They were bedding down for the night in the swamp. It was decided that everyone, was to pair off in two through out the nights to make sure that they were not swept away from their camp deeper into the swamp.

Anna shuddered as she help set up her and Lilian’s tent.

Geez! If this thing wasn’t suppose to be friendly towards me, I would be freaking the fuck out at the thought of some swamp thing yanking me in my sleep into the woods; dragging me through the muck.

She gave another shudder.

Then she felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around her waist, right before a chest was pressed into her back.

“Cold my Ashu’Rágé? You are shivering.”

Anna grit her teeth, but forced a smile.

“No, not really. Just thinking about what you told us. About how the elemental could drag us off towards its territory of the swamp if we are not careful… it was a scary thought.” Anna told her honestly.

Anna felt a smile creep up onto Lilian’s lips.

“Worry not my love, you have nothing to fear, as long as I am here.”

“Gee! Thanks Emily Dickinson, your words are so romantic within the swamp of madness!” Anna told Lilian with a playful sarcastic lit.

“Who is Emily Dick—“

“She was a writer and a poet back on my world. She wrote some really good, if not cheesy for my modern time, poetry about love and other things in life. Your alliteration earlier reminded me of some of her poetry.”

“Ah! I see. I was not old enough to read anything quite that advanced when I lived back at my home with my mother.”

“………” Anna was quiet before she spoke again. “If you don’t mind my asking Lilian: You have hardly talked about your home when you were living in human society. Now that we are going there, are we going to end up being near your other family. Is there anything you want to tell me about them? Or maybe just get off your chest?” Anna asked her.

Anna could tell her words made Lilian sullen. She just felt that her love tense a certain way while Lilian was holding her from behind.

“……Not much to tell really…… I was relegated to a tall tower on the outskirts of our property. I couldn’t even tell you where it was if you asked me. I was kept there for the first five years of my life. Only allowed to come out of there I think a total of six times since my fifth birthday; and the sixth time was when my mother came to take me away, to my leave me with my father at the base of the mountain. So no, my life started there; but it didn’t truly begin until I came here, to my father’s homelands. So there is really truly not much to tell.”

Anna lifted a hand and held Lilian’s tightly.

“I am sorry for asking. I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories for you. I just… wanted to know more about you… know more of your life; as we are about to go see the other half of it.”

Lilian scoffed.

“Hardly, and not if I have anything to say about that. This trip will be as short as I can make it, for the sole purpose of greeting that… fucking bitch! of an entitled queen that we mean her no harm. Then we are leaving.”

“Wow!” Anna let out astonished by Lilian’s words. “Not a fan of her?”

Lilian scoffed.

“Hardly. That bitch can rot and die in a dungeon for all I care.”

“Sorry I asked.”

“*SIGH* Don’t be. It is not your fault. I just…… I have nothing I love or care for left within the human society.”

“Guess that is fair then. I have nothing left of my home world either. So I guess we will just drop the past and look towards our future then; with each other.” Anna told her while smiling and tilting her head backwards to look at Lilian upside down.

Lilian smiled back at her before leaning down to give her a kiss from this awkward position.

After they parted Lilian replied.

“Yes,” She agreed. “we will. We will make the clan a new home for us my Ashu’Rágé, I promise it.”

Anna schooled her expression to hide her emotions behind her smile.

I honestly don’t care. Anna thought to herself. Really, I don’t. We can leave in the clan for all I care. We can love with either humans or Mokra’Torcs. I honestly don’t give a damn!…… but……

Anna stood up straight and got back to finishing setting up the tent. With a finally tug and push into place, their tent was set.

I just wish that Lilian wasn’t so dead set on the clan. I can go anywhere and be content in any place, if she wants to go somewhere!… But it seems, at least to me: that she wants nothing else but to be a part of the clan… And I am scared where I fit in with this idea and vision she has.

After they finish setting up their tent. They bid Harks and Horrik goodnight as the other four of their party go to sleep.

                   

It was right before dawn when they were woken up by the pair of Grak’Horve and Safarti.

“Your shifts up now.” Said Safarti in human common.

Anna heard him, but did not move to get up.

…Just five more minutes…

               

Anna felt a shake on her shoulder.

“Come on my Ashu’Rágé, we must get up and prepare for the day.”

“ aamm…mmittrrrr… shrrrmmmrrrr….” Anna grumbled at her love for trying to for her awake.

