Chapter 527: Here Is Lumi |
He stood nearly seven feet tall, his bare chest covered in old tribal markings, but what caught every single eye in the clearing was the bizarre, oversized head accessory he was wearing.
It looked like a wide, flap of pale leather draped loosely over his hair and trailing down his neck, held together by crude bone pins.
The massive warrior came to a stop right beside Chief Vane, a wide, toothy grin breaking across his scarred face as he looked at the Veynar circle.
He noticed Kira’s trembling form and pointed a thick, dirty finger straight at the weird flap on his head.
"Oh, her?" the big warrior boomed, his rough voice full of a casual, mocking amusement. "Can’t you see? Here she is right now!"
Sol’s eyes narrowed to tiny points as he leaned his body forward, his senses tracking the physical density of the material on the man’s head.
Looking closely at the texture, the fine grain, and the tiny, delicate markings...
It was... human skin.
It was the fresh, tanned skin of a young girl’s face, her features stretched and pinned into a horrific trophy for a Zharun to wear as a hat. The once-bright eyes were now empty sockets, the soft lips stretched into a grotesque, permanent smile.
The dry wind died, the distant roar of the Marauders vanished, and no voice or sound could be registered by the human ears.
Kira stood entirely frozen, her fingers slipping off her bowstring as the weapon clattered uselessly into the dirt.
Her eyes remained locked onto the pale leather flap, her mind completely refusing to accept the vision in front of her. Her breath caught deep in her throat, a sickening heat rushing up her neck as her vision started blurring and swimming around in wild, dizzying circles.
The happy, bright girl who had helped wiped their tears was right there, turned into a piece of clothing for the monsters who had promised her peace.
Lumi had been an orphan, despised by many in the tribe for her weak spirit and small frame.
She had no family, no powerful backers, no one to protect her from the harsh whispers and cold shoulders of those who valued strength above all.
Yet despite everything, Lumi had always been the brightest light in their lives. She was carefree and happy, always laughing even when the world tried to break her.
She helped others without expecting anything in return... sharing her meager food with the hungry, wiping tears from the faces of crying children, and offering kind words to those who were shunned.
She didn’t care about weak or strong, rich or poor. To her, everyone was simply someone who needed a little kindness.
She had been the one who stayed up late with the sick, the one who comforted the grieving, the one who made the young recruits feel like they belonged. Her smile could light up the darkest nights, her laughter could chase away the heaviest sorrow.
And now she was reduced to this... a grotesque trophy worn by the monsters who had promised her peace.
The silence in the valley turned into a heavy, suffocating weight, ready to explode into pure madness.
Zeyra’s face twisted with a mixture of horror and burning rage, her hands clenching into fists so tight her nails drew blood. Her Snake Spirit flickered violently, as it manifested due to ragem its scales bristling as if ready to strike.
The young recruits in the distance stared in stunned silence, their faces pale as ghosts.
One boy dropped his spear, the weapon clattering loudly in the sudden quiet. Another girl covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face as she looked at the stretched skin.
They remembered Lumi’s kindness, her laughter, her gentle nature. They remembered how she had always been there for them when the world felt too harsh.
And now she was gone, turned into this abomination.
Veylara’s eyes widened, her body trembling with barely contained fury.
The Warchief, who had faced three Layer 4 beasts without flinching, looked like she was on the verge of losing control.
Thauren’s golden scales flared with heat, his Lion Spirit roaring silently inside him as he gripped his blade so hard the handle creaked.
The Zharun warriors around the big man laughed in mocking chuckles that echoed across the clearing like the cackling of hyenas.
Chief Vane’s smile widened, his eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction as he watched the Veynar’s reaction.
Sol’s expression remained cold, but his silver-crimson eyes burned with a quiet, deadly rage. The Golden Silver pool inside his chest surged violently, the power humming with barely restrained control.
The silence stretched for one more heartbeat.
Then it shattered.
Kira’s scream tore through the air like a wounded animal.
"LUMI!!!"
The sound was raw, broken, and filled with pure agony. She dropped to her knees, her hands clawing at the dirt as sobs wracked her body. The bow lay forgotten beside her, useless in the face of this horror.
Kira’s mind was a storm of guilt and grief.
She regretted not stopping them from taking Lumi.
She should have gone instead.
She should have fought harder, screamed louder, done anything to protect her friend.
Lumi had always been the kind one, the gentle one, the one who didn’t deserve any of this.
Kira had thought... foolishly, naively... that even though it was unfair to Lumi, her marrying the Zharun prince would finally mean she would be able to live happily without any prejudice.
Lumi had been an orphan from a young age, despised by many in the tribe due to some messed up past teachings that considered orphans bad omens... carriers of misfortune, cursed by the ancestors for sins of their unknown parents.
The elders had always despised her, despite her and mother’s efforts to get rid of this thinking, and help her live a normal life, the other adults also avoided her like she carried a plague.
But still, despite all that, Lumi had never let it break her.
She remained carefree and happy, always caring for others, always helping without expecting anything in return.
Her kindness was like a light in the darkness, a gentle warmth that made the world feel a little less cruel.
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