We have been working all day. Cleaning up, carrying stuff, repairing, even rebuilding in some areas. Everyone helped with close to no rest. Julie made sure that we took some time to eat and sit down and all that.

It turns out that while we were sleeping in the care house… The Villagers from the other side did their best to lessen the workload. Cracked rocks, splintered wood… They started clearing the rubble as soon as the rain stopped. There was a… Fight at noon.

Everyone was worried about our food supply. We had enough for a week because the recent changes in the ground’s properties gave my parents and Modesta a scare. They kept multiple sacks of grain for an emergency. I do not know if we are lucky or the opposite.

Alayne showed a more intense side of him, shouting at the Villagers that he told them what would happen but instead they listened to… Me. That was a great mental slap to my face. I did not say anything the whole day and that did not change when Alayne blamed me.

My parents defended my decision, claiming the kids’ lives are more important and that we would simply have to ration food for a few weeks. Just until Modesta and my parents made new fields to grow crops. We have enough salvaged seeds for that to happen.

And then… Hollis spoke up. She changed Travlon’s technique, improved on it. Without the Hunters’ approval, of course. Even though they forbade any foraging attempts, Hollis kept sneaking out. She kept her own stash of food safely contained within trees.

I never saw that coming. Foraging anything more is impossible due to the intense rain that damaged the plant life. We have to wait for a few days but… At least Hollis brought enough food for the kids to eat properly. Even though her actions earned praise from the Village, I did not feel any better.At least the whole Sylvie thing took less than a few minutes to resolve. We presented our companion, everyone started yelling hysterically about the dangers and then Ana approached the Blight Dog out of nowhere. Our Abomination that was defensive next to Sylvar suddenly relaxed.

Sylvie stayed with the girl for the entire day, surrounded by all the other kids as well. I think they both needed that. Ana needed something to forget her father’s death, even for a few hours. Sylvie needed to play around… To move past the abuse she must have suffered in that cave. Night came faster than I thought.

Everything that happened last night, that happened today. The few life experiences that I have leave me unable to fully process it all. How could I describe the ruin that populates the ground with the presence of fences, boxes, carts and things I do not even know what we use them for just... ripped apart.

How could I explain that while I was worried about some fight with goblins, the water that gave us life suddenly caused all this? What words could I find to express this pain I feel over Kianel’s loss. Why should I even pretend that I can express this pain when his family is going through this loss?

What right do I have to cry like last night, when Ana had to listen to her mother saying that Kianel lost his life helping us do, what was it again? Oh yes, move dirt to stop water. What a noble death. How can I claim that I help the Village, when all I did was go around seeing creatures and killing monsters.

No. I just killed. With no knowledge of what the outside actually is like. No idea of what a monster is. Sylvie is proof of that. A supposed feral Abomination that has saved my life because I accidentally freed it. I did not even know that the animals were held captive there in the first place. I just threw a dagger, waved a spear.

I went outside the Village out of excitement and I started killing out of fear. I barely stopped myself from killing the goblin kids. Snarley would have been just another gray foreign thing for me to cut down.

“Volter?” Sylvar brings me out of thought. “They are right outside.”

We are inside my house, waiting for the sisters. We decided to talk for a bit about Julie’s findings and then sleep a few hours before going back to work. Meuko opens the door, followed by Julie.

“How do we get this started?” Meuko says, sitting on the floor.

“I am not sure where to begin.” Julie says.

“Just be quiet. I know we cannot go outside but my parents are sleeping above us.” I say.

“One book at a time then, Julielle. We have some time.” Sylvar says.

“I am sorry. I only managed to hastily read three books.” Julie says.

“Three? With the notes and all that, I thought you would have read half a book.” I scoff.

“She did not take notes. Just read as fast as possible.” Meuko says.

“Still… Quite the work you managed.” Sylvar says.

“We do not even know what she found out. And we needed the notes.” I say.

“Volt.” Meuko snaps at me.

“It was about magic.” Julie responds.

She did not pay any mind to what I just said. Is she trying to move past it? Why am I so angry… Get a hold of yourself, Volter.

“The book mentioned runes and their utility. It is similar to medicine. I would prepare the mixtures and grow the ingredients I need. Runes work just like that.” Julie explains.

I need to focus. My thoughts are crying for attention. My mind is split between the cruel thoughts that inhabit my head and Julie’s usual considerate voice.

