Amdirlain’s PoV - Yúla

  As the others finished lunch, Amdirlain floated some of the iron free from the gathered sand and spun it through a slow spiral. “There is certainly iron there, so well done.”

  N?thang brushed the spinning granules. “I’m glad all that wasn’t for nothing. Is that all of it?”

  “No, just what was close to the top.” Amdirlain returned it to the pot, and N?thang emptied what had collected in the trough into it. “It’s easier to shift the sand if you have a constant flow of water. Let’s set up support for the clay tile, and I’ll put in place a water spout at that height.”

  “Are there spells to gather the iron sand up without it having to be separated first?”

  Sarah shrugged. “That doesn’t help if you don’t have magic, so I’m teaching you the way anyone can do it. Once you’ve got the hang of it, we’ll add magic to speed things up.”

  N?thang eyed the fire blazing beneath the kiln. “A Spell instead of gathering more branches and twigs.”

  “I don’t want to go clearing the forest floor, but you experienced all the effort involved. Though the initial firing of the mud brick kiln is faster than firing the clay bricks.”

  “Are there spells to forge the iron without flames?” Milui paused as a pair of figures broke through the bushes along the lakeshore.

  “I believe that would take the right Affinity,” Amdirlain replied, waving to Rachel and Azadi.

  The pair wore rawhide clothing, similar to the leather armour they’d once possessed but without the metal fixtures. Rachel had taken on a dusky skin tone and shifted her eyes to bright emerald. The dark green of her hair matched Azadi’s, and they both had dustings of a burnt amber hue across their skin. Azadi had taken on a broad-shouldered male form with pale silver eyes.

  “These are your friends?” Gondren questioned softly.

  “Rachel and Azadi said they were getting close, so they did a good job navigating.” Amdirlain motioned for the pair to come forward and waited until they were within easy conversation range. “I see you, Rachel and Azadi. Did you have trouble following our trail signs?”

  “Is that the local style of greeting?” Azadi projected through a tentative mental touch.

  “Yep, though they don’t use that for children,” Amdirlain repeated Ceman’s explanation.

  “Your path was relatively easy to follow, though we abandoned following it once we got within detection range,” Rachel replied.

  “We didn’t want to arrive too quickly. Rachel was concerned that it might cause the locals to worry. She felt mixed emotional energies in the settlement and thought someone was causing trouble.”

  “Hello Amdirlain. Would you introduce us?” Rachel nodded politely to the others.

  “Speaker Milui, her mate Gondren, along with their daughters, N?thang and Lithien.” Amdirlain gestured to each.

  As the pair exchanged pleasantries with the others, the bows they casually held by their sides sparked Lithien’s curiosity. Her gaze repeatedly flicked between theirs and Amdirlain’s bow, but she only bit at her top lip.

  With the pleasantries complete, Rachel swept in and wrapped Amdirlain up in a fierce hug. “We missed you, Amdirlain.”

  She’s not talking about just the two of them. Being in person is better than messages.

  Amdirlain pressed her forehead against hers. “You’ve caught up with me now, and I’m not planning to slip away.”

  “Would you care to give us a hand here?” Sarah asked.

  “Can I help make the bricks?” Rachel’s fingers twitched, and she edged towards the clay pit. “It’s been a while since I made anything from clay.”

  “We’ve got the bricks under control. Did you want to fashion more clay pots? We need two large ones.”

  Rachel clapped gleefully and knelt near the clay pit to dig out lumps, humming as she worked.

  “What are you working on first?” Azadi asked.

  Sarah tapped the hilt at her waist. “Some knives.”

  “You’ll need scabbards. Should I get started on those or help with the gathering of iron sand?”

  “Let’s worry about getting some blades made first,” Sarah replied.

  With a nod, Azadi joined N?thang on the bank.

  When the sun was approaching midafternoon, Amdirlain excused herself to teach.

  Azadi looked up from the trough. “Are you going to teach the adults as well?”

