“Are you Kirk?” Lear asked a brownie hurrying down the path near where he was sitting, resting for a few moments.

The little creature paused and turned, blinking its large brown eyes at him. “Yes, I am. Can I help you?” The brownie was carrying a shovel and had some rope looped over his shoulder.

“I think so. I’m trying to find the location of a specific temple, and have been talking to all the other fey here whenever Silver and I have needed breaks.” he motioned at the little dragon who was curled up, dozing beside him. “I was told you might be able to at least point me in the right direction.”

“I see.” Kirk nodded seriously. “Yes, I’m familiar with a lot of temples in the area. I like going to see them all. They’re all very lovely buildings.”

“Windscale said you enjoyed their architecture.” Lear nodded.

“What temple are you looking for, specifically?”

“One to Marna. Do you know if there’s one in the area? Or even remotely nearby?”

“Hmm…” Kirk thought for a moment, more wrinkles forming on his already wrinkled face. “I’ve heard of Marna, though she’s a slightly odd one to be after. A pretty old deity, and not very popular in these parts. I do think there’s a temple somewhere west of here, but I’ve never been, so I can’t say where it is.” If the brownie thought it was odd that Lear was trying to find the location of a temple despite the destruction around them, he kept it to himself.

“Honestly, just knowing that there’s one somewhere in the area is helpful, thank you.” Lear bowed his head gratefully.

“One of the pixies, Willowdown, came from west of here, over the mountains. There’s a pixie grove in the forest out that way. She might be able to help you. Want me to send her your way?”

“Yes, I’d really appreciate that.” Lear nodded, then motioned up at the main part of the mudslide, “I've been working up there, so if I’m not down here, tell her to call for me and I’ll come down.”

“Alright!” Kirk nodded, then hurried off.

Silver needed some more rest, so Lear sat there a good while longer.

He turned his mind to Winna. Was she holding up alright?

Hopefully she wouldn't tire herself out too much, either. Magical exhaustion was dangerous. But given she’d been resting when he’d last seen her, he suspected she was doing her best to make sure that didn’t happen, because if it did, she wouldn't be able to help anyone. No one had said a word to them as they’d rested and eaten, probably because they all had needed to take breaks as they’d worked too. Or he hoped they had, anyways. As urgent as the situation was, being too exhausted to lift a finger wasn’t going to help anyone. That held true for non-magic users as well.

On top of being worried that she would exhaust herself, he was worried what toll seeing such terrible sights would have on the woman he loved. From injured friends, dead former schoolmates, to places from fond memories that were totally destroyed, it had to be distressing.

As a soldier, he was a little more used to seeing the dead, but knew it had to be hard on Winna. Although that said, Lear knew she said she’d helped her parents and Diana when that earthquake had hit so many years before, the one that had led to her parents’ death. This mudslide probably brought back a lot of painful memories for her.

He hoped she wouldn't blame herself too much for anyone who passed, there was only one of her, and only so much she could do. Of course, he fully expected to treat each death like a personal failure on her fault, so great was her sense of duty to her community. They really didn’t deserve her.

With thoughts of concern for Winna still flickering through his head, he sighed, then shifted, kneeling next to his little dragon helper. “Hey little one, it’s time to get back at it.”

The little dragon opened its eyes, then yawned and stretched the same way Diana and Lou did, then stood.

“Thank you. You’ve been a great help and comfort to me.” He smiled, patting Silver’s little head, then scratching beneath his chin.

The dragon gave a happy sort of yip, and wagged his tail.

“I wonder if Winna would let me have a dragon like you in the house.” he grinned, “I bet she would.”

Another cute yip.

“Are you holding up okay? I know it’s not exactly happy work.”

Silver gave a soft whimper, but nodded.

“I know, I know. It’s sad for me too.” Lear sighed. “But I am extremely grateful to you.”

The little dragon gave a sort of rumbling purr, and then started to hop back up onto the mound of dirt.

