~Chapter 2- Rebellious~

Donato rushed Jirro, Aero, Valr, and Gweneva into his hut. He said, "Stay hidden." before promptly shutting the door. Just before closing it, Jirro noticed that Donato only had one hand, the other ended at his wrist. The chief's hut was bare, simply a circular wall, a roof, a hammock, and a few seats.

What's happening out there?" Aero asked.

Jirro peered outside and saw a group approaching the center of the community, with all the Regenek stepping aside and allowing them through. It was a group riding large four-legged stone creatures. Densius beasts. Atop them were beings with ebon black arms and legs, spotted bodies, and luminescent colored eyes, most of them armored. A Ranuulan militia.

The Ranuulans stepped off their stone beasts once they reached the center of Dontown, with Donato and Iggy standing at their attention. The leader of the Ranuulans was a face Jirro and the others recognized. A prim Ranuulan with luminescent green eyes and a pale white face.

"Greetings, Commander Ujiic," Donato knelt before the green-eyed Ranuulan, as did many of the other Regenek. But Iggy stood tall with his hands clenched, his eyes firmly on the commander.

Ujiic walked towards them with several other armored men walking behind him. He glared at Iggy, and Iggy glared defiantly. The kneeling Donato subtley tapped Iggy so as not to gather attention, and he hesitantly knelt beside him.

"Hello, Donato. I see your people have learned their place," Ujiic said with a grin, his piercing eyes on them, "What do you have for us this time?"

Donato looked at some of the Regenek women and they scurried off. Moments later, they brought along a creaking wheelbarrow with vegetables filling it. They looked soft, as if they were a little too old, but better than anything else that Jirro saw in their crop.

"This is all we can afford to spare," Donato said as the women brought it forth.

Ujiic picked out a vegetable and felt its firmness. He narrowed his eyes and crushed it in his hand before kicking the wheelbarrow over, spilling its contents onto the muddy ground, "Pitiful."

Jirro wanted to charge out there and stop him. But Gweneva placed a hand on his shoulder and shook her head. He looked at Iggy; his body was tense. Jirro could tell it took every ounce of his will not to lash out.

"You'll forfeit your boar to me," Ujiic said.

Donato looked up to the commander, "But, it's the last of our livestock! You took the rest!"

Ujiic cocked his head, green eyes gleaming as he stared down at him, "Are you saying no to me, Donato?"

Donato paused for a moment before bowing his head, "Of course not."

"Good."

The boar was caged in a wheeled transport and hitched to one of the Densius beasts. With that, Ujiic and the other Ranuulans left Dontown and headed north.

Donato returned to the hut with sullen expressions. But Iggy had fire in him.

"How long has the militia been extorting you like that?" Valr asked as they came inside.

"Nearly a year, ever since they took over that base to the north. They come around this time each month," Donato responded as he sat in his hammock.

Iggy clenched his fists, "We have a chance to turn things around! If you can convince everyone here to follow my plan then-"

"Then we'd lose. Just like last time," Donato replied with glazed-over eyes.

"Last time?" Valr asked.

"We fought back before, and when we lost, they cut off the hands of almost everyone here. Not all of us grew our hands back." Donato sighed and raised his handless forearm.

"Grew their hands back?"

Donato nodded, "We Regenek can regrow lost limbs. But in my old age, I'm not able to regenerate like I used to. I could only get one of my hands back."

"I can't believe they'd do that!" Aero exclaimed. Jirro was of the same mind. They never witnessed such brutality in their homeland.

Valr thought for a moment. "There is a way to get away from them without fighting. You could go to the Lands of Ralosia. It's much safer than this world."

"Is... Is that possible?" Donato asked.

"The barrier between the two worlds was destroyed. Now we can travel between this world and theirs whenever we want. That's why I came here today," Valr explained.

Gweneva spoke up, "The people of Dontown could come to Petri's Woods, and from there, Valr could escort you north to the Link Temple, which would take you to the Lands of Ralosia."

Donato's mouth slowly curled up into a smile, "Is that world truly better?"

