It was almost seven in the evening by the time we were done discussing the arrangements for my initiation into the Hunter’s Lodge; much too late to hike back safely to the glen. Instead, arrangements were made for us to stay overnight. In fact, we’d stay for the rest of the week, as the initiation was scheduled for the next evening, followed by seven days of training. There wasn’t a hunt this week, but there was one planned for next week that I was also expected to attend.

Koda escorted us to the longhouse of Biheila, a widow who lost her wife, husband, and two children during the last winter solstice--or the long dark as they called it.

Group marriages weren’t unusual in this world. According to Billisha and Aluali, they were a way for Families to group useful Talents and Skills together. Apparently, slaves were part of that mix too. Once they were bought, they were adopted as Family, but without the same rights as the rest. The word for them--dinshielei--was related to the word for the husk around an ear of corn.

I was disturbed, and had been ever since I came across Billisha and Aluali in chains, but I couldn’t go around freeing every slave I found. Could I? I’d already killed two men--

Aluali took my hand and gave it a squeeze. “You did good, Zasha. You do not need a trouble face. The spear is hard to train. My cousin--My cousin, Mito, hit his head many times training the spear.”

Such a good kid--he thought I was worried about my performance during Inneioleia’s tests. I gave his hand a squeeze back. “I am well, thank you.” There was no need to burden him with my worries.

Biheila’s longhouse was much like the others. A short fence enclosed the area in front; keeping a handful of chickens and two goats close by. To the side was an herb garden.

As for Biheila, a messenger must’ve been sent ahead, because she was waiting at the door for us. The smell of dinner wafted out from behind her. She bowed nervously to Koda and welcomed us inside.

Biheila the Widow (Human) Talents: Natural Weaver, Nimble Fingers

Nascent: ???, ???

She was in her early thirties with a round face, kind eyes, and hair cut short. She seemed fragile for someone still young. Her lips were pressed tight and her back hunched with the weight of her loss. I knew that feeling, and my heart went out to her.

Dinner was a bean and vegetable stew with two sides: buttered grits and wild plums covered in a mixed berry syrup. The widow Biheila watched us eat, as intent as a crow looking at something shiny. Only once we’d stuffed ourselves did she serve herself from the cookpot.

Koda left after the meal. He’d spent the whole afternoon with us and still had his own Family meal to attend. The kids helped clean up and assisted with the day’s remaining chores. That was our payment for staying the night. They shooed me away when I tried to help; telling me that I needed to rest after the day’s trials.

Well, they weren’t wrong. I was dead tired, and my head was swirling with new vocabulary, observations, and questions. I’d been so caught up in the day’s events, there’d been little time to unpack everything that’d happened.

One question, in particular, kept popping up. Did I get handled?

It didn’t occur to me until after Koda left, but we were exactly in the position he’d wanted for us--me joining the Hunter’s Lodge and us helping a village widow. We weren’t joining her Family, no, but the plan was for us to stay with her on the nights we spent in the village. She’d take care of us, and we’d repay her by helping out where and when we could.

At some point, I’d lost my skepticism about Koda’s motives and trusted that he had our best interests at heart. His advice had been helpful, after all.

Inside, the uekisheile came out of hiding to twist around my dantian. They’d sensed Inneioleia’s powerful qi and had been trying to replicate its motion. Without success, but they didn’t mind. The motion alone was amusing enough, especially when accompanied by singing.

Twist-twist-turn. Circle-round-burn. Twist-twist-turn. Ollie-Eight-churn. With a splash, they dived into my dantian, sending waves of qi flowing through my meridians.

I never thought I’d ever hear a sentient lichen giggle, but then, that was my life now.

“Come on, Ol--.” Mindful of the company, I caught myself from using my real name. “Focus.”

Koda: the Status Camera described him as Dawn, which meant that he was somewhere Level 5 to 9.. He’d also had the People-Wise Talent, and fifty-plus years to polish his leadership and social Skills.

He wasn’t physically striking, but sitting against the longhouse wall, letting the memories of the day’s events flow through my mind, I realized that he had a quiet presence. People looked to him for guidance. They felt important when they had his attention, like they were the most important people in the world, especially when he put his Deep Thinker Talent to use on their behalf.

Charm. I’d bet dollars to donuts, he invested in his Charm Attribute. There was probably a Persuasion Skill at work too, or something like it. Not that he harmed anyone in the process. No, he used his powers for good--the good of Voorhei.

And then there was Inneioleia who reminded me so strongly of mi abuelo. Between the two of them, it was like getting hit by a one-two punch.

