The plains were their home, and everything they needed came from the plains.
Procuring food was easy for Nayavu, as he had been practicing it ever since he was young. However, holding on to said food proved to be a more difficult challenge.
"I can't believe they had the time to steal it…" Nayavu said as he stared at the wolves who were crossing the horizon with his dinner.
"At least they did not attack you. You should be more careful with how you store the food. You've just left it in the open for them to smell it."
"You're right. I'm sorry, Tatanka… I messed up with the food you've helped me cook…"
"Hm. It's OK. There was not much left. But I can't have you pass this trial until you prove you can keep yourself fed."
"Haha! Don't worry about that!" the young man said with confidence. I can catch another one just as fast!"
"Good," Tatanka answered. "But first, we change our location. The wolves discovered this one. Pick a way."
"Oh… right. Then, how about we go higher up?"
Even though Nayavu sought confirmation of his proposal, the huge man did not respond. Instead, he grabbed his baggage and stood in wait, waiting for the boy to lead the way.
"Figures. Counting today and last night, you spoke in two days more than you usually do in a week."
While the average wolf pack was not strong enough to pose a threat to either of the two, it was enough trouble to determine them to move. Injuries were not their main concern, but they were on the animal's territory. The moment they became unwelcome, it was time to leave.
"Unlike those greedy Remans," Nayavu said to himself.
Upon regaining his memories, the deep hatred he felt for the country of Rema felt out of place. Rema had been repeatedly attacking Inyankara for years now. Under the excuse of finding settlement, they had already conquered and enslaved half the country.
Nayavu knew the result of this conquest. He knew that the lands of Inyankara would soon be fully occupied by the usurpers, and this made him even more bitter towards the nation, but having lived as a rich Reman not long ago, all his hatred culminated in confusion.
Maybe I can do something to stop them…
A silly thought. Rema was way more advanced as a nation. Even if magic was also crucial, technology and warfare strategies gave them an overwhelming advantage—too much for one person to turn around.
"Given enough time, any rock exposed to water will be weathered away," Nayavu whispered to himself.
From behind him, a deep sigh resounded. Tatanka seemed to have heard him and quickly caught on. He was a smart man. He probably already knew how this war would end. His reaction in that moment confirmed it.
However, the young man would not lose his momentum. Maybe this was his chance to grasp at an ending he could be proud of. After so many failures, maybe this death, even if seemingly unavoidable, could at least feel fulfilling.
*****
The strong wind left cuts on Nayavu's skin as he carefully trod the edge of a wide canyon that separated the plains.
"Tatanka! We are in conquered territory once we get up. Are you sure you're okay with that?"
No answer came from the man.
"Fine. Just make sure you don't deduct some of my points for it!"
The joke was made to lighten the mood, as Nayavu felt painfully uncomfortable. The strong winds awoke unpleasant memories.
"Ah… Won't my memory capacity ever hit a ceiling? It would be great if I could forget only the things I want to…" the young man sighed, but he knew that it wouldn't work.
"Nope! I only remember things at random. There's no way it would just fill up. Wait, will it hit capacity right as I am about to get my full power? How lame would that be."
The image of a failed power-up transformation both amused and worried Nayavu. Behind him, however, Tatanka displayed only a troubled expression because of the boy who wouldn't stop talking to himself.
"Ok, Tatanka! We're almost up!"
With one last push, the two finally managed to climb up the steep edge of the canyon all the way up to the plains, but what they saw there left them with their mouths gaping.
"No way…" Nayavu said, amazed. "What happened here?"
Instead of the tall grass plains that should have stretched to the horizon, the land appeared scorched, with shattered guns and artillery thrown around.
"This is…"
"Reman…" the large man interrupted.
Of course, Nayavu had no trouble recognizing Reman weaponry, but the devastated plains were not part of his expectations.
"A battlefield…" Tatanka continued.
"I can see that. But what led to such destruction?"
Even for the man who could control multiple elements and awaken small tornadoes, the size of the battlefield was too much.
"I couldn't throw a stone to the other side of this even if I gave it my all!"
Of course, that was a lie meant to keep him on the same level as the Nayavu of a couple of days prior. That being said, while throwing a single stone across some ten kilometers of burnt ground was within his power, producing such disasters was far outside his reach.
I can imagine only one man who could do so much damage. As this thought crossed his mind, the sharp winds of the plains seemed to cut even deeper into his neck.
"Look! On that mountain!" Tatanka said, interrupting his pondering. "The Thunderbird."
That explained it. As Nayavu fixed his gaze on the peak of a distant mountain, he saw a flash of lightning cross the sky—a sky on which not a single cloud could be seen.
This was not his first time hearing about the thunderbird. Many people in his tribe spoke about it, and many people in Inyankara either revered or feared the beast.
"And it's not alone."
The perceptive Tatanka continued his observation. On the same peak, another flash of lightning clashed with the one produced by the thunderbird, creating a breathtaking painting of abstract blue and purple across the sky.
"Are there two of them?" Nayavu asked in surprise.
"That can't be. The thunderbird hasn't ever given birth. It should be cursed to roam the skies all alone for eternity."
"Then what—"
Nayavu did not finish his question. He understood what was happening.
"A representative…" he said.
"Hm?"
"Oh… nothing… just blabbering by myself."
The young man decided to keep his discovery to himself. Even if he'd recently seen one of those monsters for the first time across his lives, there must have been a reason for their identity to remain hidden.
After all, that wind bastard was scary enough. I wonder how the army even got him to lend a hand.
"This place is not safe anymore. Let's go back, Nayavu…"
It was the first time Nayavu saw the great Tatanka-Ska genuinely worried. On one side, he found it funny. On the other, his mentor's fear was enough to make the young man shiver as he lost himself in thought.
Two forces of nature. One of them holds perfect control over electricity, and the other is a beast purely made of it. I wonder what caused them to clash. No, I wonder what will happen once one of them comes out on top.
*****
The very sky was being ripped apart with every strike. From the top of the mountain, the two entities could see the whole continent, yet it mattered little to them. The incoming Reman ships and the peaceful Inyankaran villages were all but specks of dust in front of the two.
From there, high up in the sky, among thunder that did not have clouds as its source, a woman wearing a foreign helmet gazed upon the two Inyankarans who had just visited the scorched lands her fight had left behind.
"So I'm next," she said in a serious, almost displeased tone.
The sheer strength emanating from her was enough to keep herself afloat, as her understanding of electromagnetism was far above anyone else's.
As soon as she faced the beast again, she switched up her attitude to one brimming with strength and excitement.
"See that, bird? That can only spell trouble. So you better quit acting up and give in!"
In response, the bird let out a loud screech, similar to that of a hawk upon completing a successful hunt.
"Haha! I figured you wouldn't go down that easy! Come on then!"
It did not take long for them to resume their battle. Thunder resounded as the two clashed once again, stones floating around them as they lunged at each other.
That was the sign of times changing, for they both knew that when a representative and a beast meet, an unending battle starts.
And so, the woman screamed:
"A battle of ages! A battle of life and death! A battle for the gods!"