p class="MsoNormal"Chapter 4: The Kouga Tribe/p
p class="MsoNormal"Aladdin wakes up on a bed and sees that he is in a tent./p
p class="MsoNormal""Have you awakened, child of the rukh?" An old woman asks and Aladdin turns his head at the old woman while she churns a soup and smiles at him. "You look very refreshed. The rukh are pleased."/p
p class="MsoNormal" "The rukh?" Aladdin repeats./p
p class="MsoNormal""They are flying there." The woman says./p
p class="MsoNormal""Granny, you can see them?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" "That I can." The old woman opens one of her eyes. "They are visible to you as well? Can you see the embodiments of the never-ending flow of life?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Aladdin sees a swarm of white birds, rukh, are swirling in front of them, amazed./p
p class="MsoNormal""What exactly is the rukh?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""The rukh is the home of all souls. All those that are living will eventually pass. When that time comes, they will all return to a single place. The body returns to the soil, but the soil returns to the rukh."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm always being saved by them."/p
p class="MsoNormal""What was that?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""When I share the power inside of my stomach, those particles of light gather, and lend me their power."/p
p class="MsoNormal""My child! What you say is…"/p
p class="MsoNormal"She gets cuts off when a female groan beside him and sees Vulpi lies next to him. When she opens her eyes, she sees Aladdin./p
p class="MsoNormal""Vupli-nee." Aladdin calls in relief./p
p class="MsoNormal""Aladdin…?" Vulpi calls and she sits up when she sees the old woman, Vulpi immediately hides her ears./p
p class="MsoNormal""There is no reason to hide your lineage, child of the Vulpe Clan."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Vulpi widens her eyes and looks at the old woman./p
p class="MsoNormal""You knew what I am?" Vulpi asks. "Then you knew what happen on that 'day'?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"The old woman sadly nods. "The Rukh told me of what happened. That was a terrible tragedy."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yes…" Vulpi agrees as she clenches on the blanket. Then someone opens the curtain./p
p class="MsoNormal""Granny?" A young woman calls her./p
p class="MsoNormal""What is it, Touya?" The woman says./p
p class="MsoNormal""The scouting party has returned." The young woman, Touya reports./p
p class="MsoNormal""So they have."/p
p class="MsoNormal"The woman exits the tent and Aladdin sits on the edge of the bed and looks around at the painting. Aladdin then stands up, causing Vulpi to look at him./p
p class="MsoNormal""Aladdin, where are you going?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm going to see outside." Aladdin answers./p
p class="MsoNormal""Then let me go with you." Vulpi says as she about to get of the bed, but she winces from the injuries from Amon's Dungeon./p
p class="MsoNormal""Vulpi-nee!" Aladdin runs toward her and pushes her back to the bed. "You shouldn't move too much with those wounds."/p
p class="MsoNormal""But Aladdin…"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'll be all right. I have Ugo-kun with me."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Vulpi looks at the flute and sighs in defeat. "All right. Try to be careful."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay." Aladdin then exits out of the tent and covers his eyes from the sudden brightness of the sun. After he gets use to the brightness, he is amaze of how peaceful the village is. Once he sees the old woman with Touya besides her, Aladdin runs next the old woman./p
p class="MsoNormal""Can you see them?" The woman asks Aladdin and he sees people riding horses coming to the village./p
p class="MsoNormal""Yes." Aladdin replies and the group enter the village./p
p class="MsoNormal""Welcome back, Dolge," Touya says to the man./p
p class="MsoNormal""Thanks!" the man, Dolge replies after he demounts the horse./p
p class="MsoNormal""Did you get hurt?" Touya asks, causing the other villagers to laugh as Dolge lightly blushes. "Dolge is the one who found you and your friend unconscious and brought you two back."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I fine now." Dolge answers Touya's question./p
p class="MsoNormal""Thanks you, mister." Aladdin says./p
p class="MsoNormal""Another village has been invaded." One of the villagers' reports, causing the elder woman to frown./p
p class="MsoNormal""Don't worry, Elder Baba." Dolge reassures the old woman, Elder Baba. "The Kouga Clan has managed to avoid the greedy hands from other nations for hundreds of years. We'll slap them away this time too." The villagers agree Dolge's statement and Aladdin looks at his flute. "For the pride of our clan!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"The villagers pumps their fists above them as Aladdin blows his flute, causing Ugo to do the same motion, surprising the villagers and causing Vulpi to come out of the tent with the hood on her head. When she sees Ugo's arm, she immediately goes to Aladdin and hits him by the head./p
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p class="MsoNormal""What emare /emyou?" Dolge questions Aladdin as Aladdin sits on Vulpi's lap, hugging her and Vulpi sits next to Touya, closely./p
p class="MsoNormal" "Are you two spies from Kou Empire?" A villager also questions./p
p class="MsoNormal""There's no way that these two are spies." Touya retorts the villager./p
p class="MsoNormal""I guess that's true." Dolge agrees./p
p class="MsoNormal""What's your names? Where did you two come from?" Another villager asks./p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm Vulpi and this is Aladdin." Vulpi then bows to them. "I'm really sorry for Aladdin's action."/p
p class="MsoNormal""It's fine."/p
p class="MsoNormal""We were in a town called Qishan. Do you know of it?" Aladdin says./p
p class="MsoNormal""I've heard about it." A villager says, causing the rest of the villagers to look at him. "It's supposedly beyond the western lands and takes about two years to reach by foot."/p
