VI
‘So what do we actually need to get?’
‘Well,’ Penelope responded after some consideration to her brother’s question. ‘I think it would be wise to get some food and supplies like that.’
‘And weapons,’ Aroha piped in. ‘Damien and Rylan have their swords, while Penelope and I have nothing but a knife and a crossbow between us. So yes, some weapons would be nice.’
‘I don’t intend to be fighting,’ Rylan sighed. ‘It’s a precautionary measure only.’
‘No, no, Aroha’s right,’ Damien said. ‘We’re goin’ to want some protection. Good armour would also go a long way, although it’s like to be pricey.’
‘You’re really set on us going into the Sephia?’
‘It’s a risk, to be sure, but I think we have a good chance on makin’ headway with ye quest for relics in there.’
The band were sat around in the Priest’s dorm, late into their third day spent in Bergia. Rylan had refused to discuss anything after the Durandal’s had departed the previous day, citing that he “still needed time to think”. Penelope and Aroha left him alone and they had spent another peaceful night with the Priests, still not divulging to them their plans to leave the village. Rylan had then spent most of the current day mulling around, still refusing to have a proper group meeting until it started to get pretty late into the day. He had suddenly announced that his mind had been made up and if everyone else was decided, then they would head into the Sephia as Damien had suggested. Penelope just rolled her eyes and shot Aroha and Damien a “told you so” look at this announcement.
She had just finished making a meal for dinner, but the group didn’t want to eat it until the Priests returned from wherever they had gone off to for the day. In the meantime, Penelope had suggested they take the time to prepare themselves accordingly for the journey ahead. Despite Rylan’s surprisingly receptive reaction to Damien’s idea to enter the Sephia, nobody had a real plan as to how they were meant to navigate the infamous Wood yet.
Unfortunately, their plans were waylaid a while longer by a sudden entrant into their meeting.
‘What foolishness is this I hear?!’ Came a booming voice from the doorway.
Traeger and Eduard entered the room and Aroha could tell immediately that Uncle Eduard was not happy in the slightest. He pushed past Traeger in a huff and straightened out in front of the gathered group. ‘What foolish machinations have you young ones got into your head? Venturing into the Sephia?! What manner of demon would possess you to even consider such a thing?!’
The group shared a guilty look. They regarded each other to try and find someone willing to speak up first and, sighing, Rylan stepped up and cleared his throat. ‘Uncle, please do not be angry at us. Please, sit down with us. I’ll tell you about our plans. They are not merely a whim or flight of fancy.’
The old Priest eyed Rylan suspiciously, but obliged and took a seat by the fire. Traeger remained silent all the while. He entered the room, but leaned against the wall near the doorway and did nothing but listen. Rylan proceeded to explain to Eduard the group’s decision, telling him all about the conversation they had the previous day regarding being unable to stay in Bergia. He also told the old Priest of the Durandal’s brief visit and the approval they had received from the family. Damien did his best to back Rylan up, explaining that his plan to gather coin to free his townsfolk was a sound one, even if the details of how they were meant to accumulate this coin was left vague in the discussion.
Uncle Eduard seemed to calm down considerably by this point. He sighed and wiped his eyes with a gnarled hand. ‘Your reasoning is all well and good, young ones. Admirable even. But you have no idea the dangers you are courting. The Sephia is a cursed place, but it is also our country’s biggest defence against invasion. The Kingdom of Sevet has been unable to navigate it for millennia. Without it, we would have been under their thumb already. The Mother put it there both as protection and a warning. To venture into it would not only be foolhardy, but it would incur her wrath upon you all. If one of the Kingdoms, with all their technology and armies, cannot find a way to safely traverse it, what hope do you think you will have?’
‘Please, Uncle, we cannot hope to enter Camar without coin for our townsfolk,’ Rylan explained. ‘Yes, it would be easier to sail into the Kingdom, but I feel we have more of a chance if we take the long way around, through Sevet, to accumulate the coin we’ll need along the way.’
‘You know,’ Traeger said softly, drawing everyone’s attention towards him immediately. Aroha realized it was the first time she had heard him talk at length. ‘It’s not an altogether impossible task to navigate the Sephia. There are certain tools and tricks that you can utilize to help you get through it.’
‘Do not encourage them, Traeger,’ Eduard said wearily.
‘Their minds are already set, Eduard,’ Traeger responded evenly. He came closer to the group around the fire. ‘You are absolutely certain that this is the course of action you wish to take, yes?’
