Not needing a second invitation, Niall was already chewing on a mouthful of herby sausage and creamy scrambled egg as Huff spoke, so he was only able to raise a questioning eyebrow.

Tierra nodded. “Much as I hate to agree with Mr Chuckles over there, he’s right. The entire village thought we were going to die. The best they hoped for is that we might take one of the dire wolves with us and scare off the others.” She paused. “To be honest, that’s mostly what I was thinking well. You and the Corporal did good.”

Niall swallowed down his mouthful and put down his fork. The food had turned to ashes in his mouth. “Tell that to Rafaela, Fangast and Mak.” His face darkened as he remembered their bloody and broken corpses. “They were only here because of me, and now they’re dead. It’s my fault.”

Huff put a hand on his arm. “Hey. You can’t dwell on that. Those dire wolves had already killed people and they were only getting bolder. If we hadn’t come here, they would have decimated the population in months. Turns out one of them was female as well. In a few years, there would have been a whole new pack and then there would be no village. We did the right thing.”

“That’s rubbish. I wasn’t good enough. None of us were good enough. They died because I got it wrong. This place…” Niall trailed off as he realised he had raised his voice and villagers on the surrounding tables was staring at him.

Niall dropped his head and carried on eating. He forced the food down. The healing had taken a lot of out his body and he had to eat whether he felt hungry or not.

Sensing his mood, the others stayed silent and drank their coffee. Huff looked at Niall as he mopped up the last of his breakfast with a heel of crusty bread. “Better?”

Niall nodded. Despite everything, the food had helped to reduce the sense of despondency he had been feeling.

“In which case, let’s go see the Corporal.”

Huff led them across the square to the temple. Rather than going in at the main entrance he went to a smaller door on one side and knocked on it. It opened after a few minutes and the priest opened the door. His eyes immediately went to Niall. “What are you doing up? You should still be in bed.”

“I tried to tell him, but he wouldn’t listen.” Huff did not even blush as he lied.

“Hmm,” the priest said. “Well, I imagine you’re here to see your friend. Yes you are, yes you are. I can check you over while you’re here I suppose. Come in, come in.” He stepped back and gestured them through.

The priest led them down a cool, dark corridor and through a rough wooden door. It led to a bright whitewashed room with four single beds. Only the bed by the window was occupied. Pale, and with hollow cheeks, Tate lay there propped up on a couple of pillows.

Her eyes were shut as they entered the room door, but she opened them at the sound of their feet on the clean tiled floor. A small smile flashed across her face as she saw them. Her eyes flicked to Niall. “Good to see you back on your feet Patrol Leader. You look terrible.”

“Thank you, Corporal Tate.”

“You’re welcome. But I should be thanking you. Without you, I wouldn’t be here.”

“It wasn’t just me, Corporal.”

“Actually, it was,” the priest said, pausing from bustling around Niall.

Niall looked at him in confusion.

“What?” The priest shrugged. “It was clear to me as soon as I saw you. You had thrown your own Spirit into your colleague with reckless abandon. You almost killed yourself. I am not exaggerating, no I am not. The others at least had some sense of self preservation.”

“I was just doing what I thought was right.”

“Well, you were lucky this time,” said the priest. “Don’t do it again. If you’re going to be a Healer then you have got to learn to pace yourself.”

“Oh, I’m not really a Healer.”

“Of course you are. We had this conversation before. In fact, I would be very surprised if you hadn’t gained at least one more level of Healer after everything we did. If you wanted to Heal as a profession, you could easily do so.”

The priest gave him a sharp look and gestured at him. “Like this. You should be unable to move and your Spirit should be near empty, but look at you. You’re on your feet and I can tell that you’ve already replenished your Spirit. I’m still recovering mine from creating the Healing Cradle. I’m much more experienced than you. Indeed I am. Yet, you created the Cradle after Healing all day. Ridiculous.”