She heard a chortle come from beside her at her love’s amusement of her grumbling. Which put a smile on Anna’s face and did more to wake her than anything else.

Her laugh could sustain me, I am not kidding. Anna thought dreamily of Lilian’s rare laugh of joy or amusement.

She threw back the covers and sat up.

“I’m up! I’M UP!” She groused as she pulled herself from her restful slumber.

As Anna got up to get ready, getting dressed and set for the day. Lilian and her went about getting their parties provisions packed and breakfast ready for the day.

It was about an hour or so later, when Anna was knee deep into getting breakfast made, that she heard Lilian exclaim aloud.

“Ah! They moved.” She said in a bored, almost “I hate being right” tone of voice.

Anna looked up from the pan she where she was cooking food.

“What moved? Did Safarti and Grak’Horve move something of yours?”

Lilian shook her head and pointed towards the tree she was facing.

“Nope, not them. The trees moved… or we did. Hard to say.”

“What do you mean?!” Anna asked as her voice cracked as it went up an octave.

Lilian pointed towards the tree and the compass she was holding up.

“Come take a look and see.” Lilian told her love.

Anna got up to walked over towards Lilian. She looked at the compass.

“Okay? Yeah So? What does that mean?” She saw that the E of the compass was pointing toward the tree.

Lilian placed her hand on a large carved notch in the side tree in-front of her.

“You remember last night how I carved this X into the tree?”

“Yeah?”

“I made sure to pick a tree and carve it in the direction north was.”

                       

                       

“……………………………………”

                            

                                      

Anna released an involuntary shudder as she put together what Lilian was suggesting.

“Oh my god! I didn’t feel or hear anything last night!”

“Neither did the rest of our group… probably means that the guardian is close, and he moved the entire area last night so that they would not notice.”

“Oh… My… God…”

“…Yeah…”

                 

It was a couple hours later when everyone else was awake that and they were all sitting down eating breakfast that Lilian informed them of the situation.

“Oh mother Rayala, Warchief! What are we going to do?!” Asked Safarti in a panic.

“Calm down soldier. Despite her green nature at leading. I am sure our Warchief has a plan.” Harks commented dryly on Lilian’s leadership skills.

“As a matter of fact. I do have a plan clown ass.”

“…Ass clown…” Anna whispered to Lilian under her breath.

“Whatever…” She whispered back defiantly. “What we are going to do is nothing.”

“Nothing?! We going to do, NOTHING?!” Grak’Horve questioned panicked.

“Yes. In this situation, we don’t know where the guardian’s avatar is, or how far away it is. He has obviously changed this part of the swamp since last night, but we don’t know what parts or if he moved us entirely; it may have just been the trees, but we won’t know that since neither group saw that the trees I marked had changed places. That leads me to one of two conclusions.”

Lilian held up one finger.

“Either one. We are all dumb shit rookies that can’t notice trees in-front of our faces moving, or that the guardian moved the entire area we were in somewhere else.”

“And how is that anything we don’t already know or have caught on too?!” Questioned a panicked Safarti.

“Calm yourself soldier. This is how the guardian gets out of most fights or makes it so that he can pick us off one-by-one: he sets our group to panic and question ourselves and our leaders and when we try and make a run for it, he strikes. Your panic is what he wants right now.” Lilian told him.

“Okay, Yeah? But what are we going to do about it then? You said nothing? What the hell is that supposed to mean?!” Questioned Safarti again.

“It is simple,” Lilian squatted down and picked up a stick. “let us say this was our campsite last night.” She drew a picture of a crude design of their campsite with the polarity signs on all sides of the drawing. “Now, at the least. All he did last night was this.” She then scribbled out the symbols of the polarities and rewrote them, but in different spots. “This is the least he could have done. And just literally spun us in a circle to get us lost and confused.”

“But why? Why would the guardian do that?” Horrik asked.

Lilian shrugged.

“Mostly to scare us away. That or to scare us enough that someone in our group separates from the main group and gets them when their alone.”

“Crafty bugger.” Commented Harks.

“Indeed.” Horrik’s Concurred.

           

“And this is the worst case scenario.” This time, she pulled out a map and pointed at the bottom most edge of it. “This is where we should be.” She told the group.

“”Yeah?” And?” Asked both Safarti and Grak’Horve.

“Just keep in mind. I do not believe this has happened. But this is the worst case scenario.” She closed her eyes and pointed to at a random spot on the map. “We could be here.”

