The Veil of Ever Autumn; a living, breathing painting of a place. It wedded both a profound joy and a deep melancholy in perfect matrimony, tall trees forming a seamless canopy of gold, leaves of those burning hues gently falling into the grass. The grass was still thick and lush, but showing faint signs of browning and sleep, held unchanging in this half-asleep state by Ponima’s grand illusion. Except, this time, it was no illusion. A certain magic lived here - they could all sense it - a soft hum that they could feel as stillness and hear as silence, see but not see. Every now and then, when a gentle breeze rustled the trees, they swore the faintest of music was playing somewhere in the distance. In this place, the line between observed consensus reality and a shared waking dream became hauntingly blurred.

Phyrn, Ponima, and Brightbrand had decided to go on ahead to the priory to secure it for the arrival of their chosen. Phyrn had felt it first, a sinister presence in the proximity of that place, though she could not pinpoint exactly where or what it was. “Looks like you might’ve been right to call Daniel away to meet us halfway after all,” she’d admitted to Ponima.

“There’s always a method to my madness!” Ponima proclaimed with vindication. “Even if even I don’t know what it is sometimes.”

“We never doubted you,” Brightbrand said diplomatically, “simply… were confused by you.”

“Aww,” Ponima quavered, “that’s sweet of you to say.”

Livia, Krey, Emilie, Pippy, Bel, and Daniel walked together, and though their gods were not present in their company, they walked safe in the knowledge that they guided their path.

As she always does, Livia mused, thinking of Phyrn. ‘Neath the boughs, through the grass, over the roots. She was simply glad that, unlike a familiar moment from her not too distant past, this beautiful place was not being eroded around her by the Ennui with every step she took. Without looking, she reached out for Pippy’s hand, and without a word, Pippy held it.

“For all its beauty,” Bel murmured, “I cannot help but feel a looming presence.”

Krey glanced at him from the side, recalling their conversation at the field of memorial. “Your feelings speak true; this place might feel open, but it is surprisingly easy for dangers to sneak up on you, and dangers there are.”

“If I didn’t know you well enough,” Emilie said, “I’d have trouble believing that.”

“All that is dangerous is uncertain,” Daniel recited as if delivering a whimsical sermon. “With time and patience, knowledge and intimacy deliver safety.”

“I don’t recall such a passage in the texts of our order, my younger,” Emilie said with an undertone of befuddlement, “and I was quite the diligent memoriser.”

“It’s part of what, I hope, will be my own contribution to the texts, my elder,” said Daniel proudly. “This land has granted me many great opportunities to expand my understanding of the world and our place in it. The guidance of the gods has been instrumental in me finding my own way, and I hope to return the favour. This place… it’s inspiring.”

“You would be a saint, Daniel?” Emilie said with a more sceptical tone. “A noble… and lofty goal. A road with much adversity.”

“Adversity that I am learning more and more to overcome,” Daniel said.

At that moment the ground began to shake. Not all at once, but in steady beats. From the trees, hiding almost in plain sight, emerged a towering form, skin a hotter red than any of the leaves, clad in tattered rags. Stopping in front of the party, it must’ve reached a full height taller than the Paladin himself, who was a notably colossal man. Its hair was shaggy and unkempt, white as snow, and between the nubby horns on its forehead was a patchy, damaged glyph of some sort, perfectly centred above its harsh blue eyes. It bared its ivories - incisors like guillotines, canines like spearheads, and molars like bricks - and let out a roar that sent the few remaining brave birds scattering from the branches.

“Ogre!” announced Krey as he and Livia charged forward, drawing blades and forming up to protect the others, and the would-be giant brought its hands forward; it did not ball them into fists, but curled its fingers like claws around its upturned palms, and spheres of thrumming magic exploded into being in its hands.

Daniel pushed through his eager defenders, and looked over his shoulder at Emilie. “Allow me to demonstrate.”

