Yilka looked at the fallen king at his feet, and hung the Beast Slayer to his belt. He then turned around and limped over to Nofa who was breathing heavily after everything she had seen and experienced. They looked at each other as Yilka ripped off a piece of his shirt and took Nofa's hand. He then took the remaining feign flesh from his pouch and put it in the hole in Nofa's hand. He then tied the piece of the shirt around the damaged hand. As they kept looking at each other, Varma flew to them and gave a side hug to Nofa to interrupt the moment.
"I'm sorry that I left! I left you on your own and I almost came back too late. Only when I heard the alarm bells ringing around town did I start making my way here. If I had arrived just a moment later, you would have... you would have..." Varma spoke to Nofa with regret in her voice.
"What matters is that you showed up. Not a day went by that I didn't worry about you. I'm just glad that you're alive. I missed you. Where did you go?" Nofa said to her right back and ruffled the girl's hair.
"I've been all over. Lately I've just been... alone and trying to avoid everyone. Staying out of sight. And I've thought a lot about what Vena said about me and father." Varma answered to Nofa's question.
"Don't think about what that damned fool said. Don't take any of it seriously." Nofa began telling her.
"I did think about what he said. That it would have been better if father had survived instead of me. It still cuts deep, but it made me think that I need to show him that me being alive has meaning. I went to wreak havoc in the work camps to set our folk free. I did it a few too many times and had to go hide near here. Thankfully I heard all the bells here. I was ready to stay in hiding a lot longer if I hadn't. I saw that the window of the palace was broken and something was going on. I knew that this has to be the place where the King is, and that this was the time to fight him." Varma explained.
"We were done for if you hadn't shown up. Thank you. I missed you as well. And your mother misses you, and worries about you too." Yilka told Varma.
"She's alive? I tried to find her but... she wasn't home. When I chose to arrive at last, our village had been taken over and... and I assumed that everyone had been sent to the caves. So I went to watch over the work camps by the caves. Before I freed them I stayed in each one for several days. But nobody that we know was in any of them. So I assumed that... that..." Varma spoke.
"No. Our folk are in the Rarhean mountains. But if everything has gone right, we should be able to return home easily soon enough." Yilka told her.
"That's amazing!" Varma exclaimed.
"It is amazing and all but... what happens now? The King has fallen and I really don't think that this... creature had an heir. For this land this is a big thing and I don't think they'll just let us walk out of here." Nofa reminded them.
Right then, Degolani rushed past them and ran into the hallways of the palace.
"Looks like he made his choice already. We can't let him run into an ambush." Yilka said and limped after Degolani.
Nofa and Varma followed as well, and by following the sounds of running and the trail of bloodstains they found their way back to the entrance of the palace. There they saw the back of Degolani as the big man was standing tall and holding the motionless body of Lapis in his arms.
"Is he..." Nofa began to ask but stopped when Degolani began walking forward towards the front door and into the empty courtyard.
Rain fell from the sky as Degolani walked across the courtyard, as if it was commanded to fall at the exact right moment. The raindrops fell through the thick black clouds above the city, and turned black as well. The others followed Degolani outside. A horde of city guards were standing outside the fence and curious crowds could be heard behind them. But more interesting than that, a familiar looking beautiful golden haired white robed woman was standing at the gate. The four victors walked over to the woman and all looked at her.
"Well done, champions of your tribes." The Goddess Leri said in a way that everyone could understand, regardless of their language.
"Well done? That's all you can say?" Degolani asked.
"Yeah? You gave the previous king the Leri stone and the power that comes with it. It's because of that choice of yours that they were able to conquer our homelands. Pushkrilleri was created from that damned stone. And you never took that stone back from them?" Yilka interrogated the goddess.
Leri looked ashamed of herself before opening her mouth again.
"It was a mistake what I did back then. I saw King Xalksor as a noble ruler, and saw an opportunity to bring the Pure people to being closer to equals with the Holy people. I trusted him with the power to use Holy magic and to make his kingdom healthier and better fed. I didn't foresee that he would use his powers to conquer and subjugate. I knew him for a long time before he even became a king and I always trusted in his goodness." Leri explained.
"So why did you not take the stone away from him?" Nofa asked her.
"When I gave him the stone, it was the first time I intervened in matters between the Pure people. If I had taken the stone back, it would have caused anger in Vastusar. They would have waged war against the Holy people for betraying them in their mind." Leri told them.
"At least your people have the means to defend themselves against someone with Holy magic. You caused our homelands to suffer, and I will not forget that." Yilka spoke bitterly.