  “A few have been listening to the lessons, but none of them have joined in as yet. Though apparently Camen is hoping I’ll run additional training sessions, there is apparently a queue.”

  “I’ll help with that if you’d like,” Azadi offered. “I’ve taught magic in a few places.”

  “Could you teach me?” Lithien squeaked excitedly, blushing in sudden embarrassment at the sudden high pitch. “I missed the start of Amdirlain’s lessons.”

  “I told you to come along with me the second time,” N?thang interjected.

  Lithien’s gaze dropped.

  “That’s okay; some people are uncomfortable standing out,” Azadi offered. “Lithien, would you do me a favour and introduce me to those who want another session? We can go meet them and see what part of the day best suits.”

  Milui smiled reassuringly at her daughter. “I’ll tell those interested, and you can take Azadi around to their watch posts.”

  “Okay,” Lithien agreed cheerfully.

  “You two head off and leave the sand filtering to me for now.” Rachel shooed N?thang to follow Amdirlain. As she continued to shape a pot, songs mimicked spells to cause water arching upwards like a drinking fountain, while a second positioned the trough to catch the water, and a third piled fresh sand to send across the grooves.

  Before N?thang moved to join her, a massive Mana surge washed through the nearby leylines; its path came from a volcano beneath the western ocean. Animals screeched and called, and birds fled through the canopy.

  “What was that?” Milui asked.

  “With the amount of Mana in the air, it was another leyline surge.” Amdirlain caught the alterations rippling within animals and plants alike. While some changed gradually, there were occurrences of explosive growth and dangerous new powers. Wild boars grew to the size of horses with Earth-themed powers, birds with innate air spells, and some great cats gained invisibility.

  She narrowed her attention to the distant volcano and found evidence of an earlier eruption that matched the timing of the prior ley line surge. Within the magma chamber’s depths, three rifts to the Para-Elemental Plane of Magma spun erratically around each other, bleeding Mana into the Material Plane close to a junction point.

  Milui stiffened. “Will there be more?”

  “Given this is the second surge, there may be more. I was hoping for more time to teach people magic to protect themselves.” Amdirlain turned towards the spot that she’d used for the lessons, her pace slow to allow N?thang to catch up easily. One rift widened, and a stream of small elementals pushed through into the volcano’s core.

  The planet’s maturing, and whether the rifts caused the Mana surge, or vice versa, there will be more magical manifestations.

  She further tuned her attention to the planet’s leylines to check for other activity. Among the natural rifts from elemental attunement, she caught a chamber of Maker’s strange stone along one branch. It matched the formation that had been below Crete, rather than the massive maze from the trial. One chamber with a circle of standing stones, and within it two multi-limbed constructs stationed across from each other, facing inwards.

  I set them up on a Demi-Plane. I wonder why and when they created an observation platform here. Maybe I should check on them later.

  Behind them, Milui recited a list of names to Lithien. Soon she was escorting Azadi around the settlement, introducing her to others as they went to meet those interested in magic lessons. By the time they’d reached the second lookout, the children and Camen had gathered for their training session. Each took their place along the shore, settling to the ground in a rough semi-circle. While some fidgeted or shifted about, Maithor and Forgam closed their eyes and sought the Affinity of Earth. The others, upon seeing their example, quickly quietened down.

  While the lesson was ongoing, she heard Lanyaro heatedly whispering with a small group of the tribe.

  “How do we even know these exercises aren’t dedicating them to Amdirlain and stealing the young from our gods?”

  A female Elf near him groaned. “Whatever she is doing has the children chattering; I hear a near constant stream of Amdirlain said. Those I taught afterwards questioned me about everything I was teaching.”