Lear crouched, meaning to launch himself back up into the air so he could land on top of the enormous mound of dirt, but heard a pretty, tinkling voice call, “Wait! Wait!”

He straightened, turning, Silver paused as well, looking back curiously.

One of the pixies flitted up, and stopped, hovering mid-air, panting from flying so quickly. “Just a minute!”

“You must be Willowdown.” Lear smiled a little tiredly.

“Yes! Kirk told me that you were looking for a temple to Marna!” She said brightly. The little pixie woman had short, bright purple hair, and silver skin, with large pink eyes. Her wings were the traditional butterfly-like wings of her kind in a creamy, butter shade of yellow.

“I am.” the fey man nodded. “Can you help me?”

“Yes, I can!” Willowdown beamed. “I heard Winna telling someone that you two were trying to find a temple so she could maybe get her familiar’s power restored, so she could help more people, but I didn’t realize I’d be able to help! There’s a very old temple to Marna in the forest, east of the mountains. It’s about three day’s worth of travel, I think, if a human decides to walk it, but you’re big and strong, and could probably make it a lot more quickly. Especially if you can fly some of the distance.” Her eyes flickered to Lear’s wings, which were impressively large and strong. “Could you fly with another person and a cat?”

“Yes. Not the entire way, but enough to make the trip faster. Can you give me directions? Even vague ones will help.”

“I can do better than that.” Willowdown smiled. “I’ve flown over it before, and I can show you where it is on a map.”

“Excellent! Thank you!” Lear bowed low to her.

“Oh, stop it, you!” She giggled, then smiled sadly, “We’ll benefit too if Winna’s familiar gets her power back because then we can go to her in times of need as well, now that we know she’d welcome us.”

“Her name is Diana.”

“That’s a pretty name.” the pixie nodded her head, “We never would go to Winna before you came, but now that we know she’ll accept fey folk as patients, we will, and she’ll be able to help us most effectively if Diana has her power back.”

“I know. It’ll help everyone that lives in the area. That’s why she wants to do it. And it’ll save lives in the immediate future.” he motioned at the destruction that surrounded them.

"Yes, of course." the pixie murmured sadly, surveying the scene around them.

There was a pause.

Willowdown clapped her hands, getting back to business, “So, as to where the temple is.” she flicked her wrist, and a magical map in tones of glittering blue appeared before her, hovering in the air as she did. “You’ll want to cross over that mountain,” she pointed at the map, then over at the mountain in particular, on the pass to the left. Then you’ll have to travel south-west in the forest until about here.” she touched a spot on the map with her tiny, delicate finger. The spot where she touched glowed golden for a moment, then enlarged so it was much easier to see. “There aren’t any distinguishing landmarks once you’re past the mountains, I’m afraid, it’s all forest, but the temple itself is in a clearing, and since it’s hallowed ground, you’ll be able to feel it as you get closer.”

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

Lear studied the map closely, committing it to memory. “Thank you very much, Willowdown. That was more than I’d hoped to learn today.”

“I’m so glad I could help!” She beamed at him, letting the map disappear. “Now, I should get back to helping.”

“Me too.” Lear sighed.

“Good luck on your journey, when you do go on it!” The little pixie waved, then darted off at high-speed.

“Well, Silver, let’s get back to work.” The fey man turned to face the enormous remnant of the mudslide.

-

What a day.

Vim’s cart rattled along the path, back towards my cottage.

Lear and I were stretched out in the back of the cart, and Pava was sitting on the bench by Vim.

“Gods, I’m tired.” I groaned.

“Me too.” Lear muttered, rolling over and pulling me closer.

“Why don’t you two sleep until we get to the cottage?”

“Cause if I do, I probably won’t wake up until tomorrow morning.” I yawned, but was indeed already half asleep. “And I have to help the folks in the cart behind us find places to sleep, and make dinner and make sure the animals are fed.”