p class="MsoNormal""What? It's that far away?" Aladdin hangs his head in disbelief./p
p class="MsoNormal""Now what are we going to do?" Vulpi says./p
p class="MsoNormal""No need to fret. If you two ride with the caravans that will arrive in two weeks, you'll be fine." The Elder tells them./p
p class="MsoNormal""What?" Both Aladdin and Vulpi say./p
p class="MsoNormal""It will not be such a long trip by caravan." She continues./p
p class="MsoNormal""Thank goodness." Alibaba cries in happiness and Vulpi sighs in relief./p
p class="MsoNormal""Do you two want to go back that badly?" Touya asks them and they look at her./p
p class="MsoNormal""Yes." Aladdin answers. "I made a promise with a friend, you see."/p
p class="MsoNormal"During the night, the villagers are having a small party in the village./p
p class="MsoNormal""Everyone's so happy and excited!" Aladdin says as he holding a chicken drumstick./p
p class="MsoNormal""We are one big family here." Elder Baba tells him./p
p class="MsoNormal""Everyone here is family?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""That they are, my child. Our people have live together for hundreds of years. We are of the same blood."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Vulpi narrows her eyes slightly as she stares at the villagers./p
p class="MsoNormal""Family, huh…" Vulpi trails off, remembering her family and her clansmen./p
p class="MsoNormal""That's nice." Aladdin says./p
p class="MsoNormal""You two do not see." Aladdin and Vulpi looks at the Elder. "The people of the plains are one with all those who share our lives. You two are also family." The Elder rubs Aladdin's head and Vulpi's hand. "Both of you are also one of my beloved children."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Aladdin smiles from the Elder's statement as tears appear from Vulpi's eyes./p
p class="MsoNormal""I love you, Granny!" Aladdin says and hugs her tightly as the Elder laughs then she throws her back from Aladdin's tight hug./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"~The Next Day~/p
p class="MsoNormal"Touya is squeezing milk from a horse and Vulpi watches her./p
p class="MsoNormal""This is so delicious!" Aladdin exclaims and Touya and Vulpi see Aladdin being fed from the horse./p
p class="MsoNormal""No, stop! You can't drink that directly from the horse!" Touya tells Aladdin./p
p class="MsoNormal""She said stop." Dolge tells him as he grabs Aladdin by the head and both Touya and Vulpi run toward them, but Touya stops and Vulpi keeps on running towards Aladdin./p
p class="MsoNormal""Mister, your mean!" Aladdin complains./p
p class="MsoNormal""Aladdin!" Vulpi yells at him./p
p class="MsoNormal""What a weird kid." Dolge says./p
p class="MsoNormal""I am so sorry for his actions!" Vulpi apologizes as she bows at him and Dolge waves his hands saying 'it's fine' and walks toward Touya./p
p class="MsoNormal""It's really nice out today, huh?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yeah… What's the sword for?" Touya asks when she sees the sword on his back./p
p class="MsoNormal""Just in case." Dolge reassures her as he gives a toothy grin and Touya looks at the horizon./p
p class="MsoNormal""It'd be nice if that just in case never come." Touya says. "I hope we are never forced to fight. I wish we could just live here in peace forever."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Don't worry, Touya. I'll always protect you."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Suddenly, they hear a horse neighing and Aladdin's scream mixed together./p
p class="MsoNormal""Aladdin!" Vulpi shouts./p
p class="MsoNormal""Shoot. I've got to stop him!" Dolge starts running after the wild horse with Aladdin on it. "Aladdin!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Then a woman ride a decorative horse appears, catching up to the wild horse and when the woman is close enough, she picks up Aladdin and slows her horse down./p
p class="MsoNormal""Are you all right, young man?" The woman asks and Aladdin looks up to her. The woman has long, dark hair and blue eyes, thin, split-ended eyebrows and a mole on her chin. She wears a simple hair ornament on the right side, traditional feminine robes with lightweight metal armor. She also carries a fan of white feathers./p
p class="MsoNormal"Once they get back to the village, the woman stands in front of the villagers, Aladdin and Vulpi with two men behind her. One of them is a short young man, with long light blue hair tied back in a ponytail. He has a short and thick single lock of hair sticking out from the top of the head and large light blue eyes. He wears a blue robe and carries two small swords behind his back. The other one has neck length black hair and a small beard that curls and splits in the middle and dark circles around his eyes. He wears a simple headgear and robe with a red sash crossing his chest and carries a sword at his side./p
p class="MsoNormal""I am the third daughter of the first Kou emperor, Ren Hakuei." The woman, Hakuei, introduces. "I have come to engage in diplomatic talks with you."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Welcome, esteem princess." The Elder greets her. "I am the granddaughter of the 155supth/sup great king of the Kouga Clan. I am called Shaman Chagan."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I am aware." Hakuei says as she slight bows to the Elder. "The Kouga Clan was once the most prosperous equestrian tribe in the world. The first great king of Kouga Clan supposedly had powers rivaling a demon's, and built the large nation known to man: the Great Kou Empire. In recent years, the Kouga Clan has weakened and has even been targeted my slave hunters. But today, that suffer is at an end. Please come under out empire!"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Go under them?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""What kind of request is that?" Dolge questions./p
p class="MsoNormal""No way."/p
p class="MsoNormal""We aspire to unify the land, from Reim in the west to Partevia in the southwest." Haukei continues. "Our goal is to unify the world. The same as your ancestors once dream of doing. Please lend up your strength."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Then the star on the golden flute starts to glow and Aladdin looks down to it./p