The group glanced around at each other for confirmation. Each of them nodded, in turn, their consent to the decision. ‘Yes. Absolutely,’ Rylan told Traeger, maintaining unwavering eye contact with the younger Priest.
He simply nodded. ‘Then there’s nothing that can be done, Eduard. It is must be the will of the goddess. All we can do is try our best to equip them with the knowledge we have.’
Eduard sighed and put his weary head in his hands. ‘Then this be on your head, Traeger. I want no part in this folly.’
‘Please, Uncle,’ Aroha interjected. ‘We would be nowhere without you and your kindness. We need your help to do this. Any knowledge you can give us will be invaluable in our quest.’
Eduard regarded her for a moment, then scanned over the faces of the rest of her group. Coming to some conclusion in his own mind, he said simply, ‘Very well… But we cannot tell the villagers of this. And you must leave as soon as they take their rest when the village is quiet and no-one is about. These people have regarded the Wood for generations with veneration and fear. We have lost people to it in the past. Those who, like you, were too curious or impatient to heed the warnings.’
‘Anything you wish, Uncle, we will obey.’
‘Traeger, you tell them of the dangers. I need to get the device from the room,’ the elderly Priest commanded. He stood up heavily, regarded the group one last time and then walked to his room.
Traeger took a seat nearer to the group before he began. He looked each of them over to ensure he had their full attention. ‘As you know, the Sephia is a forest so dense and so massive that one might become lost in it as easily as a rabbit might be caught in a snare or a fish may fall for the bait on a hook. It envelopes one so easily and so readily that you become disorientated in the darkness of it. There is no sunslight in the Sephia, so navigation becomes near impossible. You might walk forever in a circle and never know it. They also say it is cursed, though by what or whom I have no idea. People speak of eerie visions and unnatural creatures and strange woodland people inhabiting it. I do not put too much stock in those superstitions, and I hope you do not either. Take every tale with a grain of salt. Sometimes a strange creature is simply a deer. It is all too easy to fall prey to your own mind and misgivings, and then you will be truly lost.
‘The forest stretches on for hundreds of miles, which also lends to the challenge of traversing it. It will take you days, weeks even, to get through to the other side. A lone wanderer would surely go insane by this point and so be lost, but I think with you travelling in a tight group you have a much better chance of braving it. If you look out for and protect each other, you will all be fine in the journey. Do not let the old man’s fears be your fears. Despite the impenetrable darkness of the Wood, there is one celestial constant you can always count on in Thiara: Galantina rises in the south and sets in the north. Orphesia is more fickle, but Galantina will not let you down. If you follow her north at every opportunity the wood provides you to do so, you will find your way through. Though you may have slim opportunities to catch a glimpse of the sky, if you do keep your eyes to the heavens, you will be able to navigate the treacherous Wood with relative ease. You can also follow the river if the sky is covered. Do not follow it consistently as no one knows the water’s source, but it will lead you to higher ground and keep you supplied with water as well.’
‘How do you know all of this?’ Rylan asked.
The Priest smirked. ‘I have known people who have done it. I am not from here either, you know. I am simply on my pilgrimage. I have been to many towns along the northern half of Zeshan and I have listened to the tales they tell. In Qwan, I met a Sevetian man who came through the Wood alone and was completely fine for it. At the Mizzarosi Trading Post on the eastern shoreline, I encountered adventurers who had braved it unharmed as well. It is a perilous journey to be sure, but if you are smart and careful it is a journey just like any other in this world. No more or less dangerous at all. I respect that the Zeshani have reverence for it, but the real reason Sevet hasn’t broken through it is simply because moving an entire army through it would take too much coin and resources. It would be a fruitless and costly endeavour for them to start a war with Zeshan. It is much easier and more cost-effective to trade by normal means.’
Eduard reappeared from his room. In his hand, he carried a parcel wrapped in a dirty cloth. He came back over the fire and sat next to Aroha. He placed a hand over the parcel, almost as if to hide it and turned to her, ‘You remind me of my daughter.’
‘I’m sorry?’ Aroha asked, confusion written all over face.
‘You must understand the reason I am so reticent to let you all wander into the Sephia,’ the elderly Priest said, his voice low and full of sadness. He looked over the group, but his attention always came back to Aroha’s face, as if he were addressing her most of all. ‘I know you are smart and headstrong and gallant. You proved these qualities by enduring what you had to before you arrived here and by the monumental quest you have laid for yourselves to undertake. But you are still children, with long lives still to lead. I know you cannot be swayed from your course, and I admire that in you, but at the same time, I cannot let you leave here without telling you this. My fear of the Sephia is more than mere superstition and folklore. I lost my only daughter to its embrace when she was about your age as well. You remind me of her greatly. I can see it in your eyes; the same fire and ambition.’