“We’ll do that, Winna.” Vim told me firmly, “We’re not as tired as you two. I was only cooking all day.”

“Vim, that’s tiring work too.” I shook my head.

“Not as tiring as what you and Lear were doing.” Vim’s tone was stern.

“I was helping with the hurt folks too, but I can’t use magic, so I literally can’t tire myself out the same way you can. And we were at it some five or so hours less than you.”

“Those poor firebugs must be tired.” I murmured sleepily. One was flying ahead of us, lighting the way.

“Tiv, go home.” Lear called to the little fey bug. “We know the way, and the other cart won’t lose us, even though it’s dark.”

“Are sure? I don’t mind!” the firebug buzzed earnestly.

“Yes, go home.” Vim nodded, “I grew up driving this road.”

“Alright. Safe travels!” the bug floated off.

As the light from the bug faded, I let my eyes drift fully shut, and sleep finally overwhelmed me.

I woke as the cart pulled a stop outside the cottage, and felt oddly refreshed.

Stretching, I shook Lear awake, “Come on, handsome. I’d carry you in if I could, but there’s no way I’d ever manage it. I don’t think my brothers could either, all that muscle is heavy.”

The fey man’s gorgeous green eyes flickered open. He studied me for a moment, then asked, “Are you flirting with me?”

I giggled, “Only a little.”

“That’s a dangerous thing to do, just so you know.” he sat, tilting his head side to side and popping his neck.

“Oh?” I hopped out of the cart.

He followed suit, but slipped his arms around my waist, and surrounded us with his wings for a moment as he whispered, “I can’t be held responsible for what I do if you get me too worked up.” he trailed his lips down my neck.

A shiver ran through me, but I leaned into him, snorting, “Lear, you won’t even kiss me too hard because you’re afraid of poisoning me. I don’t buy it.” Maybe it was silly to be flirting with at such a serious time, but if I didn't at least try to keep some levity in my life, I wouldn't be able to keep going.

“Well, that’s no fun!” he protested, and let his wings fall, but I saw he was smiling. “Although you’re not wrong.”

I popped up on my tip-toes and kissed him briefly as the other cart pulled up. “We should get inside and start getting things ready. Pava, can you take the horses to the barn and take care of the animals? Vim will need to go ahead and start on some food. It’s long past dinnertime, but we all still need to eat, I think.”

“Of course!” Pava nodded, going and starting to unhitch the horses.

“I’ll get into the kitchen.” Vim said, going inside. I heard him greeting the cats as Lear and I lowered the tailgate of the other cart, and started to help people get out.

Lear hopped up into the conveyance and started to carefully lift one of its occupants out. I’d brought several of the worst of the injured with me. Only ones that were stable enough to be moved, anyways. There had been more injured folks who had been hurt worse than the ones I'd brought, but they just weren’t safe to be moved, and I could only pray that they'd last through the night, in the temporary housing that the dwarves had so kindly built. Dern had even given over his entire stock of magical ovens and heating stones to help heat the structures so that no one who had to stay in one would have to try to keep a fire going.

I helped a little girl jump down, and then her mother. Her father was one of the injured in the cart that Lear would need to help get out.

After getting everyone indoors, we made sure they all had enough space, and anything else they might need before settling down for a brief rest while we waited for Vim to finish making a late dinner.

“I’ll have to go back into town tomorrow to help again. As much as I can, anyways. I can’t do as much as I wish I could.” We were sitting at the table, sipping cups of hot, herbal tea.

“I was able to talk to some of the fey folk whenever I was taking breaks, and one of the pixies knew of a temple of Marna that’s not too far away from here.” he told me, “I’m not saying you shouldn’t go back and check on your patients in the morning, but I think we should go ahead and make for the temple immediately after that.”

“Oh?” I blinked, surprised.

“Yes. It’s about three days’ worth of travel to get there, on foot, but if I can fly us for some of it, we'd get there more quickly.”

“Could you fly the whole way?”

