King Of Limbo

"The council..." Jagu repeated in a low tone and with his brows furrowed slightly, a part of him had expected this sort of outcome to be reached but it still felt somewhat surreal.

Hakku felt only disgust when he saw Jagu put on this display and he couldn't help but express it. "Don't pretend you suddenly care for our people now, the sooner you get what you deserve the sooner my sibling's souls can rest in peace." He said angrily but at this point Jin decided to step into the conversation.

"From what I heard your siblings died from the serpent attack and last I checked Jagu isn't said serpent. In my opinion you're just finding someone to blame because you were too weak to save them but what do I know." Jin shrugged innocently but his words had already hit Hakku hard and brought him into a state of rage.

"Hakku that's enough, let the council decide what to do, come with the outsiders to make your case clearer Jagu. I sincerely hope all turns well." The old beast man who Jagu first encountered upon arriving came to the scene and prevented it from escalating.

Hakku could only show a displeased look as he turned and walked away without uttering another word. Jin just smiled as if victorious while Aron remained silent this entire time which brought up a certain feeling of unease in Jagu's heart.

But this was no time for him to investigate what his gut was trying to tell him, he could follow the old man into the settlement with Aron and the others in toll.

Not surprisingly as they made their way through the settlement they attracted many stares and sometimes hateful gazes. Some younger ones going as far as trying to fling tiny stones towards the groups.

"Not the heroic welcome I was expecting..." Jin chuckled awkwardly while the other members became slightly shaken.

They were after all surrounded by numerous strong looking Komi, all of which didn't seem to like them one bit. Even Xavier couldn't help but stay completely alert in this sort of scenario just in case of anything.

"Don't mind them, we've been told of the outsiders unbecoming ways since young so it's only natural that they despise you. Weak cunning creatures who use petty methods and sacrifice one another to achieve victory." The old man explained but with a tinge of hatefulness in his own voice as well.

The only reason he tolerated them after all was for Jagu's sake and nothing else. Aside from that he still saw outsiders the same.

After reaching the main hut he came to a stop and gestured them to walk in. Jagu was the first to do so followed by Aron and Jin was about to do the same when Aron stopped him. "The rest of you wait out here." He instructed before going in himself.

The hut was of a simple structure and resembled a dome except made of mud and bricks with many carvings covering it. The rest of the settlement had similar structures although of a much smaller design as compared to the main hut.

Komi were minimalistic and most homes held only one or two rooms at most. Food was stored in separate buildings and only brought out when it was time to feast as the settlement ate together.

Even if one caught prey on their own it was custom that they had it over to the chief for storage and in turn they would praised and acknowledged for it by those who couldn't hunt.

Making contributions such as this is what determined ones status and how large a meal their family would receive when it was time to feast.

No matter how cooperative a community... no society is ever truly equal, they are always those who go above and beyond and others who simply stay at the bottom and are content with it, Komi were no different in this regard.

....

Inside the dimly lit hut which had torches mounted to it's walls Jagu and Aron found several Komi present, some that resembled Jagu being more beast than man while others were more man than beast.

Among this gathering of so called council members Aron quickly spotted Jagu's own mother seated to the far right on a leafy mat.

"He even dares to bring an outsider into the council's presence, is there no end to your humiliation of our clan?" Upon seeing Aron Jagu's mother showed a look of dissatisfaction and said this bluntly.

"Calm yourself dear sister, I asked that they be allowed entry as well. I want to understand just what made my nephew choose to break our people's most upheld law." A large Komi that resembled a bulky human man in his forties although covered in white fur spoke up and brought Aella to silence.

This man was Jagu's uncle and acting chief after the death of Jagu's own father. From the way he spoke one might think he was on Jagu's side but Aron couldn't help but notice a certain look of hatred within Jagu's eyes when he looked at that man.

'Interesting, So even Komi can wear facades.' Aron thought but his expression on the surface didn't change in the slightest, he instead gave Jagu a light pat on the shoulder and to remind him why they were hear.

Jagu bottled up the rage that was bubbling up within him and he looked forward before beginning to speak. "My reasons for doing this were according to the circumstances dear uncle. I originally came to pay homage and so the airship that brought me remained beyond the shore which is allowed but then I found my brothers and sisters to be sick and I sought their help."

"I had no intentions of bringing them into the island even then but then... that creature appeared. Saving my family was my top priority so even if it meant I would be exiled I asked my friend here to lend me his strength."

"Even now the situation is only getting worse, I don't care what punishment you wish to give me but please allow me to help my people before they die in vain!" Jagu expressed emotionally causing the gathered Komi to glance at each other.

However the acting chief only snickered and showed a rather unbecoming smirk. "You'd sooner seek outsiders help than even other clan's? Worse you claim to have been determined but even then many lives were lost Jagu, including two of my very own little ones. Even now I mourn their deaths but you do not see me running to outsiders to provide assistance, your reasoning is nonsensical!" He said angrily and slammed his hand against his lap while showing a look of anger.

Jagu's mother made no comment and only showed an expression that was hard to read, did she feel pity? Sadness? Anger? that remained unclear.

"And you? Do you also wish to try and convince us otherwise?" The acting chief growled towards Aron but he only shook his head.

It was already clear to him that words alone would not get him through this. Not only were these Komi stubborn but the acting chief clearly held some sort deep enmity towards Jagu and seemed to have the support of the others as well.

Any attempts at persuasion right now would only be twisted and used against him even if they made no sense to him. To them these are their rules and they make sense so common ground can not be found, in the end the result will still be that he is in the wrong.

"No, it's clear you already made up your minds. I came here with the intention to provide assistance because the serpent is a threat to us all but watching the fall of an entire race isn't something one gets to witness everyday. I can always deal with it after your people are decimated, let's go Jagu." Aron muttered bluntly and turned to leave but his words brought great anger to the acting chief.

He felt a great urge to just attack Aron in that very moment but he couldn't risk sustaining any injuries with what was happening so he only clicked his tongue in irritation and watched them leave.

"Judging by your expressions I'm guessing negotiations broke down?" Upon seeing Aron and Jagu emerge Jin came over and asked to which Aron nodded.

"Let's return, it's pointless to linger here any longer." Aron instructed and the group soon began to make their exit. During this time Jagu looked absolutely shaken.

Even Jin tried to reach out to him normally but he only remained quiet for the entirety of the journey.

Upon returning to the airship, everyone went their separate ways with their morale slightly decreased but more so everyone seemed genuinely concerned about Jagu who just isolated himself in his quarters.

....

Meanwhile as the sun was setting Aron and Lady Rose were the only two standing on the deck overlooking the situation. Even now she was controlling the scouter keeping the serpent deep under open waters to prevent it from being found.

"The search team has arrived in their locations, shall I?" Lady Rose asked while raising her other hand slowly.

"Yes, in the end it actually reached this point." Aron sighed and looked out into the far distance while Lady Rose raised her left hand before the glove there showed a glyph entirely different from that on the left.

This glyph began to grow brighter and brighter until Lady Rose muttered. "Invoke..."

In that moment, every member of the search team who had made it to their location had the runed orb they were carrying glow brightly with tiny cracks appearing on it's surface.

Before any of them could even understand what was happening, it shattered and a bright light emerged and shot up into the skies...

*boom!*

This light then suddenly expanded and turned into a vicious explosion that covered several tens of kilometers in radius.

The same thing happened in other locations all over the Komi Islands causing several mushroom clouds to be seen even from afar.