“Near the center?!” Questioned Safarti.

“Or here.” And Lilian did it again.

“Wait? Huh?!”

“Or here…”

“Are you?…”

“And that is the thing and worse possible out come: that he could have moved us anywhere on this map.”

“Mother Rayala…” exclaimed Harks.

“Worst case, he turned us around and put us back at the beginning; which means we lost a day or so of traveling. Or we are now smack dab in the middle of his territory.” She looked back up finally at her group. “Which would be really bad; the worst even.”

“Then for the last time! what are we going to do?!” Asked Grak’Horve.

Lilian shrugged.

“Nothing.”

“What the hell does that mean?!” Asked a pissed off Horrik.

“It means,” Lilian glared at him until he backed down. “That we continue doing what we were doing before. Follow the compass and head towards the other side. As long as we have this, and make our way towards the north side of the swamp, we will eventually get out of here.”

“That is it?! That is your big plan on crossing the Swamp of Madness?!”

Lilian shrugged again.

“That is the only way… that or get extremely blessed by your ancestors that you did not arouse guardian’s notice.”

                         

“………………………”

                          

Everyone was quiet as it was finally starting to sink in.

“So we are basically just this guardian’s entertainment until he decides to let us go, is that it?!” Questioned Horrik in a panic this time.

Harks shrugs his shoulders.

“Seems that way kid.”

              

“…………………..FUCK!…………………..”

Horrik sat down with his head in his hands. Everyone but Harks, Anna and Lilian looked panicked and lost.

Lilian rolled her eyes.

“Hey! You three wet ear babes! Just remember what I told you. Stick with me, stay on the path, and we won’t get hurt. We will eventually leave this place. It might take us like three weeks at worst.”

“”Three weeks?!”” Both Horrik and Grak’Horve yelled in surprise.

“Yeah,” Lilian rubbed the back of her head. That is the downside of going this direction. You gain a mouth, but you lose two weeks because of the guardian as well. So you are really only gaining two weeks on this path, instead of taking the safe route.”

“Then why did we take this path to begin with?!” Questioned Safarti in frustration.

“Because we were given an impossible task as it were.” Harks announces.

“What do you mean?” Horrik asked him.

“At least one of you has your head on your shoulders instead of up your asses.” Lilian groused.

“It means, that the humans only gave us two mouths to make it there to reply to the queen’s message. With the only safe path being one that takes two mouths to travel… on mount.” Harks answered by burying the lead.

Slowly four sets of eyes widened at this revelation.

“Is the human queen so cruel?”

“Why would she do that?!”

“That isn’t fair!”

“Oh God!”

“And there is the take of all this: This is why I choose to take this path.” Lilian explained. “It is a safe path, as-long-as you know to take north, and only north without deviation or separating from each other.”

“So this queen expected us to reply to her, knowing it was going to take us to long to get to her?” Horrik asked angrily.

“Yes.” “Maybe.” Harks and Lilian answered at the same time.

She glowered at him for speaking over her.

“Apologies, “Warchief” you would know better why the queen would do such a thing, wouldn’t you?” He said with a smirk.

Lilian harrumphed before she said anything.

“Like I know what that bitch is thinking. I just know that she is more straight forward than this. If she was really planning on going to war with us. She would have already sent her armies. So I am thinking that the time constraint is something that one of her advisors set without her realizing it and got her to sign.”

“That is a very specific analysis of the situation, wouldn’t you say?” Harks says with a smirk towards the other soldiers, but they were all still to panicked to speak frivolously.

“Harks, give it a rest already. We are all in this situation together. It is no use trying to pit us against one another.”

Harks shrugs.

“I do suppose you have a point “Warchief.”

“*SCOFF* Whatever.” Lilian looks back at the rest of the group, who looked like they had lost their motivation to keep going.

“Listen, we will make it through this. All I am asking for, is for you to trust me that I can get us through this swamp. Many have before me. And I promise you, that we will as well.” She told her men.

*CLAP*

          

*CLAP*

               

*CLAP*

                 

“Rousing speech as always Warchief.” Harks told Lilian.

“Shut up Harks!” She yelled at him, before turning and moving towards her and Anna’s tent.

She looked back over her shoulder towards the group.

“Pack up your shit people. We are leaving in a bit while the light is still high. We have a long ways to go. And I am not guaranteeing your safety if you are not following me.” Lilian told them.

This got the three younger orcs to look at each other before scrambling up to gather their stuff.

