RAIWAN AGAINST THE DIVINE

Chapter 22: Among the Wydrhoards

Raiwan woke up early in the morning, and unlike the previous day, he didn't linger in bed. He stood up and went directly to the toilet.

Five minutes later, he emerged.

Just like yesterday, he found Manika in the kitchen, but this time, she had already finished washing the dishes. So, the only thing he helped her with was preparing breakfast.

Soon, they were done. They arranged the food on the dining table just as Malina and her father entered, both with dark circles under their eyes.

After exchanging greetings, they settled into their seats.

Raiwan glanced at Malina and her father, wondering,

Is this their normal routine?

Back at home, Lisa and Rahiq would prepare breakfast together, while he was the one always sleeping until it was ready.

It seemed Ankas enjoyed his sleep too—at least until he could no longer resist the aroma of Manika's cooking.

Well… that changes now. I'm going to help her from now on.

They chatted casually as they ate.

During breakfast, Ankas learned how Raiwan had handled the dragon head—or rather, the worm ass. He was surprised by Raiwan's strength but reminded him to be careful and to avoid unnecessarily initiating trouble with others.

Afterward, everyone took turns showering.

Raiwan dressed in a gray tunic embroidered with simple patterns, loose knee-length trousers, and a pair of sandals. It was the last outfit from the ones they had bought the previous day at The Unique Dress House, as he had already worn the other one.

In the parlor, Malina dragged Ankas's bag to the door. He took it from her while listening to something Manika was whispering in his ear. He nodded, kissed her forehead, ruffled Malina's hair, and waved at Raiwan before heading off to work.

Now left alone in the house, the three of them settled in the parlor. Manika brought out her leather bag, stuffed to the brim with the fabrics they had purchased yesterday.

She carefully pulled out the pieces and started sewing them together with expert precision, her hands moving effortlessly with the needle and thread.

Raiwan sat beside her, watching intently, while Malina sat across from them, engrossed in a book.

Time passed, and soon, the sun was high in the sky.

Manika yawned, gathered all the clothing pieces, and placed them back in her bag. Raiwan was surprised to see that in just a few hours, she had already finished sewing a shirt—one that fit him perfectly when he tried it on.

After putting the bag away in her room, she went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

An hour later, the meal was ready—a simple yet satisfying dish of rice with stew, a side of salad, and a glass of orange juice. They enjoyed their meal together, while Ankas's portion was stored in a flask and kept in the kitchen.

Now full, Raiwan and Malina went outside. Malina invited Abril and Sulail, and together, they all headed into the woods.

They walked, ran, and occasionally chased one another, laughing as they went.

Eventually, they found themselves deep in the forest, where they stumbled upon something extraordinary—three massive trees. Raiwan was left in awe.

He had never seen anything so colossal in his life.

Each of the three trees was as thick as a giant's finger, their towering branches piercing the clouds. Their massive canopies cast immense shadows over the surroundings, allowing only thin rays of sunlight to filter through.

The trees had white bark, as if wrapped in a coat of pure snow, and their leaves were a deep, raw red—strangely enough, not a single one was dry or had fallen to the ground.

Raiwan looked up and had an odd thought.

If one of these leaves fell on me, it could probably cover me like a giant blanket… And getting out of it wouldn't be easy.

Taking a deep breath, he sat down, absorbing the serene atmosphere and the majestic presence of the trees.

He whispered,

"This… all of this feels… serendipitous."

The others also sat down, basking in the tranquil moment.

Time ticked by in silence.

Then, Abril broke it.

"They're called the Wyrdhoards."

Raiwan turned to him, his gaze full of unspoken questions.

Abril hesitated for a moment before explaining,

"It's a term used for mystical treasures captured during supernatural battles."

Raiwan's confusion deepened. Seeing it, Abril sighed and elaborated,

"There's a legend that, in ancient times, a war broke out between the races of giants in the sky. Many teeth were broken during those battles, and when they fell to the land of Subraata, they took root. After years of rainfall, they grew into these giant trees."

Raiwan chuckled.

"That explains why they're white."

The others laughed along with him.

Then, a thought crossed Raiwan's mind—he remembered the teeth he had knocked out the previous day.

Would they grow into trees too? He smirked at the absurdity.

Suddenly, Malina stood up and grabbed his arm.

"Come on, let me show you something," she said.

Raiwan looked at her in surprise but didn't resist, following her lead. The others trailed behind.

They walked for nearly fifteen minutes, circling around the central tree, until they reached the other side.

Raiwan's mouth dropped open.

"Wow!" he gasped.

His hand traced the red carvings embedded in the tree's bark, feeling the solid, rough texture of the fissures. He turned to his friends.

"Did you do this?"

"Yes!" they answered in unison.

Raiwan was stunned—not by the supernatural, but by his friends' work. The carvings looked almost natural, as if they were an inseparable part of the tree.

Painstakingly etched into the bark were gigantic letters from the Samisir language—the letter M and the symbol ã. Together, they formed Ma, the first letters of Malina's name.

What truly amazed Raiwan was the sheer scale of it—the carvings were as large as an entire tree themselves.

The character consisted of a prominent diagonal stroke, symbolizing the "a" sound, intersecting with an intricate, flowing design forming the "M." The elegant, curved strokes gave it symmetry and fluidity, blending sharp precision with soft ornamental loops. The entire design was visually striking, balanced, and harmonious.

Raiwan inhaled deeply.

"You guys are really something," he muttered.

Abril pointed at the tree to their right.

"That one's mine."

Then he pointed to the tree on their left.

"And that's Sulail's."

Malina moved closer to the tree.

"If you want, you can carve yours above mine," she suggested. "After all, there are only three trees."

Raiwan glanced at the massive rope ladder tied securely to the tree. It had to be Ankas's work.

"The ladder isn't long enough."

"Don't worry," Malina reassured him. "Dad will fix that when he has time."

Just then, they heard footsteps approaching.

Turning simultaneously, they saw a group of ten people, ranging from their twenties to forties, all carrying enchanted weapons—axes, swords, daggers, and more.

As the group passed, Raiwan and the others greeted them.

However, one of them stayed behind.

A tall, handsome young man with curly brown hair.

He looked at Malina and smirked.

"Malina, when are you going to give me the secret? I swear, I'll buy it at any price."

Malina shrugged.

"I told you—it's not for sale."

"Then what do you want me to do?"

"Wait until I'm done with mine."

"What if you die before then?"

"Then blame fate."

He scowled.

"I'll blame you."

Then he smiled.

"Anyway, don't die."

Malina waved.

"You too."

Abril and Sulail exchanged a glance.

"Eighty-three," they murmured in unison.

Raiwan frowned.

"What's eighty-three?"

Sulail smirked.

"That was the eighty-third time they had this exact conversation, word for word."

Raiwan stared at them.

"And you two counted? You're all crazy."

They scoffed.