Here's Chapter 16: The Festival of Threads, where the village holds a small, silly tradition, and Elric gets into trouble (again), this time with streamers, soup, and beasts in costumes.
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Chapter 16: The Festival of Threads
Every spring, Verdantreach held the Festival of Threads—a simple celebration where villagers tied colorful ribbons around trees, fences, and each other to mark the end of winter and the return of busy hands.
There was no real meaning behind it.
It was just fun.
But Elric took it very seriously.
He had woken up at dawn and immediately tied a ribbon around Mister Pebbles.
Then Boneclaw. Then Twig. Then the Sprite.
Then his brother's goat.
Then his brother.
Kale walked into the kitchen looking like a maypole.
"HE TIED ME TO A CHAIR."
Mother didn't even look up from the soup. "At least he's festive."
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Outside, the village was alive with color. Ribbons fluttered, children laughed, and old men tried to pretend they didn't enjoy being chased by their grandkids with streamers.
Elric had entered his pack into the "Best Beast Costume" contest.
Twig wore flower antlers.
Boneclaw had socks on all four legs (he hated it).
The sprite was glowing with glitter.
And Mister Pebbles had—by accident—rolled through blue paint.
Now he looked like a very confused blueberry.
"He's perfect," Elric whispered.
Some villagers laughed. Others stared.
"He really brought a golem to a festival."
"He painted it!"
"I think the rock painted itself."
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The contest began with cheers.
Elric stood proudly with his pack, arms crossed, while other children paraded their fluffy bunnies, painted pigs, and one confused chicken dressed as a knight.
When it was Elric's turn, he stepped forward and shouted:
"Behold! The Parade of the Pack!"
Boneclaw immediately tripped.
Twig ran off to chase a butterfly.
The sprite sneezed glitter on the mayor.
Pebbles rolled into a food cart and exploded a pot of soup.
Elric stood in the chaos, covered in broth and sparkles.
"…Behold," he said again, weakly.
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Later that evening, he sat on the fence, legs swinging, eyes a bit sad.
"I thought it would go better," he mumbled to Riven.
"You wanted to win?"
"I wanted them to see how special my pack is."
The old man leaned against the post and handed him a chunk of sweet bread.
"They already saw it," Riven said. "That's why they're