Acceptance (Arc 2 End!)

With all of the tribe's able-bodied individuals gathered around, Wu then dispatched them to move in the direction of the high grounds within the Forest to search for the closest source of water the size of a well-spring. As those groups scattered and moved into the forest, Wu and Lera stood in front of a local map as he held a piece of charcoal and started drawing strange-looking circles on it.

"What......are you doing?" Lera asked.
"I am marking the altitudes of the landscapes near here." Wu said, "Water flows down a gradient of heights (and concentration, but that's for another day). Having an idea of the local geography will make the construction of the aqueducts a lot easier."

Then, he marked out an area just to the North of the current settlement, "We will redirect the water into a man-made reservoir here, and set up gates and gauges that track through the village before guiding it and let it rejoin the natural rivers downstream......"
"Oh....." Lera nodded, "That's......fascinating......"
"Yes, that's what engineering and science is all about." Wu replied excitedly, "Making something out of nothing. Though obviously matter cannot be created or destroyed......"

Hold on, does that rule also stand in this universe? Wu wondered before tossing that idea out and focusing on the present.

With the groups of scouts returning one after another, bringing him the latest information gathered about their environment as Wu started plotting out more and more of the construction plan, he could only be thankful of his education preparing him for such a project.

Then, when a path through the forest is drawn out at last, Lera, Wu, and Lono then lead groups of Channelers and other fit individuals to carve out a path through the forest. Those muscular Channelers including Lono himself became human excavation machines and dug those tracks at a way faster pace than Wu anticipated.

In the meanwhile, those remaining in the village are dealing with the downstream part of their project, and it all started with getting rid of the stale and disgusting ponds, repurposing those soils for the agricultural projects that they are trying to start up nearby. In that regard, Lera, who grew up with a few other farmer friends, was able to help them set up a few basic Casts to help in the seeding and watering process.

Despite how useful casts are, there are still massive limits to how much a Cast can do, especially with those that Lera knew how to perform. The reason that Structure Casts exist is to allow for massive collaborative efforts in between the various casters.

However, when Wu directed the group of Dwellers through the various stages of the construction process, from digging to excavating and even teaching some basic fluid dynamics equations of calculating the flow rates, it was something that nobody has ever seen before.

After two weeks of continuous work, a basic aqueduct system was built by redirecting water from a cluster of streams nearby. Then, a massive reservoir was created just to the north of the village before it branches off through the various parts of the tribe's village, recombining at a second reservoir just to the south before being returned to the forest.

The water upstream is designated for more day-to-day and hygiene uses, while those downstream are used for agriculture.

Then, the individual blockades from the various divergent parts of the streams are released one at a time, coordinated with a whistle that Wu gave to Lono's daughter Tia. After a few days, she has been practically glued to Wu as he worked.

As the flow of water from one stream stabilizes and reaches the reservoir, a whistle is blown so that the second blockade can be released. The reservoirs were filled up quicker than expected, so the rest of the blockade was kept in place until a time to need.

"And with that......" Wu declared to the entire group, "Project 1: Aqueducts is completed!"
The entire tribe cheered, and those dancers and instrument players returned from seemingly nowhere.
"Then, we shall celebrate, as we welcome Lera and Wu into our tribe!" Lono declared, "As our saviors, as our friends, and as our family!"

Festival celebrations were in order, and an atmosphere of joy filled the entire settlement. The hunters went out gathering meat while the fruit-pickers went and took all of the ripe berries from nearby. Groups of kids were splashing each other with clear water this time in an impromptu pool as Wu stuffed a wooden ruler right into the reservoir itself.

Then, he turned his head and followed the flow of water with his eyes, until he saw Lera standing a few meters away with a smile. He waved at her before standing up, "Thanks for the Filtering Casts. I trust it should work better than whatever I put together."
"It was pretty easy, really." Lera said, walking towards Wu pushing him along for a walk, "I.....When you said you are going to do those things.....I didn't think it's going to happen like this....."
"Yeah.....When I was doing my research, even I was surprised by how far human science has come......" Wu said, "This is all but ancient history on my world......"
"I wasn't sure before, but now I am." Lera said happily as she lead the two of them into the top of a small hill nearby, "Your power.....really is the thing called science."
"and engineering, but at least you are now coming around." Wu said as the two of them looked on at the trees of the Endless Woods and the settlement that's filled with life, "You know what's great about science and engineering? It doesn't belong to anybody. There are no high-humans, or sub-humans when it come to science......It doesn't care. All that matters are the willingness to learn."

"You know, you really have a knack for giving cool speeches......" Lera said, her eyes looking up at Wu and making his heart race. He swallowed and turned away so as not to lose himself. "At least in that, you are a true savior. Come on, let's go back."

As Wu followed Lera back, he couldn't help but fix his eyes on the girl in front of him. It has now be a little over two weeks of non-stop work for the two, and even now, she's still holding everything together. If he is a true savior, and she is the truest of guardians.

At that moment, Wu felt invincible with Lera by his side.

When Wu returned, the entire settlement was completely empty and quiet, and Wu quickly noticed the scattering of footprints on the ground. His heart dipped, and his face tensed up when suddenly, Lera turned and threw her hands out with a big smile on her face.

"SURPRISE~" She said, and suddenly, villagers emerged from every corner of the place around. People were dancing on the roofs and music was blasting as kids ran towards Wu. Then, the crowd picked up Wu and held him overhead until they brought him over to a cloth that's covering a chopped tree of some sort.

Lono lets out a loud and dramatic grunt before reaching over to pull off the cloth, revealing a statue of Wu with an overly inquisitive look on his face.

Now that's a little......weird.....and adorable......

