Freja thought she wouldn’t be able to get any rest that night but shortly after falling into bed she was out. Exhaustion both physically and mentally had worn her down. However, just because she managed to sleep didn’t mean it was restful.

  Shadows haunted her dreams, the horrors of the past few days replaying in cruel, fragmented loops. The troll loomed over her, just as it had the day her family abandoned her. The wolves snarled, their teeth flashing in the dark. The villagers' bodies swung like grotesque ornaments from the trees, crimson stains marring the bark. The treant, the druids, the slaughtered, the dead watched her with empty, accusing eyes. She ran, desperate, but the nightmares pursued her relentlessly.

  A soft chittering noise pulled her from the nightmares. Freja awoke, breath hitching as she blinked away the lingering traces of night terrors. Bjorn lay curled on the floor, his twin heads twitching in sleep, his chittering soft. The room was cold despite the blankets wrapped around her.

  Without thinking, she slid out of bed, wrapped the blanket around herself, and lay down beside him. Pressing against his warmth, she let out a quiet sigh. He was her rock when she wasn’t sure where to stand. It was them against whatever the world threw at them. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

  ***

  Morning came fast as Freja woke up in the bedroom of Unn’s son, who was away at the Academy she’d attended only a few days ago but felt like months. Things were so different from back then. She used to be a burden to everyone she knew. Her family, her friends and even her familiar. She saved the lives of people that would have died without her of all people.

  She pulled back the comforter and watched Bjorn as he slept beside her for a moment. He was curled into a tight oval like a snake. His two heads rested on top hissing softly as he slept. She admired his slick blue scales and handsome reptilian face. He was a good boy, she only wished she knew what he was. She still hadn’t found out but it was only a matter of time she hoped.

  A knock on the door broke her from her rumination.

  “Come in.” She said.

  Helina entered and appeared shocked once she saw her on the floor

  “Sif? What are you doing down there?” Helina asked.

  “I wanted to be closer to Bjorn.” Freja said with an embarrassed tone. “He was already asleep and I didn’t want to wake him.”

  “Yes-yes he is adorable.” Helina said. “Now come on get him up, the sun will be rising soon and we have to get out of here.”

  “Wait, before you leave.” Freja said but her hey quickly averted from Helina. “I-I am a wizard but recently I have been able to control my mana.” She took a breath and looked Helina in the eyes. “Can you teach me self-defence spells? After what happened at the river I was so useless. Bjorn and Maiden Embla both got hurt and I couldn’t do anything.”

  Helina walked further inside and plopped down on the wad of blankets next to Freja.

  “When I was your age my main concern was chores around the house.” Helina said with a sigh. “My mother is a strict woman for goblin standards. Not as strict as wendigo moms but a single dish lift unwashed was a lashing.” She chuckled. “I think I am more like her now that I have my own children. I wish you didn’t have to go through all of this, children shouldn’t have to worry about fighting, killing and death. You should be able to be a sixteen year old girl, coming into your own, making friends, making memories.”

  Freja didn’t quite understand that sentiment, wendigo always had to worry about those things. It was a part of their tradition to fight and gain strength. Killing and death was the way of the world. Then she thought about her life at the academy, it was so peaceful in comparison. There she didn’t have to worry about death but, it was a reprieve, not the norm.

  “I don’t think I get to choose that anymore, Helina.” Freja said grimly. “My family took that away from me when they made me a Shai. Now I have to follow the will of the Forest Father and He has put a trial ahead of me I can’t face as I am now. I am not going to go looking for fights. If running is an option I will run, but I want to be able to defend Bjorn if running is not an option. So, please, teach me. I already know Fire Wisp.”

  “Okay,” Helina said in an airy voice. “After we get to the Isi stronghold we will start. Until then just be Sif.”

  Helina stood up, kissed Freja’s forehead and walked to the door.

  “Now hurry and get up, they have breakfast in the square for you and Bjorn.” Helina paused for a second and held out her hand and a new outfit appeared in her hand. “Oh and this is for you, it's a gift from Kare it was apparently his daughters. Oh and don’t worry she is fine, she lives in Lavi.”

