[Normal POV]
It is a sunny day and it is dry as ever. Only few trees were planted over the year in the village of Archen Hannes. At least, from being completely dry, lifeless, and barren, Archen Hannes is slowly coming back to life.
A small civilization has started in the slowly progressing village. Small cottages were built up, the soil was cultivated, crops were planted, animals were bred, electricity was organically produced, and the water ways were constructed. A few geniuses and workers found a way to connect their pipes on a clear river and find a single hole large enough to bury their wastes for several decades.
Having built a small community, the place is an anarchy. No one claims to be the leader and the citizens refused to group in with the neighboring villages. No wait - the neighboring villages, the nearest is one-eighth of a kilometer away. Archen Hannes is far from the world of modern civilization. The citizens choose to live in a rural community to preserve the early existence they preserved before the area was left to rot. The only connection they have to the modern world is the train that left (F/n) in the place.
As early as 5 in the morning, the roosters serve as their alarm. They all wake up and start their day. They do everything the old and manual ways so they have all day to enjoy just to make their living.
Archen Hannes is a very peaceful village, except for one thing – the bandits and looters would often attack the citizens not only because of the treasure they brought along with them in the past, or the weak security they have, but because of the legend that existed in the village that was told in generations. The village once died and the looters attack stopped. Now that the village was brought back to life, the attacks resumed.
The village holds the legendary strength and determination beyond any human can possess on their own. The bandits believe that by acquiring it, they will have the strength over the average so that they could make their living every day. After that, they will rebel against the government to compensate their tragedy. No matter how impossible it is, their minds have been poisoned to think that they really have the power to do so or they could acquire the power to do as they wish one day. And the first step to accomplishing their mission is attacking Archen Hannes until they're finally able to steal that power. But up until now, that never happened.
-- MEANWHILE –
"Aaron, hurry up! You'll miss it!" A young girl happily shouted to her cousin while running towards a mango tree to climb up on it.
"Wait up!" Aaron shouted back as he tried to catch up with her sprint.
The young girl hurriedly climbed up the tree and had her last chance to peek on the aircraft before it crossed the borders. "So beautiful," she mumbled to herself. "One day, I want to fly something like that."
Aaron finally caught up to her, panting in front of the tree. "You're so fast, Malana. You know I'll never catch up to you."
Malana climbed down the tree, placed her hands on her waist, and frowned at Aaron. "Geez. You're no match for me. I thought you also want to see the aircraft fly."
"Huh? Is that it?" Aaron asked curiously, now straightening his spine and recovering from his run.
"Why?" Malana tilted her head to the right.
Aaron pouted at her. "You never told me it was the aircraft! You just suddenly start running and told me to catch up. I haven't prepared myself to run." He paused for a bit. "If you have told me, I could have run faster than you."
Malana smiled a little. "That's why I don't want to tell you... because I know you'll be like that. I won't lose to you."
"You really love competitions, don't you, Malana?" Aaron inquired. "You even cheated!"
"That's not cheating! That's being clever!" Malana defensed. "I am gifted with ingenuity since I was born."
Aaron laughed. "And I was gifted the ability the taunt you since I was born."
Malana laughed as well. "That's right! Even as cousins, we're both gifted the ability to be in par with one another."
Both of them continued to laugh and play around for the next hour until they exhaust themselves primarily because they chased each other non-stop and the sun's heat is really dehydrating.
An old woman came out of the nearby cottage. Despite the heat the sun and the ground is emitting, she always have her shawl wrapped around her shoulders. "Time for lunch, kids!" she shouted loud enough for Malana and Aaron to come. The two kids heard her. They stood up and happily made their way to her. Little did they know that an empty wagon is flying towards them.
"Aaron! Malana! Watch out!" Old lady Mirae shouted as soon as she saw the empty splintered wagon flying to hit the two kids.
The two kids saw the wagon and was surprised when they saw the wagon nearly above them. They're going to be hit but instead of running away, they froze on the spot and shouted loud. Even if they run away, it's too late to escape without being scathed or it's too late for them to escape at all.