                            

————————————————-

                                            

It was a week later that Lilian’s estimated that they were about halfway through the swamp.

This was met with cautionary optimism. None of the group wish to get their hopes up, lest they be sent back to the very beginning.

                

                            

Again.

                              

                        

                           

Yes, our intrepid adventurers had already had one such set back early into their journey, when they realized they had be turned around to be placed back at the beginning of the swamp, where they had started.

So yes, everyone was holding on to hope that they were indeed halfway. But they were scared to speak it aloud. Lest they jinx themselves or that the guardian was listening and would use this to demoralize them further.

They were honestly hoping that it was just bored and would leave them alone.

                        

Thar night though, as they were making ready from camp. Anna received a message.

“≈My child, you are close to where you need to be. You are about half a days journey away from the center of the swamp. By tomorrow evening when you make camp. You will be about two hours from the center. My offspring, Lazrator is currently watching over your group and making sure nothing interrupts your journey. He will move your camp once again, so that your group will be closest to the center when you about to make camp tomorrow. I  want you to leave your group someway, and make your way into the woods. The direction does not matter. For Lazrator will find you snd guide you the rest of the way. There, you shall receive my blessing.≈”

Anna realized that she had a problem with this plan.

“Hey! Wait! I can’t just do that! I won’t be able to just wonder off by myself at night!” Anna whispered furiously into the wind, knowing full well that Agra’Yala could hear her. “Agra’Yala! Answer me! I can’t just leave! I need to tell Lilian if I want to go!”

“≈No my child, she will not believe you. It will be better to go and plead forgiveness after you obtain my blessing, so that you make show off your powers.≈”

“That is such bullshit Agra’Yala! That is not what partners do to each other! I am sick of holding this secret. I have waited long enough. I am going to tell her tonight so that she will come with me tomorrow.” Anna told Agra’Yala. 

“≈She has embraced the ways of my children. She has embraced her father’s people as her own; taken in their thinking. If you tell her now. None of them will believe you.≈”

“The only reason she won’t believe me now! Is because I’m going to just suddenly be telling her I’m a shaman in the middle of this swamp, when I should have told her mouths ago!” Anna argued.

“≈My child, this is a mistake. It will be better to explain after. You will be thought of as mad were you to tell them this! You are a human with no proof of your claim.≈”

“I can move rocks! I know your name!”

“≈They do not no my name child. And there are many magic users that can do many feats that a shaman might be able to preform!≈”

“Still don’t care Agra’Yala. I know Lilian, and she knows me. We trust each other. She will believe me.”

“≈She will not. She is part of my children. She has accepted their ways.≈”

“She is also part human! And she is her own person Agra’Yala! Don’t put us in your little boxes and expect things to go a certain way. Some times Agra’Yala, you just have to have faith in people; especially people who you trust and who trust you as well.”

“≈…………………………≈”

Anna thought she had finally won the argument against Agra’Yala when she did speak for awhile.

But she was wrong.

           

“≈Then if nothing else child. Wait until tomorrow when you are closer to the center. You are a days travel away from it, rather than two hours away from it that you will be by tomorrow evening.≈”

                            

Anna thought about it, and she realized that she had nothing to lose by waiting one more day before telling Lilian.

“Fine! But I am telling her tomorrow!” Anna said with finality.

“≈Then I reserve the right to say I have warned you.≈”

                     

Wow! Way to sound like a cocky bitch there Agra’Yala. You have no trust in anyone.

                           

But despite her thoughts, Anna was worried that Agra’Yala was right.

But Anna shook her head.

She would be will only be right because she is making these scenarios that have no other possible way of playing out. That she is setting things up to only go her way; or fail if it deviates. Anna concluded.

I will show her, I won’t fail like she thinks I will. Agra’Yala thinks she knows Lilian, but I do know Lilian; she won’t let me down. She’ll believe me.

                                     

————————————————-

                                       

After they woke in their campsite to find that the camp had once again been moved. Most of the group moaned in a sort of despaired funk.

Only Anna was aware that they were actually making great time; and in the next few hours, she was going to have to prepare what and how she would tell Lilian.

Okay. It is simple, I just have to let myself get caught or something… maybe if, while we’re camping, I am practicing with some rocks and just let myself be seen doing it…… Is a terrible idea and stupid.

That might make Lilian question everything I’ve told her since the beginning.

How about just getting her alone… but she won’t want us to separate from the group. She barely wants us to be to far apart when someone needs to use the restroom, let alone talk privately.

