Sachihiro

"Sachihiro my boy!" Da envelopes me in his big arms, taller and broader than I am by a lot still. I clasp him a bit longer than I intended, savouring his scent.

He gives me a funny little grin as we separate slapping my back solidly. "How have you all been?" I ask as he leads me towards the city gates. And yes an actual city with a gate.

''Ahh well, everything has been moving so fast,'' he is being awkward. What is he awkward about?

"And how did you manage to build all this in just two years and a few months?"

He grins broadly at both Asriel and me.

"It turns out there are a lot more non-combatants among the tribes than is immediately apparent, having something besides fighting to do encouraged a lot of them. Under the direction of the dwarves and the fae more than half of our population is now an amateur builder of some sort."

"But still... This level of craftsmanship and these materials..." Asriel says. Seemingly more surprised than I am.

"Well the fae can travel vast distances very quickly somehow and have been importing experts and materials for years now. Its all very up and up." Da says inflating his chest in pride. I grin at his antics.

We walk into the beautifully carved wooden gates inlaid with metal. The wall is over 5 meters tall and seems to be going up slowly. The paths within the city are divided into four lanes. Two grass lanes divided by two lanes made of cobble stone. The building are all two stories or taller.

Trees and bushes separate property from property, there are people intermingling everywhere. Everyone seemingly busy with something or another. Horse eaters, Saxons, Norse, Savages, Scavengers, Jotnar, Vikings, all the tribes represented within the city as da points out the sites to us.

There are parks every few kilometres, within these parks are the training grounds and camping grounds.

"You're telling me you camp within the city?" Asriel asks again. Da nods proudly.

"The parks are dedicated to nature and forestry, and there is a forest being planted a few miles deeper into the grasslands. I don't know how they do it, but these fae can grow trees very quickly and very tall."

"I noticed." I say still gaping at sights. The rate at which everything is being built is astonishing.

"How did you know we were coming?" I ask since he met us outside.

"Your ma told me. Her gift has grown as well. The fae say she could Awaken whenever she wants to, but she's been holding off for some reason." I nod, not surprised. Ma may not be a warrior but she is formidable.

"She is still busy with the Council of Chiefs, that's where she said I should take you."

We eventually reach a tall straight building, with four or five levels by the looks of it. The grounds around it decorated into a maze of bushes with buildings on each side of it and a wide courtyard with stone pillars. As we walk in I notice a sand fighting circles behind wide glass double doors. This place is just too strange.

At some point Asriel had taken off his shoes and walked on the grass lane. There are even animals within the city and according to da animals that are roaming freely are not to be waylaid. Many of them apparently Awakened and coming out of curiosity from the Dawn Forest. The city and it's immediate area becoming neutral ground between beasts and humans.

"Took you long enough." Is the greeting I get from Uncle Brian as we clasp forearms.

"And this is Asriel, a friend." I say gesturing to Asriel. They clasp forearms.

"You have friends in high places, this is the man that has allowed the tribes to Awaken again if I'm not mistaken. We all owe you an unpayable debt Asriel."

Uncle Brian says seriously as we walk the still unfinished halls. I'm not sure whether my eyes have been playing tricks on me or some of the people around aren't really people.

"Da, that woman was an elf wasn't she?" I ask after we pass a very attractive woman flanked by two guards in plate armour and open faced helms.

Da grunts. "Many of the races we contacted didn't like our proposals and some are still negotiating. It isn't going well though, everyone wants more ore and the just isn't enough of it. Pretty soon the fighting will start over again for the scraps and it will be vicious."

"We're here. Come." Uncle Brian says, knocks once and walks in.

Its a big round room with no corners and plenty of lighting. There are benches all around the circle of the room along the wall. Then the middle of the room is raised by three steps and a round table with about 20 chairs draws most of the attention. All the tribal chiefs and some of the Seers are here. It seems I was expected.

"Sachihiro van Damage, it seems you have returned alive and with fancy new weapons on your person. Tell us about the people of the mountain." Chief Freya of the Jotnar says.

