The next trial was getting this oversized pig from point A to point B. Rufian couldn’t carry an animal with such great weight to our destination. His teleport wasn’t at that level, and he wasn’t sure if it were possible even if he had that skill maxed out. Luckily I had a plan, or we would have spent the rest of the day trying to hack it up into more manageable parts for our inventory. Together with Creed, we worked up a method that involved a few tree golems and a few mana restoration vials from me. Rufian treated his batch like gold, so I had to step up and offer a few to make sure Creed’s golems were nice and strong. With a united force of over three dozen golems, they carried the pig the few short miles back to Citron.
The walk was long but well worth it. When we reached the village, we were welcomed by fae and huts and tents scattered about, all looking in our direction with lost expressions on their faces.
Except for a man in the front line, who stood there in awe with glassy eyes and a mouth left ajar.
“Batto, Credato?” his jagged voice whispered as tears threatened his eyes.
“We’re back, dad!” Creed boomed, and after the brief moment of silence, everyone cheered!
The loud roar brought a smile to my face as they dashed in to show us praise. We’d gotten food for the village after days of starvation, and they couldn’t be happier as they tossed us into the air with gratitude and appreciation. It was a humbling experience, one that made me realize that sometimes even the smallest gestures can make the biggest difference in someone's life.
As the day wore on, we were treated like heroes. We fed on roasted pig meat and drank the local beverages until my gut couldn’t extend anymore. I was being catered to to no end. Of course Rufian didn’t mind it, the girls of the village circling his feet around the roast. The villagers regaled us with tales of their struggles and their past, and shared stories of adventure and daring.
As we ate and drank, I could hear Creed telling everyone his brother’s proud story of bravery and dedication. Everyone gathered around to hear how they captured the pig, the fae listening intently with their eyes wide with wonder. His mother was especially proud of Creed, who expressed how happy she was that he leveled up beautifully.
I could tell the dynamic in the family, where the younger brother was more attached to the mother, being seen as the baby in the family, and the older brother looking up to the father more. As I watched their bonding from across the roast circle, I felt a pang of regret, wishing I had the same support Batto did from my dad. Granted, he mentioned his father being hard on him, but at least he was supportive, and it showed in the way he poured out words of appreciation.
After dinner, Rufian and I were thankful to see a celebratory dance. It was nothing like that of the orcs. It was elegant and flowing, with the women twirling gracefully in their colorful dresses, their hair sweeping behind them like ribbons. It was a beautiful sight, unlike anything I had ever seen before.
Once the dance was over, the audience was invited to join in the revelry. Rufian, ever the ladies' man, had already found himself a partner and was swinging her around the dance floor. I sat on the sidelines, watching as the dancers moved in perfect unison. I had never been much of a dancer myself, and I was reluctant to join him.
But someone had plans for me. Before I knew it, a hand stretched toward me. I looked up to see Batto's mother with a kind smile on her face, offering me to join her. “Would you care to dance?” she asked, her voice soft and sweet.
I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I was up to the challenge, but then I took her hand and got up. “Heh, fair warning, I suck at dancing.”
“Me too,” she giggled. “I’m good with my hands, was never much good on my feet. So how about we make fools of ourselves together?”
Two people with two left feet? Yeah, sure, why not! Although little to my surprise, Perserra had been lying to me. She was a good dancer, way better than I was! In fact she admitted to bamboozling me, knowing if she’d seem to be just as bashful that I’d be more willing to dance with her.
“That’s dirty, Perserra!” I teased.
She giggled. “Don’t worry, Syodas. I’ll teach you. It’s the least I could do for a man who saved my family, and my people.”
She was sweet, teaching a total noob how to swing and step. I was as stiff as a stick, but she was patient with me, more than I deserved, honestly.
“You’re doing great, Syodas,” she complimented.
“You don’t have to lie to me, Perserra,” I said, and then she broke out into laughter.
“Much better than we had started, though, that’s for sure. You can say that, can’t you?”
I snickered. “You’re right.”
“There. Now you know the Redalas, the dance of Citron. And now that our dance is over, you’ll stay for a little while longer?”
“Oh, Rufian and I should really get going,” I insisted.
“Please. Just an hour more. After that, we won’t be any trouble.”
“You’re no trouble at all, Perserra.”
“If so, then you will stay!” She chuckled, taking me to sit again. “One hour.”
“Fair.” I grinned.
However she didn’t sit with me. She and a handful of women went to the kitchen to finish processing the boar meat. Instead, Creed came over and made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. He wanted to teach me how to use a bow and arrow.
How could I say no?
We practiced in the forest line, Creed an excellent teacher. I never realized how much strength and skill it took to properly use a bow and arrow. He showed me how to shoot the arrow with precision, but I was in for a few bouts of disappointment. Just like flying, I sucked at the skill, and it took longer than I expected to not only get my gripping right but also my sense of aim.
It was so much easier firing my blaster…
“Focus on your breathing,” he instructed me. “Take a deep breath, hold it, and release!”
I followed his instructions, feeling my body relax as I took aim and let the arrow fly. For the first time in over an hour, it hit the target drawn on the body of the alder with a satisfying thud, and I couldn't help but let out a whoop of triumph.
“You’re a natural!” he tweeted.
“Not a bull’s-eye but I’ll take it!”
After Creed’s crash archery course, we went back to the roast circle, where I searched for Rufian. It was time to head out, but I couldn’t find him anywhere. I figured it’d take a minute or two before he popped up again, so I sat around the roast fire and waited patiently, until Batto accompanied me, exhaustion showing on his face.
“Long day, huh?” he said, taking a seat next to me.
“Heh, I should be asking you that. You look more tired than me.”
“Yeah, I’m sore,” he admitted, rotating his arm to flex his socket. “Felt like I had a few rounds in with dad.”