Valr nodded, "Yes. I spent a few years there. Even though I was on my own, I've never had it easier."

Donato nodded eagerly, "I'll have to speak to everyone else. I'm sure I can convince everyone to go."

There was a thud against the wall. Jirro and the others looked and saw Iggy had struck it, cracking part of its frame. He shouted, "We're just going to run away like cowards!?"

"Iguaruden... you must understand-"

"No! We can't just run away! We can't let them get away with what they've done!" Iggy shouted, and beat against the wall once more.

Donato stood, "We're not going to fight them! That's the last I want to hear of this!"

Iggy frowned before stomping out of the hut.

Valr, Gweneva, and Donato continued to speak about relocating to the Lands of Ralosia, while Jirro and Aero listened idly. As good as it seemed to be for these people to leave... Jirro did agree with Iggy. Ujiic shouldn't get away with what he's done. He wagered Aero felt the same way. Jirro tapped Aero and gestured to the doorway, and the two headed for the door.

"Where are you two going?" Valr asked.

"We just want to take a look around," Jirro lied.

Valr shrugged, "Alright... just don't do anything stupid."

"Course not."

Jirro and Aero followed the footsteps on the muddy ground from the chief's hut. Iggy's footsteps.

"We're going to help Iggy, aren't we?" Aero said as they went along.

"Yup."

They followed the footsteps in the sloshy mud, passed by many of the huts to one at the edge of Dontown. It led into a large hut with its door closed. Jirro placed his ear against the door and heard faint whispers behind them.

Jirro knocked on it a few times, and the whispers ceased. He waited for a moment for someone to open the door, but no one came. He wasn't going to wait forever. He brought up his leg and kicked hard, knocking the door down.

Jirro and Aero saw about ten Regeneks, including Iggy, circled around a table with a map laid on it. They were all tense.

"What're you doing!?" Iggy shouted.

"We heard you had a plan for handling the commander. We wanted to hear it," Jirro replied.

Iggy raised his scaly brow, "Why?"

"We agree with you. That Ujiic guy shouldn't get away with what he's done."

Jirro walked to the table and observed a crude map. Dontown was there, with 'Ujiic's base' to the north. Between them was a winding path between the locations with an X placed near a location called 'Ratone gulch'.

Iggy sighed, "Guys, what we're thinking of doing is dangerous. You don't want any part of this."

Aero remarked, " We're strong! We can handle it."

Iggy rolled his eyes, "Is that right?"

Jirro smiled and extended his cheek out to Iggy, "Why not test it? Hit me."

"I'm not going to hit you."

"I'll do it!" Another Regenek said. They threw an arcing hook at Jirro. Just before he was struck, Jirro formed the Focus Barrier around his body. A blue light emanated around his form, and the punch stopped at the light.

Iggy and the other Regenek were mystified by what they saw, and Jirro allowed the light to fall away from him, "So, what's this plan you have?"

Iggy apprehensively brought their attention to the map, "Every time Ujiic has come to Dontown, he's taken the exact same path. Along his path is Ratone Gulch, and it's a perfect place to ambush him. The only problem we've had is we don't have the numbers."

Jirro placed his hands on the table, "Numbers shouldn't be a problem now that you have us. When Gweneva and Valr find out we're helping you, they'll come too. They're as strong as us."

"Really?... Gweneva's always been an even match for me..." Iggy stroked his chin as he considered the odds, "If we have all of you, I think this'll work. But we don't have much time. We'll need to head out to Ratone Gulch before they can reach it. If we're going to do this, we have to go now."

"Let's not waste any time then!" Jirro stepped away from the table and looked at his cousin, "Aero, after we leave town, can you tell the others that I ran off with them to Ratone Gulch? Tell them you couldn't stop me... or something."

Aero nodded, "Yeah, I can do that. You guys get going! We'll be right behind you!"

Jirro, Iggy, and the other Regenek warriors left the town without being seen and began running north. They moved quickly while maintaining enough of their energy for the fight that lay ahead of them. Jirro and Iggy sped ahead of the others through the terrain.