“What is this?!” Viz demanded, staring at the glittering leaf slowly rotating in the air in front of Snooze. “Get away from my Blessing!”

 

Snooze looked passed the leaf to meet Viz’s gaze.

 

“I thought you said it was a spell?” She asked, not sure what to do with the covetous glare being leveled her way by the mediator.

 

“It is both!” Viz clarified, moving closer, but stopping just short of five feet away, as if she feared what may happen if she drew too near. “It is a powerful spell handed down from the Ullyach herself, in recognition of my service to the Guild of Ordinary Orthodoxy. Step away from it, you haven’t earned it!”

 

“The… Ool…” Snooze tried, not recognizing any part of the word, strangely.

 

“The Ullyach,” Viz said, through gritted teeth. She pronounced it like ‘Ool-yawk.’ “It;s my right for my contributions. You have no idea how much I have sacrificed to get that, so I will say it only once more: step away from my spell.” 

 

Snooze sighed, but didn’t move.

 

“I can’t,” she said apologetically. “I am sorry, Viz, but this isn’t some gift that the likes of your kind can just hand out willy-nilly. It is my personal instrument of my godly duties, and as much as I wish to help you, this is my only chance to return to my plane.”

 

“I don’t care what you think it will do for you,” Viz said, the sharpness in her voice dripping with malice and… desperation? “It is mine, by rights, and I won’t let you take it from me.”

 

Suddenly, Viz’s hands, which had been at her sides, lit up with a green energy and as she lifted them, they began pulsating, and crackling with what appeared to be magical power. She quickly moved them like she was lobbing something invisible at Snooze and then it happened.

 

A head-sized chunk of rock appeared in the air, spiraling toward Snooze and crunched right into her chest. The blow sent her flying backward, and she slammed hard against the wall of the room with enough force to knock the air out of her. She crashed to the ground, then, her sternum and ribs aching, and tried to take in a few desperate lungfuls of breath, but each inhalation was incredibly painful, and she choked, causing more agony.

 

Viz raced forward, but rolled to the side as a blade swung her way. It missed by inches as Hal had unsheathed her sword and was bearing down on her. Viz shot to her feet, and ducked behind an armchair as another blow came her way and sliced into the back of the chair, and became stuck.

 

“You were warned!” Hal bellowed, and began pulling to unstick the weapon, but Viz stood, and hurled a haymaker at the girl’s unprotected head. Her swing was too wide, and her fist bounced off the leather pauldron on Hal’s shoulder.

 

“Gah!” Viz yelped, and leapt backward, cradling her hand. Hal jumped up onto the seat of the chair and heaved, finally releasing the sword and held it up triumphantly.  Viz was quick, though, and with her good hand, hurled another sizable chunk of magically-produced rock through the air and crashed against the chair’s legs. The stumps snapped and Hal and the chair fell forward, colliding with the ground with a heavy thud, her sword clattering a few feet away.

 

“That was a fell trick!” Hal shouted, lifting herself up from the stone as Viz tried to skirt around the outside of the area and bee-line toward the still-floating leaf.  Hal vaulted over a couch, cutting off her escape and tackling her to the rug just as Viz had gotten close enough to reach out for the spell. The mediator’s hand flashed with green energy, but before she could do anything further, Hal grasped both of her wrists and twisted them behind her back, causing Viz to yelp with pain. The warrior dragged her backward a bit, so that her quarry rested chest-first on the stone.

 

“Not such a powerful heathen now, are you?” Hal sneered, but Viz smirked and twisted her fingers in the girl’s vice-like grip. Tiny orbs of wet earth formed in the air and flashed out at Hal, splattering her face.

 

If anyone had been paying attention to Rekvahn during this entire encounter so far, they would have seen him sitting in the chair by the fire, casually sipping the tea from one of the ceramic cups, and seemingly entertained by the display in front of him. To be fair, it was, objectively, a very humorous fight. He watched as each blow and swoop was performed as though he was viewing a particularly engaging television program--though of course he’d never seen a TV before, that would be absurd, however, if he’d been raised on Snooze’s old world, working in that furniture store, he would have absolutely loved television.

 

“Agh!” Hal cried, releasing Viz’s arms as she tried to scrape the mud out of her eyes. Viz took that opportunity to careen back, striking Hal’s hips and sending her falling as she shot up again and rocketed toward the spell. However, she was so focused on her target that she wasn’t looking at the floor, and as she reached the rug covering the central area, her foot snagged it, sending her tripping and flapping forward to crash into the heavily-laden table. Food went everywhere, and the large, dripping pastry that Rekvahn had made flopped on top of Viz’s head, completely covering her with its syrupy contents.

 

In seconds, Hal had unobstructed her own view and was racing forward, she scooped her fallen sword with her foot as she passed, sending it into the air and catching in deftly and in the same motion, brought the blade swinging down in an arc, ready to slice through Viz where she lay.

