Half an hour later Dawn was starting to feel drowsy again. She had eaten a simple but filling meal of venison stew and a mash of tubers and was enjoying the feeling of being clean and fed for a change.

Fighting against her lethargy, she stood up from her bench and started in the direction of the healer’s hut once more. Time to get Verene’s father on his legs now. Ankou, who lay sprawled out beneath the table, opened one eye lazily when she stood up, but obviously decided that she could do without him.

She knocked perfunctorily on the door and entered the anteroom directly after. It was empty. Dawn strode through to the backroom. As expected, her patient was lying on his bed with Verene sitting next to him, holding his hand and talking to him softly.

He was awake now and perked up when he saw her, his ears pricking. Aside from the splint on his leg he seemed healthy now.

“So, my healer has returned.” He greeted her, trying to sit up, while Verene smiled at her shyly.

Dawn smiled at them both. “Well, I promised Verene I would heal you the rest of the way, so I had to come back.”

She approached the big Kharlin and cast Nurture on his leg. This time when the spell fell on him, Dawn suddenly saw the shattered bones of his leg in her mind and was able to feel the changes her healing spell made. This was a first. A notification flashed in her mind.

You have leveled up Nurture +1

You gained the skill Control

Excited, she cast the spell once again and this time, she tried to direct it it into the break, aligning the bone splinters in the leg. In her mind’s view she saw and felt that her spell was more efficient, directed and controlled this way.

“Almost there.” She muttered absently and cast Nurture one last time. With the bone fragments aligned correctly now, she saw that the break healed up the rest of the way.

Taking a deep breath, a huge smile appeared on her face. Her patient was looking relieved, the last remnants of tension gone from his face.

“That feels much better,” he said with a sigh. “It is good to meet you again. I was well on my way to meet the Vixen. And I guess I would have met her, if not for you. I’m in your debt.”

Dawn took a good look at him, astonished. Now that he wasn’t feverish anymore, she realized she had indeed seen him before.

“Halvar, yes? Truth to tell, I didn’t even realize it was you. Though I wondered why Ristop was suddenly the leader of the village council. But do not speak of debt. I am a healer, of course I will help if I can. Maybe it was even the Vixen who led me to you.”

Halvar gave a crooked smile. “Ristop, eh? I wonder how he managed that.”

“No idea.” Dawn replied. “Though truth to tell, it amazed me how such a pompous and foolish man came to be in this position.” She huffed and shook her head uncomprehendingly, then shrugged. “You can take off the splint now. Your leg should be healed all the way, you can stand and walk on it. Just be a bit careful for a week or two, no major exertion please. It is possible that the bone is still a bit weakened. Where has Samya gone? I thought I would meet her here.”

Verene looked up at her and said hesitantly. “She was very tired and has gone home to catch up on her sleep, now that my father is feeling better.”

Halvar carefully removed the splint from his leg, laid it aside and stood up slowly, tenderly freeing his hand from Verene’s grip and putting his arm around her shoulder instead.

“You can’t imagine what a relief it is, to be able to move freely again. “ He said, sighing contentedly. “Let’s go outside, I could do with a bite or two. And I need some information, after I was out for a few days. No idea what Ristop got up to in the meantime. He’s not exactly the one whom I would have chosen for a replacement.”

Dawn perked up. “Does that mean you’re the council leader again, now that you’re healthy once more?”

Maybe with Halvar in charge they could make some headway in their fight against the demons. At the very least they should be able to talk reasonably. He appeared to her as a very steadfast and sensible person. She hadn’t forgotten, that he was the only one who was willing to talk to her, when she had visited the Kharlins the first time. Though of course he hadn’t been willing to stand against the majority of his tribe when sentiment had run against her.

Halvar tilted his head and flicked one ear. “I should say so. Let me talk to a few people.”

“You might start with Nuala and there are some rangers here, too. Friends of mine. Maybe you could talk to them, too.”

“Rangers? Here? I bet that has Ristop foaming. He does not care for humans.”

“That, I already found out for myself.” Dawn stated grimly. “The feeling is mutual, I can’t stand that overblown windbag.”

“I am not surprised. Give me some time, to clarify my position and to get myself into the loop again.” He walked out of the back room slowly and carefully, testing his leg. Verene still clung to him, keeping pace silently.

Dawn followed them through the anteroom and back into the village cavern. When Halvar came out of the hut, several Kharlins who sat in the meeting area near the fireplace started to murmur. Then one cried out. “It is Halvar.”

Suddenly several Kharlins sprang up and streamed in his direction, and a moment later he found himself in the middle of a furry cluster.

