A Clearing in the Forest

Although Rakki wanted to help, he realized quickly there was little point and that he'd just get in Uma's way. He sat down patiently to rest and observe the wind, sun, and leaves. In particularly, the way the sunlight split into patches along the ground caught his attention the most. For some reason, sunlight kept popping up into his mind. He thought maybe the spirits were trying to tell him something. The concepts of dawn and warmth may have been most significant to the landvaettir in this region.

Rakki furrowed an eyebrow at Uma's offer of marriages. "If your queen is smart, she will protect her people. Marriages are precious things."

(Unfortunately the signal had gone straight over his head.)

Something about Uma's presence made him want to soften his words, however. "But, I have no doubt our people will be honorable and prove ourselves worthy of marriages." He smiled at her.

(Ok, maybe it hadn't completely?)

He stood up as he remembered something important which greatly troubled him. "There is something I'd like to ask. When our longboat pulled out of the floodwaters, I received a vision from the landvaettir, welcoming us, and warning us. I saw that there are many good people in this land, but also a darkness. It chokes at the spirits, and there are terrible monsters here. Tell me, is this true? What do you know of the darkness of this land?"

Rakki was listening to Uma, but he was a bit restless, so he paced around the fire while Uma worked. Her warnings of illnesses and monsters seemed to make him especially wary. This beautiful land almost felt like a bewitching temptress now, hiding monsters among the ferns.

But, he did raise an eyebrow at Uma saying she wasn't sought after. He turned to her, almost indignantly.

"I mean no offense, but either there is shortage of men among your people, or your men are fools." He grinned. "And just so you know," he sat back down to pet Fisk, who was calm and at ease around Uma. "Fisk is excellent judge of character. Even I was wary when I first met you, but if he likes you, then there is no evil bone in your body."

Fisk panted happily.

"Well, magic is gift. One does not need it, but surely the spirits will give what they can. My people, part of larger group, the Varan, the Varan cannot bring magic into their bodies. They cannot store it. They must keep it in runes. My clan can use chants and songs to summon magic to a place for a time. But we cannot keep it within us for long. But, it's not all curse. Magic not work well against us either."

He gestured between himself and Uma. "We can learn from each other."

This confused Rakki to such a degree that he began staring off into some nearby ferns.

"So... your people are... kind of like snails? Wait, no, you say you take courtships." He waved his hands vigorously at Uma. "Nevermind nevermind I am a fool."

Fisk barked in agreement.

Rakki was moved by Uma's last statement of wanting to reclaim the magic that they had lost. He sat back down, his legs sufficiently stretched, and thought about how he might cheer his new friend up.

"Your people, perhaps need more gaeldor. Gaeldor are... primitive magic. Some say it is not magic at all. A galdr is devoid of the power of landvaettir. But I say, if it gives strength where once was none, it is just as valuable. Gaeldor give strength before battle. Gaeldor give strength in child birth. What is simpler word? Songs, chants? Ah, let me try to remember. Women in my clan have one. Maybe you'll like."

He focused his eyes and raised his hand, pursing his thick fingers to the rhythm of a beat in his head.

Then he began chanting:

a maiden seeks lilies within the bazaar

a lass spots saxifrage behind the high rocks

a woman finds gold and silk in her heart

like rainbow gossamer on rain soaked leaves

may spirits of adventure draw her hand

and guide safe and true, and light the fields

treasures at home and distant lands

Vulcan shards hide crystals and gold

the oasis path is guarded by tombs

new worlds obscured by the pain of the sword

The doula reveals new life from the womb

like rainbow gossamer on rain soaked leaves

may spirits of adventure draw her hand

and guide safe and true, and light the fields

treasures at home and distant lands

When he was done with his song, he smirked and shook his hand in midair. "Eh, something like that. My mother could sing it better."

Turning back to Uma, he spoke. "You see, magic is not only the might of the landvaettir. Magic is the courage to become what you are not, to create and make true what is not, to do together what you cannot do alone. it is to speak into existence the impossible and make it possible. it is to survive, and to be alive."

