Leo was lying on his bed, thinking about how he could leave this mountain and protect Rivernia Rutherson. He had already become a Protector. When he heard the details about the first trial's mission, he immediately chose the Protector side. He then tried to leave the Vimalo Mountains, but his sister Somia Gavi saw him and brought him back. He was not yet ready to leave the Vimalo Mountains. There were many dangers in this mountain range beyond his expectations, and his patience limit was slowly dwindling.
He couldn't sleep, so he climbed the stairs and went onto the roof. He lay on the roof floor and watched the stars. He saw a white fog in the sky with the stars; it was like a milk-white river. He stretched out his right hand, tried to grab that river, and said, "Please be careful and take care of yourself, River."
"Who is River?" A voice came from behind.
Leo was startled and turned to the voice. A girl of 21 years old with deep red-blonde hair and scarlet eyes, wearing a loose robe, was sitting cross-legged, watching the stars. She was Somia Gavi.
Leo heaved a sigh of relief and then turned his gaze back to the stars. He waited a few moments before answering, "A friend."
Somia was staring at the stars, watching them winking at her, trying their hardest to charm this beautiful young lady—and they succeeded. She then said, "Hey, really? Tell me one thing: where did you learn that 'why worry' thing?"
Leo smiled and said calmly, "A friend told me."
Both watched the stars, and the stars watched them both for a long time. It seemed most of the stars were enchanted by Somia and were watching her the most.
Leo was smiling, and he didn't even know when he fell asleep until the morning, when he heard the song of birds and animals but was interrupted by the people's hustle and bustle. He lay on the floor with a blanket made of animal fur on top of him. He opened his eyes, rubbed them, and then went inside the house.
There he saw his father was sitting on a chair in the hall. Somia was there, too, with a tensed expression on her face. Leo approached both of them and asked, "Why are you both so gloomy? Did Granny die?"
Granny Siana was there, too, but was near the wall from which he had entered, so she was currently behind him. She quickly came and grabbed his ear, saying, "Young Lord, why do you want me dead? Do you like my granddaughter so much that when I die, you can marry her?"
Leo tilted slightly from the pain of his ear being stretched. With a slightly pained expression, he said, "Aah... Granny Siana... I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. It's just... I saw Father's gloomy face, so I thought only your death could make him so gloomy."
Granny Siana then asked again, holding his ear, "So, this doesn't have anything to do with my granddaughter, does it?"
Leo was in agony and wanted his ear to be released as soon as possible, so he replied immediately, "No, no, no, of course not!"
Granny then let go of his ear. Leo then continued, "But is it really possible if you were to die?"
Granny Siana went to grab his ear again, but Leo darted towards his sister. Both Somia and Basu were watching this, smiling and chuckling softly.
Some moments later, the laughter subsided, and Somia and Leo's father, Basu Gavi, looked at them both and then said, "I have made a decision. I want you both to leave the Vimalo Mountains and travel around the world." Leo was the first to react; he was thrilled. He had always wanted to leave the Vimalo Mountains, but they were fraught with dangers, so he couldn't leave them alone. Now that his sister was going with him, it meant he could finally depart.
However, Somia's reaction was a little different; she was worried about her father. She immediately asked, "Father, is this because I refused to marry Kloda Tuba, the leader of the Wokla Tribe? I don't want to put you, this idiot, and our tribe in peril just for my own happiness."
"Don't worry, we are not going to be in any danger. I am going to announce that you and your brother defied my orders and fled from our tribe. Therefore, after you leave the Vimalo Mountains, you both must be careful. I am pretty sure that Kloda Tuba will send his men to capture you." He then turned to his son, Leo, and said, "You have to protect yourself and your sister."
Somia was still tense; an uneasiness persisted in her heart. Basu Gavi saw straight through her worry. He stood, placed his hand on her head, and said, "Don't worry, nothing will befall our tribe or me. You just have to take care of each other."
Basu turned and went back to his seat, then continued, "You are leaving tonight."
He then turned to his son, Leo, and added, "Don't think I am sending you away permanently. Both of you must return when you become strong. You both have the blessings of the Almighty Lord."
Basu then let out a sigh and said, "Now, go and prepare for your departure. But don't let anyone know that you are leaving tonight."
With that, both Somia and Leo nodded in agreement and left to prepare.
Granny Siana looked at Basu and said, "Don't you think we should send someone with them to accompany and protect them until they leave the Vimalo Mountains?"
Basu shifted his gaze to the roof and said, "You are right, we should, but we can't. The more people who are with them, the greater the attention they will draw. Besides, the more people know something, the more widely it will spread. And we don't want this to spread until they leave the Vimalo Mountains."
Soon, night enveloped everything. Both Somia and Leo stood in the hall with the items they would need while traveling.
Granny Siana watched them before saying, "Your father is at the gate, making preparations so that you can leave discreetly without anyone knowing..."
She was about to continue, but Somia came and hugged her, saying, "Take care of yourself and Father, Grandma."
Leo also came near her but didn't hug her. Instead, he said, "I am saving my hug for the time being. I will hug you when I come back, and please take care of your granddaughter, too."
Granny stretched out her hand. Leo thought she was going to grab his ears, but she placed her hand on his cheek and said, "Be careful."
After saying goodbye to Granny, both reached the gate to leave the Dinko Tribe. Basu was standing guard at the gate. Despite being the leader, he watched the gate from time to time, so his presence there was not suspicious.
He saw Somia and Leo, came to them, and hugged both, saying, "Take care of each other and come back soon."
Both nodded and went outside the gate. Suddenly, a familiar voice reverberated in Leo's ears: "People who chose to protect Rivernia Rutherson are one hundred six thousand, three hundred sixty-one." Leo was so overjoyed to hear this number that he couldn't hide it, and his lips curled into a wide smile.
But the voice continued, "People who chose to hunt Rivernia Rutherson are one million, eleven thousand, two hundred and forty-three." Leo's eyes widened. Shock, fear, anger, and helplessness instantly gripped him.