"I wanted to resolve the situation. That is why I went around my created world, and gave the Holy blessing to everyone who I deemed as deserving. I only found two. One Rarhean woman who has now entered Eternity, and one Uhmakian who clearly didn't succeed where you did. I have made wrong choices, and to make good for them, I shall grant each of you four a wish. But please remember that I do not control the choices that others make. You cannot make me force anyone into anything." Leri told them.
Yilka, Nofa, Varma and Degolani all exchanged looks. Nobody really knew that they should wish for.
"Like I'd wish anything from such a..." Yilka began to say before Varma blocked his mouth.
"We're glad to accept your offer. I want the caves of Uhmak to become dry, barren and dead. There must not be anything in them worth taking. I want all cavemoss in the created world to disappear and run out." Varma demanded.
"It is done." Leri replied.
"I want everyone in the created world who wears the crest of Vastusar, and everyone who is gathered here to know this instant that their King is dead, and the source of their strength is no more." Nofa replied and looked at Varma who looked back at her approvingly.
"You could have wished for something more selfish." Yilka told Nofa.
"I know." Nofa replied without explaining anything further.
"It is done." Leri replied.
Then Degolani stepped forth and looked at Leri and then looked at the cold and stiff body of Lapis in his hands.
"Before you ask for him to come back, look at the people here. They are sneering at him. He is their enemy after what he did to their city." Leri told Degolani.
"What did he do? Why would they hate him?" Degolani asked with desperate confusion in his voice.
"He sent a great wave to this city. Many fell to it. I know he is your brother, but he is a murderer, and these people would kill him if I brought him back." Leri warned.
"He is a murderer? When did he do that?" Degolani asked in feelings of betrayal and confusion.
"You must have come to the city from a different direction and didn't see the carnage he left behind. You only need go out through the gates and walk down the steps from the palace. The people here would not want him alive after what he did, and after they saw what he is willing to do to achieve his goals." Leri told the big man in her soft voice.
Degolani looked at Yilka and Nofa whose facial expressions seconded what Leri had told him.
"She's telling the truth. We saw the damage from the top of the tower." Yilka said.
"Then... I wish that his knowledge can go to the students of his academy." Degolani wished.
"It is done." Leri replied.
Then Yilka stepped forth.
"I wish... that the wall that separates our tribe's land, the festering wound in the flesh of Mother Uhmak, will be no longer." Yilka said, feeling more certain than he had ever been in his life.
"It is done." Leri said.
"It... is?" Yilka asked for confirmation.
"I understand that some of you may have your doubts regarding my promises. The only way you can confirm that they came true, is by going where you need to go and finding out yourself." Leri told them all.
"Waiiiiit just a moment! We prevented the Crown's forces from getting the Grand Beasts' powers. They didn't get the Fire Feather because of me, they didn't get the Crownmother because of Blueberry, they didn't get the Stormress because of Bloodmist. They only got the powers from the Father of Waters but preventing them from getting three out of four should count for three more wishes." Varma told the goddess demandingly.
"Four out of four actually. Varma wasn't there when Lapis took the power of waters for himself, and now Degolani seems to have them." Nofa added.
"I have yet to see how you will use the powers of the Grand Beasts. I will also have to create someone who can become the new ruler of thunder. But once I have seen you use your powers well and responsibly and righteously, you can call me from the stars and present me your wish." Leri replied.
"Then that's a deal. I trust my friends to use their powers well." Yilka said.
"Despite the warm weather over here caused by creations of man, it is still winter in most of the created world. By this time of year, summer should already be on its way." Leri said and looked at Varma.
"Oh drat! You're right. I've umm... I've been slacking a bit because I've been avoiding attention lately. I promise I'll get to it." Varma said and felt embarrassed.
"I can tell that you are speaking truthfully. And as for these black skies, I do not like them. The Sun was created for a reason for you. You cannot replace it with floating boats." Leri said, and almost in an instant all the black smoke in the skies and the rain clouds summoned by Degolani faded away.
All city guards and citizens who were watching the conversation looked to the sky and most had to block the sunlight with a hand. It had been a while since they had last seen it.
"So, Varma. You can fully change into the Fire Feather now, can you?" Nofa asked the girl next to her.
"Yep yep. I found that out myself not that long ago. Surprisingly easy to do. Being in bird form and having feathers still feels a bit odd however. I prefer being myself, just with wings." Varma answered.
"Oh I bet it must feel odd. I wonder if I could make a little bit of coin selling the Fire Feather's feathers..." Nofa jokingly wondered.
