I stepped out of the cavern into the cool Autumnal air. It was crisp, with the slight tang of decomposing vegetation. I took a deep breath and smiled. It reminded me of Autumn in Kentucky.

I wandered a fair distance away from the cavern, and marked a line in the dirt of the road. I paced out thirty, fifty and one hundred yards, and Shaped a target that resembled a deer at each point. Returning to my line, I Duplicated thirty arrows and plunged them into the ground.

For a long while, I stood there practicing. Forgetting myself in the activity; losing track of time. The rhythm of the bow was comforting and familiar, allowing me to forget, for a time, that I was nowhere near my home. That I wasn’t going to turn around and see my mother again, watching me shoot from the comfort of her back porch.

The rhythm turned sour on these thoughts, and I stopped, noting that my skin was reddening in the cold wind. At some point, I had begun crying, as my face and beard were soaked. It was a sobering thought, my home. How I’d never see it again, never get word to my family that I was okay, that I had found my place in a new world, and found love and a family.

I trudged downrange, retrieving my arrows for the umpteenth time, and deposited them in my quiver. My aim was good, but I needed to be better. I could at least hit the target at a hundred yards. Thirty percent of the time, I even made direct kill shots. The accuracy and precision was better at fifty. I had nearly eighty percent of my shots land in the kill zone.

I returned to my line, and was about to draw again, when an aged Human wandered over, inspecting my little improvised range.

“Hello, sir. May I help you?” I asked.

“Oh, no. No, I would just like to watch, if you don’t mind,” he said. His voice was strong and deep, with a hint of a rough edge to it.

“No, I don’t mind. It’s been some time since I was able to shoot, and it has felt good to stretch these old, tired muscles,” I said, taking up my bow.

I knocked an arrow and loosed it at the near target, driving it deep into the kill zone. The elderly gentleman nodded, and I repeated the process four more times, clustering the arrows. When I knocked and drew again, the old man stopped me with a warm hand on my shoulder.

“Yes?”

“May I shoot, son? I’d like to exercise my older, more tired muscles, too,” he said with a grin.

I smiled and laughed softly. “Of course. The draw may be a little high, but here you are,” I said, handing him my bow.

I wasn’t worried about him taking off with it, as I could simply box us in and take it back by force. The old man knocked and drew in one smooth motion, sighted the far target and fired. I watched the arrow sail through the air, and land in the head of the target.

“A little to the right, but that would be a clean kill. This is a nice bow, if a little weak,” he said, handing me my bow.

“Weak? I was under the impression that few people would be able to draw this bow,” I said, my brows knitted together in confusion.

“Few Humans, yes,” he said, a smile playing about his lips.

I took a half step back, eyeing this man again. He was of average height, for a Chaian, with a short-cropped orange beard that was flecked through with sparse grey hairs, and wavy locks of golden hair. His eyes were a beautiful amber, and he bore a toned, lithe build beneath his unassuming tunic and breeches. I racked my brain and an answer came to me. I smiled wryly. “Hello, UIlr. How are you?” I said, sticking out my hand.

He shook my hand warmly, saying, “He said you were a sharp one. Looks like he was correct. Yes, I am Ullr. I noticed you were shooting, and your mind was anywhere but here. I decided to pay a visit. No, you aren’t awake right now, nor are you asleep. You’ve put yourself into a trance, and in fact, you’re still shooting and retrieving your arrows. Rather mindlessly. You’ll come out of it soon enough, so don’t worry.”

I nodded, remembering the night inside the earth. “Okay. I can accept that. Weirder things have happened. How can I help you, Sir?” I said.

“More like how I can help you. You’re still working out how to keep the bow and string from breaking, aren’t you?” I nodded and he continued, “As well as how to maintain your arrows. Duplicating them as rapidly as you may need in a firefight will drain you quickly.” I nodded again. “I think I can help you, my boy. Consider this my gift.”

Ullr stepped close, and took hold of my quiver, closing his eyes. I saw a blue light envelop him and the leather for a moment, and was just as quickly gone. He took my bow and repeated the process, smiling softly.

Handing me the items back, he smiled. “The bow and string will never break from simple use, now. It will be a little harder to pull, but you’ll be able to. Your quiver will never empty. Simple iron-tipped arrows, but no more or less deadly than anything else. Though they will dissolve in moments. Can’t have you making an infinite amount of arrows, now can we?” He explained with a mischievous twinkle in his bright eyes. “Your left hand, please?”

I held out my hand, and he took an arrow from my quiver, carving his sigil into the back of my hand. He replaced the arrow, and my wound sealed, leaving a thin scar. I was amassing quite the collection.

