Chapter 5 - Return to Heaven's Watch

[Nunuk Ragang Village, the Maliau Basin]

The village was alive with the sound of celebration as the team returned from their successful mission. The tribal elders stood tall, their faces glowing with pride as they praised the brave warriors who had risked their lives to defeat the Bakas Mulau. The villagers cheered and stomped, their joyous energy flowing through the air like a raging river.

As the team entered the village, the scent of roasted meat filled their nostrils, and the sound of traditional tribal instruments playing in full-swing reached their ears. They were surrounded by people dancing and singing, their faces painted with a mixture of sweat and excitement.

Connor was exhausted but thrilled. "I can't wait to join the party," he said with a grin. "But first, I need a nap."

Ethan nodded in agreement, but his mind was already on their next project. "After the party, we need to get to work on that new project we discussed," he said, his eyes bright with excitement.

Aki raised an eyebrow. "What project?"

"We're working with the Institute of Mythological Artifact Research and Investigation (IMARI) to develop a way to mask the appearance and abilities of relics," explained Ethan. "I have some ideas, and I think we can create something truly groundbreaking."

Aki's eyes widened with interest. "That could be incredibly useful. But also dangerous if it falls into the wrong hands," he said with a thoughtful nod. "For instance, I could very well sneak my spear in to meet with important figures disguised as a pencil and commit some terrible deeds."

...

"For someone so kind-looking, those were some really sinister thoughts," Ethan blurted out.

"But you can't deny that I may be right," Aki shrugged his shoulders as he limped towards a different direction.

Connor let out a loud yawn and stretched his sore muscles, feeling the fatigue of the long journey settling in. "Let's worry about that tomorrow," he said with a grin, rubbing his neck. "Tonight, we celebrate our triumph!"

Ethan's face twisted into a grimace as he watched his friend's eagerness to prolong their stay in the village. "Fine," he conceded with a defeated sigh, "but it won't be my fault if Lady Enki decides to wring your neck later..."

Aki interjected, "Speaking of Lady Enki, I must see the chief for a moment. I'll join in on the festivities after."

Connor rolled his eyes playfully. "You guys are such killjoys!" He rubbed his sore neck as he walked away from Ethan and Aki, surrounded by a group of excited children eager to hear the tales of their adventure. The children were jumping up and down around him, their energy contagious.

The team went their separate ways, each feeling the exhaustion of the battle but also a sense of relief that they had managed to return safely. As they dispersed, they agreed to reconvene later for drinks and continue the celebration, as the night was still young and filled with promise.

--------

[Elsewhere, the nest of the fallen Bakas Mulau]

The moon hung high in the sky, casting its ethereal light upon the Maliau Basin forest. The creatures of the night were either slumbering or prowling, depending on their nature. The aftermath of the battle lingered near the Bakas Mulau's nest - charred earth, twisted trees, and most notably, the lifeless body of the wild boar lay there.

The shadows stirred and a figure emerged. They strode towards the fallen boar, their immaculate white coat billowing in the gentle breeze. Their wicked and sinister smile could send shivers down one's spine. This experiment had taken considerable effort and to witness their creation being annihilated by a group of fools was irritating, to say the least.

"Kekeke, let's take a look now shall we...?" they snickered as they waved their hand, sending a wave of energy outwards, which seems to have constructed a thin veil around the vicinity.

The figure circled the carcass, scrutinizing every inch with keen interest. Not a single aspect of their creation remained unexamined.

"It appears to have worked," another voice chimed in, and the figure turned to see a pair of glowing crimson eyes in the darkness.

"Yes," they responded. "And no one suspects that this beast was engineered by us."

The owner of the red eyes chuckled. "Marvelous. All that's left is to perfect our methods, and soon we shall have more Class 4 beasts at our disposal."

"Oh, certainly. I'm working on expediting the mutation process and stabilizing the subjects...and hoping they will be able to naturally awaken to Class 5 and higher," the figure wearing the white coat slicked their hair back in confidence, a wicked grin plastered on his face.

A heavy silence filled the air but wild dogs howled in the distance, as the machinations of this mysterious group remains unknown to those around, but everything will unfold in the next two weeks...and the world shall know of their terror.

-------

[The Molohingon's Hut, Nunuk Ragang Village]

Aki stumbled into the hut and bowed towards the Chief. The Chief was busy rearranging skulls on a shelf, his back facing Aki. He nodded to himself and took a drag out of his wooden pipe and exhaled, lost in his own thoughts. Finally, he turned around and noticed the injury on Aki's leg after scanning him for bodily injury.

"It is fortunate to have you return to us almost unscathed, my child," the Chief said, his tone kind but solemn. Aki couldn't help but feel a sense of relief at the Chief's words.

"I have Connor to thank, and Ethan as well...they were as amazing as you said they would be. But something baffles me-..." Aki started to praise his comrades for their contribution in the battle earlier, but the Chief raised his hand to interrupt.

"You speak of Connor's...very unusual ability?" the Chief questioned while raising a brow, and Aki nodded slightly, surprised that the Chief knew about it too.

"I suspected as much, but it is best we do not pry into his matters...after all, Lady Enki forbade it." The Chief said solemnly as he walked towards a cupboard and opened it.

