Chapter 27: Back to Elowen
Riku crouched beside the nearest child. "How would you all feel about moving to a new place?"
The children exchanged looks.
"Is it far?" one girl asked, clutching a wooden toy shaped like a bird.
"A bit," Riku said. "But it has lots of space. Fresh food. Clean water that never runs out. And a big field you can keep running on till you fall."
A few of them giggled.
"Do we get to go together?" another boy asked, more seriously.
"All of you," Lysaria confirmed. "Including Sister Alia."
"But... why?" asked the eldest boy, confused. "People don't usually want to take us anywhere."
Lila knelt beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Because you deserve better."
Riku nodded. "We're building a church there. A real one. Not a marble tower, but a place where people actually care. And we want all of you to be part of it."
The youngest girl raised her hand like she was in a classroom. "Will there be buns?"