“Thank you, Sir. I will be certain to spread your name across this world, as well,” I said gratefully.

“You’d better, my boy. You’d better. Now, I must go. Your lady is about to stop you, and it’s much later than you think. You’re going to be sore for the next few days. But, hey. Your aim has improved greatly!” He said, turning away and vanishing in a few steps.

I turned back to my archery, and knocked the next arrow. As I pulled the bow, it was, indeed, harder to draw. Not terribly, but enough to be noticeable. I continued in my rhythm of knock, draw, release for some time longer. I didn’t stop until Elizabet placed her hand on my shoulder as I knocked another arrow.

“Ivor? Ivor, it’s been hours. Are you okay? Dear gods. Your fingers have been absolutely shredded. Honey, I think it’s time you stopped,” she said, worry plastered across her face.

“Wha…. My fingers? What do you mea-” I stopped as I raised my right hand. Blood was seeping from multiple lacerations to my first two fingers and thumb, making them resemble hamburger. I looked at my left arm, seeing the red, raw flesh oozing fluid and blood. “Oh. I guess I have been at this too long today. I’m sorry, Elizabet. I got lost in it,” I said numbly.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Looking around, I saw that it was twilight, and the night air had grown cold. With some difficulty, I unstrung my bow, and put my arrows back in my quiver. “I lost track of time, and my arms feel like lead. I think I’m hungry, too,” I said softly.

“Sweetheart, when was the last time you ate?” she asked gently.

“Breakfast. I ate breakfast. Liss-ran joined me just to tell me not to come to the range again. A good thing, too. I would have upset her had I gone,” I said, noticing the cold for the first time. I wrapped my arms around myself, smearing blood across my shirt.

“It was Liss-ran who came and got me. She came out here to check on you, and said she saw you shooting over and over. At a pace and accuracy that none of the Haarthuu would be able to maintain. Said you were crying, too. She didn’t do anything until she saw your fingers bleeding, and you didn’t seem to notice. She may not like you, but she isn’t going to let you hurt yourself. Come on. Let’s get you inside, and get you fed and Healed,” she said, wrapping an arm around my waist.

“Okay. That sounds good,” I said dumbly, my teeth chattering.

The walk back was silent and slow, as my entire body was stiff. “I was visited by one of my gods while I was out there. He is looking forward to making Chaia his home, too,” I said.

“Really? I thought they couldn’t take form here just yet?” she said.

“No, he appeared in my head, while I was spaced out shooting. I think he will find a welcome home here,” I replied.

She nodded and we continued our slow walk back to the cavern city of Haruma. Once inside, we were greeted by Talah-ma’at and a blanket. She draped the blanket around my shoulders and led me to a seat at a table in the Feasting Hall. Ahte-ukum was sent to the kitchens to request a hot meal, and Elizabet inspected my wounds.

My left forearm was a mass of bruises and abraded flesh. She inspected it closely, pulling out bits of the string, and small bits of earth until she was satisfied it was mostly clean. Placing her hands on either side of my forearm, she recited a Healing spell, and I once again marveled at the feat.

Taking my hand in hers, she and Talah-ma’at both inspected the multiple wounds and ragged flesh. Before they could clean anything, Liss-ran appeared behind me.

“Were you so driven to be better than I that you had to hurt yourself to do so, Ivor? Were you crying over such a tiny…” she trailed off once she saw the state my fingers were in. “By The Mother,” she gasped. “What did you do?”

I looked up into her horrified face and smiled weakly. “Have a seat, Liss-ran. My youngest has gone to get me something to eat, and I expect him back shortly. Would you like to hear the tale?” I said tiredly.

The younger woman nodded dumbly and sat in a nearby chair. “How… How can you stand the pain? I see your bones.”

“Yeah. Kinda gross, huh?” I asked as I gently flexed my fingers, causing them to bleed.

“Ivor! Stop that!” Elizabet said, chastising me. Both she and Talah-ma’at swatted me.

Liss-ran swallowed, her scales going slightly pale. “Yes. Please stop that, Ivor,” she said weakly.

I stopped my morbid curiosity, and waited patiently for Elizabet and Talah-ma’at to clean my wounds and arrange my ragged flesh as best they could.

“Ivor, you really mutilated your hand. I don’t know where half the muscle goes, and I think you’re missing pieces, too. I’m not sure I can fix this,” she said, tears welling in her eyes.

