Chapter 142: 138. Lilith Village

BOOM!

The sun had barely risen and the village hut exploded into a magnificent ball of flame for the second time. Its roof sent high, spreading embers all across the Village.

"He's awake! Call someone!"

"The fire is spreading! Dammit, we just rebuilt the Village!"

"Everyone! Evacuate from the area!"

No matter the race, the people quickly evacuated. They were a part of the Workers, whatever was about to happen was not something they could interfere with. Not that they were allowed to, but because they could not.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! Where is it!?"

From the burning house came a primal roar from an Ogre with red skin. He was surrounded by the increasing fire, but he was not bothered at the least. In fact, his hair transformed into a magnificent campfire, burning as high as two meters.

"Where are you hiding!? I'll kill you! You bastard!"

The burning Ogre was none other than Luck and currently, he was searching for the enemy he fought in the world of dreams. His fist tightened as his flames started to spread further. With his rage, the intensity of his fire became even hotter.

"Where is that Ape bastard piece of sh—ack!"

Luck's raging flames were extinguished with one swift cloth doused with a mixture of chloroform and some pixie concoction. One deep breath and was enough to bring down the hulking ball of fire.

He fell on the ground, and from the billowing smoke behind him walked out a lady with flowing golden hair.

"He's really riled up. Did he lose in his dreams?" the lady spoke with disappointment.

On her hand was the drugged cloth, useful for all occasions like the occasional kidnapping, torture, and of course making rowdy warriors fall asleep.

Of course, this lady was none other than Sylva, "It's good that we evacuated the perimeter just in case so no one was hurt. Everyone! He's down now!"

From outside the perimeter started appearing daemons answering Sylva's call.

They were the most hardworking group in the Village. The Workers.

"Sorry for another commotion." Sylva apologized to the Workers who had been working to the bones over the past few days.

"Do not worry, Lady Sylva, it is our job!" A Worker Ogre assured that it was all right, "We are happy to be of help to those who risk their lives for the Glory of the Priestess and the Goddess! Isn't that right, you guys!?"

"That's right!"

The others cleaning the mess left behind by Luck's outburst agreed. They were more than happy to be of use.

Sylva could not help but be glad to hear their accepting words,  "Thank you for understanding. Oh, please call the [Fire Extinguisher] and one of the [Craftsman] to rebuild another medical hut. Tell them we're sorry, and… mention that it's not just them who are tempted to throw brother Luck to the wild until he stops having nightmares."

"Aren't we all thinking that, though?" Killa spoke from the side as he picked up Luck and carried him on his shoulders, "But, they are the Great Warriors who risked their lives for the Priestess' purpose…."

"Refuted warriors or not, that's not going to help Brother Luck from escaping the Craftsmen's wrath."

"Haha, that's for sure!" Killa's laughter echoed.

Craftsmen, another branch to the broad groupings of the [Workers].

These Craftsmen were mostly composed of Dwarves.

Daemons, by nature, were busybodies because of their tribalistic nature. They would feel uneasy and have too much energy if they don't move around.

They were happy to just be alive thanks to the system put in place by the Priestess. But they would not allow themselves to be freeloaders.

The Worker umbrella was growing the bigger the Village became.

"They won't like it, but, I hear they are trying to use fire-proof material they harvested from the edge of the Scorching For—-tsk, they are trespassing again, Sylva." Killa heard a buzzing sound. He raised his head and saw a mechanical bug with its weird circular wings hovering about.

"I got it." picking up one of the pointed sticks on the ground, Sylva destroyed the mechanical bird with one movement, "These Humans just don't learn to keep to their allocated place, don't they?"

"They are becoming more active, aren't they?" Killa let out an exasperated sigh, "I appreciate the non-aggression pact, but they are more annoying now than when we fight them. At least, back then, we killed them and no one would follow us like this."

Sylva shrugged her shoulders, "The Boss Head already warned us about this. But, at least this way, the light from above will no longer be a threat."

Killa and Sylva could feel human presence lurking. The accursed humans that attacked them and hurt their Priestess circled around them, watching, like vultures.

Many wanted to erase these humans, but their Boss Head made it clear that killing was prohibited.

"The Priestess is simply too nice. If it was up to me, I would kill them all and ensure they never approach us." Killa's burning hatred had not been quenched. Alas, he could do nothing on the matter.

"But we can't do anything, can we? Even if we want to kill them to protect the Priestess, we would only be putting her in a difficult situation." Sylva's shoulders drooped, "I didn't even get to help. I was busy sleeping while others were fighting; even that girl was helping."

Sylva's tone shifted to be laced with irritation as she motioned to Luna direct the others. Luna felt her sister's gaze and smiled as a response.

