“This is Giblet?” Jeze asked.

  Kalina took a deep breath in and nodded. The two were at the edge of a forest that opened into a large rolling plane. Behind them, beyond the forest and beyond the Wasteland, was the Spire. Its enormous structure was as faint as a distant mountain range. Nearer to them was Mount Dragon, which stood at the edge of the Wasteland. I wonder how Viel is doing? Jeze wondered. In front of them were farmsteads, and beyond the open land were the squat shapes of homes clustered together that formed a town.

  “Why are we here exactly?” Jeze asked.

  “This was where I was trained,” Kalina answered.

  “Trained?”

  “Yes, there is an academy inside the town,” Kalina explained.

  “It’s small,” Jeze reflected. She looked around and added, “It reminds me of where I grew up.”

  Kalina snorted. “You say that like that was a long time ago. You are just a child.”

  Jeze rolled her eyes and replied, “Like you are that much older than me.”

  “At least ten years!” Kalina exclaimed and added, “Besides, I’m immortal now. I think.”

  Jeze shook her head and ordered, “Activate your charm before you scare the locals.”

  The pale lady grimaced. It was challenging to tap into the Runic energies with her Will so scattered. It didn’t work on the first try, and in a rage, she ripped a nearby tree branch off.

  Jeze clicked her tongue and admonished, “That is not going to solve anything. You are supposed to control your anger, not let it control you.”

  Kalina scowled at Jeze with her hands clenched into tight fists by her side, but she relaxed and breathed deeply. “You are right,” she said.

  “I know.”

  Kalina arched an eyebrow at Jeze, and the teenager grinned back. Kalina shook her head with a chuckle. The pale lady activated the charm on the third try, and the air around her distorted for a moment before settling. Kalina examined the normal color skin of her arms.

  “How are my eyes?” She asked.

  “Much better.”

  “Why did you make the charm so hard to activate? It is more like a Channeling tool than an enchanted item,” Kalina wondered.

  Jeze snorted. “I am just starting out as a craftsperson! Give me a break.”

  “How long will this last?” Kalina asked.

  Jeze placed her hands on her hips and responded, “You tell me.”

  Kalina scowled. “You know this is hard for me!”

  “Practice makes perfect,” Jeze retorted.

  Kalina sighed and focused her Will on the illusion spell that came from the charm bracelet. It was difficult as the rage and hunger interfered with her focus. With effort, Kalina was able to expand upon her Will and insert it into the charm bracelet. She nodded in understanding.

  “About an hour. I am impressed. Good work,” Kalina said.

  Jeze grinned. “I know, I am amazing.”

  Kalina ruffled the teenager’s short, unkempt hair. “And modest, too,” she teased.

  Jeze gave a deep, mock bow. Kalina rolled her eyes and led the way toward the town. They neared a farmhouse where the doors were boarded up, and the walls surrounding the homestead were crumbled.

  “What happened here?” Jeze asked.

  Kalina replied, “Monsters, we could never contain all the ones from the Waves.”

  “Poor people,” Jeze said.

  Kalina shrugged and replied, “Life is hard, but this town is not without its defenders.”

  A single man approached them from the town. As he got closer, Jeze saw that he had thick black hair with gray streaks. A trim goatee lined his chin, and he had the thick, muscled build of a warrior, except he didn’t wear any armor or carry any weapons. Instead, he wore tanned traveling pants, a dark navy cloak, and he walked with a tall walking stick. Jeze noticed the Runes etched along the stick as well as along several channeling tools that hung from his belt and neck. A Rune caster, Jeze thought. When they were within a few meters of each other, Lady Kalina bowed.

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  “Greetings, teacher, I have returned,” she said.

  The man with the goatee smiled. Jeze noticed that this came easy to the man’s face as his dark eyes seemed to sparkle.

  “I know. The One Goddess had foretold your arrival,” he said.

  His voice was deep and clear, like a rumbling river. The man smiled again and held out his arms. Kalina rushed forward, and the two gently embraced.

  “I sense you two are both carrying a heavy burden,” the man observed, and after the hug, he introduced himself to Jeze. “I am Grifus, teacher, Protector, and a friend if you need one.”

  Jeze bowed and replied, “I am Jeze.”

  “I know,” Grifus stated and added, “The One Goddess told me.”

  Jeze rolled her eyes. This guy is odd, she thought to herself but remained quiet. It seemed like he was important to Kalina.

  Grifus tapped the charm bracelet on Kalina’s wrist, and the illusion fizzled to reveal her true form. Pale skin and black orbs for eyes. Kalina hugged her chest as if she were naked. In a moment, the illusion reactivated. Grifus smiled gently.

