It was not easy for him. but one by one, he removed the flower petals.


    As he did it, a smile was stered on his face.


    As far as he was concerned, it was all for love.


    Everyone burst into loudughter.


    Dn suddenly felt a pull at his hair.


    He was thrown backwards.


    He was surprised by this. It was a friend of his. He too was a farm boy like Dn. His name was Deamon.


    Deamon looked at his friend and sighed lowly.


    "What the hell do you think you are doing Dn?"


    "I''m proving my love for Carren!"


    "Proving your love!? are a retard to you are attempting a position as one."


    "But shaman Gordon said that love is an action word. A man must prove his love to his woman. That way, she will see and she will..."


    "She will what!?" Dn asked, "Look around you, they have had their fill ofughter so much that they have already left."


    Dn turned. Truly, Carren and her friends had walked away.


    He had been so carried away with doing a diligent job that he had not noticed their exit.


    Dn frowned at Deamon, "Damn it Deamon! see what you have caused. I couldn''t prove my love for her, and now she''s gone!"


    Dn rushed to his feet. However, Deamon caught him by his hair. "Where do you thing you are going!?"


    "To get her, of course!" Dn shook himself loose and ran after her.


    Deamon frowned, "Just make sure youe back home. Shaman Gordon is expecting a guest and we still have the harvest to FINISH!!"


    Deamon screamed at the running Dn.


    Deamon sighed as he facepalmed, "This boy! he will be the death of me."


    He gave onest look at Dn before going home.


    ....


    In this little town sometimes regarded as a vige, sat a Temple.


    Just like all the other temples in the Vandora kingdom, it was made as a ce where the people of thend coulde andmune together in the worship of the Bear mother.


    The temple also performed hospitable duties, such as taking in lone boys and girls. Children that had been orphaned. It provided a ce for them in this daunting society.


    Even going so far as to teach them how to cultivate.


    Many stories had been born from orphans that grew up in this temple. Many of them were bad.


    But for those that were good, they were very good.


    Some had evene out as outstanding heroes in the society.


    These Heroes always speak of their


    The person in charge of this temple was Shaman Gordon.


    At the moment, it was somewhat getting dark.


    And a particrly important guest had arrived.


    The reason for his arrival was to recruit foot soldiers for the uing War with the Hunter Tribes, the Chand Kingdom and the Beast-man Kingdom.


    Naturally, Orphanages such as these were  considered first.


    After all, this was a ce with ''fresh'' blood.


    At the moment, Shaman Gordon was having a friendly chat with the captain from the army that hade for this particr task.


    "So you are saying that for now, you only need ten boys?" Shaman Gordon asked.


    Shaman Gordon was an elderly man. He had ran this Temple for many many years as it''s head.


    Teaching and training the next generation was his life''s work.


    "Yes!" the captain Timi nodded. "The war this time around was announced without much preparations. We will take what we can manage now. Depending on how it ys out, we might evene back for more," Captain Timi gave the old man a knowing look.


    Shaman Gordon sighed at this, "Well, let''s hope it does note to that. This children are not from my blood, by I consider them as my own children."


    Captain Timi nodded in understanding.


    "I''ll try as best I can to make sure that does not happen. So where are the boys?"


    Shaman Gordon waved his fingers and the totem of a bird flew out from it to the lock of a twin door in the corner of the room.


    Immediately, the lock on the door opened and the eaves droppers fell out of it.


    Captain Timi saw the young boys and he nodded at them.


    "Line up Boys!" Shaman Gordon ordered.


    Immediately, the boys formed a straight line.


    Captain Timi stood from his seat.


    As a captain in the Army, he was an officer of incredible standing.


    His tunic was spotless. On his chest was the proud Insignia of the Vandora kingdom.


    He was not so tall, but in the eyes of these children that were barely fifteen to sixteen of age, he was practically a person to be worshipped.


    He walked close to them, observing their hands, shoulders, thighs, muscle tones, e.t.c.


    "You stand aside! you too! and you!!" he picked them one after the order.


    And the stopped in front of Deamon.


    "Join them!"


    Deamon was thest person that was picked.


    Just then, Dn rushed into the room.


