Road 4: The Town of Happines

Arima town, located near the Syaf village, is usually bustling with people as it is the town that provided necessities and employment. The town is also known as a town of happiness as the town looks cheerful and the people that live in the town are always smiling. The side of the town street is full with people selling herbs, weapons, foods and other things. In the centre of the town there is a hill that is full of grand houses, the houses belong to the nobles. Nobles in the town are famous for their kindness and their love for Arima town.

Kai's group arrived in the town seeking shelter as the day was getting dark and they needed to prepare themselves. The town is quite lively on that day as there will be a festival in 2 days and people were busy preparing for the festival. Princess Kiara for the first time entering the town feels astonished with the town design as the town was built by traditional art and the princess also surprised with the people in the town as they were so kind and greeted every single person who's entering the town. Aisha, the little girl that joined Kai, wandered around the town as she was so happy. She often comes to this town with her father to sell the weapons or the utensils her father made. Kai is also famous in this town and people greet him everywhere he goes. Princess Aira was surprised why Kai is being recognized by all of these people.

'Are you famous here Kai?' whispered Princess Aira as she really wanted to find out why Kai is so famous in this town, Kai, who heard Aira whisper just smiling and replied 'i just did something that changed this town.' said Kai without wanting to tell the story in detail. Princess Aira was enraged with Kai's answer and wanted to know the answer right away. Kai looked at Princess Aira face full of curiosity and a little bit of anger smiling as he wanted to tease the princess a little bit more as he found the princess looks kinda cute when she is getting mad. 'Hmmm, maybe I'll tell you later..and that is if I wanted to tell you.' after saying that Kai just walked faster to run away from Princess Aira as he knows that Princess Aira is gonna be so mad. As expected by Kai, Princess Aira was mad and chasing Kai, the people in the town who saw that just laughing watching Kai and Princess Aira behaviours.

Kai then stopped and stood in front of the old coffee shop. The coffee shop looks so old and the shop sign that is made of wood is old and mouldy. The shop really stands out as the other shops in the surrounding area are so clean and modernly built. Kai then entered the coffee shop, Princess Aira and Aisha who was surprised by Kai's action followed Kai entering the shop. Inside of the shop is very different from the outside, the inside was very clean and the smells so good. The wood smell in the coffee shop is able to attract customers to sit there and enjoy the coffee. There were two guys at one of the tables and there was a middle-aged man around 50 years old who was wiping the coffee mug at the counter and staring at the Kai's group that was just entering the shop. 'Hi old man Hugo, the shop is still empty huh??.' said Kai with a smug face after noticing there were just a few people in the shop. The old man was the coffee shop's owner. Before opening the shop he was a military general and had been friends with Kai since 8 years ago. 'I love it when there are few people in this shop, only people who know about coffee can stay in my shop.' Said the old man full of pride. The old man Hugo looked at the Kai and shifted his gaze to Princess Aira and Aisha.

'What do you want? Bringing a woman and a child here..'

Kai asked Aisha and Princess Aira to take a seat as he wanted to talk with the coffee shop owner. 'I have to bring these people because they are related to my mission. I can't tell you who they are but I want to ask you what you know about the situation in Kihara kingdom?' The old man Hugo, who heard that, was surprised why Kai asked a question about the Kihara kingdom. The old man Hugo stays quiet for a while and then starts to tell Kai what he knows. 'What I know from my informance, the Kihara kingdom is now in chaos, the situation at that kingdom is unstable because I heard they were targeted in the recent event and their princess has been kidnapped. I don't know what your aim is but it's better for you to not interfere with the matter.' Kai who heard that was surprised as he doesnt think the info about the princess being kidnapped is well known. 'I don't have any choice anymore, I'm already involved in this matter.' said Kai with a smile on his face. Old man Hugo who heard that feels irritated and if he can smack Kai's head, he already did that. 'I don't care what you want to do but be careful.. I also heard that some vicious groups have their eyes on this problem.'