Sylva growled, and Luna chuckled to herself before walking away with the other Workers.

"Lady Sylva, um, excuse, but can you let me pass?" A daemon with blue skin named Will asked Sylva to move out of the way.

"Ah, I apologize; I didn't notice you arrived." Sylva respectfully apologized to him.

"It is fine, Lady Sylva. Now, if you would excuse me—"

"Yes, sure, go on." Sylva watched as ice filled what used to be a field full of wreckage. The fire disappeared with his ice, and soon it would be mined by the Dwarves for their use. The Ice Will created was something that fascinated them.

Will was a new recruit of the Village. He was a peculiar daemon, but both Dhampy and Lilith said he would be useful, so no one questioned them.

Will currently worked as the Village's Fire Extinguisher. It was not an official job title,  under the Worker Umbrella, he was just once called that by Dhampy and it stuck ever since.

Walking away from the others, Killa and Sylva passed by Luna, who waved in their direction, "Sister, wait!" she called.

"Ugh." Sylva grumbled as Luna approached them.

"Will you join me for the second meal of the day?" asked Luna.

Sylva grunted, pursed her lips before turning to her sister, "I'm going to be late; I'd be overwatching the [First Hunt] of a Group in the Crystal Grounds. The Silberofers are also attending so they can reach their level ceiling and finally evolve."

"Ah, are Sera and the others finally going to evolve? How lovely, then, why not invite them as well? We can celebrate together!" Luna extended an invite.

"No!" Sylva raised her voice before recovering herself from calming down, "No-not yet, they are still not prepared, they are still afraid, Luna. Do not force them."

"I see… if you're only going to wait, I can wait for you—"

"No… you don't have to, Luna. You're in charge of the entire Village while the Boss Head is away; you can't collapse… for everyone's sake."

"…I see…" Luna's pointy ears drooped but then, after picking apart Sylva's words, she brightened up like sunshine. Giggling to herself, "…oh Sister, you are so caring."

Sylva grumbled as she walked away, 'Ugh, she's more tolerable when she was all sulky and pretentious.'

Luna had changed over the long course she spent outside of the limelight. With the Priestess being the beacon, Luna blossomed from being a callous person, born and raised to sacrifice everything, even herself for the sake of others, to someone trying to be a better version of herself.

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Luna was smart; she absorbed everything she's taught like a sponge and was capable enough to act as a stand-in to the Priestess when needed. She quickly rose to gain the status of one of the three followers despite previously being a member of the enemy, becoming a refuted and respected image to the others.

Luna had grown so much that she now took charge when Lilith step outside.

Having received one of the most comprehensive teaching sessions from the Priestess, she was the most capable of handling the logistics of the Village as a proxy.

No one raised a protest.

Chief once argued it should be him. Luna agreed and after an hour, Chief stepped down with blood dripping down his nose, "It is a formidable task to handle so many bizarre characters (numbers) but to manipulate and control them under your will (basic math) is not something even I the mighty Chief could do. I give you my blessings to rule in place of the Priestess."

The Chief then walked away and passed out. Luna just laughed and went back to work. Luna was celebrated.

But even with Chief's approval—not that it was needed—Sylva still didn't like the idea that she was under Luna's rule.

The Ogres have accepted the Pixies into their ranks. Everyone didn't forgive them in a single day; it took time and effort before it happened, but, after several life and death situations they spent together, everyone got along and worked far better than anyone could have ever imagined.

Their fights became a bond that allowed them to live and settle their differences and open a path for acceptance. Those who bled against one another now lived and fought together.

Sylva sighed as she and Killa walked past Luna's smiling face. She could feel his gaze. He was holding that same irritating understanding smile, "…if you have something to say, just out with it, brother Killa."

"You still hate Sister Luna?" Killa was surprised, "I thought you already buried the hatchet? I even saw one of her attempts to woo you into calling her sister? Them bowing three months ago was generally entertaining." He laughed, remembering every Praeries lining up in front of Sylva's hut she shares with the Silberofers, bowing to apologize.

Remembering it herself, Sylva also could not help but smile at the ridiculousness of the Praeries.

"I don't generally hate her… I simply still dislike her—I know I'm being petty, and she's not at fault for what happened; she didn't have control over it." Sylva was one of the very few, if not the only one who had not forgiven the Praeries.

Because of the Ogre's simplicity and their general acceptance of death through combat, they moved on past any grudge.

Sylva  was more open than the others in accepting the wounded and giving them a chance to live another life. She let it go with the Werewolves.

But she could not simply let go of the bias she held against those that tried to kill her to be used as a tool.

Sylva generally liked everyone other than the Praeries. Lilith's words about being transparent was Sylva not hiding her distrust and was acting according to her true desires. Rather than act disingenuous, Sylva chose to live basking in the light of truth.