The Priest looked down at the parcel in his lap. ‘I was a fool. She was determined to venture into it to find the herbs she needed to cure her mother of a grave illness. We knew the herbs were in the Wood, but we also knew it was further in than people usually travel. I told her not to do it – that we would wait for a travelling merchant or else make do without. But she was too impatient, too determined, too noble.’ He paused and looked deep in Aroha’s eyes and she could see her own surprised face reflected in his eyes, as well as the sadness welling like pools in the glistening wetness of the corners. ‘I should have given this to her then. I knew she would go, but I didn’t listen to myself. Maybe if she had had this with her, she would still be here today.’
He unwrapped the parcel slowly, revealing the contents of the cloth. It was a circular case, made of bronze. There were small markings on the case’s lid, and a piece of ribbon tied to the baseplate. There entire thing was no bigger than the palm of Aroha’s hand. The Priest opened the top of it up and revealed the device held inside the case. It was a strange thing to behold. Set deeper into the baseplate was another metallic plate, covered with a layer of hard, clear glass with a bevelled crystal edge finish where the glass met the original bronze casing. On the inner metallic plate, in a painstakingly inscribed circle, was an eight-point cross. The four larger arms of the cross marked the four cardinal directions and the smaller arms held the points of NE, SE, SW and NW in a clockwise fashion. Along the outermost edge of the metallic plate was an inscription, but Aroha did not recognize the language. Set directly into the middle of the plate was a thin needle of what Aroha recognized as lodestone from amulets her mother had possessed. This needle moved slightly as the Priest moved the device, but she noticed its point always seemed to pull towards the north marking on the plate.
‘I’ve had this device a long time,’ explained the elderly Priest. ‘It is called a compass – a piece of Mizzarosi technology. Apparently it is quite commonplace in the Kingdoms, but this is the only one I have ever seen myself. I got it from a travelling Mizzarosi merchant in my youth and I suppose I have kept it all these years as a reminder of my mistakes... It will always point towards true north and if you keep heading in that direction, you will surely come out the other side of the Sephia.’ He wrapped the compass back up in the cloth and placed the entire parcel gently in Aroha’s hands.
‘I’m so sorry, Uncle…’ Aroha whispered.
‘It was a lifetime ago, my child. Too late to change it now. Her mother did not survive her illness either and I lost both of them within the span of a month. That was when I turned to the Mother and found a way to keep moving forward with life. I have been Her devoted Priest ever since. Sometimes the Mother tests us in this way and all we can do is endure and turn to Her for comfort.’
Aroha couldn’t help herself and she leaned in and hugged the saddened Priest. ‘I don’t know how to thank you,’ she said.
‘You can thank me by making it through that damned Wood.’
Hands shaking slightly, the Priest released Aroha and wiped his eyes. He smiled at the group. ‘I have been trying to keep people out of the Sephia for years, but perhaps knowledge on how to come back out if you do get lost would be a better service. We lose people to it every other year, youngsters all of them.’
Traeger stood up and walked over to the pot of stew Penelope had made over the fire, ‘Hmmm, I think they have all they need to be secure on their journey, Uncle Eduard. All we can do now is wish them good luck and the Mother’s blessings, and eat this absolutely delightful meal they seemed to have prepared for us.’ He took a long whiff from the pot, wafting the steam into his face. ‘I am absolutely famished!’
The mood lightened by Traeger’s words, everyone in the room seemed to settle back into a more relaxed state. It felt as if a heavy blanket had been lifted off the entire room and it was possible to breathe again. Penelope stood up to gather bowls and ladle hearty helpings of the stew from the pot for everyone, giving Traeger the first and biggest bowl. Rylan took the opportunity to talk to Uncle Eduard privately, but their voices were so low that Aroha did not hear what their conversation was about. They did not seem to be agitated so she thought all must be well and turned towards the food instead, realizing her own hunger for the first time that day.
The group ate and then settled down into light banter. Aroha took the opportunity to inspect the compass more closely, moving it this way and that to see how the needle moved. She turned to Eduard and asked, ‘Uncle, do you know what this inscription says?’
‘Unfortunately not, my child. It is a language that is lost to time, quite possibly Aurelian,’ he replied. Aroha noticed that his gaze did not fall on to the compass at all. She surreptitiously wrapped the compass back up and laid it off to the side. She did not wish to sadden the old man once again.
