There was a ton of work to be done. Canson had spent the last two days patrolling himself. His life of retirement was punted aside by fate. The sun shone down from past it’s apex in the sky. Another too hot day, especially for walking around in armor all day, trying to keep focus on his surroundings enough to not get waylaid by a random monster looking for a free lunch. At least, other than two days of sweat and aches and pains from not having worn his armor this long in years, the village was still safe. And he was still alive to be able to complain. He had to admit to himself he had come close to staining the padding in his armor when the Orcs made their rabid charge. He had been a part of heavy action before… but human on human was nothing compared to looking down the field at a hundred and fifty or so kilo monster charging you with intent to die trying to eat you. Never mind dozens of them, with nothing for support but four adventurers a few villages who could hunt and a never been out on her own Northerner.

He wiped the sweat off his brow for the umpteenth time. He was too old for this when he came here. Maybe he should have taken one of his old mates advice and just chosen to retire to a big city. He just didn’t like the noise, smell… gods the smells could be bad , and politics that went with a city. Country living was honest living at least. With very clean air for the most part. He cringed as he came down-wind of the village. At least the wind was blowing toward more civilized lands today and yesterday. But with storm clouds on the horizon, he knew there would likely be a shift in the wind. He just hoped the rain would be strong enough to bury the smell.

He hoped this would pass fast, the stress was becoming too much. He was not good with stress after he left the war. Stress gave him a short temper and headaches. Astride his heritage, that he tried his best to hide, his anger was already hard to control when things got moving.

With a deep sigh and another look at the currently cloudless sky above, he thanked the gods he was able to get stressed. Which seemed to lessen his burden just a bit.

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“Nick’s out helping with the burial pit. Why do you ask?” Mic looked to Kip. The two had returned from an early morning patrol and were eating their mid-day repast.

“Don’t you think he has become a bit,” Kip scratched his chin in thought. “Too… Unshod? I am starting to really worry about what happens when that girl wakes up. He has been putting a lot of hope into this without knowing anything about her. What if she is just lucky and clueless?”

Mic stopped eating while listening to Kip. Kip had always been a decent leader for the group. Though he never really saw himself in that role. But when someone had to make the hard choice, he always made a decent one, for the betterment of the group. Even at his own loss at times. So, Mic knew he was not just coming at this just for the girl’s sake. He did care about Nick, even when they bumped heads.

“Honestly, I am not sure. Twins as a rule have a sort of deep-seated connection. Nick and I, even with our differences, have been able to know one another to a good degree. But this? I cannot tell. His feelings I understand. His emotional state is as much a surprise to me as you. He was always a strong on. Soldiered on when others would have folded. Now that there might be a slim chance…” Mic shrugged unknowing.

“Yeah, I feel for the guy. But we can’t let him just have his way completely. Mel has been working on him, dropping hints about what ifs. Even I have once or twice the past two days. I am not sure he is hearing us.”

“I have also talked to him about putting it all on the line here. I hope he will surprise us if there are no answers. But… I pray to the Gods there is one. I have felt his pain, it is truly a curse.” Mic finished darkly before taking up his fork again.

The two went back to their meals, each hoping for the best, but planning for the worst in their own ways. They had all been through a few rough patches and have always been able to come out the other side whole. Hopefully this was just another rough spot, and not a heart crushing event.

===================================

Thankfully, very little of the destruction had reached the crops. Only a small portion would go to waste. Villagers chatted and sweated in the hot sun as they tilled what they couldn’t remove deeper into the earth. To get rid of the stench. Heat did nothing for the smell of decay. Or it really did, but in a worse way. They were almost about done with this labor. In the initial stages of clean-up almost every cleaner had expelled their day’s starting meal. While the smell had not been too horrible that first night, by just before mid-day the smell had become unbearable. Only a few of the harrier ones were able to continue with the clean-up. Some even passing out at the sight of things. The children were not allowed to approach at all, though some did sneak a peek here and there, to their own misfortune.