What if I wait at night then?! Just the two of us in the tent. Then we can!…—

She hesitated over this thought.

Then I can suddenly what then? Confess to her that I have been secrectly been a shaman this whole time? Make some rocks float and prove to her that I am not some sort of loony?

Anna bit her lip as she worried about all the different scenarios and how this could work versus how it wouldn’t.

Is this what Agra’Yala does? Just sit around and thinks of a thousand scenarios that might or might not happen? God that would get old! I am going crazy over one possible scenario of telling my partner that I have been keeping, what is an equivalent to a side job from her.

Anna snorted at the thought.

I can’t imagine a story where a woman tries to keep it a secret from her girlfriend that she is actually a criminal or something. How crazy would that be?

But as Anna slowly and surely get more and more lost inside her own head. The time of no return slowly approaches.

                 

“≈Anna, I beg you. Please! We can have you inside the center of the swamp and out of it within a couple hours. She won’t even know you are missing until you have returned. I promise!≈”

Agra’Yala pleaded with her desperately.

Anna was even sorely tempted to take the offer.

“But that would make me a feel like shit Agra’Yala. It would make me feel horrible that I couldn’t trust Lilian with the truth; even if I am scared to tell her now.”

“I was scared to tell her after the first time I heard you. Because I thought I was going actually crazy at the time. But after getting to the village and training with Tharhym, I kept questioning why it was still necessary to keep it from her. I went with what you both suggested. But looking back on it now. I think Tharhym was secretly telling me I should have told her. And not listened to you… which I think would have been the better option. Because yeah, waiting until now, right at the last moment. Was completely stupid on my part.”

“≈My child, listen—“

“No Agra’Yala! You listen! When you love someone! You make sure you are honest and open to them. You don’t keep secrets from them! That is a way to destroy whatever trust your relationship has! I am sorry this isn’t what you had planned. But I am not going to continued to lie and hide what I am from her anymore. Damn your caution!”

Anna took a deep breath before she continued.

                          

“I love her Agra’Yala.”

                                    

“I love her enough that I am willing to take the chance that she thinks I am nuts; yells at me for hiding this from her. Just so that I don’t have to hide this anymore, so that she knows, that I trust her enough to reveal this!”

                                

“I want to choose to also believe in her. Believe that our love is strong enough to withstand this kind of trial. That she trusts me as much as I trust her.”

                          

After Anna finished her impromptu whispered speech under her breath as the others gathered things for camp and made ready for the night. Agra’Yala was strangely quiet after that.

                          

Did I get through to her? Anna wondered.

                                                         

Three of the group was returning with a catch, what they called a muck garratas.

But Anna knew them as a crocodile.

“Great. Garratas steaks? Or stew tonight?” Anna asked them cheerfully as they came back.

“STEW!” “STEAKS!” Yelled the twins of Grak’Horve and Safarti.

They both glowered at each other for their differing opinions.

This caused Anna to chuckle. She looked towards her partner and asked her.

“What about you Lilian? What does the tie breaker have to say?”

Lilian thought about it for a moment before answering.

“How about a roast? This way they can eat the meat like a steak or have it like a stew.”

“”UGH! Warchief!”” The twins groaned. “That is not an answer!” Complained Safarti.

“Shut it! Both of you! I was brought in to decide the tie between you two indecisive fools! So be thankful I just didn’t tell her to my jerky out of all of it!” Lilian shouted.

“Oh man!” “Come on Warchief!”

“I said shut it! Or do you want to go without dinner tonight!”

“Tyrant!” “Dictator!” They shouted back.

“THAT’S IT! Come here!” She yelled at the two as she stalked towards them.

“”OH SHIT!”” They dropped what they were doing with their tents and packs to start running.

“GET BACK HERE DAMN IT!”

Lilian chased them through the outer most perimeter of the woods near their camp.

This got Anna to giggle.

She was so glad to see that Lilian had learned how to get closer with others outside of Anna. It made her happy to see her build a camaraderie with the others in their group.

She heard a sigh from behind her.

“At it again I see.” Said the gruff older voice from the father figure of the group.

“ ‘Fraid so Harks.”

“Bah! That Warchief of ours is to lenient.”

Anna shrugged.

“Maybe, but better to have her lenient and sociable than an actual tyrant.” Anna suggested the alternative.

“Perhaps…” He said contemplatively.

