Chapter 5

The traveler was a mysterious man. He never introduced himself and only a few things are known about him. The village chief couldn't help but feel strange. He had only met the traveler yesterday but the old man already expected to know more about him.

The moment he awoke from his peaceful slumber, the thought that surfaced in his mind was to give the traveler what he wished for. The fifty thousand alvas.

It was odd because the chief remembered the conversation they had yesterday, that he was going to think about his decision first.

After the traveler left, the old man fell into deep thought and decided that he would let the traveler prove his capabilities first.

He wanted to see if the traveler could take the beast away, he wanted to see if that young man could make the beast obey.

But when he opened his eyes, the old man's decision changed. In the chief's perspective, it wasn't him who made the decision.

He wanted to desperately cry out and tell everyone about it but instead, no words came out. The chief couldn't help but feel as if his body had a mind of its own. The old man couldn't even count how many times he attempted to say something yet the wrong sentences came out.

He remembered the conversation he had with the traveler. It was clear but he couldn't even say anything about it. He felt trapped, he felt like a pawn in a chessboard whose only purpose is to serve the king and to obey the player's will.

He wondered about what the knights who were with him while they discussed thought when the first thing he did was grab the money and head to the inn. It wasn't his choice, he didn't want to go straight to the traveler and give him the alvas. Still, he felt strings attached to his body, like a puppet, he was controlled to make sure that he would react and move how fate expected him to.

The old man was drenched in his sweat, and his body was secretly trembling. The moment he placed the pouch in front of the traveler, the heaviness he felt was lifted. Despite him no longer feeling the control, it wasn't gone and didn't simply disappear.

The chief still felt imprisoned. This time, he wondered if the traveler could not only control beasts and animals but humans as well.

Thinking about it for a good while, the old man suddenly felt that maybe this was the traveler's way of proving his abilities!

The traveler had told him that he could prove that he can take the beast away with him, away from the citizens.

The traveler took control of him, he couldn't resist it and he felt tied down. The most important part was that, despite it being uncomfortable, he didn't exactly hate it.

The world can be unexpected and odd, it has always been fair and unpredictable. The old man has been alive for decades, he didn't like being controlled and manipulated, he was wise and decent. Yet there was a strange satisfaction that formed in him.

Though he felt as if he was used, which he was, he sensed no hate towards the traveler.

Perhaps it was because the traveler displayed his power, his great capability to control, or because now the chief can rest assured that the beast is no more.

The old man smiled, he watched as the traveler counted the contents inside the pouch.

The traveler was grinning and chuckling. He had his eyes covered but the chief could still see the joy in it. He seemed to be delighted.

As the old man was staring at the traveler's excited expression, his heart started to beat faster.

He was wrong to assume that the traveler's hidden eyes were filled with joy. The chief was a wielder himself, his ability, however, isn't suitable for combat.

He was able to perceive the emotions of people. Since he became one when he was no longer young, he didn't explore much about his ability.

All he knew was that sometimes, he could only perceive the emotion that the person was showing, not what they were truly feeling. But if he focused his attention on that person, sooner or later, their true feelings would be revealed before his eyes.

He looked deeply at the traveler. The young man was covering his upper face with a mask but under that mask was another disguise. It wasn't visible but it existed.

Many different layers covered his real emotions. The chief struggled to see what was in the traveler's heart and when he was on the last layer, the young man spoke up, breaking his concentration.

"I will be leaving before noon so I have to go and prepare now." The traveler didn't seem aware of what the old man was doing, "Thank you for your hospitality."

When he was on his way back to his room, the traveler said some words but due to the guest's chatter, what he said wasn't understood.

† Mundivagant †

When the clock hit the ten a.m mark, the traveler was ready to leave. The horse, Walker, was standing arrogantly in front of the young man. It was ignoring everything that the traveler had said.

"Walker, why are you so upset?" The traveler asked as he was attaching his leather bags onto the horse's saddle.

The horse huffed and turned its head away. The traveler felt helpless, Walker was throwing a tantrum again.

The traveler shook his head and mounted the horse. As he was about to leave, a voice, calling out to him was heard. "Sire!" It was the same knight who had a long sword on his back.

"I came here to thank you for helping us with our trouble!" The knight seemed excited and cheerful, "I was to ask you if you needed anything, If it's something I could provide, I would be happy to do so."

The traveler was confused but he recalled his dream. In the altered version of the first memory, the chief agreed to give him the money and it showed that the knight came to him and asked this same question.

