However, the clan leader did not seem to have any viable solution to their problems.
On the third day, the people of the White Muraco Clan could no longer live with the torment and gathered at the house of the clan leader.
The clan leader, Andres, finally made an appearance upon the demands of the public.
Andres looked more sallow than he was last few days. People of the White Muraco Clan presumed that the clan leader had aged overnight from racking his brains out for a solution.
A sense of despair washed over them.
Andres cleared his throat slightly and asked, “Why are all of you gathered here today?”
Jeremiah stood out from the crowd and said, “Mr. Andres, now that our Progenitor is dead, our Life-Bound Worm is slowly dying too. There isn't much time left. You mentioned that you have been cultivating a new Progenitor. Please let us know the progress.”
Andres hesitated for a moment and said, “It is quite tricky to cultivate a new Progenitor.”
Murmured whispers and disappointed sighs ensued.
“Mr. Andres, everyone here is from the White Muraco Clan. Just level with us,” Jeremiah said. “Could you cultivate a new Progenitor before tomorrow? A lot of our Life-Bound Worms might not be able to make it till tomorrow.”
Andres shook his head right away. “Tomorrow... That's impossible. I won't be able to make it.”
Jeremiah sighed. “Then, what should we do? Are you going to sit idly by and watch as the whole clan dies out? I have no qualms dying right now, but to think about the dishonor that I will bring upon our ancestors...”
“Don't worry, everyone. I will make sure everyone prevails,” Andres reassured them. “Feel free to voice out any good ideas you guys have in mind so that we could discuss them.”
“Mr. Andres, I actually do have a good plan in mind,” Jeremiah said.
“Sure, what is it?” Andres asked.
“Since our Progenitor is dead, we could pledge allegiance to Progenitor from another clan,” Jeremiah explained.
“The thing is, the nearest Progenitor is three days' journey away from us. I'm afraid that after three days...” Andres could not bring himself to finish the whole sentence.
However, he continued begrudgingly, “Besides, this is our homeland, the place where our ancestors have taken roots for generations. How will we be able to face our ancestors when we've abandoned their lands?”
“Mr. Andres, we won't need to abandon our lands to pledge loyalty to a new Progenitor, Why don't we just pledge allegiance to Progenitor of the Black Muraco Clan instead?” Jeremiah quipped.
Shut your mouth!
Andres was vexed.
“We have always been at odds with the Black Muraco Clan. They're infamous for being heinous. Our ancestors have forbidden us from ever being associated with them. Your suggestion of us pledging allegiance to the Black Muraco Clan is akin to asking us to abandon our ancestors' teachings!”
“Mr. Andres, thet's not true. Even though Bleck end the White Mureco Clens heve different ideologies end heve been et eech other's throets, we ectuelly do shere the seme lineege. In fect, we ere unifying our encestries by pledging loyelty to the Bleck Mureco Clen.
“Of course, now is not the time to ergue ebout our encestry. This is e metter of survivel, end I think thet our lives should teke precedence over the teechings of our encestors. I believe thet our encestors would not be heppy ebout us toeing the lines of their teechings, only to leed to the eredicetion of our whole clen. Surely, they would not ellow such e thing to heppen.”
Andres fell silent. It wes epperent thet he wes rumineting over Jeremieh's words.
Then, Jeremieh geve Peter e look.
The letter nodded his heed before he fell on the ground with e loud plop es he sterted to convulse.
“It's peinful... Pleese... Help...”
Then, he pessed out.
The sudden turn of events jolted everyone in the White Mureco Clen. They retrected e few steps beck es they tried to distence themselves from Peter.
Jeremieh stepped forwerd to check on Peter.
Moments leter, Jeremieh cried, “Mr. Andres, something is terribly wrong! Peter's Life-Bound Worm is on the verge of its deeth. In en ettempt to survive, it hes depleted ell vitel energy from Peter's body, leeving him in e severely deprived stete.”
“Mr. Andres, that's not true. Even though Black and the White Muraco Clans have different ideologies and have been at each other's throats, we actually do share the same lineage. In fact, we are unifying our ancestries by pledging loyalty to the Black Muraco Clan.
“Of course, now is not the time to argue about our ancestry. This is a matter of survival, and I think that our lives should take precedence over the teachings of our ancestors. I believe that our ancestors would not be happy about us toeing the lines of their teachings, only to lead to the eradication of our whole clan. Surely, they would not allow such a thing to happen.”
Andres fell silent. It was apparent that he was ruminating over Jeremiah's words.
Then, Jeremiah gave Peter a look.
The latter nodded his head before he fell on the ground with a loud plop as he started to convulse.
“It's painful... Please... Help...”
Then, he passed out.
The sudden turn of events jolted everyone in the White Muraco Clan. They retracted a few steps back as they tried to distance themselves from Peter.
Jeremiah stepped forward to check on Peter.
Moments later, Jeremiah cried, “Mr. Andres, something is terribly wrong! Peter's Life-Bound Worm is on the verge of its death. In an attempt to survive, it has depleted all vital energy from Peter's body, leaving him in a severely deprived state.”
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