“What is going on?” Asked Horrik as he popped his head from his and Harks tent.

“*SCOFF* Nothing! Just a child chasing a pair of idiots.”

“Oh, so the usual then, got it.” He looked towards Anna. “Let me know when dinner is ready Anna.” Before he slipped back into his tent.

Anna smiled at the fact that was also forming new relationships within their group of, if not friends, but fellow intrepid travelers.

“Bah! What a softy.” Harks commented as he walked over to add more wood to the fire.

Anna looked at Harks curiously.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because he is, the way he treats you as a fellow Mokra’Torc, human. Makes me sick.”

And then there is this asshole.

But Anna knew there was more to his hate to her than met the eye.

Anna shrugged her shoulders at Harks.

“I wouldn’t say he is soft. He is mostly doing this for his own circumstance.”

“And you would know, huh?” Harks asked Anna sarcastically.

She just looked at him with a coy smile.

“Yes, I would. If you sneak up to your tent. You can hear him praying quietly to his ancestors.”

Not that she needed to do that.

The ancestors of their group were circling them did their daily activities. Anna had gotten used to this sense coming into the swamp.

She had also gotten used to things like when the spirit of Horrik’s late mate came to ask Anna to give Horrik advice.

Anna felt bad that she had to ignore the woman for the most part.

Mostly because she couldn’t just reveal to the group on a whole that she could just straight up see their ancestors.

What a freakout that would be! She thought to herself.

Harks glared at Anna.

“You need to stay out of Mokra’Torc business.” He warned her with a tone of finality. “That is a very private thing he is doing in there. And is one of the reasons I am out here; to give him the space he needs.” Harks informed Anna.

She nodded her head.

“And I respect that. I wasn’t trying to interfere or pry. I am just saying that he has his own reasons for being here.”

“Well leave it!” He barked at her. “They are Horrik’s reasons, and his alone. They are not for me, or especially a human like yourself to interfere with.” He growled at Anna.

Anna just smiled at Harks sadly.

Because she knew that , he too, had a reason for being here and why he said what he did.

She looked past him slightly to see the woman hugging him from behind as she wept with her head resting against Harks’ shoulder: a human woman.

His wife.

Anna wasn’t sure how or why Harks had a human as a mate. But she knew at one point that Harks did have one. That she was gone now and completely sad about something. She could also see Harks’ ancestors standing behind him and the woman at his shoulders.

The few that stood there all had the same expression on their faces.

Disappointment.

Anna wasn’t sure how. But she knew through the whispers of the dead, that his ancestors were not disappointed that he had a human wife. But about something else he did.

I think they are angry with him for whatever reason Harks’ wife is sad.

It made Anna pity Harks in a way. Because she now understood why he was always strict with Lilian whenever he got the chance to be. Or how he seemed to hate Anna on principle.

It must have something to do with what happened to his human wife.

But Anna dismissed this from her mind as she gave Harks a smile of pity.

“And will you knock that smile off! It’s creep woman!” Harks berated Anna.

This made her laugh that her staring at affected him. So she just went back to making a few dishes, to hopefully satisfy everyone.

By the time she saw a couple figures running towards camp, looking like they could barely stand anymore, them collapsing to their knees as soon as they cleared the tree line of their camp.

“Cant!… *PANT* Go on!… *PANT*” Shouted Grak’Horve in despair.

“M—… *PANT*… Monster!…” Mumbled Safarti as he crawled on his hands and knees towards where Anna and the campfire were.

“Do you two think you are safe just because we are back at camp? *PANT*…” Lilian groused as she came stalking around a row of trees. Looking perfectly in kept condition, besides a little bit of heavy breathing.

“H-help!” Shouted Grak’Horve.

“A-Anna save us!” Safarti pleaded to her.

“Do not call on my mate to save yourselves! Your—“

“Done for now.” Anna declared aloud. “Dinner is done, so it is time to eat. So punish them later.” She told Lilian.

Lilian looks wide eyed towards Anna for a moment, before redirecting her gaze towards the two as a glower. Watching them cowering on the ground at Anna’s feet for protection. She points a finger towards her two unruly subordinates.

“This isn’t over!” Lilian warned them. “Once dinner is done, we will be going over drills!”

“”UGH!”” They groaned in unison.

Harks tsked at the scene.

“Pathetic.”

Anna looked towards him after he muttered that.

“Which one?”

“All of you.” Her groused.

She just chuckled at his grumpy old man approach to things.

