In the following days, the village gradually came back to life. Marcus led the blacksmith group, creating necessary tools for construction. Mai and Lin, with their herbal knowledge from Wei, began planting a new medicinal garden. The carpenters worked tirelessly to build the first houses.
Esteria directed the village planning, drawing detailed maps for the location of each structure. She ensured everything was built in the most efficient and sustainable way. Lyra, meanwhile, coordinated the working groups and made sure everyone was well cared for.
"We're achieving the impossible," Marcus said to Lyra one afternoon, as they gazed at the frame of the new hall. "From the ashes, we're creating something more beautiful."
Esteria also participated in the construction work. With strong hands and attention to detail, he helped raise walls and roof houses. In the evenings, he would cook delicious meals from their limited food supplies, lifting everyone's spirits.
"Every meal is an opportunity for us to bond," Esteria said while serving hot soup. "In these difficult times, we need each other more than ever."
Lin and Mai approached the soup pot, faces bright after a long day working in the herb garden. "It smells wonderful," Lin said, inhaling deeply. "Esteria, you really have a talent for cooking."
"That's right," Mai laughed, accepting a bowl of soup from Esteria. "This soup makes us forget all our fatigue." She took a sip and sighed contentedly. "The herbs we're growing will make this soup even better."
[System Notification]
Name: Mai & Lin
Race: Human
Classification: Twin Healers Skills:
Twin Healing (A): When working together, healing ability is doubled
Herbal Knowledge (B): Deep understanding of herbs and traditional medicine
Status: Healthy
Attack: 2
Defense: 2
After the disaster, they discovered their healing powers were significantly enhanced when working together. This ability became an indispensable part of Silvermist village's recovery process.
[Copy] you whisper:
[System Notification]
[Skill Detected: Twin Healing]
[Requirements to Copy:
• Twin blood relation (0/1)
• Mutual trust & agreement (0/1)
• Proximity within 10 meters (0/1)]
Esteria clicked his tongue in disappointment. No, this skill was too special and complex. It required a twin bond and absolute trust between two people - something that couldn't be copied. He looked at the sisters with admiration. Their ability was unique and precious.
"Sometimes the most wonderful things are those that can't be copied," he mused to himself. "And perhaps that's what makes them special."
Esteria smiled as he watched Lin and Mai chattering around the soup pot. The twin sisters with their radiant smiles and simple joy filled his heart with unusual warmth. In these difficult times, such moments of happiness became more precious than ever.
Out of sudden, the system pop up
[System Notification]
[Skill Detected: Herbal Knowledge]
[Requirements to Copy: Make the two girls believing you as a protector of village: progress 25%]
Esteria raised an eyebrow at the new notification. This was a learnable skill, unlike Twin Healing. However, it required time and patience - not something that could be copied instantly. He would need to learn directly from Mai and Lin, practice under their guidance, and cultivate his own herb garden.
"Perhaps this is a good opportunity to learn more," Esteria thought to himself. "Knowledge of herbs will be very useful for caring for everyone in the village."
Lyra passed by, smiling at the scene. "Trying to become a healer, Esteria?" She teased. "Or do you just want to spend time with two pretty girls?"
Esteria coughed, trying to hide his embarrassment. "I just... thought herbal knowledge would be useful for the village."
"Of course," Lyra winked at Mai and Lin, making the girls laugh. "Purely for the village's benefit, I'm sure."
"Stop teasing me, big sis" Esteria protested gently to Lyra. "I genuinely want to learn to help everyone."
In the following days, the village reconstruction continued to progress. Esteria worked tirelessly with everyone, from raising walls to roofing houses. He also spent time learning about herbs from Mai and Lin.
Marcus and the blacksmith group produced more and more necessary tools. New houses gradually rose, bringing hope to the residents of Silvermist village. Each person had their role, working together to rebuild their lives.
"We're achieving the impossible," Esteria said to everyone one evening. "From the ashes, we're creating a new village, more beautiful and stronger than before."
The final wooden beams were raised, and the village's nameplate was mounted proudly "Silvermist" As Esteria watched the completion of their hard work, a system notification appeared before his eyes:
[System Notification]
[Skill: Shadow of the moon (B) ]
[Copy Requirements Complete!]
[Status: Success]
[New Skill Acquired!]
A warm sensation filled Esteria's body as the notification faded. He could feel Lyra's power flowing through him, not as strong as hers but present nonetheless. The reconstruction of Silvermist village had not only restored their home but had also helped him grow stronger.
Their conversation was interrupted by excited footsteps approaching. Mai and Lin hurried towards them, their faces bright with enthusiasm.
"Esteria! we wanted to show you something," Mai called out, slightly out of breath.
"We found some rare herbs in the forest," Lin added, tugging at Esteria's sleeve. "We thought maybe you'd like to come gathering with us."
Lyra watched with amusement as the twins practically bounced with excitement. "Those forest herbs could be vital for the village's future," she remarked thoughtfully.
"We can teach you everything we know!" Mai said eagerly. "Where to find them, how to identify them, and even how to prepare them."
"Please come with us," Lin pleaded. "We know all the best spots where the rarest herbs grow."
Esteria couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm. "Of course, I'd love to learn. When we return from the capital, we'll go gathering right away."
The sisters beamed with joy, and Esteria noticed the system notification about his Herbal Knowledge skill progress tick up slightly. Their trust in him was growing, slowly but surely.
As promised, Esteria followed Mai and Lin into the forest. The twins led him along hidden paths they clearly knew well.
"First, you need to learn about the right environment," Mai explained, pointing to different areas of the forest floor. "Different herbs prefer different conditions."
"And timing is crucial," Lin added, carefully harvesting some wild plants. "Some herbs are best gathered during the waxing moon, while others are more potent when picked under the waning moon."
Esteria listened intently, helping them gather delicate herbs and roots. The sisters worked in perfect synchronization, each movement complementing the other's.
"These are healing herbs," Mai pointed to some small plants growing beneath an old oak. "They're essential for treating wounds and fevers."
"And these," Lin gestured to another cluster of plants, "are protective herbs. They help ward off illness before it strikes."
[System Notification] [Skill: Herbal Knowledge] [Progress Updated: 35%] Requirements to Copy: Make the two girls feel your protection: progress 35%
Esteria was surprised by how such a simple interaction could affect his skill progress. Perhaps, he realized, gaining their trust wasn't just about grand gestures of protection - sometimes it was as simple as being there to listen and share in their enthusiasm. The way their faces lit up when sharing their knowledge, the genuine excitement in their voices when showing him their secret herb-gathering spots... it made him understand that being protective wasn't always about physical defense.
"Thank you both for teaching me," he said warmly. "I never realized how fascinating herb lore could be."
The twins exchanged pleased glances, and Esteria could see their shoulders relax slightly. They were used to people dismissing their knowledge as simple village medicine, but here was someone who genuinely wanted to learn from them.
Suddenly, rustling sounds and cruel laughter echoed from the distance, growing closer with each passing moment. Mai and Lin huddled together, their faces pale with fear as they stared in the direction of the noise.
"Stay behind me!" Esteria quickly stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of the twin sisters. He could feel the newly acquired Moonshade power coursing through his veins, ready to activate at a moment's notice.
The sounds of multiple footsteps continued, accompanied by the clinking of crude weapons. The shadows of a goblin war party began to emerge from behind the trees...
A rustle in the bushes suddenly erupted into chaos as a group of goblins burst forth, their crude weapons glinting in the filtered sunlight. The small, grotesque creatures moved with surprising coordination, spreading out to surround them.