JFFD : War Of Red Sky

Their steps finally came to a halt at the edge of a cliff that opened to a vast stretch of ocean. The waves crashed rhythmically, pounding the rocky base below with a deep, echoing roar. The sea stretched endlessly. No boats. No signs of life. Just water, as far as the eye could see.

Rogg stood still, his eyes fixed on the horizon. Behind him, Yara sat on a large rock, letting the sea breeze toss her hair.

"So… this is it?" Yara murmured.

Rogg nodded slowly. "For now, yes. This is the edge of the world for us."

Yara raised an eyebrow. "You sure? What if there's land beyond that sea? Or even another kind of life?"

"Maybe," Rogg replied, voice steady. "But we can't go any further. Not now. The sea's too wide. And we have no way of crossing it."

Yara looked down at the shoreline below the cliff. "Then maybe we go down? We could take shelter there for the night."

"No," Rogg said firmly. "The waves are too strong. The cliffs are steep, and we don't know what's down there. Better to stay up here till morning. We'll find another path."

Yara nodded, then paused before asking, "Rogg… this journey of ours… is it only about survival, or is there something more you're looking for?"

Rogg turned to her, his expression softening. "I'm looking for Guava Valley. That's where my uncle lives—if he's still alive. My father called him 'Little Eagle.'" He reached beneath his collar and pulled out a necklace with a coin-shaped pendant. "This belonged to my father. Half was given to me. The other half… to Robb, my brother. I'm hoping this will help me find our uncle."

Yara stared at the necklace. "So… you're still searching for Robb? The other half is still missing?"

"Robb disappeared years ago, after the mountain erupted. I don't know if he's alive. But I have to believe."

A faint smile crossed Yara's lips, though sadness lingered in her eyes. "And… me? Am I part of this search?"

Rogg shrugged, then gave her a half-smile. "I want you with me. One day... our children should know where they came from."

Yara choked. "Sorry, what? Our children?"

"You heard me," Rogg said, barely containing his laugh.

Yara turned away, her face burning red. "You can't just throw things like that out there. What is this—a half-asleep proposal?"

Rogg chuckled. "You look cute when you're angry."

"Idiot!" Yara snapped, smacking his shoulder.

Rogg pretended to wince. "Ow! Was that a slap or a rock?"

Yara scoffed. "I'd rather wrestle a crocodile than marry you."

"But you will marry me," Rogg said with a straight face.

Yara didn't answer. Instead, she stepped closer, and without warning, hugged him tightly. Silence fell.

"I… just don't want you to leave," she whispered. "I've lost too much already."

Rogg wrapped his arms around her, gently patting her back. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm here. For you."

They stood there, holding each other, grounding themselves at the edge of the world they knew.

That night, after building a small fire, they sat side by side on a makeshift mat woven from palm leaves.

Yara stared into the flames, her voice quiet but steady. "I'm sorry about your brother. And your family. I know that kind of pain doesn't go away."

Rogg said nothing.

"You've been strong enough to survive. But no matter how strong we are… the world keeps testing us," Yara continued.

Rogg turned to her, eyes sharp. "Could you not interrupt when I'm sinking into my sorrow?"

Yara snorted. "If I don't, you'll end up brooding alone."

Rogg leaned over and tugged her ear. "You're annoying."

"Oww!" Yara bit his shoulder hard enough to make him wince.

"Your teeth are like a tiger's! You trying to eat me?"

Yara grinned. "If you run from reality, I will eat you alive."

Rogg laughed. "You're scarier than a Lagosh."

They laughed together, letting the tension and weight of their past dissolve beneath the stars and the sound of waves.

Rogg turned. "Are you enjoying tonight?"

Yara crossed her arms. "You ask that like you don't already know the answer."

"So… that's a yes."

"No. I'm just teasing you," she replied, chuckling.

Later, Rogg arranged a bed of leaves and branches, setting it in a wind-sheltered spot near the cliff wall. But as he prepared to lie down, Yara suddenly slid in and took over.

"Ahh! Not bad. Thanks!" she said, sticking out her tongue.

"Hey! That's my spot! I made it!"

"Then come take it back," Yara teased, patting the space beside her.

Eventually, Rogg gave up and lay beside her with a long sigh.

"Hug me if you get cold," he said half-jokingly.