‘I thought you said it was Mizzarosi? Aren’t the Aurelians a race from Bustavia?’
‘Regrettably, so much of the history of Thiara before the rise of the Kingdoms and the arrival of the Heroes has been lost to us. I cannot say anything for certain, but it is the best guess I can give you. The merchant I acquired it from did not explain it to me either, I’m afraid.’
Aroha nodded solemnly. Eduard and Traeger took their leave from the rest of the group shortly after that as well. There were some late-day rituals that they had to conduct. Eduard pressed the group incessantly about whether they really wanted to leave right away or take a few more days in Bergia to plan more thoroughly. He cited Damien’s injuries, the sudden nature of the decision and the currently unprepared state of the group itself, and Aroha was almost swayed by his argument completely. The rest of the group, however, did seem to share this sentiment. She realized that the elderly Priest was trying to stall them, make them second guess themselves, but she also knew he was doing it from a place of concern and love, not malice.
Rylan simply replied, ‘I think the sooner we get underway, the sooner we can see our townsfolk freed. There will be no great rush for us to push ourselves while we are on the road, but first, we must get on the road.’
Eduard left the group with a fair warning, ‘Remember then that you must prepare to leave for the Wood very shortly or you will surely be accosted by the other villagers. The rest time is in two more hours. Get all your plans in order and gather the supplies you’ll be needing for the journey before the stores close for the day.’
With Eduard and Traeger gone, the group settled back into their logistical discussion. Penelope decided to draw up a shopping list of the supplies she wanted, with input from the rest of the group as it to what was needed. It was mostly foodstuffs that would keep for a reasonable amount of time, such as cured meats, cheese, bread, fruit preserves and grain. Penelope reasoned that they wouldn’t need too much food as they could forage and hunt in the Wood to supplement their meals, but because the journey would take a long time, she wanted foods that would last. She also added some medicinal products she needed, such as dried herbs, honey and the like. Aroha suggested they get two more bedrolls and some more clothing items. Rylan wanted other small items and tools like tinderboxes, flints, rope and extra waterskins, as well as some lanterns since the Priests had warned of the darkness of the Wood. Damien only added a detailed map to the list.
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‘You know, if we’re heading through the Sephia and into Sevet on the other side, we might want to lighten our load a little more,’ Penelope said, stroking her chin with a far-off look in her eye. ‘You got some decent coin from the crops, but if we were to sell the hessians and the cart as well, we could probably get a pretty good collection going, along with the savings Aroha and I have on us. It’s not like we can take the hessians through a dense forest anyway.’
‘Travellin’ light is a good idea,’ Damien added. ‘All ye really need is a good backpack. If each o’ us get one, we could carry all ye got on the cart an’ what ye’re goin’ to buy between us.’
Rylan considered these suggestions seriously. ‘Alright, that’s the plan then. I’ll head back into town and trade everything. You want to come with me Aroha? We can unload everything in the cart before we leave.’
‘Sure, I’ll go with you.’
Penelope handed Aroha a small money pouch that she had been carrying on her since Kaze. Aroha also checked her the pockets on her trousers to get her secret stash out. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing and she would be able to pay for much of the supplies Penelope wanted with their combined horde.
‘I’m sorry I can’t help ye out with coin,’ Damien told Aroha in private, somewhat abashedly, fidgeting with his robe’s belt and not meeting her gaze entirely. ‘I didn’t have any on me when ye saved me. I’ll make it up to ye later.’
‘It’s alright, don’t worry about it. We all barely made it out with the clothes on our back. We’ll make do with what we have,’ Aroha assured him.
She and Rylan made their way back out to the front of the Temple. They unloaded the group’s two rucksacks and the scattered pieces of Damien’s breastplate that were still in the cart, leaving their belongings in a dark corner of the Temple until they returned. Rylan decided it would be best to talk to the farmers about buying the hessians as they were work animals. Leaving the animals hitched for now, they decided to walk to the nearest farm hold.
They encountered the dirty child from the previous day along the road to the farms. ‘How’s it going you’s twos?’ he hollered at them, scaring the chickens he was watching over. Ignoring them completely, he joined the duo in step on their stroll. ‘You’s sticking around then?’
‘Nope,’ Aroha replied. ‘Just going about some errands and then we’re leaving.’
‘The Berg not to you’s liking? I’d ’a thought the wedding woulda got you’s interested in sticking around.’