  Amdirlain ignored their spiteful exchange and continued helping the children reach their own understanding of Earth. Her attention drifted across the local environment, escalating the details Primordial Will provided to strain her capacity. In the forest, she caught other settlements further east along the rivers and rafts heading in this direction. Most of the elves on the rafts were related to members of this tribe, but there were a few that shared only a distant connection.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  As the afternoon session wound down, Azadi and Lithien arrived, and Amdirlain handled introductions.

  After the introductions, Azadi raised a hand. “I’ve got to contribute to dinner, so let me show off with a few spells.”

  A quartet of quick spells from Azadi had jets of water cast half a dozen large fish from the lake. At the sight of the waterspouts, the children gasped and cheered, their faces alight with wonder. The display brought forth a deluge of questions that Amdirlain fielded while Azadi formed a watery blade through another Spell. The children hurled more questions at Amdirlain as they clustered close, fascinated by the way it effortlessly sliced up the fish.

  Before she was done, Ceman started shooing the children away, prompting them to help with dinner preparations.

  “Would you teach magic as well, Azadi?” Ceman asked after the children had headed off.

  “I’ve already spoken to some people who Milui said wanted to learn,” Azadi replied, burying the fish guts at the base of a tree. “We’ll have a session after the watch changes. Though I hope you don’t mind my saying so, I think your tribe has a problem with our being here. There were more than a few hostile looks tossed my way while Lithien introduced me to folks.”

  Ceman grunted in frustration. “My family and Milui’s are newer to the tribe, while Lanyaro’s family is one of the oldest. The lot draw determined he was speaker instead of Cén?, but he believes he is above us.”

  “I’m not very good at holding my tongue if I see something wrong,” Azadi cautioned. “There are some folks angry at what he was saying about the stags you’d requested, Amdirlain.”

  “The quantity of stags is a punishment for his behaviour, nothing more.” Amdirlain handed over a length of vine, and Azadi threaded the fish onto it. “He didn’t behave properly, and he needs to find out that there are consequences for such conduct.”

  Though most of the tribe were welcoming to Rachel and Azadi, there were undercurrents of tension at the evening meal from those within Lanyaro’s circle. Though they continued the tales Amdirlain had started the prior evening, tonight some of them drew edged comments. After the sixth spiteful interruption, Milui stood and brushed crumbs from the wrap she’d changed into before supper.

  “I resign as Speaker. Lanyaro looks to poison the tribe, and will not work with us.”

  Ceman shrugged. “I resign as Cén?. Lanyaro will not walk where I see, and speaks poison to receptive ears that I no longer wish to guide. If he is reelected against custom, my family will find a place with another tribe.”

  Lanyaro stood and stabbed a finger accusingly towards Amdirlain. “This is your doing.”

  Milui stepped between them. “No, as Speaker and Cén?, we’ve had problems with you for seasons. Since the leadership of the tribe is not harmonious, it is time to select a new trio.”

  “I will not step down,” Lanyaro snapped.

  “That is against custom.” A few called out from along the concourse.

  As more voices rose in protest, Ceman raised his arms. “A moment. Amdirlain, Sind?, Rachel, and Azadi, my apologies for this unpleasantness. If you’d give us some space while we resolve this situation.”

  Amdirlain nodded. “We’ll await word at the forge site.”

  “Word of what?”

  “I’m not staying if you leave a deal-breaker, who is also breaking your customs, in a position of influence.”

  The four of them moved off the main concourse and set a casual pace; each had their own way to track the events behind them.

  Ceman gave instructions for different families to advise those keeping watch of the situation. More indistinct murmurs of disapproval rose from many of the adults seated a distance from Lanyaro.

  Once they’d gone, a female Elf who’d remained quietly in the background, spoke up in disbelief. “You’d split the tribe?”

  “I’m your elder, Rapthel,” Lanyaro replied.

  She started to look away, but stopped and lifted her chin. “The root of the split is that you decided my healing wasn’t worth a stag. Does my life mean so little to you?”

  “That isn’t the point.”

