"We're almost there!" I yelled over my shoulder at Kennedy and Bo.
The two boys were running behind me, admittedly Kennedy was lagging behind a bit and looked like he was struggling. Both boys had electricity sparking off their body's as they dashed across the desert. Colossus was running after us about thirty meters back, using his own burn attribute mana into order to give himself a boost while running. Coyote was flying overhead at a close distance to make sure they wouldn't get separated when we reached the shield protecting the village.
I started to slow down a bit to make sure I close enough to everyone else that the shield would register them as my guests. I hoped the fact that both Coyote and Colossus were created using my mana would be enough but it paid to be sure. Bo and Kennedy both slowed down as well, almost happily when they noticed.
I felt the familiar tug in my heart and soul become more persistent felt my mana start to swell and build until tendrils of mana flew from my star farm crystal and wrap around Bo, Kennedy, Astrid, Baset, Alberto, Jane, Grandpa Seamus, Colossus, Coyote, and the spacian woman's corpse that Colossus dragged behind him.
In a flash the vast desert in front of us disappeared, replaced by the enormous spiraling wall of Tolapo village. The moment it came into view spotlights shined on our little group. Coyote smartly landed ajd started running beside Colossus until we came to a stop in front of the village gates.
I stood in front of the massive stone slabs, looking up at the guard posts fixed above. For the first time in months I felt a stillness in my heart. A sense of belonging and calm that I hadn't realized I needed.
"Who goes there stranger?!" A voice called down from the guard tower in Toropas. I smiled involuntarily on hearing my Grandma's and Grandpa's native tongue spoken freely.
"Stranger? That any way to greet the Star Child?" I replied in Torapos. There was a moment of silence before the gates started to creak open slowly.
Through the slowly widening crack in the gates I could see guards rushing to get into a formation. When the gate opened enough for someone to walk through I saw there were two lines of warriors parallel to each other with spears in hand, standing between the two lines was Geryo. A very groggy and unfocused Geryo but regardless he stood straight and had a commanding aura.
I felt two sets of hands grab my pants and looked down to see both Bo and Kennedy clinging to my side and holding onto my pants for support. I ruffled the hair on both their heads and flashed them a smile to show everything was okay.
"Sho'lajah!" Geryo exclaimed and walked to greet me with open arms.
"Geryo! Didn't think you'd be awake this late." I teased. Geryo pulled me into a hug brief hug then released me and frowned briefly then ran a hand down his face.
"Admittedly I'm not usually. It's not my night to patrol but word reached me that you were at the gates and what sort of head warden would I be if I didn't come greet the Star Child." Geryo replied.
"Word travels fast, we'd only been standing here a few minutes." I observed. Geryo huffed then turned and pointed to a house close to the gates.
"After Dwarm'mond's attack on the city and that massive Rachnid destroyed several wards my own house was not spared. This is my new home now." He said despondently.
"I see…" I said, a slight feeling of guilt burning in my stomach since I was sure most of the damage was caused by the spell I used to kill that massive Rachnid.
Geryo glanced down at Bo and Kennedy and I swore Kennedy shrank several inches and merged with my shadow. Seeing this Geryo took a step back and looked at me.
"Didn't realize you had children Sho'lajah." Geryo quipped. I rolled my eyes then placed a comforting hand on Bo and Kennedy's shoulders.
"These are my apprentices Bo Kestral and Kennedy Taguchi." I said motioning to each boy in turn. Bo attempted to puff his chest out to look bigger but only managed to look like a puffer fish. I head the sound of several boots landing in sand and assumed everyone was dismounting their evos.
"Baset!" Geryo exclaimed loudly and way too enthusiastically. Baset walked around to my side and smiled favorably at Geryo.
"Geryo, glad to see you are well." Baset said. Jane and Astrid walked over to my other side while Alberto stood beside Baset.
"You probably remember Jane and Astrid." I said motioning to the girls. Geryo nodded resoundly and bowed his head slightly to Jane.
"How could I forget Sho'lajah's found sister." He said then glanced over at Alberto. "Or the idiot that got poisoned before he made it into the village."
"HEY!" Alberto exclaimed.
"Well unfortunately that idiot is also one of my apprentices…" I said with a sigh and shake of his head. Alberto growled and glared at me.
"Don't agree with him Chase!" He snapped.
"Hard not to, you were an absolute idiot back then." Baset drawled. Alberto deflated then crossed his arms over his chest.
"Why do I even bother." Alberto muttered.
"Geryo there is however someone I really want you to meet." I said then turned and looked at my Grandpa Seamus.
He was staring up at the wall, looking apprehensive at getting in close. Probably sensing my eyes on him Grandpa turned to look at me then smiled sheepishly. I waved him closer and it took Colossus nudging him with his snout before Grandpa moved.
"This is my Grandfather, Seamus MacClery from Sullivardic village." I said placing a hand on my Grandpa's shoulder and smiling proudly.
Geryo's eyes grew wide as saucers. He looked at Grandpa and then at me. I could see nothing but confusion in his eyes before he took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Grandpa Seamus.
"It is an honor to meet Elder MacClery. To think I would meet a child of Sullivardic village before my end of days." Geryo said.
"No need ta bow ta me laddie. I'm just a old man, no great elder." Grandpa quickly said, his discomfort at the show of respect obvious. Geryo stood then smiled.
"Still! This is great news. The Grand sire of the Star Child, husband to our village's greatest enchanted item creator is a child of another legendary village! The odds are as vast an numerous as there are stars." Geryo exclaimed. He turned and motioned to the other warriors. They all quickly took a step back. "Come! I know you have traveled far to get here. I will escort you to the guest house we had prepared shortly after you left last time. I'm sure the elders will want to meet with you in the morning."
"Good. We'll have something to talk to them about." Baset said then glanced back at spacian corpse tied to Colossus. Geryo glanced back and paused when he saw the wrapped up cropse.
"I pray that wasn't a companion of yours Sho'lajah?" Geryo asked.
"No, but she is a part of the reason I came back to the village." I replied. Geryo's expression turned serious but he didn't say anything, instead he nodded then turned and pointed to two warriors. With a snap of his fingers the warriors quickly moved and untied the woman's corpse and carried it into the village ahead of us.
"Come…we will speak more in the morning…"