The rebels lit torches around the village and at its entrance. That small town was surrounded by a vast forest, cutting it off from a tiny, outdated city where the boys had been staying.

All the villagers were being cornered by a large crowd of those feared warriors, who were not only cruel and merciless, but also dressed in a bestial way that made them terrifying at a single glance.

Their necks were decorated with bones; they also wore nails through their noses and ears, exaggerated tattoos, and paint across their faces.

Those rebels were armed to the teeth, and their gazes radiated pure malice.

“Put the women and children...