Chapter 62

Year 163 – Fall – Quintus Mensis – 37th days

Oluja-Bay, east of Oluja-Borough, Eastern Union

The wind was blowing strong to the east in a large whirlwind. The sky was covered in clouds when a large blow of wind pressured a droplet off the cloud. It fell through the storm like a boulder off a cliff. Falling faster and faster, it was closing the distance with the ground at an accelerating speed. It was cutting the air with its weight, getting colder and colder when its core crystallised itself. Writhed by the cold, it morphed into a snowflake large enough to be slowed by the breeze before upholstering the ground of a white blanket.

Tomos – “I’m freezing.”

Lanaya – “We’ll be in Avem in four days, but for that, we need to reach Oluja-Borough before the river freezes. We need to hurry.”

Owen – “Our clothes are soaked. We need to build a shelter for the night, or we’ll catch a fever.”

Lato – “The night’s about to fall, too. We’ll need a fire, but with soaked wood, it will take a while.”

Lanaya – “We’ll set camp in one hour.”

Tally – “My feet won’t keep up that long.”

Derfel – “How about running for a quarter-hour instead?”

Tomos – “What?”

Lanaya – “He’s right.”

Owen – “Who’s right?”

Lanaya – “Derfel’s right. Running will warm us up and allow us to set camp before nightfall.”

Lato – “What about our mules?”

Lanaya – “A little trot won’t kill them. Lato, you close the line.”

Lato – “Count on me.”

Lanaya – “C’MON EVERYONE! FOLLOW ME AND KEEP THE RHYTHM!”

Lato stepped to the side and waited for his companion to pass by.

Telio – “What are you doing? Keep walking!”

Lato – “You didn’t hear? I’m taking your place.”

Telio – “Oh no, I’m feeling so weak all of a sudden. What a tragedy! If only there was a kind soul ready to help me walk. Lato, please . . . Don’t leave me behind!”

Lato – “Shut up and run.”

Telio – “Ahaha.”

The same day, in Avem, a hailstorm was raging. The whistle of the wind was furrowing the window, making its frame creak. Warmed by the sizzling flame behind her, Vatra was looking at the closed window. She was lost in her thoughts when the snapping of Nelis’s finger brought her back to reality.

Nelis – “Vatra! Were you listening?”

Vatra – “Yes!”

Nelis – “And what did I say?”

Vatra – “Ehh, you said that Dracaena resin can cure inflammation and invigorate your vital essence.”

Nelis – “And?”

Vatra – “Well . . . Hmm . . .”

Nelis – “You asked me to teach you. If you’re not interested, I won’t waste my time.”

Vatra – “I’m sorry, I was thinking about the memorial I’d build.”

Nelis – “I’ll let it pass for now. Leo, can you tell her the rest?”

Leo – “You said that it can reverse the numbness and fatigue effect of an Aristolochia while keeping its uplift against the flu and many other diseases.”

Nelis – “Good! We’ll do one more plant, and then we’ll take a break.”

Nelis pulled a few dried yellow flowers from a little bag.

Nelis – “Astragalus flowers are one of the most common fortifiers you’ll find in any forest. They are way less effective than the Aristolochia, but they don’t have any side effects. You can infuse them in water or simply eat them.”

Leo – “I think I’ve seen those grow near my homeland.”

Nelis – “It’s possible, but it could also be a Vicia. Both flowers look alike, but the Vicia is poisonous.”

Vatra – “How do we tell them apart?”

Nelis – “Vicia have many tiny thorns on their side, and Astragalus don’t. That’s it for today.”

Leo – “Can I keep that flower?”

Nelis – “Sure.”

Nelis stored his many ingredients back in his pouch and added another log to the fire. As Leo joined Jurren and the others to play Prika with them, Nelis dragged his chair nearby and sat beside Vatra.

Nelis – “So, what kind of memorial will you do?”

Vatra – “At first, I thought of carving a rock or something, but those who would have paid it respect will never get the chance to do so.”

Nelis – “So, you’re still searching?”

Vatra – “No, I’ll forge a sword. This way, I’ll keep that memorial near me.”

Nelis – “You’ll forge a sword?”

Vatra – “I know, it’s probably selfish, but I can’t think of a better way.”

Nelis – “You’ve got it wrong. I simply can’t envision a Kalator blacksmith ever doing a memorial to House Valmai.”

Vatra – “I don’t need their blacksmith.”

Nelis – “Well, you might say that, but you’ll need a blacksmith.”

Vatra – “I am a blacksmith.”

Nelis raised his right eyebrow and looked at her, bewildered.

Nelis – “And you’re able to forge swords?”

Jowrik – “She’s able to what?”

Vatra – “You don’t believe me?”

Elgan – “I call bullshit!”

Nelis – “I do . . . It’s just unexpected, to say the least.”

Vatra – “Cause I’m a girl?”

Nelis – “Yeah. Well, now I suppose I understand where you got that scar.”

Elgan – “Oh right! I forgot about that. I guess we reap what we sow!”

Vatra turned around and looked at Elgan with eyes filled with anger.

Vatra – “I got that scar when I was a slave. I tried to escape. I don’t recall sowing the seed to be enslaved.”

Elgan – “Oh. I’m sorry . . .”

Vatra – “I’ll have you know that I’m a more than decent smith!”

Jowrik – “I’m eager to see it!”

Nelis – “Well, in that case, I suppose forging a few more items for me wouldn’t be a problem, right?”

Vatra – “I’ll only do them if you tell me your story.”

Nelis – “You ‘re still on that?”

Vatra – “You bet I am! Do you agree?”

Nelis – “How about saying it’s a payback for the three times I healed you?”

Vatra – “I’ll pay them back later.”

Nelis – “I’ll think about it.”

Elgan – “He’ll think about it for decades. Don’t agree to that.”

Nelis – “Anyway, what kind of sword will you do?”

Vatra – “I’m thinking of a 28-inch double edge blade with a six-inch handle and a four-inch upper hilt and guard above the main guard for a total length of 40 inches including both guards.”

Elgan – “Well, that’s got the convenience of being clear.”

Nelis – “I was thinking, memorial-wise, will it have anything written or shaped on it?”

Vatra – “Oh . . .Well, I wanted to use the steel of shattered arrows to give them a new life. As for the name, I’ll call it Rekvijem.”

Nelis – “Like a chant for the dead?”

Vatra – “Yes, through the sound of clashing steel.”

Nelis – “I’ll find you those arrowheads, but for now, you’ll have to rest. Your wound needs to strengthen up before you can forge.”

Vatra bit her lower lips and looked at Nelis.

Vatra – “I’m sorry!”

Nelis – “Go on.”

Vatra – “Eh, no! That’s it. I’m sorry. Cause I got caught in my thought.”

Nelis – “Oh, I thought you were politely asking for my attention.”

Vatra – “Oh! No. I wasn’t.”

Nelis – “Well, don’t worry about it. It didn’t bother me that much.”