The travel from the campsite out in the wilderness to the army camp took almost two weeks. During that time, Lumin had grown closer and closer to Aylie as they began to spend every minute together. It must have been something about the blessing that connected them or just simple happenstance, yet good friends they became. During the time in which she spent majority of the days teaching Aylie, her Teaching passive increased another five levels, bringing it to Iron seventeen. Low Light Vision also finally ticked over to Bronze.
Congratulations! Low Light Vision has reached Bronze 1.
Low Light Vision becomes Enhanced Vision.
Enhanced Vision - passive
Tin - You see better in low light areas.
Iron - Your vision is able to pierce magical darkness of the same rank or lower of this ability.
Bronze - You are able to filter out too-bright light to a certain extent, as well as gaining the ability to discern details at greater distances.
It was another nice addition to her multitude of visual abilities. Sure, it didn’t allow her to see any better close up, but she could now look up and into the sun without trouble. It was a wonderful thing to watch, the glowing orb of fire shifting and swirling in the sky. A star to guide by day, as true as any of the others that lit the night.
While they weren’t doing anything other than travelling as long as they could each day, their waking hours were filled with anxiety and tension. They knew what they were moving towards, no matter how beautiful their surroundings always seemed to be. That was partially a result of Zalia’s ability, which healed away any corruption in the landscape long before they ever saw it. She got a feeling that Ember missed seeing those wounds in nature heal before their eyes.
The trio of Aylie, Boreal and Lumin managed to relieve their tension a little bit by the sheer amount of not only cuteness but light-hearted idiocy they displayed. Boreal had taken on a more sobered adult role, looking out for the other two as they travelled. Meanwhile, Aylie and Lumin worked together to be as great of a pain in the tail for the icy cat as they could. Zalia personally took a little bit of joy in it, seeing the same expression she must have had on a daily basis while raising Boreal on the cat’s face now.
Hildebrandt stayed mostly silent on their journey, as did Ro. Zalia spent as much of her time with Ember as she could, while still putting aside as much time to teach Aylie about her powers as was possible. She didn’t miss that Boreal started trying to teach Lumin how to hunt too.
When they finally arrived at the war camp, it was to a scene of chaos. The camp was overflowing with people, the push by Indis to try and expand the walls to fit more people obviously having failed. It looked like another small area near the main camp had been set up with a temporary enchanted dome, one that flickered and flashed, imperfections obvious in its form.
The people that were either laying about or wandering through that refugee camp looked lost, abandoned and hopeless.
There was another line of refugees with guards leaving for the south, Zalia recognised the guard at the front as the one she had spoken to so long ago when she’d first come back to Endaria. Well, it wasn't that long but it certainly felt like it. The actual interior of the camp was likewise packed with people, to the point that trying to walk through would be a mission indeed.
Instead of heading there, they went to Zalia’s Grove.
Aylie and Lumin sprinted ahead, followed by an excited yet more sober Boreal.
Inside the Grove was a mix of different people and creatures. Farmer Mate’s people were happily farming away, the fruit of their labour quickly evident as all the plants in the Grove grew at a steady and quick pace. The man’s cows were wandering around free, apparently needing no pen or leash as the magic of Zalia’s Grove gave them the urge to help out much as the other animals inside were.
Birds flittered about, possums and other small critters ran around cleaning and packing up the belongings of the many people who lived there.
The Morning’s Shade had moved in as well, as Hildebrandt had said. They looked to be at an absolute loss, standing around without anything to do as the animals of the Grove took care of everything for them. They even seemed to be delivering lunch to some people, Morning’s Shade members accepting wooden plates filled with different fruits and berries from the little hands of a few squirrel-like creatures with antlers.
Many of those creatures swarmed about Zalia as she returned, making greetings in chatters, purrs and bird songs. After greeting her, however, Ro-ak was nearly buried as the animals all wanted to take a turn inspecting the newcomer at once. Being a spirit of nature, Zalia wouldn’t be surprised if Ro ended up with a few worshippers from amongst the Grove animals.
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Hildebrandt immediately broke off and went to the grouped, lost-looking Morning’s Shade, while the devious trio of Aylie, Lumin and Boreal disappeared deeper into the Grove with shrieks, giggles and yaps.
