Chapter 53: Hai Village
Arora strode past the gates of the village, her demeanor carrying the confidence of someone who belonged there. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she kept her expression neutral.
As she passed beneath the towering entrance, she noticed the weathered sign board carved into the stone archway above.
'Hai Village' she thought. The Primordial's language gift allowing her to understand the language instantly.
She glanced around, observing the various happy expressions of the alien species surrounding her. Part of her wondered if she should fake a pleasant expression as well, but she couldn't bring herself to smile considering Arbus's situation.
As she entered the village, her eyes widened slightly at the sights before her.
Most of the buildings had only a single floor, yet each one stretched wide and tall, almost the size of a two story buildings back on Earth.
She saw more Tarokians, both male and female. Each of them towered easily over eight feet tall, their crimson skin gleaming in the dual sunlight. Some were even over eleven feet, their presence so imposing that other species instinctively moved out of their way. She quickly understood why the buildings were constructed so high.
Each of them were dressed in clothing she would imagine came from the Medieval era back on Earth. She was a bit surprised by this, since the clothing she had borrowed from Arbus's mom reminded her more of the 21st century.
'Wow' she thought in amazement, as her gaze drifted toward the village center, where the most impressive structure dominated the landscape. A ginormous stadium was stationed at the very heart of Hai Village, visible from all angles. It was a colosseum-like arena built from massive blocks of black stone. It was where most Tarokian events were held. From celebrations to battles of various sorts, including the contest that just concluded.
She now understood Arbus more deeply, and why he always said their race was built on strength and status.
She forced herself to focus on her mission as she navigated through the crowd of Tarokians, Mornans, and other species she couldn't identify. Her gaze wandered frantically from place to place, searching for any sign of Arbus or the three boys who had taken him. The village was far larger than she'd anticipated. She slowly got a bit overwhelmed when she finally realised how troublesome this would be.
Minutes passed as she searched through the bustling village, as a few gazes started turning her way.
She was beginning to lose all hope when she accidentally bumped into an elderly Tarokian browsing at a merchant's stall.
"Hmm... oh, a Mornan child." The towering old man muttered, before squatting down to meet her gaze. Even while crouching, he was still taller than her.
"Uhh, are you lost youngling?."
Arora gulped slightly as she slowly shook her head.
"N-no, I'm just looking for a friend, sir."
The Tarokian raised an eyebrow.
"Really? In this crowded place? Alone? How odd. Where are your parents?"
Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, as she began feeling nervous from the questioning.
"They're uhh, nearby. I just went off on my own a bit with my friend. I'll head back to them soon, sir." She answered hesitantly.
The old Tarokian's eyes narrowed slightly, and for a moment, she thought he might press further. But he simply stood up, towering over her once again.
"Hmm, is that so? Then that's alright then. You should run along now, It would be terrible if you got lost in a village like this." He said with a gentle smile.
"Thank you, sir" Arora responded quickly, bowing before hurrying away.
The old man watched her disappear into the crowd, an unreadable expression on his face.
________________
After twenty minutes of fruitless searching, Arora decided to take a different approach. She found a quiet alley and floated up to one of the rooftops, scanning the crowd from above. Tears had already begun welling up in her eyes, as she desperately hoped that Arbus was alright.
'Come on, where are you? Any of you!' she thought desperately, her hands clenching into fists..
Just then, she noticed something at the corner of her eye, and turned. She saw the three boys, Dorian Grug and Beck, walking through the streets, glancing about intently.
She gritted her teeth "Found you" she whispered, her voice carrying a dangerous edge.
She dropped down from the rooftop as quietly as she could, then began trailing the three boys from a safe distance.
It seemed like they were searching for something, or someone, she didn't really care either way.
After a few minutes, Dorian suddenly came to a halt. The two other boys looked at him in confusion.
He remained motionless for several moments, his head tilting slightly. Then he turned sharply to the side and walked into a series of narrow alleyways that branched off from the main street.
Grug and Beck exchanged puzzled glances before following their leader.
Arora saw her chance as she immediately ran after them, hoping to get them alone. She turned corner after corner, following them deeper into the maze of alleyways. Her heart pounded with anticipation and rage. She wasn't sure if they had realised she was following them.
As she turned another corner expecting to see their backs ahead of her, a devastating kick to her stomach sent her flying into the alleyway's damp stone wall.
"Guhh" she spat, as blood filled her mouth. Her eyes widened in shock at the sudden attack.
Dorian slowly lowered his leg, a sadistic smile spreading across his face. "It seems like we've found our traitor. That was far easier than I'd expected."
He had noticed her following them through the reflections in the windows and polished metal surfaces.
Grug frowned as he looked her over.
"A red Mornan? What the hell... why would some random visitor get so close to that abomination?"
"Maybe she just wandered there randomly and became friends with him because she didn't know about our history or something," Beck said with a dismissive shrug.
Arora gazed at them with murderous intent, as she struggled to push herself up from the ground, her arm trembling as she tried to support her weight.
"You..." she wheezed through gritted teeth, "bullies."
"Where's Arbus? What have you done to him?!"
Dorian chuckled darkly as he observed her pathetic state, enjoying her suffering.
"Don't worry, you'll be reuniting with him very soo-"
His words died in his throat as his eyes suddenly widened in disbelief. His gaze was focused on her wrist in trepidation.
"The princess's bracelet!" he muttered in shock.
Grug and Beck followed his gaze, their expressions instantly transforming into one of terror.
"Why would he give it to-" Grug muttered in disbelief as he took a tentative step backwards.
Dorian's face contorted with rage as a terrible possibility crossed his mind. He lunged forward, grabbing Arora by the wrist and yanking the bracelet off.
"Stop-" she shouted, reaching desperately for the bracelet that meant a lot to Arbus, only to be kicked away again.
Slowly, her appearance began to change. The glimmering red surface of her skin disappeared, revealing the fair human skin beneath.
"You... a Reincarnator! Here on Tarok!" Beck screamed, as their suspicions were confirmed.
"Give it..." Arora muttered weakly, struggling to push herself up once more. No matter what, she couldn't let them take Arbus's bracelet.
Dorian clenched his fist in rage, as he drew his leg back, preparing to crush her skull in one swift blow.
"Back!" she screamed.
Her eyes suddenly transformed, the bright orange of her irises switching places with the deep black of her pupils.
Dorian froze mid-kick in shock. He stumbled backwards in fright, causing him to fall on his back.
"S-she has powers!" He shouted.
Arora slowly floated upwards, her battered body still hurting all over. She didn't seem to care anymore, as she stared at the three boys with murderous fury. She had never felt this kind of hatred before.
"Where. Is. Arbu-"
Or had she?
"Ahhh!" She suddenly plummeted back to the ground, clutching her head in agony as pain shot through her skull.
Image after image flashed through her mind in rapid succession.
She realised what was happening a few seconds later.
She was regaining her memory.
The memories of her last day on Earth.