'Dont worry about me, I think I can handle this.' said Kai with his eyes looking at Princess Aira and Aisha. 'Oh, you must be a lucky star for you to be in this town on this day. Tonight there will be an event called "Festive Night". Some shop owners in this town work together to celebrate the birth of the cooperation between their shops. You should go there and bring that little girl, I think she will like it.' Kai, who heard that, thought the idea of joining the festival is a very good idea but it will be hard for him to guard Princess Aira in a crowded place. He then went to Aisha and Princess Aira to discuss whether they should go to the festival or not. Aisha who heard about tonight's festival was excited and happy but Princess Aira just stayed silent. Kai who saw Princess Aira that just stayed silent wondering maybe Princess Aira is still overthinking about her family and thinking going to the festival is just a waste of time. Suddenly, Princess Aira shouted 'Yes!! I've never gone to a festival before, I wonder what food they will be served at the festival.' shouted Princess Aira with her happy face and erupted emotion, leaving Kai with confusion. 'This Princess is really something…' whispers Kai with a hand on his face.

The group then wandered across the town to wait for the night festival. Aisha then looked at Kai like she wanted to say something. 'Kai, tonight can we go see the Blue Tree? The Blue Tree is a tree located in the middle of the town. The tree was planted there more than 400 years ago. All the people around the map come to this town to see the magnificent tree. At night the blue leaves from the tree radiate like stars in the sky. Aisha wanted to go there because she was sure the tree must look more beautiful when surrounded by festival lights. Kai also wanted to see the Blue Tree but he was concerned with Princess Aira's safety in the place that will be full of crowd but when he looked at her glittering eyes and Aisha happy face, Kai knew it's useless to refuse to go to see the Blue Tree. 'I can bring you there but you need to stick with me all of the time, especially you Aira.' Aira, who heard Kai's warning, realises that her safety is in danger with the Shado Group wanting to find her. Kai does not worry too much about the attack from the Shado Group as he is very familiar with Arima town and the Shado Group will not do any reckless action in the festival that is full of people.

The night arrived and the moon was full and shining the whole town with its light. Everyone in the town was partying. There were some kids playing around in the town chasing each other, couples who enjoyed their date night, and families who wanted to see the festival with their own eyes. The festival had just been planned a few days before and it was made in a sudden hurry, however, the town was crowded as many people were enjoying the festival. The Blue Tree that is the symbol of Arima town is shining blue light and illuminated the town and the festival lights were making the town look like heaven.

'Woahhhh, look Kai..' shouted a little girl with dark hair wearing a red dress. 'Aisha.. Don't run. Why're you in such a hurry?' shouted Kai worrying Aisha will stumble and fall. 'Why did you buy her that dress? Kai to Princess Aira. 'She wanted that dress, she said she wanted to look different from the Blue Tree so she chose red. It's kinda pretty too.' answered Princess Aira with a hand on her mouth trying not to laugh. 

The festival is very entertaining when people in the town show their talent either in sword dance, singing, playing musical instruments and acting. There is a theatre in the festival that tells a story about a young girl and the devil. The story is about a young girl that was abandoned by her parents because she is too ugly and met a devil that will help her to get her revenge. Princess Aira was fascinated by the theatre while Aisha played around in the festival eating the cotton candy. Kai was on his guard in protecting those two. Suddenly, a hand touches Kai's hand and it is Aisha that wants to ask Kai to join her riding a horse carriage, Kai 's face looks worried and makes Aisha and Princess Aira be left in curiosity. "I don't want to be on the carriage…. I don't want to..' said Kai with his head looking somewhere else avoiding looking at Aisha and Princess Aira. Princess Aira then holds Kai's hand and forcely brings him to the carriage and asks Kai to be on the carriage beside Aisha. Kai's face looks blue as he is terrified of something, Princess Aira then sits beside Kai and makes Kai sit in the centre between Aisha and her. 'Are you ready?' asked the coachman who drove the horse carriage. 

'Please be steady.. Please be steady… Arghhh! I don't want to ride this….' screaming Kai while closing his eyes. Princess Aira and Aisha who saw Kai being scared riding the horse carriage chuckle as they think it's funny that someone who looks like he isn't scared of anything was screaming in fear riding a horse carriage.