p class="MsoNormal""Our ancestors?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Our dream?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""What's the matter, Ugo-kun?" Aladdin whispers./p
p class="MsoNormal""Other words, you want to take over our village." Dolge says./p
p class="MsoNormal""Isn't that what you mean?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"The villagers start to get riled up./p
p class="MsoNormal""As if we would let outsiders like you in here!"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Quiet!" The Elder orders the villagers to quiet down. "Esteem daughter, do not be so impatient."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Excuse me." Touya interrupts as she carries three bowls of milk. "I've prepared some horse milk sprits. Would you like to continue this conversation inside?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Thank you." Hakuei says then suddenly the black-haired man gets in front of Hakuei and pushes Touya down with the milk spreads all over the ground. "Ryosai! What do you think you're doing?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I cannot allow the noble princess to drink something like horse milk." The man, Ryosai says./p
p class="MsoNormal""Ryosai!" The blue-haired man, Seishun, calls./p
p class="MsoNormal""Listen up, you rabble!" Ryosai calls the villagers. "This village is now under the control of the Kou Empire. You will submit quietly!" Ryosai then looks at Touya. "We're saving you from this crude, dirty life style, after all. It's a good deal, no?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Dolge rushes to Ryosai with his sword in hand and about to attack Ryosai, but Seishun blocks Dolge's attack./p
p class="MsoNormal""Killing this man is the same as a declaration of war." Seishun tells him. "Is that what you desire?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""How dare you hurt my family!" Dolge says./p
p class="MsoNormal""Stop, Dolge." The Elder tells him and he drops his arm./p
p class="MsoNormal""You will stand down as well, Ryosai. We are withdrawing." Hakuei orders and they leave the village./p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="color: black;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="1" width="100%" /div
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"~Night~/p
p class="MsoNormal"Aladdin carefully exits out of the tent, but he didn't see Vulpi is leaning at the side of the tent./p
p class="MsoNormal""And where do you think you're going, Aladdin?" Vulpi question him, causing him to startle. "Are you going to see Hakuei-san?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yeah. There something I have to ask her about what's going on in this village." Aladdin replies and Vulpi walks near him./p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay, but I'm coming along with you." Aladdin looks at Vulpi and gives her a wide smile./p
p class="MsoNormal""Thank you, Vulpi-nee!" Aladdin takes off his turban, turning into a carpet and it starts to fly with Aladdin and Vulpi riding on it./p
p class="MsoNormal"Once they are over Hakuei's office, they see her doing her paper work./p
p class="MsoNormal""Good evening!" Aladdin greets her, causing Hakuei to look up and see Aladdin and Vulpi sitting on a flying carpet. "Hello there, miss."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Both Aladdin and Vulpi jump off of the carpet as Aladdin grabs the carpet and it wraps it around Aladdin's head, turning back into a turban./p
p class="MsoNormal""Hi." Aladdin says and Vulpi bows at Hakuei and takes off the hood that is on her head. "I'm Aladdin and this is Vulpi-nee. We wanted to talk to you."/p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Those clothes…"/em Hakuei thought and looks at Vulpi's ears. em"Those ears…"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal""I would like to speak to you as well."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Later, Aladdin and Vulpi sit at one side of the table and Hakuei sits at the other side./p
p class="MsoNormal""First, I want to thank you for saving Aladdin from the horse. He can be reckless if he's not careful." Vulpi says./p
p class="MsoNormal""You are welcome. Are you a survivor of the Vulpe Clan?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yes…"/p
p class="MsoNormal""You have my condolences for your losses, Vulpi-dono." Hakuei sympathies for Vulpi and she looks at Aladdin's turban. "That is a Dungeon Item, isn't it?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Huh?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""A device with power beyond human understanding. They can only be acquire by those who have clear a Dungeon."/p
p class="MsoNormal""This is something I've always had." Aladdin tells her./p
p class="MsoNormal""What?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Are you going to take over that village, miss? If so, I would like you to stop. Granny will be so sad. Granny and the other taught me the meaning of family. They're very important to me. Don't kill them."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Hakuei then puts her hands together./p
p class="MsoNormal""I will not kill anyone." She reassures Aladdin. "Not a single soul. I wanted to create a unified world where no one will have to die needlessly. I have but good intentions and only wanted to use my power for good. Please believe me."/p
p class="MsoNormal"In Aladdin's eyes, he sees rukh flying around Hakuei and he smiles./p
p class="MsoNormal""The rukh around you show not even the smallest bit of doubt, miss." Aladdin says to her. "I understand. I will to talk to Granny and the others. Let's go back, Vulpi-nee."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay." Vulpi says and Aladdin's turban turns into a carpet again as Aladdin is being carried allow with the turban and Vulpi jumps up and lands on the carpet, surprising Hakuei and they leave the base. When they are at a good distance, Aladdin summons Ugo and both Aladdin and Vulpi perch on Ugo's shoulders as he runs back to the village./p