  “I think that’s entirely the point. Your refusal led to your daughter leaving, which ?caused your current behaviour. You always maintained that the priestess lured her away while you sought to negotiate a fair price, yet your willingness to split the tribe shows you just wanted your own way. Now I see what family loyalty blinded me to.” Rapthel stood with silvery strands spilling from her shoulders; a contrast that made her dusky skin seem darker.

  Taking a flint knife from her belt, she cut a braid ?of hair and dropped it at Lanyaro's feet, and walked away along the concourse. The further she walked, the higher the tension in the tribe rose. When she sat at the far end, relief washed through some, and a few near Lanyaro shot accusing glares at him.

  A male Elf, one of the few dressed in rawhide pants, rose at the same end of the concourse where she’d sat. The burnt amber flecks across his face and well-muscled torso matched his hair. He smiled and placed a hand on his chest. “It would lighten my heart if I might offer you a new family.”

  “I will consider your proposal, Gaedor, and will speak with you afterwards.”

  The exchange further darkened Lanyaro’s complexion, his gaze fixed on Rapthel. “Why do you side with the liar? She claimed to possess information about my daughter to divide the tribe.”

  Maithor and Forgam leaned forward to whisper urgently to another silver-haired Elf, but he lifted his hand and stared at Lanyaro. “What are you doing, cousin? You said you’d pay a fair price for information on your daughter, now you thread a tale of accusation.”

  “I am the eldest of the family, cousin,” Lanyaro declared.

  “You were a speaker, not a fist. How is causing a split in the tribe a fair price? Amdirlain has already taught Forgam to touch the Earth’s energy. Rachel and Azadi found them through these spells they’ve spoken about and offered to teach. That shows she can speak to people over a long distance.”

  Other elves who had been party to the whispered conversation with Lanyaro during the day looked suddenly uncomfortable.

  Camen clapped. “We will take a tally to determine our course. As last Cén?, all those who see their path forward with Lanyaro stand.”

  Lanyaro and a mix of six adults stood, but he found his mate still seated.

  “Don’t do this, Lanyaro.”

  “My family founded this tribe.”

  “They didn’t do so alone.”

  His mouth tightened, and though his mate looked at him sadly, he didn’t sit down or recant.

  Lanyaro turned on Maithor’s father and along the concourse at three other males. “Stand with your family.”

  Maithor’s father spoke again. “I, Erechon, declare our family will not stand with you on this. You do not have permission to use the new rafts I’ve made, so you’d best figure out how to craft your own.”

  Lanyaro’s wife nodded sadly and turned to Camen. “Cén? Camen, I ask you to see that we’ve split.”

  “I see you, Erdis. Unsupported mother of Goben, Haeben, and Malben.”

  The three silvery-haired adult elves, who also hadn’t stood, looked between their now-separated parents. They exchanged glances and nods before chorusing. “We see our mother widowed.”

  “Why?” Lanyaro gasped.

  “You’ve let hate poison you, but it will not control me. There are new dangers about, and you insist on pursuing this argument against one who teaches new things and offers healing to the tribe,” Erdis replied regretfully. “One family isn’t a tribe. I hope you survive your arrogance and learn better. Did you consider that part of the reason Muinahína left was your behaviour since your parents died?”

  “The numbers have spoken,” Camen said, eyeing the six who were supporting Lanyaro. “Do you withdraw your refusal to vacate the position, Lanyaro?”

  “You’ll look funny when your clothes come apart. I weave the best cloth.”

  Milui snorted. “Another will take up the role; the tribe always needs to be prepared to move on. Rachel has techniques I’ve not seen from you.”

  “She wears leather,” Lanyaro spat.

  “With cloth made from giant spider webbing backing it that can stop a spear, or piercing claw,” Milui retorted. “It’s a very smooth material finer than you make.”

  “Those seated raise hands if punishment within the tribe for these seven is sufficient.”

  “Lanyaro has shown he will not abide by his word, in payment or in duty to the tribe. Those standing now side with one who lies, can we trust they’d fulfil any punishment?” Goben asked.