“Pobble and Niall can talk about it later, Niall needs to look at his testimony when he is alone,” Pobble said. “But, in short, the baldy, priesty man is right.”

Niall brought himself back to the conversation in the room. “Well, that’s good. How long before the Corporal can get up.”

“Three weeks at the very...”

Tate cut the Priest off. “Tomorrow morning. We need to get back.”

“Tomorrow? That’s just ridicu...”

It was Niall’s turn to cut the priest off. “I’ll make the arrangements.”

“Thank you, Patrol Leader.” Tate kept the smile off her face but not out of her voice.

“With your leave, Corporal.” Niall nodded at Tate and, with the Priest spluttering in their wake, led the others out of the temple.

Once back outside, Niall sent Huff to organise coffins for their fallen Patrol members and Tierra to organise provisions for the trip back. With Jenna and the charcoal makers having already departed for their camp, he set about finding a cart to be able to transport Tate and the bodies. In the end, that was a simple conversation with Elder Everest, who assured him he would find both a cart and a farmhand to drive it and bring it back.

At a loose end until the others returned, Niall sat under the shade of the tree in the middle of the village square to wait.

“Niall is aware that he almost died, is he not?” Pobble’s voice sounded curious more than anything else.

“So I’m told.”

“Niall does not seem very upset by that.”

“Three of my friends died. What do I have to complain about?”

“Niall was upset the other times he nearly died.”

“Maybe I’m just getting used to it.”

“True. Anyway, now would be a good time for Niall to have a look at what all of that bought him.”

“Bought me? That’s a pretty mercenary way to look at it.

“Why? Niall has seen it many times now. If Niall wishes to progress, he needs to put himself into dangerous situations. Why does Niall think Pobble did not tried to talk him out of going on a suicide mission?”

“What?”

“Niall really does not pay attention, does he? If Niall wants to get home, Niall needs to be stronger than he is now. Niall is not one of the L’Fae. Cursed with being a member of an inferior, short-lived species, he does not have time to waste while getting more powerful.”

“Inferior species?”

“Would Niall prefer prey? Pet, maybe?”

Somewhat ashamed at his own curiosity, Niall swiped over to look at his Testimony.

He looked at it in some confusion. “Pobble, that’s really very different. Is there any way you could show me what’s changed?”

“Pobble would be delighted to aid Niall’s limited understanding”.

Niall’s testimony shuffled and transformed even as Niall spoke.

CLASSES

Acolyte Healer 9, 10: +6 Will, +2 Perception

Class evolution: Acolyte Healer to Healer

Healer 1, 2: +10 Will, +4 Perception, +2 Agility. You have the ability to heal most common wounds and ailments both for yourself and others.

- *New Skill* Battle Trauma 1: Your particular skills mean you are more proficient than other Healers are at healing wounds after a battle.

- *New Skill* Healing Cradle 1: Working with other Healers, you can heal some near fatal injuries.

- *New Skill* Major Healing 2: You have the ability to treat significant injuries including broken bones, infections and large wounds.

- Minor Healing 10

Hunter 5, 6: +4 Strength, +4 Endurance, + 4 Agility, +4 Perception

- Tracking 7, 8

- Navigation 8

- Soft Step 5

Militia 2, 3: +4 Strength, +4 Endurance, +2 Agility

- Short sword 9, 10

- Spear 9, 10

- Shield 7, 8

- Light armour 7, 8

UNALLOCATED SKILLS

- Flow 9, 10, 11, 12

- *New Skill* Leadership 1, 2: When you talk, people listen and follow. I honestly have no idea why they do that, but they do.

- Meditation 6

Niall read through the list twice. “Pobble, is it just me or is that a ridiculous amount of improvement in just a couple of days?”

“Niall has been doing some ridiculous things. It is not normal behaviour to risk death multiple times. Normal people never put their lives in danger. Just look at the rest of the Militia. Given the risks Niall has been taking, this level of improvement is not unusual.”

