Rafil was skipping steps, at times even running a bit, trying to keep up with his father. His hands kept hurting and at time he couldn't help but gasp in pain, when he swinged his hands too hard. Last night his father had removed the make shift bandage of leaves and applied a paste on it. "Let it get some air, it will heal faster." His father hadn't even asked him about his wound, how he had acquired it. After applying the paste, his father had fed him with his own hands, the meat stew that he had prepared. It had been a long time since his father had fed him, and it brought a sense of satisfaction in Rafil's chest.

The next morning his father had cleaned his hand, and applied the paste again. Once they broke their fast, they made way for the nearest town. At the first bell of the noon, they arrived at small town. It didn't have any temples but it did have a bethel of Freya. Almost every towns, those which didn't have a temple, had bethel of Freya. Though some region may follow a particular god and would not allow any other gods to be preached in their domain, temples and bethel of Freya were accepted everywhere unanimously. The sisters of Freya were after all, adept at healing.

It was the first time for Rafil at anywhere except his mountain. The buildings in the town were in the eyes of Rafil, lavishly build and were wonders to behold. He gaped at the people passing, engrossed in their own mundane tasks, occasionally glancing at them and then turning away. There was group of children scurrying after a child half their size, calling out for him to stop. The child being chased was skinny with his clothes hanging loosely from his body. He was running towards Rafil and his father. As he reached within ten paces of Rafil, he came to a halt, his gaze falling on him, then on his father. He started backing away with dread in his eyes. The group of children chasing after him, after seeing Rafil's father had already given up the chase and ran away.

The child called out an apology, then ran towards another direction. This action although surprised Rafil a bit, he paid no heed to it. As they neared the town centre, a large square block of open space with a statue of an old man in the centre lifting up a staff pointing it to the heavens, Rafil's father turned towards on of the bigger buildings in the town centre. The building was at more than a dozen times bigger than his hut. It was a two storey building, with the roof being a dome, instead of the usual trapezoidal and flat roofs of the building near it. Rafil's father walked through the open door with Rafil tailing behind him.

They were greeted by a woman dressed in gray robes. The woman looked at Rafil's hand with her sharp grey eyes and smiled at him, as him consoling him for his pains. She then looked up at Rafil's father with contempt, her smile turning into a frown. "What is a brother of Etilaf doing with a child, bringing him to the abode of Freya? I thought your order was working to lead the world to ruins, not saving children" said the woman, as she glanced at the two blades by Basil's waist and the tatoo of a large bird eating fire on the back side of his palm.

"That is not of your concern, sister. Look after the child's wounds" said Basil, not at all affected by the hostile tone of the woman, his voice still calm and indifferent.

The woman bit her lower lip slightly and kept her gaze at Basil for a moment longer, then turned her gaze back at the child in front of her. She knelt down and said "What is your name child?" as she cupped his cheeks in her palms.

"Rafil" a tinge of red appeared on his cheeks as Rafil spoke.

"Well Rafil, give me your hand. No need to fear, nothing will happen." Rafil winced as the woman took his hand in her palms and looked at it, turning it over. "My name is Shifali. I am a sister of Freya. Now don't look at your wounds, its going to be fine. You will better in no time. Look in my eyes Rafil. You are a brave boy, aren't you? Won't you tell me how you got hurt? I promise i won't tell anyone."

As the woman was talking to Rafil, she kept her eyes fixed into Rafil's eyes. Her hands touched his palms ever so slightly, as he kept looking into her gray mesmerising eyes. A slight urge to itch his wound came to him, but the woman's eyes and voice kept him distracted from it. He narrated his encounter with the boar to the kind woman in front of him. As he spoke, a slight hint of disappointment and pity appeared on her face. When he was done, she shook her head and mumbled something. She then smiled once again and said "All done. Make sure you don't get yourself in such dangerous situations, okay Rafil?" As the woman spoke, Rafil felt a sudden surge of mixed emotions and he nodded earnestly. He looked at his palms. Beside the slight urge of itching he felt, they were completely healed.

The woman got up and once again frowned, looking at Basil.Before she could say anything, Basil procured a pouch, and extended it over to the woman. "Your payment." The woman could only sigh in resignation and accept the pouch. Taking one last look at Rafil and flashing a smile, she turned back.

After leaving the house of Freya, Rafil's father rented a room for the night at a local inn.

"Where are we going Pa?" Rafil asked, tailing his father. They had been on the road for a week. Aside from the town where Rafil had met with the kind woman, they had never ventured even near a town or a village. His father kept his silence. There was a hard look in his eyes which he rarely showed in front of Rafil. Rafil could gues from those eyes that his father was not going to say anything, so he kept further questions to himself.

On the twenty fifth day of their solitary journey, Rafil was still tailing behind his father when he had a strange sensation. He could hear voices of people, of women, of children, of men wailing in despair, begging for release from their perdition. He felt queasy and stumbled as his father came to a halt. He couldn't discern where the voices were coming from. It seemed as if the land, and even the wind itself was crying in agony.

"Come out Abigail" said his father looking ahead.

"I was just teasing you, why don't you cool off Basil. Look at your face. Is that the look someone has when they meet their friend" said a man as he came into view. When he spoke, to Rafil it was if he was simultaneously standing all around him because his voice seem to come from everywhere. Rafil jerked his head, glancing everywhere, but the man was still in front of him.

Basil frowned as he heard the term 'freind'. "You are no freind of mine. Neither am I yours. we are acompalices. Allies brought together by unfavouvarable circum stances." Basil looked at Rafil, his face easing in a soft smile. "Rafil, you have to go somewhere on your own. I can't take you with me."

"But I crossed the forest" said Rafil looking up at his father with his moist eyes.

"I cannot take you with me right now. You are not strong enough."

"I promise I will train hard. I will even hunt animals for both of us. I want to be with." Tears were streaming down Rafil's cheeks, his sobs drowning his effort to speak clearly.

"Rafil" said Rafil's father with a sigh, still refusing to bend down his knees and talk to Rafil on level. He knew he had to be hard right now. "If you want to come with me hen you will have go with the man in front of you. He will train you. When you become as strong as him, then come find me. I will be waiting for you." Rafil's Father turned back to the man in front him. The man had the insignia of the three headed snake embroidered on his clothes, towards the left side of his chest.

The man was looking down at Rafil with amusement. As Rafil turned towards the man, he lifted his hands. A surge of wind pressed down on Rafil as he fell unconscious, falling down in a heap.

"Treat him carefully. If he dies, so will you" said Basil looking at the man. The certain hardness, which was barely visible up until a moment, became more apparent.

"Heavens burn! You still are the same, bullying your way from people. Don't worry, he is not just yours, but my best weapon too" said Abigail, his dark lips parting in a grin as he looked at Rafil. "He still needs some shaping and polishing though. How much time do you reckon we have?" Abigail asked, looking back at Basil.

"Twenty years at most before the continent is attacked. Make sure he is ready by then."

"Where are you going? Etilaf?"

"I have some unfinished business with the old bastard."

"Forget it. You are still too weak for him"

"We will see about that." Basil looked at Rafil one last time. A sudden gust of wind came and next instant Basil was gone from there.

"Bastard, showing off" grumbled Abigail as he heaved Rafil on his shoulders and started walking. "It will be good for him, if the old man teaches him some manners" mused Abigail, smiling as he walked carrying Rafil with him.

Sorry for the small chapter. Have quatum mechanics tomorow. Will make it up to you all after 24th