Sophia frowned at the alchemist. “When you say Challenge trade, you mean…?”

Hinraeth took a swallow of his drink, then lowered it and nodded. “You use a Challenge in our territory, with what we know about it, and you let us send a group to a Challenge near Izel.”

image [https://i.imgur.com/HrfBnnO.jpeg]

Sophia frowned at the apothecary. He seemed completely serious, but he ought to know that she couldn’t do that. “I’m not from here. I can’t give you that.”

“You’re Aurora Clan, aren’t you?” Hinraeth shrugged. “It seems like a simple trade.”

“I am,” Amy interjected. “Sophia isn’t. Which Challenge do you want to trade for?”

“Any of them,” Hinraeth stated confidently. “We can work out which one it is later, depending on which one we need.”

Amy shook her head. “I know better than that. You have one in mind or you wouldn’t have asked.”

Hinraeth raised his eyebrows. It was a good imitation of being surprised, except that he couldn’t hide the smile that spread across his face a moment later. “I do have a few ideas. The Star Walk Challenge is -”

“Off limits for a trade,” Amy interrupted. “Anyone who meets the requirements is allowed to enter, and I can’t help anyone who isn’t allowed to enter. You know that, so stop trying to gain points elsewhere. If you want to trade Challenges, pick one that can be traded.”

For some reason, Hinraeth’s smile grew even wider. He didn’t bother to deny Amy’s accusation that the reason he asked for that Challenge wasn’t the Challenge itself. “Woodwraith Forest, then.”

Amy paused in thought, then nodded. “Maybe. Woodwraith is not open often, but I can probably manage a slot in a reasonable time period once we reach Izel. Do you want to fill an opening, send one team, or have one person escorted?”

This time, Hinraeth seemed startled. “You could reserve a full opening?”

Amy smiled. It seemed sharp. “If what you’re offering is good enough. So far, I don’t think it’s even close. Tell me, what are you offering?”

Hinraeth shook his head slightly but the smile didn’t dim at all. Sophia was beginning to get the idea that he really liked the process of bargaining. “One run of our Spirits of the Woods Challenge. It’s a Stable Limited Leveled Challenge, one group each tenday, with no repeated attempts for four season-turns. We’ll give you the same preparation and assistance we’d give a group of our own people trying it before their First Upgrade, which means limited information about what you’ll face. I can also offer the assistance of a First Upgrade protector who has completed the Challenge.”

Amy shook her head. Her expression looked solemn, but joy hid in her eyes. She definitely enjoyed this; Sophia was glad it was Amy who was handling this, despite the fact that this probably meant that non-fun perception training was in Sophia’s future. This was fun to watch but it would have been far less fun to do the haggling herself, even if she knew what the relative value of things being offered was.

“That’s barely worth a spot on a Wraithwood team. It’s a Stable Challenge. What does it teach?” Amy gave Hinraeth just long enough to take a breath, then added, “And I don’t mean practice with aura detection. There’s always more than one thing.”

Hinraeth shook his head. His smile had faded a bit but it was still present. “I can trade that, but only if you can promise either a full team spot or a spot on an escorted team, either will work.”

Amy chuckled as she nodded. “Still trying to get the better of the trade, aren’t you? Well enough; I’ll let you have this one, as long as we can take the next opening in the Challenge. Deal?”

Amy put her hand out as if she was going for a handshake. Hinraeth gripped her wrist, then she gripped his.

“Deal,” Hinraeth agreed, then released Amy’s wrist. “You’re pretty good at this.”

“I had to learn,” Amy said with a grin. “And I’m really happy to be back home!”

Hinraeth shook his head. “I’ve never left the Skylands, but I’ve heard stories.”

Sophia shook her head as Hinraeth started to ask about what it was like elsewhere. She leaned over to Dav and quietly asked, “Do you know what a stable Challenge is?”

“I can guess,” Dav answered. “But I think we’ll find out soon.”

Sophia nodded, then realized something that should have occurred to her earlier.

Stolen novel; please report.

There was no reason she had to be the only one who had to suffer during training. Dav wasn’t very good with his aura yet, but he could use it. If this was how the Cloud Clan taught aura use, it would be good for him to have the lesson as well. A smile spread across her face as she looked up at her boyfriend. “Do you feel like practicing with your aura before we head into the Challenge?”

image [https://i.imgur.com/uvkTIDP.png]

The next morning came early, with a wakeup call at first light, followed by a quick breakfast that was already over waiting for them by the time they made it out of the tent. Sophia definitely got the feeling that this was something the camp had dealt with before. Amy took the time over breakfast to explain some of what she knew about what they were getting into.

A stable Challenge was one that couldn’t be closed by properly completing it and also wouldn’t spill into the outside world if it wasn’t handled; if no one went in, it didn’t change. They were rare rewards from other Challenges or possibly from certain extreme Feats; Amy wasn’t sure where they came from other than that they were rewards from the Guide.