I called Billisha and Aluali over. They were done with their chores, and it was time for me to ask some important questions.

“I made the right choice to join the Hunter’s Lodge?”

Both children quirked their heads like little otters. “You think you made the wrong choice?” Billisha asked.

“I don’t know. I did not think enough. I was caught by the river's flow. By Koda’s flow.”

“He is the Village Head,” Aluali said. “And we are young. His wisdom is more than ours, and the other leaders agreed with him.” He rubbed his cheek, thinking. “We listened for you, Zasha. The choice is good.”

“What do you worry about?” Billisha asked.

“Koda’s Skill and Charm. That he made the choice, not I.”

Understanding dawned on their faces. Aluali said, “There are stories of strong Charm. So strong, people lose their heads. There is a saying: check your head to your heart, your heart to your head, and both to what you want.”

Billisha nodded, and touched her head, heart, and belly along with Aluali’s words. “What do you think, Zasha? What do you feel? What do you want?”

“I want to stay in Ikfael Glen with you both. I think it is dangerous, but we can do it. I feel it is important to choose well, so that all of us are safe.”

“If we want to be safe,” Billisha said, “then we need to live in Voorhei. We can stay in this longhouse--Biheila will be happy for our help in her home, her fields, and her garden. She has a loom and can make our clothes. You can fish and hunt for our meat. Aluali and I can make hides. That choice points to the Hunter’s Lodge still.”

“That choice also needs us to leave the Spirit of Ikfael Glen,” Aluali said. “The same if you become a soldier. You will be away more, training, going to where the Land Knight tells you. You would not make your choices. And we would still live here with Biheila.”

“We could leave Voorhei. Just live in Ikfael Glen,” I said. “No Hunter’s Lodge. No soldier’s life. We come to trade, but that is all.”

“If so, then you do not train with the Lodge Master. Do not train magic and qi.” Billisha rubbed the tiredness from her eyes. “We would still pay taxes, but we would get no benefits. With the Hunter’s Lodge, we pay our obligations, but we get benefits.”

I leaned back with a sigh. What they were saying made sense. I just didn’t like feeling manipulated. But then, it was normal. In Koda’s eyes, we were kids; kids with the mad idea of living in the dangerous wilderness. Of course, he’d want to convince us of a saner option, especially one that benefited his village. It was a win-win.

Twist-twist-turn. Circle-round-burn. Twist-twist-turn. Ollie-Eight-churn.

Right. My churning emotions didn’t help. Did I really want to choose an unwise course, just because my ego got bruised in the process? No. I thought not. I felt not. I wanted not. I’d choose instead to be an adult and accept another person’s wisdom, even if it rankled a bit.

Grind-down-ego. Grind-down-spite. Come/on-Ollie-Eight. Fight-fight-fight.

I goosed the ueikisheile with my qi, and they skittered away laughing. Seriously, it was frightening how quickly they were developing. Still, even though they found my antics amusing, I promised myself to stay on my toes around Koda. He didn’t intend any harm, but his priorities weren’t necessarily mine.

“Thank you for your talk. I feel better about my decision and will join the Hunter’s Lodge.”

The children breathed easier at my announcement. No child liked uncertainty, and living in the glen was uncertain enough. This relationship with the Hunter’s Lodge offered a structure they understood.

“The hunters will gather tomorrow for your initiation,” Billisha said.

“Yes, I will join” I said. “And we will stay the rest of the week.”

The time in the village would be helpful too. I still needed to find the ingredients for Ikfael’s donuts, as well as Woldec’s brother, Ghitha. I wanted to let him know personally about what happened to his Family.

What else? I let my mind wander over the day’s events. What caught my attention, but had to be filed away for later?

“Billisha, tell me about the darkest day of the year.”

“Zasha remembers there are ten days to the week? There are thirty-six weeks to the year?”

“Yes,” I said, “and five days extra.”

“The darkest of the year, those five days.” She licked her lips nervously, as an old fear rose up behind her eyes. “They are the days when magic stops, so villages need to store mana for when the animals attack. How did your village defend during the darkest?”

She caught me by surprise. The magic stops--what did that mean? The animals attack?

“Tell me about the magic stops.”

“I don’t know how or why it stops. It is mysterious. I’m sorry, Zasha. We can ask the World Speaker.”

“There is no magic during the darkest,” I said, trying to clarify without giving away too much of my ignorance.

Billisha blinked in confusion. “There is magic, but no recovery. There is qi, but only half recovery. There is body power, but few who train. This is why the Village Core stores mana. Why the Land Knights, the qi soldiers, and the hunters are important. The animals go wild during the darkest. They hunger for light, and the villages need to defend. The more light in the animal, the more it hungers. Power hunts power.”

