The farmers and beastwomen stayed back within the edge of the clearing, unsure as to whether to come forwards or not to the shrine. Li saw this and took it upon himself to lead them. He came forwards, circling around the spine of the shrine and to the front where he, standing in front of the exposed ribs, waved his hand to his new followers.

"It's alright now!" he shouted, noticing as he waved his hands that flecks of green energy were still sparking from his body, etched onto his hand likely much of the rest of his body in flashing cracks. "The shrine has been raised, and it stands ready in welcome to all you who are faithful."

Almost immediately, the farmers and beastwomen began a slow walk up, maintaining a sense of order and taking their time to fully appreciate the awesome sight that now towered in front of them. A black blur sped past them, and Li found Sylvie had dashed in front of him, her hands gingerly touching wrapped around his own, her pale red eyes glimmering in concerned focus.

"You need not worry about me," said Li as he withdrew his hand from hers.

"You feel no pain? Truly?" Sylvie sucked in a breath as she took her hands off, sparks of green flickering from singed skin at her palms. The divine energy flowing from Li, even now flashing through the suppressant that was his human skin, had burnt her hands like fire.

Li realized he must have looked like quite the sight. If the green fissures of energy wreathing the skin on his hands and arm extended all the way up to his face, then it must have seemed like at any moment, he would burst apart at the seams.

"There is much to be done, and I will not repeat myself," said Li solemnly as he strode past Sylvie. He had an understanding that his words were too blunt, but that slight twinge in conscience he would usually feel when he disregarded someone else's feelings was much duller, almost gone.

"Come, all you who wish to stay!" announced Li to his new flock of followers. "Follow Ivo and dedicate yourselves to your first prayer."

As Ivo began to enter the embrace of the shrine's wooden ribs, leading those behind him forwards, Li came to the side of one of the kneeling Justicars. He beheld its appearance, at how the many different shades of wood shaped into a full set of bulky living armor. Beneath the helm, however, there was nothing but darkness, but that was because Li had not bid the summon to action.

"And you beastwomen that shall not fall under my guiding hand-," said Li as he cast his hand across to the rest of the beastwomen that chose to leave through the Winterwoods. "I grant to you further protection." Li put a hand to the justicar's shoulder pauldron, barely being able to reach it. "Arise, knight of the forest, and heed my command."

Two dots of blinking green shone under the knight's helms, flashing as fiery eyes. With the great groaning sound of a falling oak, the Justicar began to stand, withdrawing its massive oaken greatsword from the earth. Its cape of willow leaves fluttered as it turned to the beastwomen, trudging towards them with dutiful steps.

Oncemore, the beastwomen showed their respects in their own ways before following the Justicar out the forest to their homes that lay either to the west or to the far north.

Li gave a mental command to the Justicar to follow out the ones with northern homes as the ones leaving west would be safe once they simply left the Winterwoods. The western hinterlands were vast stretches of plainlands, and in this environment, it would be impossible for any human force to catch up to the beastwomen.

But the northern way was longer and harsher. It led out into the northern mountain range that separated the duchy from the republic. The ranges were plagued by all manner of higher leveled beasts and threats, not to mention that upon crossing it, the beastwomen would still have to weather the threat of encountering elven forces all throughout the north.

But with the Justicar, there would be none that could harm these beastwomen whom Li had given his word to protect. Not elf, not hero, not dragon, not even the lowly high spirits that people like Azhar had once worshipped.

Now, all loose ends were tied up.

As Li beheld his new followers now in the clearing, reaching out in procession to touch a cluster of vines, branches, and flowers that comprised the heart of the shrine, he could feel how each and every one of them had committed themselves to him, how he could feel almost that if he simply closed his eyes and let it happen, he could let the lives and memories of almost a hundred beings wash over him.

But Li did not. He had much to do already. The first prayer was not enough. The rest of the woods had to be restored. The barren fields had to be rejuvenated. The farms had to be restored and rebuilt.

It was as if time began to flow faster. Li watched as Ivo and his new followers finished attuning themselves to him, binding themselves at a fundamental level to his being. Then he herded them over to himself, leading them out the forest.

Li knew by sheer instinct every path in the forest now, and as he walked through the Winterwoods, each of his footsteps planted blooming seeds of growth, rejuvenating the dead woods, restoring the blackened grasses to glossy greens and the withered, gnarled trees into stout trunks supporting boughs of leaves.

It was this new instinct that also allowed Li to perceive the heartbeats of an intrusive crowd. Mortal. Human. Agitated.

When Li broke from the forest and into the main road, he and his new followers found themselves face to face with an entire squadron of knights, their silver armor glinting under the sun. They rode on horseback, and their banners beheld the dove of Lys. In front of them, however, were four High Priests of the Light, their golden robed forms riding atop white steeds.

The priests wore golden round masks fashioned in the shape of the sun, twists of gold spiraling out at the circumference to mimic solar rays.

"Him!" shrieked one of the priests with shrill voice, pointing a gold-tipped staff at Li. "Mine eyes know when they behold heresy! It is him! The source of the demonic madness that abounds!"