Secrets Beneath the Surface
"Ladies and gentlemen, that is my future siblings' duty. Now that father and mother have to face many enemies, how can I be a lady?" Gawain responded to Morgan's complaint with determination.
"For these things, it's fine to have me and your father," Morgan reassured her, feeling a touch of warmth in her heart. "I see, so let's go to bed quickly. If the fairies run away when they're done, that wouldn't be good."
Gawain spoke casually, and the three of them settled in for the night. Lott and Morgan took the big bed, while they found a small bed for Gawain.
After resting through the night, Lott and the others prepared to set off again. During this time, Lott had heard some news about fairies from the innkeeper.
"The elves from the towns around us are almost taking turns, but the most remote town of Luoshi hasn't seen them yet. I guess if you go there, you might not be able to see them," the innkeeper said.
As soon as Lott heard this, he knew they had to pass by.
The three hurried over on horseback. When they arrived in Luoshi Town, they found the fairies actively helping the townspeople to rebuild their houses.
The town was nestled in a mountainous area, adorned with lush greenery, fragrant flowers, and chirping birds. Lott and his companions arrived just as the rebuilding process was underway.
The fairies, specifically the Earth Clan, while not very tall, were bustling about, carrying wooden beams and stone slabs on their broad shoulders. They cleared debris from the ruins and set up structures with remarkable speed and efficiency.
Observing this scene, Lott felt assured they could remain unnoticed. Morgan's magical prowess was significant enough that weak beings would ignore them entirely. As for the fairies capable of sensing them, they would need quite a bit of luck to detect Lott and his group, especially with Lott's powers dampening any attempts to foresee their presence.
"Well, looking at the buildings, it seems these fairies genuinely want to help the villagers rebuild," Gawain remarked.
Lott turned to the girls and said, "Sometimes, to achieve certain goals, a price must be paid. What do you think? Are those fairies good people?"
"No," Gawain replied firmly. Despite having battled Vortigern's army, she hadn't joined in the fighting but had witnessed the beheaded fairies on the battlefield during her escapes.
"They're a bunch of bad guys," she concluded.
Morgan pressed on, "So, would they kindly help us rebuild our homes without a reason?"
"It must be impossible," Gawain confirmed after considering the question.
"Do you know what they are planning?" Morgan asked.
"I don't know either," Morgan admitted. "But I intend to catch a few of them alive to find out."
"Understood, shall we wait for them to finish their task first?" Gawain clenched her fist with eagerness.
"Yes, we'll wait. Someone will approach," Morgan affirmed.
Not long after, they spotted a fairy from the Earth Clan moving towards the outskirts of the town, seemingly headed to chop down some trees.
Seeing the opportunity, Lott gestured for action. "Let's go!"
Gawain dashed forward, ready for confrontation.
The Earth Clan fairy, axe in hand, prepared to cut a tree when suddenly he felt a shadow loom over him. He turned to find Gawain towering above him at 1.9 meters tall. Despite being fit and strong, the fairy barely reached a meter in height, and he felt an overwhelming sense of intimidation.
Before the fairy could react, Gawain swiftly grabbed him.
Though the fairy swung his axe at her thigh in a desperate defence, Gawain was too quick. She caught him mid-swing and, with a swift motion, slammed him to the ground.
The impact was heavy, and the fairy lay unconscious beneath her. Gawain checked for signs of life. "This won't kill him, right?" she muttered, relieved to find him merely unconscious.
She proudly brought the unconscious fairy back to her parents. "Well, we can interrogate him now," she declared confidently.
The fairy of the Earth Clan slowly regained consciousness, finding himself surrounded by the three of them. "Who are you?" he asked, bewildered.
"You are just a captive and have no right to ask us," Morgan said, signalling Gawain to take charge.
With determination, Gawain pressed down on the fairy's head, demanding, "What are you planning?"
"What do we do? We are just rebuilding homes for humanity," the fairy replied, his anger palpable.
Morgan scoffed. "Rebuilding homes? You'd be so kind. Gawain, step aside; let me help him remember."
As Morgan prepared her magic, the fairy squirmed, feeling the tension rise.
"Please, no!" he cried, but Morgan was already channelling her power.
With a wave of her staff, she cast a spell, and beads of sweat formed on the fairy's brow as he began to writhe in pain.
Despite the pressure, he still insisted, "I swear, we are here to help rebuild!"
"Are you here to rebuild the buildings?" Morgan pressed, her voice steady.
"Yes," the fairy confirmed, though his expression betrayed uncertainty.
Morgan exchanged glances with Lott and Gawain, knowing there was more beneath the surface of this fairy's claim. The atmosphere thickened with tension as they prepared to delve deeper into the truth behind the fairies' sudden assistance.