Chapter 27: Haven

Mei, the youngest Arch-reaper in history. Her power was said to be such that necromancers trembled at her very name. Mei’s story started out in tragedy, her village destroyed by Necromancer Baal, and subsequently taken in for unholy experiments. The Order Of Angel Yoko rescued her during the raids of Mertok in 783, and took her in as one of their own. She spent years hunting down Necromancer Baal, and finally succeeded in the Battle Of Dawn where she fought through a horde the size of a city to claim his head and destroy his heart.

• “Legends Of The Incursion” From The Archmage’s Library

A birdcall echoes through the forest, before going silent.

I hold my hand up, and Keve stills. Hide Presence activates, while Keve lowers himself into the snow, practically becoming invisible.

I watch the path ahead, waiting for several minutes, before I see it. The creature walks through the forest at a slow pace, light seemingly absorbing into its dark skin as it languidly crosses the path. I send a thank you to the angels that we’re downwind of the large panther-like creature.

It disappears into the forest, and I wait for a minute before motioning us forward. The danger of walking off the main road is that the trees are closer together, hiding dangers from both my sight, and Shar’s above. If I didn’t have my Basic Map skill marking the path in relation to the main one, I would be worried about losing our way from the amount of times we’ve had to detour.

Thankfully, we’re close to our resting point tonight.

I step through the snow, my boot sinking several inches before I take another step. The snowfall wasn’t stopping, and within the hour, any signs of our passage would disappear under the coming blizzard.

And it was going to be a blizzard. I could see the clouds on the horizon, what little sunlight we had disappearing despite it being midday.

That’s why I’d pushed us farther than normal, heading towards one of the few safehavens along the path.

Snow falls heavier, blocking my sight as we trudge through the cold. Shar flies down, landing on my pack and keeping her head on a swivel.

Through the growing flurry, I spot the light of a lantern, hanging in the darkness. I motion towards Keve, then tap Jasper’s side, and we hurry our pace. Soon enough, the place becomes visible.

Concentric rings of stone surround a small cabin, smoke coming from its window and moving towards the sky. As soon as we pass the first ring of stones, the wind stops, and the snow turns into soft flakes, gently falling.

I duck under an archway and pass into the second ring of stone. The cold leaves, a soft warmth filling the place as snow-turned-water gently falls onto a garden of carefully curated plants and a row of fruit trees leading to a cracked marble statue of Sehara.

The doorway to the cabin is open, a fireplace lit beyond it.

Keve follows me into the warm ring of stones, and looks around at the surroundings in surprise.

“A haven.” Shar says quietly.

I nod, then walk over towards the statue of Sehara. I kneel in front of it, my pants soaking from the wet ground as I bow my head. I reach into a side pocket of my backpack, and pull out a small piece of jewelry I’d found in the last delve.

I set it at Sehara’s feet.

I stand and motion for Keve to follow me. When he’s closer, I speak to him “Be kind to this place, it can and will kick you out.”

”A spirit lives here?” Shar asks, padding around in her cat form.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” I say as we walk into the warm cabin, a small bed made in the corner with the sheets made, and the fire burning merrily with logs. “But monsters never go past the rings of stone, and I’ve seen men kicked out of here faster than lightning if they do something to anger the place.”

Keve makes a symbol with his hand, and makes a gesture from his head to his chest while saying something in his language. I don’t know the words, but I’ve been around the Vishten warrior long enough to recognize a gratitude prayer of some kind.

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I make my way towards a small door in the back, “I’m going to change. We’ll stay here until the storm passes, then turn north.” I open the door and turn to my two companions, “Hopefully it’ll pass quickly.”

Keve nods, and I step into a small bathhouse attached to the side. While a hot bath sounds amazing, I want to change quickly and plan ahead while we have free time. The storm should hopefully push anyone off of our trail.

***

That evening, as Keve does his morning exercises in the raining garden, I continue my lessons with Shar on the bed inside the cabin..

Once more, we make our way through the children’s book, and I prove that I’ve memorized every symbol inside.

The cat watches me as I finish, and stares at me for a long time. “You are dangerous.”