Wu didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but he happily accepts the congratulations and thanks from the villagers. Before he was taken away, he couldn't help but notice how thick his eyebrows were......did Lera instruct the artist to make it this way?!

The celebrations went underway as the curtains of night arrives, and the alcohol that was kept in storage were all opened at once. The entire Dwellers tribe formed many smaller circles around a big bonfire, and Lono, Tia, Lera, Wu sat together as groups of villagers came and went, cheering and drinking with Wu.

He's by no means a lightweight, being classically trained in the art of alcohol consumption at the University of Oxford, though even he has his limits. In comparison, Lera's more reserved and controlled, taking only a slight sip.

After an hour, the clothes on the body of the Channelers in the tribe are nowhere to be found, and a group of them wrestled in the middle of the mud as the crowd watches on and cheered.

With a clean grapple, old man Lono picked up the far bigger-looking guard and slammed him into the mud before letting out a roar, "HOOOO!"
"YEAH! GO GET IT! OLD MAN!" The guards cheered and laughed as Lono reached his hands out.
"I.....I will win next time!" The guard said, wiping the mud off his face, "Then.....I will marry your daughter......"
"Hehehe......" Lono laughed and turned his head towards the Tia, "Then you'd better hurry."

"Oh.....so I crossed the guy over with a stutter step and laid it up with my left.....burp.....left hand......Even if my right thumb was fucked......I still absolutely.....balled......burp....." Wu said, his fingers barely clinging onto the empty cup as his mind flashed back to his basketball playing days. Tia sat beside Wu and listened to the stories of his past closely while Lera's holding onto Wu's drunk body ever since he just lied backward halfway through the meal.

"Tell me more!" Tia asked excitedly, "This game called basketball......it sounds so fun!"
"Yeah......you know what......I shall bring that......to this world......too......" Wu yawned, falling asleep in Lera's lap as he let go of the cup.

Tia seemed slightly disappointed as Lera took the cup and moved it away from Wu's fingers. His body was heavy, though when he sleeps, he looked more like a baby.

"So......are you two married?" Tia asked, and the question sent a jitter through Lera's body.
"WHAT?! NO! Of course not!" Lera shooked her head so fast that a few strands of her hair were no longer able to hold on, "I am just his guardian! That's all! You know, every savior has a guardian!"
"Then I have a chance!" Tia said quietly, "Hehehe......just you wait!"

Lera looked at her, and a strange annoyance arose from within her. She's just kid, so what is she even saying?! Finishing her drink, she stood up and picked up Wu's body, "I am going to put him to bed. Tell chief Lono that we are thankful for everything."
"Will do~" Tia said, getting up and going towards the wrestling pit with her light steps.

As Lera dropped Wu off in the tent set up just for the two of them in the corner of the settlement, she then put him on the side with a wooden bucket nearby. The stars and moons tonight are beautiful, and the temperature is just perfect outside.

Leaving the tent's windows open, Lera then headed off into the woods.

When Wu woke up for the first time, the party was still going on. He felt as if his head is attached the wrong way and Lera's not on the other side of a screen between them within their tent. He rubbed his eyes and went out to take a leak outside the settlement when the crowds cheered again as the wrestling somehow managed to continue on deeper into the night.

"Those.....crazy people......" Wu laughed and shook his head before he turned and prepared to go back to bed. That was when he spotted Lera sitting on the top of the hill, alone and looking up in the sky. Her grey eyes look as beautiful as the stars in the night sky.

Trekking through the woods and joining her, she turned as the sounds of footsteps came close.
"You alright?" Wu asked, nearly tripping over a piece of stray branch and stomping his foot in the ground.
"Are you?" Lera laughed and helped Wu to sit right on top of a piece of rock overlooking the little valley of the settlement.
"What are you doing up here?" Wu asked, looking forward at the shared views.
"Nothing......" Lera said, her head lowered and her eyes hidden, "Well.....the past two weeks have been quite......"
"Yeah......Quite a lot." Wu nodded. For the first time in two weeks, the two of them finally had some time to relax and reflect on what has happened, and so much has already happened.
"I......just two weeks ago, I was living in a dream.....I can talk research and Casts with Professor Richard at any time, and......" Lera said, sobbing slightly, "My.....my mother.....she must have been worried sick too.....Everything......I miss them......"

Wu saw her shoulders wobble, and Lera looked more vulnerable than ever before. At this moment, she isn't the brave guardian with a strong and confident exterior. She is just Lera.

Reaching over with his hand, Wu hugged her close.
"Everything changed for me too." Wu sighed.
"Why am I complaining......you had everything much harder than I did......" Lera said, wiping away her tears and sniffing.
"This isn't a competition......" Wu said, "I.....mean......I don't know......I miss my parents......but.....it's complicated.....I just don't want them to worry, but beyond that....."
"I don't want my mom to worry too......" Lera said as she turned her head and dug her face into Wu's chest.
"It's going to be okay." Wu said, "We will......we will have to figure out what the hell was going on at the city......"
"It's Sonne. The capital of Kingdom of Varous." Lera said, and Wu nodded before squeezing her shoulders.
"We will figure out what's going with Sonne in a little while after things have calmed down and I have figured out some self-defense strategies......" Wu said as Lera rubbed her nose left and right.
"But I am your guardian....." She said, recalling the scenes of Wu doing sets of bodyweight exercises with groups of channelers in his spare time.
"Well, won't hurt to lighten your load," Wu said as both him and Lera yawned.

That calls for a night, and this time, they slept with Wu holding onto Lera by the shoulders and she placing her hands over his chest, and at last, she's feeling less lonely through the night.