"Looks like your journey will be long, Refta. I'm Black. I'm heading to Lako to marry a noble and get rich. No one can resist my charm."
Again, the girls laughed so hard, their eyes teared up. "Lako's ladies won't brother themselves to have an eye on you, their eldest never alow them to marry men out of Lako's kingdom,"
Cloud said as he tried to sound series, marry a Lako's lady meant having a relationship with the devil himself.
"I'm Vanessa,"
One of the girls stepped forward into the center of the truck, pointing toward the two girls while staring at Refta and the other two men who gave her their attention. She raised an eyebrow and said:
"That's our mother, the seer Eliza. The one you landed on, you scoundrel, is my younger sister Mina. As for the boy over there, he's my cousin—we call him Nejis."
She gestured toward a boy still asleep, probably around eight years old. Some passengers chose not to introduce themselves—perhaps for personal reasons—but Refta didn't care. He simply walked over to a pile of crates and sat down.
"We are elite knights of the House of D'Vish,"
Before Vanessa could continue, Claud cut her in:
"You mean the House of D'Vish, slaughtered by Lako Kingdom soldiers in public? They no longer exist, better give up on your titles ladies,"
Claud barely had time to react before Vanessa grabbed him by the throat. Her veins and neck arteries were visibly pulsing.
"Say that again, and I'll drain every drop of your blood."
She was indeed strong to have the bold and attach him, but Claud slowly pulled her hand away without effort.
"I love watching you try."
Refta would have enjoyed seeing Claud beat some sense into that arrogant girl, but just then, the truck started moving. The old man's voice echoed through the space:
"I'm casting a concealment magical spell. It will mask anyone with less than 50,000 magic units. From now on, you're just civilians stripped of your powers. If you're carrying Shouza Crystals, hide them however you can. I'm not responsible if they're confiscated or stolen by Lako's men"
Refta wasn't worried—he had lost his gem when Lako soldiers raided his palace and spread their corruption, the scene was repeating itself endlessly in his mind, he tighten his grip.
"Also, show your Civilian ID cards. If you don't have one, I'll stop the truck and leave you here, I'm talking to you gentlmen, "
Each young person checked their ID—proof they belonged to no noble house, army, or official bloodline, or they might be taken or killed by Lako's men.
After confirming everyone had their cards, the old man returned to his seat, and silence fell over the truck.
---
"There are eight people who haven't told us their names or identities. But I'm sure they're from the Kingdom of Rebka. Most of them didn't even react when Claud revealed his allegiance to Rebka, most seemed glad to know he is from Rebka kingdom,"
Refta thought to himself, closing his eyes, trying to focus on his plan to enter the Lako Kingdom unharmed.
"I heard that those criminals, they're targeting boys aged fifteen or above,"
Mina said, staring directly at Refta. He was terrible with girls. His family never had any daughters—just brothers. He opened his eyes to find her sitting beside him, she was too close.
"How old are you? Wait—let me guess. You're ten, right?"
She smiled innocently. Damn it. She was beautiful—and stupid. The type he hated the most. Why would someone talk to a guy who'd just fallen on her and got slapped for it? Crazy right?
"I'm sixteen. Don't talk to me ever again, "
Okay, maybe that was a bit harsh, may be she just want to be friends with him, Mina's eyes welled up with tears that fell like rain.
"I was just trying to be nice to you… and you…"
She slapped him again before running back to sit beside her sister and mother, who was casting protective spells. Refta rubbed the spot on his cheek and turned to study the group of eight.
"One of them is skilled in defensive and shield magic,"
Refta could always sense the type and strength of magic just by looking at someone, its skill his father once taught him.
---
"Our homeland suffered under the tyranny of Lako. They forced us from our homes and turned our lives into hell, we lost every thing, they stole our dreams, took our children lives and our smile, God damn them,"
One of the silent eight people finally muttered. Everyone in that truck shared one thing: a hatred for Lako and its men.
Before anyone could respond to that person, the truck suddenly stopped.
"It's a checkpoint. I see Lako soldiers standing there, they have special crystals's guns, "
Refta hadn't noticed when the eight-year-old boy climbed up—his speed was incredible.
"I told you to get down, Nejis! Hurry, or they'll catch you!"
Vanessa's aunt shouted, trying to grab him as he darted around like lightning.
"I heard they have advanced weapons and a new type of Shouza Crystals. I just want to get my daughter—cursed by the Evic Curse—to a healer who can end her suffering. So please, calm down, Nejis."
A woman from the eight people spock, her eyes were filled with sorrow. She meant every word. Nejis finally calmed down and sat on the floor.
"The Evic Curse prevents the victim from speaking loudly. It's especially harmful if their magic type is spellcasting,"
Claudem explained as he looked at the girl resting on her sister's lap.
"Look, Mom! The truck's moving! We're safe! The Lako soldiers didn't search us!"
Nejis shouted joyfully as he ran toward his mother, who was too tired to tell him to settle down again.
"We're on their land. Of course, they wouldn't be strict—not here, at least,"
Refta ran his fingers through his hair with a dark smile, imagining himself crushing Lako soldiers' skulls.
---