“Well, it feels like it. It takes me weeks or months to get new skills or classes. I’ve never had this level of improvement.”

“Yes, but that is because Niall is weak and lazy. Niall never puts himself under stress.”

“Hey, that’s not fair. The last few months have been plenty stressful.”

“Not like this. Because Niall as put himself into a life-or-death situations he has pulled in and processed Spirit much faster than he would otherwise. This is the result.”

“So, you’re telling me that all I need to increase my chances of surviving is to repeatedly put my life, and the lives of my friends at risk? That makes perfect sense.”

“Yes, it does make perfect sense. Well done. Pobble was worried Niall was not teachable. It is exciting to discover Niall can learn.”

Niall pulled up his whole summary Testimony again and looked at it as a whole. It made more sense now he understood where the changes had come from.

TESTIMONY: Niall Vendra

ATTRIBUTES

Strength: 52

Endurance: 63

Agility: 43

Will: 47

Perception: 44

CLASSES:

Junior Smallholder 6

Apprentice Blacksmith 6

Healer 2

- Battle Trauma 1

- Healing Cradle 1

- Major Healing 2

- Minor Healing 10

Hunter 6

- Woodsman 10

- Tracking 8

- Longbow 5

- Butcher 4

- Trapper 4

- Navigation 8

- Soft Step 5

Brawler 2

Militia 3

- Short sword 10

- Spear 10

- Shield 8

- Light armour 8

- Patrolling 6

- Field Camp 7

UNALLOCATED SKILLS:

- Flow 12

- Leadership 2

- Meditation 6

- Steelmind 12

- Telepathy 1

Niall felt a thrill of excitement as he looked through it. He was far from the weakling who had arrived here. If he had to, he felt he could hold his own against most people in Gwilliant now.

“Niall can do more than hold his own. It is unusual to have any Attributes over fifty, particularly at Niall’s age. Niall has two.”

Niall only stopped going through the changes in his Testimony when Tierra returned. She was shortly followed by Huff. The rest of the day was taken up with the final arrangements for them to be able to leave. As dawn broke the next morning Huff and Niall were carrying their personal items out from the inn. True to his word, Elder Everest had provided them with a cart and a burly farmworker to drive it.

Niall looked up as he checked on the ropes that strapped the coffins to the cart. From the side door of the temple, Tate walked out, supported by Tierra. The priest hovered around them. He was clearly unhappy, but equally clearly had decided to hold his tongue. While Tate must have been in discomfort, she did not complain as she came over. Huff jumped on the back of the cart next to a nest that had been created from the multicoloured woollen blankets provided by the villagers. Huff and Tierra helped her up and eased her onto the nest.

It took a few moments for them to be settled and then they were ready to leave. Elder Everest hitched up his trousers as came over to Niall from where he had been leaning against the doorway of his inn.

“You have our thanks, young man. I will be the first to admit when I’m wrong, and I was wrong about you all. I am sorry for your comrades that didn’t make it. Low Vale owes you, and them, our thanks. We will remember their sacrifice.”

Niall nodded at him. “If this was my village, I would have wanted someone to come and help. I’m just glad we managed to do it.”

“Well, we won’t forget it.”

With a few more farewells, they were soon on the road.

The journey back was uneventful. The modest pace that was set by the cart, combined with the stack of good food the villagers had packed for the journey, helped to restore Niall in body, mind and soul.

A near continuous state of Healing Flow combing with his high endurance meant his strength and muscle tone returned unnaturally fast. As for his state of mind, it took some long talks with Tate, but he was able to see a future where he did not hate himself because Mak, Rafeala, and Fangast had died.

To the disgust of Huff, and a quiet nod of approval from Tate, Niall insisted the three of them continue to train with their weapons and set watches through the night. The training helped him to appreciate the gains in his Skills and Attributes. He could also see that Huff and Tierra had also improved in the few days they had been away. Their training sessions took on an intensity Niall had not experienced so far.

