Chapter 2 - Independent Learning

"I don't know why you're worrying about that blight in any case - it didn't work" says the voice, and then hurriedly, as if trying to distract from his previous words "it's not penetrating very far into the woods"

"Ah so it is your handiwork then!" answers Passer quickly, "Petty revenge after getting scared by a couple of animated trees!"

"Petty!" roars the voice "I nearly lost my left eye to those tree devils. I'll burn down that cursed wood of yours next time."

Quiet descends upon the clearing following the young wizard's words. To Tannis's ears, his thumping heart is drowned out only by his quickened breathing.

Passer appears motionless, perhaps waiting in earnest to see if Tannis's words hit home.

The silence appears to stretch out. As if each grain of sand from a hourglass were drifting downwards like a downy feather.

When the voice breaks the silence, the anger has evaporated, replaced with... curiosity: "You speak wisely for one so young. Tell me, if Passer is not your master, are you a student of Alnerwick?"

Tannis quickly scans the clearing, illuminated by his staff. It seems the epitome of the idyllic country retreat. The waterfall on the far side of the pool glitters with reflections of Tannis's light, the frothing waters at the base glowing white. By the edge of the pool, the waters are nearly flat. There is a stone-walled edge to the pool on the northern bank, with a stone path leading up the clearing to the hut. The forest hugs the clearing like a thick blanket, its deep darkness resisting the light. Tannis notices that lower level of the clearing, before the slope to the hut, is muddy and churned up in places. He also sees a pile of stones, the same as used for building the hut.

As Tannis looks around, another long silence pervades the clearing.

Finally a response comes from the dark window. "I will help you lift the blight. I have two conditions. Firstly, each of you must swear an oath of secrecy as to the origin of the blight. You must instead state that the blight was of natural origin, and was cured by the druid's nature magic. And secondly, I require that Tannis run me a simple errand, merely fetching something from the mouth of the Soverbot."

"The fine sand from the beaches near the mouth of the river. It makes the best glassware.", comes the voice.

"I will keep your secret. Not that you deserve it." says Passer through gritted teeth "But allow me to retrieve this sand, I can assume the form of a bird, and be there and back in a day. It would be a near ten-day trip for Tannis on foot."

"The boy looks like he could benefit from some time outside. Besides, there will be work for you to lift the blight once I tell you how." replies the voice.

"A bagful will suffice my needs."

"Swear your oaths and I will tell you how the blight may be lifted."

"You are careful with your words young Tannis." answers the voice.

"Would not a career in legal matters have suited you more than tinkering with magiks?" it asks rhetorically, before continuing "But I shall hold you to them. And you, druid, will you swear?"

There is a pause before Passer answers. His voice betrays frustration. "I swear to keep the origin of the blight a secret, and to say that it was cured by the magic of the druids. Now tell us how to stop it."

The voice replies, "To cast the spell, I walked the perimeter of the Ballater Woods, invoking the magic of death, and carving runes upon the underside of branches. I counted eight hundred and eighty eight paces between each rune, once you find one, you will be able to find the next. I first travelled west to east along the south border of the wood, so will know the direction to follow. Each rune can be healed with healing magic, or with the spell of plant growth. The blight will lessen with each removed rune, and disappear once the last has been removed."

After the remedy has been communicated, Tannis hears a clatter emanating from the hut, and a moment after an object files in a slow trajectory from the window, landing on the ground in the middle of the clearing. Once it lands Tannis realises that it is a bag.

"Here's the bag for the sand. Make sure you fill it nice and full."

Nothing emerges from the bag as Tannis turns it inside out, but Tannis notes that it is a well-made bag.

"Come Tannis, I think we have troubled this man enough. Let's be on our way" says Passer. He begins walking back the way the travellers came.

A few moments later, once the travellers are out of earshot, Passer puts words to Tannis's thoughts: "He is somewhat odd, don't you think?"

"I suggest we put a little distance between us and this place before we bed down for the night"

Tannis notices that the night is closing in. The darkness is not just from the density of the forest canopy above.

"If what Hadud says is true, yes. And thanks to your powers of persuasion. I am most grateful to you Tannis"

When the pair emerge from the forest the sun had set, and the last rays of light are visible beyond the hills to their right. Passer continues on a path along the side of the river for some time further, before stopping and turning to Tannis.

"Let us camp here. I'm afraid I will not be able to avail us of a sanctuary this night." he makes a small gesture with his fingers, illusory clouds drift past above his open hand, "but it will be dry at least"

From nearby clumps of trees Tannis is able to collect sufficient wood to make a good sized camp fire. As he goes about collecting the wood he notices no people. The valley is populated by trees, scrub and land that has recently been used for grazing, but no grazing animals are in sight. Grey clouds linger overhead, but true to Passer's prediction, no rain comes.

As the night draws in, the travellers bed down for the night near the fire. All that can be heard is the babbling of the nearby river accompanied by the crackle of firewod.