Orion let out a heavy exhale before allowing his body to sink back onto the soft grass. Just as he was on the brink of succumbing to sleep, a large presence cast a shadow over him.
Startled, he twisted around to confront the figure that had suddenly appeared behind him. The sight of an unfamiliar face snapped him to full attention, and he scrambled to his feet.
Although his initial wariness faded slightly upon realizing that only warriors and key figures knew about the existence of the Warrior's Garden, he still asked with a bit of caution in his voice, "Who are you?"
A smile appeared on the man's lips as he cast a glance over the collection of hot air balloons sprawled across the ground. His gaze settled momentarily on the one crafted for Orion and his family, then returned to lock onto Orion himself. "I am Stronghold Leader Drakar," he introduced himself. "The Leader of the Rightward Stronghold." His words flowed smoothly, confident and composed.
"The Village Chief mentioned that you needed some heated stones. Since he's currently absorbed in the gathering, I took it upon myself to bring them to you." He extended his right arm, revealing a large clay pot he had been carrying and placed it in front of Orion, before stepping past him to get a good look at the hot air balloons.
Orion's eyes widened in surprise at the realization that the gathering had already begun. Sensing the gentle brush of heat against his face, he focused his gaze toward the heated stones in the pot, then lifted it cautiously with his hands.
He then turned around and hastened his steps towards Stronghold Leader Drakar, who was currently crouched down and carefully examining the balloon's basket and its envelope. He asked, "Where exactly is the gathering being held?"
"It's going to be held in the village," Stronghold Leader Drakar responded. He continued, his voice thoughtful, "While we did consider the farm as a potential location, having such a large gathering here or even in the forest wouldn't be wise. Also, since not everyone is allowed on the farm and there would be more space in the village, we decided to do it there."
Once Stronghold Leader Drakar's words came to an end, Orion couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. He had been worried that the gathering might be set at the farm, as there would be no feasible way to discreetly launch the hot air balloons into the sky without drawing attention if the event was held here. So, he was thankful at least that it wasn't.
"Alright," Orion said. He observed as Stronghold Leader Drakar rose to his feet and joined in the effort, helping him and Saria load the metal pots with heated stones and wood. Then, he directed Stronghold Leader Drakar to hold the envelope upright, allowing the hot air to gradually inflate it until it gained enough lift to gently raise the basket from the ground.
Amidst this process, there was a moment when both Stronghold Leader Drakar and Saria paused, taking in the scene before them. It was obvious that they were awestruck by the sight, as they had never witnessed anything quite like this before. After the brief pause, they resumed their work with more enthusiasm, a shift that caught Orion by surprise.
However, Orion shrugged off the thought, assuming that Stronghold Leader Drakar and Saria were likely just as excited as everyone else to witness the hot air balloons taking flight.
Filling each envelope required around 18 minutes. Nonetheless, as the process continued, the duration grew due to their sequence – they began with the smallest envelope and worked their way up to the largest. By the time they finished, two and a half hours had slipped away.
"I believe that should it; next up should be the newborns," Orion said, his gaze shifting toward the hot air balloons, tethered by ropes to a firmly planted wooden pole that Saria had driven deep into the ground. "Maybe Saria can help us send a message to…."
Before he could even finish his thought, Stronghold Leader Drakar interjected, "No need to worry, I'll fetch them." Adding more strength to his legs, he pushed down and sprang into the air, soaring upward towards Overseer Anara's section of the farm.
Meanwhile, Orion closed his mouth as he watched the Stronghold Leader disappear. He couldn't help but sigh as he had wanted to suggest that the tree nymphs should be able to help them bring the babies here since there were more than a hundred of them under Anara's care.
Still, since the Stronghold Leader had been so eager to go, then he must have a way to bring them here. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Orion carefully arranged the wood in the hot air balloon, making sure it would generate sufficient heat for the journey to the village. "I only hope that there isn't strong wind today, or else….." Orion muttered under his breath, another sigh escaping his lips as he pondered how well the plan was working out and how dangerous things could become if it went sideways.
"Bamm!!"
The sudden sound of shattering rock and vibrations beneath his feet caught Orion's attention. He knew that Stronghold Leader Drakar had arrived, even though he oddly arrived quickly.
"I wanted to…." Orion's intention to voice his thoughts faltered at the sight that greeted him. As he turned towards Stronghold Leader Drakar, newborns floated in the air, suspended around him.
Orion's attention refocused on Stronghold Leader Drakar, and he noticed the Stronghold Leader's hands radiating a brilliant silver light. "Is that your..." The words he intended to ask were preemptively answered as Stronghold Leader Drakar took a step forward and explained, "Yes, my gift allows me to manipulate objects from a distance. While there were initial limitations, they have lessened since I became a warrior. As long as it's within my line of sight or perception, I can influence it."
'No wonder he became the Stronghold Leader,' Orion thought, impressed by the versatility of Stronghold Leader Drakar's gift. If he possessed strength comparable to the Leftward Stronghold Leader, Zogar, then facing off against him would present an entirely different challenge.
Orion imagined scenarios where Stronghold Leader Drakar's gift could render his opponents helpless, nearly impossible for them to approach or move, similar to how Stronghold Leader Zogar's strength remained unmatched.
He soon reached one of the hot air balloons and gently settled the babies into the basket. Saria had thoughtfully lined it with a soft fabric to ensure their comfort. Alongside the newborns, he placed a stash of fruits gathered from the warriors' garden, including the Kalna and Lipry fruits, in the remaining hot air balloons.
Observing the final baby being gently settled into its basket, Orion shifted his attention to Stronghold Leader Drakar. He turned around and asked, "What's our next step?"
Orion smiled at the question. His eyes briefly swept over the hundreds of hot air balloons filled with newborns and the others carrying fruits before he fixed his gaze on Stronghold Leader Drakar. With a wide grin on his face, he said, "We fly," then began walking toward his own hot air balloon.