And at that, Fisk began panting and sniffing at the fire pit.

"And good food. Magic is good food. I think Fisk is getting hungry."

Fisk was accustomed to eating fish and gobbled it down so quickly it seemed to evaporate.

Feeling a bit daring, Rakki decided to try to skewer and roast the octopus. It wiggled violently at his attempts to kill it quickly, causing Rakki to squint and frown with a bit of guilt. He brought out his ax, politely turn the ghastly affair away from Uma, and sliced through where he suspected the creature's brain stem was located. He then wrapped the tentacles around the spit and hoped for the best.

"Mmm, in a way, we are diplomats already. The first ones to meet, very important. Our people record history in edda, and your name and mine will be near the top of the scroll. One day children will memorize our names." He gave a single halted chuckle. The spit roasting octopus' tentacles curled in the heat, and Rakki side-eyed it suspiciously, wondering if that was normal.

"Uhh, so tell me more about what life is like among your people. I know it is hard, and you fought off disease. Is there still joy? Do you aspire towards something? To create or to build? Or do you just want to live in peace. Or tell me about yourself and how you grew up."

Fisk eyed the roasting octopus with great interest. If anything it was an indication that it wouldn't smell overly offensive to human noses once it was done cooking some more.

The longer the octopus roasted, the more skeptical Rakki became. Maybe it did need to be boiled or stewed first. Right now it looked like it had the texture of a shoe sole.

As Uma regaled Rakki with her tale, he noticed that she had a beautiful voice. She was a natural orator, her words clear and easy on the ears. This seemed in line with her foreign elven features and once noble frame, which had been hardened by the burden of the mundane. This was a race of people who were accustomed to the land treating them like royalty, only they had somehow managed to avoid becoming spoiled and obnoxious. It would be condescending to think of them as children however; they were strong, and were clearly doing well. But their stature, their kingdom, had been taken from them. That's what they were, fallen royalty.

He nodded as it all clicked together in his mind.

However, something arose in him, a passion for wanting to empower others and see them succeed. Surely he could not allow these fallen princesses (and a few princes) to give up on their glory.

"This plight reminds me of when I was young. One of the Jarls told me that I had gift for speaking with the spirits, but I was very impatient. My runelord master taught me that the land is always speaking, but sometimes it whispers. Sometimes it is right in front of you, and you must open your eyes to see it. The landvaettir, the spirits, they witness your efforts and will extend their hand to you in friendship. For the Eygor Mjok, we seek the, uh, what is word, the intermediary. Magic itself is an intermediary to the spirits. We use runes as our intermediary, because our bodies do not like mana. Our songs, our chants, they are like living runes. But when we get to know nature and the land, that effort is an intermediary as well."

Rakki suddenly felt a bit silly.

"I have done enough talking. I must show you."

He stuck the twisted mass of sea flesh on a stick into the dirt so that it would continue roasting. Then, he stood up. He stepped over to a spot nearby where the sun broke strongly through the leaves. And he began chanting with an intense whisper:

"Shout wrath towards the heavens, rend Ragnarok nigh. Our gaze sings eternal, our voice pierce the sky..."

The more he repeated this phrase, the more the air around him grew warm. But it was not an oppressive or burning warmth, like the fire, but something more tender, like warm sun on cold skin, or the embrace of a family member.

Then it became visible. Ribbons of bright orange energy enveloped his left arm.

He returned to Uma's side and bent down to place his hand on her shoulder, passing the energy into her. If her body accepted it, she'd feel an incredible surge of strength, as if she could lify a boulder five times her weight! The initial surge would only last a few seconds, but it had a lingering effect that would continue for several minutes, a tingling, a mix of physical strength and optimism.

"This is the gift of the spirit of the sun to the Eygor Mjok, the first song I discovered on our ship as we came out of the flood waters."

He then realized that, by a happy accident, he had made Uma exceedingly attractive, to the point where his face turned red. He shook his head and stifled more boyish laughter.

"Why does divine, heavenly aura of light suit you so well?" He stifled more laughter still. He just could not stop flirting with this strange woman!