‘No. It’s a lovely village you got here and the people are friendly, but we’ve got things we need to do.’
‘Fair enough. You’s guys needs a guide today?’
Aroha looked at Rylan and he just shrugged. ‘You know the farmers out here?’
‘Sure, my farm is just up the road here. You’s wanna see my pa?’
‘I think that would be helpful, yes,’ Rylan responded.
The dirty child ran ahead of the duo up the road to the first farmstead along the path. They watched him disappear up through the crop field and towards the small farmhouse further in. They took their time walking up to it but quickened their pace when they saw the child reappear with another figure. As they drew nearer, Aroha recognized the figure as the father of the groom from the wedding yesterday. He waved to them and beckoned them to come faster.
‘You’s are the visitors from outta town? I saw you’s at the wedding. Have a good time?’ the man asked when they arrived at his doorstep. Rylan and Aroha shook his outstretched hand.
‘Yes, thank you very much for having us,’ Rylan responded cheerfully.
‘Think nothing of it,’ the man said with a dismissive wave. ‘You’s blessed the union an’ brought luck to it, so I should be thanking you’s. What can I do for you’s? Eduard mentioned you’s might come looking for work as you’s might be settling down here in the Berg.’
‘Uh, unfortunately not,’ Rylan said, scratching his head and grinning awkwardly at the man. ‘We’re grateful for the offer, but I’m afraid we’re going to be moving on. We actually came to you to see if you’d be interested in purchasing our hessians and the cart we arrived in?’
‘Oh, aye? That’s mighty strange if you’s are moving on. How are you’s going to be travelling?’
‘Uh, we won’t be needing the cart where we’re heading.’
‘That’s mighty strange,’ the man repeated. He stroked his chin thoughtfully. ‘That strapped for coin?’
‘Something like that. I just want to find a good home for the animals, they’ve been with me for a long time. I know a farmer will appreciate them. They’re hardy beasts.’
‘I could use some new burden beasts. I hads to give my biggest bull for the wedding.’ The man continued stroking his chin for some time. ‘How much are you’s looking for the lot of it?’
Rylan and the man settled into a brief negotiation. Aroha had never been one for bartering and she was lost almost immediately as soon as they starting talking logistics and coin. She did her best to keep up with the conversation, but being wholly unable to, she just stood around awkwardly. The dirty child seemed to be in the same boat, as he just stood on the porch picking his nose. Aroha rolled her eyes at him and he made a funny face in response behind his father’s back. Barely suppressing a giggle, Aroha looked away with as straight a face as she could manage. Eventually, the business discussion was concluded amicably and Rylan shook hands with the farmer. The man went inside to gather the agreed-upon coin.
‘Where are you’s heading then?’ the boy asked when his father had disappeared.
Aroha looked around, then leaned forward and whispered. ‘Don’t tell anybody just yet, but we’re going to head into the Sephia.’
‘Aroha!’ Rylan exclaimed in exasperation. ‘We weren’t supposed to tell anybody about it.’
‘So you’s are crazy?’ the boy said evenly.
‘What do you mean?’ Aroha asked.
‘Everybody knows nobody comes back outta there. The farmers next door lost their girl to that place. She wanted to play where she shouldn’t be playing.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that. But you guys must have hunters and the like that go into the wood? And Jesse the carpenter has to get her wood from somewhere.’
‘Sure we does. But nobody is stupid enough to venture too deep. It’s only safe as long as you’s can still sees the Berg. Any further than that an’ you’s get lost.’
‘Hmmm,’ Aroha hummed, looking back at Rylan in feigned shock. She turned back to the boy, leaned in close and winked at him. ‘Maybe, we have something that will help us not get lost?’
‘What’s tha—’ the curious boy began before he was forced to stop by the return of his father, accompanied by his elder son, the groom from the wedding. Aroha put her finger to her lips in the universal sign for the boy to not speak of this conversation.
The groom looked like he had been through all the hells and seemed barely cognizant for anything that was going on. Probably still feeling the effects of the wine, Aroha mused. Must be having quite the party with his new bride.
‘My sons’ll go with you’s to pick up the cart an’ the beasts. Save you’s a trip back up an’ down,’ the groom’s father said. He placed a coin pouch into Rylan’s hand. ‘You’s wanna count it?’
Rylan made a show of weighing the pouch, then just shrugged and put it away. ‘I’m sure it’s all there. Thank you for your business, Uncle, you’ve helped us tremendously,’ he added, with a slight bow of his head.
