44 Trouble At The Gates
The flight home took a few hours since we used accelerate magic to speed ourselves up. I say fly because I was using my wings, but my father was hopping through the air. Even with my wings which makes me faster than running, my father was still keeping up.
“Lilith, don’t you think you are being unfair!? We are all from the same village!” A voice roared as my father, and I reached the entrance to Cyrilia village.
“Old man, let me tell you now if you and those bastards behind you even try to take a single step into this village, I will cook you all!” My mother’s voice quickly followed. It was just as loud or even louder and held a firm threatening tone. I couldn’t help but frown. I recognized the man’s voice right away. It was none other than the village elder for Wandermere village.
“Lilith, that is enough! Don’t think just because you are good with magic that I have no way to counterattack! The war is at our doorstep, and you are not even willing to save fellow humans!” I could only sigh. Fellow humans? Could people who tried to lynch a seven year old be considered human?
I went to step forward and go to my mother’s aide when I felt my hand being grabbed, pulling me back. I turned to see my father shaking his head at me. “Your mother is not weak. If you look closely, there is a tad bit of excitement in her eyes. She has not been in a fight since she was young and reckless. To tell you the truth, how we met was actually a lie. We just didn’t want our past to influence you and your brother.”
My eyes opened wide. Wasn’t it that they were childhood friends? Didn’t they grow up together in this village? “Your mother and I are from this village. It is just that both our families were a bit special. Your mother, for one, is a descendant from one of the great mages who shook the world a few hundred years ago. Her family has always had strong magic. As for me, as you know, I am a descendant of the dragonkin, and if I am angered, I will take on a few features of a dragonkin, like scales and sharp teeth.
“Back then, when I first met your mother, we got into a fight. And well, she beat the hell out of me using strengthening magic. And I, with my pride at the time, did not like the fact that I lost. So…. I kept challenging her. Each time I challenged her, I ended up with my face in the dirt and my butt in the air.
“As we grew older, I began seeing your mother as not just someone I must defeat but someone I wanted to court. Both of our parents always told us to find the ones we love. I guess at the time, they already had an idea that your mother and I would end up together. But it was not easy. When I finally confessed my feelings to your mother, she told me flat out that if I can not beat her in a fight, she will never marry me.” I watched as my father gazed lovingly down at my mother. I now understood why my father was afraid of my mother. Even if he was stronger than her now, he was completely traumatized by being beaten by her since he was little. And for this…. I give my mother two thumbs up. Good job, Mother! Your trained Father well!
“So, how did you finally win?” I was very curious if he was always being beaten down and he still married my Mother, then he must have done something.
“I kinda cheated…. Anyway, it’s a story that should not be told to one’s kids.” My father scratched his nose. I think in the dim light of the evening sun, I could even see a hint of blush on his face. But now that he said something, I was very curious. It was at times like these that I wished there were spells for reading someone’s mind. But knowing my father, he would probably detect me using magic instantly, and I would be caught red handed. So I will just leave it as a story I will never know.
At any rate, the thought of love blooming out of being beaten up has confirmed one thing for me. My father is a one hundred percent pervert masochist. The mighty image of my father was slowly shattering. Oh dear father, why must you be this way? “Faith, if you do not wipe that look that says that you are pitying me off your face, I will flick your forehead every day on the hour every hour!”
I quickly turned away. Forehead flicks hurt! I pursed my lips and turned back to the scene below. Currently, the village elder’s face is turning purple. Even veins were popping out on his forehead. “Old man, I will say this again. Your Wandermere village has nothing to do with our Cyrilia village. You may call the people behind you humans, but to me, they are just monsters in human skin! I will give you to the count of ten to get these people out of here, or this place here and now will be a true battlefield!”
“You! Lilith, you better not go too far! We are in a time of war. You should be helping others!” The village elder’s words may seem righteous, but to me, they were just a senile old man throwing a tantrum. But I knew one thing, neither side was going to budge, and the village elder seemed like he wanted to anger my mother. Things did not seem right. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
“Father, something seems off. I’m going down.” I couldn’t just sit anymore.
“You’re right. Go ahead. ” With my father’s consent, I flapped my wings and floated down to the ground, landing in between the village elder and my mother.
“Faith!” My mother cried out with a bright smile. “I thought you and your father….”
“Mother, before we catch up, we need to deal with the matter at hand.” I turned and gazed coldly at the village elder. His old eyes landed on mine. I could see a hint of disgust within them. I guess he blames me for ruining his village. “Do you have an issue? Why are you bringing a bunch of demi haters to Cyrilia village? We do not accept people who are prejudiced against demi humans. So turn around and leave.”
“You! Little girl, you should show some respect to your elders! Our kingdom is at war with the Norian kingdom. We should be working together, not against each other. Also, this is no place for little girls to be speaking, so step aside while I talk to your mother.” I was really trying not to kill this old man in front of me. He really dared to push me aside when he has been doing nothing but trying to talk his way into the village?
“I have no say? I’m sorry, but this is where you are wrong. I am in my village. My father is the village elder of Cyrilia village, and as his daughter, I have the right in his absence to step in when an old bast-man is trying to weasel his way in. I do not know what you came here for. But I do know that you are aware that the army that was at our doorstep is already gone. Killed, every last one of them was killed by me and me alone. But you still dare try to use war for selfish gains?” I couldn’t help but snort at the old man. I could tell by the fact that he only brought men with him that he had come here to do something he would never do if my father was around. Did he think the people in this village were weak!? I am starting to wonder if he fell and bumped his head and lost some of his sanity. Before, he was at least kind of sane, even if it was only by a small percent.
I watched as the old man’s face grew darker and darker. Not that I cared. He was already lucky that I had not sent him and his goons flying yet. “What? Nothing to say? If not, turn around and go back. I would like to spend some time with my mother after all. And to be honest, looking at your hypocritical face makes me sick to my stomach.”
I know I was being harsh, but I really disliked this old man. Him and everyone from Wandermere. It sickens me to know he waited for my father and I to not be around to bring people here. My guess is that he waited to make sure we were really gone before cooking up some kind of plan. Did he think my mother was a pushover?
The village elder did not respond. He looked at me as if he wished he could murder me before turning around and waving for his goons to follow him. I snorted once more and waited for him to reach the slope before casting an ice spell on the ground. “Ahhh! You little brat!” Doing this was fine. I am still young after all… body wise, that is…. But I am a petty person, just like my father.
“Hahaha!” I heard my mother laughing from behind me. “Faith, you truly are my daughter. I also cast an ice spell just now.”
I turned around with my mouth open in shock as my mother embraced me. The pettiness runs in the family!” I am so glad you are back safe and sound. You have no idea how worried I was.”
I shooked my head and smiled while hugging my mother back. But this only lasted a second before she pushed off me and asked: “Where is your father?”
“Up there.” I pointed up, causing my mother to tilt her head up to see her husband standing in the sky with his arms crossed across his chest. Yeah, my father was trying to act cool to impress my mother. “Mother, just ignore him. Let’s go home. I want to have a nice rest.”
“You’re right. Let’s go.” My mother held my hand, and the two of us walked through the gates to the town, completely ignoring the man in the air.
“Hey, wait for me!” My father’s panicked voice came from behind us.