“On my own, yes, but flying someone else takes a lot more energy.” he shook his head, “As much as I wish I could.”

“That’s okay. Even just some flying would help.” I shrugged, then frowned, “And we’ll need to take Diana with us. But what will everyone think of me if I leave?”

Pava, also sitting at the table, spoke up, “I’ll be around, I know I can’t use magic, but I’m a competent healer otherwise. Vim is too, but he’s an even better cook. If anyone raises a stink, we’ll tell them where they can shove it.”

“Besides, you’d be leaving to do something that will only help them in the long run.” Lear reminded me.

“Why are you needing to leave?” A woman sitting nearby, called Ona, asked. She was a cousin of Ama’s, and sometimes helped in the clothing store. I’d gone to school with one of her sons.

“We thought we might try to ask the goddess who gave Winna’s family their powers to restore Diana’s magic fully, so she and Winna could heal you all properly. There’s a temple not super far that we could get to easily enough.” Lear told her.

“Oh. That’d be okay. I don’t think anyone would be upset if that's why you left.” Ona shrugged.

“The problem would be if she doesn't grant the request.” I muttered.

“You have to try, don’t you?” Ona’s husband, Biv, said, shrugging a little. He had a badly broken leg, but had been stable enough to move.

“I think it’s a risk worth taking. My Biv will heal, regardless of if you get Diana’s power restored or not.” Ona patted Diana, who was sitting by her on the floor, fondly. “But there are some folks who won’t. The ones that had to stay in town.”

“They might die while I’m gone though, and if I’m here, I could stop that!” I sighed, shaking my head.

“For how long, Winna?” Pava murmured, “Sweetie, you’re doing your best, I know, but…” his voice trailed off.

Tears stung my eyes, “I-I know. I-it’s not enough. I-I just…I-I can give them a little more time, and-”

“It’d be better to go and at least try.” Pava shook his head, reaching out and patting my hand. “I’ll do what I can to keep them stable. And the faun with a little bit of healing magic can at least ease their pain.”

I took a deep breath. “Well…alright. But I don’t want to upset anyone by leaving.”

“They won’t. They’ll understand.” Biv said, “They can blame us if they get angry, but how could they blame you? You’re doing the most you can for us.”

“I-I’m certainly trying to.”

“Then we’ll go tomorrow. We’ll get up, go into the village, tend to the folks that need it the most, then we’ll go.” Lear told me. “We’ll travel as quickly as we can. I’ll fly us as far as I can manage, and then we’ll walk. Once I’m revived, we’ll fly again.”

“It’ll really be okay?” I murmured.

“Yes.” The dark-haired fey man nodded, tone firm.

“Diana, are you up for a little flying? You can stay in your basket.” I asked my oldest and dearest little friend.

She gave a chirpy, encouraging maow that Lear didn’t have to translate.

“Alright then.” I smiled.

“I think we could get there in a day and a half pretty easily. Of course, then we’ll have to get back, so it’ll take us around three days. Maybe faster, depending on how quickly we can walk, and how much I can manage to fly.”

“Will you all manage without us for three days?” I asked, looking at Pava, and then Ona and Biv. “That’s quite a while.”

“I think we’ll be able to do it in less.” Lear reminded me.

“We’ll manage.” Pava assured me. “We’ll stay here and take care of the cottage and the animals and Lou while you’re gone, too.”

I took a deep breath, “It’s kind of a long time, especially for the people who are really badly hurt. They might pass while I’m gone, and…that…will stay on my conscience forever.”

“I hate to say it, dear, but those people are going to die anyways, unless you can get Diana’s magic restored.” Ona said grimly.

“Winna, it’s going to be okay.” Lear assured me. “I don’t want them to die either, but right now, this is the one thing that we can do that, if it works, will save all or most of them.”

“You’re right, you’re right.” I sighed.

There was a pause.

Lear reached out to squeeze my hand gently, “Once we eat, we’ll pack and then go straight to our beds.”