  ***

  It was surreal being out in the town with the first rise of the sun barely peeking over the distant horizon. The townsfolk have all gathered despair, longing and pain painted all of their faces. They were leaving their homes, their lives and livelihoods and many of them are leaving the resting places of their loved ones taken in the attack. The air was still thick with the smell of the pyres most of which had already burned to embers.

  Freja found herself with the rest of the merchant caravan. Sabec gave her and Bjorn food but she wasn’t particularly hungry after all she had seen. She looked down at the beef skewer in her hands for a long time before she finally took her first bite.

  “Once we get to the stronghold we can wait for confirmation that the roads are clear before heading to Lavi,” Owen said.

  “We were planning on heading to the city after we left here anyway.” Helina added. “There won’t be anywhere safer than Lavi if the Druids are really attacking the Domain. I want to get our sons somewhere safe as soon as possible.”

  “I am fine with the plan. Lavi was alway my destination,” Joha said.

  “Sabec agrees, yes?” The gnoll said.

  Joha’s eyes rested on Freja who had remained quiet, “that just leaves our Healer Alchemist,” he said. “You joined us on our caravan but after Lavi we will all likely be going our own ways. Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you.”

  Freja looked around the group all of them nodded with his words. Freja felt her cheeks warm as she felt embarrassed so many people actually cared about her. They were right though she needed to think about what she was going to do next. Lavi would be her new start and she had to take control of her life.

  “Thank you everyone. I will put some thought into what I want but please be patient with me.” Freja said softly. “I have never had this much freedom. So, until we part, please continue to guide me like you all have so far.”

  ***

  Bjorn was walking alongside Sabec’s wagon. He wanted to get some exercise if for no other reason than to clear his mind. Things had been progressing with his powers but not as quickly as he would like. Every fight he had been in had teetered on the edge of disaster, each victory feeling more like survival than triumph. He needed to get stronger as quickly as possible while his healing factor could keep him alive through some serious damage but it was slow.

  “All I am saying is even though we are getting into fights can we get into one that is going to gut us for once.” Failsafe exasperatedly. “Or knock us out. I don’t think we one a fight that didn’t end in us getting knocked out yet.”

  “We killed a couple of the shadow wolves that just left us with a couple bites on our tail.” Bjorn replied.

  “That was a tactical retreat not a fight.” Failsafe said pointedly.

  Bjorn hissed, “And what do you consider a fight, then, oh wise and all-knowing Reincarnation Failsafe?”

  “You don’t have to use my whole name. All I am saying is if we go down the list, the troll broke nearly every bone in our body, knocked us out; the steel wolf bit off our head, knocked us out… kinda; the bird familiar and mage combo, gutted us then knocked us out. We need to rethink our strategy. If anything, try to win a fight without severe brain damage.”

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “You are acting like I chose those situations,” Bjorn scoffed. “When the only other option is to abandon Freja. She is our only connection to the people of this land, if not for her we would be some wild beast and I doubt they would find out if I was friendly or not before hunting us.”

  Failsafe was silent for a moment before replying, his voice more measured this time. “How do you know those thoughts are yours and not just the bond influencing you?” he asked. “That’s what it does, you know. It makes you want to protect her. I’m immune to it because I’m a spell, but you? The bond is inside your mind. You don’t actually know her, Bjorn. We’ve been like this for, what, a few weeks? If we keep throwing ourselves into unwinnable fights, we’re going to run out of heads to lose and guts to spill.”

  “You make sense but I know you are just saying that because you share my pain.” Bjorn said with a sigh.

  “Pain sucks! I don't know why you keep jumping in front of things that have such big claws and talons. I also share your fate. You die, I disperse and I would rather exist thank you very much.”

  Bjorn grunted his agreement and continued on walking. He hadn’t really thought much more about the Familiar Bond that connected him to Freja. He knew that it did affect his mind, it made him want to protect the young wendigo girl. It told him that she was his friend and someone that he should consider family. So far she had done right by him but Failsafe wasn’t entirely wrong in saying he did have the tendency to lose rationality when she was in danger.

