I moved quietly through the gate door and back into the keep, sheepishly locking it behind me.

‘I may have gone a bit overboard with the light show.’ I hadn't originally intended to do more than test out a couple of my area of effect spells, but it had just felt so good to use all those spells that I normally could maybe use one at a time with ten minutes of rest in between, the circles just upped my efficiency so much, it was intoxicating for me to get to use so much awesome magic. Though I did at least have the good sense to limit them to temporary spells, there wouldn't be any permanently glowing grass there hopefully.

‘Why didn’t I think of using these before?’

Still, despite my small embarrassment, I couldn't get the grin off of my face. Some of those spells I had only used a couple of times ever and all of them would be really helpful.

Well, except “Kren” that one just made lots of little streamers of light, but that was fun at least.

Of course, I had burned through all my circles casting, but I could draw more and now I had a pretty good idea of which symbology was more effective. I smiled as I passed the drunks still hanging around in the tavern so late at night, hiking up the stairs to our room.

A thought struck me as I reached for the doorknob and I froze for a moment before giggling to myself. Carefully I moved my ear to the door.

Thankfully my suspicions were denied and I slipped in quietly free of any traumatizing content, though I noted my party members did seem to be rather comfortable sharing a bed, Karsten’s arm cutely wrapped around Mary's shoulders. I smiled at the sight, before removing my own robes and slipping into my own bed. It was good that the two of them were doing well.

I'm sure I had a big smile on my face as I went to sleep, Rem likewise falling asleep on my chest.

______________________________________

The sound of birds echoed around the glade as they twittered and danced in the air, their cries and songs blending into a melody only he could hear. On the ground to his left a great bear slept, it's breathing heavy, and wolves played in the grass at the edges of the clearing. Various small animals joined them from time to time, and a stag stood watchful at the edge of the trees.

For his part, he sat in the air at the center of the clearing, his green robes fluttering on the invisible currents upon which he sat. The clearing, his clearing, was disturbed, stilted by the events of the day, and the strange child. It was a testament to his will that order was kept, his will and that of the bear to his side. His wizened face was scrunched in thought. His hands played up and down his beard, long and thin and the color of dandelions as if it were a harp. He was waiting now, his mind stretching out over the town as he left his clearing open.

While nothing was yet certain, he felt that the boy would find his way here if he did this. At least if his senses had not deceived him as to the child's nature.

He had already sat here waiting on the child for hours, he would expect a child to be asleep by this hour, though perhaps the child did not truly sleep as his people did?

There were too many questions, and he wanted answers. He doubted a creature of life and light would cause the calamity he came to stop, but it was entirely possible that the child might lead him to it. In his experience children had a way of finding trouble.

He grinned as he felt the forest shift, a wellspring of life entering into the quiet woods and sending all the animals to their feet. He had been right, the child had found his way here.

He felt as the wolves went to greet the boy and he hoped that the child would not be frightened of them, they were the guides of this land, and he would not rob them of their role. They departed the clearing, and the other animals knew better than to follow them, though he felt their desire to do so, even out of sight the child's aura was already affecting them.

‘It is more powerful than I had anticipated.’ He grumbled slightly, fortifying his control over the animals. The eagle had overtaken him for a moment today because he had not expected such a powerful attraction, but his ancient mind was more than capable of keeping even his whole menagerie in line if he knew what was coming. He hoped it was at least, else the boy would be swamped, which might interrupt their conversation.

It took a few moments for the boy to arrive within his long sight, flanked by the wolves who both panted happily as he petted them.

‘Good it is not as I feared.’ He relaxed his shoulders slightly as he saw the boy, while his form did radiate with the raw power of life, he did not have the aura of divinity that he had half feared the child would possess. In fact, he seemed to be consciously closer to light than to life, as his form flickered in the mindscape contrary to his nature. He was clearly not some foreign fertility god as he had feared, though that only brought forth more questions.