“Spells use an amalgamation of our focus, our innate magic and the magic around us.”

“An ama-what now?” I ask.

“Blago explained it to you before. Metal combined with alloys and other materials…” Sylvar explains.

“I used it as a figure of speech… Combination, then… If that helps.” Julie says, reading my confused look. “Runes give the spells we use variations… In a way, it is like imbuing words with magic. It follows the same principles as Sylvar’s arrows or Meuko’s body.”

To be honest, I am barely listening to all this. Sylvar and Julie can handle all the magic stuff. I cannot use that information anyway.

“There is also the matter of recharge...”

“Meaning?” Meuko asks.

“Runes activate magic without a few steps you would otherwise need, like focus. That works differently for continuous spells. Eventually, we could protect the Village with runes and use our magic to recharge them.”

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“Like-”

“Hiding this Village from outside threats.” I interrupt Meuko.

“That would properly explain why those goblins stopped hunting us when we rescued Hollis. Perhaps the Hunters have used a spell. Not to conceal the Village exactly but to actively keep it off other people’s perceptions.” Sylvar says.

“But you saw it. The kids we brought here saw it.” Meuko says.

“Well, they must be refining the spell as there are people added to the Village’s numbers.” Sylvar explains.

“That is why goblins do not know we are here but they do know we exist.” I say.

“The hobgoblin we killed, the one with the magic.” Meuko says.

“Gabor. I think that was its name.” I mumble.

“Gabor… It asked us why we would not help right before it died.” Meuko says.

“That would mean that the goblin Queen is looking for this place. And patrols have increased since we started these expeditions.” Sylvar says.

“Travlon.” I say.

“Vol?” Julie asks, clearly worried.

“Travlon tried to kill Sylvar because a voice told him. He worked with goblins. They helped him kill Sylvar and he gave them a scroll that can sort of see magic. What if the Queen helped him for that scroll? Can they use it to see this place?” I ask.

“That would mean that… Everyone here… They are in grave danger. And there are only six fighters that can protect them.” Sylvar says, followed by terrifying silence.

“Make that eight.” A voice says from the top of the stairs. Dariy.

“Shit.” I growl.

“Completely forgot about that.” Meuko says.

“Care to explain… You used an expedition to read the forbidden, declared forbidden by the Leader himself… Books?” Ean says, emphasizing the word forbidden. I guess he does have a point.

“You could just go back to sleep. You probably need it, being old and all that. There is work later on.” I say, trying to-

“You will not get rid of us that easily.” Dariy says.

“Besides, who is going to explain to you what a stupid endeavor that was?” Ean mocks.

“Stupid?” I nearly jump from my chair.

All this rage I had.

“Stupid is the fact that Alayne is lying about almost everything around us. Stupid is the fact that most people around here do not know how to fight, fight for their lives with everything they have, even though there could be an assault from nearby goblins. How about the fact that Julie has to guess about how her magic works because nobody taught her anything until the age of twenty one.”

My throat feels like it is burning. Like all the things I say somehow carry the anger I feel out of my body.

“Then there is the fact that Alayne has tried to stop this group right here from helping at all, as if only he knows the danger. And if he is the only one, why not share with us?”

My arms and legs… They are shaking. This is not fear. I have been scared plenty of times, terrified even. This is the desire to do something, to move, to throw something, to hit anything… To kill. When did I start feeling all this. Was it with Kianel’s death? No. I would be lying if I said this is a new thought. This pressure that has been eating at me for weeks. Ever since Travlon died. I tried to keep it down, drown it by training as hard as I could.

“Kid…” Dariy is unable to respond properly.

“You have our support.” Ean says.

“What?” I ask.

“I told you ever since the Hunters first questioned you. I was scared then. I am ready now. Anything you need from us… Simply ask.” Ean says.

“I think he is trying to say that we love you.” Dariy says.

“We already know that. You three always say you love each other.” Meuko says.

“I am still angry.” I say “I cannot help it.”

“Being angry is fine. Taking that out at your parents though...” Julie says.

“They are the ones that listened in secret.” I scoff.

“You would have done the same. Where do you think you got that from?” Dariy says.

“Let us perhaps focus on the books. That should help calm things down quite a bit.” Sylvar says.

I should calm down. This outburst is causing problems for everyone.

“We will be in our room. Listening.” Dariy says, going upstairs with Ean.

“What about the other books?” Meuko asks.

