish them all off?"

The question made the woman and the residents fall silent. Arzlan then stepped back.

"Wait!" The elven youth let out his voice from a mouth that was too heavy to open.

Arzlan stopped for the sake of listening to the opinion that the young man was about to say.

"I believe Sir is not the same person as the people who attacked this village! The qualities you have shown are enough for us to believe that you are the most trustworthy person in being a leader."

The words that came out of his mouth were not the only one who thought about it, but almost everyone who was there already considered Arzlan as a hero who saved themselves.

"So I beg you!" The young man started to kneel, everyone also followed him. "Please guide us to the right path. We don't want to live in fear, if we have to offer a soul to you, we'd be happy to do so as long you're willing to be the leader of our fragile soul!"

So sincerely the young man said that. Arzlan was silent, and was so impressed by the words he heard.

"Humph…." Arzlan turned around. "Okay! I will be your leader! However, only until you find a new place to live! After that I will go!"

"Well! That's more than enough, we'd happy to be your subordinates!" The young man flashed a happy smile after hearing Arzlan's firm words.

***

"There's no one here?"

"Yes, everything is ruined!"

"Just take a look over there!"

Exactly three days after that conversation. The soldiers from Scaevola had come to check the state of the village, they also intended to subjugate the villagers, but everyone who was there had already disappeared.

There is only the former cart that has been left. The soldiers became astonished, what really happened there.

"Hmm… surely these villagers aren't far away! They must be planning to leave the border!" The troop leader was able to conclude based on the condition of the wagon which still looked very fine.

The villagers immediately moved towards the north. Because there was the most likely place for the residents to get out of the Scaevola area.

On the other hand, Arzlan and the villagers had come a long way. Their movements were a little slow because there were some villagers who couldn't move so fast.

Arzlan's feet stopped when he heard a strange sound behind him. When he saw an old man who had fallen from exhaustion.

"Sir, can we stop for a moment?" asked the woman who was one of the villagers.

Arzlan was silent while glancing at everyone. They gave the same look, namely pleas and mercy from Arzlan.

"All right! We're going to take a break!"

Everyone was relieved to hear Arzlan's words.

"Uh..." Not for a long time, Arzlan was seen contemplating the direction of the forest they had just passed.

The girl approached Arzlan, and then asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm looking at the situation! Do you think that the enemy won't come after us? They must be chasing now! Their movements are very fast using horses! Meanwhile we are only using foot, and what's more here are old people, women and children who won't be able to keep moving as fast as the young men." Arzlan doesn't want to blame everyone who is felt to have hindered their journey, but if it continues like this, of course, their lives will be threatened due to the slowness of getting out of the kingdom's territory.

"Umm..." The woman was unable to answer Arzlan's words, she realized that what Arzlan said was very true.

After a break, they resumed their five-hour journey. And, stopped under the silent night.

Some of them are really exhausted. Moreover, the Elves usually did not eat anything other than plants and fruit, eating meat or objects derived from the bodies of living beings, a taboo they were not allowed to break.

They only eat from fruit that was accidentally found.

When everyone was asleep, Arzlan couldn't even close his eyes. For the safety of all villagers.

Arzlan sat in front of a small fire that was lit as lighting.

"Hey..." The elf woman returned to greet Arzlan in the quiet night.

"Why, can't you sleep?" Arzlan said with his eyes fixed on the fire.

"I never thought that you would be the leader of them all!" She glanced at each of the faces of the people who were fast asleep.

"Why, do you still want to yell at me with that sword of yours?"

The girl was embarrassed by Arzlan's words. "O-Of course not! I can't possibly do anything rude as long as the people around me are good people." She said in a tone full of shame, but her face became a little proud to hide her temper.

Arzlan clearly saw it. "You think I deserve to be their leader?"

"Uh..." That question would be very difficult for her to answer. "I don't know, but I think you deserve to be their leader! That's how I feel." She stared at the fire shyly said to Arzlan.

Arzlan then looked at the two o'clock.

"What is it?" The girl asked.

"They're here!"

Her eyes widened when she heard Arzlan's words.

___To Be Continued___