The Wilderness of De, not far from the coast, the settlement of the Tupa Tribe.
Within the vast camp constructed from various makeshift huts, members of the Tupa Tribe bustle about. Like many indigenous tribal camps, the center of the Tupa Tribe's settlement is the ceremonial tent, built atop a small hill. This tent serves as an important site for tribal rituals and is also the residence of the tribe's most revered shaman.
With a solemn expression, Kapak quickly makes his way up the path leading to the ceremonial tent on the hill. Before long, he arrives at the tent's entrance, where two figures are already waiting for him.
The first is Kapak's mentor, Uta, the elder shaman of the Tupa Tribe. At this moment, Uta is sitting cross-legged on a mat at the entrance of the tent. His gray hair hangs loosely, and he is dressed in a long robe adorned with various trinkets and tassels. As usual, he holds a pipe in his hand, the tobacco within glowing faintly.
The second figure is a young man about Kapak's age. His black hair is disheveled, and he wears clothing made from animal hides and coarse cloth. He stands respectfully beside Uta, slightly hunched over, with a look of unease on his face. Kapak recognizes him—his name is Keja, a member of the hunting party. Kapak had worked with him in the past, hunting beasts and fighting off invaders. However, after Kapak became the tribe's healer and Uta's apprentice, he had rarely seen Keja.
"Elder Uta..."
Approaching Uta, Kapak greets him with a tribal gesture of respect. Uta takes a puff from his pipe, exhales a cloud of smoke, and nods, signaling Kapak to rise.
"Elder Uta, did you call me here because of Sado? I heard he's gone missing? What exactly happened?"
Kapak asks with a grave tone, and Uta sighs before responding.
"Early this morning, the hunting party gathered as usual to prepare for a hunt, but Sado, their leader, didn't show up. They went to his house and found it empty. His neighbors said they hadn't seen him for two days. Along with Sado, three other members of the hunting party are also missing—all of them close to Sado."
Holding his pipe, Uta speaks with a serious expression. Hearing this, Kapak frowns and asks.
"Four people, including Sado... missing for over two days? How could this happen? Where did they go?"
Uta taps his pipe and gazes toward the horizon, speaking with a hint of worry.
"Those guys... they've probably gone to the invaders' land."
"The invaders' land?!"
Kapak's face shows disbelief, and Uta casually points his pipe at Keja, who is standing beside him.
"Sado has been trying to recruit more people to join him in his actions these past few days. He's spoken privately with many members of the hunting party. Some followed him, but most didn't. Among those who stayed, Keja knows the most about what's been going on. Tell Kapak what you know."
"Yes, Elder Uta..."
Keja responds respectfully to the shaman, then turns to Kapak and speaks earnestly.
"Healer Kapak, here's what happened. A few days ago, Sado approached me privately and took me aside to talk about the invaders. He asked me if I hated the invaders and if the occasional raids we carried out were satisfying.”
"You know my situation—I was once injured by those invaders, and they stole my belongings. So, I told him that the raids didn't feel satisfying at all. Sado seemed pleased with my answer and left. After that, he kept coming back to talk to me about the invaders.”
"Sado always said that our occasional attacks on the invaders' patrols were just small skirmishes that couldn't make them understand true pain. He said the invaders sent their soldiers to our land, stole our territory, and killed our people. They reached out their hands to strangle us, and no matter how much we resisted, we were only plucking a few hairs from their hands, leaving a small scratch at best. To the invaders, these injuries meant nothing."
As Keja recounts Sado's words, Kapak's expression grows increasingly troubled.
"So, Sado told me that we needed to truly hurt the invaders themselves to make them feel real pain—pain as deep as ours, or even deeper. He suggested that I join him in going to the invaders' land, to their heart, and deliver a blow that would make them pay in blood."
Keja finishes speaking and falls silent. After hearing his words, Kapak remains quiet for a moment, then looks at Keja and asks.
"So, Sado has gone to the invaders' land for revenge? Why didn't you go with him? He must have invited you."
"I... I was scared. Even without Sado saying it, I knew this mission would be extremely dangerous. Going to the invaders' land for revenge is completely different from attacking their patrols. It's almost impossible to come back alive. So, when I realized Sado's goal, I got scared. On the day he called for everyone to gather, I fled the tribe and only returned today."
Keja spreads his hands, his expression filled with fear. Kapak continues to press him with a serious tone.
"Then why didn't you tell Elder Uta at the time?"
"Because... Sado was still here! I was afraid he'd retaliate against me! Kapak, you know how ruthless he is with those who defy him! So, I could only come back after he was gone... Elder Uta, please understand my situation."
Keja speaks helplessly, glancing at Uta, who sits cross-legged on the mat, smoking his pipe and gazing into the distance. After a moment, Uta speaks slowly.
"Sado's original tribe was wiped out in a conflict with the invaders. His family and many people he knew were killed by the invaders' guns. I knew his deep hatred for the invaders might lead to something extreme, but I didn't expect it to escalate to this level. Sado's actions have surprised me. Keja... tell me honestly, has Sado been in contact with anyone else recently?"
Uta stares at Keja as he asks this question. Under Uta's gaze, Keja hesitates, then answers truthfully.
"Yes, when Sado came to me and others for secret meetings, there was often another man from a different tribe with him. Sado would frequently ask him for advice. Sado called him Banu."
"Banu..."
Hearing this name, Kapak's eyes widen in shock.
"It's Banu's doing! That guy didn't run far. He's still lurking around here!"
