Black Securities came in handy oncemore to help everyone back to the farm. Iona did ask the beastwomen whether they wanted to ride the carriages or not, but they were far too wary of them and wanted to instead rely on their natural strength and speed.
Li went back on a separate carriage from the farmers, one with Triple Threat and Iona in it. As he looked out the window etched with translucent barrier runes, he could see that the beastwomen could very well keep up with the carriages in their own way.
The Feli and Lupi rushed forwards on all fours like incarnations of feral agility, striking out a contrasting image with among the cobblestone roads and dazed human citizens of Riviera.
The Serpi floated on platforms of sand, channeling their magic together to affect mass flight. The harpies, blessed with wings that could let them touch the sun, flew with far more grace, twirling in the air with toothy smiles as they beheld the strange city around them with almost childish curiosity.
After a few minutes, Li noticed the silence in the carriage and turned from the window to look at Jeanne and Sylvie sitting on the opposite end of the carriage, shock wreathing their expressions. Azhar sat with them, arms crossed, but he looked more worried than anything.
"Right, I should explain myself," said Li as he turned and leaned forwards. Iona was sitting next to him, and he could feel that she was not too comfortable talking to the adventurers. Probably because she was waiting for Li to say something.
"Well, you heard it back at the Flagon. I'm directly linked to a godlike entity of the forests, and I'm here to see that farming makes a comeback. Not that special, right?"
"Of course, it is special!" exclaimed Sylvie. There was curiosity glimmering in her eyes. "Now it all makes sense. Your unexplained power, your incredible ability to heal, your exceptional knowledge of the land – it hails from your connection to this divinity, this wondrously unknown, eastern deity."
"Hey, the farming I learned entirely by myself," said Li, his voice lighthearted now that he knew that Sylvie was merely curious.
"It also explains who you are and why you are here," said Sylvie. "For once, I can piece together why you are how you are. Why you hold such an insightful view of others and guide and grant advice. It is because you have seen so many mistakes in your land that you wish none others here to repeat them."
Li nodded. Although he had peeled a few layers off his veil of secrecy, he still kept a few on for now by acting as some kind of avatar or link to a forest guardian. However, Sylvie was right. He had made his speech to the farmers spurred on by his past, by the world he had lived in before, and even if he misled her by playing his world off as the east, the emotions and intentions behind his words were still genuine.
"I know it is a sensitive topic for you, the land you hailed from," said Sylvie as she shifted in her seat shyly. "But if ever you feel like you wish to share knowledge about it, mine ears are always open."
"I'll keep that in mind," said Li. He glanced at Jeanne. He knew she was a priestess of the temple of Light, and that religion was the one that had suppressed the farmers' faith over the decades. Perhaps she had reservations?
But when Li read her face, he could not see any hint of contempt or any negative emotion. It was just genuine curiosity. Not that he could ever imagine any hint of negativity on her face – it just did not seem suited to make that kind of expression.
"You're not bothered by this?" said Li to Jeanne. "The temples of Light have sought to keep the old ways of the forest suppressed to my knowledge. Doesn't this go against your doctrine?"
Jeanne shook her head. "The light of life is one that shines like the sun, encompassing all, no matter their creed or appearance or status. Under the sun, all are equal, and so one should never do unto others what they should not want done to them."
She lowered her head. "Of course, I do recognize the troubled history of the temples, but that is the tampering and shortcoming of man, not the true essence of the Light."
Li stopped for a few seconds to find a way to word what he was about to say, but he decided to be blunt. "You are aware that once the farmers practice their faith again with me at its center, the temples may act against me? You might lose status by associating with me as well."
Jeanne smiled. "I care little for the politics of the temples, and I know very well that you are more than capable of rebuffing anything from the temple."
"Not to mention you are far too influential among the common people for the temple to ever hold you to their bidding," said Sylvie.
Jeanne nodded and said, "All I ask of you is this. Should the temple act against you, will you not be gentle? To show them the error of their ways instead? At its core, I know that the temple is built atop a foundation of warmth to others. It can be saved, I am certain."
"If it comes down to it, I will not hold back," said Li. "But if they are willing to listen, then I am willing to try and teach."
"Thank you," said Jeanne.