 

“Enough.” came a loud, multi-toned, yet oddly-placid voice, the rippling shockwaves of force of which caused Hal to fly back a few feet, mid swing, her sword flying out of her hand and spiraling through the air and sticking right into the arm of the chair that Rekvahn sat in, inches from his flesh. 

 

Snooze limped forward, holding a hand to her chest, her countenance changed dramatically. She was calm and collected despite what seemed to be a very grievous injury. Her chest was pushed in and blood seeped from between her fingers as she moved forward, waves her godly Aura flowing from her. Viz and Hal couldn’t move, and Rekvahn, had he been able to, may not have been interested to do so anyway.

 

“I will not have you killing one another.” Snooze stated, and the two women on the floor nodded urgently.

 

Snooze stepped forward once more, until she was just within arms reach of the silent bauble of the leaf and then extended her hand to it. Neither Hal nor Viz made any movements to stop her or one another. With a light poke, Snooze made contact with the leaf and suddenly, a display appeared. However, to her great disappointment, the wall of text that appeared were the curious glyphs that she now knew were the written word of the current version of Pebbletongue. 

 

“Book?” she asked hesitantly. “It’s me, Snooze.”

 

However, the glyphs remained, even as she spoke. She wasn’t sure what she expected exactly, but she knew that it was not this. She sighed, knowing she’d need someone to decipher it, and when she realized that the two women would be of no use at the moment, she lifted her hand to Rekvahn.

 

“Please, can you help me out? I can’t read this.”

 

Rekvahn paused, and then nodded, setting down the cup carefully next to the blade still quivering in the arm of his chair and moved in his languid way across the room to stand next to Snooze and look over the god’s shoulder. 

 

“It says, ‘good morrow, faithful.’” Rekvahn relayed, looking back to Snooze.

 

Snooze found this mode of address strange, but she waited for Rekvahn to translate again as more text appeared.

 

“You have been granted this Blessing by she who is known as the Mother Ullyach. As a prestigious member of the faithful in the Guild of Ordinary Orthodoxy, it is imperative that you understand this great treasure and hold it dear in this present moment.”

 

Snooze shook her head.

 

“Why is the Book speaking this way?” she asked.

 

Rekvahn shrugged, and then continued.

 

“This Blessing is but a single use, and will disperse once it has completed its objective, as seen fit by the Most Faithful. You may ask a single question, faithful, of any magnitude or secret to reveal that which lies behind the veil of mystery in the known beyond.”

 

“This…” Snooze began, but pain racked her body suddenly, and she felt her Aura beginning to fade. “It doesn’t make any sense… why is the Book being so weird?”

 

Rekvahn watched more text appear, and translated as the final sentence was displayed.

 

“Speak your question, faithful.”

 

Snooze trembled, the Aura slipping a bit further from her and letting more of the pain in. Through the agony, she resolved to speak, though it was difficult.

 

“Book of Leaf,” she said. “Tell me how I can get back home.”

 

With that, the Aura faded, and Snooze let out a gasp as the full force of the crushing blow she’d been dealt washed over her and she doubled over with a cry.

 

Rekvahn grasped her around the shoulders, to keep her from falling, and gently raised her up to stand. 

 

“Here,” he said, and held out what looked like a plastic green button. Snooze looked up at him quizzically.

 

“It will help,” he said simply. “I designed it to reduce pain, though you will need to heal on your own. Put it in your mouth and bite down on it.”

 

She looked at him uncomprehendingly, but he placed it in her hand.

 

“It will work. I am very good at what I do.”

 

Snooze attempted to shrug, but it caused her too much pain, so instead, with a shaky hand she slowly lifted the small object to her lips and carefully inserted it into her mouth. It tasted like grass, which… wasn’t entirely unpleasant, but she did as she was bid and bit down on the button and with a crack, she could feel some sort of liquid seep out. This tasted terrible. Bitter and sharp at the same time and she had to stop herself from spitting it out. However, almost immediately, the effects took hold, and she felt the pain in her chest lessen. 

 

“Oh,” she said. “Rekky, that is wonderful.”

 

Rekvahn simply smiled and urged her to the Book of Leaf’s display.

 

“It hasn’t changed,” he said. “It still asks for the question.”

 

Snooze scowled at it.

 

“What’s the trick to it?”

 

“It’s meant for me, thief,” Viz suddenly said, standing up from the floor. She looked quite comical completely covered in pastry filling with a grimace on her face. She moved forward.

 

“It is designed specifically to administer facts of our faith, to deepen our understanding and better relay the words of the Divine Father.”

 

Snooze sighed.

 

So it’s just got pre-programmed, canned responses? How is that possible? This is definitely some element of the Book of Leaf, I just have to figure out how to get through to it.

 

Snooze held up her hand. 

 

“Please,” she said. “You’ve already done more than enough damage to me, I’ll ask that you keep a safe distance.”

 

“Better than you deserve,” Viz spat back, but then her hardened features softened and she looked deeply apologetic.

 

“I…” she started, catching herself. “I didn’t mean to hurt you like that.”

 

Snooze sighed, which was still painful, though less than it would have been a moment ago.

