I hug the tree trunk, my arms shaking from fatigue and fear. The edge goading me to peak over and fall, the ridiculous height we have scaled during the session has taken me higher than I would ever care to go.

“Last one Shepherd Seth. It will be worth it.” Toomas’s short Olympic lifter legs dangle over a branch.

“Rut you Toomas! You have said that a thousand times.” I yell with my eyes clamped shut.

“On Mother, I promise it is almost over.”

“Mother knows when you lie, she’s judging you for torturing me!”

“Take my hand.” I peer through slit eyelids and see his rough palm offered to me.

I take a deep breath and reach up, my hand is clammy against his dry skin as he easily lifts me into the air and onto his perch.

“Is it not the most wonderful sight of all?”

Straddling the Ferrum once again, I peek up and see a large hole in the canopy before us. The space created by the Satyr loggers early today offers an incredible view across Silva, the ocean of emerald leaves covering to the horizon, the warm golden sunlight of rays touching all and the three planets that dangle in this world's cosmos.

I notice a dark shape piercing Mother’s realm in the far distance, columns of smoke billowing to create dirty clouds that soil the scenery.

“This is amazing. You weren’t lying when you said we would see Omnia’s tower.” I point to the only artificial object in the entire view.

“That is of Order’s creation. Their watchtower, the closest human settlement to us. It was originally a great trading hub for our people, now only hunters and poachers get rich in those stinking walls.” His anger is apparent, the only time I have seen any aggressive emotion upon the usually placid Satyr.

“We should be descending before the light begins to wane.”

He says grim faced, casually hopping down the branches with a death wish. My stomach sinks at the mere idea of following suit. I will take my time, there is no rush.

“Hurry Shepherd Seth! Unless you want to train in complete darkness.” My torturer yells.

I lower myself timidly, don’t think about the height, there are so many branches it is a wooden staircase.

My feet touch the flat, I sink and hug the immense mass that is this planet, promising never to leave the sweet unappreciated safety of being ground level.

Attributes increased:

Neuo - 4/5

The runes flash across my vision as I maintain a solid connection with the forest floor. So training boosts those numbers as well, at least all that pain and effort is contributing to my ‘attributes’. I need to look through my Daemon soldier manual for a definition of Neuo and whatever the others were.

Toomas grasps my shoulder and pulls me in for a sweaty hug.

“I’m proud of your perseverance and tenaciousness. Those of man will choose the path of least resistance like a gnawing river in your mind telling you to flow like the others. It takes a strong soul to fight that torrent and forge a new route.” He lets go and I see those emerald irises of Mother staring back with genuine appreciation.

“Thank you Toomas, that is very kind of you. I admit it has been difficult, far more than I expected. My physique is not where it needs to be.” I lift my scrawny shaking arms.

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“Piia mentioned that you collected a Spirit from the Tear, you should empower to help with the recovery and build that strength. Mother has faith in you, I believe it, the other Satyrs will not judge you gaining from other Gods.”

“That’s a good idea, I’ll save it for a really tough day.” I lie through my teeth, no muscle strain or cramp is going to make me want to face the living nightmare that is a Reaver.

“Well do not wait too long, empowerment is supposed to improve every aspect of your being. Nature takes any advantage it can to survive, and so should you.”

“Yep.” Not going to happen.

We set off towards the camp, passing back through the mushroom farm, mostly empty except for a few Thorns permanently stationed here now. We wave a greetings to them with mixed reviews, looks like two teams were forming in the Satyr political spectrum.

I push any thought about the Voice and his elusiveness, Piia mentioned all meetings were still being denied due to the ‘trance’, however young Satyr women have been spotted entering his sanctuary in the moonlight.

I rub my forearms, the burning sensation now matched the throbbing ache of my hamstrings.

“I think a quick dip in some cold water is needed. Want to join us? I’m sure Piia and Yadon are already there.” I offer.