"Tch." A young woman in her early twenties huffed as she got behind the two kids on time. She jumped as high as the wagon, spun, and kicked it as hard as she could. The wagon broke into two and flew to the opposite direction.
The kids were amazed upon seeing how fast she acted. Their mouths are wide agape. "Leena..." they said in awe.
The lady swiftly landed on the ground, one knee down while her arm supported her body as well. "Geez, you kids." She sighed. "Are you hurt anywhere?"
The two shook their heads.
Lady Mirae came running to get the kids. She hugged them both and helped them stand up. She faced the young lady called 'Leena' as she showed her a relief smile. "Thank you. Who would have known what might happen to these two if you didn't come?" she said as she ruffled the two kid's hair. "You're their savior."
"Ah, geez... You're flattering me, old lady," Leena said, rubbing the back of her nape. "They're just playing around. It's not their fault that a wagon almost hit them, so please don't scold them."
"I am about to. It's a good thing that you told me," the old lady replied. Leena smiled at her, then bent down to talk to the two kids.
Leena held both their hands. "You two, be careful. Be alert, very alert," she reiterated as she shook their hands a bit, holding them more firmly. "It's not safe around because we're getting attacked more frequently."
"The bandits are back?" Aaron asked her cutely.
Leena took a deep breath. "Yes... and it seems like they got their hand on something," Leena answered his questions. "They were acting suspiciously when they ran into me and we got in a little scrap." She laughed a bit as she rubbed the back of her head this time. She stood up and let go of their hands.
"I have to chase them, so I'll leave you two now," she said as she turned her back on them.
"Be careful," Lady Mirae told her.
"Don't let them get away unharmed!!" Malana enthusiastically added before Leena ran away and disappeared from their sight.
Lady Mirae brought Aaron and Malana inside their cozy cottage.
-
[Reader's POV]
As I ran back, I lost track of the bandits. I went to the tallest tree and climbed up to look for them. I spotted those looters near the main gate.
As fast as I could, I chased them. Along with me, I brought heavy carriage boxes and bags of rocks that the villagers had prepared for me in case some bandits come to attack us. They replenish it every time I use them.
In one strike, I wiped out most of them, rendering them unable to escape. I'm not quite sure whether I broke their bones or not. I jumped in front of the remaining man standing and stood in my hand-in-hand combat form. "Are you the last among your group?" I asked him. "Normally, bandits run away after seeing me throw wagons at them. I admire how bravely you are standing now in front of me."
"Oh? Am I?" the last one answered, trying to taunt her with his eyebrow lifted and his suspicious grin. "You must be referring to some shameless fucking cowards with no balls!"
"Oh my! How could you call them that?" I asked.
"Because they're that kind of useless shit," he retorted while taking off his shirt.
"What an indecent man you are..." I mouthed, annoyed, "You must be stupid for trying that on me."
When he got his shirt off, I realized how much muscles he has. That must be why he's so confident about fighting me! And now, my eyes began to squint subconsciously before I realize that he is starting to show off his bean to me. "What a narcistic bastard...?"
"Even if you show off that much to me, you can't get away now, can't you?" I was getting really irritated at his showing off; I'm going to pop a vein on my clutched fist, which is begging me to punch him in the face right now.
I could have punched him at that moment if he didn't attack me first. He sent a flying fist at me that didn't even land a hit on my body. I grabbed his arm and threw him to the ground when I saw a piece of metal glint that cut my face.
"Ah... you're not alone, I see..." I immediately stomped on him to send him to sleep as I elbowed the man who struck me. I hit him below his chin and he fell, barely moving. His blood's all over my elbow.
The crystal jade ornament fell on the ground from his pocket. I took it and asked, "Is this the only thing you stole?"
"Y-yes..." the beaten men said in sync. I shot them a death glare and they gulped. "Yes... it is," they said in a more truthful tone.
