The next morning, the wolf-kin village bustled with life.
Laughter and chatter rose as people gathered to inaugurate the newly built shrine. Except for the people involved in the incident, the others were unaware of the event that transpired the night before.
Hence, the atmosphere around the village was rather festive.
Today was not just another day, but it was an auspicious occasion.
Set at the center of the village, cradled by the roots of the ancient trees, the new shrine stood pristine, its smooth wooden beams gleaming under the rising sun.
A thick rope, braided with straw, hung above the entrance, swaying gently.
Its arched roof, tiled with granite, shimmered faintly, and the wooden beams bore hand-carved motifs of fangs, leaves, and moons—symbols of the tribe's God.
Villagers gathered in the clearing, dressed in their finest garments. Some wore bone-crafted jewelry, a sign of status, while others were dressed in simple clothing.
However, none dared to speak loudly. Even the children didn't dare raise their voices.
The air was sacred, and everyone seemed to feel it.
"Fellow brothers and sisters, today the wind carries more than the scent of soil and fire— it carries memories." Elder Raegon spoke, standing before the shrine.
His voice wasn't thunderous, but rather mild.
Despite that, it rang all over the clearing, grabbing their attention.
The wolf-kin gathered in the clearing turned to look at him, their eyes glistening with reverence.
Elder Raegon was one of the oldest members of the tribe. His back was hunched, a sign of his increasing age. His face was marred with scars and wrinkles. Despite that, his amber eyes bore a distinct sign of vigor.
"Look around you. This shrine, these wooden beams, these ropes of straw and bone. How many of you could have imagined witnessing such a marvelous structure before?"
"It's not just another structure. It is the proof of our faith, our belief."
The tribe folk grew even more interested as he began to speak. Their eyes were glued on him while their heart swelled with different emotions.
Just as he said, none of them would have even imagined seeing such a marvelous structure before, let alone building one themselves.
The craftsmen who constructed this wonder of a shrine couldn't help but feel pride.
They looked at their calloused hands, recalling the moments of the construction.
Their pupils flared with pride, and a grin tugged their lips.
"Here we pay respect to our God. Here we tell him our struggles. Let it be known across the land, this shrine shall not bow to fear."
Just as he finished, he raised his staff. The emerald stone at the tip glowed an ethereal green as he added, "Praise be upon the lord!"
"Praise be upon the lord!"
The villagers chanted, their spirit rising.
"Now then, as you all know, we captured a few elves the day before."
Upon the mention of elves, some of the wolf-kin felt their blood boiling with rage. Their veins bulged, and their expression twisted into a sneer.
Elder Raegan, upon seeing their reaction, mused. However, he didn't make it obvious and kept his composure.
"I know, our kin has suffered in their hands before. Some of you must have even lost your family members. It is only right for you to seek their death to punish them for their deeds."
The villagers flared as they heard him, their bloodlust growing stronger.
While the villagers were growing more eager to execute the elves, Lira's brows furrowed. She could tell that Elder Raegon was inciting the crowd.
His intentions were spilling all over the place.
But she couldn't intervene, for she was helpless. Frowning, she turned to face Kael, who stood behind Elder Raegon in silence.
"That's enough, Elder," Kael interrupted before he could incite the crowd further.
Lira felt relieved, and her expression lightened.
The crowd, however, was growing even more restless. Murmurs spread through the crowd as the people discussed the execution.
Witnessing this scene, Lira couldn't help but purse her lips.
Elder Raegon, on the other hand, stepped back with a wry smile. He was satisfied with the crowd's reaction. He knew he had achieved his goal.
Hence, he didn't even retort.
Kael then stepped forward.
"It's true that our kin has suffered in their hands. But it's equally true that we have suffered in the hands of our kin, too."
Kael's voice descended like thunder, creating chaos in the hearts of the crowd.
"But their deeds are much more heinous."
One of the individuals spoke.
Clearly, the one who spoke held deep grudges against the elves.
Elder Raegon's eyes brimmed with excitement as he heard them.
"Blood was spilled and lives were taken. Now, who is to decide the cost of lives? Do you think the lives of fallen comrades in the hands of our brothers amount to less than the lives of the comrades in the hands of the elves?"
Kael questioned the individual.
The individual, however, couldn't respond and went speechless.
Elder Raegon's brows furrowed.
'Useless!' He scoffed under his breath, the previous smugness nowhere to be seen.
"The only one who's capable of deciding the sins. The only one capable of judgment is the lord. He alone is the mighty one, and he shall decide their fate."
Kael continued.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd, some in agreement, while some were still reluctant.
But none dared to defy his judgment.
"Bring them in…" Kael hinted at the warrior beside him.
In a while, the elves were dragged to the clearing where the wolf-kin had gathered. Their hands were still tied; however, their legs were freed.
"Move!"
The wolf-kin warrior pushed Valen.
Valen, now treated like a prisoner, rolled his eyes around. He could see hatred and rage burning in their eyes. Just from a glance, he could tell these people held some kind of grudge against him.
However, he couldn't understand the reason for their hatred.
He hadn't even encountered a wolf-kin before.
Yet it felt like he had offended these people before.
The atmosphere around him felt intimidating, and he could hardly breathe, let alone think.