The Call of Crows

Chapter 9: Eastward Bound

"What's up with you?"

Bjorn looked up from a crate he was sitting on, at Taya, who had seemingly appeared before him from nothing with Peng and Ruhak in tow.

He sat huddled outside the singular medical tent the Ascomanni had, staring down at the cobblestones as he waited.

"Taken a look around at all?" Bjorn asked, gesturing to their surroundings.

The refugees who knew him looked on with scornful glares. He didn't even want to think about what they thought of him. But his mind didn't really give him a choice.

"A couple of scary glares. So what?" Taya shrugged, "I saw lightning shoot into the sky. Which means you clearly did something cool."

"I found out that I can...Stop plague deaths? Kind of." Bjorn said, "I can absorb the light and the energy and redirect it somewhere else in the form of lightning."

All three widened their eyes.

"Damn." Ruhak muttered, "That is impressive."

"Where's Cecile?" Taya asked.

"She's checking to see if I did more harm than good." Bjorn said, "How were things on your end."

Taya hissed, "See...we kind of have to go to Koinelia."

Bjorn blinked, "To where?"

"See, the guilds here don't have the ability to let us expand." Taya said, "So if we want any more than five members, we'll have to go to Koinelia. And I reckon we'll need more than five to fight the Nikan or Sarfait."

"Actually, funny story, the people that invaded my home weren't the Sarfans. They're giants. Frost giants. From fairy tales." Bjorn said, "I know it sounds crazy, but..."

"Gods damnit. That's the third." Taya hissed.

"What?" Bjorn frowned.

"I believe you. But now we really need to get to Koinelia." Taya assured him.

Bjorn paused for a minute, his jaw frozen, but he quickly regained control of himself.

"I...Alright. We can leave soon, then?" Bjorn asked.

Taya frowned, "Absolutely."

The medical tent's flaps burst open as Cecile walked out with a sigh, "Good news, Bjorn. She's perfectly healthy. Aside from, you know, the injuries and whatnot."

"Thank the gods." Bjorn sighed.

"Oh. Afternoon." Cecile nodded to Taya and the others.

"C'mon, you two. We have several things to discuss." Taya ushered them to her. "And maybe we can do it in a place where Peng and Bjorn are getting fewer death glares."

Bjorn was thankful to follow them out of the refugee camp as Cecile was caught up on the guild business.

As they walked through the city, following Taya's lead, the Sklaveni abruptly stopped in the middle of the street and swiveled around to face them.

"Alright." Taya said, "I want to know how everyone's feeling. Because the trip to Koinelia is pretty long and in the opposite direction of where some of us want to go."

"Thought about it a little. I've got nowhere to go." Ruhak said, "Plus I've always wanted to see the capital of my home."

"Bjorn, you're on board, right?" Taya asked.

"No one as of right now is going to help me fight for my homeland. So yes. I'm on board." Bjorn said.

"Cecile? Peng?"