“There was a book about the… Never-Ending war. Its conclusion mainly.” Julie says.

“What is that? Does Alayne read stories? That sounds ominous.” I say.

“That was a catastrophic war that ended seventy years ago.” Sylvar says.

“For a never-ending one… It sure lasted a short time.” Meuko says.

I wanted to make that joke.

“According to the book… It lasted for centuries, between Gods and mortals alike.” Julie says.

“Gods? What is that?” I ask.

“Gods are beings of extreme power.” Sylvar explains.

“Is Lethandel one of these Gods?” Meuko asks.

Seriously Meuko. Get out of my head, please.

“Yes. One of many elvish Gods.” Sylvar responds.

“When you say extreme power...” My voice trails off in uncertainty.

“I talk of power to move earth and bring storms.” Sylvar says.

“Modesta can do that.” I say.

“Gods could do that on a grander scale without being tired or burdened by their power. There were more than tens of Them, definitely more than I possess knowledge of.” Sylvar says.

“These Gods fought and even the landscape changed. All these entities clashed and some even grew stronger by stealing magic from other Gods. The people of this world also fought, offering their support and the death toll kept increasing.” Julie continues.

“Wait, this world? Just an expression, right?” Meuko chuckles.

“No. There are others. Rifts would connect them.” Julie says.

“Rifts?” I ask.

“Tears in the worlds, created by-”

“Gods, got it.” I interrupt Sylvar.

“And we are part of this world. So many things to learn.” Meuko says.

“The Village keeps getting smaller.” I say.

“Or… We keep getting bigger.” Meuko responds.

“So, anything important in that story? Gods are awesome and all but they have nothing to do with us.” I say.

“As a matter of fact, they do. With you, Vol.” Julie says.

“What?” I gulp.

“Are you referring to Volter’s state of being Empty?” Sylvar asks.

“Do you know how the War ended, Sylvar?” Julie asks.

“How old are you, Sylvar? More than seventy?” I ask. In a very rude way, actually. It never occurred to me that I should just bluntly ask him about that.

“You mean older than.” Meuko corrects me.

“I have lived for two hundred and thirty five years.”

Silence… I know elves can live up to a very, very… Long time but I always felt like Sylvar is just a few years older than me. Sure, he had a few experiences outside this place but we had more common attributes than not. Another stupid assumption I made.

“This is still young in elvish years, my friend Volter. I assure you, nothing has changed. I am still the elf you have grown so fond of.” Sylvar says, almost reacting to my thoughts.

“But… If this is all true, you know- KNOW- the Gods and you were there for the Never-Ending thing’s end, right?” I ask.

“I was alive, yes. But that does not mean I saw it all. I only have a pair of eyes, you see.” Sylvar says.

Did he just make a joke? Weird.

“What did you find?” Meuko asks.

“The Gods tore every world up. Reality itself was shattered but they all made a pact. They sacrificed their collective source of energy to bring… Us, I think, back.” Julie says.

“The world… Died?” I ask.

“I am afraid it did.” Sylvar asks.

“This is all too much. Maybe we should sleep before learning more.” I say.

“We have been through a lot and there is much need for sleep.” Sylvar says.

He must have realized that I do not want to hear abou-

“What does this all have to do with Volt being Empty?” Meuko asks.

Too late.

“Gods brought this world back but it was not… Perfect. People died, entire areas vanished and Empty Ones appeared.” Julie explains.

“I do not know anything about this.” Sylvar says.

“This has something to do with the third book I read about Primordial and Distorted Chaos. I could not understand that book’s subject with the time I had. I am sorry.” Julie says.

“Focus. What do Gods have to do with Volter?” Meuko says.

“Stop.” I interrupt “Just… We will talk about this later.”

“This is important.” Meuko says.

“Not. Now. Please.” I growl.

Meuko scoffs, then walks outside.

“See you in a few hours.” Julie says and follows Meuko.

“You can sleep upstairs if you want.” I say.

“I shall take you up on that offer, seeing as my home is still ruined by the flood.” Sylvar says.

“Thanks… For not pushing me.” I say.

“You witnessed my past. After that, I left the child safe in a settlement. I traveled the roads for years, slaying bandits and monsters. I… Understand the need to give yourself a breathing room.” Sylvar says.

“You are a good friend. Thanks for sharing that. Even if it is so horribly done. I want to learn more about those years.” I say.

“We should rest.” Sylvar says.