Origin

"Stay away from it!" the old hunter roared.

He yanked the terrified little Shaman over and shielded her tightly behind him.

"Earth Mother above!"

Tamara was equally stunned. She murmured the Earth Mother's name and cast Aldo a questioning look.

The old hunter shook his head grimly. He drew out an arrow and loaded his heavy crossbow, never taking his eyes off the pool of black, viscous liquid in the center of the tent.

"What... is that thing?"

Tamara's throat felt unbearably dry, while stormy waves had already risen in her heart.

She looked at Bashana with an urgent, searching gaze, but the intensity of it seemed to frighten the girl.

Panic filled the little Shaman's eyes. Tamara was frantic and could not help stepping closer, her movements growing hasty.

However, Aldo stopped her reckless advance.

He stood up, gently shook his head at Tamara, and wore an expression that brooked no argument.

Only then did Tamara realize how impatient she had been. She felt somewhat remorseful; she had actually acted far too forcefully toward a child, and the thought filled her with guilt.

The old hunter smiled and signaled for his companion not to worry.

He turned around, crouched down gently, and wiped the tears from the corner of the girl's eyes.

"Don't be afraid, brave child. No one here will force you to say anything..."

His voice was full of tenderness and pity, and that warmth gradually eased Bashana's unease.

"You must have seen something terrible..."

Like a grandfather comforting his beloved granddaughter, he gently drew the girl into his arms. "If you do not wish to speak of it, then do not think about it anymore. There is nothing shameful about that."

Tauren always looked a little simple and honest when they smiled, and the old hunter was no exception. He stroked the little Shaman's hair, a guileless smile on his face.

"You might not believe it, but when I was young, there were so many things I was afraid of..." His voice carried a trace of wistfulness and nostalgia, along with memories of distant days gone by.

The little Shaman timidly raised her head, disbelief filling her large, tearful eyes.

A look of reminiscence appeared in the old hunter's eyes. He scratched his head awkwardly, as though finding it hard to speak, but his face bore a happy expression.

"I was afraid of spiders, afraid of Thunder Lizards, and even afraid of the dark. When night came, I did not even dare go to the toilet."

"But I had a wise and kind mother. She always listened quietly to my complaints. Even when the other children mocked me for them, she would still listen earnestly..."

The old hunter tilted his head upward slightly, as though stepping back into memories of his youth. His mother's voice and smile rose in his mind, filling his voice with gentleness.

"She was a kind mother."

He lowered his head and looked into the little Shaman's large, watery eyes. With a simple smile, he touched her forehead. "Just as kind as you."

"She taught me that happiness is meant to be shared, and pain is meant to be borne together."

The old hunter smiled gently and said softly, "So, if you wish to share some of your pain, we will be here."

Bashana lowered her head deeply. When she raised it again, all the timidity on her face had vanished.

"Thank you. I understand now..." Little Bashana said softly, blushing.

As though trying to summon her courage, Bashana clenched her fists and took a deep breath.

Then, to her surprise, she found that her body had stopped trembling.

She turned to Aldo, then to Tamara, looking at the people who had given her courage before nodding heavily.

"I'm ready!"

Everyone's gaze focused once more on that horrifying sight,

and they all fell silent. This twisted thing, like half-melted asphalt mixed with crushed coal slag, flesh, and bones, was the Centaur corpse from before.

What lay before them was a vision straight from the depths of hell, an appearance formed from the gathering of thousands of nightmares. Simply meeting its gaze seemed enough to drive any sane person into the abyss of madness.

The little Shaman spoke with difficulty. "He... is no longer a normal living creature..."

Trembling, she threw out a totem, but before it could even draw near, it was instantly corrupted. The pure glow of the water element immediately vanished.

"This is an earth elemental construct, but elemental creatures do not have flesh and bones, so... so..."

Bashana felt her voice growing quieter and quieter. That terrible suspicion was becoming ever clearer, yet it stuck in her throat, impossible to utter.

Then Aldo's voice suddenly rang out.

"So... he was originally a person."

The old hunter sighed. Knowing how much courage the girl had needed, he patted her back and comforted her softly. "You have done very well, brave child. You have revealed the truth for us."

"Get some rest. Leave the rest to us..."

Yet Bashana stubbornly shook her head.

"No... I'm not done. What I mean is, this was a terrifying transformation."

She covered her face in anguish. "I do not know who did something so cruel to him, but without question, they desecrated the elements and twisted life itself. I will never forgive them!"

Tamara furrowed her brow in thought. She had always felt that she had heard similar words somewhere before, until Little Bashana's words suddenly reminded her.

"Twisted... desecrated... That's it!" Tamara's eyes lit up. "I remember Tally once told me that Moon brought back something very dangerous. Could this be related to that?"

"Aunt Tally?"

Bashana froze for a moment. She suddenly remembered the purpose of this journey and could not help feeling a little embarrassed. But when she thought of the little bull she cared about still being nowhere to be found, worry welled up in her heart again, leaving her tone somewhat listless.