By the holy hand grenade, that explained why Voorhei’s layout was so defense-heavy. The villagers had to withstand an annual attack from frenzied monsters, in addition to the other dangers a village might face.

“And during the last darkest days,” I said, “Voorhei lost much. The Reeve and the World Speaker said so.”

“Yes, Zasha,” Aluali said. “I heard it so. And also from the worrying farmers talking to the Village Head. Woldec was Earth-Touched. Grunthen was Lightning-Touched. The village struggled with them gone. Biheila--” He gestured to the widow. “She lost much. Her Family was small. Now, it is one. Many people tell the same story.”

That Koda--he figured out that I have a soft spot for helping. I was definitely handled.

###

I woke up to a notification. All was dark, except for the phone screen in my head. All I heard was the soft breathing around me. Biheila slept in one bed, the children and I in another, all a-tangle. I didn’t move, so as not to disturb them.

Spear Arts 3 -> 4

Literacy, Diaksh 3 -> 4

Neither of the Skill increases were a surprise. My head was crammed full of words, enough for them to spill out my ears. As for the spear, the whole night I dreamt of nothing but Inneioleia’s thrust. Over and over again. It was like the movie Groundhog Day, except on a twenty-second timer.

I was greatly affected by Inneioleia’s demonstration. The uekisheile found it fascinating too; the way the qi twisted and turned. They had me relive the memory many times in order to study it. Maybe that’s why my dreams were so monofocused?

The uekisheile ducked behind my heart to avoid the question. That little rascal--I got the impression they were somehow responsible.

I was of two minds. No, make that three.

The first was that, if true, it was a handy way to deep dive into anything worth studying. The utilitarian in me loved the idea of using my dreams to memorize movements, stances, and runes.

Two, the downside was that I felt like I got barely any rest at all. My eyes were all gummy, and my thoughts sluggish. I’d sworn off coffee by the time I died on my last world, but I craved a cup now.

And then three, I was weirded out that the uekisheile could potentially affect my dreams, and maybe even my thoughts.

We’d been getting along well, like really well, but this was a level of--connection, relationship, intimacy--that was disturbing. I wouldn’t even have wanted Helen--the person I adored most in the world--inside my head, let alone a sentient lichen.

Stronger-together-we. Ollie-Eight-We. Question-question-sad/scared? The uekisheile’s qi was tentative and reminiscent of puppy dog eyes. If they had a tail, it’d be tucked between their legs.

Now I felt guilty. As quickly as the uekisheile was learning, they were still emotionally young. I was the first being they’d encountered that wasn’t prey or predator.

All/right-okay-all/well. Surprised-impressed-new. Startled-scared-new. Love-love-we. Request-request-we. Permission-permission-we. And that’s really all I wanted, just for them to ask permission before tinkering, even if they thought it was for our own good.

The uekisheile stilled as they processed the thought-feelings I sent. It was only a moment before their tail started to wag again though. Understand-understand-understand. Careful-permission-We. Ollie-Eight-slow.

This little rascal. Ollie-Eight-not/slow.

Slow-slow-slow! Okay-okay-okay. Love-Ollie/Eight-love.

I released a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding and ran a hand through my hair. My little buddy was turning into quite the handful. An adorable handful, but still a handful. Fortunately, they were mindful of my requests and desires. With another breath, I set aside my fear. The uekisheile was respectful of boundaries. This wasn’t Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

I laid in bed thinking till the cock crowed. The chickens and goats were inside, at the other end of the longhouse, and everyone jumped at the noise. The sun was just starting to peek through the gaps in the doors.

###

After breaking our fast with eggs over a corn porridge, we helped Biheila with a couple of hours of chores. I was given the tasks of feeding the chickens and weeding the garden. Apparently, in the future, I wouldn’t be allowed near the goats again. There was something about me they didn’t like. Not to the level of needing the Healing Water spell, but there’d be a goat-head-sized bruise on my butt come tomorrow.

As I worked, safe in the fenced garden, I whispered about all the delicious dishes I knew that featured goat--Birria, of course, but also Jamaican curried goat, braised goat shoulder, peanut butter goat soup. The goats’ ears twitched, as the list went on and on. Maybe it was my imagination, but I liked to think that they learned to fear me then.

I was just finishing up--ladling water onto my hands to wash them--when someone clapped in front of the longhouse.

“Biheila, I am Ghitha here, Woldec the Hunter’s brother.”

Oh, that’ll save a trip. Koda must’ve broken the news to him already. I wiped my hands on my pants and walked around the side of the house to meet him.