p class="MsoNormal""Ugo-kun, what happened when we first met that lady?" Aladdin asks Ugo. "And what were you talking about with Amon-kun in the Dungeon?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Ugo slows down on the cliff and stands there./p
p class="MsoNormal""I see. It's okay! I know there are things you can't tell me. I will search the world to my heart's content to figure out who I am." He tells Ugo and looks at the village. "I have a feeling that I can learn something here in this village."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Aladdin…" Vulpi calls then Aladdin looks around./p
p class="MsoNormal""What's going on?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""What's wrong, Aladdin?" Vulpi asks./p
p class="MsoNormal""The rukh are being restless something might have happen in the village!"/p
p class="MsoNormal""What! Ugo-san!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Ugo immediately jumps up high in the air and he lands next to the Elder./p
p class="MsoNormal""What happened, Granny?" Aladdin asks./p
p class="MsoNormal""What on earth…" The Elder trails off./p
p class="MsoNormal""Please explain to us what happen!" Vulpi exclaims./p
p class="MsoNormal"Once the Elder explains what happen while they were away from the village, Aladdin and Vulpi are still riding on Ugo as the Elder is riding on Aladdin's carpet./p
p class="MsoNormal""I've lost track of them." Aladdin says and looks at Vulpi. "What about you, Vulpi-nee?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm not sure." She says as her ears twitch. "There are a lot of voices at one place I can't tell that they save everyone."/p
p class="MsoNormal""We will wait for them here." The Elder tells them./p
p class="MsoNormal""But…" Aladdin cuts off by the Elder./p
p class="MsoNormal""They are fine warriors of the Kouga Clan. Believe in them."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Vulpi looks at Aladdin for a moment and when he smiles, Vulpi also smiles./p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Aladdin summons Ugo back into the flute and the carpet turns back into a turban before it wraps around his head. Aladdin, Vulpi, and the Elder sit on the grass as they wait for the villagers./p
p class="MsoNormal""Child who can call on the power of the rukh, who can summon a giant, you are like the Magi of the old tales." The Elder says./p
p class="MsoNormal""Do you know of the Magi?" Aladdin asks./p
p class="MsoNormal""That I do."/p
p class="MsoNormal""What is a Magi? Won't you tell me? I might be a Magi."/p
p class="MsoNormal"The Elder gasps at Aladdin's statement./p
p class="MsoNormal""Right now, Aladdin is trying to figure out who he is." Vulpi explains to her. "So please tell him about the Magi."/p
p class="MsoNormal"The Elder takes a moment of silence before she speaks./p
p class="MsoNormal""This is a tale from a time when there were no countries." She begins. "During a time of calamity and disasters, a young man appeared before the people and said: Human, create a country. Come together and live under a king. The power to be king may be gained by overcoming the trails of this tower. Untold numbers went into the tower, never to return. Finally, one did, and became a king. A country was made and peace reigned." She finishes. "The people greatly respected the mysterious young man who gave them that prophecy. They called him the Magi."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Aladdin and Vulpi are amaze from the story./p
p class="MsoNormal""The country created in that story is the one we called the Great Kou Empire."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I see! So that's a Magi…" Aladdin says./p
p class="MsoNormal""But Aladdin…"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Hm?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Vulpi said what you are. Right now, you are Aladdin, my child." The Elder tells him. "Do you have any you call friends?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I do. Ugo-kun and Alibaba-kun."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Then you are Aladdin. Friend of Ugo and Alibaba."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Oh."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Then she starts to laugh./p
p class="MsoNormal""Isn't that just the strangest? This old granny knows very well who you are."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Thanks. Granny." Aladdin says. "You know what?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""What is it, child?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Vulpi-nee and I met with the Kou princess today and she promised me she would not kill anyone." The Elder gasps in shock from the news./p
p class="MsoNormal""Do don't worry. There will not be a war. Everything is okay!" Vulpi adds./p
p class="MsoNormal""Y-you two…"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Look!" Aladdin tells the Elder and she looks at the horizon. "They've returned."/p
p class="MsoNormal"The Elder sees the men successfully rescue the girls and raise their sword as they ride their horses./p
p class="MsoNormal""Elder Baba!" Dolge calls. "Everyone's fine! We were able to rescue everyone without killing a single person!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Once the villagers reach Aladdin, Vulpi, and the Elder, Touya demounts the horse before she runs towards the Elder and hugs her as she cries. Dolge tells the Elder what happen when they save the girls and she slaps him on his back, causing the villagers to laugh. Then Elder Baba tells them that they will surrender to the Kou Empire to protect their lives and do not choose war./p
p class="MsoNormal"After that, the villagers start a bon fire and they go around it, feeling the warmth of the fire. Then the Elder walks out of the group to be by herself. Vulpi hears something thud from where the Elder went and she looks at the direction./p
p class="MsoNormal""I hope Granny comes back soon!" Aladdin says and Vulpi stands up, causing Aladdin to look at her. "What's wrong, Vulpi-nee?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Something is wrong…" She mutters and she runs in the direction of the Elder with a few men following her. When they see the Elder lying on the ground with an arrow on her back, they rush toward her. "GRANNY!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Aladdin wakes up on a bed and sees that he is in a tent./p
