Desert Company: Retrospective

The next two days, Suruj was steadily recovering from his injuries. Some days he felt under the weather, and others he felt he could take on the Al-Wa CEO. L and Kwazhak had returned from the hospital, but Kwazhak vouched to stay in his assigned room, which he shared with Tvuj Hosyi.

There was not a day where he forgot about his little brother and mother. Sometimes he would sob quietly in a solitary place, and breed his hatred for the company he was held captive in. However, he had no choice but to stay confined, or who knew the consequences. He wasn’t strong enough to take on that captain from that day. Suruj knew that much, let alone fight Thiệu. So he had to get stronger, more skilled.

 

It was the day that Saya and Ashojan’s punishment ended, and they would return from whatever exile they had. This was announced through L’s voice in the loudspeaker, saying that they needed to report to the main building. The thirteen of them walked through the same building of glass, the lobby they had waited in for their twelve-hour parole. Everyone was worried, having not seen them for three entire days. Hatred against Ashojan already lurked in the back of their minds, especially Suruj, since he was the one that costed two of his fingers.

From the loft, the enemy of Suruj, Thiệu appeared and raised his hand. Reality warped in front of them as a portal opened, and two Al-Wa soldiers rushed for a brief moment. Then they stepped back into the main building, bringing Saya and Ashojan through the saharic gateway. The two of them were ragged and dirty, with sand everywhere on their body. Their skins had been tanned, and broken in sweat. Though these were expected from the exile, Suruj noticed that the left right side of Saya’s hair was silver.

“Saya…” Her Obaa quickly paced to her, where they hugged each other.

“Saya!” Mouka ran towards her as the soldier let go of Saya’s arm. “You ‘kay? I thought you wouldn’t survive out there!”

“Don’t underestimate me, Toqemur,” Saya replied, wiping her arm. “With this guy, it made things a lot easier.”

She eyed Ashojan, who was wearing the bandana obscuring his face. He looked away with a ‘Tch’.

“You sure he wasn’t just a waste of air? Even an air conditioner would be more useful than him,” Hyun-woo commented. Saya turned to face the Z̆ongren boy.

“No. I’m serious,” She retorted. “Don’t mock him.”

“But he was the one that dragged you into this mess, and Suruj bore the price,” said Htet, who covered his nose. Htet and Shunji stepped towards Ashojan until Saya blocked them.

“I know what it’s like. I look like a pure-blooded Azu,” She went on, “People would expect me to behave like an Azu, and other formalities. But behind that, I eat dirtily, use informal speech, and I’m not even a full-blood. Please believe in Ashojan. How could anyone possibly decide under the conditions he was in? How stressed he must’ve been?”

“Saya, your hair…” Suruj exclaimed.

She touched the side of her hair. When she glanced upon the pearly sight, she had the look of shock.

“Now you want to be sympathetic?” Hyun-woo turned his back to her. “I don’t dislike you as a person, you know. You’re the only one that keeps everyone together. But because of this dude, you and Suruj suffered. I’m against those who hurt other people.”

“I don’t understand the situation. However I know that you youngins shouldn’t be acting senile. Please believe in Ashojan, and my granddaughter,” Saya’s Obaa spoke, sheltering her kin. A hand appeared on her shoulder.

“Right. I believe we understand the circumstances quite,” Kwazhak spoke lightly, as L followed up behind him. Saya gazed at them.

“Judgmental or not, everyone has their side of the story,” L added, crossing his arms. “There shouldn’t be any tribulations in this matter. What’s done is done.”

“Kwazhak! L! You’re here!” Saya shouted, hugging L. Suruj could tell that L and Saya knew each other before they were even captured. Hosyi also knew his name when they first appeared in the wing. With two mediators, everyone ceased arguing. Hyun-woo and the others didn’t want to put up a fight against L and Kwazhak, for the two of them were superiors, and Saya’s Obaa, an elder.

A universal tradition across all cultures in Yahmajô̗ Alą̧̄utl, was to respect the elders.

“What an utter disappointment,” Thiệu laughed solemnly, “Even amongst yourselves you are fighting. Such conflicts bring about the fiery flame that burns in everyone’s heart. The instinct that allows your primal behavior to rule. That will help you fight in the Dineh Kazaàd. You are all worthy of praise for that.”

Immediately all but Suruj fell to their knees. He couldn’t bear the words from the person that was behind it all. Everyone’s suffering, it was all caused by that man. They looked at Suruj as they urgently signaled for him to kneel.

“No matter what you say to us, we will defeat you…” He tightened his fist. “No matter where you go, you always will be the center of our agony, and we will kill you, even if we die in the tournament, in order to lose your precious money and market.”

“Hoh, a rebellious one. You may want to die willingly for that cause, but do you think that others are willing to throw their own life away?” His voice was powerful, sounding like thunder. “All of you are young men and women, your lives are only beginning. Does anyone wish to die when they have so much to do in this world?”

“But it is something we have to do in this world, and that is to see you gone,” Suruj replied. “Our lives will begin when you are killed, and the tournament is abolished.”

“...”

Moments passed when it felt like hours. Suruj’s legs quaked silently, for he was afraid. Afraid of the retaliation that was soon to come. He had talked back to Thiệu. When Suruj was dwelling in despair, Kwazhak stood up.

“One has made such bold words that mustn’t be ignored. I am ashamed not in you, but myself,” He faced upwards towards Thiệu. “There was a time when I shared the same malice of revenge. And I have been saved by one’s ‘quasi-son’, Kiyomiya Lojuno, from the shackles of death,” He pledged. “I have a will to carry out, that of which goes against L’s and Suruj’s rebellion. Once that will is at ease, then surely, my father and all of As-Z̆onghu̐a will seek to topple the facilities of Al-Wa, and cease your heinous operations.”

The next to stand was L. Then Hyun-woo. Mouka. Hosyi. Shunji. Ashojan. Even the one that supported the Dineh Kazaàd, Saya, stood up with her Obaa. Perez got up with enthusiasm.

“You think of us as cattle? Tourney or not, I don’t like you,” He smashed his two gauntlets together.

“Do you think that I care about how someone thinks about me?” Thiệu yelled with anger. “Saya, this is not who you are. The reason you came here is that you wanted to join the tournament. You accepted the invitation. And yet look, influenced by those around you.”

“You are right. I still want to fight in Dineh Kazaàd. But there is a catch. When this Kazaàd company goes down, I want to have the competition reformed,” Saya said with confidence. Everyone was standing up now. There was no going back, Suruj thought. Any chance for peace, it was too late.

“Your ignorant optimism has proven to be excellent entertainment,” Thiệu remarked, turning back. “But to that lies great consequences of modernity. Those were the words of someone whose worth knew no bounds to me,” He walked back from the balcony, his footsteps fading into the ambiance. “I can see every move you make. Every square acre of this land is my eyes. You will fail utterly, and will face the reality.”