"Understood," Hai says as she flies away.
"Rom!" Inari shouts.
"Yes," he says as he flies in from the other side of the village.
"I'm going to leave you in charge of placing the proxy spells that Foof is making. Make sure there are no patterns to your placements, or the humans will pick up on that and avoid them."
"Yes, leader."
"Another thing to keep in mind is how their health system works. The mana used for their health points strengthens the chemical bonds between the molecules of their skin, making it impossible to penetrate without sufficient force. It will behoove you to place the proxy spells close together in some spots to overcome this. While blunt force trauma cannot do direct damage when they're in full health, all status conditions are still effective. Electrical shocks can still cause temporary paralysis, and poison will still do damage over time. Try to use the flashier spells to cover up any status conditions that may be triggered. Any questions?"
"Yes, what are molecules?" Rom asks. He stares at his leader with desperation as he struggles to comprehend her utterances. A hole opens in Inari's chest as she realizes how isolated she is.
[I'm sure Nick would understand what I'm talking about.]
Inari shakes her head to dismiss the annoying thought. The fact that her mind went to him at all is distressing.
'It's lonely at the top.'
'How can I not pity a god when they're so alone.'
'You're like a mother with a bunch of children.'
His words that have been hiding at the back of her mind surge forth. The weight of her position weighs heavily on her shoulders.
"Never mind, just do the best you can," she finally says.
"Yes, leader." Rom flies away with renewed determination. The emptiness that threatens to consume the fairy god grows wider. Doubt rises in her mind as she thinks of all the black mana stones that will be presented to her after the battle ends. How many friends will be lost? How many children will die? The agony of the uncertain future claws at her nerves.
"Lala," Inari calls out with less energy in her voice.
"Yes!"
"Where are the humans?" As much as she may hate to admit it, talking to Nick would really help ease the weight on her shoulders. He'd probably spout some pseudo-intellectual philosophy or make a dumb joke at his own expense, but it would be nice to talk to someone who doesn't look up at her like a god, someone who would speak to her at eye level.
"They're still in town, leader. I believe they'll be heading this way before the morning ends."
"No, not them. The other humans."
"You mean Nick and his party?"
"…Yes." Inari sighs in resignation.
"They're currently in the dungeon with another adventurer party. I haven't gotten any updates from them yet, but I doubt they'll be leaving any time soon."
"Okay, thanks."
"Do you want me to contact him?"
"No, it's nothing. Just keep an eye on the humans in town. I want to know exactly when they're leaving."
"Yes, leader," Lala says as she flies away. Having given orders to all the senior fairies in the village, the only thing that remains is to wait.
Inari pulls herself together so as not to show any weakness to her children and slowly travels around the village. What was once a symbol of peace and serenity is now a machine of war. Each gear spins in conjunction with those around it. Any unnecessary pieces are tossed into the trash. Sacrifices must be made to ensure the safety of the village at large. Inari's heart aches as she thinks of those sacrifices but doesn't show it on her face. All the burning emotions are pressed down, set as fuel for the upcoming battle.
At the edge of the village sits the trash heap with a population of one. Woohee sits by herself, wearing only ragged leaves. She's covered with dirt and grime from tireless days of work. Inari silently flies over her.
"Stupid, stupid Woohee. Always messing things up. Worthless Woohee." The young fairy repeats the insults drilled into her over the last several weeks. In a tribe organized for war, any weak link is reviled. It's a matter of life and death. Any individual that doesn't work for the survival of the fairies is working against it. Woohee would never turn against her kin, but her air-headed incompetence has only caused problems for those around her. Try as she might, she only gets in the way. The light of the village has been covered in shadow.
Inari's chest aches as she watches her child struggle to grind some herbs. Particulate spills from the mortar as she frantically spins the pestle around. The worst part is that her exile is largely due to Inari. As the leader, she's the one who stresses militant values. She's the one who pushed the fairies to the brink. Woohee was a necessary tool to raise the fighting power of the village. Every time Woohee makes a mistake, everyone gets punished. Every time Woohee falls behind in training, everyone gets punished. Over time, resentment began to build toward the incompetent fairy until she became the target of bullying. Being the kind soul she is, Woohee wouldn't even fight back. She would apologize whenever she was hit or pushed to the ground. She never got mad and only tried harder the next time, but it was never enough. The stress caused by her abusers caused her to make even more mistakes and get bullied even harder. All the impudent rage building within the village was unleashed upon her until she was now only a shell of her former self.
"Can't do anything right. Woohee doesn't deserve to eat if she doesn't finish this batch. Woohee's just a waste. Maybe Woohee should just die…." These words leave her mouth as her arms drop to her sides. Big tears fall to the ground where she's sitting. All her bright hope has been beaten into a dark depression.
Inari moves forward to comfort her child but stops herself. She can't do or say anything. The war is almost upon them. The pieces are falling into place. Woohee only needs to hold out for a little while, and then everything can return to normal. Inari can apologize a thousand times over for everything she put the poor fairy through. She can spend the rest of eternity trying to make it up to her as long as they both survive the war. The leader of the fairies hardens her heart and pulls back into the trees.
"No! Woohee, has to try!" The ragged fairy pulls herself back together and continues her work. "Woohee has to be good for something! Woohee has to help! Woohee has to keep working!"
Try as she might, the small fairy can't hold back the stream of tears falling down her face. The ground grows damp as she spins the pestle round and round. Woohee sobs into the mortar but keeps working. The ingredients are ruined by the salt in her tears, but she continues grinding nonetheless. Her heart may be shattered, but somewhere deep inside, a string of hope is holding her together.
"Nick never gives up, and Woohee won't either! Woohee will be strong like Nick; then everyone will stop hating Woohee! Woohee will get stronger. Just wait!" The pestle increases speed and spins madly around the mortar as Woohee shouts to herself. The herbs scatter everywhere, but her vision is too blurry to notice. She keeps grinding the herbs even after they've all spilled out.