Chapter 19: Elven Village (I).
Francisca's POV
It's been two weeks ever since we've been left here by mom and dad to be trained by the temple monks of Mt. Ordonia, hidden in the depths of the [Xiāowáng Forest].
"Ugh I can't feel my legs…"
"My… my fingers are still numb. I didn't think I would be holding the string of the bow that much… my skin is turning purple."
Kc and John complained, these two were beside me taking a rest from Xiao Lu Shifu's merciless beating.
"Come on you two, let me heal you." I tell them motioning to come close to me.
"Sniff… I-I don't think healing spells can fix our current mental state. We need a break from training, big sis." (Kc) cries out as I hold out my hands chanting out a divine spell for healing wounds.
"[Regeneration]." A soft light emerged from my hands, soon their scratches and wounds disappeared and I sighed a breath of relief seeing them looking good as new.
"Thank you, milady." (John) holds his wrist, stretching it. "While it does make me happy we've been making progress on our strength I do think we deserve a day off to rest."
"Yeah! Agreed! I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm going to lay off from the pranks today!" (Kc) apparently has been pranking other people inside the temple without us knowing.
"Please… stop pulling pranks before they kick us out of the temple." (John) pleaded but I don't think that would be enough to have Kc stopping her pranks.
"What kind of pranks did you even do?" I ask her, turning curious, surely it can't be that bad if I haven't heard anything around.
My little cousin will get past this phase of hers hopefully if not- then I'm going to wish my other aunt goodluck with this one.
"Oh the usual! You know throwing random rocks-"
"KC… Don't… Please find other pranks that won't hurt other people."
"I was hoping to throw rocks at my carved targets in the trees, not at people. I'm not dumb! Besides, I'm only doing this to get a kick out of the practice of using a shuriken! Have you seen those things at the weapon display?" (Kc) chimes looking over to us excitedly, practicing her throwing in the air.
In that case this wouldn't count as a prank.
Everyday we've been coming back to our rooms all battered, beat up and tired. Our mental state was getting fortified with the amount of discipline we've been getting but- a break would sure be nice.
"Kc- rocks are different from shurikens." I tell her and she pouts, she stomps a foot into the ground doing a little tantrum.
"Eh… if they only made a wooden one then I can play around with it. I threw a bug on one of the adviser's desks and stuff… I'm just bored in this temple." (Kc) complains and I shake my head hearing the childish pranks she committed.
"If you ever get scolded, I won't be running to save you. The consequences of those pranks will be your responsibility, Kc." I told her in reminder but Kc being a little girl didn't feel too much with my warning.
"I can carve you one, I carve in my free time." (John) walks over to us and offers to make Kc a wooden shuriken.
"This is a surprise, when did you learn how to carve?" I ask John as he looks around for a piece of wood. Kc went with him and found a small piece that could be easily turned into a shuriken with a small branded knife.
"When my brother was not paying any attention to me- I would just make small wooden toys for myself… I didn't have much so I had to make do with what I could." (John) responded and I nod in understanding.
Kc handed over the piece of wood and jumped excitedly.
"When do you think you'll be done with the wooden shuriken?! I want at least ten of them!" she tells him and they both went off on their own waving goodbye to me. I did the same, and decided to go rest somewhere else.
"Well I have a bit of time on my own, I wonder where I can go at this time?" I walked around the temple seeing if there was any place I could take a rest in peace without anyone disturbing me.
"Speaking of not being disturbed. I have to find Fenrir's spots because I can't see him anywhere these days." I scratch the back of my neck wondering where that wolf has gone off to. "I should go find him."
I tried wandering around calling out for Fenrir. Only to find him playing with someone else.
"Good boy, who's a good boy!"
It was Nuo Lin looking like she was having fun with Fenrir, she was kneeling down on the ground patting Fenrir's back.
"Woof!"
I was hiding in a safe distance planning on keeping watch, it was hard to see Fenrir being this friendly to other people but it seems that this person was an exception to that rule.
"It's a good thing you drank that medicine quickly, I'm not sure what I would do if that poison managed to spread all over your body. You're protecting them aren't you?" (Nuo Lin) holds down Fenrir giving belly rubs.
My mom's familiar was whimpering in satisfaction. Fenrir was enjoying being spoiled by Nuo Lin, seeing her look so gentle and soft made me think she wears different masks when we're out with the others.
Nuo Lin however stops looking over at my direction.
"Whoever's there, you can come out. It's not nice to spy."
I wasn't surprised, the human senses of these monks were nothing out of the ordinary. "Sorry about that, I didn't want to impose on your bonding time together. It seems he's been here with you, you looked like you were having fun."
"Oh new girl. It's just you." (Nuo Lin) mutters standing up and Fenrir quickly runs over to me making me tumble over to the ground, while he licks my face.
"Ew!" I patted his head, feeling the saliva and his mouth smelling like fish, glad to see that he was okay and safe with Nuo Lin. I could see her standing on guard, looking like she doesn't know how to act around me.
"Are you an animal lover, jiejie?" I decided to break the silence and she stared at me for a while.
"...yes." (Nuo Lin) answers with a slight pause at the start. She walked over to us and gave Fenrir a small pat on the head too. "But I mostly favor dogs, they're friendly and I trust them more so than humans. I value loyalty over everything, and they are one of the most loyal ones I've ever met."
"Fenrir seems to really like you too, but I don't think you can keep him. My mom would not be happy about that part."