He observed the child as he made his way through the forest to the clearing. The boy seemed to be happily cooperating with the wolves, treating then more as overgrown puppies than anything else. He chuckled slightly as one of them was actually talked into a quick game of fetch. He had eaten of that beasts flesh and taken on his spirit some 300 years ago, and here the beast was being treated like a dog by a child. The Wizened Elf Snorted as he twisted the magic of this place to pick up the pace. Time was limited, to an extent at least.

Then, almost before he could realize it, the boy was in the clearing with him, his own magic twisting with the clearing’s own, the grass and trees straightening in the light and growing with new life. The child was a beacon of light and life magic, and his presence alone was powerful in this place composed of such magic.

“Oh hello, are you the one who called me here? I'm Abbot.”

He blinked gently, that wasn't precisely the response he was hoping for. And here he had gone out of the way for presentation's sake. Still, he centered himself and calmed his nerves after a brief moment of shock.

“Indeed I did, child, do you know where you are?”

“I presume it's some sort of nature spirit realm or something? You probably know better.”

He considered his answer for a moment. The child was quick at least. He stroked his beard in what men had told him was a wizened manner. “Close enough I suppose.” he smiled gently, no use boring the child with details. “Now a harder question, do you know why you're here?”

“Ooh, is it because of the magic that makes animals like me?”

He stared at the child for a moment, his eyes blinking gently. ‘Is that all he believes it to be?

That would be the most visible effect certainly, but still...’ He frowned for a moment. ‘I suppose most humans have little knowledge of life magic. He was probably never properly educated.’

“Yes, that-” he felt the other creature enter the forest just as he spoke, glancing that direction, the thing approached with lightning speed, and within a moment it had alighted on the child's shoulders, it’s wooden legs astride his head. It stood perhaps a foot tall, a graceful and slender wooden body covered in multicolored paint in intricate patterns.

“Oh, Daughter-Bark!” the child immediately dropped all pretense of having a serious conversation about magic and instead immediately turned, pulling the faerie tightly against his chest. “I didn't get to say goodbye to you when I left. I've missed you.”

The faerie for her part seemed to reciprocate the gesture, reaching out and hugging the child back as best she could, though her arms were far too short. Out of the embrace, however, she turned towards him, a cold glare from her painted eyes. The child obviously had the wooden faerie’s loyalty. That could make things difficult, but it spoke well of his character to have a nature spirit so protective of him.

“Ahem.”

“Ah.” the child flushed red, turning back to him and quickly straightening his robes. “I'm sorry Mr. Elf, I just haven't seen her in a while is all. Please, continue.”

The elf called back his mild indignation after the apology. ‘He is still a child after all.’ Taking the opportunity the old elf smiled wryly. “I hadn't realized that I had forgotten to introduce myself. I am Theenian, Sky-foot in your tongue. It is good to meet you, Abbot”

______________________________________

Mary was having a lovely dream, when Karsten got up from the bed, his warm embrace ending abruptly and sending her blinking to awareness. By the time she had fully regained her soldier her knight was already fully dressed, to her mild disappointment, and he was just pulling his boots on.

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“Good morning.” He spoke cheerily as she groggily started to sit up from the covers.

“Is it morning already?” she groused, going for her comb to deal with the knots she could already feel in her hair. “You look like you had a good night?”

The boy just smiled at her infuriatingly, looking her up and down before chuckling. “Yeah, I slept pretty well.”

She noticed his eyes linger on her neck and her hand moved before she could even think, feeling the hickey he had apparently left there.

He only laughed more when she chucked the straw pillow at him. Soon she realized she was laughing as well.

When they calmed down she started strapping her own armor on. Now more awake she glanced at the room. “Oh good, Abbot found his own way back. Do you know where he got off too?”

“Not really.” Karsten glances down at the kid. “At least he didn't get in a bar fight this time.”

“True.” She surveyed the child priest who lay on his bed clutching his staff and the little mouse who he had following him about in a hug. “He's much cuter when he's asleep and not singing.”

“Heh, sure.” Karsten went along with her silly self. “You want me to bring you up some breakfast?”

“Nah I’ll go with you.”

