Cahayaranga Kingdom was situated on the southern part of the continent, reigning access to the ocean. Sea travel, resources, exotic delicacies, Cahayaranga was born for a rich and bountiful future. While the Capital city oversaw the oceanic horizons, the other end of the kingdom was protected by the Sunset Boundary facing Western Agreya, Sunlight Boundary facing Central Lekasi and Northern Balklanak, and Sunrise Boundary facing Eastern Shewei.

The First Prince, Prince Wiracaya, spearheaded the war against Agreya, using the Sunset Boundary as base camp. All the kingdom’s attention and resources were poured into the battle which meant that nothing of significance happened in either Sunlight or Sunrise Boundaries.

Alongside the war, an ongoing stalemate between Cahayaranga and Shewei further ensured that Sunrise Boundary had nothing to worry about.

Soldiers trained to be guards. Weapons were exported. During these times of war, Sunrise Boundary was a district where both Bloodliners and Dormants could live in peace.

“Welcome to Mataharisma, town of Sunrise Boundary.” Yuda hopped off the wagon.

Mataharisma was a small humble town twenty minutes away from the barracks on carriage, located on the outskirts of the Capital of the Cahayaranga Kingdom. Although it didn’t have the lavish lifestyle of the Capital, the people still enjoyed a life without poverty or hardship. Bookshops, clothing stores, and welcoming cafes lined the streets where people went on with their day filled with joy.

Yuda scuttled through the streets without care or concern for the pedestrians. “Howsit compared to Shewei? You from Shewei, right? Your name’s totally from there!”

Fuxiao was unwilling to correct any misunderstandings that had been created. He followed Yuda simply to scope out the area and possibly locate where the Lord had imprisoned Topan.

Deep inside, Fuxiao felt the unfamiliarity. The lights, the laughter. The warm air surrounding the people was cold to him. Standing in the middle of the streets with the joy radiating from everyone else felt like a muddy sinkhole swallowing him alive because while he stood here with his hands and feet free, he didn’t know where or how Topan was. It felt wrong being here alone. Breathing, alive, unshackled.

 As Fuxiao looked around the town, Baja beckoned for Yuda to the side.

Once they were out of earshot, Baja whispered, “You gotta quit this now. It’s Kirana’s request, not mine.”

Yuda stared at Baja as if he had said the most stupid thing in the world. “Then why are you relaying the info?”

Baja pulled out a folded piece of paper. “You’ve got no idea how startled I was when her arrow zipped in with this message.”

Only three words were scrawled across the paper.

Urgent. Yuda. Dormant.

“Which means, stop Yuda from hurting a Dormant.” Baja nodded his chin at Fuxiao.

At the gesture, Yuda burst out laughing. “Idiot! This is why Dormants are fucking stupid! I ain’t blaming Kirana who probably can’t sense it at this distance, and it’s definitely Lord Senjahari’s order. But you’re just stupid!”

Anger was an understatement. If only they were not out in public, Baja would have attempted to choke Yuda.

“You don’t even think why I’m hanging ‘round him. Why I even sat in the wagon with him. ‘Cause  unlike you pathetic, useless Dormants, he ain’t one. He’s a Bloodliner.”

Baja clamped up, eyebrows scrunched in confusion. He glanced at Fuxiao. It was true that when the Bloodline markings were not on display, there was no way he could tell between a Dormant and a Bloodliner.

“And now you can’t say shit ‘cause there ain’t any way for you to figure it out. Fuck being her fiance, you’re just a fucking bitch playing messenger. When she says jump, you fucking run off the cliff!”

Veins popped all over Baja’s thick neck. He was ready to forget all about society’s code of conduct and smash Yuda’s face when Fuxiao approached them.

“What’s that place over the bridge?”

Yuda followed his gaze and his eyes flickered back. “Ah, don’t go there. That’s a shithole.”

“That,” Baja interjected, “is the town of Suar.”

Yuda shrugged, “It’s where the Pure Dormants live. Those born without any Bloodlines, no powers.”

“That’s my birth town.” Baja ignored the comments, “Much smaller than Mataharisma but we have a higher population of Dormants. It’s true that we don’t have powers and so, a lot of us fear Bloodliners, especially rogue ones who have no control of themselves.” He shot Yuda a dirty glare.

“Useless weaklings are better off dead.” Yuda’s lips curled back in a smirk.

“You’ve gone far enough.”

