Tobi threw the stick more than a dozen times in the next hour, trying to get the thing in the air before he put his mana into it. The idea was a good one, as he could throw it pretty fast, faster than Samuel could recognize the motion. The trouble, of course, was that he threw it too fast for his own mana to catch up before it hit the ground or a tree. The first time he tried this tactic, both he and Samuel looked in the direction it had thrown, confused.

“I meant to catch it in the air with my mana,” Tobi said, his voice full of disappointment. “I didn’t think about how fast it would move.”

Samuel couldn’t help himself. He started to laugh. Though the moment he did, he tried to stifle the sound, worried that he’d offended the youth who had been trying so hard to master this spell. Tobi showed no sign of aggravation, however, as he was also chuckling quietly, rolling his eyes at his own slip in reason.

“Well, it’s a good idea,” Samuel said after his laughter had subsided. “If you get fast enough with your mana, there should be no problem. It’s a good tactic, and would certainly be enough to surprise your future opponents.”

Tobi selected a new twig with which to practice from the ground, and they continued on their trek. Half out of curiosity and half out of a desire to ease up on his apprentice, Samuel didn’t attempt to stop the twig from flying when Tobi started to practice by throwing it. The twig hit the ground due to his own lack of speed instead of Samuel’s reactions, but the new idea seemed to be growing on Tobi, and his mana was slowly getting faster.

The lake to their right was still as massive as ever, stretching out and to the sides further than they could see. Walking right along its shore, Samuel and Tobi were given the impression that they stood at the edge of the world, staring out at a blank expanse. The sunlight sparkled off the water’s surface, interrupted only by the peaks and troughs formed by the steady waves that lapped against the shore.

They were making great progress now, Samuel could tell. In an eagerness to cover as much ground as possible, they’d decided to skip their early breaks, pushing on through the morning. They did decide to take their lunch break, however, once they were both feeling the effects of the forced pace. They sat down on the soft sand along the lake with pronounced sighs of relief.

“Let’s not make any food just yet,” Samuel said. “There’s something I need to take care of first.”

Tobi looked up from where he sat with slight confusion, but Samuel forestalled any questions he might have with a raised hand. Walking several dozen paces away from the lake into the trees, Samuel quickly scanned the forest floor, looking for a comfortable place to sit. He found a patch of springy moss right in front of an ancient tree, and settled himself into a cross-legged position.

He closed his eyes, pushing away the slight sounds of Tobi in the campsite and the other critters around him. He focused on the natural sensations around him. A gentle but steady breeze was blowing from the lake into his back, ruffling his hair. It carried a sense of freshness to him, mingling with the smell of the earth and wood around him perfectly.

With his relaxation came the slackening of his mana. It furled out slowly, enveloping the air around him in lapping waves. He allowed this change in his stature, relaxing his body as well, so what little ki was there flowed smooth as a creek throughout his body. This was the state he needed, he thought.

God of Nature, heed my call and grant me an audience. Please share your wisdom with me.

He wasn’t sure it would work, as Grimr was now thousands of leagues away. He also had little representation here in Zaban, as the great majority of its druids still worshipped a lost memory of a god. But he hoped that the presence of his mana, with the natural center, would be enough to snag his attention. It took a while, nearly ten minutes of a repeated plea for his attention.

Samuel. What on earth are you doing all the way over there?

Samuel opened his eyes, or thought he had, to see Grimr standing before him. He was not beside the shore of lake Zuria, but in a sunny glade. The trees around him were younger, but considerably stronger. Many druids stood around him, staring at him in shock and surprise. Looking around, Samuel guessed that he was in Gorteau, deep within the Dagorra Forest.

“You’ve come from Zaban,” Grimr said. He was in his human form, a short and thin boy with brown hair that hung down to his waist. He was dressed from shoulder to feet in furs, and around his neck was a necklace of fangs. There was no sign of the bone dagger he once held.

“Yes,” Samuel said. He felt strangely light in his current circumstances as if he’d used his wind magic before coming. “I need your advice.”

“Well, it must be important,” Grimr said with a raised eyebrow. “Seeing as you’ve projected yourself so far. What are you facing?”

