Yune speaks, and the word rips you apart. He reaches into you, twisting and shaping, heedless of your pain. You try to scream, but your teeth swirl around you like leaves in a gale, unmoored, and you can find no air in your lungs.

Then suddenly the king of the gods hurls you back together. For a moment you can feel great rents in your flesh and in your soul. They glitter with the golden light of the Oricalchum, the engines that sustain this damaged world. Then your flesh closes, sealing within it the secrets of power. You feel something like a king's scepter in your hand, and your fingers instinctively tighten around it. But your hand is empty, and instead you make the sign of Yune.

"Human! Bom Borba? Mon Darba? Get up."

Something is striking you between the shoulder blades. How far did you fall? You open your eyes to find yourself lying in a hand's width of mud. You look for the sacrifices, the horse bones, the buried gate, but see only roots and muck.

Melaxu's spear levers you over onto your back. She nudges you with it a few more times until she's certain you're still alive. Power throbs within you. You unclench your hand, and a pillar of colorless stone above your head vanishes. If Melaxu noticed anything, she gives no indication as you regain your feet and retrieve your sword.

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"DARK NUNS?" one of the tower guards says. It's Veneric the redsmith, Laikan's father. You're so filthy he hesitates until you wipe your face with your mantle.

"The trolls are right behind us," Melaxu says.

Veneric just stares at the nymph. Even covered in dirt and troll blood, she shines in the moonlight.

"Don't just stand there," Melaxu says. "Or just stand there–it's not my town."

The redsmith shakes off his amazement, turns to the tower, and shouts, "Trolls at the wall!"

The remaining guards hammer on a copper bell. Pine tribe warriors run toward the sound, armed with spears, shields, and bows. Some come from the middle of town, massing at the old gate, while others run in from the outskirts, leaping over ditches. You and Melaxu keep looking toward the edge of town. After a moment the guard in the tower shouts, "There's one!" and bowstrings pull back. But then whatever the guard saw falls back into the woods.

"Have they left?" Veneric asks.

People start looking to you and to your reputation. But your reputation for what? How do the people of Hetch regard you? You consider what to say and what will motivate them.