p class="MsoNormal""Have you awakened, child of the rukh?" An old woman asks and Aladdin turns his head at the old woman while she churns a soup and smiles at him. "You look very refreshed. The rukh are pleased."/p
p class="MsoNormal" "The rukh?" Aladdin repeats./p
p class="MsoNormal""They are flying there." The woman says./p
p class="MsoNormal""Granny, you can see them?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" "That I can." The old woman opens one of her eyes. "They are visible to you as well? Can you see the embodiments of the never-ending flow of life?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Aladdin sees a swarm of white birds, rukh, are swirling in front of them, amazed./p
p class="MsoNormal""What exactly is the rukh?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""The rukh is the home of all souls. All those that are living will eventually pass. When that time comes, they will all return to a single place. The body returns to the soil, but the soil returns to the rukh."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm always being saved by them."/p
p class="MsoNormal""What was that?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""When I share the power inside of my stomach, those particles of light gather, and lend me their power."/p
p class="MsoNormal""My child! What you say is…"/p
p class="MsoNormal"She gets cuts off when a female groan beside him and sees Vulpi lies next to him. When she opens her eyes, she sees Aladdin./p
p class="MsoNormal""Vupli-nee." Aladdin calls in relief./p
p class="MsoNormal""Aladdin…?" Vulpi calls and she sits up when she sees the old woman, Vulpi immediately hides her ears./p
p class="MsoNormal""There is no reason to hide your lineage, child of the Vulpe Clan."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Vulpi widens her eyes and looks at the old woman./p
p class="MsoNormal""You knew what I am?" Vulpi asks. "Then you knew what happen on that 'day'?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"The old woman sadly nods. "The Rukh told me of what happened. That was a terrible tragedy."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yes…" Vulpi agrees as she clenches on the blanket. Then someone opens the curtain./p
p class="MsoNormal""Granny?" A young woman calls her./p
p class="MsoNormal""What is it, Touya?" The woman says./p
p class="MsoNormal""The scouting party has returned." The young woman, Touya reports./p
p class="MsoNormal""So they have."/p
p class="MsoNormal"The woman exits the tent and Aladdin sits on the edge of the bed and looks around at the painting. Aladdin then stands up, causing Vulpi to look at him./p
p class="MsoNormal""Aladdin, where are you going?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm going to see outside." Aladdin answers./p
p class="MsoNormal""Then let me go with you." Vulpi says as she about to get of the bed, but she winces from the injuries from Amon's Dungeon./p
p class="MsoNormal""Vulpi-nee!" Aladdin runs toward her and pushes her back to the bed. "You shouldn't move too much with those wounds."/p
p class="MsoNormal""But Aladdin…"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'll be all right. I have Ugo-kun with me."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Vulpi looks at the flute and sighs in defeat. "All right. Try to be careful."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay." Aladdin then exits out of the tent and covers his eyes from the sudden brightness of the sun. After he gets use to the brightness, he is amaze of how peaceful the village is. Once he sees the old woman with Touya besides her, Aladdin runs next the old woman./p
p class="MsoNormal""Can you see them?" The woman asks Aladdin and he sees people riding horses coming to the village./p
p class="MsoNormal""Yes." Aladdin replies and the group enter the village./p
p class="MsoNormal""Welcome back, Dolge," Touya says to the man./p
p class="MsoNormal""Thanks!" the man, Dolge replies after he demounts the horse./p
p class="MsoNormal""Did you get hurt?" Touya asks, causing the other villagers to laugh as Dolge lightly blushes. "Dolge is the one who found you and your friend unconscious and brought you two back."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I fine now." Dolge answers Touya's question./p
p class="MsoNormal""Thanks you, mister." Aladdin says./p
p class="MsoNormal""Another village has been invaded." One of the villagers' reports, causing the elder woman to frown./p
p class="MsoNormal""Don't worry, Elder Baba." Dolge reassures the old woman, Elder Baba. "The Kouga Clan has managed to avoid the greedy hands from other nations for hundreds of years. We'll slap them away this time too." The villagers agree Dolge's statement and Aladdin looks at his flute. "For the pride of our clan!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"The villagers pumps their fists above them as Aladdin blows his flute, causing Ugo to do the same motion, surprising the villagers and causing Vulpi to come out of the tent with the hood on her head. When she sees Ugo's arm, she immediately goes to Aladdin and hits him by the head./p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="color: black;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="1" width="100%" /div
p class="MsoNormal""What emare /emyou?" Dolge questions Aladdin as Aladdin sits on Vulpi's lap, hugging her and Vulpi sits next to Touya, closely./p
p class="MsoNormal" "Are you two spies from Kou Empire?" A villager also questions./p
p class="MsoNormal""There's no way that these two are spies." Touya retorts the villager./p
p class="MsoNormal""I guess that's true." Dolge agrees./p
p class="MsoNormal""What's your names? Where did you two come from?" Another villager asks./p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm Vulpi and this is Aladdin." Vulpi then bows to them. "I'm really sorry for Aladdin's action."/p
p class="MsoNormal""It's fine."/p
p class="MsoNormal""We were in a town called Qishan. Do you know of it?" Aladdin says./p
p class="MsoNormal""I've heard about it." A villager says, causing the rest of the villagers to look at him. "It's supposedly beyond the western lands and takes about two years to reach by foot."/p