What she did know was that they were far more limited than normal Challenges in how frequently people could enter and they all had the potential to give special rewards. Some of those rewards were hidden, while others were obvious. The hidden ones weren’t always the best; they tended to be specialized, while the more obvious ones could be used by anyone.

Amy knew some of the rewards from the Wraithwood Challenge she’d traded away a team’s entrance for their own Challenge. Its most famous reward was from the Bramblestone, a rock that anyone could try to use near the entrance. If you could manage to infuse it with your mana, it would attune you to Wood mana and allow you to learn related Abilities and Spells from the Guide. If you were already attuned to Wood mana, it might even show you the shape of the Wraithwood Bramble spell. If you successfully cast it from seeing it, the Guide considered that a Major Feat and would grant you the Spell.

Sophia hoped Amy wouldn’t get in any trouble for trading Challenge entry slots away, but she had to assume that Amy knew what she was doing. She knew more about the area and her own Clan than Sophia did. Amy didn’t seem concerned.

Amy had just finished her explanation when a man appeared from nowhere. It was the same man who met them at the entrance to the hunting camp, Larryt, and once again he appeared out of nowhere. This time, Sophia was fairly certain she heard a twig snap as he solidified.

“The Challenge Gate opens at noon today,” Larryt stated firmly. “I was supposed to guide my sister’s team, but instead I’m leading you and my sister will have to go with a cousin. Markus will probably guide them, I think he’s available.” He paused for a moment. “I’m not sure if I should be glad you delayed them or upset that I won’t be in there with them. They weren’t ready.”

Sophia blinked at that. She’d never considered what it might mean to have a place that would only accept one group of people every ten days, but clearly one of the things it meant was that you went during your slot whether or not you were ready. “Will they have to wait long?”

Larryt shook his head. “No, when we trade Challenges like this it doesn’t bump anyone out of order; you just have to wait for the following opening. If you trade your own opening, you’re moved, but that’s different. In any case, are you ready to leave? It’s a couple of hours’ walk to the Challenge, but if we hurry you will be back here before sunset.”

Larryt led the way. He set a quick pace, either to get them there quickly or to discourage questions.

If the reason was to not have to talk, Dav defeated the purpose a few minutes after they left the Cloud Clan’s campsite. “Why aren’t we riding?”

Larryt chuckled. “Do you want to leave your horses outside the Challenge with no one to watch them?”

Sophia took the point. They’d probably be fine, but there was definitely no way to count on it. She also wasn’t certain Larryt even had a horse; most of the horses she’d seen in the hunting camp were draft horses, clearly sturdy stock for hauling things. She was a little surprised they were using horses at all instead of mules or oxen.

Sophia frowned as she watched Larryt’s back. “Why are you fading in and out?”

Larryt’s sigh was clearly audible. “I’ve only had Mist Form for a year.”

“So you’re practicing with it?” That didn’t seem right. Sure, maybe he was practicing to try to make it work faster, but this seemed like an odd time to do that sort of practice. This was the time to tell them what they needed to know about the Challenge, since there hadn’t been time earlier.

“Not exactly,” Larryt admitted. His words came slowly, as if he wasn’t entirely happy about them. “I’m trying to stay solid. And failing.”

Oh. That made a lot more sense, somehow. It also changed the way Sophia felt about his initial greeting; maybe he hadn’t meant it completely as a jump scare after all. “You have to concentrate to not turn into mist?”

“That’s how it works,” Larryt admitted. “I guess this is as good a place to start as any. Mist Form is one of the Abilities you can learn from the Spirits of the Woods Challenge. There’s more than one version of the Ability; Mist Form is the most common version we try to learn, the best balance of usefulness and difficulty. Which really means it’s useful even when you’re having trouble with it. It requires two Abilities to work well, Mist Form and Solidify. It’s Solidify that I need more practice with. I can already move well in Mist Form.”

“You can’t fight while you’re in Mist Form, can you?” Sophia paused in place. “Wait a minute. Can I show you something?” As she spoke, she checked the description of the Ability she wanted to ask him about. It was the same as she remembered.

Storm Phase

Become the stormcloud. While merged with the storm, your Shield is disabled. Protects from attacks that will not damage storm clouds. Environmental conditions may cause damage.

Larryt continued for another step before he stopped and turned to look. “What is it?”

Instead of answering, Sophia triggered the Ability. She’d only used it once before to test it out, but that meant she knew what to do. It was strange; she could no longer feel her own weight on the ground, because she didn’t have any. The feel of the wind and sun were stronger, especially the wind as it tried to move her.

This time, she realized one more thing. How was she seeing her surroundings? She shouldn’t be able to see if she didn’t have eyes.