The group departed from the farm. The little boy wanted to continue the conversation he had been having, but Aroha shushed him as gently as she possibly could, pinching his cheeks and fluffing his hair to shut him up. Rylan rolled his eyes at the two of them and did his best to make friendly conversation with the newlywed groom. The man was too hungover to reciprocate however and getting a full sentence out of him was almost impossible.
They reached the cart in good time and the brothers helped Rylan to unhitch and then yoke the hessians. While the groom climbed up into the cart’s box and took up the reins, Rylan stroked the hessians’ snouts one last time, fondly patting their heads and whispering goodbyes to them. He nodded up to the groom and helped the man steer the cart around and back on to the road.
‘You’s better tell me this big secret,’ the dirty boy hissed at Aroha while the other two were busy with the cart.
She smirked and winked at him. ‘Alright, I’ll tell you tomorrow, Sir Guide. Just keep quiet for the rest of the day.’
The boy furrowed his brow in discontent, but he didn’t have time to retaliate because his brother called for him to jump up on the cart. He glared at Aroha one last time before he complied. Aroha waved at him cheerily as the cart disappeared down the road.
She turned to find Rylan eyeing her, his arms folded. ‘That was mean of you.’
‘It’ll be fine,’ she retorted. She grabbed his arm out of the fold and pulled him along to the general store across the square. ‘Come on, we have shopping to do!’
The pair spent the next hour gathering all the supplies on their shopping list. Aroha couldn’t remember if she had heard the general store owner’s name or not, but she found him to be delightfully kind to them. They were able to get most of the foodstuff and herbal ingredients Penelope wanted from him, as well as the tools, backpacks and bedrolls. They even managed to get some spare clothes, although his selection was not large. She grabbed trousers, shirts, some undergarments, and belts for everyone, as well as two dresses she knew Penelope would appreciate. Being a tailor’s child, she was able to roughly estimate everyone’s sizes, although she wasn’t too sure about Damien’s measurements. She got a small sewing kit along with the clothes so she could make adjustments if needed. The owner did not sell maps, but he took the world map that he had on the shop’s wall off for them, gifting it to them free of charge, although it should be noted he did not give them a discount on the bulk goods they bought. Rylan crammed everything into the two backpacks they had gotten and he and Aroha each hefted one of the packs.
They next stopped at the blacksmith. He was a gruff man and bemused by them at first as he was mostly commissioned to work on horseshoes and door hinges, but he listened to their request and even made suggestions on what they should get. Due to their urgency, he could only point out pieces that hung on his display wall that they might be interested in.
‘Hmmm, you want to be travellin’ light, so you don’t need any of the heavy metal armours. These leather breastplates should do you just fine. They offer good protection from the elements an’ aren’t too cumbersome so you can wear ‘em all day.’
‘We need three of them then. No… four? Would Damien want a new one? Yes, four of them, please. Do they come in women’s sizes?’ Aroha asked.
The blacksmith raised an eyebrow. ‘I can give you smaller ones. Think I have a few here. Should work fine for women, I suppose.’
They got two regular-sized and two smaller-sized leather breastplates. The blacksmith cautioned against getting any of the more fancy armour pieces like helms and gauntlets that he also had on display as they were largely unnecessary for simple travellers. They would only weigh and slow them down. Aroha inquired about the swords next.
‘Hmmm, you don’t want to heft massive hunks of iron around, so bastards like your friend has there are out of the question. Maybe a hand an’ a half sword or straight sword?’ He looked Aroha up and down in a way she didn’t entirely like, almost as if he were judging the characteristics of a cut of meat. ‘Don’t get me wrong, but I don’t reckon you have much sword training. Until you do, you want to stay away from the heftier two-hand swords. I would recommend a good short sword, but I haven’t made any in a while. I think, for now, you would do just fine with a rapier. They’re good an’ sharp. Not too weighty, but they do the same job just fine. Easier to learn for beginners too. Just stick and move.’
Aroha reluctantly got two rapiers. She almost wanted to get a longsword just to spite the man, but she realized it would be too unwieldy for her to carry around all the time. The blacksmith was kind enough to throw in a small hand axe for Rylan. ‘Can’t go wrong with an axe, son,’ he muttered as he threw it on the pile.
Rylan got some daggers while they were there. ‘They’re just useful for everything,’ he shrugged when Aroha gave him an exasperated look.
‘Do you stock crossbow bolts?’ Aroha asked. She realized she had no idea how many Penelope had brought with her and thought it prudent to stock their only ranged weapon.