"I'm not giving you my feathers!" Varma replied and retreated a little as Nofa chuckled.
"But what if they grow back each time you turn into the Fire Feather?" Nofa asked.
"What if they don't?" Varma countered with.
"I wonder how your mother will feel when she sees your wings." Yilka then joined in with.
"I'll explain it to her." Varma said and shrugged.
"And Dego. Where will you go now?" Yilka turned to his tall friend to ask.
"I will see the what Lapis did to this city and its folk. I will stay here and help them after I bury Lapis somewhere where nobody can find him." Degolani answered.
"But can you even speak their language?" Yilka asked.
"I will learn." Degolani answered.
"You might learn their language quicker in the academy if they let you in. If you tell the whole story to them, I'm sure they'll let you in." Nofa suggested.
Degolani pondered for a moment before nodding.
"I will go there." Degolani said and began walking towards the gate of the courtyard.
"Wait, you're walking there?" Yilka asked.
"I must see what he did. And the waters can take me home." Degolani replied and kept walking with Lapis in his arms.
"I'm thankful for our time as friends. Bury Lapis in his homeland, but never forget what he did." Yilka said as Degolani kept walking.
Degolani no longer replied, but only left through the gate and walked through the flock that had gathered to watch. The citizens had heard of Lapis usurping the powers of water and they knew that it was him who sent the big wave. They poked the body of Lapis with sticks and spat on him, but Degolani did not let that bother him. He kept walking towards the destroyed side of the city.
"I think he'll be fine. Who'd want to start trouble with him?" Nofa commented.
"I know. And he's smart enough to not get himself into trouble." Yilka replied.
"I'll take us where we need to go if you're willing to sit in a big basket that I can carry with my talons." Varma suggested.
"You were quick with that idea." Nofa commented.
"I may have thought of it when I was wishing I could go on a tour around the world with you guys again." Varma said to Nofa with a cheeky grin.
"That does sound like it would work. But where would we get a basket that can fit us all?" Yilka questioned.
"Welllllll, Leri hasn't taken away my stone which in I earned when defending the Crownmother. I can pretty much create anything I want as long as I'm holding on to it." Varma answered.
"In that case, could you create cushioned seats for us?" Nofa requested.
"If I can make a bowstring with it, I'm sure I can make cushioned seats too." Varma pondered.
"So are we ready to go? Anything more we want to do here?" Yilka asked, eager to go home already.
"There is one thing I want to do, but only once we've come home. It'll be more satisfying that way." Nofa said to Yilka.
"Ugh. I'll get started here." Varma said and walked away from the others to a more open area on the courtyard.
"I wish you all a safe journey to your homes. When you are ready to present your wish, call me down to earth in your prayers." Leri wished.
"We will, if the promises you gave are true." Yilka replied to the goddess.
"In that case, I will be coming back yet. But for now, I have served my purpose here in the created world. I shall carry on my work beyond this world, in the stars, beside my sister. Farewell, my wonderful world." Leri said and in a moment she turned into a bright flash that flew into the sky and disappeared.
Everybody's attention was briefly in the skies once again, trying to spot Leri's star in the day sky. But soon after that, their attention was grabbed by the screech of the Fire Feather by the middle of the courtyard. As they turned their heads to the direction of the sound, they saw the large black bird with red wings flapping idly and holding a big, shining container with a carrying handle and a lid to protect the passengers from the heat coming from the bird.
"There's our ride. Shall we?" Yilka asked Nofa beside him.
"Let's go home and tell the good news." Nofa seconded and looked at Yilka.
They stepped inside the big bucket and sat down next to each other. They could see over the edges while still being protected from falling. They felt the heat coming from Varma and decided to close the lid to avoid burning themselves. Despite the lid, it was well lit inside due to the shining material the container was made of.
"You trust that she can carry us home without dropping us?" Yilka asked.
"If she made this elaborate thing by just imagining it, she can take care of it. Though it is a bit worrying that we can't even see where we are." Nofa replied.
"But that also means that nobody can see us. If you understand what I'm implying." Yilka suggested.
"No. Nope nope nope. Not here." Nofa replied quickly.
"It was only a suggestion." Yilka said ashamedly.