Zalia was happy to see a little bit of childhood innocence still making an appearance in Aylie.
She and Ember went and found old farmer Mate.
“Hey Mate, how is everything?” Zalia greeted, shaking the man's hand as he stood up from the dirt.
“Finally back then ‘ey? ‘Bout time you came and sorted this lot out.”
He gestured broadly to the entire Grove, as if the entire thing’s existence annoyed him. She got the sense he was happier than he showed, though.
“Well, don’t worry I’ll be sure to set everything straight as soon as I can. Wouldn’t want my hardest working farmer getting anything but the best.”
He scoffed and huffed a bit.
“Oh off with it, I don’t need your praise young woman, leave it for the other youngins.”
Despite the words, she could see the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
“How is everything anyways? All well here?”
“Well, despite this lot,” he gestured around vaguely again, “this Grove you’ve got here is quite the thing. Ain’t seen nothin’ like it ‘fore in my time, all these animals goin’ ‘round and cleaning up after us and whatnot.”
It was wonderful to hear, and brought Zalia not a small amount of happiness.
“What about the refugees down the hill by the war camp?” Ember asked, stepping forward.
“Ahh, a sorry lot those are. We feed the ones what come up ‘ere an’ ask for food, but most of what we grow goes down to the smart ones in the army. They know a thing or two ‘bout numbers an’ all that I tell ya.”
Zalia was only a tiny bit surprised by his generosity.
“Did I see Ole Feral just wandering around somewhere as well?”
Mate turned back to her, trying to brush some of the dirt from his hands onto the equally filthy work pants he wore.
“Ah yeah she’s takin’ to wanderin’ about. Loves the freedom, ya know?”
Zalia nodded, entirely in agreement with the cow’s opinions of cages. Especially now.
“Well, I suppose there’s no harm done then. Do you th-...”
Zalia cut off as Mate’s gaze locked onto something behind her. She turned around and it appeared he had finally spotted Ro.
“Is that the one which your altar back there talks about in the writin’?”
Zalia raised an eyebrow. She had known that some of the farmers were praying to Ro from what he had said, yet she hadn’t expected Mate to be one of them. Dire times could turn even the most cynical religious, apparently.
“It is, yes. What exactly have you people been doing with that altar?”
For once, she saw an expression on the gruff man's face that wasn't reminiscent of a scowl. He looked a little sheepish.
“Well, a few of the lads found that altar behind the waterfall back there an’ we figured the god it spoke of was the one what powered this whole Grove. One thing turned to another an’ now a few of us give daily thanks for what it gives us.”
Zalia stared blankly at him
She could feel such amusement building in Ember through their bond that she was surprised the woman didn't laugh out loud.
“Well, you should go meet him then.”
Mate looked a little worried.
“And don't worry, he's quite gentle and very understanding. Oh, and he loves shiny things.”
Mate fished around in his pocket and brought out a silver coin, then trudged off towards Ro.
Trying not to laugh herself, Zalia sent a mental communication to Ro.
“Please be nice to Mate, and don't tell him the Grove is my ability, not yours.”
She didn't see any harm in letting the farmers believe it was Ro who was the power behind the Grove. To be fair, it was quite an unusual power for a Bronze ranker to have. She hadn't seen anything like it in others of similar rank.
Linking her arm through Embers, she walked through the Grove towards the crack in the rock far at the back. There, she went behind the waterfall to where Ro’s altar was.
A farmer respectfully left the little cave when she entered and Zalia finally burst out laughing as she saw the mound of coins, silverware and other shiny objects in the space. When she'd left, Zalia had put the little shiny pieces of metal from her vault that Ro had collected in Cormaine on the altar. It looked like the farmers had continued that ritual.
“Oh god I've revived a religion.”
She put her hands on the sides of her head, half amused, half concerned.
“Honey, that's what happens when you build altars to your friends who also happen to be gods, then walk around the kingdom performing rituals dedicated to them.”
Ember gave her a tight hug, also starting to laugh. It was ridiculous.
“Alright, sure, why not. All it can do is make Ro that little bit stronger. We can use all the help we can get.”