‘Nah, you want to try Arrow. He might have, although we mostly use bows here for huntin’. You best hurry, he’ll be closin’ up soon as I am.’
The pair paid a hefty price for their haul of arms and armour, but Aroha just tried to convince herself it was well worth it. They carried the pile of out of the blacksmith awkwardly but deposited their load in the dirt path as soon as they reached the fletcher’s store.
Much to Aroha’s surprise, they actually met a friendly face when they entered the store. The sweet singer girl from the wedding was sitting on the store’s counter, absent-mindedly eating an apple. She jumped up off as soon as she spied them and, apple still in mouth, ran to greet the pair. She engaged in pleasant chitchat with them, inquiring about how they liked the village and if they were sticking around. Rylan was intentionally vague in his responses and Aroha reluctantly followed his lead. They found out that the sweet girl was the daughter of the fletcher and was taking care of the shop in his absence.
Despite Aroha wanting to engage in more pleasantries with the girl, Rylan reminded her that they were on a time limit. He inquired about the bolts, but found that they did not even sell crossbows as no one in the village had need of such devices. The sweet girl recommended a short bow for Aroha in its stead, noting that it was very useful for hunting. Even though Rylan shot her a look to not get drawn into the sales pitch, Aroha ended up taking the bow and a quiver of arrows with it. She had no idea how to even use the thing but figured it was a good a time as any to learn.
The pair took their leave of the store, with the sweet girl seeing them out. Upon seeing the load they were lugging around the village, she offered to help them carry everything back to the Temple. She locked up the fletcher’s store and carried what she could in her arms. She and Aroha chatted a little more along the way and then she bid them goodbye when they arrived back in the square and had deposited their haul on the steps of the Temple.
‘Will I see you around some more?’ she asked them before she left.
‘Um, I don’t think so,’ Rylan responded before Aroha could open her mouth. ‘We might be leaving very shortly. I don’t think we’ll have time to say goodbye to everyone.’
‘Ah, that’s a shame. Well, it was nice meetin’ you folks. Safe travels, mysterious wanderers!’ she said, flashing them one last honeyed smile before she departed. Aroha watched her leave forlornly, like a dog might watch its owner leave the house.
Rylan turned to her and asked, ‘Are you having second thoughts about this?’
‘No. I know we have to leave, it’s just a shame. This place has been nothing but kind to us,’ Aroha remarked. ‘I think I’m actually going to miss it.’
‘It’s not too late to turn back…’
‘No, it is, Rylan,’ Aroha replied. She looked up at him and smiled weakly. ‘The course is already set. We have to see it through.’
The pair hauled a portion of the supplies back to the dorm, then enlisted Penelope and Damien to gather the rest of it. Penelope was not too happy that they had spent a large chunk of their coin on gear she deemed unnecessary and so confiscated the remaining coin from Aroha and Rylan, claiming that she would remain the group’s treasurer from now on. Back in the dorm, the band spent a good while going through their inventory and packing up the four bags they had with supplies. They made sure Damien’s was lighter, despite his protests.
Aroha and Damien were given the new backpacks, while Penelope and Rylan took their own rucksacks. Penelope and Damien tried out the clothes Aroha had picked out for them. They were all fitted pretty well, but Aroha promised to hem Damien’s trousers when they next had a chance. Penelope pointed out that she had brought some clothes from the farm with her and split her own clothing with Aroha, while Rylan did the same with Damien, despite Rylan being a smaller man. Aroha had also washed everyone’s travel clothing the day before and so gathered up this laundry for them. She had had to throw out Damien’s shirt as it was irrevocably stained with blood.
Each person packed their bag with their own bedroll, a share of the food, their clothing, and some of the other miscellaneous supplies they had. Rylan kept most of the tools with him, sharing only the flint and tinderboxes, lanterns and waterskins with the rest of the group. Penelope kept her herbal supplies and a small jewellery box she had saved from the farm. Aroha took the rest of the small items such as the group’s pan and the like. Damien was entrusted with only the map he had wanted to retain his lighter load weight. He was not too happy with this turn of events, so Rylan gifted him the small hand axe to appease his wounded pride.
