Sign of the Zodiac: Aries
[Sign 1: Aries] Tangaroa

Three days passed quickly. Airyung did not waste his time at all. He rode all day and stopped at lunch. When it got dark, Airyung stopped his journey and started training Anaru with various heavy objects – stone, coral or wood – tethered to his arms and legs. Airyung began to teach the basic moves of the attack and the horses were good. Every now and then Airyung began to seriously attack Anaru to train the young man's defense. But it was always blessed with the body of Anaru who was thrown three meters away, making his back bruised for kissing the ground many times.

Airyung's physical strength cannot be underestimated. After riding all day, Airyung still able to train Anaru until far night. Then in the morning blind the girl had already woken up to distill the dew even before the sun had completely risen. Airyung's life rhythm inevitably affects Anaru. Although he initially suffered pain all over his body, especially the hips and back due to the effects of relentless riding, but Anaru finally got used to it.

Their journey west through the coastal route. There are not many settlements they pass through. Sometimes they meet the uluwero. But these uluwero did not hinder their journey at all. It seemed like the news spread quickly on this small island. Everyone they met already knew about Airyung's mission of finding the Zodiac Fighters in the Khitai tribe. Therefore, most of them actually greet Airyung kindly.

The night of the third day has gone down. In accordance with Airyung's prediction, they had already reached their destination on the third day at dusk. A small fishing village welcomed their arrival. The uluwero guards invited Anaru and Airyung into the village without much question. They also prepare a residence in one of the houses of residents who are old enough.

“I am looking for Tangaroa, your leader who is reportedly here,” said Airyung to one of the uluwero guards who was driving him to the house where they would stay.

“Tangaroa go to sea today. He just left. Maybe it will come back early in the morning,” replied uluwero with a lion tattoo on his left shoulder. The tattoo extends to his back and legs. Various shapes of large and small lions neatly arranged to form a beautiful pattern on the body of the uluwero. The half-body figure shows that the position of the uluwero is quite important. In Khitai, the diagram is a marker of the position of strength. The more the tattoo is broken on the body, the stronger the person is.

Airyung complained slowly because he had to wait again. But he said nothing until they arrived at the house where they were going to live. Unlike the Ngaio residence, the houses in this village are much smaller and somewhat reot. The sheep cages turned into small gardens containing low-growing greenery. The house they would live in was among the cleanest among the others. Even so, the supporting wood looks weathered because of age.

A grizzled old woman walks out of the house to greet them. The uluwero explained to the woman in Khitai language about his newly arrived guests. The old woman nodded, smiled and greeted them in Khitai. Anaru returned his greeting in the same language.

“Argh my back..” groaned Anaru while twitching his back. He then splashed down on the long bamboo chair beside the room. Airyung, on the other hand, was stripping his horse of a saddle and hanging leather pockets. Tsagan then taped it to an empty cage that seemed to be a former sheepfold that had not been used for a long time.

“Let's continue training on the beach while waiting for Tangaroa,” take Airyung later.

“Can't we rest for a while. My waist feels like it's going to break,” whining Anaru.

Airyung let out a short breath in response. “How are you going to be strong if you're this lazy,” said Airyung.

Anaru sighed in despair. Luckily his condition was saved by the arrival of the old lady of the house owner.

“Tone kao horoi katu kai he roto[1],” says the woman.

“Maruui [2],” reply Anaru sumringah. “She told us to take a shower then dinner, Airyung. We must not reject the kindness of parents who have struggled to prepare food,” continued Anaru cheerfully because he managed to get a reason to delay his training time with Airyung.

...***...

... ...

The waves became their training ground that night. On the wet white sand, Anaru put up the horses. The ocean seemed to sparkle due to the crescent moonlight shining in the sky.

“Remove your left leg again! Bend knees deeper!” airyung shouted the command.

Anaru according. His arms and legs were now being crushed using sharp hard rocks on each side. The skin of his arm was injured and bruised due to hard training using corals. The pain grew more and more into every wave of sea water sweeping the beach and splashing about it. But Anaru chose to endure all forms of torment.

“Now attack my left side with your right hand. Do it quickly so I can't dodge,” Airyung command again.

Anaru launched a punch of his right hand as fast as he could. Airyung dodged with flickers. But Anaru was inexhaustible, had not finished his left hand punch reaching Airyung's body, Anaru immediately maneuvered then changed his attack by turning his body and launching a kick with his left foot. This attempt seemed unexpected by Airyung. The girl was hit by an Anaru kick with a slump then pushed about a meter, before finally being able to control herself and still stand though somewhat staggered.

“Good Anaru! What an incredible maneuver. You can already think fast to attack the open. Your movement is also getting faster despite using a rock ballast,” praise Airyung who looks satisfied.

Anaru gasped with a dashed breath from exhaustion. But the compliment was enough to blow his heart. It felt like all his fatigue and hard work paid off when he heard Airyung's little praise.

“But don't be satisfied quickly. Your journey is still long to be strong,” said Airyung reminded, then re-installed the horses to prepare to attack.

However, not until Airyung launched an attack, suddenly the atmosphere of the beach changed. The moonlight dimmed, as if there were dark clouds marching across the sky. The sea seemed deserted and the ripples of water no longer sparkled. The bonfire that Airyung ignited dimmed quickly, almost dying. Airyung immediately turned wary. Instinctively he knew what was approaching them. Anaru who has experienced something similar is also wary. Soon, a more dangerous threat may come.

...***...

[1] Please wash yourself and have dinner inside.

[2] Thanks.