Haven: Book Seven of "The Liminality"

Chapter 12 - The Excursion

On the morning of their planned excursion, Grehl started her morning with a bowl of warm clay sprinkled with salt. Excursions to other realms could cause shifts in physiology that were tolerated better with a full stomach. She had learned the hard way too that bodies could change even after a short time away. She had sometimes returned to Sheol from another realm with her skin less tolerant of the acidic winds. That problem could also be remedied with white clay slathered on thick. The mercy afforded by the white clay could only be yet another error on the part of the Makers.

She found Lucinda all bouncy and eager to go at the staging area they had set up at the edge of camp. Erasmus was already there as well, leaning against a massive pack frame that looked far too large for him to carry. He was huddled with Barth, Gijantus and a contingent of warriors representing the other cabals. It had been agreed that they remain on call on this side of the interface until Erasmus came across to summon them.

In Grehl's view, this force was unnecessary. Any situation requiring their intervention would signal a failure. She had no wish for them to force their her way into any realm that would be hostile to their entry. War is hell, too, is it not? Gijantus and Barth clearly thought differently. Frankly, she would give up her soul before calling in a rescue, but that was not the consensus of the cabal.

The arrival of two more friendly cabals made it possible to divert this force while maintaining the security of the camp. They now had a large enough pool of fighters to man a perimeter and send patrols. New arrivals reported that a large hunter band had been sighted across the caldera, preying on the followers continuing to straggle into camp.

"Excited?" asked Lucinda, catching Grehl's eye. She appeared to have packed her quiver with extra arrows and had acquired a rather elegant length of steel that she wore slung to her back, with the crudely forged slab of iron that dangled from a rough scabbard at her hip.

"Nervous," said Grehl, whose only weaponry consisted of a short but sharp shard of basalt sheathed in leather.

Tara was present at the staging area as well, sitting in a chair made of bone with handles for portage. Erasmus had assembled a crew of followers to haul her around wherever she wished to go.

Grehl couldn't help but notice the cloak all folded up in her lap. It had been cleaned and some holes had been repaired and edges reinforced. Tara smiled and waved her over.

"I want you to have to have this back," said Tara.

"No. It's yours. I meant what I said. You can keep it."

"You need this more than I do," said Tara. "This is about our future."

Tears welled in the corners of Grehl's eyes. She ducked her head and accepted Tara's offering.

"Thank you. I do hope you continue to mend and soon."

She watched Erasmus struggle to lift his pack frame. He appeared to have loaded it with everything he owned, including his bed roll, a samovar and a small stack of hard bound books that had been looted from one of the defunct in-realm enclaves of the overseers. Gijantus and Barth had to help him and once he had it on he could barely walk or stand up straight without assistance.

"Are we ready to roll?" he asked, grinning.

Grehl sighed and nodded. She was already feeling nauseous and grateful for that helping of white clay. She took off her shoulder bag and slipped her arms through the widely flared sleeves of her cloak. She luxuriated in the weight of the dense fabric sinking into her shoulders. It's presence made her feel whole again.

"Let's do this!"

***

A wide arc of spectators watched from behind a cordon of warriors as Grehl dowsed with her fingers outstretched. This had become a ritual now through trial and error. A set of steps and moves designed to obtain the swiftest and highest quality outcomes. She was pleased to find that the nodes they had marked with cairns remained precisely where she had found them. This was an excellent indicator of interface stability. It bode well for the prospect of maintaining an open portal.