Avex heard the laughter behind him just as he was selecting bone needles in the tribal square.
"Is Avex shopping for his female?"
It was Dorek. He was always a loudmouth, but Avex usually showed patience toward him. Dorek was accompanied by a few other warriors, standing with their arms crossed over their chests, eyeing Avex with mocking glints in their eyes.
"Do you actually enjoy being with a useless female, Avex?" one of them sneered.
Dorek curled his lips, pressing further. "Did you really choose that fat, clumsy human girl? Or did you simply have no other choice? After all, even with your training, she couldn't possibly be salvaged."
Avex didn't answer. He tucked the needles into his belt and paid the merchant. But Dorek wouldn't stop.
"Is she even still alive?" he asked slyly. "Hasn't she killed herself yet, rather than being left alone with you?"
In that instant, the air grew heavy. Even the men who thought they were just joking among themselves tensed up. Everyone in the tribe knew Avex was patient, but these words...
Avex turned toward Dorek slowly. His voice came with a dangerous calm. "What did you say?"
Dorek took a step closer, tilting his head. "You heard me. That human girl will run from you too. She will either kill herself or beg you to kill her."
At that exact heartbeat, Avex moved. No one could truly see what happened. They only realized that, in a flash, Dorek was sent flying through the air, catching a brutal fist straight to his jaw before slamming onto the ground several meters away. Everyone in the vicinity froze. When Dorek's body hit the dirt, the sound echoed heavily. He wasn't moving.
A profound silence fell over the square, and then a few warriors lunged forward.
"Avex, you—"
As the men prepared to march upon Avex, a powerful voice thundered:
"Enough!"
It was Hakhshi. He parted the crowd, stepping in to stand right beside Avex. His eyes burned with fury.
"If you do not apologize for what you have done, I will go straight to the Chief," Hakhshi said sharply. "Before the tribal wars ended, every single one of you lived in his shadow. Is he suddenly cursed now? Back then, none of you dared to step forward."
No one spoke. The men looked at each other, and then down at Dorek, who lay motionless on the ground. None of them wanted to answer to the Chief.
Hakhshi spoke again, "Whose words do you think will look more honorable to the Chief? Avex's, or Dorek's?"
For a moment, everyone hesitated. Then, one of them lowered his head. "We apologize."
Avex said nothing. Clenching his fist, he turned and left the tribal square. A boiling rage still simmered deep within him.
He had endured so much. He had achieved countless victories just so his own people would accept him, just so he could build a family of his own—yet he was still despised. Once Umay had taken what she needed from him, she too would see him as a monster and abandon him. He refused to be used this time.
Nor did he want to exploit a woman who was simply trying to survive. He would never sacrifice anyone else to his own desires for the sake of a hopeless dream. He would turn her into the most desirable female in the tribe, and one day... he would watch her take her vows with someone else.
Though the thought sent a sharp pang through his heart, he swore he would never sacrifice another soul for his own illusions.