[??? POV]

When I saw the village I felt relief fill me, just a little further and I would be home, I heard hollering as others gathered and then led me to the tavern and fussed over my clothes asking how I had been, what happened, if I was hurt or if I needed something but then lucy came and pushed everyone back and then just looked at me from head to toe with misty eyes and hugged me tightly.

“I am sooo glad that you are ok Lily.”

So I just cried with her while gramps silently watched and my sibling also came running and joined in our embrace and cried all while trying to say that they knew nothing would happen to me and that I was a super sister and that they loved me in broken sentences and faces filled in snot and tears.

When we had all calmed down somewhat gramps led us home after dispersing the crowd, where he gave me some broth and to tell him what had happened so I told him everything because his face was very serious and I felt afraid that I made some mistake it would lead to bad things, when I told him that I had encountered the monster he told stories about his face was intense as I told that I ran and fell while being afraid that I wouldn’t make it home then fell unconscious only to wake up in a blanket with a next to a fire then being given fruits then a pouch and trying to talk to him, his face began to twitch when I told him how I interpreted his actions when he began to draw and him facepalming then began to fidget.

“Come on now I can tell by the look on your face that you did something daft out with it.”

So with I red face I began to tell how I thought that he was supposed to be a monster so if he couldn’t speak with me and wasn’t killing me there was only one thing I could think of so I covered myself while looking at him only to him to turn towards me with a look of disdain, it was at this point that Lucy began to laugh at me.

“HAHAHAHA”

“DON’T LAUGH AT ME !!”

trying to hit her as she ran around while the little ones ran after us while screaming and laughing.

 Gramps tried to get us to stop while trying to hide a snicker

“Now now, settle down let her finish her story then we have things to do the day is still young.”

He picked both Susie and Adam up and took them to the other room while giving them toys to distract them while Lucy still stifling her laughs while I glared at her.

When gramps sat back down he was much more relaxed as he asked me to continue so I grumpily told him that I just ate, he gave me a pouch to use as a pillow and then just sat by the fire as I went to sleep and that he wasn’t there when I woke up only the blanket, pouch, my basket and the fire pit he made then I came home. He just shook his head and got up while telling me to rest for the day and that he would handle it from here.

[Jura POV]

‘Why?’

I was just done with my work and then that bastard had to drop this in my lap, I messaged my head again while muttering curses under my breath while thinking about how to deal with this mess.

“Rachel send a missive to all the others ready, a transcendent is going to come to the city maybe with a decent portion of the circle with them.”

Looking at her bulging eyes was a treat given how composed she always acts but she quickly covered with a cough and walked out of the room while power-walking after nodding towards me.

‘Well it's not like I can’t understand her reaction the Transcendents are basically demi-gods that rose to power on their own, even the most talented can’t become one because it requires more than just strength.’

Preparing for a fight is thankfully common protocol across all kingdoms and is considered a form of respect for their strength so they can have some peace of mind while it might be useful I still think it is better for there to be evacuation protocols instead because few can rival that level of power in any meaningful manner.

‘I just hope nothing bad happens’  

[Mungus POV]

When I appeared back at my old home and saw that it was far more grandiose than I left it I didn’t know what to feel so I took a deep breath and detached my emotions while donning a poker face and walked straight to the main chambers while completely letting loose of my presence and watched as the guards that were coming towards me began to scramble while a few just quivered in place.

I ignored all of them and observed as I walked that this place now liked more like a mage academy than a druid’s gathering, the lamps were enchanted, the floors were stone, plants and trees were sparse and I could not sense wildlife roaming freely anymore.

The more I saw the more my disappointment grew but I didn’t let it show and went straight to the place where I used to teach my apprentices, thankfully the clearing was not tampered with much even if everything was far more uniform than before, walking to the great oak tree in the middle I called upon its roots to fashion me a chair to sit in while my students came back.

‘I must punish them for all this and create some tenants for that all druids must follow even if hampers them, this has gone on for far too long.’

Closing my eyes I centered myself and let my displeasure and disappointment wash over me and steeled my resolve

‘I have been too soft on them’ I realised this but it isn’t easy for one to change their nature even if I know of nature's brutality.