Chess murmured, “I’m gonna find food. Find me when you’re done,” to her new daughter, and left the pair to their discussion.
She followed her nose to Adit stirring the well-seasoned pot the troop used for their pottage. To the side, thin strips of meat sizzled atop a flat sheet of black iron that perched on four stones. The smell of the rich meat made Chess’s belly rumble and she gave the young soldier a hopeful look.
He gave her a conspiratorial smile, “You should try this, Miss,” he said, using his knife to spear one of the bits of meat cooking on the cast iron and holding it out for her.
“What is it?” she asked, hesitantly taking the morsel and blowing on it, switching hands when it started to burn her finger-tips while waiting for his response.
“The lions were young and magical. Very good eating when fresh like this. That piece of heart will give you extra energy for a day or two,” he explained.
The slight char on the lean strip of meat flooded Chess’s mouth with moisture and she groaned in pleasure at the taste.
Once it had settled into her belly, she felt a gentle wellspring of energy slowly suffuse her. It felt like she’d enjoyed a particularly good latte after a sound night's rest. She looked at Adit in surprise and he grinned wider before turning back to stir the pot once more. Oh, Freya but I missed that feeling, now I just need to find real coffee, she thought.
Adit took a bowl off a nearby stack of them and ladled it full for her; dropping in a spoon with a casual flourish. “Supper is served, my lady,” he said bowing over his offering as he held it out.
"Thanks," Chess shook her head at him and returned to her nearby bench with her bowl of stew. She pulled out her Thump powder and added some to the stew giving it a taste before adding more and smiling in satisfaction.
She watched the men come for food of their own after they finished their tasks setting camp as she ate. Everyone took their own strips of the lion's heart with reverence eating them slowly before leaving with their own stew.
Ashley appeared and joined her on the bench and busied herself with eating. She shook her head in baffled wonder at her new life and the responsibly she'd taken on for the young girl beside her. Her whose only real responsibly before her near-death was paying her bills and making it to work on time.
Kan joined them and Chess had to take a moment to make the bench wider.
Watching another man eating his small piece of meat Chess frowned. No one is asking for a second strip even though there is plenty of the tiny things.
“Is it dangerous to eat large amounts of the heart or is this because we asked for the other one?” She finally asked Kan.
“You can only handle a small amount of the magic meat when it’s this fresh; at least for people under level 20. Too much unaligned-mana can be dangerous as you’ve learned with casting,” he confirmed with a nod.
Chess gave him a horrified look, “you mean, that meat can lead to over-mana?” She asked feeling slightly betrayed.
Kan shook his head. “How do I explain this,” he tapped his chin. “You draw mana for your abilities in from the world around you but it’s concentrated in your head before it flows out to create your spells or abilities. Same when you learn new abilities it’s all in your head,” he smiled. “That’s why that type of mana saturation leads to headaches and whatnot. With the meat, it spreads to the rest of your body as it dissolves in your belly. Once it’s in your system it helps keep you more alert and energetic, sure, but the real benefit of the meat of magical beasts, especially organs, is it allows you to train harder for longer and recover faster. It’s what most people with the money use when they hit a physical stat threshold they can’t overcome,” he said.
“I didn’t realize it was so useful,” Chess started with the realization of its true value. “I just thought it would fit her aspects and hearts are very symbolic.” I need to get myself a good supply. This stuff is better than coffee.
“Don’t worry, it was a worthy sacrifice and I dare say your patron appreciated it,” He said with a significant look back at the shrine.
Chess nodded contritely.
“What does the core do?” Ashley asked Chess in the silence.
“A good question,” Kan added.
Chess opened the skill and read it to them not seeing the harm in them knowing. It might help Ash know what to expect somewhat.
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“Healing, not what I was expecting from an Amber core. Sap Pyth gives a slow ability and Resin Pyth gives an ability to create adhesives and some other finishes for wood. I thought it would be like those but stronger,” Kan said.
Ashley was practically bouncing in her seat at the idea of a healing ability. They talked a little more on the core, then inconsequential things for a while before a big yawn took Chess and she quieted enjoying the night. Chess watched Ash return her bowl; the girl looked dog tired and Chess gave her a small smile.
“Thanks again for the education and conversation, sergeant. I think it’s time we find our beds,” Chess said standing and herding the girl towards her tent.
“Night, Lady,” he said as they left, gaze intent on the men about their duties.