“That would be splendid my friend, it will give us a chance to discuss your training.”

This guy doesn’t stop, he probably trains in his dreams.

My arm slides over my ear as it crashes into the water, a closed flat hand pushing against the liquid underneath to create force forward and maintain my body’s position in the river. My other arm follows slowly, the gushing torrent begins to overwhelm me.

I peak backwards with nagging curiosity, only to terrify myself with the image of whitewater rapids and jagged rocks looming closer.

“Fight it Shepherd Seth, fight it!” Toomas yells from beside me in the river. He loves to lead by example.

I can’t reply, needing every leaf fall of air to suck oxygen down and focus. A tiny whine of protest begins in my lower back, it gathers strength and volume until I can’t hold my body perfectly horizontal on the surface.

My legs sink and catch the strong current underneath, I’m thrown downstream in a flash, Toomas’s dark fur disappearing behind crashing white foam.

I splash and struggle in the aerated water, gaining no purchase, my limbs cutting through it like my Searing Blade does. Panic sinks in as all control is lost to the torrent, I kick out and catch my foot on the rock, the shooting pain spikes my adrenaline further. My exposed back smashes a jagged edge cracking my ribs.

Swimming naked made plenty of sense this morning, who needs a thick bear blanket wrapped around them in water, and the wooden armour is only going to add more drag. I sink under the surface, the current pulling me along the riverbed, my skin is shredding against submerged rock and branches.

I try to stop the torment by grabbing on, my hands slipping from the slimy growth covering every surface, the light plunges into darkness as my lungs scream for relief. My vision falters as my meth-like heart rate consumes any oxygen remaining in my blood.

Water creatures wiggle through my hair, the sensation somewhere on the edge of my consciousness, they latch on and I’m tugged from the darkness.

A mass crushes my chest in, then relief, crushes again, then stops, crushes again. Blinding light burns my eyes, I roll and chunder a projectile of liquid blue. A high pitch scream follows, I shake my head and attempt to absorb the world around me.

My sight adjusts to reveal a gathering of Satyrs, a very young girl stands nearby crying as she wipes mushroom puke from her fur.

“So… sorry.” I mumble.

“Shepherd Seth, you are terrible swimmer.” Toomas is kneeling next to me after pushing all the river water out of my body.

“Wha..t hap…pened?” I puke another spray causing the children to run away screaming.

“Why is it so blue?” I hear a bystander say.

“He only eats mushroom porridge.”

“Not a very balanced diet.”

I glare up at the crowd, Toomas sees and waves them off with threats of Mother’s judgement.

“You sank like a stone, too much bone and not enough muscle. I had to pull you out.” Toomas explains to me.

Did he go into the rapids after me? I look up at my trainer, my friend, and see a gash across his head that is weeping blood and swelling badly.

“Toomas you’re insane.”

“I said I would follow, did I not? Can not allow the Shepherd to die in my garden.”

“Thank you, thank you so much.”

“It is done, you should rest tomorrow for one sun, then training again.”

I lie down, my body feels like it was in a car crash, I can’t recover in a day.

“You should use the Tear’s spirit, take the Gods elixir to recover.”

I nod in agreement, trying to focus on the pain and not the terror of that situation.

He helps me to my teepee, Piia rushes over and gently hugs me, the shock of the day leaves me in a dazed state. It takes a while for me to realise Cane is rubbing against my side, also aware of my wrecked body.

They begin to chew bark wrap, Yadon and a few others from the tribe joining at some point, and like chimpanzees grooming they chit chat and share gossip while plastering my skin the numbing agent.

Eventually I am led to my bed, the swirling torrent of darkness playing out in my mind. A bed roll covers me, the soft voices outside the tent eventually die away and I am left with my thoughts repeating the traumatic movie over and over again.

I cry alone, hating this world and its Gods and prophecies, knowing what I will have to face the next day if I want to live up to their expectations if I want to be their Shepherd.