Chapter Thirty-One: Teacher~

A month had passed since the treacherous battle that took place in Orkrasist. The seeds of spring had sprouted since then. The last act of kindness Jasmine committed before her long journey to the tower, brought joy to everyone in the village. Especially her deity, Jantyr. Who for the longest of times feared the coming summer.

With outstanding grace and talent she used nature magic. A green, beautiful light emitted from her crooked staff and blessed the world. In the cracks of the destroyed ground spurted trees, on the sullen soil grass grew and life once more enveloped the village.

But despite Jasmine's powers the lake of acid was left. Even then, the village had one thing, hope. They could still grow crops for the summer. Spring was the perfect time for that.

With new vigor the villagers began their work. Peace once more returned to the humble village of the countryside deity. He watched in joy and with pride, as his worshipers planted the seeds and plowed the ground.

The formless deity watched his subjects work endlessly. Yet they were happy, laughing in joy everytime they watered the crops, or returned from a successful hunt. They sung praises of their lord, chanted his holy verse.

A temple of grandness was being built. It would be greater than those built before and Jantyr watched while grimaging. He felt embarrassed seeing them work so earnestly on his totems.

...

The wind shattered once more as Lenart stabbed forward. Howard jumped back and shot another arrow. The arrow was imbued with wind and lightning. Its power, tremendous. For that reason they were outside the town.

Lenart followed the escaping hunter and made several conjurations of lightning, sending them at Howard. The archer wasn't defenseless to the attacks and casted his own lightning to counter.

Lenart sighed and stabbed once more, the wind followed him and casted a whirlwind at Howard. The trees close to them turned to splinters as their fight moved deeper into the forest.

Howard shot several arrows at the same time, while jumping up on a tree. Then he made magma flow from his palms, while conjuring rain clouds. Lenart was in for a nasty surprise. But quickly created measures against the magma.

A wall of ice appeared in front of him and protected him from the hot magma. Then he slammed the wall and made it fall down on the magma, before surfing the magma and stabbing Howard in his left shoulder.

"It's my loss again!" Howard said dejectedly. Like every time before he failed to defeat Lenart. His left shoulder injury prevented him from drawing the string and his defeat became certain.

"Don't be so down, you did well. Just look around us, we destroyed more of the forest than usual!" Lenart said, jokingly.

...

The two happily chattered on their way back to the village. When they were close enough the farms revealed themselves. The plants had sprouted at some places. Showering the landscape in their glorious beauty.

"Summer is always the best season!" Lenart said, a big smile plastered on his face.

"Yeah, yeah, don't you have a kid to tend to?" Howard snarled and walked faster.

Once they were close enough to the wall, the two men standing guard saluted. Unlike before they wore full iron armor and carried spears with iron tips. But Lenart still kept his wooden spear, for it was superior to those little toys.

"Greetings generals!" they yelled in union. The men on the walls heard them and saluted too. Showing respect to the two leaders.

After the battle a newfound respect was formed. The power they displayed gained the respect of their juniors.

"Any troubles while I was gone?" Howard asked the guard.

"No sir, the preparations are going smoothly, the new temple is almost done and the construction of the adventure guild is going well. The laborers arrived and started building it just an hour ago!" the guard informed.

"That's great news! Soon we'll get some newbie adventures here and more kinds of business will start blooming. Soon we'll be a real town and not a village!" Howard exclaimed, happily.

The guards moved out of the way and opened the wooden gate, letting the two inside.

Lenart wasted no time and ran towards his house. He hadn't seen his lovely little boy for three hours, ah the pain.

Howard however moved forward, ready to enter the library again. The collection was growing by the day. Since Jasmine returned she's been allowed to view the forbidden floor. But she still practiced wards. Soon she'd have a breakthrough again.

Jantyr in the meantime fumed with rage. He would kill her master one day. Slit his throat out through his worshipers. They left her to die in those ruins! He would have his revenge.

…

Jasmine walked along the narrow corridors of the tower. Her goal was the library again. That's when Jasper stopped her and dragged her to the side.

"Jasmine, listen closely. Remember that girl you harmed? Well, she's the daughter of a duke, someone way higher in status than you. Someone like you, who's a new blood, with barely any power. Despite your talent, you're not safe here. Be on your guard at all times. I was too late to stop you then, but I can at least help you!

"Finish studying here as quickly as you can and return home. You'll be safer there, this place is a political hellhole, where your standings have already been ruined!

"Your master sold you out! He sent you to the ruin and left immediately after, hoping you would die to the monsters that appeared! Fearing the influence of the duke.

"They let you into the restricted section to lower your suspicion. This is all I can say. My own family will be in a peculiar situation if I help you more. When I'm a bit older I'll try my best. When I have my own two feet and amn't just a child covered in the shadow of my parents!" he told Jasmine.

Afterwards they separated, Jasmine started reading every book she could with haste.

Some weeks went by and Jasmine went through over thousands of books, not reading them of course. That was her deity's job. Now all that's left was to say goodbye to her "Teacher".

Jasmine walked to her teacher's office with haste. The pressure she gave off made other students avoid her.

Entering the office, she slammed the door and announced her presence.

"It's been a while, teacher~"