Before the conversation could continue, Varma began rising and the shining container got off the ground. Despite Varma's best efforts, the bucket swung from side to side and back and forth somewhat as she flew with it. She headed east and flew over the waters between the Capital province and Haimana. Below her she saw a rowboat sailing in the river without oars. In the boat was Degolani and a body covered by a cloth. When the Fire Feather flew over the academy city of Decuti in Northern Haimana, she saw the soldier camps outside the city empty and abandoned. Legions were marching away from the camps and towards the west where the Royal capital was. The streets in the city itself were full of gleeful citizens, and the electric dome around the academy was no more. The skies were clear of black smoke now and seeing the lands and landscapes was easy. She also saw ships with Vastusarian symbols in their sails on the lake of Kemioe, all sailing west. On the eastern shore of Kemioe at the town of Laukiv, the Fire Feather spotted something odd. The stone poet was no longer where it was the last time. It was nowhere to be seen anymore, as if it had walked away. When the Fire Feather reached the Rarhean mountains, she headed to the south side of them where the forests are. Snows melted in the forested land as the Fire Feather flew above. She knew that somewhere in here is where her community and where her mother was. She let out a mighty screech to let the land know that she had come home. She flew over a couple of tent camps and she stopped to hover above each one to wait for everyone to come outside of their tents. When she didn't see her mother in any of the camps, she kept flying. When she saw smoke rising from somewhere, she landed there. It was another camp, and the Fire Feather flew stationary above the camp, and when she saw Suiv come out of one of the tents, she flew away from the camp and found an open area to land in. On a flat spot near the camp, The Fire Feather put down the bucket where she carried her friends, and turned back into her normal form. Varma put her hand on the bucket where her friends travelled in, and in a flash the bucket turned into the Leri stone that fit neatly in Varma's palm. Yilka and Nofa fell on their backsides on the ground as they held on to each other. They both seemed very sore.
"Come on, get your butts up and let's go! We're home!" Varma told the others and began running towards the camp without waiting for the others.
"I am not satisfied with this ride." Yilka said and let go of Nofa to tend to his sore back.
"Me neither, but somebody's eager to go so let's go." Nofa said and began walking in Varma's footsteps as she saw Varma's wings leaving a trail of sparks behind them.
Varma didn't have to run past the trees of the forest for long before she found herself in the camp. Everybody was still outside their tents and wondering why the Fire Feather came looking at them from such a low height. In the midst of them all Varma saw her mother and sprinted straight to her. The brief moment when the Fire Feather had hovered above the camp was enough to turn the snow into slush, and as Varma ran through the camp, the sludge went flying and got splashed on everyone who was along her path, but she didn't stop to apologise. She ran to Suiv and hugged her tightly, almost tackling the poor woman.
Suiv was frightened by being suddenly grabbed by somebody with such big wings but then she looked at who it was that was hugging her so tightly. Others in the camp noticed the winged girl and looked in awe at how she had changed since they last saw her.
"Varma my dear precious little flower! You came back home!" Suiv exclaimed and hugged her girl back without touching the wings.
"I looked for you but you weren't home. I wanted to come home so badly! Trust me!" Varma replied without letting go of the hug.
"Things have gotten harder while you were gone but mommy's just happy to have you back!" Suiv said and smooched Varma's forehead.
"I know that things have gotten hard and I'm sorry that I wasn't here." Varma said back.
"Mommy's just happy that you're still fine. But why did you fly away from the rest with your wings?" Suiv asked and pulled away from the hug.
"You're not wondering at all why I have them?" Varma asked.
"Vena already told me. And he told me that you flew away and disappeared too. Why?" Suiv kept asking.
"I guess he didn't tell you why I flew away. I'll... I'll tell you later. But we have happy news!" Varma replied and avoided the question.
"We do!" Yilka hollered as he and Nofa entered the camp side by side looking happy.
"You two came back quickly! How come? Where's Dego?" Suiv asked and looked over to Yilka and Nofa.
Yilka and Nofa walked over to Suiv to talk more easily with her.
"Dego is going back to Haimana to bury Lapis and wants to help rebuild Lupiller after what Lapis did to it." Yilka answered.
"Oh. So Lapis fell along the way but... you came back alive. And you look unscathed too." Suiv wondered.
Yilka and Nofa looked at their parts that were harmed in battle and discovered that they had been healed. They never even noticed it before now.
"Oh. Leri must have given us another favour without having to be asked." Nofa commented.
"Leri? What exactly happened?" Suiv wondered.
"We won." Varma answered before anybody else could.
"That's right! We won!" Nofa exclaimed and raised her arms to get the attention of everyone in the camp.
It seemed to work, since everyone outside was now looking at the conversation and listening.
"Indeed. We won. And Nofa here is partly the reason why we're still here." Yilka said and wrapped an arm around Nofa.
