The Root

Chapter 2 - 1

"Why does it have to rain all the time?" Amelie complained.

It had been raining for hours, ever since they reached the border of Gilea. The journey hadn't been long thus far as their previous village was only a few days from the Gilean border. However, the second, much longer half of the excursion was looming ahead. Since Svarthold was so far away, they had decided to take a ship from Dunnow to Köllvein, the largest trade port within Kvennland, and continue the journey on foot.

The change in both terrain and weather had been painfully evident for Amelie, because Midlands was her home. Instead of the warm days of late summer, the past days had been depressingly grey and bleak and it seemed that the farther they were, the colder it became. First snows were a few moons away, but autumnal rains were common in Gilea, it seemed.

Despite the cold and the rain there were many things Amelie enjoyed about Gilean nature. Oak, spruce and evergreens replaced the olive trees and cypresses of Midland territory. Granted, she had travelled up to Kvennland before, but back then they had boarded a ship from Nassos all the way into Hollsvik — the capital of the Kvenns.

Her thoughts suddenly drifted into the Initiation. Harkonnen had mentioned the process many times during her training but she didn't really know what the Initiation was. It was said to finally make Hunters who they were. She was sure that somehow, she was meant to prove her abilities and prowess to the other Hunters. But how?

"Hey, what's the Initiation about, really?"

Harkonnen slowed down and grumbled. "You know that I can't go into detail about it. You have to face it as it comes."

"Is there anything you can tell, though?"

Harkonnen paused for a while, and it seemed like he was deep in thought.

"There is a ritual involved. Before our times, other magicks existed. Less dangerous, but more..."

"More what?"

"I lack the word," Harkonnen said and looked slightly uncomfortable.

"It could do more, but was used for less," he struggled with the words. "The Volvar — ordinary women blessed or cursed by the Ancients were capable of many things."

Even though she had known that Ancients were divine spirits worshipped centuries ago, she had not heard about other magicks.

"Volvar." Amelie tried the word. "Were they as dangerous as the sorcerers of our time?"

"No," Harkonnen replied. "They were able to see things like no-one else."

Amelie nodded. "So, these Volvar have something to do with the Initiation?"

"Hmmm," Harkonnen shook his head. "I can't say any more."

"Fair enough," Amelie sighed. "How far is Dunnow?"

"We will be there tomorrow," Harkonnen replied. "Although, we will be staying there overnight to restock our supplies."

"I think we should rest up," Amelie said, soaked and miserable. "We have been walking for hours, and surely this rain will be gone tomorrow!"

Harkonnen nodded and followed Amelie as she walked away from the roads and into the woods. It was pouring, and the rain made her equipment feel heavier than it actually was. Frankly, she couldn't even imagine how he was pulling it off — carrying a bagful of supplies for both of them, from potion ingredients to tents. It must have been at least thrice the equipment Amelie had, but he did not seem weighed down at all.

Harkonnen set down his backpack after finding a small clearing in the woods and started to build the camp. Meanwhile, Amelie tried setting up the fire, but the task seemed difficult at best.