A Village and a Barrier (2)

On this trip, towards a village that was probably closest in the eastern forest, Apta—with a feeling of restlessness—continued walking before he finally stopped to rest for a while.

He seemed to have realized something, looking up at the sky with his uneasy feeling. The more he walked, the more he left the forest, the black lay kept coming towards him, and it was as if they were stalking him from above; watching his movements, so he had to stop and rest. Apta felt a little annoyed about it.

"Is there a god watching me? Or is it just my hunch…?"

If it turns out that the one paying attention is not a god, then there is someone who can do that. However, Apta is not too sure if the person who did it is a human. He thought positively, maybe it was just a coincidence—there was a black cloud there, it was the earth's gravity that made the cloud seem to be watching him from above, and Apta happened to be passing through the road with the black cloud above. So, he doesn't have to think about it too far. Even so, he still has to be wary of his surroundings, of his new world. What he was waiting for he still could not know.

"Well, I have to go again. Rest is enough until here. Besides, I'm not very tired."

Continuing his journey after resting for a while, Apta looked straight as he walked and didn't forget to stay alert to the black cloud.

The black cloud did not disappear from above Apta at all. Even today, the number of those black clouds continues to grow as Apta goes. And what's more, the air around is starting to threaten Apta, looking like a storm is coming soon.

Overcast, it's already happening now. In the sky it was already cloudy, even some lightning had begun to be seen. Even so, Apta kept going. As long as it doesn't rain, and as long as there's no shelter in sight, Apta will keep going.

But that decision was a mistake. Apta had to stop and was surprised when suddenly lightning flashed right in front of him, then it disappeared and made an explosive sound that made Apta's ears ring.

"Really? What the..."

Apta panics and runs from there. He was afraid that the lightning would reappear and strike him. His fear is like humans in general. Even if he was a former god, he was still afraid that the lightning could kill him. He knew that his body would not be strong enough to withstand the lightning strike.

Apta saw a hut there, but the rain started to fall and wet his whole body. He ran, ran, and kept running in the rainwater towards the hut. Lightning continued to arrive while he was still running to reach the hut. His footsteps often change the rhythm, the rhythm of fear, and the rhythm must get there as quickly as possible.

What was in the hut was a place for him to take shelter from the rain, and hopefully that would protect him too from the lightning.

Apta got there with his whole body drenched in the rain. He looked at the roof of the hut and thought that it was able to protect him from the rain, although there were some holes so that rainwater could still enter.

The hut wasn't very big, maybe only fit for 2 adults, but at least Apta had found a place to stop for a while until the rain stopped. Even so, Apta is not too sure if the hut can protect him from lightning. Even so, he remained there and continued to stare at the extremely dark sky.

As far as his eyes could see, he found two different things. First, where he is now the sky looks very dark and rain and lightning appear. Second, the sky over there, in the depths of the forest, looks so bright as if there was no lightning and no rain. Just looking at it made him suspicious.

"God of Electro, is this you're doing? Why are you like this to me? Have I wronged you?"

He could only speculate, even accusing that the one who did this to him was the God of Electro.

"If you're the one doing this, you're being insolent. You know what, I'm only human, but you make me miserable like this. I know you're great, but at least don't treat me like this. If you hate me, you should have done that when I was still a god-like you."

Apta doesn't know who this is, so he can only blame God of Elektro for doing it. From his knowledge and his memories of when he was still a god, the only one who could do this was the God of Electro. Even in heaven, the God of Electro can do this there, creating bad weather and lightning so violent that storms occur. But, he did that only in his territory.

After all, the gusts of wind weren't too strong. So, Apta must have thought that this was the work of the God of Electro.

At least, Apta had saved his life there. It took up to 1 hour for the rain and lightning to subside completely.

"Looks like it's going to be a while..."

Dew and fog blocked what Apta saw, but Apta was very sure that he was close enough to the village. He was filled with confidence in that and decided to get back on his feet.

Apta had a little difficulty walking because the roads were filled with weeds and the soft soil interfered with his walking steps. It was the result of the rainstorm earlier. Even so, he still tries to keep going well and tries not to slip.

The sky was clear now, that helped him and led him in the right direction. No more lightning will strike him. No more rain that will wet his entire body. Apta did not encounter any difficulties during his journey this time, there was the only land that was not comfortable for his feet to step on.

"I arrived..."

Apta had arrived at the village, only a few meters from the village.

Apta saw that some houses were still suitable for use, and some houses looked damaged. He saw no sign of resident activity there, only a few dogs drinking the puddle water.

He decided to head over there immediately after seeing that.

"Finally..."

Something came out of there, from one of the houses over there. A young man came out from there and stretched his body.

"Um?"

He looked right where Apta was because he heard something. In other words, the moment Apta stepped on the dry leaves, the sound rang in his ears. Even if it was still a little further away from him, he heard that and immediately turned to Apta who was walking toward him.