"Well... it was really Blueberry who did more than me. And it was Varma who saved us in the end there." Nofa explained humbly.
"You... won? In what way? You slayed the King?" Suiv asked.
"Varma slayed the King, and Leri gave us all a wish. We'll see if they've come true." Yilka added.
"They have! I saw the Vastus all going west towards the Capital. They know that they've lost and they're going back home. Just like Nofa wished!" Varma commented.
"Does that mean that we can go home now?" An old man's voice wondered in the camp.
"They've done it. Never even thought they'd come back when they first departed. Let alone on the second try." Another voice said.
"The Vastus are retreating? So Nofa's wish came true then? Did any of them have enchanted items with them?" Yilka asked.
"Hard to tell from so high, but there's no way that they would have all gotten orders to go home so soon after the King's death. Leri must have told them like Nofa asked her to! And that makes me think that the other half of her wish must be true as well! And if Nofa's wish came true, then mine must have come true too!" Varma explained.
"And mine should have too." Yilka said and pondered.
"So they've all left and we can go home?" Suiv asked for clarification.
"We should by all means. But even more than that, I want to go the Wound. I want to see if it really is gone." Yilka said.
"Was that your wish?" Suiv asked.
"It was. And I want to see if it's come true." Yilka answered.
"Hmm. The Bloom festival should be around these days of the year. It would be the right time to start heading to the Wound." Suiv said.
"Ohhh! It is! We need to get going! Do we still have the carriage?" Varma asked excitedly.
Suiv, Yilka and Nofa all looked at Varma's wings and didn't say anything.
"What? Was the carriage my responsibility? Oh, right. I think we left it in Laukiv when we hopped on Vakevata's boat. I can go pick it up. I can fly to Laukiv real quick and... ohhhhhh." Varma explained before she realised why they looked at her.
"Indeed. Oh, and while you lot were away fighting a king, Venamo awoke and he's able to speak now. I think we should let him rest instead of taking him with us. He's still in rough shape. But I'm sure he'd like it if you all said Hello to him before we go." Suiv said.
Varma looked grumpy while Nofa bit her lip and Yilka looked like he wanted to say something but didn't dare to.
"What's got you all looking like that?" Suiv wondered.
"Yilka, did you tell her why I flew away?" Varma asked Yilka.
"No." Yilka answered.
"Could you?" Varma asked.
"Of course. Venamo said that Varma should have died during the famine year and then hit her." Yilka answered honestly.
A few disgusted gasps were heard in the camp.
"Is that right?" Suiv said and put a hand on Varma's cheek and felt appalled.
"Yep. Can I skip saying Hi to him?" Varma requested.
"Oh, I'll go give all of your greetings to him..." Suiv said and took a small tree branch from the camp's wood pile and then went into her tent.
"Anyhow... Varma, you think you can carry the whole camp's folk on our bucket, and perhaps a few other camps too?" Yilka asked his cousin as sounds of pain came from the nearest tent.
"With Blueberry's help I certainly could." Varma answered.
"Blueberry would be glad to help." Nofa added.
"Awesome. I'll go get it ready. Tell the others to come to me then!" Varma said and began jogging towards the spot where she landed.
"Oh, and Varma!" Nofa hollered.
"Yes?" Varma replied and stopped to turn around.
"You want your poem book back? I've liked reading it and I think you should keep filling it." Nofa told her.
"Keep it for now but give it back to me once we're there!" Varma replied and began running again.
Then Suiv came out of the tent and her demeanor changed from serious to warm.
"Suppose we should take everything that we have and return it home since we're on our way anyway. Only then we should go to the Wound."Suiv suggested.
"Not like we have much to take home anyway." Yilka replied.
"We have your brother to carry home. He can hardly move." Suiv reminded Yilka.
"Is he awake right now?" Yilka asked.
"Yes. He is." Suiv answered.
"Guess I'll have to hear his voice then. I'll go get him." Yilka said and went into the tent.
And there he saw Venamo laying on a rug with his eyes open. The two looked at each other for a moment. Yilka's stare was cold, and Venamo's was regretful.
"Did you hear? We won." Yilka said.
"I overheard it from here. You three succeeded where I failed. What matters is that it got done." Venamo said.
"Five. Lapis and Blueberry helped too. And Blueberry only helped because of who was giving her guidance. Vakevata is also dealt with, but that doesn't mean that his silver mask buddies will just disappear." Yilka replied.
"It is humbling. Knowing that it was done by you who I never believed in." Venamo said.