p class="MsoNormal""What? It's that far away?" Aladdin hangs his head in disbelief./p
p class="MsoNormal""Now what are we going to do?" Vulpi says./p
p class="MsoNormal""No need to fret. If you two ride with the caravans that will arrive in two weeks, you'll be fine." The Elder tells them./p
p class="MsoNormal""What?" Both Aladdin and Vulpi say./p
p class="MsoNormal""It will not be such a long trip by caravan." She continues./p
p class="MsoNormal""Thank goodness." Alibaba cries in happiness and Vulpi sighs in relief./p
p class="MsoNormal""Do you two want to go back that badly?" Touya asks them and they look at her./p
p class="MsoNormal""Yes." Aladdin answers. "I made a promise with a friend, you see."/p
p class="MsoNormal"During the night, the villagers are having a small party in the village./p
p class="MsoNormal""Everyone's so happy and excited!" Aladdin says as he holding a chicken drumstick./p
p class="MsoNormal""We are one big family here." Elder Baba tells him./p
p class="MsoNormal""Everyone here is family?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""That they are, my child. Our people have live together for hundreds of years. We are of the same blood."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Vulpi narrows her eyes slightly as she stares at the villagers./p
p class="MsoNormal""Family, huh…" Vulpi trails off, remembering her family and her clansmen./p
p class="MsoNormal""That's nice." Aladdin says./p
p class="MsoNormal""You two do not see." Aladdin and Vulpi looks at the Elder. "The people of the plains are one with all those who share our lives. You two are also family." The Elder rubs Aladdin's head and Vulpi's hand. "Both of you are also one of my beloved children."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Aladdin smiles from the Elder's statement as tears appear from Vulpi's eyes./p
p class="MsoNormal""I love you, Granny!" Aladdin says and hugs her tightly as the Elder laughs then she throws her back from Aladdin's tight hug./p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="color: black;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="1" width="100%" /div
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"~The Next Day~/p
p class="MsoNormal"Touya is squeezing milk from a horse and Vulpi watches her./p
p class="MsoNormal""This is so delicious!" Aladdin exclaims and Touya and Vulpi see Aladdin being fed from the horse./p
p class="MsoNormal""No, stop! You can't drink that directly from the horse!" Touya tells Aladdin./p
p class="MsoNormal""She said stop." Dolge tells him as he grabs Aladdin by the head and both Touya and Vulpi run toward them, but Touya stops and Vulpi keeps on running towards Aladdin./p
p class="MsoNormal""Mister, your mean!" Aladdin complains./p
p class="MsoNormal""Aladdin!" Vulpi yells at him./p
p class="MsoNormal""What a weird kid." Dolge says./p
p class="MsoNormal""I am so sorry for his actions!" Vulpi apologizes as she bows at him and Dolge waves his hands saying 'it's fine' and walks toward Touya./p
p class="MsoNormal""It's really nice out today, huh?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yeah… What's the sword for?" Touya asks when she sees the sword on his back./p
p class="MsoNormal""Just in case." Dolge reassures her as he gives a toothy grin and Touya looks at the horizon./p
p class="MsoNormal""It'd be nice if that just in case never come." Touya says. "I hope we are never forced to fight. I wish we could just live here in peace forever."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Don't worry, Touya. I'll always protect you."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Suddenly, they hear a horse neighing and Aladdin's scream mixed together./p
p class="MsoNormal""Aladdin!" Vulpi shouts./p
p class="MsoNormal""Shoot. I've got to stop him!" Dolge starts running after the wild horse with Aladdin on it. "Aladdin!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Then a woman ride a decorative horse appears, catching up to the wild horse and when the woman is close enough, she picks up Aladdin and slows her horse down./p
p class="MsoNormal""Are you all right, young man?" The woman asks and Aladdin looks up to her. The woman has long, dark hair and blue eyes, thin, split-ended eyebrows and a mole on her chin. She wears a simple hair ornament on the right side, traditional feminine robes with lightweight metal armor. She also carries a fan of white feathers./p
p class="MsoNormal"Once they get back to the village, the woman stands in front of the villagers, Aladdin and Vulpi with two men behind her. One of them is a short young man, with long light blue hair tied back in a ponytail. He has a short and thick single lock of hair sticking out from the top of the head and large light blue eyes. He wears a blue robe and carries two small swords behind his back. The other one has neck length black hair and a small beard that curls and splits in the middle and dark circles around his eyes. He wears a simple headgear and robe with a red sash crossing his chest and carries a sword at his side./p
p class="MsoNormal""I am the third daughter of the first Kou emperor, Ren Hakuei." The woman, Hakuei, introduces. "I have come to engage in diplomatic talks with you."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Welcome, esteem princess." The Elder greets her. "I am the granddaughter of the 155supth/sup great king of the Kouga Clan. I am called Shaman Chagan."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I am aware." Hakuei says as she slight bows to the Elder. "The Kouga Clan was once the most prosperous equestrian tribe in the world. The first great king of Kouga Clan supposedly had powers rivaling a demon's, and built the large nation known to man: the Great Kou Empire. In recent years, the Kouga Clan has weakened and has even been targeted my slave hunters. But today, that suffer is at an end. Please come under out empire!"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Go under them?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""What kind of request is that?" Dolge questions./p
p class="MsoNormal""No way."/p
