"I've spoken to the villagers earlier about these incidents. Here's what they came up for you two; if you can beat the Father of the Church, the locals will not harm our haven or us," explained Gillian.
"Are we allowed to work with each other?" asked Raiyen, looking at Mavislin's worried face.
Anything could go at this point. Raiyen could sustain a normal duel with the Father, but Mavislin in a duel would be quite problematic. She would end up slaughtering everyone. If they needed a sure-fire win, the Valkyrie can do a solo act for the audience.
The catch is the whole village would presumably be in ruins by the time it was over. But inviting the two to work together? That might be overkill. And they were fighting a human, right? There was no way the village could beat them.
"You can decide among yourselves for that. How the battle is being waged is none of our concern. Just win and come home for lunch or dinner," denoted Gillian, walking out.
He then paused at the doorway of the room.
"But of course, even if you win, both of you have to stop these tricks. Or else, I will annihilate you both," warned Gillian.
"Understand?"
The two kids nodded in fear. Ysabeau gave a little head pat to Mavislin before following her husband out. Baldwin followed soon after, entrusting the two kids to contemplate about what to accomplish the next day.
The day started with Mavislin entering Raiyen's room as the sun peeped out.
"We are going to do battle soon. You ready?" asked Mavislin, sitting beside the Time Mage.
"Yea, I'm up for it. I hope we won't kill too much."
"But we have to win, right?"
"Winning doesn't mean that we have to kill. Hopefully, the damages done can be repaired."
"I can't wait to show off some new spells."
And with that smile on the girls face, Mavislin flung open the door and rushed down for breakfast. Raiyen sat at the breakfast table with a worried look plastered on his face.
"No grumpy at the breakfast table," said Baldwin, pointing at the Time Mage.
"Says the Angry Man of the Old Chapel," replied Raiyen as he took a bite out of the jam and toast.
"Hmph, at least you started eating. Mavislin's gone and headed to the village about ten minutes ago," stated Baldwin.
It had been nearly two months since she stayed with the couple. They had taught her a whole bunch of things about humans. One of which was about religion, which she could not understand at all.
Mavislin discovered it to be amusing as she witnessed mothers dragging their daughters to Church just to worship some 'God' of theirs. Whether God was real or not, it was up to anyone's ideology to determine that.
Religion was supposed to be a commitment one would be doing it based on their own free will, not forcing it upon themselves. And certainly not screaming and kicking while going into Holy Grounds.
"Close your eyes," said Raiyen, as he appeared behind the Valkyrie who was slowly dozing off.
"For what? So that you can tickle me?" asked Mavislin.
"Nope, so that I can do this."
The moment he snapped his finger, out bloomed some vines and flowers towards them. It then touched the chestnut locks and created a hairband out of vines and orchids. Mavislin was in wonder as she caressed it gingerly.
"Here, so that your hair won't get in the way when you carry out some activities," said Raiyen, pointing towards the hairband.
"Do you know what are braids?" he asked, once more.
Mavislin shook her head, eyes sparkling as she wanted to comprehend what it was.
"I'll do them for you," he replied as he got hold of her flowing chestnut locks.
After a few good minutes of tugging and pulling, he was completed. She then shifted a slight bit, trying to see and feel what Raiyen had done to her hair after all that tugging.
"Thanks," she murmured, fascinated at this 'braid'.
He gathered a huge bundle of hair. In all respects, it was sturdy, she thought. It struck her as familiar as continued to feel the texture of this 'braid'. Did her mother do this for her as well? Before she could remember, the moment was ruined.
The oncoming mob had unearthed them by finally tilting their heads up. The two kids smiled as the mob began to hurl vulgarities at them.
"Demons! This is sacred ground!" yelled the swarm of humans below.
The two smiled as they stood up slowly. Be it the girl or the boy, both of them were seen as demons. How foolish of them to try to protect each other when they were both demons in the humans' eyes.