  “Poor child,” he said and stroked her cheek.

  “You are not scared?” Kalina asked.

  Grifus shook his head and nodded to Jeze. “The fact that this young child is alive and not a withered husk tells me that you have it under control for now.”

  Lady Kalina rubbed her temples and sighed, “It is a constant struggle that I am afraid I can not win.”

  Grifus smiled gently and replied, “If you believe you will fail or you believe that you will succeed, in either case, you are right.”

  Jeze threw her arms up in the air. “Oh, by the Night Eye. Can we finish what we came here to do?”

  “You do not like words of wisdom, I see,” Grifus observed.

  Jeze growled at him.

  “We come to gather supplies and information,” Kalina stated.

  Grifus nodded, and before he could speak, Jeze interrupted. “Don’t say that you know or that the One Goddess had told you.”

  The older man grinned. “But that is true, and I have prepared provisions for you two. Come, follow me.”

  “Of course you did,” Jeze grumbled.

  They followed Grifus into the town, where the older man was often politely greeted by the townsfolk. The streets were made out of cobblestone, the town appeared clean, and the people were well off despite their farms being attacked by monsters.

  “I run a Guild academy here. That is why the town appears safe,” Grifus answered the unspoken question.

  “I trained under Grifus when I was younger,” Kalina explained.

  Jeze nodded. That makes sense. They traveled through the town, where they passed a baker, a blacksmith, a general store, and dozens of homes. The cobblestone path they walked on opened up to reveal a wide yard at the edge of the town where Jeze saw a huge obstacle course. It figures! This town would have a trial course! Jeze thought. Her hometown was truly a backwater town that lacked one. Currently, there were young kids running through the course. The ground beneath was made out of dirt and layered with hay to damper any falls. In addition to the trial course, the yard consisted of wooden dummies and archery targets where dozens of students trained their combat skills.

  “People far and wide send their kids here to be trained under Grifus,” Kalina said.

  Grifus chuckled. “Not that much anymore. We have plenty of senior instructors who teach most of the classes. I help out when I can.”

  Kalina smirked. “I doubt that.”

  Grifus nodded and led them past the training grounds and toward a wide building. On the steps to the entrance were sacks that Jeze noticed were filled with supplies. Did he truly anticipate our arrival? She wondered.

  “We have prepared rations, and we have supplies to help repair your armor,” Grifus pointed out.

  Tethered to a bar were three horses. Grifus motioned to them and added, “I also have mounts prepared for our departure.”

  “I can’t ride,” Jeze pointed.

  Grifus smiled and answered, “I know that is why we will spend the next two days training you.”

  “I’m afraid we don’t have that much time,” Kalina pointed out.

  “We do. The Templars that are hunting you will not be here for another four days,” the older man stated.

  Kalina flinched at those words as if she was struck by an arrow. “I’m sorry for bringing this burden upon you and Giblet.”

  Grifus waved off the comment as if it were an annoying gnat. “It’s no burden. No one will get hurt, and the Templars can help keep Giblet safe while I am gone.”

  “Gone?” Jeze asked.

  “Yes, I am traveling with you,” Grifus answered.

  “We didn’t agree to that,” Jeze growled.

  Lady Kalina put a hand on her shoulder and added, “We welcome you.”

  “No, we don’t!” Jeze cried and added, “Can you even keep up with us? We are undertaking something dangerous.”

  Grifus placed a hand on his chest and stated, “I have been adventuring long before you were even born. I can take care of myself, and I will not hold you back. Trust me.”

  Kalina nodded, but Jeze dragged the Amber Guard to the side.

  “Can he be trusted? Will he want to try to take the Hold Core for himself?” Jeze whispered.

  Grifus appeared unconcerned that the two were talking quietly to themselves and out of his earshot. The older man waited patiently.

  Kalina pulled her arm free with a scowl and replied, “Of course, he can be trusted. He was my teacher. I trust him with my life!”

  “And mine?” Jeze asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “Yes, we are fortunate to have him join us, and besides we need all the help we can get,” Kalina stated.

  Grifus motioned to the door that led inside the Academy. “Please come inside and make yourself at home. Jeze, for the remainder of the day, we will teach you how to ride a horse, and tonight, we will study Runes.”

  Jeze was about to object but perked up at the mention of Runes.

  “I am an accomplished Rune caster and teacher. I trust you will find what I can show you to be very useful and interesting,” Grifus added.

  Lady Kalina nodded in agreement.

  “Can you show me how to cast Stoneskin?” Jeze wondered.

  “Yes, and much more,” Grifus replied.

  Jeze nodded. I suppose having the old man around is not a bad idea after all, she thought to herself.