  The tribe spent only a short time in discussion, as a significant majority shared Goben's concern, and the tribe settled on banishment.

  When the debate ended with over four adults in five with hands raised in agreement, Camen nodded. “Anyone who feels they should leave with Lanyaro to aid them, please stand now.”

  The rapid resolution had Lanyaro baffled, and he looked around the tribe in disbelief. Though no one else stood, a few among the tribe put their hands to their weapons, their expressions firm rather than hostile.

  “Those leaving, please collect your things,” Camen said firmly.

  One female standing by him began to sit down, only to freeze when Camen pointed at her. “Staying is no longer an option. You tried to break the tribe, and such things have consequences.”

  Rachel created a mat away from the forge, and the four of them settled around it. As Azadi sat across from Amdirlain, she set a sound barrier in place. “The locals are much like other elves I’ve taught, though they are the most primitive group. Is that because you left them to Danu?”

  “Have you taught many species?” Amdirlain asked.

  “A couple of dozen. Compared to most species, elves with the right aptitudes gain affinities faster than other races; however, some can really struggle to learn affinities outside their mindset.”

  “What are your thoughts on introducing literacy?”

  “If it’s for magic, then the best language would be Draconic. Are you going to tell them it’s the elder tongue or something?” Azadi asked.

  “That’s one way to put it.”

  Azadi stretched across the mat, feet towards the water, while Rachel lay at a right angle and used Azadi’s shoulder as a pillow.

  “How do you want to handle the lessons?” Azadi asked.

  “Aside from not flooding them with information,” Rachel added.

  “Slow and steady with minimal detail on affinities or spells, just helping them learn as they move ahead.” Sarah sat beside Amdirlain and rubbed her back.

  “Though introducing literacy would open up better Class options, it’s a big social step.” Amdirlain leaned back into Sarah’s touch.

  Rachel shifted position slightly and clasped Azadi’s closest hand. “Advancements in technology come in groups, and I’d be against it except for that Mana surge. So many creatures turned into monsters that I think we’ll need to go hunting. If it continues happening, they need all the advantages they can get. Would Danu send Milui dreams of more technology or see if they held their own against the forest’s creatures?”

  “She showed that we’d share wonders with them,” Sarah noted. “Which implies she’s not inclined to do it herself. The forest protects and feeds many species, but it doesn’t promote change. Any change would be gradual, and there are now basilisks to the west of here. That’s a fairly big jump in danger level.”

  Azadi held up a hand and folded her thumb and two fingers down. “Iron, spells, and literacy. Do we stick to these three, or what limits do we draw?”

  “I was going to teach them inscribing later, but not infusing,” Sarah offered, and Azadi was left with only a pinkie not folded.

  “They need literacy to be introduced before inscribing,” Rachel noted.

  “Yes, otherwise it’s too foreign an idea.”

  Rachel signed sadly. “I feel like our arrival brought things to a head tonight, and not in a good way. Should we have held off until you had Lanyaro settled?”

  “As Ceman said, there were problems before we arrived. Amdirlain might not be peeking, but I heard too many unhealthy issues for a tribe this small,” Azadi countered, stroking Rachel’s hair gently.

  “Lanyaro’s daughter is safe, right?” Rachel asked.

  “She’s a priestess of mine living with a tribe far to the east across the plains.”

  Rachel partly sat up, her attention turned to the east. “Should we eliminate some of the new monsters? I feel like the tribes will need time to learn, yet there are too many dangerous critters.”

  “You can take care of them,” Amdirlain replied. “I don’t gain experience now.”

  Thousands of slicing notes rose from Rachel. The quick use of True Song butchered the strongest Mana-affected creatures and returned their bodies to the soil.

  “Okay, they’re dead.” Rachel relaxed again. “Let’s figure out the order we teach stuff. Where there have been two Mana surges, there are bound to be more.”