Ghitha was a foot taller than Biheila; lanky too, but so were most of the villagers. He seemed leaner than most though. Not hungry-skinny. More like he might be a picky eater.

Ghitha Woldecsbrotter (Human) Talents: Methodical, Soft Walker, Even-Tempered

Nascent: ???, ???

He was well dressed by village standards; wearing a jacket lined with gold ribbon and a feathered hat. He wore three necklaces, each with a different gold medallion. Biheila and the kids were already out front talking to him. Somewhere along the way, while I wasn’t paying attention, the three of them had acquired flower crowns.

Ghitha wasn’t subtle about looking me up and down, but his face didn’t give anything away. His eyes flickered when he saw Woldec’s hunting knife on my belt. That was all.

When we were introduced, he bowed low, his hands over his heart. “I greet my brother’s Zasha and give thanks for bringing him rest. To my nephew, Akbash. To my Family-sister Kiertie and my Family-niece Biaka.”

“My house is small, but I offer to come inside to drink.” Biheila seemed nervous. She’d been the same way with Koda last night, but the Village Head was able to quickly put her at ease. Ghitha flustered her though, especially when he accepted her offer.

He walked inside the longhouse; finding a seat and taking care to wipe his hands clean on a cotton handkerchief. The kids and I sat across from him, while Biheila heated water and gathered mint for a tisane.

“Again, I give thanks to my brother’s Zasha,” Ghitha said. “I ask you to give me the story of his death and the death of my Family.”

“I found their not-rested bodies in the forest to the west. They had fought the forest’s animals. For Biaka and Akbash--a chliapp lion. For Woldec and Kiertie--a kahilichi bear. They fought the bear to give Biaka and Akbash time to run, but your niece and nephew were caught by the lion.”

Ghitha frowned at the mention of the bear, the first time I saw any emotion on his face. “The fight was in the bear’s cave? He was not winter-sleeping?”

I’d kept the location a secret from the village leaders, but of course Ghitha would know about his brother’s plan and the map to the Red Room. “I do not know. I found the dead many weeks after.”

Ghitha didn’t let up. “You found the dead in the cave?”

“Yes.”

“Can you take me?”

Aluali and Billisha grabbed my arms, each to a side, as if to keep me from going. “Zasha, you cannot!” “Zasha, it is dangerous!”

Ghitha pursed his lips. “I wish to give ammilwa to my Family.”

Billisha refused to translate, but I could tell the unknown word was funeral related. I wanted to protect the Red Room, but could I do it at the expense of the dead? Mi abuela would have strong words for me if I did. Very strong words.

“The place is dangerous,” I said.

“The bear is the ippu of the forest and the esselitti of our hunters. They should have killed him years ago, but they were afraid.” Ghitha tightened his fist and hit his knee to strike home the point. “Taak kills fear. I will give my taak to kill the hunter’s fear, and then the hunters will kill the bear.”

Somehow, I didn’t think it would be that simple. I’d seen the bear in action. “Inneioleia--”

“--is a fear man,” Ghitha said, dismissive. “He did not bishtoola Woldec enough. He did not bisht Woldec’s zashtain.”

I looked to Billisha for help with the words I didn’t know, but she shook her head. “You cannot, Zasha. The dead rest. It is enough.”

“The Village Head tells me,” Ghitha said, “that you are an adult. Be an adult. Tell your children to do as you ask.”

Ugh. This guy. I understood his desire for revenge, but no one tells me how to handle my kids.

“I will give you taak,” he said. “I will buy your hides. Take me to my brother’s body.”

“The place is small and dangerous,” I said. “I will not take you, but I will bring your Family’s bodies to you.”

That was the best I could offer. It’d be a hassle, for sure--taking a lot of time and effort--but it would be doable. Plus, I’d promised the spirits of the dead that I’d come back for them.

“I want to see--”

“No,” I said, interrupting. “I will bring the dead. That is all.”

Ghitha’s gaze never left me; measuring my resolve. “And my brother’s things?”

“I have some. I left some behind.”

“I would see and buy,” Ghitha said.

“I will keep the weapons, but can offer the rest.”

“That is fair. We will arrange a day to trade.” Ghitha offered his arm to seal the deal, and I clasped it, like I’d seen the villagers do.

He was pleased, and didn't notice my momentary confusion. In his arm was a spark of lightning qi, the flavor different from storm qi and kahilichi bear qi.

I sighed. There was just so much I didn’t know about this world--about its societies, about people’s abilities, and their tools and techniques. I didn’t foresee an end to the learning anytime soon.