"As if I care what you think about any of us. If Varma was worthy enough to be given a Leri stone, she's worthy of her father's legacy. And me and Nofa are not going to let you get between us any longer. It was me who patched you with something that Nofa owned. If you still won't leave us be after that, I don't know what to do with you. But now we need to go home. You can't get yourself up. So I'll carry you." Yilka said.
"It is true. I can't move. I enchanted my own body too many times, and every time it wore off, I became weaker. Now I can't even raise an arm. But I will work myself into my former strength yet." Venamo assured.
"Well, until then you'll have to be carried around." Yilka said.
"Before you pick me up, let me enchant your weapon. You've gone long enough without the enchantment." Venamo demanded.
"Well, I'd really appreciate that. Thanks. Could have helped a lot if I had it the whole time." Yilka said and put his cudgel against Venamo's hand.
Venamo gave the cudgel the enchantment and soon enough the white smoke of Holy magic was around the weapon. Yilka then slung his brother over his shoulder.
He felt surprised at how light the man was. He carried Venamo outside where he reunited with Nofa and Suiv once again.
"Look at this little child having to be carried around. Aww." Nofa jokingly said to Venamo as he was slung over Yilka's shoulder.
Venamo didn't even look at the woman's eyes and only ate the humiliation without defending his honour.
Yilka, Nofa and Suiv followed the footprints on the sludge that led to the forest. They found the spot where the Fire Feather had landed earlier. And there she was once again, holding her talons on the handle of the big shining bucket that everybody was already climbing into and putting their meager possessions into. Most folk didn't bother taking their tents with them, having hope that their old homes would be waiting for them. Some of the others helped Venamo because they still appreciated what he had done to help the old home village. Once everybody was in, the lid was closed and the Fire Feather took to flight.
The Fire Feather covered the area of the Rarhean mountains and let in everybody from every camp that she found. After flying south towards Uhmakas for some time, her beloved home was in sight down below in the distance. She began reducing her altitude, but as she was right above the village, she saw the tent in the middle and the strangers who were in the village. She landed and looked at the strangers.
"W-what is the Fire Feather doing here?" The Fire Feather heard spoken in the Uhmak language.
She took her talons off the bucket and pushed the lid open with her beak. Some of the passengers peeked out of the big bucket.
"Our home is still taken over!" Somebody in the bucket complained.
"We've been tricked!" Another once complained.
"We haven't taken over anybody's home. We were taken here against our will to build the tracks, but we've taken over and gotten rid of our captors. We will hold this place because we know that they will come back." A spear holding muscular Uhmak man answered boldly.
"They're not coming back, you big dum dum!" Nofa shouted from the bucket.
"That's right! The King of Vastusar is dead, his forces are going back home and we're all free to go home!" Yilka added.
"And then we'll be off to the bloom festival to see if the Wound has really disappeared!" Suiv added.
"We just wanted to come leave our stuff here and then be on our way." Someone in the bucket said.
"If what you're saying is true, then we can all go to our homes as well. And if our homes are still manned, we can win them back now that we have weapons." The spearman stated.
"Or you can also come with us to the Bloom festival first!" Suiv suggested.
The negotiations were short, and after some cargo had been unloaded and taken into houses, the bucket had more passengers than before. But the Fire Feather and Blueberry had no trouble with the added weight.
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9muNoH5uu
The Fire Feather flew further south where she remembered the tall wooden wall being. But to her dismay, in the scene of the Wound, the hated tall wall still stood there as strong and proud as ever. The Fire Feather landed on a hill that had a good view to the Wound, and then she turned back to Varma. Varma turned the big bucket into the Leri stone once again and just looked down at the big wall in the distance. Once everybody else had gotten themselves up from the ground, they also looked at what Varma was looking at.
"How come?" Varma asked heartbroken.
"That bitch lied to us." Yilka stated bitterly.
"You liars brought us here for nothing!" A bitter man said to Suiv.
"Yilka, Varma, did you lie?" Suiv asked the two.
"I swear I saw the Vastus retreating! That was a good enough sign for me!" Varma swore from her heart.
"Perhaps you came to conclusions too early." Venamo commented from the ground where he was laying.
"Shut it! They wouldn't retreat for no reason!" Varma insisted.
"Smoke. You see that?" Nofa asked and pointed at rising smoke coming from the other side of the wall.
"I've freed the camp that's on the other side of that wall! Why are they still there? I can bring them all to this side. It'd take a while but I'd get it done." Varma suggested.
"You could certainly do that, if they want to come here." Yilka suggested.
