Chapter 91: A Feast
Alistair waved back at Orion and walked toward the group.
"Good work." He said with a steady voice. "Let’s keep going."
At Alistair’s arrival, all the trainees tensed up. The shame and guilt from their earlier failure still weighed heavily on their shoulders. None of them could meet his gaze.
Relief spread across their faces when he gave a simple nod and offered to help.
They nodded back with visible delight and returned to their tasks with renewed energy. Alistair joined them. He rolled up his sleeves and helped a group of villagers lift heavy beams to reinforce a damaged stable.
He worked closely with Kallus, who had been struggling to carry a cartload of supplies. Together they distributed the materials quickly among the villagers.
Orion climbed back onto the roof he had been repairing and continued hammering shingles into place. Ivis took charge of a group of villagers and led them in clearing rubble from the pathways.
Even Aerich Ford, who usually kept his distance from others, found himself helping in the collective effort.
As the hours went by, the sun dipped below the horizon. The warm light of twilight faded into the cool darkness of night. Villagers lit torches and lanterns. Their flickering light cast a warm glow on their relieved faces.