______________________________________

My eyes snapped open from the wooded glade in my dream, though they rather immediately narrowed as I looked up at the ceiling.

‘First the bishop and now an elf too.’ I had played dumb both times, something that my rather adorable form was good at in my estimation, but the gist of both conversations had ultimately come down to “You have a lot of magical power, please come to be my student and use it for me.”

It wasn't exactly that I didn't sympathize with them. From their perspective, I was a potential resource who had a bit of power and could probably be trusted, but the nature of their requests was awkward.

The bishop had wanted me to stay in Brindon for the time being and work on perfecting my magic with me, he was getting old, and odds are he would have willed me a bishopric when he finally died, or at least a significant position. If it hadn't been for the angel warning me off I likely would have stayed with him, but a messenger from God was a messenger from God. I would be a fool to ignore it.

Mr. Theen was coming at it from an entirely different perspective. He claimed I had a significant talent in the magic of life that I hadn't yet explored. It didn't surprise me much, I thought that that might have been the case once I learned my attraction to animals seemed to continue outside the mountain.

‘I didn't get a divine messenger warning me off this time at least.’ I giggled to myself. ‘The question is if I should take his offer.’

The question on the surface was a simple one, life magic translated into more power for me, and that was certainly a positive, especially since it would give me more ways to attack living creatures, rather than one fairly inaccurate and very flashy spell.

The issue was in the cost. I didn't know the elf, and while he felt… good, I suppose, morally that is, such an appearance of benevolence could well be a front. Even if he was entirely good, it didn't exactly sit right in my gut to take on a master when my duty lay to God.

That and it felt like it would be betraying dad a bit.

I sat for a moment contemplating it all before turning to the staff clutched to my chest, sending a pulse of magic through it. “What do you think daughter bark?”

The pulse I received in return was unhelpful, but the warmth of the Pixie’s own life magic relaxed me like a warm bath. “mhm, if only you were done growing, you could teach me yourself.”

One thing I couldn't fault Mr. Theen for, he had taken the time to explain Daughter-Bark’s condition for me. Something I had previously somehow missed. She had needed to become my staff in order to leave her parent tree on the mountain behind, and now even as my aura of life magic soaked through the staff she was growing bit by bit. Eventually, she would become a dryad in her own right, but that might take years without me manipulating life magic to spur her growth directly.

It was a transparent ploy to get me to accept the deal on his part, but an effective one nonetheless. I did miss Daughter Bark a great deal, even if I now knew she was right beside me.

‘Well, either way, I’ll accept his offer to join our party.’ It wasn't like we were going to be able to innately trust any new members anyhow, and the elf claimed to have a good grasp of the city.

Rem woke up at some point and I rubbed my chin against her as she nuzzled into my neck. ‘This is all just too confusing, I want to go back to healing puppies.’ Then again, I still had to contend with the reality of the matter I had power and that came with responsibility.

‘just call me Spiderman.’

Eventually, I came to my senses and pulled out of my thoughts, donning my armored robes and grabbing my bag and gear before heading downstairs to breakfast.

I didn't expect Karsten and Mary to have already recruited a whole darned army.

______________________________________

Karsten picked at his chicken as he surveyed the line in front of them.

It had started with one woman who had recognized them as putting up the help wanted sign yesterday, but they had evidently underestimated just how much of a recruiting tool having a priest in their party was for the adventurers who scavenged in the old city.

For now, he was just having the myriad of warriors coming to the table introduce themselves and give a brief description of their experience and skills. He would let his captain make the actual decisions, but honestly, it seemed more like he was organizing a mercenary band than the type of party that Abbot wanted.

“So three years with the Colsburg light-horse? Do you have a mount?”

“No, they didn't let me keep it.”

“Ah.” Karsten nodded at the Polnian man. “Alright you're probably qualified enough for the veteran group, you can stand with the rest over there.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“You're welcome. Next.”

