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

Residents of rowdy fishing villages after knowing the death of Tangaroa, the leader of uluwero. Not only Anaru, but everyone in the village did not expect that even someone as strong as Tangaroa was finally defeated by the Evil Spirit. Six fishermen who sailed with Tangaroa that night witnessed the death of the strongest uluwero. Behind the bad news, there are also rumors of the power of Airyung who managed to defeat three kinokambe tails alone. Rumors soon circulated widely and made Airyung respected by the residents.

But these conditions did not make Airyung happy at all. The girl looked gloomy as if she had lost hope. He no longer knew where to find the owner of the Carnelian, the Aries Zodiac Warrior in the prophecy. If the mission fails, then the whole prophecy will be useless. He destroyed the hard work of all his comrades who went to eleven other tribes to escort the Zodiac Warriors. It has thwarted the opportunity for peace to come in the Luterian continent.

Anaru could no longer bear to see Airyung's depression. After two days of facing the gloomy Airyung and refusing to continue intensive training for Anaru, the young man finally went up.

“Why should Tangaroa die? Do we have to give up and surrender to be the food of the Evil Spirits? If you lose the Zodiac Warrior, you just make the people here strong enough to protect themselves!” exclaim an angry Anaru.

“It's not that easy, Anaru. Chogoru will never be destroyed unless the doors of the underworld are closed. They didn't die when I killed him. They simply vanished, back into the darkness. They could come again as long as the door of the underworld was still open. Only the twelve people in the prophecy could close it. Other than in that way, all our efforts will only be in vain. They are endless,” wailing Airyung.

Anaru clucked irritably at the sight of Airyung who was sitting gloomily on the straw of the feeding supplies for his horse. Residents who admired Airyung now also became very concerned about Tsagan, then flocked to send dry straw for them. If the sheep were still there, Anaru would have asked for an equally large share to feed the cattle.

“Absolutely you believe that Tangaroa is the man in the prophecy?” tanya Anaru again focused on Airyung's depression problem.

“If he is the strongest person here, it means he is the most worthy person to receive the power of the Zodiac Fighter.”

“Actually I do not understand the connection between the prophecy and the Zodiac Fighters in the past. Why are you so obsessed with power? People in the prophecy may not have physical strength, but have a pure kindness, or a holy soul, or whatever.” said Anaru still trying to persuade Airyung.

Airyung glanced at Anaru with a look of despair. “There really is such a person in Khitai? You are not even a tribe of holy virgins, why talk about purity of heart or purity of soul,” responded Airyung cynically.

“Not so, just from the prophecy you spoke, only said twelve people without referring specifically to twelve Zodiac Fighters,” refuted Anaru.

Airyung took a deep breath. He was lazy to argue with Anaru. But Airyung also knew how persistent and stubborn Anaru was when it came to his will.

“Twelve people who opened the gates of darkness in the past were the Zodiac Fighters of the previous generation. They were so greedy for power, that they tried to conquer the darkness by opening the sacred veil on the Coror Tree. But they all died swallowed by darkness. And the grace of the Zodiac power was destroyed with the darkness of their hearts,” finally Airyung explained at length. This story is not popular and only known by a few people.

“I never knew there was such a story before.”

“So therefore you are obsessed with people with great power,” comments Anaru later.

“I'm not obsessed!” shouted Airyung while glaring sharply at Anaru. “It's just reasonable logic. A Zodiac Warrior must certainly be strong.”

Anaru was twitching his temple which started to throb as it held back the anger. But he tried to restrain himself. He must be patient because Airyung certainly cannot be persuaded by anger. There is basically no one who can be persuaded by anger.

The point is Anaru still has to take the exam to become uluwero. And therefore he needs Airyung to train him to become stronger again. Unfortunately Anaru did not have the skills to persuade people well. The last time he persuaded his death to stop being a shepherd resulted in his expulsion from the house. Even his parents no longer recognized him as a child.

At any rate, this time Anaru must succeed in persuading Airyung. The strongest woman he ever met who is now sulking like a child who lost his toy. Not that Anaru underestimated the prophecy or anything. Anaru was just trying to be optimistic. At least if he was strong enough, he could protect his tribe until the end of his life.

“I know you must be very disappointed with this incident, and maybe you're also losing hope now. There is so much uncertainty in this world. Uncertainty can lead to the possibility of another hope. If you give up now just because of the death of the person you thought was the right person, you might lose the right person.

“Ehawee tribe forecast is unlikely to break that easily, Airyung. You have to trust the power of the prophecy itself,” said Anaru who surprisingly could put out very wise words of persuasion. Desperate circumstances seemed to be able to change his war to be softer and more understanding.

Even Airyung was quite stunned by the words of consolation of Anaru. He grunted slowly and then began to giggle amusedly.

“I did not expect such words to come out of your mouth,” Airyung said still half laughing. “Although I know you said it solely so that I can still help you pass the uluwero selection, but I still thank you. I appreciate your efforts to calm me down. I think you did quite well,” closed Airyung with a knotty smile.

“So you will still train me, ‘kan?” ask Anaru while grimacing.

“You how else. I made a promise to the most stubborn man in the world. You can follow me to the grave if I do not obey you,” said Airyung while moving from the dry straw where he sat.

“Let's go back to your village. I'll train you harder after this. Get ready,” said Airyung who now looks a little more cheerful. Anaru nodded in satisfaction in response. 

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