She opened her eyes and she suddenly sat upright. She remembers what happened after she passed out. Her body is aching from pain. She remember how she got beaten up by a Lycanthrope.
"Why am I still alive?" She exclaimed.
Ilthea who was about to doze off got startled from her abrupt reaction. "You're Awake!" She exclaimed and she hug her tight.
"What happened?" Sera immediately asked her. Ilthea separate herself to her and sat on her chair again. She sigh as she remember.
She ran to check on them, it was taking so long. She is kind of worried she wanted to see if there is something wrong. Did the Lycanthrope killed them all? She shakes her head as she tried to erase her thoughts about it.
She ran and ran until she saw her elder brother body drenched in his own blood. She covered her mouth as she ran again to see what is happening. Where is her gramps? She stopped as she saw Forest walking back to the village. Her brows furrowed and ran to him.
"What happened?" She said as she took Sera on her arms. He didn't answered but he turn around and carried the lycanthrope on his arms.
"Wait! Is she dead?" Ilthea asked again. he Shake his head as no. Ilthea want to ask him more however. Silence is only the answer to her question. She wants to asked why is he taking the Lycanthrope that killed his brother… her grand father where is it? She look around and saw a puddle of blood not far away from them.
She gulped. Her grandfather and her brother is now dead. Who will now lead the village?
She turned her head to Sera. She walk back to the village. Sera needs her right now.
"Follow me." She said to Forest as she carried Sera on her back.
They went to her house located near entrance. No one I outside their home, She sigh in relieve no one saw them brought back the lycanthrope messing with them for two whole years. She hated how that Lycanthrope is being saved even though she killed half of the children populations.
She sighs again as she lay Sera down on her bed. Forest lay the lycanthrope on the other room.
"I want to ask you what happened out there." She asked sera without telling her anything. She is confused too.
"I passed out. I am sorry… I failed to protect your Leader and his son" She apologized to her. She look down and all her bruise are covered with some herbs.
"It's okay… Everyone knew it already. And you don't have to be sorry." She replied.
"Where is Forest?"
"In the other room. He is nursing the Lycanthrope back to her health" she replied looking away. "I don't know why he took her back."
Sera stay silent after hearing those words to her. 'Forest did what?' she asked herself… She threw the blanket covering her half body and ran towards the door. She opened it and look for him.
"That Lycanthrope is hard to deal with why is he…" She spoke to herself angrily. Her eyes fell on the door beside the room where she slept. She push the door and saw Forest sitting facing the bed where the Lycanthrope lies.
"Why are you trying to save her? She almost killed me!" She exclaimed, Ilthea who followed her hold her still on the doorway.
"You should calm down and have a rest." Ilthea told her but sera seems to be deaf.
Forest turn around and saw Sera in furious. "She is dangerous! Can't you see it?" She yelled shaking off Ilthea off and charged to Forest.
She raised her Arm as she about to punch her in the face however the lycanthrope intrude in. Sera eyes become fierier than before.
Forest grab the Lycanthrope hand and put it down. Sera didn't put her fist down and she continued on hitting him.
"You! Learn how to respect your elders!" the lycanthrope yelled at her. Sera turn her head to her and tilted like she didn't get what she meant.
"Huh? Talking like you know what respect means" Sera shot backs.
"Now tell me… Why did you save this stupid Lycanthrope here?" She yelled to Forest.
Forest raised her head and look at her in the eyes.
"It's because she asked for forgiveness."
"What if she is bluffing? I don't trust this stupid Lycanthrope here!" She raised her brows as she glance at the lycanthrope looking away.
"Calm down." Forest casually told her as she grab her shoulders and pulling her down to his chest.
"A kid like you won't understand anyway" He said as she stroke her hair. Sera tried to pull him away from her.
"I am not a kid! I knew what I am doing. Can you stop hugging me? My body is in pain" She yelled and forest still hug her tight.
"I'll that Stupid wolf later." She muttered to herself.
"I need her, you have to stop hating Euphora. Her actions is just the outcome of her past. Later or sooner you will learn to forgive her from what she did to you" Forest whispered to her.
"You can talk!" She exclaimed in low voice. She look up at him he nod.
"And why are you always talking to me using your telepathy" She said "and not to mention you know that witch's name" She pouted.
"I got a serious sore throat back then. I can't talk to you loudly right now" He whispered to her again.
"Are you two done? The dinner is ready?" Ilthea interrupted. Only the two of them are the only one left on that room. The lycanthrope is not on her bed anymore. Ilthea smirk as she saw the two of them hugging each other and whispering sweet thing to each other ears. What an eye sore.
They went to the dining room wherein the dinner is serve on the wide and long wooden table. Fresh tasted meat and some fresh harvested leafy goods and some boiled potatoes.
Euphora is already eating. Ilthea led them on the empty sits.
"You cook all of these?" Sera eyes watered from delight. She sat on the empty table as she lay her eyes on the food that is serve in front of her. Like she is on at festival. She gulped her saliva. The food was undeniably salivating.
"Yes. Please enjoy yourself. It might not suit your taste" She sat on beside Sera as her place her palms to each other and began to dig in.
Everyone dig in to the food serve before their eyes.