Chess grew them both hammocks before dumping the bedrolls in and making sure Ash was settled in before climbing into hers. Sleep claimed her with surprising ease despite the infusion of energy from the meat.
------------
For the first time since arriving, Chess found herself wearing pants and a light cotton shirt. Sweat made the front of her blouse heavy and cling to her stomach. Cramps stabbed and her lower back throbbed in time with her steps as she worked to keep up with the men running the inside perimeter of the camp. Caldur had woken everyone before the first rays of sunshine were even a stray possibility and had them start running. His words something to the effect of: “I’ll be damned if they waste the benefits of the meat.” With no evident thought given to the fact they were still in the middle of a forest full of lions, bandits, and Freya knew what else, that could kill them; aside from a few men left on watch. Running. Why does every soldier’s form of training involve running? She cursed.
At first, the men had grumbled but now with predawn light hinting at the day they’d quieted and concentrated on the running; it helped that Caldur had joined them. It seemed to Chess that Caldur had taken Freya’s suggestion to mean he now had permission to treat her like one of his soldiers.
The only one, other than the sentries that were exempt from the abuse was Lynn. She had a collection of paints and brushes laid out and was sitting on a folding stool with an easel meticulously painting a lifelike replica of the shrine on a bright white canvas. Chess looked at her longingly after a couple of hours of running, jogging, and walking, as the men altered their pace.
“Alright, get yourselves some grub and a rest, we break camp in a glass. If we don’t catch our quarries today, we will have spear drill tonight,” Caldur finally said to the renewed groans of the men and they broke headed to their tents and the cookfire. “We will be riding again. There hasn’t been any new sign from the lions and with yesterday I’d be surprised if they didn’t leave us alone; at least for today,” he continued.
“Not you two,” Kan said stopping Chess and Ash. “The others will see to your tent; I need to get a better idea of what you are capable of. Lord Caldur and I came up with a small test and I need you to keep her motivated, Ash. If you’re game?” He added.
“Sure,” she said looking after the departing Serus; the two had run together the entire morning deep in conversation about something.
“Now the goal is to make a basket,” Kan said with an evil smile. “What is the range on your plant ability?” He asked Chess. She opened her ability to check the math and remembered a question she had.
“12 yards but I have a question. How do you increase the rank of a synergistic ability?” she said pacing because she didn’t want to seize up before round two started.
“12 is good,” he said dragging a line in the loam with the heel of his boot before going back and making another perpendicular to the first, then made a circle that intersected the ends of each. “That’s an easy one; The rank is equal to the rank of the lowest rank Pyth that the ability is composed of,” he explained as he worked.
“Now, I want you to start a plant growing at the center of the circle,” Kan said.
30 minutes later.
“Keep singing! I’m not seeing any growth; time your breath between lines,” Kan barked at Chess as she ran around the perimeter of the circle, gasping for breath. Ashley paced her seemingly without effort, occasionally running backward, tail waving happily behind her to give her encouragement.
“You’re no fair,” Chess wheezed, pretending to sing the words, at her new daughter. “How do you, have so much energy?” Ash didn’t appear winded in the least. I thought I had good stats but I’m being floored by an eleven-year-old. I’m starting to see why my friends always bemoaned the energy of their children.
“She’s young and half-feline. By her coloring her Mother was a mixed breed, they tend to have good endurance,” Kan said his eyes focused on the drunken attempt at a basket Chess was weaving in the center of the circle.
Running skill increased by 1.
“Oh, great now the world is trolling me.” She sang trying to weave the basket at Kan’s feet; a headache was building up from her neck. Working at the maximum range of her ability increased the difficulty a lot.
She finally slowed to a walk after she’d finished her abstract basket weaving to Kan’s satisfaction. The thing was better described as a failed bird’s nest. She sighed, looks like I need a lot of practice.
She looked about the camp finally noticing everything had been packed and the men were waiting for them to finish. Serus stood nearby holding Petal’s reins, her bags already tied to the saddle.
“Right, time to leave,” Kan said with a clap before mounting his own horse.
“You’ll have to ride double with Ashley,” Caldur said nodding at where Serus was climbing up behind another man.
“From running to a crotch punishing ride,” Chess muttered under her breath as she and Ash mounted. She let Ash have the reins and slipped Sprig into the spear holder by her knee. She turned back once as they left the bramble camp and looked at the crude basket smack dab in the middle and chuckled. She shot a fleeting glance at the shrine to Freya then back to the basket and a thought struck her. Goddess, I hope no one sees that horrible thing as some sort of religious artifact.