He scratched at his scraggly beard, it made sense he supposed. Healing was hard enough to come by, and even if the lesser undead were dumber than dogs people would still get injured often enough that a lot of men probably left the city cripples before they ever got ahold of anything worthwhile. It was certainly understandable why what seemed like half of the population of the fort were lining up to join their party. Hell half of them here seemed to be the aforementioned cripples.

‘Still though…’ Karsten grumbled as the next soldier approached, a heavyset and tall man with an eyepatch. He carried a battle-ax over his shoulder and his bald head shined like a newly polished mirror. ‘Why do I have to be the one in charge of dealing with all these people.’

“What's your name?”

“My names John Strong, though most folks just call me Strong.”

Karsten looked the man up and down he was quite obviously a veteran.

“What experience do y-”

“Now wait just a second.” The big man shrugged his shoulders, his eyes sharpening as he looked down at him. Karsten sighed in response, ‘Another one of these types.’ “I came over here to join a party with a priest, but I see you and the girly and neither of you look like priests to me. So where is he?”

“Our priest, Abbot, is still asleep, you will note that the line formed before we even started eating our breakfast.” Karsten ignored the implied insult in the man's question. He had already had to get up from his chicken three times to kick people out. At this point, he just wanted to eat.

“And you expect me to buy that?”

‘Damnit.’

“I'm not telling you a damn thing until you prove that there's a priest in your party.”

Karsten was about to stand up from the table when the sound of soft footsteps came down the stairs and he smiled as he saw his captain descending.

“Er, Hello.”

The big man turned and if anything his eyes narrowed further on the tiny priest. Karsten felt the hackles on the back of his neck rise up as the man gave a predatory chuckle like a wolf spotting a lamb.

“That boy is your priest?!? Hah, I can see why you were hiding him. All of you have been conned. Bwahahaha” the man stood up against a support beam laughing and Karsten fought to keep the blood out of his cheeks. He almost started reaching for his spear before he noticed that Abbot was walking forward, staring at the man quizzically. Strong saw too and grinned even further. “Tell me, boy, what do you know about the undead, about the life of a warrior who fights them?”

Karsten barely held back from leaping at the man as he stood towering over the small form of his captain, who didn't even come up to the big man's crotch. He braced himself to act if he needed to, and he saw Mary doing the same.

“When did you lose your eye?”

“huh?” ‘huh?’

“I said when did you lose your eye?”

Karsten relaxed slightly as he realized what was going on, while if anything the man got even more up into his captain’s face.

“You never saw a man without an eye before kid? Your daddy over there never show you anything that, though I guess he's not your daddy based on your hair, your mother in the leather must be a real whore then.”

And right back up his hackles went, if for entirely different reasons. If he wasn't in a tavern the man would already be…

Well, he would be stabbing him right now at the very least.

Abbot just rolled his eyes at the man leaning down over him. Sticking his hand into his bag and shuffling around a bit while the brute was talking before reaching up and shoving his thumb under the man's eyepatch in a swift and decisive motion.

“Hasha”

The startled man nearly fell over onto the child as he yelped in pain, and Karsten could guess what was happening under that eyepatch.

Abbot for his part remained nonchalant throughout the process. He pulled the man's head down a bit more before flipping the eyepatch up with his thumb...

“Mhm. Looks to be healing slowly, so it was a while ago then. Tell me if you have any trouble with seeing things close to you or far away once you get used to having two eyes again. I may need to fix it more precisely.”

Karsten had to stifle a chuckle as the man literally fell to his knees. “Th-thank you.” the enormous man clutched Abbot to his chest in a crushing hug, before letting go, moving his hand back and forth in front of his eye. “I'm… I'm sorry about that. I owe you and your man an apology.”

“Don't worry about it,” Abbot said, smiling, as he glanced around the room. “Is anyone else injured or sick?”

Karsten wanted to be annoyed that the man was forgiven so easily, but that was probably part of the deal with Abbot.

As the cherubic priest moved about the room from man to man, curing everything from broken noses to back pain, Karsten was reminded why he had chosen his captain, to begin with.

By the looks of things a good few of the men and women here were about to make the same choice,