Shutting my eyes tight as we neared the wooden wall, I braced for impact, only to feel the rush of wind against my skin as we sailed through the air. Blinking them open, I peered downwards, my gaze locking onto the edge of the colossal wall just before we cleared it. "Haah!" An instinctual breath escaped me as we rose and I exhaled, shutting my eyes again as I sensed us descending toward the thick forest.
With another rapid landing and takeoff, I kept my eyes open, observing the recurring sequence of descents followed by ascending into the sky again. Soon, we crossed the river and ventured further into the area on the opposite side.
Finally, Stronghold Leader Zogar suddenly halted his leaping, the echoing "boom" of his descent rippling through the ground like spiderwebs. The impact should have been greater, considering the immense force he must have used to propel himself into the sky.
….........
"Now, you can stand on your feet," Stronghold Leader Zogar commanded, releasing his grip on Orion and allowing him to regain his balance on the ground.
Orion, however, landed on his feet only to stumble backwards onto the ground. Quickly regaining his balance, he pushed himself up onto his knees before rising to his full height. Crushing a one-star Vylkr vine that had attempted to approach, Orion quickly moved closer to Stronghold Leader Zogar, noticing several swarms of two-star Vylkr vines advancing towards them.
"I believe this might not be the best spot for our conversation, Stronghold Leader Zogar," Orion said, his gaze fixed on Stronghold Leader Zogar's right hand, which had transformed into a curved blade. The weapon appeared to be hewn from rocks and stones, with its smooth, sharp edges contrasting with the rough, unpolished sections along its length.
However, without uttering a word, Stronghold Leader Zogar's form surged forward with incredible speed. His right hand swung in a sweeping arc, cutting through the plant-like tissue of the one and two-star Vylkr vines.
The vines were torn apart and shredded as he moved, leaving a trail of afterimages in his path. His rock blade appeared to carry immense force as it cut through the onslaught, efficiently cleaving through more than a dozen vines.
"SWWIISSSHHH!!!"
"SWWWISSSHH!!"
"SWIISSSHH!!!"
Meanwhile, Orion watched with a gulp that seemed almost involuntary, his eyes wide open as if he didn't want to miss any part of the scene unfolding before him.
Once the Vylkr vines surrounding them were sliced into oblivion, Orion's mind raced to decipher the nature of Stronghold Leader Zogar's gift.
He observed Zogar's hand relinquishing its blade-like form, reverting back to its normal state. Before he could utter a word, in the blink of an eye, Stronghold Leader Zogar materialized right in front of him, his afterimages trailing behind him.
"Now..." Stronghold Leader Zogar's said as he fixed his gaze on the young man before him. "....It's the perfect place for us to talk."
Orion stayed silent, his focus entirely on the muscular man, sensing that the Stronghold Leader had more to say.
Stronghold Leader Zogar continued. "Orion, during the awakening ceremony, you displayed a six-star potential, the highest potential I..... we have ever witnessed," He added, "And not only that, but you awakened a dangerous gift, one highly suited for becoming a warrior. This implies that when you fully realize your potential as a warrior, you could easily be considered the strongest and most dangerous man in the village."
He paused, a thoughtful breath escaping him as if he himself was coming to terms with the implications of his own words. Then he pressed on, "Moreover, your extraordinary semen has the power to impregnate even the most infertile women, a feat that defies norms."
"You've not only played a role in resolving a village issue that has persisted for over a century, but you've also aided in mitigating its consequences, making sure that they don't harm the village. On top of it all, you are tasked with developing a new village to counter the Vylkr vines, ultimately making our main village safer. Am I correct?" He asked, his eyes probing Orion's. "Or have I overlooked any of your numerous contributions?"
Orion shook his head slightly, "No, you haven't," he responded. He then asked, "But, is that all you wanted to talk about?"
While Orion was well aware that all the key figures were informed about the changes he had introduced or was about to introduce in the village, he was more interested in understanding the reason behind this special meeting.
The fact that they had gone to the trouble of crossing the towering wooden fence and venturing deep into the other side of the river suggested a more important discussion.
"Of course not. I simply needed to hear it directly from the source," Stronghold Leader Zogar's lips curved into a wry smile as he gazed at Orion. Then, with a slight narrowing of his eyes, he continued, "Although I must admit, I managed to keep my composure and not be utterly shocked when I first learned of your plans, I still needed to hear about your third plan in bringing back the newborns..... to confirm if such a daring thing is genuinely possible."
"Yes, it is," Orion replied, his head nodding with the confidence now clear in his words.
While he was honest enough with himself to admit that his experiments had mostly involved lighter objects rather than the substantial weight of newborns, he clung to the belief that, with the appropriate materials, he could achieve success.
The worst-case scenario would entail a few of them not functioning as he had intended.
Stronghold Leader Zogar's nod carried an air of appreciation for the confidence in Orion's response. It was clear that this wasn't just a casual conversation for Orion; he had genuinely considered the implications of his plans. Stronghold Leader Zogar leaned forward slightly, his expression eager as he continued the discussion, "Once you've completed this task, do you think it might be possible to extend your innovation for the use of our warriors?"
His gaze remained fixed on Orion, his expression tinged with hope. "I realize the challenge that lies in that, but if such a feat could be achieved, you would not only be saving the lives of our warriors and villagers but also change the way we explore, protect our village, and battle against the Vylkr vines."
