Frode watched from the shadows as the leaders of the human clan met earlier than they usually did. Stalking the shadows wasn’t something Frode usually did, and it wasn’t something he was particularly suited for either. He had the wrong body type - which was large and heavy. Still, the fact that everything was coated in shadow in the early morning made it easy and he couldn’t resist the opportunity to study the humans without being seen.

“He is simply crafting items to help us out,” Frode told Frode.

“No, he is up to something,” Frode argued, “he could be crafting something malicious.”

“Nonsense,” Frode said quietly, “he just learned to craft. There is no way he could create something powerful enough to become a danger. Besides, he chose leatherworking.”

“Yes, but now he is working with the blacksmith. They are probably gearing up to attack us,” Frode said.

“No,” Frode whispered, “He wouldn’t.”

“HE WOULD!” Frode said loudly, just before lowering his voice and continuing, “Why did Alex never come to discuss the Quest Interface that the humans talked about. They have been back for weeks now and should have requested a meeting soon after. They are hiding something!”

“No!” Frode affirmed to himself once again with a violent shake of his head, traces of Tuki Tuka powder being released into the air from his last failed attempt at contacting his father and the other Great Shamans. He breathed the dust in and disappeared into early morning shadow.

Train, he told himself, we must train harder. We must get stronger. Much stronger.

The Chieftain’s advisor stepped into the light and cringed. Training the freed prisoners in the darkness of the hut for so long had run its toll. Arriving at the training ground, he immediately got to work. His long hands twisted as his arms shot forward. They twisted the opposite direction then he swept his arms around him twice.

“Good,” he told himself as his spell completed. The only reason he felt comfortable practicing his new spells out in the open was that they were mostly invisible, but he could feel the dome’s presence all around him. “But we need to do better…”

Frode set his jaw and prepared his old bones for a grueling day of training.