Apta enters through the village entrance, which is made of teak wood, has a height of at least 5 meters, and is surrounded by a brick wall with a height of 3 meters.

Apta did not greet when he knew that the young man was looking at him. He kept walking as if he didn't care about the young man.

"Who?" The youth tilted his head, confused. "His clothes… Is he a beggar? No, his face doesn't show that. He was too handsome for a beggar. But who is he? Was he a jungle monster who became a human? No, no, no, that's impossible—after all, no monsters can disguise themselves as humans. Is he the devil? But his eyeballs… don't look like demons at all," The young man wandered in his mind, still confused by Apta's appearance in front of him.

Because if he keeps on wondering and it won't find an answer from it, he approaches Apta.

"So... Who are you, sir?"

For him, maybe because Apta's hair is too long and he has a beard because he has never cut it, Apta is an adult who is over 30 years old.

Apta knows the language used by the young man and all the humans in this world, so he understands what the young man is asking him. He had learned that long ago while still holding the status of the God of Void. Even so, he was also confused to answer that.

"I..."

I'm a god, he can't say, Apta might be considered a madman by him. I am an ordinary human being, even that is impossible for him to say—after all, he is an ordinary human. One option is simply to say his name.

"I am Apta."

"Oh..." The young man was surprised to respond. Then, he leaned his hand forward as if to ask for a handshake. "I am Marco, a traveler."

Apta was confused and looked at the young man's hand that was leaning forward. He didn't know what the young man named Marco was doing, and why he was leaning his hand toward him.

"Um?" Marco was also confused why Apta saw his hand. "What's wrong?"

"Why are you pointing your hand at me?"

Apta finally asked that bluntly in front of Marco.

"You did not know?"

"Don't know?"

"Haven't you been taught by your mother, that if you want to get acquainted, then you must shake hands?"

"I don't have... No, I was never taught that way."

Apta wants to say that he has no mother. He lives by himself because he is a god, so he can't have parents.

"Oh I see, you shouldn't know."

Marco lowered his hand. He canceled his intention and gave up on shaking Apta's hand because Apta didn't know about it.

"By the way, you…"

Before Marco could ask Apta, the sound of horse hooves rang in his ears. The sound was like a crowd of horsemen rushing along. And Marco, reflexively and also looking panicked, grabbed Apta's arm and hid inside one of the houses nearby.

Apta saw that there was someone else in the house. Not just one, but there were 4 humans there. They are like a family who doesn't want to leave their home. Apta saw them when he was forcibly taken into the house by Marco, who continued to take him into hiding.

Finding a hiding place, which is under the house, Apta and Marco hide there.

"What's wrong?" Apta asked because he didn't know.

"Shh… be quiet for a moment!"

Apta also heard the footsteps of the horse, but Apta was not sure that the footsteps of the horse were a demon rider. The aura he could feel was not the aura of a demon, but rather an ordinary aura like most humans. That's why he asked the reason why Marco had to hide with him.

And when the door of the house was smashed violently, it was seen that several people wearing heavy armor were filled with anger on their faces. Then, the owner of this house approached them.

"I'm sorry, I didn't..."

"Talk too much! You know I've said this a few times, right? Pay your taxes right away! I won't protect this place if you, them, and the villagers don't pay the taxes that have been in arrears for 3 months. Or maybe... you want to be eaten by the demons in the forest? Alright then, I'll report this to the President so she throws you out there."

As soon as the man wearing silver armor was about to leave after scolding the owner of the house, the owner of the house stopped him and grabbed his leg, and begged.

"Please don't... My kids are too young. I don't want them to get hurt one bit. I will pay when I have money. I promise. So I beg you... protect our family and this village. This village is home to us."

"You keep saying that, over and over. You know, my ears are tired of hearing that. You're so annoying. Pay your taxes!"

Somehow the man kicked the owner of the house who begged him.

Before the man left this house, he turned around and said something:

"If within this week you can't afford your taxes, I won't protect this village anymore. It's better if you all die being eaten by demons and monsters instead."

The man left after saying that, a sentence that sounded quite cruel to the owner of the house.

"Oh my, how cruel this country is. If I hadn't been trapped here, I probably wouldn't have seen their cruelty to the people. He's just a knight, but his demeanor is godlike."

Marco said something right beside Apta. Apta heard that and could only see Marco's face.

Realizing that they have left this house, Marco invites Apta to come out of the hiding place.

When they both wanted to leave the house, the owner stopped them while crying.

"Marco... pleaseee..."

"Oh, take it easy, sir. I can guarantee that the demons will not destroy this village and injure your kids. Don't worry, I will protect you. You don't have to pay taxes to me. This is my service as a traveler who has been given a place to live by you."

Apta was silent, focused on Marco's gaze which was making the owner of the house not worry about this problem.

"Thank you, Marco."

"I don't think the world is in a good state. Even humans do bad to their fellow human beings," Apta said in his mind. "What's with all this? Why do people fight just because they are different? I'll try to ask him about all this."