 

“Oh this?” she said, attempting a smile. “Don’t worry about it. Hardly more than a bruise.”

 

Viz but her lip. 

 

“You will not die from it, I hope?”

 

“I’m not even sure I can die, Viz,” she returned. “But if I do, I’ll make sure to haunt the hell out of you.”

 

Hal appeared next to them, glancing at Snooze with an expression very much like a scolded dog.

 

“Se Nu Sa,” she said. “Are you alright?”

 

Snooze rolled her eyes.

 

“Guys, I’m fine,” she said. “Really. I can’t believe you would think such a weak attack could take me out.”

 

Viz frowned.

 

“I used a lot of force,” she said.

 

“Guess you’ll have to use more next time,” Snooze said, then motioned to her. “When we have some time, you’re going to explain to me exactly how you’re able to do that.”

 

Rekvahn ushered the three towards the display then, as the message repopulated.

 

“It says, ‘if you do not request an answer of the faith, your Blessing will disperse. The time is limited.’”

 

Snooze looked at Viz.

 

“Look, I’m sorry I stole this, but clearly, if you couldn’t tell, I’m not exactly normal for people here. Can we set aside our differences and you help me out?”

 

Viz seemed to be considering it but dropped her head.

 

“I lost a great deal to receive that Blessing,” she said. “I cannot just give it up, I have nothing left.”

 

“What do you mean?” Snooze asked. “What exactly did you sacrifice?”

 

Viz gestured vaguely to the Book of Leaf and sighed.

 

“I tithed my entire personal fortune.”

 

Snooze’s eyes widened.

 

“You paid for this with your life savings?!” she exclaimed. “How much?”

 

“Two thousand brecks, over the course of several years.”

 

Snooze had an idea, and she quickly dug into her pouch and withdrew one of the gems. This one was a shimmering, clear but with a beautiful fire of silver inside of it. Both Hal and Viz looked at the jewel as if she’d just uncorked a vial of snakes.

 

“Here,” Snooze said. “This should be worth at least two thousand brecks, right? Then you can help me use this, and you’ll be able to recoup your losses.”

 

Viz stared at the gem, not taking it.

 

“How…” she wondered, unable to say more than that. 

 

“Take it,” Snooze implored, and pressed it against her hand. “I’ve got more where that came from, do you want another?”

 

Viz shook her head aggressively.

 

“No, no, no,” she said. “I can’t possibly… is that a windglass firerock?”

 

“Sure,” Snooze said, not knowing the name of the gem truly.

 

“I…” tears welled up in Viz’s eyes, and she shook her head.

 

“Why would you give this to me? I wounded you.”

 

Snooze chuckled, but was forced to stop mid-chuck because the pain in her chest began screaming at her. She leveled a soft gaze at Viz and smiled.

 

“Consider it payment for my theft, and for helping me.”

 

Viz nodded, and took the gem gratefully, eyeing it in disbelief. Summoning a little of her Air magic, which was admittedly very little, Snooze directed a gentle breeze to blow over Viz’s face, drying her tears.

 

“Now,” Snooze said, “let’s all be friends here and figure this out together. Trust me, if I get out of here in one piece, you’re going to be very happy that I’m on your side.”

 

“Se Nu Sa,” Rekvahn said suddenly. Snooze quickly turned to the necromancer. He was pointing at the display, and as Snooze turned her attention to it, she saw that it had changed.

 

S̴̹̀͗͒̚ͅN̴͇̆Ǫ̵̤͆Ò̶͔͙͕̿̆͝Z̸̩̦̬̪̑̏̍Ē̴̲̝

Snooze almost cried out in joy, but the pain likely would have put a stop to that, instead she slapped Rekvahn’s arm.

 

“When did that happen?” she demanded.

 

“The moment you cast that bit of spell,” Rekvahn shrugged. “Perhaps it reacted to it?”

 

Snooze looked at the display. Clearly something odd was happening, as the message was garbled and only just barely perceivable as something she understood, but she needed to get to the bottom of it.

 

“Book of Leaf?” she asked, “oh boy, it’s good to see you again! What’s going on, how--”

 

But the text changed again.

 

T̷͓̫̰̹͛̽H̵̳͉̼̉E̸͚̖̦̫͐͂̄Y̸̩͇̼̅  ̸̼̄A̴̮͌̄͘R̴̠̄̆Ë̶̪̺͔́͆̋̉ ̸̩̩͒͂̀͝  C̸̝̯̊Ó̸̺̟̪̟̓̒M̵̲̫̌̊͑̃Í̵̦̻̉Ń̶̺̙G̶͉̃͌̚

“What, who is coming?” Snooze asked, but with a certain dread in her heart, he watched as the message disappeared and reappeared with a single word.

 

Ṙ̶̭̯̀̚Ù̴̪̚N̵̲͕̥̪͐̈̂̅!

 

Suddenly, far in the distance, somewhere in the valley below the cliffs, Snooze could hear the deep rumble of thunder.