"So, you're back?" Erebus muttered as he looked at the serpent before him. Manati had been his sacrificial lamb, but instead of going forth and living its best life, the captor had been killed by the fairies, and now Manati made his home among the fairies.
"I come as a messenger," Manati responded. This time, he did not have the respect and reverence he usually had for the elder serpent. After all, hadn't this fool betrayed him, serving him up on a platter. How could he be expected to respect such a traitor?
Erebus chuckled, seeing the attitude of the junior. How could he explain that he had done all this for the sake of the little ones. That he was not to blame, the enemy was. However, all that was behind them now, what had happened had already come to pass.
"Tell me the message then," he answered. The other serpents also regarded Manati. Some expressed disapproval for his lack of manners, others were simply ashamed of what had transpired.
"The fairies are planning to go after your old enemy," Manati said, "They request that you tell me as much information as you can about them."
Hearing Manati's message, Erebus burst out laughing. "Fairies, going after them!" He burst out again, as though this was the funniest joke.
"They have already taken out two of those things," Manati said emotionlessly.
"Two?" Erebus was stunned; this was news to him.
"One, a water golem, was sent running off," Manati continued.
All the serpents listening were shocked, even Erebus. They had an impression of the water golem, and if it was the same person, the fairies had truly outdone themselves. The water golem had been so overbearing back when she visited, only to be sent running.
"It matters not," Erebus sighed. He wanted to hope, but what was two in the face of an entire army. He could still remember his kin being torn apart by those things. How many survived, he did not know, but he was not willing to find out.
"Senior, we are not asking for you to accompany the raiding party, all we want is to know what you know," Manati pressed. He had been inspired by Kigen's miraculous comeback. When that tornado splattered down, so did his doubts on the fairy's abilities.
What was so impressive to him was how proud and daring Kigen was. Compared to his senior, Manati could see a huge difference. Sometimes, he wondered if their senior was right, the enemy was too powerful. Every time, Kigen, and the fairies, would prove themselves, showcasing their abilities.
He too had been inspired. He was no longer a captive, but a member of the fairy family. He even came by himself, as a show of trust. He wanted to take on the whole world, well, anyone who dared threaten his new family.
Seeing the determined look on his fellow serpent, Erebus sighed yet again. He too had once been so fiery. Was he wrong to desire to be alive? Sometimes, he would wonder. Nevertheless, he capitulated to his visitor's demand.
From what Erebus knew, the enemy lived on the edge of the forest. Back when he was captured, he had been tossed into this forest because it was like a backyard to the power.
What was interesting was, not even Erebus knew what the ultimate power looked like. Was it human, something else, it did not know. All he knew was that what the power desired, the power got. Anything that stood in its way was pulverized.
They had the magical ability, and an army of golems at their beck and call. Erebus had never even thought of attacking such a power. To what end? Other than drawing its attention to you?
As he continued to explain, he watched the color drain from his kin's eyes. The poor fool had assumed that since they could take on two, they were invincible. How idiotic. Once Erebus finished describing the kind of opposition that awaited them, they had to seriously rethink this plan of action.
"I do remember that at some point, the river branches away from the main body. I saw some part of it drain into a bog, which had an acrid smell," Erebus explained. "The air itself was corrosive, no doubt some kind of witchcraft going on. The tower was in this bog area, I remember that much."
Erebus continued to give out as much information as he could to the younger serpent, hoping to dissuade it from this mad endeavor. After he was done, the serpent bid his kin farewell and returned back home.
"Oi, how is life with the fairies," Jabroot shouted as Manati was going back. This serpent had been his junior not too long ago.
"Better than you'd expect, you'd love it there," Manati shouted back with a smirk. He had not willingly exited the serpent clan, he'd been given out, as a sacrificial lamb. He had not also willingly joined the fairy clan, rather, he had been a captive.
Despite all this, he was now living his best life. At least, it was much better than the serpents, Manati was convinced. As such, he now lorded over them, feeling superior to them in some ways.
Erebus had noticed the shift in the younger serpent's attitude, and he could see some of that being reflected among the others. He wondered whether he was overly cautious, or just plain cowardly. However, he was set in his ways, he would not change easily.
As Manati left, he left the serpents with a lot to think about. Finally, he arrived at the mother tree and gave out all the information as he'd received from his ancestor.
Much like the serpents, all that fervent vigor that had been born upon the defeat of the two golems was extinguished once the learned the size and scale of the enemy. To even think about attacking such a power was madness.
Two enemies had been brought down, one sent running. To Kigen, their defeat had come pretty easily, but to the fairies, it had been a nightmare.
Be it the powerful golem that captured Manati, the black bird that swallowed Kigen, or the water golem that summoned a tornado, all these were insurmountable enemies to the fairies. All these were scenes from their worst nightmare.
Now, they were learning that the enemy had hundreds, possibly even thousands of such powers in their ranks. How would they face such an overwhelming force?
"The serpent could be exaggerating," Foli muttered, refusing to believe that the enemy was as powerful as described. "Why have we not seen stronger forces?"
"That is doubtful," Manati chimed in, "While elder is fearful of them, he hates them just as much as we do, perhaps even more. There is no reason he would lie."
"It matters not," Kigen suddenly interjected, not allowing the conversation to proceed. By doing so, he drew the attention of all the fairies.
"Right now, we are in the open. The enemy knows our position, and they have a pretty good idea of our abilities and powers. If we are going to level the battlefield, we need to understand these things about the enemy, not just some rumors." Kigen powerfully intoned, capturing the hearts of all the fairies.
"The enemy will keep on coming, sending more and more powerful enemies until we can no longer push them back. Then what? Will we relocate the mother tree?" he demanded of the fairies, leading them to enter in deep thought.
"If the enemy is as powerful as they are said to be, what motivation do they have to keep away? If we show then we are easily trampled on, then how will they be able to keep away? They will just keep coming and coming until there is nothing left for us, no resistance at all."
Kigen then turned and looked at Manati, the serpent, before looking at everyone else. "Do you want to be like the serpents? Forced to give our own for the survival of the rest of us?"
Just this question alone did wonders in the hearts of the fairies. So far, they had maintained that proud heritage of being apex predators in the rainforest. However, if things did turn out the way Kigen described, would they remain the same?
"The enemy lies at our doorstep. Whether we like it or not, we have to engage them in battle, or we bow down to their demands. There is no other way out." Kigen's eyes scanned the fairies around him.
Looking into their eyes, he could see they were fired up. The fear that had been tearing at their hearts was eradicated, and in its place was a fervent desire to fight and defend their home. Time to bring it home!
"I don't know about you, but I have no intention of being captured, become someone's pet, whatever that means. For that I will fight! With every breath in my body, I will fight! Even if I am eventually defeated, I will not make it easy for the enemy! Who is with me!"
This grand finale of the powerful speech was met with a loud roar as the fairies, the human and serpent let out a war cry. They were fired up for the fight. They would not go down easily!
Mistress Kering watched all this with tears welding in her eyes. The fairies were about to face their biggest obstacle so far. If they were going to realize their full potential, they had to overcome this foe.
Now, despite learning the power of the enemy, the fairies were rallying around their leader.
After this, the fairies would no longer be hunters, but transform into warriors.