And so my report begins while Asriel sits on the side and observes.

*

Gorr the Hermit

I have a lot on my mind. The fact that I can now turn into a wolf a large part of my preoccupation. I'm here camping out in the wild around a fire welcoming the boy home.

I look at Sachi as he converses with his friends and family happily around the fire. Smiling and laughing between sips of ale and mouthfuls of meat.

I can see his trauma, his fragility. I remove my sash but keep my hood up, hiding my eyes but seeing all still. The moment my eyes fall on him he turns sharply and looks back.

I really need to learn how to see without being seen, but most swords are double edged for a reason. I can see his injury, the injury of his soul. Almost half his soul was surgically sheared off, but it's not gone.

He carries it on his lap in a satin sash and I smile at the sight. The man that carries half his soul in his hands. It has a nice ring to it. I'm still not sure what people see in me when I look this deep within them but it's probably not good judging by their reactions.

"May I see the rest of your soul?"

I say before thinking better of the wording as a result everyone around the fire goes silent. Not my intention but I quickly change my wording to forestall any questions.

"May I see your sword?" I ask instead.

Hoping not everyone heard me or they don't understand that his soul is literally in that thing.

"This old thing?" He says tapping the sash reverently. "It doesn't like being touched by other people really."

[Phrrff] I snort before I can stop myself. His word choice gets a few curious glances from everyone except Divina and Damage. So it isn't a big secret then.

"What was that reaction about?" Sachi asks with a slight smile. I always liked this kid as well, he and his family have been good to me.

"It's just that your statement is far from accurate. That thing on your lap is very vain, and if it could, it would be preening itself for all to see right now."

He raises an eyebrow, half in disbelief half in astonishment. He looks at me though, and whatever he sees doesn't cause him to crumble, start confessing all his past wrongs, fall in love or stab his eyes out.

The reaction changes from person to person and on my feelings towards the person at the time. Sachi seems to believe me though as he unwrapped the clothe slowly.

He now has the undivided attention of everyone present. The only sound audible being breathing and the cracking logs in the fire. The first visible thing is the handle and guard. Lovingly made by a master of over a hundred years at the craft. The beauty and patient detail that has gone into carving those patterns on the guard unquestionable. I can almost understand it, for it is a script, a name.

The handle is a very strange mixture of sanded iron, steel and crushed gemstones tightly wrapped in a red and black clothe to hide the great wealth in the long handle, but also for functionality. The wrapping may look decorative in its beauty but along with the rough sanding on the iron it ensures that he will never lose his grip.

The sheath is exposed next and shines darkly even during the night. Reflecting the fire and the light from the moon. Not a weapon for stealth this. When he continues uncovering he gets a few raised eyebrows.

This thing is the length of a great-sword, a very difficult weapon to master. But very deadly from horseback or when dealing death in a battlefield. Not so much for duels.

He passes it to me reluctantly, placing it on my lap. I look, and I touch. I know the sword and it knows me. I see Sachi's soul but it has changed, grown, evolved, adopted, explored different facets of itself. I wonder if we could all reshape part of our souls this way.

But though it may be his soul, it is it's own entity. Alive, unique, but a child. A child growing rapidly, but a child none the less. It gets slightly heavier, not liking my assessment.

I grin, a spoilt petulant child at that. I look to Sachi looking at the shadows of my hood.

"You shouldn't let her bully you Sachi. She needs a stronger hand if she is ever to respect you."

"Her?" He asks leaning forward with interest.

"You should talk to her more my boy. Get to know each other better, all relationships as close and as permanent as yours need constant communication."

He nods respectfully. "I will."

I pass him back his companion. "Unsheathed her, she will sulk for a while without blood but she will get over it. Especially if you dance with her."

"Dance?"

"Dance." I say with surety. The boy looks around at our audience. Nods, then moves a yard away before unsheathing her to the sound of the air screaming in protest as it's cut.

The ringing sound echoing beautifully through the night. Then his dance of death begins without preamble.