Now reaching the end of the second day, things were pretty much back to normal. The worst spot had been where the fireball had scorched the earth, hardening it. That had made for tough tilling. The mage who had cast the ball of fire was using magic to churn that area. At first the village hoped he could do most of the work, alas he was a fire-based mage, with very limited access to other spells. His ability to move earth was limited to a foot or two at a time. While he was slow, he did work long at it.

While he worked, he went from being a brooding grump, to by the end of the second day, he was almost pleasant. Even smiling at a few villages when the passed him water.

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Mel approached Nick, there was a cool breeze coming in now. Clouds had been gathering slowly all day. A good rain would likely finish this work so they could be done with it. It had been two days of what she could imagine wading through hell would have been like. Except without the demons.

“Nick.”

“Hmm?” Nick turned to Mel; he had a weird look to him. Too… calm. That put her back a bit.

“Nick, I wanted to talk about the girl again.”

“I don’t think there will be a need, Mel. It’s weird you know. Just being out here the last two days, working this earth magic. Something has shifted. It’s not a great shift, but I feel, well I feel less. The pain is easing itself.”

Mel looked at him then motioned him to go on. “Tell me.”

“When I was young, they tested my aura, as they do to all children with promise. I was gifted and with a fire aura. I never gave it much thought ya know. I just went with it. What my teachers taught, they said I would be a great fire mage someday. They filled my head with grandeur. Then the pain started. I had to back off from my studies, I lost some of my ability to the warping burn of my aura.” He looked far away while talking, letting it just roll out.

“I was left to my own devises. My teachers abandoned me, unwilling and unable to help my cause. It was easier to just forget about a broken child.” He took on a dark look.

“For years I just kept… well just kept doing things the same as I was taught. And suffered.” He stopped, then looked at the work he’d done and swept his hands over the area.

“But this. This has done something. I can only guess really. Maybe… maybe just focusing on fire what the wrong thing to do. When I looked at that girl’s aura, it was not colored by an aspect. It was like she was all attuned or had none. But none would not help me ya know?” He almost looked pleading. “Then I thought, maybe the old fools were wrong. Maybe they didn’t know anything at all. Maybe I needed a balance. Then I hit upon this. The village couldn’t do this spot very well. I had baked it hard. So, I have been tilling it, and while tilling it, I have been putting a bit of moisture back. Healing the land, you might say. Now I know it’s not the healing of the land that’s helpin me. It’s that I am walking away from just a fire attunement. For whatever reason, I am not able to just be single magic attuned. I wonder if this would help other’s who didn’t stubble onto this answer…” He petered off looking afar again.

“Anyway, just the act of working, and not just a spell or two here and there, but actually working a foundation by use to two other attunements had eased some of my pain.” He looked at Mel and smiled more smile than she had ever seen. “I think, I think I will be fine on my own, with just some good old fashioned fundamental work on other attunements.”

“Huh” Mel was at a complete loss of words. She had come here for a fight. Expecting to be waved off again. But this. “I, I’m glad for you!” Mel finally said in honesty and hugged the man to his surprise.

“Now, uh, I’m not sayin I’m fixed or nothin.” He sputtered and tried to wiggle loose. “But it looks to be a start.” He was far too embarrassed all of a sudden.

“Really Nick, I am just so happy for you! We all know how hard this has been. And I mean Hard on us all .” She snickered letting him go.

“Pfwah. I’ve had it the worst you know!” He grumped at her sarcasm.

“Says you!” she stuck an elbow into his ribs gently. “Alright then, get back to work oh great mage, then come get a good meal when you feel done.”

Mel Smiled hope at Nick and then left him to continue his work and his thoughts. A burden falling from her shoulders. ‘The others will be glad to hear about this. It’s a true good ending from what was to be a disastrous end.’

Mel almost skipped back to the inn.