p class="MsoNormal""We aspire to unify the land, from Reim in the west to Partevia in the southwest." Haukei continues. "Our goal is to unify the world. The same as your ancestors once dream of doing. Please lend up your strength."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Then the star on the golden flute starts to glow and Aladdin looks down to it./p
p class="MsoNormal""Our ancestors?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Our dream?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""What's the matter, Ugo-kun?" Aladdin whispers./p
p class="MsoNormal""Other words, you want to take over our village." Dolge says./p
p class="MsoNormal""Isn't that what you mean?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"The villagers start to get riled up./p
p class="MsoNormal""As if we would let outsiders like you in here!"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Quiet!" The Elder orders the villagers to quiet down. "Esteem daughter, do not be so impatient."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Excuse me." Touya interrupts as she carries three bowls of milk. "I've prepared some horse milk sprits. Would you like to continue this conversation inside?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Thank you." Hakuei says then suddenly the black-haired man gets in front of Hakuei and pushes Touya down with the milk spreads all over the ground. "Ryosai! What do you think you're doing?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I cannot allow the noble princess to drink something like horse milk." The man, Ryosai says./p
p class="MsoNormal""Ryosai!" The blue-haired man, Seishun, calls./p
p class="MsoNormal""Listen up, you rabble!" Ryosai calls the villagers. "This village is now under the control of the Kou Empire. You will submit quietly!" Ryosai then looks at Touya. "We're saving you from this crude, dirty life style, after all. It's a good deal, no?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Dolge rushes to Ryosai with his sword in hand and about to attack Ryosai, but Seishun blocks Dolge's attack./p
p class="MsoNormal""Killing this man is the same as a declaration of war." Seishun tells him. "Is that what you desire?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""How dare you hurt my family!" Dolge says./p
p class="MsoNormal""Stop, Dolge." The Elder tells him and he drops his arm./p
p class="MsoNormal""You will stand down as well, Ryosai. We are withdrawing." Hakuei orders and they leave the village./p
div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"hr style="color: black;" align="center" noshade="noshade" size="1" width="100%" /div
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"~Night~/p
p class="MsoNormal"Aladdin carefully exits out of the tent, but he didn't see Vulpi is leaning at the side of the tent./p
p class="MsoNormal""And where do you think you're going, Aladdin?" Vulpi question him, causing him to startle. "Are you going to see Hakuei-san?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yeah. There something I have to ask her about what's going on in this village." Aladdin replies and Vulpi walks near him./p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay, but I'm coming along with you." Aladdin looks at Vulpi and gives her a wide smile./p
p class="MsoNormal""Thank you, Vulpi-nee!" Aladdin takes off his turban, turning into a carpet and it starts to fly with Aladdin and Vulpi riding on it./p
p class="MsoNormal"Once they are over Hakuei's office, they see her doing her paper work./p
p class="MsoNormal""Good evening!" Aladdin greets her, causing Hakuei to look up and see Aladdin and Vulpi sitting on a flying carpet. "Hello there, miss."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Both Aladdin and Vulpi jump off of the carpet as Aladdin grabs the carpet and it wraps it around Aladdin's head, turning back into a turban./p
p class="MsoNormal""Hi." Aladdin says and Vulpi bows at Hakuei and takes off the hood that is on her head. "I'm Aladdin and this is Vulpi-nee. We wanted to talk to you."/p
p class="MsoNormal"em"Those clothes…"/em Hakuei thought and looks at Vulpi's ears. em"Those ears…"/em/p
p class="MsoNormal""I would like to speak to you as well."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Later, Aladdin and Vulpi sit at one side of the table and Hakuei sits at the other side./p
p class="MsoNormal""First, I want to thank you for saving Aladdin from the horse. He can be reckless if he's not careful." Vulpi says./p
p class="MsoNormal""You are welcome. Are you a survivor of the Vulpe Clan?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Yes…"/p
p class="MsoNormal""You have my condolences for your losses, Vulpi-dono." Hakuei sympathies for Vulpi and she looks at Aladdin's turban. "That is a Dungeon Item, isn't it?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Huh?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""A device with power beyond human understanding. They can only be acquire by those who have clear a Dungeon."/p
p class="MsoNormal""This is something I've always had." Aladdin tells her./p
p class="MsoNormal""What?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Are you going to take over that village, miss? If so, I would like you to stop. Granny will be so sad. Granny and the other taught me the meaning of family. They're very important to me. Don't kill them."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Hakuei then puts her hands together./p
p class="MsoNormal""I will not kill anyone." She reassures Aladdin. "Not a single soul. I wanted to create a unified world where no one will have to die needlessly. I have but good intentions and only wanted to use my power for good. Please believe me."/p
p class="MsoNormal"In Aladdin's eyes, he sees rukh flying around Hakuei and he smiles./p
p class="MsoNormal""The rukh around you show not even the smallest bit of doubt, miss." Aladdin says to her. "I understand. I will to talk to Granny and the others. Let's go back, Vulpi-nee."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay." Vulpi says and Aladdin's turban turns into a carpet again as Aladdin is being carried allow with the turban and Vulpi jumps up and lands on the carpet, surprising Hakuei and they leave the base. When they are at a good distance, Aladdin summons Ugo and both Aladdin and Vulpi perch on Ugo's shoulders as he runs back to the village./p