The group changed into more practical trousers and shirts, backs all turned to each other to retain a modicum of modesty. Penelope gathered the robes the Priests had gifted the group and hand-washed them in the basin before hanging them out on a wooden rack to dry. While she did this, Aroha helped Damien into his new leather plate. He protested at first at being given new armour, but Aroha pointed out that his old piece had a giant puncture hole in it and was now most probably useless. Damien insisted on still packing it away in his backpack, however. She then helped Rylan fit on his chest-piece and he did the same for her in turn. Hers was somewhat ill-fitting, too tight around her chest and a little too small to cover her stomach fully. Aroha helped Penelope into her own armour once she was done with the washing. Penelope’s chest piece gave her much the same problem as Aroha’s did. Aroha sighed and made a mental note to fiddle with the straps and the like on both of their armours’ when they next stopped as it was too late to return it now.
Damien showed Rylan how to affix their scabbards to their belts securely, as he had been carrying his sword around all wrong the entire day. Aroha and Penelope did not have the same luxury of sheaths for their rapiers, so they just stuck them in their belts. The elaborate hilt-guards actually helped to keep the swords in place quite well. Penelope also attached her small box of bolts to her belt as it had a handy strap for just that purpose. The crossbow itself was too heavy to carry on her belt, so she stuck it facing upwards in her backpack. With everyone finally kitted up and packed, Rylan handed out the daggers he had bought. Damien showed the group a trick to keep the dagger in their boot so that it was hidden until it was needed.
Aroha took up the bow she had bought and practised drawing and knocking it while they waited for the Priests to return to the dorm. Damien tried his best to instruct her as he had some experience with a bow, but his wounded shoulder would not allow him to draw it at all.
‘I’ll show ye properly when I heal up some, but ye got the basic idea down,’ he remarked as he observed her posture with the bow. ‘Just keep ye arm up. Ye want to aim down the shaft of the arrow at whatever ye’re shootin’.’
Eduard and Traeger returned after this brief lesson. Traeger eyed the assembled group and said, ‘Well, you certainly looked prepared for the journey ahead. One would think you were seasoned adventurers with all this gear.’
‘Come, come, children,’ Uncle Eduard said. ‘We will escort you to the edge of the Wood. The village has just about settled down to rest so we shouldn’t encounter anyone along the way.’
Hefting their packs, the group headed out with the Priests. Aroha felt uncomfortable carrying not just the heavy pack, but the quiver of arrows and the bow along with it and started to regret her decision to get the thing in the first place. She did not want to tell Rylan or Penelope this so she just grimaced and soldiered on.
The Priests led the group to the very edge of the Woods, to the same spot where the wedding had been held not too long ago. The wooden tables and altar were still assembled.
Eduard turned to the group and assessed them one last time. He sighed deeply and gave each one of them a hug in turn. ‘I think we have said everything that needs to be said. You just take care of each other now, my children. Remember that you will always be welcome in Bergia and if the Sephia gets to be too much for you to handle, there is no shame in returning to safety. We will be here to welcome you back with open arms.’
‘We appreciate it, Uncle,’ Rylan said, with a small bow of his head. ‘I don’t know how to thank you for all the kindness you’ve shown us.’
‘Don’t worry about it, my children. It was the least I could do for you.’
‘You can follow the river for now,’ Traeger advised, pointing out the lazy river flowing into the Wood a little way to the left of the assembled group. ‘It heads north for a few miles still as far as we know, but you’ll also want to travel slightly eastwards as you progress.’
Eduard turned to Aroha specifically, grasping her shoulders tightly with his gnarled hands. ‘You be safe now, child.’
Aroha took the compass out of her pocket and smiled at the elderly Priest. ‘With your help, I will be, Uncle.’
The old man looked like he was on the verge of tears. He looked the group over a few more times. He seemed like he wanted to say something further, but did not quite have the words. Nobody else did either.
Rylan laid a hand on his shoulder and said, ‘Don’t worry, Uncle. We will return. Maybe not before a long time, but I am sure we will see Bergia again.’
The elderly Priest nodded. The group advanced towards the Wood, turning around at its absolute edge to wave their last goodbyes to the Priests. Traeger nodded at them with a smile on his face and Eduard waved meekly in return. Traeger grasped the old man by the shoulder and led him back down to the village.
‘No turnin’ back now,’ Damien chimed. Hoisting his pack into a more comfortable position, he walked out ahead of the group into the thicket of towering trees.
Penelope and Rylan followed suit, but Aroha couldn’t help but hesitate on the edge of the treeline. She looked back one last time at the small village nestled at the bottom of the hill. It looked so inviting and warm in the twilight glow that she almost didn’t want to leave. She waved goodbye to it and immediately felt foolish for doing so.
Shaking her head to clear the unease from her thoughts, she turned and ran into the Sephia, calling out, ‘Wait for me!’ to her friends ahead.