The horse carriage took the group to the area of Arima town and the coachman while telling the history of each part of Arima town. Aisha and Princess Aira were delighted hearing all of the stories while Kai was still scared riding the horse carriage. 40 minutes later, the horse stopped at the same place the group was riding before, Princess Aira and Aisha jumped from the horse carriage while Kai slowly tried to get out from the horse carriage. Kai's face looks pale like he just saw a ghost. Princess Aira looked at Kai with a small smile on her face 'are you scared riding the carriage? Why're you afraid of carriage? Kai who heard Princess Aira turn around and slowly whisper 'it's not like I'm scared of the carriage, I just can't ride any transportation that uses animals. They look so dangerous..' Princess Aira and Aisha who heard it burst into laughter leaving Kai feeling embarrassed. Kai, who wants to change the topic, asked Aisha and Princess Aira to go to see the Blue Tree 'Enough… I think we should go to see the Blue Tree before that place starts to get crowded.'

Arriving at the Blue Tree, the place was crowded with people leaving the Kai's group being far away from the Blue Tree. That place around the Blue Tree was so crowded making there is no space for Kai's group to snuck in. Aisha's face looks sad as she wants to see the Blue Tree at close distance. The Blue Tree still looks so beautiful from far away, the tree was surrounded by the iron gate to prevent people from getting close to the tree to avoid any damage to the tree. 'The tree is so far away, I want to see that tree closer.' Aisha was trying to hold her tears as she was frustrated. Princess Aira tried to persuade Aisha not to cry but was stopped by Kai. Kai then went near Aisha and lowered his head and stared at Aisha's eyes 'Do you want to see that tree?' Aisha who tried her hardest to not cry answered 'Yes. I want to see that tree.' Kai then held Aisha up and then looked at Aisha 'Are you ready?' Aisha was wondering what Kai meant by asking that. Without hearing any answer, Kai leaped high from the crowd and landed on the iron gate that surrounded the Blue Tree leaving many people including Princess Aira in shock. Suddenly, a strong wind came and made the leaves from the Blue Tree that were shining in the night flying. Aisha, who saw the Blue Tree from a very close distance, was amazed by the beauty of the Blue Tree. The Blue Tree that stands alone in the centre of the town was beautiful and the festival lights make the Blue Tree look more beautiful than ever. 'Okay, I think we should go now, Aisha.' Aisha who already saw the Blue Tree in close replying with a big smile on her face 'Yes Kai.' Kai and Aisha then disappear from the top of the gate like they have never been there leaving the people in shock again. Princess Aira was surprised by how fast Kai is.

Princess Aira has been left alone and tried to find Kai and Aisha. While she was busy looking for Kai and Aisha, her shoulder was tapped by a man wearing a cowboy hat. The man was tall and thin and wearing a blue dark coat. The man then spoke with a gentle voice 'that guy's still doing what he wants huh..' Princess Aira then started to keep her distance from that man as she's afraid that man is from the organisation that is chasing her. In a sudden, Princess Aira heard someone call her name, she then looked behind and saw Aisha and Kai were heading towards her. She then turns her back to see that man again but that man is no longer there. Aisha then hugged Princess Aira and told her what she saw when Kai brought her closer to the tree, making Princess Aira completely forget that man before. 'I think we should go home now, we'll have to depart early tomorrow.' Arriving at the inn, Kai then booked two rooms, one for him and one for Aisha and Princess Aira. Aisha wanted to sleep with Princess Aira as she wanted to talk more with her. 

In the early morning when the sun still had not risen, Kai's door was knocked so many times. Kai, who was asleep then woke up and wondered who knocked on his door so early. When he opened the door, he saw Aisha with tears in her eyes, crying. Aisha suddenly hugged Kai while still crying. Kai is still confused why Aisha is crying. Aisha began to speak while trying to hold her tears 'Aira. Aira… Aira has been kidnapped…'