Samuel hesitated, not sure how to begin. He was reluctant to admit the overwhelming terror he felt, both at the dream he’d had, and the future he faced. Grimr was the strongest being he knew, who had nearly single-handedly destroyed his older brother, an ancient spirit even stronger than himself. Grimr was old, wise, and capable. There was nothing Grimr couldn’t do. He couldn’t disappoint Grimr.

He started to explain his dream of Zaban, of the evil chaotic force that lived between the lakes. But as he progressed, the wall of self-control and calm he’d fabricated began to break down. Before long, he was fairly babbling, trying his best to describe the way it had moved, latched onto his mana, and summoned more of itself to take him down. He was nearly crying with the fear of it as he described the end of the dream, staring hopelessly at Grimr when he recounted how it crashed down upon him, devouring his mana in an instant.

“If it was real, I would have died, Grimr,” he said hoarsely. “I stood no chance against it. It was as bad as Neratas, but you weren’t there to help me.”

Grimr had listened to his story without interruption, blinking slowly as he did when he thought through a problem. There was no sign of reciprocated fear, but a small frown did form on his face as Samuel described how the evil sentient force had come so close to destroying him.

“I can’t handle the corruption on my own,” Samuel said shakily, after he’d taken a few deep breaths to calm himself. “So I came to you for advice. There’s a Chancellor here who serves you. She asked for my help in defeating it.”

Grimr was silent for another few minutes, his brow furrowed in deep thought. “To be honest, Samuel, it doesn’t sound like corruption.”

“But it’s clearly feeding off the natural energy there,” Samuel protested. “What else could it be?”

“I’m not sure,” Grimr replied slowly. He was clearly wrong-footed, both from what was described to him and Samuel’s own reaction to it. “But to me, it sounds nothing like corruption. Corruption is slow without guidance, and only feeds upon clean energy. What you’ve described sounds chaotic, and seems to feed on more than pure natural energy.”

“That’s a fair assumption, I suppose,” Samuel admitted reluctantly. “But it had the same ferocity as Neratas, and it could clearly sense my presence, even in dream form.”

“You were likely projecting,” Grimr explained. “As you are now, but you did it unintentionally the first time. It could tell you were there, and attempted to feed on you. Purging your mana was easily the best option.”

“But all I have is my magic,” Samuel said, a note of panic growing once more in his voice. “If I can’t hurt it with that, what can I possibly do to it?”

Grimr, after another uncomfortably long pause, shrugged ever so slightly. “I’m sorry Samuel, but I don’t know. I have never encountered anything like what you describe. There are chaotic versions of energy, of course, but they are quick flares, and die out on their own terms very quickly. Even then, I know nothing about how they form or what they are.”

“I see,” Samuel said dejectedly. “I was rather hoping you would know what to do.”

“You mean that you were hoping I would have some quick miracle fix to the problem,” Grimr replied with a raised eyebrow. “That I could tell you how to fix it with absolute ease.”

In spite of his rather miserable mood, a small smile formed on Samuel’s face. “Something like that.”

Grimr gave his familiar smirk. “The only advice I can offer you is to proceed carefully, Samuel. And do not attempt to tackle it alone.”

“I’m not alone,” Samuel answered at once. “Tobi is with me.”

“Tobi?” Grimr said, not recognizing the name at first. “Ah yes, the little boy that Shigeru took in. I remember him.”

“He’s not so little anymore. He’s a very skilled fighter, and even has great arcane potential.”

“I should expect nothing less of him,” Grimr said. His voice had started to became more distant, a sign that their communication was coming to an end. “He is Shigeru’s son. And I imagine you could teach him a thing or two.”

Samuel’s eyes opened once more, and he found himself staring at the bark of the ancient tree he’d sat before. The only change in his immediate surroundings was the presence of Tobi, who crouched a respectful distance away, staring at him in his unblinking way.

“Where did you go?” The apprentice asked. “I sensed some part of you leave.”

“Gorteau,” Samuel answered, clambering to his feet. “I needed advice from Grimr.”

“About the corruption?”

“Yes,” Samuel said with a heavy sigh. “But after talking to him, I’m sure it’s not corruption. In fact, I’m prepared to admit that it’s worse. Much worse. Let’s return to our camp. There’s something I have to tell you.”