  What would be the point in reincarnating just to die protecting Freja. He didn’t want to abandon her and he doesn’t feel wrong for having fought to keep her safe so far. He just needs to make sure he thinks before he acts now that he knows his abilities so he can act in a way that will protect himself and her. Once they are somewhere truly safe he can consider what to do about the bond. He will have to break it before the effect over him becomes permanent.

  After a few hours, Freja hopped down from the wagon, stretching her arms high above her head as she let out a satisfied sigh. The stiffness of travel melted from her muscles, and she took a deep breath of the crisp morning air. Before she could settle into a comfortable pace beside Bjorn, he suddenly leapt onto her back, his tail wrapping snugly around her torso. His scaled limbs clung to her like a living backpack, his heads settling on either side of hers.

  Her yawn turned into a startled squeak as she stumbled slightly under his unexpected weight. “Ahh—Bjorn! What are you doing, baby?” she huffed, steadying herself. “If you wanted to be carried, you should’ve just climbed back in the wagon.”

  Bjorn responded by tightening his hold slightly, not enough to constrict, but enough to make it clear he wasn’t letting go.

  “I am not a rock for you to sunbathe on, young man.” She said poking one of his snouts. When he still didn’t move, she rolled her eyes but didn’t push him off. “Fine, fine. But if you ever get big enough for a saddle, I will be riding you as payback. So enjoy this while you’re small and cute.”

  Bjorn let out a chittering laugh, which to anyone else might’ve sounded like a menacing hiss. Nestled against her, he soaked in the warmth of her body as they walked. He did love sunbathing, but the morning sun wasn’t strong enough yet to properly heat his scales. More than anything, he just wanted to mess with Freja.

  “Yeah, laugh now, just you wait when I have all my mobile alchemy equipment. You will be a noble steed with pink ribbons, flowers and a cute bow.”

  Bjorn leaned back causing the girl to sway in her walk and nearly trip. She caught herself in time and grumbled in mock offence about more frills on his future saddle.

  “Excuse me, Sif?” A voice cut in. “Sorry I didn’t mean to intrude.”

  They turned and saw Tyr had walked up to them, the young Heir nodded his head at their acknowledgement.

  “Yes? How can I help Hier Tyr?” Freja asked.

  “Please, just call me Tyr. I get enough honorifics from my people. Besides, Lady Healer Sif, I was hoping I could count you amongst my friends. You saved so many of my people, you saved Embla.”

  “Oh, yeah of course,” Freja said. “And I am not an official healer so you don’t need to give me a title either.”

  “I am sure I already said this, but thanks Sif. This whole thing was, well, I don’t know not what I thought my Rite would be like. I thought that I was ready but after what happened. If it weren’t for you and the merchant caravan I and everyone else would be dead.”

  “No one would have been able to see this happening.” Freja said.

  “Yeah, but I am supposed to be the Heir of the Isi. Here I am not even able to take on a mage on my own.” He looked solemnly at the traveling refugees. He took a long breath and Embla told me what she remembered from the fight with the hydrokinetic mage at the river. You and Bjorn rushed to save her after she got hurt. I nearly froze up when facing the pyrokinetic in the town. If not for Sabec we wouldn’t have been able to catch him.”

  “I saw him with the bardiche but I have never actually seen him fight.” Freja said.

  “Woah really? It was actually kind of insane. He isn’t a mage I am pretty sure he’s a material user like me. Though the difference in skill was like like night and day.”

  “You are a Material User,” Freja with a raised brow. “Sorry, I don’t know much about material users. I thought that it was a human thing.”

  Tyr chuckled to himself and nervously scratched his cheek, “Yeah that is what a lot of people say. I am a mystic swordsman in training; my dad was teaching me the way of the sword passed down through our family,” he patted the hilt of his sword. “It is called Hrior af Brotnum Isi or Storm of Shattered Ice. I didn’t even get a chance to use it. It is true that humans were the first to use the material; Lifeforce, chakra, prana and ki. It is not just a human thing though my family is one of the few wendigo to use the art.”

  “Lifeforce, chakra…” Freja trailed off. “Uh, is it like mana? I am a wizard so.”

  “Ah, no, they are separate from mana in fact it is a complete separation from it. A person that uses one of the material arts can never use mana and vice versa. The Isi use chakra in its ice form. We don’t draw on mana but instead in the flow of power from ourselves. Look here.”