"If I hug you, it's not because I'm cold. It's to make sure you don't run away in the middle of the night."

Rogg chuckled. "If I do, you can bite me again."

Yara looked into his eyes and whispered, "You know, Rogg… I won't let you disappear. Not now. Not after everything."

And beneath a star-filled sky, at the edge of the world they'd known, two wounded souls found something they hadn't had in a long time: a place to belong, and someone to belong to.

That morning, just as the sun began to rise over the hills, Rogg was packing up their belongings, preparing to continue their journey. But suddenly, from the distance, came a strange and unsettling noise.

Howls of wild beasts mixed with the shouts of men. These weren't ordinary cries—they were laced with rage, pain, and threats. The clash of weapons rang out clearly, echoing all the way to where they stood.

Rogg froze, his eyes fixed on the opposite ridge.

"That's... the sound of battle," he murmured, then immediately slung his spear over his shoulder.

"Rogg, wait!" Yara called out, rushing to grab his arm. "Where are you going? We don't even know what's happening out there."

"I just want to see. From a distance," Rogg replied as he gently pulled his hand free.

"If you're going, I'm going too," Yara said firmly.

Rogg looked at her and shook his head. "It'll be easier for me to move alone."

"And it'll be easier for me to die if you leave me behind," Yara snapped back, eyes defiant.

Rogg sighed, then nodded. "Fine. But we stay in the shadows. No one can see us."

From behind the shrubs near the cliff's edge, they watched the chaos unfold below. Two tribes were locked in fierce combat—the Balevad Tribe and the Migase Tribe.

"This is... a massacre," Yara whispered.

Rogg narrowed his eyes. "They're using real weapons. This isn't a drill. This is war."

Dozens of Balevad warriors charged the Migase stronghold on the Kavusi Ridge. Their muscular bodies were marked with war paint; they carried swords, spears, and clubs. Some even rode into battle on wild beasts—wolves, tamed tigers, and lions that attacked without hesitation.

On the other side, the Migase tribe held their ground with everything they had. They were smaller in build, but their courage was fierce. They lit fires with whale fat, creating walls of flame to keep the beasts at bay.

"They're defending their fortress and the descent trail," Rogg explained quietly. "It's the only way to their village and hunting lands."

Yara clutched Rogg's hand. "No matter what happens, we must not get involved."

"I know," Rogg replied softly. But his face was tense, eyes fixed on the battle.

The wooden fortress of Migase was being pounded relentlessly. Giant Balevad warriors slammed the main gate with massive hammers, while others flanked the ridge to climb over rocky ledges.

One of Migase's leaders, a young man around twenty-five, stood at the front line wielding a massive spear. Blood covered his face, but his gaze blazed with fire.

"Hold the line! Don't let them pass!" he shouted. "We fight for our homes, for our mothers, for our children!"

His cry was met with roars of defiance from the Migase warriors. They fought with every ounce of strength left in them, using rocks and walls to make a desperate stand.

But they were outnumbered. One by one, Migase fighters fell. The ground grew slick with blood. Death screams began to replace the cries of resistance.

One heavily wounded Migase warrior crawled between the Balevad troops. His hand trembled as he reached for his broken spear. Slowly, he stood, eyes burning as the enemy approached.

"I won't back down…" he whispered, before screaming, "NEVER!"

In an instant, the Balevad warriors descended on him. His body hit the ground hard. Still. Silent.

Rogg held his breath. "Their courage... it's incredible," he whispered.

"But they're outmatched," Yara murmured. "Look—more and more are falling. They won't last much longer."

"They know that," Rogg replied. "But they're still standing."

The Migase fortress now lay fully visible from where they hid.

"Rogg," Yara whispered, "we have to go. We're too close. If either side sees us, they'll think we're enemies."

Rogg kept staring, eyes sharp. "They're not just fighting to survive. They're fighting for honor."

Yara gripped his arm. "That's not our fight. You can't save everyone."

"I know," Rogg murmured. Then he turned to her. "Let's go. Now."

They slipped away quietly, retreating along the narrow path to safer ground. But in Rogg's mind, the cries of battle echoed on.

And for Rogg, the battle on that hill left a mark—a new understanding. That the world wasn't just filled with beasts and the dangers of nature, but also with people willing to die for something they loved.