Act I
CROO* Hoo* HOOT* Bird sounds cried out, as everyone still standing cheered in victory.
"Haa. .ha. . . that was one heck of a fight."
I mumbled as I sat down, a flaming wound on my chest burnt a pale white as it healed. The same thing was happening with Minerva as her own wounds burnt a pale orange, closing the cruel bleeding claw marks on her sides.
"Hmm. . ."
I groaned in pain, as I took a deep breath.
"Have the wounded gather!"
The yell just came out of me, as I forced myself to stand, using a broken spear near me as a walking staff. It was bad but not a wipe out, atleast no one seemed to have died, but a lot of the war Rheas were laying dead, while the work Rheas were too afraid to stop clustering around each other.
Still it was surprising, we were only a party of twenty one. Five Faennar clan warriors at the level of iron rank and fifteen unranked that were athletic enough to win a few games in the Olympics.
Even so no one died, seven were injured severely including me, the rest only had superficial cuts and bruising. I looked towards the six bronze ranked Terror birds that looked like oversized dodos.
Three of the severely wounded were clan warriors, they were still breathing but just like me they were unlucky enough to get ripped apart in their torso. The rest were the Faennar commoners, with wounds ranging from a severed arm to having a talon stuck in another one's thigh.
I didn't need to say another thing as everyone started gathering the almost dying, with the grey blood of a terror bird I wrote a ritual circle.
"Place them inside quickly, and then drag two of those Horrors inside too."
I ordered while stepping inside the ritual circle, and then after entering I closed my eyes. Breathing steadily as I cleared my head, it only took moments as I felt my aspect whispering into my ears.
I opened my eyes, and saw that everything was ready, the wounded were inside the circle with two of the horror corpses.
"First light, First rebel, Giver of knowledge. I ask for your flames to heal those within this circle."
Fire, pure and pale, it was covering everything within the circle as I looked at the wounded. That was when I started moving, AhH* a lady screamed as I ripped the talon stuck in her thigh. Groan* a boy groaned as I forcefully pressed his severed arm back to where it was cut tying the two parts together.
Inside the circle made of flames, I followed my instincts as I wanted their wounds burned away, as my strength returned to me as my own wound fully healed.
At the end of the ritual all seven of us were standing on a circle of white ash, each one healed with clothes severely ruined and smelled of fire. It only took a moment for everyone to snap out of their daze at the sight of my ritual magic before they started moving.
Haaa* I gave out a tired breath as I moved back to the laying Minerva, real ritual magic was amazing but it was tiring. Even with only one ritual I felt like I've just finished running my weekly jog.
Still as I sat down a smile came to my lips as I watched the warriors calming the work Rheas while the commoners started bundling everything making piles of wood, as they started exchanging the wood for the Rhea and Terror bird corpses in some of the sleds.
"Hopefully I can get one of those Terror birds, I do want to test a few more things."
I mumbled as I ignored the whispers within my ears, letting them fade.
"Heaven. Heaven. . heaven. . . forgiveness. . . . death. . . . . dream. . . . . ."
I shook my head as the ranting whispers finally disappeared as I felt my aspect deactivating. I looked at my chest, looking into my tattoos.
[Cultistry](Inactive) [Purified souls 4/200](1 extra life)
"Sigh. . . dear lord, please don't let this end with Cathuloo."
I prayed lightly, more on habit than real piety, as reincarnation really did a number on my faith.
Act II
CHEER* Everyone yelled almost at the same time as councilor Talon led the celebration, many other families were doing the same as I can hear other feasts in other long houses with my sharp hearing.
"I can't believe the other caravans were attacked too."
Someone spoke as I drank and relaxed at a corner, a game of checkers was infront of me. Board games were popular to the Faennars, they were not unfamiliar with the concept.
The only problem was that they have a limited number of them, having only two. One was a dice game where they win by rolling the same amount on the bone dice and holding or rolling them again.
The other was similar to tic tac to, but with limited pieces and the rule of needing to move a piece after placing them all down.
"Do you think it's the disaster the clan council's been preparing for?"
I heard another ask as councilor Talon sat down infront of me, she was holding a bowl of steaming mead in her hand. I greeted her with a bow, she responded by tapping her shoulder, she did not say anything as she moved a piece.
"It's supposed to start after winter. . . It's still late autumn, why are we already seeing signs?"
The conversation kept going around me, but I started ignoring them as I moved my own pieces, focusing more on the game.
"Friend Merciful Sun, what do you want for a reward? You have kept many of my household alive from that unexpected raid."
As I opened my mouth I almost habitually said I didn't want anything but then I remembered what happened last time I did such a foolish thing hurting the pride of an Elder.
"Something to sacrifice to the First Rider, I want to practice a ritual."
I tried sounding gentle, but listening to my own words I might have sounded meek.
"That can be done, I'll give you two fine feathered cloaks."
The reply almost surprised me, as the Faennar clan had placed a high value on their weaving of feathers and wool.
"I. . . don't think that'll be enough, councillor Talon, I would be asking for a weapon from him. . . Can I ask for a herd of Rheas instead of feathers?"
My words made the councilor pause midmovement of her white pale brown piece.
"What ritual are you planning to do?"
Her voice was calm, but I can hear a hint of something I haven't before.
"Champions Act - First Rider, the giver of gold coins."
The words were spoken, making everyone around me to become silent.
"I will grant the herd, but I will not risk my household for your foolishness."
I smiled as I lowered my head, I accepted her words as my last black piece was captured by the councilor.
Act III
"Are you insane!"
Eclipsa yelled as she stood up with surprise and anger in her dark eyes. The reaction surprised me, I didn't expect her to react this way.
"It's only an experiment, a more complicated version of the ritual magic I've been doing."
I tried placating her but in the end she stormed out of the hall, Seraphina followed Eclipsa out of the house with her own eyes cold with concern inside them.
"What do you think Chara, how's my chances if I do this?"
I asked the prophet, he's been learning magic as well, atleast trying to as he was being tutored by a lore keeper, an elder of the [Story House].
"It'll work. . . I don't see you dying before or during winter so it'll probably work. . ."
He sounded unsure.
"Sorry about Sunshine, Dani. I think she just worried, you've been doing a lot for us and it's not fair."
I nodded, understanding his feelings on the matter.
"You guys shouldn't be worried, I'm actually enjoying this. . . I always wanted an adventure, I always wanted to learn magic and I always wanted to have friends like you and the girls."
Tap* I patted his shoulder as I stood up and walked away from the fire pit, and made my way to my bed. It's been a rough day, fighting off packs of terror birds and then celebrating with the Talon warriors.
Better sleep it off and be rested before I start preparing for the ritual tomorrow, atleast I know it wouldn't kill me but even if I do die it wouldn't be forever.