"Just how many mendacious bandits have I dealt with?" I grabbed one of them and tempted to break his arm. "Tell me the truth... is there really nothing else?" I intimidated him.
"There's nothing! We swear!" He shut his eyes in fear.
I sighed. They're telling the truth. "Hey... all of you. Tell your boss, whoever he is, to forget ever attempting to loot this old village!" I told them. "If he does, I will kill his men and track him down to sever his head next! I can kill for the sake of this village, so be thankful that I'm sparing you to relay my message to him."
I smirked at them as I hauled them all at once outside the village. Then I waved at them, shouting, "Don't you ever come back! Remember me, okay?!"
Ah... time to go home...
I wiped the blood on my face and on my elbow with the cloth I have on my pocket. Then, I went straight to the house of the owner of the jade ornament. I left the ornament inside their mailbox – the place where I always return the stolen objects after I retrieved them.
The villagers, when I retrieve their treasures, they will always send plenty of delicious dishes at my house as an expression of their gratitude. We have agreed on that policy, since we don't have the standard currency in our village.
After making sure that I left it on the right mailbox, I left. I'm going home; today's job is finished.
-
[Mirae's POV]
The sun is beginning to set. How did Leena do? Was she able to get rid of the bandits? Was she able to get back the stolen items? Was she hurt?
Despite Leena being the strongest fighter and the protector of this village and citizens, she is a young lady and she has so much ahead of her life. I pity her for not being able to experience the beauty that this hostile world has to offer.
As I knit a cold wear for my son, I listen to my grandchildren happily talk.
"You know what, one day, I want to be like big sis Leena!" Malana was very happy as she talked about her dreams. "But of course, I always want to fly an aircraft. But if I become like big sis Leena, I will have to protect this village forever."
"Malana, your dreams are contradictory," Aaron replied. "Why don't you just dream of being a ship crew instead?"
"That is your dream! It has nothing to do with mine!" Malana raised her voice, pouting at her cousin.
"Hold your cool, Malana. The neighbors might hear you," I intervened, not lifting a finger on my knitting.
"Sorry, grandma..." Malana said apologetically.
Aaron was silent for the moment.
"... But you, don't you envy big sis Leena at all, Aaron?" the little girl continued. "I want to be like her one day."
"I don't envy her. I don't want to be feared by the ladies. I will never have a wife if they fear me," Aaron reasoned, "Look at the big sister. No one has ever confessed to her."
The young lady stood up and confidently said, "She must have someone out there. I believe that in big sis' charms, someone will fall for her!"
"You're strangely too positive for her," Aaron said to himself.
"Do you really think that there is someone out there for me, Malana-chan?" said an adult female voice that caught the attention of the three of us.
The door opened and a dirty female came in. She has a cut across her face and blood stains on her shirt.
Malana gasped. "Big sister! What happened to you?!" she worriedly approach Leena as the latter closed the door.
Leena chuckled. "Ah, I wasn't that alert; I got cut. I feel embarrassed after I told you two to be alert twice."
I put down my work and walked to her. "It can't be helped. You fought with those bandits." I grabbed her some clothes and medicinal cream, then gave it to her. "Normally, you can't get away from them. They'll take you and use you as their tool."
"I know." She smiled at me.
"But you're so awesome, big sis! With that strength of yours, there's no way they'll stand a chance!" Malana exclaimed energetically. "You know, big sis, I envy your power! When I grow up, I want to be as strong as you- no, even stronger than you."
Aaron just looked at Malana. "Malana's very energetic today," he said.
"Is that so? I'm so happy I'd give you a big hug if only I'm clean," Leena said to both of the kids. "But you know, my power isn't something to be wished for..."
"Why not?" The two kids tilted their heads to their sides.
The young adult looked at the ground for a short while, smiled, and left. "I'll just take a shower."
Ah... that's right. Leena's power is not something to be wished for... The youth that lives a carefree life knows very little about reality.