  He showed her his hand and ice formed on his palm. Bjorn tasted the air and just like the boy said there wasn’t any mana in the air. The effect was something else: an imposition of his own life energies on the world around him. Now that Bjorn noticed it he could taste the difference in Freja’s mana based aura and Tyr’s chakra based one. Mana was lighter and wispy as if it were melding into the world. While chakra was rigid like a layer of skin over his form almost like a sheet of glass poured over him.

  “All the material arts are like this?” Freja asked.

  “Oh no, chakra requires it to be tied to an elemental effect; others have different practices and requirements.” He waved the collected Ice from his hand. “From what I understand, prana requires part of the practitioner's soul to be bound to a weapon. Ki, uh… oh, right, it is tied to the stars, sun and moon. Lifeforce was the first and oldest, but I don’t know what it does. The Isi family and our disciples only use chakra though, so I don’t know much about the others.”

  “What about Embla?” Freja tapped her lip in compilation. “She was using darkness magic.”

  “She isn’t technically an Isi disciple. She settled in the area and my father hired her for her services. I’ve known her my whole life though. She is like an older sister at this point. Do you know about the Theologian Clergy?”

  “No, my family didn’t really have much to do with them. My uncle was a member of the Warrior Clergy though. I was taught of them and their importance as cultural enforcers. Other than that I have only ever seen them in the city.”

  Tyr laughed so hard he nearly ran into her. “Embla? A cultural enforcer?” He said as he caught his breath. “Sure she can be tough sometimes but she is definitely not that. Don’t get me wrong she is devout in the teaching but she is normally the laidback one in the inner circle. She was being more of a stickler for the rules because she is the Witness of my Rite of Leadership. Not to mention after you told us about the treant.

  “The Theologian Clergy has to focus on spiritual guidance, education, rituals and interpreting the will of the Forest Father,” Tyr continued. “I am told they do enforce some of the broad teachings especially in large cities but it's not like they will take someone away and re-educate them. The Fr?eimaer and Fr?eikona both act like more guides than anything.”

  “If she isn’t normally as strict as she has been, what is she normally like,” Freja asked. “After I told you about the treant I thought she didn’t like me.”

  Tyr sighed and rubbed his hand down his face, “No, that’s not it. She was just… cautious. A treant, a mysterious girl covered in blood with druid weapons and a village with no survivors. I am sure you can see where I am going. We needed answers and while I wanted to trust you she was telling me that I should be more attentive. But after what happened in Vatnaby you have earned my trust and I am sure hers as well. When this is over you will be able to see what she is usually like.”

  “Oh, I am looking forward to it.” Freja said.

  “You said you were a wizard too? I mean the staff gave it away but what discipline?”

  “I don’t really have an affinity so it is just going to be self defensive spells. Helina agreed to teach me.”

  “Oh, I didn’t get the chance to see her fight but I have seen her use magic. She is a hydrokinetic mage or at least that is the only magic I have seen her use. If you ever want to learn swordsmanship, the Isi style may suit you too.”

  “Thanks and no offence but, I don’t want to give up being a magic caster for material.” Freja said.

  “Don’t worry a lot of people say that. We don’t force people to undergo the change and there are disciples that still have mana; they just substitute ice chakra with ice magic. Just something to think about.”

  “If that is the case I will definitely consider it.”

  The two talked for a while but not about much; the road, weather, how much longer they would be traveling that day. She nearly forgot she was carrying bjorn until he shifted around to get a better grip on her. Thought she might as well look around for any useful herbs. Tyr seemed like he wanted to go with her but was called for guard duty.

  “Well, he’s nice,” Tanisha said as she waved him off.

  She couldn’t help but think of Mat, her human friend from the academy. They looked nothing alike of course, Tyr being a snowfallen wendigo and Mat being a human. They weren’t even built the same; snowfallen were naturally lean and Tyr was in better shape and quite muscular. She thought to herself, why did she think about Mat just then? She then remembered Julie told her that Mat had a crush on her, and he didn’t deny it.

  “You ready to look for some herbs while we move, baby?” She said.