It was, therefore, after a peaceful four days on the road that they pulled into Camp Sedrum. Before they did anything else, they accompanied the cart to the mortuary and handed over the coffins.

“What will happen to their bodies?” Niall asked Tate.

“They’ll be sent back to their families with a nice letter from the Lieutenant. That will be the end of it.”

“They get a letter. That’s it?”

“I’m not going to try to justify it. But, yes, that’s what’s going to happen. Now, the three of you get back to the Barracks. I need to report to the Lieutenant and the Major. They’ll undoubtedly want to talk to you soon as well.

As they headed over to the barracks, even after just a few days away, the barracks and training area felt different to Niall. Smaller somehow. The scope of his world had expanded once more. He was not sure he liked it.

The rest of the Militia were returning from a training session as they approached. There was a squeal, and Lupa came running out of the crowd with Vimoni close behind. They jumped on Tierra and bore her to the ground, hugging her tightly as they did so.

Niall looked at them with a smile on his face and then looked up as he and Huff were surrounded by the rest of the recruits. Shannon and Penton pushed through to get to the front with huge grins on their faces. The two halflings engulfed Niall and Huff in back pounding hugs.

A voice cut through the excited babble. “Correct me if I’m wrong, Patrol Leader Vendra, but I believe six of you set out. You seem to have mislaid half of your patrol.”

Niall turned to see Killip’s disdainful face. “I didn’t mislay anything.”

Killip looked around in mock confusion. “Well, where are they then? Are they hiding?”

“They’re dead,” Niall could barely control his fury. “They were ripped into pieces right in front of me. I tried to save them but I couldn’t. Is that what you wanted me to say? I failed them.”

Niall looked around. “We’re going to war in a month’s time. Some of us won’t be coming back. But you know what Killip? At least I’m doing what I can to make sure the people around me survive. What are you doing beside sniping from the side lines? You make me sick.”

Niall spat at Killip’s feet and stalked off to the barracks.

“But you’re alive to feel sick, and the people you forced to go with you are dead. That’s the difference, isn’t it?” Killip’s words drifted after him.

Niall paused, then carried on walking. In the barracks, his bed was there, made up, just as he had left it. He sat down and looked at the floor. With long, deep breaths he tried to control his rage. It was only when the bugle went to call them to dinner that he got to his feet.

***

The following month seemed somewhat anti-climatic. Excluding a medical check and a thorough debrief by Lieutenant Bligh and the Major, the mission was not referred to again. Niall and the remainder of his Patrol simply returned to the routine of training.

Thanks to Tate’s diligence and the experience from their time away, Niall had not fallen behind. In fact, his patrolling and fighting skills were ahead of many of the others since he had used them so actively while he was away. The intensity of training increased with weapons training was now being mixed up. Not only with tactics on how to fight two against one or with a short sword against spears, but also with specific training to simulate Bulvine attacks. The only major change was that recruits from other patrols were assigned to him when they went out to fill the gaps left by Rafaela, Mak and Fangast.

However, all of that seemed like playing to Niall. While Killip and his cronies still scoffed at him, the other recruits treated him, as well as Huff and Tierra, with greater respect. Despite being asked a number of times, Niall could not bring himself to talk about what had happened in any detail. For a reason he could not articulate, that felt disrespectful to the memory of those who had died. Huff and Tierra felt no such restraint however, and knowledge of what had happened was soon known by all of the recruits.

The key thing he did was to increase the intensity and effort of his extra training, forcing himself to carry on sparring with others even after he had pushed himself to the ends of his own endurance. He could feel himself getting stronger and faster, and his ability to use his weapons improved.

So, the days passed and, through his efforts, Niall’s Militia Class rose by two more levels, it was faster than most of the others but he could not shake off the feeling that it was not enough. While advancement was far slower than it had been when fighting the dire wolves, it was also far safer. Dire wolves were one thing, but the Bulvine were quite another.

Then all the training and preparation was done. It was time to go to war.