"We shall not speak of it. Make sure the warriors lips remain sealed." He then took a large sealed ceramic jar out of the cupboard and passed it to Aki, who looked at him dumbfounded.

"Tonight, we celebrate. After all - aramai noti!" the Chief grinned, his eyes twinkling mischievously. Aki couldn't help but smile at the Chief's infectious enthusiasm, feeling grateful for the opportunity to celebrate with his fellow warriors.

-------

[Nunuk Ragang Village Square, the Maliau Basin]

The celebration in the village was in full swing. Connor, Ethan and the rest of the tribe, were drinking merrily around a large bonfire. Everyone was in a festive mood, recounting the battle and swapping stories. The tribal women had prepared a feast, and the aroma of roasted meats and spices filled the air.

Connor raised his mug and shouted, "After tonight, I'm certain I prefer my boar roasted and not mutated for sure! May we never encounter such a fearsome creature again!"

The others joined in with hearty cheers and yelled out a merry "Aramaiti!" clinking their wine jars together in a toast.

Ethan, who was feeling a little tipsy, staggered over to Aki and said, "You know, I never thought I'd be fighting mutated beasts when I signed up for Heaven's Watch."

Aki chuckled and replied, "Life is full of surprises, my friend. If anyone told me my tribe would retreat back into the forest to guard it with magical relics 20 years ago, I wouldn't believe it either."

Connor joined in, grinning from ear to ear. "Yeah, Ethan. Who knows what kind of trouble we'll get into next?"

Ethan raised his glass again. "Whatever it is, I'm ready for it. Bring on the next mutated monster or world ending relic!!!"

They all clinked their glasses together and took another gulp of the rice wine. The villagers cheered and joined in the celebration. They brought out more food and drink, and the party continued late into the night.

At one point, Ethan tried to impress the group by juggling some of the leftover herbal grenades. It didn't end well, and they all burst into laughter as he fumbled and dropped them.

As the night wore on, the group became increasingly rowdy, and they started to play drinking games. Even Aki, who was known for his stoicism, got in on the fun.

As the fire burned low and the party began to wind down, the first rays of dawn started to appear on the horizon. The sky was still dark, but the stars were beginning to fade away, and the villagers started to return to their homes, ready for a well-deserved rest. The three friends looked up at the sky, watching the colors change and the stars disappear. The distant sound of drums and flutes and the remnants of the party was slowly fading away. The streets were quiet, and the air was cool and refreshing. They each walked in silence back to their individual huts, each lost in their own thoughts.

-------

[The Molohingon's Hut, Nunuk Ragang Village]

Aki limped towards the village chief's hut with a basket of fruits in his hand, his wounded leg reminding him of the previous night's wild party. The village chief was sitting outside his hut, smoking a pipe as he greeted Aki with a smile.

"Tanak wagu, nokuro rih?" The chief greeted him. "Did you have fun last night?"

Aki grinned, "I did, but my leg is paying the price for it now."

The chief chuckled, "Ah, nothing our shamans can't fix once the healing relics are prepared. Speaking of which, Connor and Ethan are leaving soon, aren't they?"

-------

[Village Outskirts, Nunuk Ragang Village]

Connor and Ethan gathered their belongings, preparing for their journey to head back home. Aki walked them to the edge of the village, where they were met by the village chief.

"Good afternoon, my friends," the chief greeted them with a smile.

"Good afternoon, Chief," Connor replied with a nod.

Ethan added, "Thank you for your hospitality. We had a wonderful time here."

The old chief smiled warmly. "It was our pleasure and honor to have you here. You are always welcome in our village. Please, extend my thanks to Lady Enki."

Connor bowed his head, "Sure thing, chief. I hope we can visit again soon."

Aki extended his arms towards Connor, who shook it vigorously. "You better be visiting us with some souvenirs the next time you visit!"

"Only if you'll trade us some of that top grade lihing you've stashed away," Ethan chimed in as he adjusted his backpack.

"Okay, we gotta set off now. We're to meet with the extraction squad at the external area of the Maliau Basin," Connor added as he checked his watch for the time.

"Ethan and Connor, safe travels," the Molohingon, chief of the Kadazan-Dusun tribe bid his farewells. Aki did the same and saluted with his spear on the side.

Connor and Aki then began their trek to meet the extraction squad sent by Heaven's Watch, a journey which would take several hours at least.

-------

"Who do you think they sent to pick us up?" Ethan asked as Connor led the way through the forest.

"I dunno, could be Roderick, maybe Takamura...or both. They're always the ones doing nothing back at home base," Connor answered as he looked over his shoulder to check on Ethan.

"Shucks...I was hoping they'd send Yukie at least." Ethan slumped when he imagines being greeted by two of the burliest and grumpiest men from Heaven's Watch.

The two continued walking for several more hours, their journey less critical and dangerous compared to their arrival. Connor made short work of any Stellanium mutated creatures they ran into along the way, a contribution made possible by the now recovered Cloak of Elements.

They would not forget their adventure here in the Maliau Basin any time soon, despite being excited to return home and prepare for their next mission. The next mission loomed on the horizon, and with it, the possibility of danger and uncertainty. Nevertheless, both of them were determined to face whatever challenges lay ahead, each with their own reasons for doing so.