While the two continued to lay waste on their friction, Fuxiao eyed the bridge leading to the darker town of Suar. At a glance, Suar appeared poorer than Mataharisma. Undecorated buildings with simple but functional structures. Less extravagances of shopping displays and street lights. Compared to the lavish bright lights, Fuxiao felt more attracted to the darkness hiding in the crevices.

Baja gave up on arguing with Yuda and sighed, “Lord Sejahari’s dream is to build a Kingdom where Bloodliners and Dormants can live together in peace. Without discrimination. Everyone in the barracks knows. No matter how much criticism he faces from the nobles and commoners, he never backs down. That’s the kind of Lord he is.”

Fuxiao remained impassive at the mention of the Lord.

“Oh, didn’t you arrive with him?” Yuda tilted his head to study Fuxiao from underneath. “When he went out there to drag back the monster.”

Against better judgement, Fuxiao darted his eyes to the grinning man.

“Oh-hoh, now that got your attention.”

A cold breeze glided through the streets.

“I’ve heard rumours about the monster, the one that killed half of the Bustard Royal Troop many years ago. Lord Senjahari had it locked up in the dungeon but…” Yuda stifled a giggle, “It escaped recently. And when the Lord brought it back, you arrived as well.”

“Yuda,” Baja interrupted, “You shouldn’t be spilling this information to civilians.”

“You’re one of Shewei. Why were you taken in by Lord Senjahari? Or were you together with the monster?”

Fuxiao observed Yuda circling him like a curious predator. Maybe he should drop the innocent act and use his Bloodline to kill both these men. He could hide in town and sneak into the barracks to look for the dungeon where Topan was allegedly kept in.

It would be messy. Not an ideal situation given his circumstances. But he needed to do anything to find Topan.

“That’s enough!” The moment Baja grabbed Yuda by the shoulders, Yuda’s Bloodline lurched and he swung sharp claws at Baja.

Golden brown fur flared around bulging eyes, Yuda’s grin spread further across his face. “Don’t fucking touch me, Dormant.”

The sudden explosion of Bloodrush flooded the streets with the murderous intent of a Pygmy Tarsier. Unlike Lord Senjahari’s confident Cendrawasih Bloodline, the Pygmy Tarsier reeked of dirty malice that soaked into the grounds.

“I’ve been complacent just ‘cause you’re Kirana’s fiance, but you’re the one who’s pushing too far.”

Yuda’s curly blond hair darkened in the sudden state of Bloodrush. Backed by the commotion of the streets, he dashed forward and struck Baja in the chest, dangerously close to where the heart was.

Baja crashed onto the side of a building. Red blood splattered out of the wound. But as a Dormant, he had no Bloodline cells that would fight for his survival. Just as Yuda said, he was a powerless being at the mercy of the Pygmy Tarsier.

In the shadow casted across his face, Yuda’s inhumane eyes glowed. For such a small person, the Pygmy Tarsier’s killing intent was a violent rush of hatred and cruelty, befitting of a beast driven to insanity.

Yuda was well-known in the entire Sunrise Boundary as the rabid Pygmy Tarsier who held aggressive discrimination against Dormants regardless whether they were Pure Dormants from birth or Dormants affected by the black matter that took away their Bloodlines. His violent tendencies led to severe assaults and crimes of which had him on multiple bounty lists.

All these while, Fuxiao had been sitting next to a wild animal but unlike the townspeople who ran away when their Bloodlines were intimidated by Yuda’s, Fuxiao didn’t feel threatened. No matter how rabid or manic Yuda turned out to be, Fuxiao’s Bloodline knew that he wasn’t in danger.

No one. No one in this entire vicinity was a threat to him.

His Bloodline remained calm, watching the Pygmy Tarsier approach the injured Dormant.

“Knew I shoulda killed ya long time ago. Just ‘cause you work for Lord Senjahari, just ‘cause you’re with Kirana, aaaah, fuck, why do I hafta hold back. Shoulda kill ya, shoulda kill ya, shoulda kill ya!”

But before Yuda could strike again, two arrows zipped through the air; one hit his shoulder from above, and another pierced his thigh from the crowds.

The townspeople parted to make way for a man. A large brimmed hat wasn’t enough to cover the grotesque burn marks that painted the right half of his face. Scarlet patterns, one found only on noble designs, lined his black cloak. And as though he wasn’t surprised by Yuda’s unruly outburst, he cocked his crossbow over his left shoulder, a deep ruggard voice spat out, “We meet again.”

“Fucker,” Yuda cackled, “Ain’t it been half a day since I saw your ugly mug, Komodo?”

“And it only took you half a day to cause another shitstorm.”