Dawn evaded the throng and returned to her solitary bench in the common area. Grinna and Teren were gone, but she was glad to be on her own for a few minutes. She wanted to study her status sheet, after she had gained the skill Control while healing Halvar. She hadn’t looked at it for a while. After all the events during the last few days, she hadn’t had the time.

Status screen Name Dawn Trakam Path Nature's shadow Level 11 Exp 2565/2800 HP 120/120 HP Regen 1.2 HP/Min MP 180/180 MP Regen 13 MP/Min SP 120/120 SP Regen 12 SP/Min Stats Strength 11 Willpower 11 Vitality 12 Perception 20 Endurance 12 Intelligence 18 Agility 20 Wisdom 13 Dexterity 10 Charisma 7 Class Skills Nurture Level 8 Alchemy Level 2 Shadow Play Level 9 Dark Sight Level 9 Call The Lightning Level 2 General skills Cleaning Level 2 Analyze Level 2 Sewing Level 3 Hunting Level 1 Climbing Level 3 Trapping Level 1 Knife fighting Level 2 Cooking Level 4 Sword fighting Level 5 Swimming Level 3 Bow fighting Level 3 Runic magic Level 2 Mental resistance Level 3 Fishing Level 1 Poison resistance Level 5 Stone shaping Level 2 Control Level 1 Fire resistance Level 3

When she looked at her skills, she saw that her poison resistance had gone up a few levels. Apparently venomous spider bites were good training for that skill. Not that she intended to repeat the experience, she thought with a small shudder.

Her skills in Nurture, Shadow Play and Dark Sight had gone up too. She remembered some notifications she hadn’t paid any attention to, when she had been on the run from Aaron and his men and later in the ruined city. While she was pleased with the development of her healing and stealth skills, she noticed that her Alchemy skill was falling behind by quite a bit. She needed to make time for her studies, she thought glumly. And for weapons practice, too. If only the gods-forsaken demons and their queen would leave her in peace, then she might even have a chance to manage it.

Verene came to her table and quietly put down a mug of tea in front of her. Dawn nodded to her gratefully. The girl smiled and went away again. For a few minutes she sat and thought, luxuriating in the warmth of the fire next to her and enjoying some peace and quiet for a change. The huddle around Halvar had dispersed now and he was sitting on a nearby bench, talking quietly with two Kharlins. Ristop was nowhere in sight.

“Copper for your thoughts.”

Dawn started. Nuala stood next to her and slowly sat down on the bench, too. She hadn’t noticed her appearance, lost in thoughts as she had been.

“Oh, I was just looking at my skills and thinking that I have to find the time for my studies in Alchemy and fighting practice somehow.” Dawn replied. “With all the excitement during the last days, I had no chance of practicing anything.”

“I’d say you practiced your fighting in a real battle and your healing skills have gotten a good workout too, during the last days.” Nuala said dryly. “You’re too impatient. Study and practice are commendable of course, but it takes time to raise multiple skills. It’s been how long since you got your Blessing? A few months?”

Taken aback, Dawn tried to remember when she had gotten her Blessing. “What day is today?” she asked Nuala. “I lost track of the days.”

“It is the last day of Altam,” Nuala said calmly.

“Then it must have been about seven weeks since I received my Path.” Dawn rubbed her nose. “It seems to me as if it was a long time ago.”

Nuala smiled warmly. “A lot has happened in these weeks. But you have grown your skills and levels rapidly, don’t deceive yourself. It is only the nature and number of your enemies that makes your progress appear insufficient.”

Reminded once more of the demons, Dawn suddenly remembered her last dream of the queen and Aaron.

“Before I woke up today, I had a dream of the queen.” She told Nuala. She recounted the conversation between Aaron and the queen and what the queen had said about Rakor.

“I think it was a true dream. Somehow, Aaron has charmed the demon queen. Though I didn’t see the outcome. Saida was at least thinking of killing him, but it is entirely possible that he came to some kind of an agreement with her in the end. If so, that can’t be good. He is a noble and knows a lot about Atelang and how the city is defended.” She ended her story.

“Hmm,” Nuala said. “So she wants to resurrect her husband. That is her goal. She is nothing if not ambitious.”

“But surely that is impossible. No one can bring back the dead.” Dawn protested, shaking her head wildly.

“I don’t know what is possible with the help of blood magic.” Nuala said with a deep sigh. “Fortunately I never needed to study the topic in depth. Though I doubt that it is possible to resurrect him as he was before. But some semblance of life, who knows? The price for that would be huge in any case, of that I am sure.” She shrugged.

“Do you really believe Aaron would be willing to help her in a fight against his own friends and family?” Nuala seemed dubious.

“I’m pretty sure he would do anything to survive. Just look at what he was willing to do for a few books.” Dawn wrinkled her nose distastefully.