After passing through the gates of the small smooth stone wall, the entrance to the village of Gharfien is official . Upon arrival, the children are extremely uncomfortable with all the strange looks of the villagers. The houses in the center of the village are made of smooth stone and rounded windows, as in the previous places, but the houses near the wall are very simple, square, made of wood.
Kalui pulls Roldi's pants, getting his attention.
— Roldi ... Who are these people and what are we doing here?
The gray-haired gentleman strokes the boy's head and replies:
— Calm down. It's all right. This is going to be perfect for Whiger and it's good for you to meet new people too, isn't it? Don't you want to explore the whole world? Why not start here?
— I'll try to be more calm. Talk to Kahyu later, she is also scared.
"It's not easy with ten men surrounding us, but that's okay." , thinks Kalui .
He nods and continues to walk towards the center of the village.
The group is taken to a three-story stone building. From this place, the village elder comes out, dressed in a long, thin white tunic, with embroidered details, accompanied by large and strong guards, all with green eyes and wearing white feather petticoats.
The elder opens his arms and says:
— Unbelievable, Roldi! Look how big you have become!
— Mr! Aged well! — He answers.
The three children whisper as the adults talk.
— Looks like we're saved. — Says Kalui .
— IT IS. Still, I don't like them. — Whiger replies , crossing his arms. — But yeah, we're fine now.
— I'm still worried. You weren't the ones who almost took an arrow.
Laughing, Kalui replies:
— Really.
"Grab that opportunity, Whiger . This is the best place for you to learn! " thinks Roldi.
— Dear Elder, could we talk?
— Yes, young man. Take his children to one of the empty houses. It will be their home for now.
Roldi looks back and says:
— Don't wait for me awake.
Roldi, the elder and a dozen more guards, enter the three-story stone building. The two talk in a large round room, in which near the wall, stone chairs attached to the floor surround the entire room, leaving a huge open space. They both sit next to each other, in one of the seats.
— Say, Roldi, what do you want to talk about?
— Whiger and Kahyu just lost their parents. — The gray-haired man leans forward, thoughtful. — I want to make them forget revenge a little and focus on living life, you know?
— I understand.
— So when Whiger finds out about the twenty-year test, I'm sure he'll try to stay here. Of course, I have no problem with him staying here, just that—
— I know I know. — The elder strokes his beard and complements. — He would stay for an unhealthy reason. Be strong to get revenge, right?
— Exactly. It was not my idea to come to you, but that was the best thing that could happen to us. Elder, I ask you to tell Whiger that it is not possible for outsiders to participate in the twenty-year test, but I also ask you to teach everything that is safe for him. Of course, I do not intend it to be free, I have approximately — - The praiseworthy elder raises his hand, asking Roldi to stop talking.
— Roldi. We metamorphic suffer everywhere in this world. We are enslaved when strong and enslaved when weak. I know more than anyone how difficult the world is for us. I would never deny helping a child to overcome this world.
— But then, will you deny it for the test?
— Ah, about being banned for outsiders ... That's exactly how it works, actually. Shortly after Enion left, the elder died and I took his place. My first change was to ban outsiders from participating. Our knowledge acquired through the sacrifice of our companions cannot be shared with the rest of the world. We fight for ourselves. The strongest metamorphic ones are the ones that most enslave the weakest metamorphic. If you have even more knowledge, what will become of the world?
"Really ... ", thinks Roldi.
— True ... Enion gathered the metamorphics and threatened Stron's kingdom . He achieved guaranteed freedom and equality between metamorphic and elementals, as well as a school just for them. There was no battle, it was just an "Either kill people at the expense of an internal war that will bring you unimaginable losses or give us equality." Of course, the fortifiers in Stron are still privileged, but he managed to end years of exploitation.
— It seems that allowing the tests to outsiders is not all bad. But this is the first story of something good that happened because of an outsider who passed the test and you can't imagine how many stories I've heard.
— I know, I don't mean to convince you otherwise. I just wanted to share Enion 's achievements ! Since you never saw him again.
— I understand. Well, are we resolved then? If Whiger comes to ask anyone, he will have the answer that the test is impossible for outsiders. — The elder raises his arm, pointing at one of the guards. — However, Lucy will teach the boy everything that is safe. If he is smart, in a year he should be able to master everything and I guarantee that he will leave here with almost the same knowledge as Enion . — Laughing, he adds. — Our basic and safe today is much more advanced!
Roldi gets up and bows to the elder.
— Thank you very much! I will never forget that.
The elder extends his hand and Roldi kisses it.
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Year 952, day 281, Elfen territory , Predatory forest, Gharfien village , 12h.
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The three children talk in the new house, located on a small hill. Excited and articulating more than usual, Kalui exclaims:
— I met a lot of people our age! Here we can play freely inside the village.
— I'm worried. Roldi has not returned until now.
The sound of someone knocking on the wooden door interrupts them.
Kalui opens the door and jumps back instantly.
— What you want?! — Asks the boy.
The strong man is Lucy, with folded arms looking at Kalui .
— Calm down child. I came to talk to a boy named Whiger . The elder's orders.
Worried, Kalui exclaims stammering:
— Where's Roldi !?
Lucy rolls her eyes and replies:
— I saw him buying vegetables at the fair. Are you Whiger ?
Kalui lowers his guard and slightly relaxes his shoulders.
The tiger boy points to his own chest and says:
— I'm Whiger ! What you want with me?
— I need you to come with me. Your training starts today.
A huge shadow falls over Lucy. As he looks back and up, he sees Roldi. Next to him, tall and tall Lucy looks like a normal man.
— Hello, Mr. Roldi. I came to get Whiger , as promised.
— Clear! I haven't warned him yet, I'm sorry. Whiger ! Since only Kalui left home, you may not know it, but this is the village with the most powerful metamorphic in the world! And, I asked this man, Lucy, to teach you.
With disdain, Whiger replies:
— Okay .
— Boy, manners. Thank right!
— Thank you very much, Mr. Lucy.
— Can I go along? — Asks Kahyu .
— Your training will be with Kalui , with me, as we always did. But before that, I have something for you to do. Kalui , you have this week free to do what you want! Enjoy! Play a lot, because later we will enjoy the waterfall nearby and train you both. I thought of something interesting ...
Kalui swallows and responds excitedly:
— Can I go right now ?!
— Sure, go explore, kid!
Kalui releases wind from his body and jumps out of the house, celebrating.
Caressing his own hands, Kahyu asks timidly:
— What do I do, Roldi?
— I talked to the elder and he allowed you to replace the wooden houses with stone houses. It has been many generations since a minimally strong earth elemental has been born around here. We will start with the empty ones and in the meantime the others will be vacated gradually. At first, they will be one house a day, but I hope you can do much more than that!
Impatient, Whiger asks:
— Can I go now too? Lucy has been waiting for a while.
Roldi looks at the guard waiting for Whiger .
"I forgot that he was still here."
— Go on, Whiger . Learn a lot and be respectful of Mr. Lucy. — He shakes hands with the guard. — Thank you very much.
The two walk away. Kalui is no longer in sight.
"I don't know if I can ... I did my parents ' house but it was a long time ago ..."
— Roldi, how is it to make the house? Where is it to raise the walls?
— Calm down, child. All stone houses in the center of the village are the same. Let's go into one of them and you will replicate that in the wooden ones. Remembering, you will have to demolish the ones that are there first, then to build.
— If it's just like doing it, I think I can do it. Let's go?