Yngvild and the Forest of Dreams

Sacrifice to Clewg

I sat on the base of the first tree I'd touched and let the cool night air chill me. A full moon had risen in the cloudless sky and the temple area was bathed in light. Some small flying creatures flitted between the trees, catching moths in flight. Crickets chirped in the longer grass, clear above the sussuration of insects. Further away owls hunted, hooting to each other.I'd come out here when I'd stopped sobbing on the temple floor. Inibrakemi and Alfinna had both tried to comfort me, but I'd waved them off. I wasn't in the mood for talking. Noren lay on the bier in the temple, he wasn't dead, but he wasn't moving or responding either. The further I'd taken him from Rojden the worse he'd got. My attempt to protect him had made it worse. I'd thought Alfarinn would have known how to break the geas. Old Bjorn had said she was practically a demi-god, and older than anyone else alive. Yet her words had rung true when she'd said she didn't know of any way to break the geas short of death, or Rojden releasing Noren. Rojden had promised me that he would let me and Noren leave. But the effect the geas was having on Noren was proof of the lie. Jafnadr said she didn't think I could kill Rojden myself. Not without lots of practice, and probably some help. So those weren't options for freeing Noren.A procession of robed people entered the opposite side of the circle. Each bore an armful of wood. They were silent, not even disturbing the night wildlife. Their leader knelt near the pool at the edge of the temple. There was a slight clatter as the wood hit the ground.Without any words being spoken the leader stacked the wood from each one in turn. Each turned and left as the leader used their offering. In a fairly short time they'd stacked wood to about mid-thigh on their leader, and as long as he was tall. When the last of them turned away the leader looked straight at me and beckoned me to come. I wasn't sure that he could see me, I was in the shadow of the tree and I hadn't moved in the whole time they'd been there. I thought about the shadows being darker. They beckoned again. My curiosity got the better of my desire to be left alone. I stood and walked toward the robed figures. They were taller than me, and had a loose, flowing, hooded robe that covered their head. As I got a bit nearer the leader threw their hood back, revealing close-cropped silver hair and an unbearded face. A rich warm smile welcomed me, and open arms invited an embrace. I stopped just beyond arms length and took a closer look. 'Welcome Yngvild.' The voice was friendly, at least on the surface. 'I don't think we've met before?'They dropped their arms. 'Clewg sent me. I am Wall.' I looked carefully at Wall. Their face was smooth, with no sign of being shaved. The hair was a close cropped iron grey. Shoulders and build broad and muscled. The flow of the robes made it hard to tell whether they were male or female. Wall watched me watch them. Hands still spread for a welcoming hug. After a minute I broke and accepted it. Only then I realise how much I missed the human contact from Noren. As Wall held me tightly a warm feeling spread through my body. Wall squeezed the tension out of me.'What is your objective?' Wall said. 'I want Noren back.' We had sat on the grass while Wall told me more about Clewg's teachings. 'Commendable, but not a suitable life objective.' 'I want to make the world a better place.' 'Define better.'That was a hard question. Wall looked at me inscrutably. I was pretty sure Wall would win a staring contest. What did I want with my life? I'd never stopped to think about it. I was growing up to enjoy time with Noren, helping my crew feed and clothe ourselves, and maybe in a decade when I'd enjoyed being an adult I'd have a couple of kids. That wasn't going to happen now though. I'd ignored Noren's caution and dragged him away from the comfort and safety of the world we'd grown up in. Where did my idiotic quest to meet Noren's mother come from? It had dragged us through a war, and got Noren into trouble. Worse than trouble really. If I didn't find a way to break the geas then Noren was going to die. 'Why can't I have saving Noren as my objective?' Wall looked up and pointed at the full moon. 'Before this moon has waxed half away Noren will be saved or beyond help.''You've seen this before?''Not exactly this, but when people can't or won't eat, they don't last long.''I'm not giving up on Noren. I'd rather die first than not help.''Everyone has their time, Yngvild.' Wall looked me directly in the eyes. 'You need to prepare.''I'll stick with it for now. I can think up a new objective when I need it.''That's not what I meant.''Do you know how to end an involuntary geas?''There are three ways to end a geas.' 'Three?''The easiest way if for the geasor to relinquish their hold.' 'I don't think Rojden would do that, besides I don't have any way to ask him.''If Rojden were to die it would also release all those that he has bound of their obligations.''What is the third way?''Divine intervention.' 'Go on.''You need to sacrifice something very dear to you while calling on an appropriate god to help.' 'Does Clewg do this sort of thing?''I think another god would be more appropriate, perhaps one that had an interest in Noren and Rojden.' 'Will it work?''There are few certainties. You need to consider the options and pick the one that seems most likely to help you meet your objective.' 'If I do nothing then Noren will certainly die?''We all have our time, and heroes are hard to kill, but it seems more likely than not.' 'Do you know where Rojden is?' 'Unless he enters the sanctuary of Estreham I have no way of knowing where he is.''Can other gods act here?''I've never had reason to call on any other gods. Perhaps Noren's mother will know.'

#

I went back to the tree and sat cross-legged with my back to the trunk facing the centre of the oval. Jafnadr lay across my knees, my hands rested on the sword, one over each knee. Anyone watching would think I was meditating on the problem.

'I need to kill Rojden. You said I'd need help. What sort of help?' Jafnadr didn't reply immediately. 'Training in how to fight would be one thing. I can help the sword work, but you need to fight him with your brain as much as with a sword.''He drugged my father, could I do the same to him?''It's possible, but unlikely you'll get an opportunity. Rojden tricked your father because your father trusted Rojden. The drugs didn't kill Oddrmund, they just stopped him defending himself properly.''So I need another way to create an element of surprise?''You also need to strike a killing blow before he can recover.''Can you help with that?''Heroes are very hard to kill. They heal even from mortal wounds, so you need to make sure.''Like cutting his head off?''That would probably work. As long as you made sure the head was kept away from the body.''Do you have any idea where Rojden is?''You aren't ready to fight him yet, unless you can get Old Bjorn or someone experienced to help you.' 'I don't have time for that. Noren won't last that long.''Nor will you if you try to fight Rojden alone.''I'd rather die trying than not try.''Killing Rojden isn't the only way to remove the geas. Wall told you that.''Was Wall telling me the truth?''Wall was hard to read, everything they said was true, although I got the impression that there was a lot that wasn't said.''Do you think Malfin would break the geas?''I can't speak to the minds of the gods, but she's the one you have the most powerful connection to. However neither Noren nor Rojden do.''How does calling on another god to help fit with my obligation to pray first to Malfin?''You could call on her to intercede on your behalf.''Is it possible to see a geas?''I do not see, yet I'm aware of them, it's possible that you could perceive them too, if you focused enough.''Show me, please.'

#