"Wait. Are you noticing what I'm noticing?" Suiv asked.
"What's that?" Yilka asked.
"White glow is no longer coming from it." Suiv pointed out.
"Was white glow coming from it before?" Nofa asked.
"Yes! Every year when we came here it would glow with white Holy magic. Now it doesn't!" Varma exclaimed.
"So it's just like any old piece of wood now!" Nofa realised.
"Leri didn't lie! Much." Varma said.
Without saying anything else, Nofa began going down the hill in a hurry, with her sight set on the wall. Yilka began running down the hill along with Nofa, and soon enough they were both within touching distance of the Wound.
"You already know what I'm thinking, right?" Nofa asked and touched the wall.
"I know precisely what you're thinking." Yilka replied.
"Whoever you are back there, we've been freed! And we've been waiting to hear anything from the other side!" Somebody from the other side shouted to stand out from all the murmuring coming from the other side.
"We know that you've been freed! The Vastus have left and soon we will see each other." Yilka said to the stranger.
He then turned to Nofa.
"You don't have your book. Do you remember the spell of spoil?" Yilka asked her.
"Like I'd forget. Now stand back." Nofa said and looked at the wood of the wall with focus.
"Jeppeli tepeeli!" Nofa shouted as her wand was on the wooden wall.
Soon after shouting out the spell, red smoke began coming from every crack of the wooden wall. The smoke spread, and spread, and spread wider until it was on every spot of the wall that the eye could see. Nofa looked at her work and felt shocked at how far the effect had spread.
Yilka nodded at Nofa, and struck the enchanted Beast Slayer into the wood of the wall, and a big chunk came off. He could see the crowd that had gathered on the other side. From the hill his fellow tribe brothers began running down the hill to come see closer. Yilka hit the wall again, and another chunk came off. More people began coming from the north in large numbers, since it was the time of year for the Bloom festival and this was the first time it was safe for the Uhmak folk to travel freely in their land in a while. Yilka hit the wall again, but then Nofa grabbed him by the arm and stopped him. She then waved into the hill where Varma was still staying along with Suiv and Venamo.
"Varma! Shoot at it!" Nofa hollered at Varma.
Varma heard it. She turned her Leri stone into a shining longbow, pulled the string, and released a shining arrow that struck the Wound. The entire wall was reduced into splinters that rained down on the ground. The Wound was no more.
Two masses on different sides of where the wall used to be, were now looking at each other and wondering how the century old wall disappeared so suddenly. The confusion however soon turned into joy, and the crowds quickly fused into one. People were rushing past Yilka and Nofa who stuck together and watched as strangers were hugging each other as if they were long separated friends. Happiness and relief was in the air, and a century old tradition had ended, but nobody would miss it. The talking, cheering and chattering made it hard to hear anything. Yilka looked as strangers connected by their ancient tribal bond embraced each other and got along like family. Nofa looked at Yilka next to him and his expression. A smile was forming on his face, and a tear was forming in his eye. Nofa couldn't help but feel happy when she saw Yilka being so happy and surrounded by so much joy all around.
"Is this what you fought for?" Nofa asked Yilka.
Before he could answer, a young woman around Nofa's age approached Nofa and grabbed her and smiled at her.
"I don't know who you are, but I heard somebody saying something odd before the Wound shattered. Was it you?" The woman asked.
"That was me, yes." Nofa answered honestly.
"Thank you. You are a hero of the tribe." The woman said and hugged Nofa without warning.
Nofa was surprised, but returned the hug nonetheless. The woman let go of the hug and moved on. Some other folk as well, men and women, young and old greeted Nofa as she stood there next to Yilka. She did not feel unwanted in the slightest in this moment. Then Yilka spotted someone in the crowd.
"Look at that pair over there. It's another Holy lady with some ordinary bloke. That bloke looks like his skin is recovering from... something. What's that string instrument in the lady's arms? And is that pendant on her neck the one that we fished from Kemioe lake?" Yilka wondered.
"You think those two are who I think they are?" Nofa asked.
"No, that couldn't be." Yilka answered unsurely.
"I'm too nervous to go ask them. But hey, look! Varma seems to be making friends her own age over there. And her wings seem to be attracting a lot of attention." Nofa commented when she saw Varma talking with a girl her own age who had calloused and pink hands.
"She met that girl here last year and became friends right away. Glad that they can see each other now." Yilka added.
"Oh! And that reminds me, I have to return her book!" Nofa exclaimed and began making her way to Varma.