“Oh. In that case, allow me. Let me take a look and see what is missing and what goes where. I’m fairly certain I can fix this,” I said with a smile, sweat beading on my forehead. “Talah-ma’at? Would you please keep Ahte-ukum from seeing this?” She nodded her assent, and turned toward the kitchen door, watching. “Elizabet? Would you make certain Liss-ran is okay? I seem to have fucked up again.” Elizabet kissed my forehead, and sat beside the younger Haarthuu woman, engaging her in conversation.

I looked at my hand, wondering how I was able to shoot through the pain, marveling at the way my tendons moved within my flesh. I knew I would probably get dizzy, but I took hold of my fingers, grasping them tightly, and spoke a spell of healing. “Knit flesh, heal wounds.”

And I realized immediately what I forgot in my daze. Pain raced through my hand as new flesh was created and my fingers were made whole. Months worth of growth happened in a few short seconds. New nerves grew in the cool air, shooting sparks of fire, cold and electric pain through me, followed by muscle, tendon and some shards of bone. Fresh skin raced up my hand and fingers, sealing my wounds shut.

I fell over, collapsing to the ground, panting hoarsely. “Fuck me, but that hurt,” I wheezed.

All three women were over me immediately, trying to help me up. Poor Liss-ran was the first, and grunted as she attempted to take my full weight.

“What is he made of? Stone?” she asked the others, bewildered.

Elizabet laughed softly, replying “Blainaut asked the same thing when he collapsed a month ago. After he installed the new lamp.”

I waved off the trio as I steadied myself. Sitting up, I said, “I’m okay. I just forgot to numb it. That’s all.”

“You mean to tell me you felt the flesh regrow in seconds? How high is your pain tolerance, Ivor?” Liss-ran asked.

“Too high, if you ask me,” Elizabet answered for me, giving me a hard glare. She sighed then, softly saying, “It’s not something he can really help, though. It’s just something he had to do to survive, Liss-ran. His world may be technologically advanced beyond anything we could imagine, but it is rough. His Humans are often cruel, and he had to get tough or die.” She helped me up onto the bench and gave Liss-ran a stern glare. “And through all of it, Liss-ran, his heart shines through. None of us that arrived with him are like the slavers. All of us want to end the practice; especially now that we have learned that you absolutely are the same as us. You just have a different skin. A little knowledge goes a long way. You are welcome to hate us. We can’t stop you. It won’t stop us from trying to help you be a free people,” she said.

I groaned and clenched and unclenched my hand. “She’s right, Liss-ran. On my world, we enslaved each other based on the absolute stupidest reason,” I said shakily.

“You’ve not told me of this, Ivor. What was it?” Elizabet asked.

I held up my left arm and pinched my skin. “The color of their skin. At some point, several centuries ago, some asshole decided it was skin color that made someone superior. Pale skin, like mine, was seen as superior. Black and brown skin was seen as inferior. Wars were fought over this stupidity.” I shook my head sadly. “We are all Human. The color of our skin should not matter one bit; but it did. Still does in many parts of my world. Even in my home country. I absolutely hate the bigotry, and did what little I could to fight against it, but the prejudices were almost impossible to remove, and for plenty of reasons. Like a malignant growth, it just…spread,” I said with a tired sigh.

“Mr. Ivor! I have food for you!” Ahte-ukum announced, winding his way to stand in the midst of us. He held up the tray with unsteady arms, grinning.

“Thank you, son,” I said, taking the tray from him and setting it down in front of me. He beamed a happy smile, and I couldn’t help but sweep him up in a hug. I picked him up and set him on my knee, turning toward the food. “Let’s see what has been whipped up for me, shall we?” I said, removing the lid to reveal a breakfast hash with some added greens. “Well would you look at that! My favorite! Would you like some, son?” I asked the little boy on my knee.

Ahte-ukum whooped and hollered, “Yay! I get to eat with Mr. Ivor!” he exclaimed, giggling.

Elizabet smiled and turned to Liss-ran, who was watching in disbelief. “Once he gets like this with the boys, we may as well not exist. He’ll dote on him until bedtime.” She sighed and smiled. “No matter how tired he gets, no matter how much he hurts from whatever stupid thing he’s done recently, he never misses a chance to be with his boys,” she said warmly.

“He really loves him, doesn’t he? I mean, he said he’d adopted them, but I didn’t believe him. Now, though…” Liss-ran trailed off, lost in thought.

Talah-ma’at placed a hand on the younger woman’s shoulder. “We may as well go. Not even Elizabet’s…proportions… will tear him away from his sons,” she said with a smirk.

The three women got up and left, heading back towards my home as I ate and chatted with my youngest son about his day.