Livia and Krey tried to walk forward alongside Daniel, but he threw out his arms, urging them to stay back. They exchanged a nervous look, hesitant, but ultimately put their trust in the young hierophant. At his approach, the thing howled once again, readying its hands. Daniel’s own hands began to hum with a faint blue, and in one of them appeared an object Emilie had seen not too long ago; it was the cephweed that he’d received from Einsyurn in the cave. “I had hoped to save this for the continuation of my studies,” he mumbled as he continued to slowly, cautiously approach the ogre. “But, I suppose, you will serve as a fitting test of what I’ve learned so far.” He waved his empty hand forward, horizontally across, with his index and middle fingers straight up and the others curled downward. “Heed me, ogre,” he pleaded— not commanded. “Please, kneel so that I might reach you, and mend the wound you’ve suffered.” The motion of his hand was not the casting of magic, but a symbolic gesture. When he’d moved it sideways as far as he could, he pulled it close and yanked at the fabric of his robe. “You know this garb, you and yours; we of white have walked these woods near as long as the noble ogres. You know we are not an enemy.”

The ogre regarded him with a softer look, but flashed between that and shooting sharper gazes at Krey and Bel.

Daniel turned slightly to speak to his friends behind him. “Stow your weapons— all of you. It is frightened.”

Frightened? Krey nearly talked back aloud. I recall ogres exhibiting many strong emotions, but fear was never among them. Nevertheless, he did as he was bid, as did Livia, Bel, and Pippy. Emilie hadn’t drawn Trick of The Light at any point, but did continue to tightly squeeze her rosary.

When Daniel felt the thump of the ogre’s knee upon the earth before him, he returned his full attention to it. “Yours is a glyph of much complexity… but I believe I can mend it, and restore your self-control.” He urged a little spurt of ink from one end of the cephweed onto the fingers of his free hand, and oh so tenderly, he applied it to the ogre’s forehead. The ogre flinched at first, its voice nearly rising to a below once more, but Daniel’s soft hushing steadied it. “As you are, you are little more than an animal… but I know a dignified soul of sound mind sleeps within this vessel. Please, be patient, and you will be roused from the nightmare soon.” He was unsure of the ogre comprehended his words, but either way, it was allowing him to continue. Wither a fingertip, he traced the curves, lines, and patterns of the glyph’s missing sections, that faint blue light flowing from his hands and into the ink, becoming part of the ogre as it was being applied. It was by no means perfect, but when he was done, the churning orbs of mana in the ogre’s hands dissipated, and it took a deep breath. Without a word, it got to its feet, offered Daniel an immense finger to shake, knowing the small human was incapable of shaking its hand normally, and went on its way.

“Holy shit,” Livia stammered, “I’m not sure if that was brave or stupid.”

“Like brilliance and madness,” Emilie mused, “they’re more-or-less the same.”

“Yeah they are!” Pippy cheered, throwing a fist up. “Way to go, Danny! That was so cool!”

Daniel’s cheeks flushed with red, and his eyes looked down as he brought his hand to his lips. “Thank you. I’m just glad it worked.”

“As am I,” Bel concurred with a sigh of relief. “I much loathed the prospect of shooting it; its rancour was not by choice, but by sickness.” He couldn’t help but wonder if Akoshi and Girelba had thought the same thing, and if it had been the death of them.

“Very impressive, My…” Krey got stuck on what to say next. “My… hmm.”

“Lady?” Daniel finished with a giggle. “Do you think it strange?”

“To be honest,” Krey exhaled, “yes. Not that I find it objectionable, just…”

“Strange,” Daniel smiled, “I know. It is true, I have been born a man, but nonetheless, I am a sister. In my teenage years, I spent a great deal of time quibbling over the matter, and though it is still something upon which I reflect, it no longer troubles me. I have the late Nativus to thank for that, o’ wise deity of the elementals. Let it not trouble you either, Sir Knight.” He cast a hand out to the rest of them. “Or any of you, for that matter.”

“I must admit,” Bel said, “my curiosity is piqued. How does a young boy get inducted into a sisterhood, one must wonder.”

“A story you are under no obligation to share, my younger,” Emilie added defensively. “We understand if you’d prefer to keep such things private.”

Daniel bowed his head. “I thank you for your care, my elder, but it’s no trouble. I’ll be glad to discuss it more when we reach the sanctuary of the priory.”