Yilka shrugged and knew that he should follow. And so they both went over to Varma and her friend.
"Varma! I almost forgot your poem book! Here it is!" Nofa said and handed the thin book to Varma.
"You write poems?" Varma's friend asked.
"Well... sometimes. I'm not very good at it but..." Varma began answering.
"That's amazing. So you can read and write, yes?" The friend asked.
"Nofa, you're embarrassing me in front of Pinean." Varma complained.
"How is it embarrassing if you can read and write?" Nofa wondered.
"Who taught you?" Pinean asked.
"My aunt's husband's father." Varma replied.
"Can you teach me and a few of my friends? And my parents too?" Pinean asked.
"Of course I can! But where would I start?" Varma wondered.
"I taught Dego how to read our language by using your poems. Use them. I quite like them." Yilka told the girl.
"You showed them to someone else?" Varma asked mortified.
"What? There's nothing embarrassing about them." Yilka wondered.
"Well, some of them might be a bit too hammy." Varma admitted.
"Nothing wrong with that. I bet you could make a good poem out of this moment right here!" Nofa said and looked all around.
"I could. Yeah... I could!" Varma said as if she was already getting ideas.
"Let me watch you write it down, alright?" Pinean requested.
"Of course! Let's go the hill and sit down there!" Varma told her friend and began walking towards the hills with her friend.
"Hmm. Teaching useful things to others who don't know how. That could be something I might want to do as well." Nofa pondered.
"Go for it." Yilka told her.
"No, I can't. I'd have to ask the folk if they want to learn anything from me and they'd just push me away." Nofa said.
"I'll say all the good things about you and they'll want to learn from you in no time." Yilka assured.
"Aww! You would? You better keep to that promise." Nofa replied.
"I will. Just like I will keep another promise I made." Yilka replied and pulled Nofa close to his face.
"And what was that promise?" Nofa asked gladly and looked at Yilka's eyes.
"Is this the right time?" Yilka asked, feeling so confident about what he expected the answer to be, that he already began bringing his face even closer to Nofa's
"I think it is." Nofa said, and did the same, as they locked their lips in a deep kiss while the big reunion around them continued.
It had now come true. Ever since he became old enough to go to the woods and saw Nofa up close against the wishes of some others, this is what Yilka had wanted. And ever since someone finally dared to come talk face to face with Nofa, she had hoped that it'd lead to this. And now indeed it had come true, and nobody would tear them apart anymore.
"Love to see it." Varma said to Pinean at the hill as they watched and listened the whole tribe embracing.
She then opened an all white page of her book and took the quill that she had put under her belt when nobody saw her take it.
"Let's write something about this. Something that we can read back anytime and remember this moment. Hmmm." Varma wondered.
"When you're done, there's something that the Fire Feather should do around this time of the year." Pinean reminded her.
"Yeah yeah, I know. But I don't want to say farewell yet. When can we see next? How far away from here do you live?" Varma asked.
"We live... lived right here in this camp that you freed." Pinean reminded her like it was obvious.
"Oh... of course. And now you need a home where you and your folk can live?" Varma asked.
"Yep..." Pinean replied simply.
"Great! You and your family can come to our village. We'll help you build a house. When I go, go with the folk I arrived with. But now I have to quickly write something memorable about this moment before I go spread the summer's warmth." Varma said.
She then reached into her pocket and took the bottle of red ink that she had stolen from Nofa's sack before she had flown away. She dipped the quill into the ink and pressed it into the page.
"Here. Under the bright spring sky, on the lands that our forefathers tilled and plowed, the tribe of Uhmak is gathered to witness a moment that will echo across ages. We heard the weeping of our brothers and sisters, and like a knife it struck us in the heart. A century old wall has split tribe from tribe, family from family, friends from friends like a bleeding, festering wound in the flesh of Mother Uhmak. Now it is no more. The hundred year wall is broken, the Wound is healed, flesh has grown into flesh, and what Leri intended as one, has become one. We rose and charged to brighten our tribe's most beautiful dream, and now, those who dared to till land in the harsh hills, those who were forced to live their lives as cave crawlers, those who took care of the land, those who defended it against an unbeatable adversary, and those who rebelled against it, those who wouldn't surrender under servitude, but with wrath and love in their hearts fought for their freedom, are now resting in their eternal slumber under the snowy land. But their souls are still here with us, dancing in the breeze of the passing winter's winds, and proclaiming with relief released from their lungs: It is fulfilled. For one Greater Uhmakas, and for Leri's created world, a new morning will rise, brighter yet than the dream."
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