They ate like there is no tomorrow. Sera can't help but to taste every meal that is serve upon her. It was already been years since she ate in feast.
The next morning. Ilthea led her to the storage room which inside of it remains a mystery to her. Now she will able to see what is inside of it. She can feel her excitement within her.
As Ilthea open up the door, a foul smell from within found their way out. Sera casted two light orbs to illuminate the dark storehouse. Several decaying corpses wanting her to throw up. She look around, some men is on devastating state. Covered with their own blood and grime. The smell of their waste is on the air. It was suffocating. They are all skin and bones and dirty.
The man near them ran away, distancing himself from them. He covered his eyes from the dazzling light before his eyes. All of the men inside the store house ran to the corner trying to hide from them. Sera heart was almost about to stop as she saw the men in horrendous state. They are totally almost acting like a wild animal. The men quivering in fear. Their naked body made them look more vulnerable.
"What the…" she uttered, her eyes blinked seeing the terrible state of the men.
"What should I do with them?" She asked Sera. Sera didn't replied but she just went ahead walking towards the men. She slowly approached them as she hold her staff tightly.
Sera extended her arms beneath their head as she caste healing upon them. The man who got heal stop squirming and look at Sera.
One of them kneel in front of Sera as she saw what she did to the other man.
"S…sav…e… a..us… be…ging…you" he said as he cried as he put his head on the ground.
Sera didn't say a word yet she cast another healing magic upon him. Ilthea walk to her mesmerized from what she did
"You!" the man said… scared and trembling with fear.
"You are that old man daughter who torture us here!" He said charging towards Ilthea. Sera immediately put herself between them to stop the man from hurting Ilthea.
The men in his back began to tremble in fear again. Traumatized from the days they had in the hands of her father.
"Calm down all of you. She was the one who lead me here to guide you out of this village." Sera persuade them. She swallowed her saliva as she spoke again.
"The man you ought to be afraid for is alredy dead. And this girl beside me is willing to help you guys to have a new life again." She said to them. She already forgotten how the smell give her a nauseating feel. The only thing she thinks of right now was to save the men in front of her to have another hope to live again. She feels bad from those who died in this dark hell of their life.
The man sat on the ground that is mixed with their blood and sweat, tears and excrete. He cried, he sobs like a child that got punched in the face and losses a candy.
"Why now? Why did you not come earlier! Klara… Klara should be still here with me" he cried.
Ilthea and sera was lost of words. Ilthea felt guilt poking her heart sharply.
"I am sorry!" Ilthea cried her tears burst out that made the man raised his head to look at Ilthea. "I am sorry that, I didn't able to save you from having this nightmare. I am scared of my father. I am coward to face my father wrath" She cried falling on her knees, sobbing. She didn't care if her clothes got soiled. She can't just bear the pain in her heart any longer.
Cry and sobs echoed in every corner of the store house. The men who was terrified was in confusion. They are confuse about what is happening. The man who has still his sanity was dumbfounded. That is means his life in this hell would end.
Ilthea stands in front of the gathering villagers. Everyone was not happy to have her as the leader of the village… She sighs, who would want a weak girl like her to be their leader. She don't even knew how to lead them. The villager began to whispering to each other as they got there.
"Attention" she yelled. She gulped her saliva as she felt her knees trembling. Every eyes was on her. She feel her stomach turning upside down.
'I can't do this!' She said to herself. She pinched her thigh to snap out of it.
"We loss many men from the attack of a feral monster. Our beloved Father, children, and husband. It was unfortunate to loss them, however their loss won't affect our village. We should strive to survive and make this unfortunate event a lesson toward the future. We will strengthen our defense for the future so this won't happen again to our children, so that they won't suffer for loss. I ask you residence of this village to lend me strength to rebuild and strengthen our beloved village. I might be the person you won't ask to lead but I do not have a choice… we do not have a choice but to follow what our ancestor practiced. Let me lead you all toward the better future and I need all of you to trust me and I won't let you down this time"
After a long emotional speech, Ilthea seems forgot to breath. She grasped for air and look at the people gather below her. They were not expecting her to make a speech that will move their heart. Can she really do it? Some of them are in doubts. Ilthea is only 17 would she really able to lead them.
Ilthea is known to be irresponsible, coward and a loner. She doesn't talk to anyone in the village. She is also like to run away from responsibilities and duties as a girl. She always hide like a scaredy cat whenever she thinks she is in trouble. She never face challenges in life. But now, she is standing on the platform facing the people in her village. Talking about leadership. How much did she grown on.
"This was thanks to the people that made me change even in the short period of time of being with them. I won't run away this time, because the village is my top priority. I ask you once again… please trust me and watch me change the village." She bowed in front of them. The villagers were deeply amazed and they can't help but to clap their hands. She look at the wood underneath her feet. Her sweat rolling down on her cheeks. It was a success to get their hearts.
'I won't run away. I will prove my father, my brother and sister in law that I will going to lead the village strengthening it.' she said to herself she raised her head and look at Sera and forest about to leave the village. The lycanthrope that is under the cloak walk away with them and didn't look back.
Ilthea hate to see they back walking away. This must be fate, Ilthea keep mentioning it into her head. She smiled as the three is no longer to be seen.