It was three days before she saw the Shaman again, in that time hundreds of spirits had come and gone, easily passing in and out of the building she did not feel safe to even approach. Thankfully it wasn’t just her that was affected by the ward or perhaps it was the Shaman’s presence, because Aignew had stopped his terror campaign since that day and her rest had improved dramatically.

Her witches garden was coming along nicely and far quicker than she’d thought it would, certain techniques that had never really made sense back in the conditions of the swamp made perfect sense under the conditions here. She guessed Aignew had learned from someone who had developed their skills in this Realm.

She was working burnt and powdered bone into the soil of the last bed and tasting it to check it’s acidity and saltiness between every small scoop because the plant that she wanted to grow in it was very very fussy and she needed it to flourish. It the base of every salve she could brew.

Concentrating hard on her work she jumped a little when she heard a cracked, dry and whispering voice behind her, “Do you have water? The spirits were demanding and it almost drove me beyond my limits.”

Pointing at the cottage she said, “Kitchen has a water charm, feel free.”

She went back to her gardening as he nodded and with plodding tired steps walked into the cottage. When he returned his step was lighter, his colour no longer a faded green and his braided beard dripped with water while small droplets sparkled on his bald scalp.

Leaning on the fence he silently watched her work with a thoughtful expression on his face, ignoring him she kept working. She knew Shaman, he’d speak once he’d thought his way through whatever was on his mind.

He straightened and sighed, “Many thanks, I was not expecting to be tranced for so long or I would have made arrangements for my bodies care. At least I have some answers, many I suspect will not be what you want to hear. I also have some knowledge of how to continue our conspiracy, and I have some concerns. But mostly what I have is hope, for perhaps the first time since my tribe was slaughtered for daring to resist Fae Chanar rule.”

She smiled and said, “That’s good, hope makes the future you desire more likely to come to pass because without hope some tasks can seem too daunting to attempt. As it seems we are to be allies, might I have your name?”

Inclining his head and bowing slightly from the waist he said, “Forgive me, I am Krarrnic and I often forget the need of names as my tribe was very small. Yes we must be allies for the spirits have convinced me we must. I would be far more inclined to destroy you out of hand, what you are is an aberration.”

Shocked she said, “Destroy me? What?” as the hound shot to it’s feet and started stalking toward him.

Backpedalling and holding up his hands he shouted “Do not fear, I follow the wishes of the spirits in all things! Not only must I not destroy you, I must protect you from any other who would try! Call off the hound I beg of you.”

Raelea said, “Back! But remain watchful.”

As the hound sat focusing the pits of darkness that were it’s eyes on him he said, “The spirits do not know what effect freeing the dark stuff inside you would have on the spiritworld given your presence alone is enough to reduce their ability to touch it themselves. Aignew himself has less effect than you for some reason I could not discover but I have only seen him once since I came here. He appears fearful of me.”

Drily she said, “Really? I wonder why? You’re not a very threatening person at all. I mean apart from telling me to my face you would have attempted to destroy me except you were told not to by the spirits. Yeah absolutely non-threatening.”

“I… suppose so. But I did truly not mean to threaten you, in fact my meaning was the opposite I was trying to reassure you that you would be safe…” He tugged on his beard, “I’m not particularly good at this am I?”

Raising a brow she said, “What gave it away?”

“Hmm. Apologies, it has been many winters since I was really forced to deal with people my wife led the tribe in truth while I spent most of my time with the spirits.”

“Might want to work on that.”

“Indeed.” He took a breath and blew it out, “The spirits told me I must protect you because you will be critical in the destruction of Aignew who to the spirits is far worse than the Fae Chanar ever could be. Compared to his destruction the rebellion is secondary, an admirable aim but nothing like as critical. I found some spirits who knew something of his history. It is a dark story and quite unpleasant. He was created by Necromancy of the darkest sort to serve a Fae Chanar Witch who he later killed, as he has done with every witch to bond with him over the three thousand winters he has preyed on the tribes of your Realm.”

Shocked she blurted, “He killed them? All of them?”

Nodding Krarrnic said, “Yes. Unless the spirits lied and I’m not saying they wouldn’t but I can see no reason for them to do so here. I did find a way to release your magic, it was sealed by the spirit essence within you, that cannot be removed because you are now as dependant on your connection to the spirit realm as any other spirit. I don’t know what effect severing that connection would have on you but I have no doubt you would become something horrific and terrifying.”

“But there is a way?”

“Yes, you must be bonded with another spirit and replace Aignew’s tainted spirit stuff with another spirit’s essence, I know of a spirit of light, hope, and good that may be willing. But he is ancient and only infrequently manifests in the realm, he is tired from countless ages fighting evil spirits. I have a spirit watching for his return, when he does all we can do is ask him.”

She sighed, “So I must be patient, which is not a great skill of mine. Neither my training or my nature are particularly suited to it. Still a hope and some sort of a plan is better than not having either. You said you also had some concerns and some ideas about the Rebellion?”

“The spirits have searched this land hunting for the uneasy, the rebellious, the angry, the apathetic, the loyal, the seeds we need and the weeds we need to pull. That is the information I have gathered. My concern is different with the Fae being the most numerous and most well entrenched I fear we Oruc Fae and the Dwaris Fae would merely swap one master for another. Both my race and the Dwaris Fae must be guaranteed the same eventual freedom.”

Nodding she said, “Understandable. That goal will be part of our base planning then.”

“That is enough to ally my concern for now. We must speak with the Fae man and plan the ways of this rebellion. Caution and careful planning are key or we will be defeated even before we begin. The power of a called hunt is not something we can afford to ignore, none of us have the strength to withstand it. The spirits tell me you alone will be able to defeat a partial hunt if you were not denied your magic and had time to prepare though you may need aid from your small companion. A full Hunt would be beyond you or any of us until much later and by then... things will be complicated, I have no details but the spirits informed me this would be so.”

Raelea said, “I’m happy enough to stay out of trouble for as long as possible, I spent turnings hunted by a Fae Chanar and I’d like to avoid putting myself back in that position for as long as possible. Corvus is the Fae man and we have no way to contact him but I would expect him sometime in the next day or so and you should probably meet Pif as well.”

Krarrnic nodded and said, “I’ve already met him sort of, my spirits were terrified by the hound and would not go anywhere near it. I managed to get his attention and introduced myself then I asked him to tell the hound my spirits were ‘friends’, he agreed. He dislikes Aignew possibly even more than you do, doesn’t he?”

Angrily Raelea said, “He does, Aignew threatened him regularly since the day we met. Pif’s cheerful friendliness constantly rubbed at him and I had to treat a good friend in the same manner as a dog to save him from Aignew’s jealousy. He is worth far more than that. Not that he cared particularly, he is so friendly he overlooked it or to be brutally honest, maybe didn’t even notice.”

Krarrnic smiled and nodded, “The spirit who was translating for me said that the goblin’s mind was incredibly disordered but that he truly wanted to believe the best of all. I am more than happy to treat the small green one as a friend, he is an honest being and to be respected for that.”

“He is. For all his small faults he is a good person and I am glad to call him friend.”

Krarrnic looked at her thoughtfully, “That is good to hear, I had thought the shadow stuff in you may have warped your views. That you can still see the good in others gives me hope you have not been put beyond redemption. For now I’ll take my leave and let you return to your task, would fresh meat be welcomed or nay?”

She nodded, “It would certainly be welcomed. If you provide the meat, I will cook us a meal. I would like to know you better and a discussion over food is always a good way to do so.”

Krarrnic nodded and walked away as Raelea went back to her gardening again.