A moment of silence passed before Sylvie's mind pounced back to Li. She spoke fast, her mind racing with questions.
"What manner of deity is the one you are blessed by? I hear tell that the guardians of old could conjure up life from nothing, is that true? They say that those blessed by the forest smell like the earth? Wait, that is not true, you have a far nicer smell."
There was a pause before Sylvie blushed, recognizing what she had said, followed by a peal of laughter from Jeanne. Like that, Li could see that nothing had truly changed with the adventurers.
Now, he would see what the old man would think.
==========================
At the farm, Old Thane's roaring laughter echoed through the fields. He stood with small basket in hand in the middle of the fields, a bough of weeds plucked out in his other hand.
"I say that this farm is yours as much as mine, and the first thing ye do lad is this?" Old Thane looked in the direction of the carriages. All the farmers and beastwomen were outside, completely crowding the main road, though this was not an issue because nobody wanted to brave provoking the beastwomen.
Old Thane laughed again. "Revival of the old ways? Leadership over all the farms around the walls? A small army of farmers like meself to aid with our daily toils? Why, lad, I'd never thought this humble little farm would ever reach such heights. I thought the golden wheat a feat enough, but time and time again, you far outpace my expectations.
I can only say I am mighty proud, lad."
Li sighed in relief. He knew that Old Thane had basically passed the farm off to him, telling him that he was free to do with it as he wished, but he still felt good knowing that the old man was always supporting him.
The cottage door blasted open, and Li instinctively crouched into position as Tia barreled out with a screech, leaping into the air and perching precariously on his back again.
Although even in his small absence, she had grown, making it very awkward for her to perch on his shoulder anymore. She curled around his shoulders as best as she could, but it was obvious she was far too oversized to maintain this for much longer.
Li's superhuman strength made it no effort to keep her up, but he sometimes did feel bad for her because comparatively, she spent more effort staying on him than he did holding her up. At the same time, this did feel familiar and nice, and he imagined it was the same for Tia.
"I'll fix that door later," said Li as he nodded at the shattered entrance to the cottage. He turned to everyone and waved them forwards. "Stop blocking the road, all of you. That's bad manners."
"Welcome!" shouted Old Thane, his voice booming through the air like a mighty roar. "To mine humble farm. And Ivo? Are those your footsteps I hear?"
Ivo stepped forwards with a laugh, the trail of farmers following behind him. "It is a wonder to see you, old friend!"
Old Thane and Ivo stretched out their fists and touched them together as a greeting. "More a wonder to see you," said Old Thane in wonder. "I thought you lost to your illness forever."
"Your 'lad' changed that," said Ivo as he smiled back at Li. "Though, that is no 'lad'. That is a man, far more a man than I've ever seen."
"Really now?" said Old Thane. He cocked his head playfully. "Mayhaps it is because I cannot see, but he is always a lad to me."
"You two know each other?" said Li. He withdrew from the crowd a little as the beastwomen were a little uneasy with Tia's presence, though the wyrm herself was merely curious about the strange new humanoids.
"Aye," said Old Thane. "We hail from the same generation, after all. Ivo once adventured with me in the few years before I laid my fists down when I came to Riviera after the demon wars. He was the one to suggest I settle to a farm."
"Though that was a joke. I never thought that hardened head of yours could ever settle on a farm." Ivo laughed before he grew solemn. "And Aine? Is she…?"
"She has passed, her soul at rest," nodded Old Thane.
Ivo shook his head. "Alas, it is a mighty shame my wits fled me so quickly. I would have wished for nothing more to have helped you lay Aine to rest."
"The past is the past, old friend. Were it in my power, I would have fought that much harder to keep your faith from falling to decay," Old Thane tapped Ivo's shoulder. "It is all well that you are here now – that is all that matters."
"And perhaps in part due to you, my faith too finds new hope," said Ivo as he glanced at Li.
"It looks like this collaboration is going to much smoother than I thought," said Li. He spoke to Ivo. "I'm sorry to interrupt your reunion, and I know we have traveled far, but I want to ask you all to come to the forests to mark the beginning of our cooperation."
Ivo blinked. "The forests? But why?"
"To show you the guardian that I have brought to this land, of course."
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