Kapak exclaims. He remembers Banu all too well—a shaman apprentice from a neighboring tribe who had once been his close friend during their shamanic training. However, after a series of events, Banu's true nature was revealed. He had colluded with the invaders' Beyonder organization, the Nether Coffin Order, betrayed the location of the wild spirit Black Hoof, and even ambushed Kapak. He was a thoroughly despicable person.
After Kapak was rescued by Detective and returned to the tribe, he immediately reported Banu's actions to Uta. The next day, Uta took Kapak to Banu's tribe to confront him, but Banu had already fled after receiving a tip-off from the Nether Coffin Order. No one expected him to still be lurking nearby, secretly influencing others!
"Indeed... it seems this matter is more complicated than it appears on the surface. Since Banu has ties to the invaders' Beyonder organization, his instigation must have ulterior motives."
Uta speaks with a serious expression. After taking another puff from his pipe, he turns to Kapak and continues.
"Kapak, you must set out immediately for the invaders' land and bring Sado and the others back."
Uta's words surprise both Kapak and Keja. Kapak looks at Uta in astonishment.
"Bring them back... Is there still time? Sado and the others have been gone for at least two days..."
"Whether there's time or not, we must try. We must stop Sado before he acts, or the consequences could be disastrous.”
"Kapak, I will write a letter for you to take to the chief of the Kez Tribe. They live by the Howling River. Take the letter to them, and they will arrange the fastest boat for you to travel downstream. With their speed, you can reach the invaders' city by the coast in a day and a half. From there, find a way to travel to the invaders' land... Hmm... what's it called... Pritt? Since Sado is heading for the heart of the invaders, he must be going to the heart of Pritt. You have connections there and should know more about it."
Uta instructs Kapak, who realizes where Sado is likely headed.
Among the colonial territories established by various mainland countries in the New Continent, the one closest to the Tupa Tribe is the colony of Pritt. The Tupa Tribe has had the most contact with Pritt, so it's clear that Sado's target is Pritt. Having read many Pritt books and learned the Pritt language, Kapak knows that the heart of Pritt is its capital, Tivian.
"I understand, Elder Uta. I will do my best to get there as quickly as possible!"
Kapak responds solemnly. Meanwhile, Keja, standing to the side, looks confused and asks.
"Elder Uta... why go to such lengths to bring Sado back? Even though I was too scared to go... I still think it would be good for Sado to teach those white-skins a lesson..."
Keja mutters, but Uta glares at him, causing him to shrink back. Uta then speaks sternly.
"Teaching the invaders a lesson is one thing, but if our entire tribe suffers because of it, that's another matter entirely. Sado compared us to being strangled by the invaders' outstretched hand, saying our resistance here is merely plucking a few hairs from their hand. To truly make the invaders feel pain, we must strike at their body.”
"But have you considered this? No matter how hard Sado and the others fight, they can only inflict a small wound on the invaders. They can't kill them. And when the invaders feel that pain, they might tighten their grip on our necks and strangle us to death.”
"Sado's actions will come at a cost. The invaders will retaliate fiercely. Even if Sado is willing to sacrifice his life, the invaders' wrath won't stop at him. They will take their anger out on the entire tribe. They might break the current truce and launch an all-out attack on us. No matter what, we will suffer unimaginable losses."
The elder shaman speaks, and as Keja listens, his expression grows increasingly grim.
"Sado's reckless pursuit of revenge will cost us dearly. He doesn't consider the consequences, but we are the ones who will bear them. He can easily throw his life away, but the rest of the tribe has the right to live. His actions are nothing more than a selfish outlet for his anger. What's worse, he's being manipulated by someone with ulterior motives. He's being used as a pawn!"
Uta finishes with a tone of frustration, as if being used as a tool is the most unacceptable outcome.
Hearing Uta's words, Keja swallows hard and says nothing more. At this moment, Kapak seems to remember something and speaks up.
"Elder Uta, while I have a rough idea of where Sado might be, the invaders' cities are vast. Finding him precisely will be very difficult..."
"I've already considered that. Don't worry too much. I've prepared a way for you to locate him. Follow me."
As he speaks, Uta stands up and walks into the ceremonial tent behind him. Kapak follows.
Inside the tent, Kapak sees an intricate sand painting on the earthen floor, surrounded by several thin totem poles. At the center of the painting is an abstract animal figure, and in front of the sand painting is a small altar with a few bone fragments.
Kapak has seen something similar before. When summoning Black Hoof, Uta had also drawn a similar sand painting and set up totem poles, though the scale was smaller this time.
"Elder Uta... what are you..."
"I am going to summon a wild spirit skilled in long-distance soul sensing and recognition. Its name is Soulwhisker. I will ask it to accompany you to the invaders' land to find Sado. Wild spirits cannot stay far from their natural environment for too long, so once you arrive, remember to find Sado quickly and bring him back."
Uta explains, then sits in front of the sand painting and begins to chant an incantation. At the same time, Kapak feels the surrounding Silence spirituality becoming active.
As Uta chants, an invisible wind seems to stir within the tent, causing the sand painting to shift and scatter. Dust fills the air, and when it settles, Uta's chanting stops. Inside the tent, visible to Kapak's spiritual vision, is a translucent, lynx-like spirit. It crouches where the sand painting once was, licks its paw, and gazes sharply at the others in the tent, its whiskers trembling slightly.
"This is... Soulwhisker?"
Kapak murmurs as he looks at the spirit.