"Teacher Moon did obtain something during his travels, but he said it was too dangerous and had to be entrusted to the High Priestess, so I do not know much about it either."

The girl paused. "But Aunt Tally is the High Priestess's apprentice. She must know something. Do you know where she is now?"

With a hint of longing, Bashana looked toward Tamara, hoping for the answer she wanted. But she was quickly disappointed, because Tamara did not know where Sian's mother was either.

"Don't lose heart, little Shaman." Tamara smiled and stroked the girl's forehead. "We can go find the High Priestess. If nothing unexpected has happened, Tally should be there too."

Upon hearing this, Aldo Thunderhorn coughed heavily twice, as though he had choked.

"That really doesn't sound like you." Tamara snickered. "Could it be that Aldo Thunderhorn is afraid to meet the teacher who taught him?"

Bashana's eyes widened in surprise. She had never known that Uncle Thunderhorn, who usually taught the little calves, had actually been the High Priestess's student.

Ignoring her companion's awkward expression, Tamara burst into laughter. "The High Priestess was still very young back then, and we were all mischievous little calves. Whenever our families were out herding, she was the one who looked after us."

She said nostalgically, "She took us to play on the hillsides, told us stories, taught us lessons, and stayed with us as we slowly grew up, just like Aldo does now."

"So, in the eyes of our generation, she is not only a great Shaman priestess but also a respected teacher. She taught us many truths about life, so everyone respects and likes her."

"But there were some particularly naughty little ones..."

As she said that, she cast a meaningful glance at Aldo Thunderhorn.

Who would have thought that, after several decades, the naughtiest little calf would inherit the duties of High Priestess Sauna Rivermane? The ways of the world were truly unpredictable.

Under Aldo's pleading gaze, Tamara smiled and shook her head, then turned to the little Shaman. "Enough about that. If you want to come with us, it isn't impossible..."

"Really?"

Bashana asked in delight. She had just been thinking of how to persuade them to take her along, yet Aunt Tamara had agreed outright. It was an unexpected blessing.

"Wait! Tamara, isn't this a little..."

Aldo hurriedly tried to stop her, but Tamara cut him off.

"What does it matter? You saw the fire in her eyes too, didn't you?"

"I think that even if we leave her behind now, she will find some way to follow us."

Tamara smiled. "When dealing with someone who has made up her mind, unless you tie her up, all you can do is cheer her on."

Aldo fell into an intense inner struggle.

He looked at Bashana and asked softly, "Child, are you sure?"

Bashana hesitated for a moment, then nodded firmly. "I'm sorry, Uncle Aldo, but I cannot stop here."

In the corner of the tent lay the body of the warrior who had sacrificed himself earlier.

Even in such difficult times, they had found a little time to arrange his appearance.

They quietly laid him on a grass mat in the corner and covered him neatly with clean linen. Though this could not let him return to the Earth Mother's embrace with dignity, it could at least allow him to leave with dignity.

"I just made a decision."

The girl nodded. Thinking of little Sian, she no longer embraced hesitation. "Someone once told me that if you have made up your mind to do something, then no matter how many hardships and dangers lie ahead, you must do it!"

"Because that way, even if you cannot succeed, at least you will have no regrets!"

Bashana turned around and looked at the body covered in white cloth, wondering whether a noble soul there was now making its way toward the land of the dead.

Her thoughts tugged at her heartstrings, and for no reason at all, she remembered many distant things—the Mulgore Grasslands from her dreams, the elements, her departed mother, the beautiful sunset...

She sighed. "I believe that in this disaster, I must have a responsibility of my own, so I have to do something!"

Her words rang with conviction. Even Tamara and Aldo were astonished by such unwavering determination.

Thus, Aldo no longer wished to dissuade her.

Tamara nodded. "In that case, help us with something. While we prepare to leave, there is one more task for you to complete."

"I'll give it everything I have!" Bashana said happily.

"Good..." A mysterious smile appeared on Tamara's face. "Go to the next tent and lead out my apprentice's Kodo Beast. Feed it plenty of grass. I have a feeling you will need it."

Bashana instantly became utterly embarrassed. She did not know exactly where she had given herself away.

"Go on, go on!" Tamara laughed. "Oh, and bring the little fellow's bow and arrows too. At a time like this, he must be on the southern highlands watching the sunset with my foolish son!"

Bashana turned and ran, fleeing like a startled rabbit.

Watching her energetic figure, Tamara seemed to see her former self. She softly asked Aldo beside her, "Come to think of it, why did you want to succeed the High Priestess?"

Aldo glanced back at his companion, then turned to watch the girl's retreating back. A simple, honest smile appeared on his broad Tauren face.

His original intention...?

He gently waved at the girl's back. "Because... I wanted to be like my teacher, to protect these lovely little calves well, forever and ever, without end..."

"For that, even if it costs me my life, I will have no regrets."