p class="MsoNormal""Ugo-kun, what happened when we first met that lady?" Aladdin asks Ugo. "And what were you talking about with Amon-kun in the Dungeon?"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Ugo slows down on the cliff and stands there./p
p class="MsoNormal""I see. It's okay! I know there are things you can't tell me. I will search the world to my heart's content to figure out who I am." He tells Ugo and looks at the village. "I have a feeling that I can learn something here in this village."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Aladdin…" Vulpi calls then Aladdin looks around./p
p class="MsoNormal""What's going on?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""What's wrong, Aladdin?" Vulpi asks./p
p class="MsoNormal""The rukh are being restless something might have happen in the village!"/p
p class="MsoNormal""What! Ugo-san!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Ugo immediately jumps up high in the air and he lands next to the Elder./p
p class="MsoNormal""What happened, Granny?" Aladdin asks./p
p class="MsoNormal""What on earth…" The Elder trails off./p
p class="MsoNormal""Please explain to us what happen!" Vulpi exclaims./p
p class="MsoNormal"Once the Elder explains what happen while they were away from the village, Aladdin and Vulpi are still riding on Ugo as the Elder is riding on Aladdin's carpet./p
p class="MsoNormal""I've lost track of them." Aladdin says and looks at Vulpi. "What about you, Vulpi-nee?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I'm not sure." She says as her ears twitch. "There are a lot of voices at one place I can't tell that they save everyone."/p
p class="MsoNormal""We will wait for them here." The Elder tells them./p
p class="MsoNormal""But…" Aladdin cuts off by the Elder./p
p class="MsoNormal""They are fine warriors of the Kouga Clan. Believe in them."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Vulpi looks at Aladdin for a moment and when he smiles, Vulpi also smiles./p
p class="MsoNormal""Okay."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Aladdin summons Ugo back into the flute and the carpet turns back into a turban before it wraps around his head. Aladdin, Vulpi, and the Elder sit on the grass as they wait for the villagers./p
p class="MsoNormal""Child who can call on the power of the rukh, who can summon a giant, you are like the Magi of the old tales." The Elder says./p
p class="MsoNormal""Do you know of the Magi?" Aladdin asks./p
p class="MsoNormal""That I do."/p
p class="MsoNormal""What is a Magi? Won't you tell me? I might be a Magi."/p
p class="MsoNormal"The Elder gasps at Aladdin's statement./p
p class="MsoNormal""Right now, Aladdin is trying to figure out who he is." Vulpi explains to her. "So please tell him about the Magi."/p
p class="MsoNormal"The Elder takes a moment of silence before she speaks./p
p class="MsoNormal""This is a tale from a time when there were no countries." She begins. "During a time of calamity and disasters, a young man appeared before the people and said: Human, create a country. Come together and live under a king. The power to be king may be gained by overcoming the trails of this tower. Untold numbers went into the tower, never to return. Finally, one did, and became a king. A country was made and peace reigned." She finishes. "The people greatly respected the mysterious young man who gave them that prophecy. They called him the Magi."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Aladdin and Vulpi are amaze from the story./p
p class="MsoNormal""The country created in that story is the one we called the Great Kou Empire."/p
p class="MsoNormal""I see! So that's a Magi…" Aladdin says./p
p class="MsoNormal""But Aladdin…"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Hm?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Vulpi said what you are. Right now, you are Aladdin, my child." The Elder tells him. "Do you have any you call friends?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""I do. Ugo-kun and Alibaba-kun."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Then you are Aladdin. Friend of Ugo and Alibaba."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Oh."/p
p class="MsoNormal"Then she starts to laugh./p
p class="MsoNormal""Isn't that just the strangest? This old granny knows very well who you are."/p
p class="MsoNormal""Thanks. Granny." Aladdin says. "You know what?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""What is it, child?"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Vulpi-nee and I met with the Kou princess today and she promised me she would not kill anyone." The Elder gasps in shock from the news./p
p class="MsoNormal""Do don't worry. There will not be a war. Everything is okay!" Vulpi adds./p
p class="MsoNormal""Y-you two…"/p
p class="MsoNormal""Look!" Aladdin tells the Elder and she looks at the horizon. "They've returned."/p
p class="MsoNormal"The Elder sees the men successfully rescue the girls and raise their sword as they ride their horses./p
p class="MsoNormal""Elder Baba!" Dolge calls. "Everyone's fine! We were able to rescue everyone without killing a single person!"/p
p class="MsoNormal"Once the villagers reach Aladdin, Vulpi, and the Elder, Touya demounts the horse before she runs towards the Elder and hugs her as she cries. Dolge tells the Elder what happen when they save the girls and she slaps him on his back, causing the villagers to laugh. Then Elder Baba tells them that they will surrender to the Kou Empire to protect their lives and do not choose war./p
p class="MsoNormal"After that, the villagers start a bon fire and they go around it, feeling the warmth of the fire. Then the Elder walks out of the group to be by herself. Vulpi hears something thud from where the Elder went and she looks at the direction./p
p class="MsoNormal""I hope Granny comes back soon!" Aladdin says and Vulpi stands up, causing Aladdin to look at her. "What's wrong, Vulpi-nee?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal""Something is wrong…" She mutters and she runs in the direction of the Elder with a few men following her. When they see the Elder lying on the ground with an arrow on her back, they rush toward her. "GRANNY!"/p