He thought for a while, he couldn't possibly refuse such an offer. The traveler scanned the knight from top to bottom, the man didn't seem that wealthy so the traveler speculated that he couldn't ask for something expensive.

After some time, the traveler said, "Your sword."

"If it's important to you then I won't take it but if it isn't, give it to me."

"Um, my sword? Sure? Is that all?" The knight didn't think that just a sword would satisfy someone like the traveler.

"Yes, your sword looks fine, where'd you get it?"

The knight happily answered and told its story, "It was my master who gave it to me, it was supposed to be given to his only son after he returned from a battle but unfortunately, he never came back."

The traveler suddenly felt bad, he couldn't take such a precious thing. "Then how can you say you'd give it to me? The memory in it is valuable, don't give it away."

"Haha," The knight felt comfortable, "But I think it would suit you better, sire. Please take it!" He said, removing the sword from his back and presenting it to the traveler.

"If you insist then I will." He said, touching the hilt and sheath, he carefully took the sword.

The traveler sized it up and examined the sword. It wasn't in a very good state but it also has an undeniably decent quality. He checked the blade and was taken by surprise, he was wrong to assume that it was a long sword as it was a bit longer and different, making it a Claymore.

"I like this, thank you for this farewell gift, I'll take good care of it." Said the traveler and the knight smiled in response.

The traveler placed the Claymore on his back and thanked the knight once more. "Thank you again, I'll remember this... Or I might not but I genuinely appreciate it."

"I have to go now, goodbye mister knight."

The horse began to move but before the traveler disappeared into the forest, the knight spoke up again. "My name's Andre! May I know your name before you go?"

There was no response for a while and so the knight thought that the traveler did not want his name known but after some time, he heard his voice, "Cassius."

"Cassius Tarquin, that's my name."

† Mundivagant †

The traveler had left the small village along with Chimera, the residents who heard the news that the beast was gone were happy. Everyone also became aware of their savior thanks to the chief and Andre who spread his name.

The knights admired the traveler, they always looked up to wielders and they were proud to have been saved by one. The woman in the inn was also surprised when she heard about it, she remembered how Cassius told her despite there being a beat outside, that it will be fine. It wasn't a lie after all.

The guests who stayed in the inn also acknowledged his achievement though they knew little about the situation. The ones who felt gratitude the most were the chief and the residents who had lost their loved ones in the hands of the beast.

The father and the son were still recovering from their loss but they were also grateful. The son even wondered if he could be as cool as the traveler.

The traveler was the talk of the village for an entire week before the topic about him slowly died down.

His name was engraved in their hearts but as time passed, his appearance in their minds became blurry.

The only thing that they could remember was that he wore a black cloak and mask and that he had a dark horse while a raven was always following him around.

After the beast was gone, there were no attacks and no more lives were lost. The village became peaceful and harmonious once again. The people lived happily, knowing that their lives were not in danger.

The kids and children could come out of their homes and play together. With time, the scar in their hearts that appeared because of the beast will heal but it will remain there forever. It will become a memory that would either hurt them or inspire them to become stronger.

Challenges are always expected in life and it makes people tougher and more connected. When the beast came, the residents learned to sympathize and stand for each other. They helped one another and became stronger together.

This was why there were no bad guys who lived there, all because the people believed that unity and open-mindedness were the keys to a peaceful life.

They all wished to live without trouble, they simply didn't want to fight with anyone, therefore, they gave effort to everything they do especially understanding that there were plenty of differences they had. They respected others' opinions and they try to be the best of themselves.

With a village filled with warmth and affection, even the guests who come by felt the loving atmosphere. Staying there for a week or two left a good impression and so, the popularity of the small village grew.

Inside the chief's house, the old man was drinking his tea. He heard from Andre that he had given his sword to the traveler. That sword was originally for the chief's son and he wasn't mad at all to know that now it is in the traveler's hands.

"We all wear masks," Is what the traveler once said to him. It was said when the chief tried to read the emotion under the traveler's mask.

The old man smiled as he walked towards the small vase on the table. There was a white rose planted in it.

To him, the appearance of the beast was both a blessing and a curse. It made his people suffer and endure pain but it taught them a valuable lesson as well. It was also the reason why he got to meet the traveler and now the people have so much unity.

In the White Rose village, white roses bloomed and it became the symbol of their peace and unity.