    He had followed Carren back to her house and was chased out of thepound by her father''s guards.


    pàпdá-ň?νêι.сóМ He waited outside, and even sang loud poems to show his seriousness without a shred of shame.


    He had gotten carried away and forgotten about the important guest that shaman Gordon was expecting.


    By the time he remembered, it was already getting dark.


    immediately, he ran back home and had just made it when the Captain had picked thest person.


    "I''m sorry I''mte!" he breathed heavily, "I had erm... erm something important to do. Yeah! I did."


    "Hmmm!" Captain Timi raised a brow at him, and the rolled his eyes, "don''t worry, it doesn''t matter. I have already taken all I need."


    "Huh!?"


    "What the captain means is that only ten is required for now, and he has already picked his ten!" Shaman Gordon Exined.


    "But...but I can do this. Please sir! look at me. I always make the most during the harvesting of the fields. I''m also a good hunter, and I... I have..."


    Captain Timi, paused in his steps and turned to Dn, "Oh really! Assuming I consider and take you with me, can you tell me a good reason why you want to go to war?"


    Dn nodded, "Yes sir! I... I want to go so that I cane back and marry Carren!"


    *Laughter!*


    The other boys burst into augh, and even Shaman Gordon massaged his temple slowly.


    while Deamon rolled his eyes at his friend''s vain and narrow ambition.


    Surprisingly, the captain alsoughed loudly, and then, he suddenly frowned. He came close to Dn and grabbed by his ragged shirt.


    *SLAP! SLAP!!*


    The Captain gave Dn resounding ps that made him bleed.


    Even the Shaman was taken back by this.


    "What an ignorant fool! You want to throw your life for the attention of a woman. I have seen many like you. You throw your life away to prove yourself while this so called woman goes on and warm''s another man''s bed!"


    Although Dn was surprised about the p, he did not like the fact that the captain had just insulted his love, and he threw a punch for the captain''s face.


    However, the captain caught it in mid air and the next thing Dn knew was that he was seeing the world upside down.


    *Bam!* Dn hit his back heavily on the ground.


    Captain Timi squat close to him, "trust me kid, war is not for your type. Going into battle for a woman that does not love you is not the way to prove yourself."


    Captain Timi turned to the boys.


    "We leave for the barracks in the morning. Get your things together before then!"


    He turned to the Shaman and bowed at him before turned and exited.


    The moment he was gone, the kids that had been selected celebrated while those that had not been celebrated were down with sadness.


    Dn on the other hand,y on the ground thinking how he had just missed this opportunity.


    Suddenly, a hand was stretched to him. It was Deamon, e on! get up pig brain!"


    Dn sighed, "There is no need Deamon. my life is over. I missed my only opportunity to join the army and prove my love to Caren!"


    "I am tired of hearing you talk about Caren. Will you just take my hand. I have something to show you!"


    Seeing the serious look on Deamon''s face, Dn took his hand.


    .....


    A few hourster...


    "Deamon, what are we doing here? we have been here for like two hours now! what exactly is it that you wanted to show me that we have to hide behind the Shaman Gordon''s house!?" Dn asked in obvious anger.


    "Shush! here shees!" Dn warned.


    "Who!?" Dn asked. He wanted to jump out of their hiding spot to see, but Deamon pulled him back.


    "For the sake of the mother Bear, Will you just shut up and see what I''m about to show?"


    Dn frowned, but he really did not like to see Deamon angry, and so he stayed.


    At the moment, they were high up a tree directly behind the house of the old Shaman.


    As they waited, and watched in the dark of the night, a particr lone figure with a long dark  gown approached the Shaman''s home.


    From the looks of it, was a woman. However, she had a veil on her neck.


    *Knock knock knock*


    "Who is there!?" the old Shaman asked.


    "It is I. Caren! I came to receive your blessings as requested."


    "Oh, Caren it''s you." The Shaman answered. Silently, he opened his door, and she rushed inside.


    The old Shaman looked around to make sure there was no one looking. And then he licked his lips as he closed the door behind him.


    "Come! follow me!" Deamon whispered silently as he came down gently like a spider from the tree.


    Dn followed after him, and the both of them climbed the house and watched what was happening in the Shaman''s room.


    The more he watched, the more Dn could feel his heart shatter.


    Slowly, drops of tears fell from his eyes...