Sylva knew she was in the wrong… but she could not let the past go.

Even now, she held a grudge over them.

"It sounds very tiring, that is all I have to say." Killa commented.

Sylva sighed, "Look at it this way, if either Brother Scar, Brother Luck, or Sister Eve was to be killed, what would you do to the killers?"

"Kill them—oooohhhhhh." Killa reacted as he reached the new hut that would house Luck, hopefully until he gets better.

Killa set Luck on the soft sheets of fur; it was there that he remembered, "Wasn't Sister Luna forced to kill your friend?"

Sylva sighed, hearing Killa's argument, "Yes… but I didn't know that, and that's what stuck to me since. I really shouldn't hate her for all that happened, yet that's the one thing that stands out when I see her…."

"Guhhhhh~" Killa grumbled at Sylva's words, "Um, Sister Sylva, you know how the Priestess once said that we also need to think?"

"Yes? Did Brother Killa finally start learning letters? If you do, then I can help you. I've learned it already, after all." Sylva puffed her chest proudly with a smirk.

"Ah, no, I have no interest in learning that. But I did start thinking, started answering my own questions, tactics, ways to help the workers, the Shadow Troops, the Army, and hopefully the Priestess. But I have reached a roadblock, and I need someone to answer a question of mine."

"I'm not like the Boss Head or Big Sis, but I'll try to be of help." Sylva unhesitatingly offered her help.

"That's good to hear." Killa sat on the dirt and watched right in front of Luck's medical hunt, "Well, it involves a story, so if you still want to help this old Ogre, then, please, have a seat."

Sylva didn't hesitate to sit on the dirt with him to listen to a friend's worries.

"I had a brother, no, we, Scar and Luck as well and the Ogres of our generation, we had a brother, a Great Warrior, one that took care of the young members of our Tribe. He was our Protector of the young generation, much like I was before I became the Priestess' shield."

"Had?" Sylva's brows raised.

"Yes, he died, like so many Ogres before the Priestess came along to lead and teach us." There was a reason why the Ogres hailed Lilith more than a Leader and more like a Divine Creature. Yes, she had the backing of the Goddess, but it was her who treated them with so much care and worth.

She gave them a new way to live.

"The Ogres used to go out and hunt, not knowing if we would be able to return just to secure food for the young. The adults would go hungry, so they could fill the mouths of the young… of future warriors that would care for the next and so on.

"I remember how our Older Brother would go out if he even heard a light rumble; he would sneak out to procure more meat for food. He would return, bloodied, but smiling, with a bloodied carcass meant to be shared to the young. He would watch us, devour the meat, smiling, without eating as he endured the pain. Through his efforts, many survived the winters that claimed so many.

"But then, one night, one of the young ones cried in the middle of the night as his stomach started to contract after being left empty for four days without food. It grumbled as he groaned, he did not ask for food, but the Older Brother left to seek out something. He left but this time, he didn't return."

"I see… I'm sorry for your loss, Brother Killa. He sounds like a warrior."

"He was, so, here's my question, Sister Sylva. Did the hungry child kill him?"

"…wha-what?" Sylva's brows creased at the confusion.

Killa just continued his words, "Did I kill him?"

"The one whose stomach growled; wait, what did you just…."

"Yeah, it was me." Killa confirmed, "So, did I kill him?"

Watching the Workers move to do their work. She said nothing for a good while; an answer of such a scale cannot be answered so quickly.

"…no." she finally answered.

"Why? It was my fault he went out to find the food. Maybe, I wanted him to hear it, and I just don't want to admit it so I can spare my mind." Killa argued.

"But you didn't want any of it to happen—" It was then that Sylva paused her words as he looked at Killa with shock in her eyes, "—I see what you're doing."

"What? I just asked a question." Killa acted dumb, "What is the answer, Sister Sylva?"

Killa watched Sylva's face turn red as she pouted, making faces as she tried to speak her mind, and then, she stood up in a hurry, "… no, it wasn't your fault, okay—I have to go, brother Killa, you take care of the evacuation."

She stormed out as Killa watched the young one leave in a huffy, "Thank you for the help!"

He shouted aloud.

"Good luck!" Killa burst out laughing as he saw her stumble as she left.

Killa also left to do his rounds to protect the Village for the day. He had to go to the Human City the next day, so he didn't have time to lose.

At lunch, while he was busy destroying the mechanical birds of the humans buzzing about in their Village, he couldn't help but smile when he saw the two sisters eating together.

Though one of them was happier than the other, Killa was simply glad they were spending time together.

'—she made time; that's good to see.'

Luna may be in charge of the logistics and running the Village, but Killa was set to help those leading the Village.