"I am aware, I am merely caring for him in the short time you will be training here. I'm trying my best not to get attached but I'm completely failing to do so." she smiles sadly looking over to me. "Do you like wolves or dogs too?"
"I like any animal there is."
"Hmph certainly not dangerous magical ones, reminder to not try and tame those that are outside the border. It's dangerous, things lurk in the woods. Remember to not stray far." (Nuo Lin) reminds me and while I was curious about what could be inside the woods… I decided not to break any rules and follow them.
"Alright, I won't go far." I told her and she gave me a nod of satisfaction.
We found a nearby fallen tree to sit on and we had… nothing to talk about but- I wanted to get to know Nuo Lin better.
"Woof!" (Fenrir) decided to take a nap underneath us, wrapping himself with his tail and closing his eyes, napping away, leaving us the only two awake.
"Um… How did you get here? To the temple I mean. It's very far away from any of the kingdom's villages or cities…"
Nuo Lin takes a rock by the side and holds it in her hand, throwing it up in the air and catching it repeatedly while she answers my question.
"You're curious about my life?" (Nuo Lin) breaks her strict mask of facade and smiles teasingly.
"That… and I don't have anything else that I think we can hold a topic on." I answer her and she throws the rock she was holding onto outside of the barrier, giving me the short version of how she came to be in the temple.
"The temple's children are brought to be trained, to be protectors of the forest and to stay in the forest. I was one of them, taken from the streets of the city and placed here to repent for my sin." (Nuo Lin) explains, my ears perk up by the mention of repenting for a sin.
Perhaps- did she steal something or?
"What do you mean by repenting for your sins?" I ask her, turning curious and her smile falters looking at me with a serious expression.
"I repent for murder."
"I killed someone for the sake of being free, every child you see here has committed something horrible but the kingdom rule states- slavery is illegal now." (Nuo Lin) tells me and I listen in. "They decided to throw problematic children like us into the temple, in hopes of rehabilitation besides no one likes a child that killed their own parents."
…
That was… very dark.
I swallowed the lump forming in my throat, should I be hearing this?
"It's not only me, there are other kids here who are in similar circumstances as mine. I only did what I could only do, I murdered because I thought it was right." (Nuo Lin) sighs, looking at me and then biting her lips in with such guilt in her expression.
"Sorry… the memories I had are not nice and I- I don't usually open up like this so easily. Especially to newcomers." she tells me and I nod.
"Still, thank you for trusting me with your feelings. I did ask- and if you don't want to continue any further it's okay." I tell her looking in the direction of where she threw the rock further in the distance. "I don't want to assume anything, but to take your matters in your own hands- I think it's brave."
"You think me killing someone is brave?" she chuckles and I nod.
"I think your will to strive for freedom is. I don't condone murder… not unless it's with good reason. If I'm being honest- some people are just- better off… gone." The tone of my voice turned deep, without even knowing that somehow I turned into a different person to Nuo Lin's eyes.
"I knew we'd get along." (Nuo Lin) tells me and we talked together for a few more minutes, the mood getting lighter.
…
"There are more things out there that are best to not find. Many tales of the temple, that an elf village were destroyed not too far away from here. Evil they were, they plundered and sought for blood is what they told me." (Nuo Lin) and I were having fun exchanging stories we've learned from our homes.
"Really? Just near here? I've never seen an elf in my life." I excitedly think of how they would look, being depicted by the stories of my past world- they should have long pointy ears, beautiful hair and eyes that sparkled.
They were always given a beautiful figure, for elves were a group of figures that were elegant and poised.
"I also have heard that they-" (Nuo Lin) was about to tell me more but someone interrupted her with a yell not too far away from us.
"Nuo Lin! Is that you? With the new girl?!"
The other monks came to find our spot for some reason, however they were holding the basket meant for foraging inside the forest. It was empty, and the elder monks looked ecstatic on seeing me.
"You're the girl that got the mandrake root and the crying flower right?" One of the eldest monks asks and I look at Nuo Lin before nodding in answer.
"Yes I am. What's wrong?" I asked them and they all gave me excited faces before bowing happily.
"You see young lady, we are glad that you have found these rare ingredients! We haven't found any in these three months of trying! They can be really valuable healing items and good to trade on the market for silk!"
Huh trading some ingredients guarded by poisonous plants for some silk- those better be worth it.
"Many of our clothes get tattered, new children would often come and go- we don't want them freezing over in the winter. It's not only silk, the elders also trade them for fur for our clothing and other things." (Nuo Lin) explains.
"What I'm saying is dear- if you find more we'll be thankful! The silk can be made for the monk's special thread to make clothes for the other children!" They held my hand softly, and the elderly monk lady pats my head. "I'll make sure to knit you a pair, really just thank you."
With that they left us alone, Nuo Lin leans over to me with a playful look in her eyes- and mutters.
"Stealing the elders' hearts using hard work now are you?" (Nuo Lin) she tells me, her words tickle and I shake my head seeing the elders' figure fading as they walk away.
"I thought the temple was well…"
"Yes, it's well and the temple doesn't believe in the ties of money. It delusions you from what's important- it ties with greed so we're only allowed to trade item for item." (Nuo Lin) scoffs looking uninterested.
"The people that trade with the temple though, let's just say they're having fun getting expensive things for such a small price."
I took in her words… and wanted to do something good for the temple.
I stealthily took out my phone and searched for the name of the root and the crying flower. Wanting to find a bundle of them, searching the item throughout the map- it seems that there were a lot…
But they were outside the temple's barrier.