“Come get your dinner Harks. I used the spices you liked.” Anna informed him.

“HMPH! Hope you didn’t over do it this time.” He groused.

Anna looked towards a tent.

“Horrik! Dinner is done! Come and get it!” Anna called out, remembering that Horrik was praying.

                                 

————————————————-

                                 

It was after dinner and Anna’s stomach was in knots. She was probably the most nervous she had ever been in her life.

“Okay… let’s just get this done.” She whispered to herself in encouragement.

She walked up towards the love of her life.

“≈One last chance Anna. Do as I told you, or I won’t help you when you need it in a moment.≈”

What was that suppose to mean?

But Anna ignored Agra’Yala’s cryptic message and shook her head.

“I will not stop Agra’Yala. I will be honest with my love.” She whispered into the wind.

“≈Then do what you think you must my child. I will forgive you.≈”

Condescending bitch. Has no trust or faith in people.

Lilian was conversing with Harks. Who Anna was pretty sure was about to get Lilian’s seat as her number two. Despite being a constant aggravation on Lilian’s nerves. He also knew what he was talking about and was incredibly skilled.

Anna suspected, that if Harks wasn’t as limited by his age as he was. He and Lilian might be evenly matched.

Which was a scary thought on its own.

As Anna came to stand besides the two of them. Harks threw her a dirty look.

“Don’t you have a pillow of the Warchief’s to fluff or something? Maybe clean her undergarments or something?! Rather than standing around here and being a bother.

Lilian tensed, as if she was about to strike Harks.

But she knew that would prove foolish, if not fatal. Because despite the camaraderie she had built up with the rest of the group.

Harks had been doing just as much to secure himself as the second figure head within their group.

If she attacked him because of simple provocations. The others would defend Harks.

But thankfully, Anna was not without her own fighting spirit.

“I am not here for you or your Warchief Harks.” Anna replied firmly. “I am here to see my spouse.” She finished with a hand reaching to for Lilian’s to intertwine their fingers.

This made Lilian smile involuntarily down at her Ashu’Rágé.

“What can I do for you?” Lilian asked her love.

                               

“She can go away, until we are finished talking.” Harks comments, but was altogether ignored.

                             

“I just want to talk with you about something… something private… by ourselves.” Anna asked her.

Lilian was about to reply in the affirmative when Harks comments again.

“Not a good idea girly. We don’t know how close we are to that monster’s territory. Venturing out alone anywhere in less than groups of three is dangerous; hell! Venturing out at all is dangerous, especially at night. If you want to talk or have a chat, you are better off doing it here. Your privacy be damned.”

Despite Harks argumentative nature. Lilian was upset that she couldn’t argue against his caution that he was suggesting.

She looked from Harks who had been talking back to Anna. Who had a pleading look on her face.

“Please Lilian. We will be alright, I am sure that the elemental won’t bother us.”

“And I said you can’t be sure!” Harks argued. “If you two wonder so much as a meter outside camp alone. That thing could be waiting to spring on you and pull you both into the marsh!”

“And you don’t know that either! We could on the outskirts of the swamps for all you know.”

This, Anna knew, she had to lie about.

“And you must not realize that, even with four good trained warriors, we are at a disadvantage if that thing attacks! And that is not counting having to have someone stay near you to play babysitter!”

“No one needs to play babysitter with me! I can take care of myself just fine! I am a grown ass woman!” Anna retorted.

“Grown. Ass. Or old. One of our directives, is to protect the Warchief! I am not letting her out of my sight, unless there is at least two people with her. And no, I don’t count you as people.”

This made both Anna and Lilian mad, but before they could comment on it, Harks continued.

“So stop being a spoiled princess, and get used to the program already! This is a fucking expedition. Not a fucking day trip to the beach! There is no privacy around here; so I am not letting my Warchief out of my sights.”

Lilian was about to tell Harks to calm down when she felt a tug at her arm.

“Lilian! Please! Just, please just come with me for a bit, let me explain something to you.”

“What is it that is so private that you can’t talk about it within the group?!” Harks questioned. “Since I don’t plan to let the Warchief out of our groups sights. One of us will hear your private discussion anyways, so it will only be a matter of time until the whole group knows about what you talked about.”

Lilian hated to admit the everything Harks was saying was true. But she knew he was telling the truth.

As much as these men were here to be witnesses if needed. They were mostly there to escort and protect Lilian herself.

Lilian looked towards her mate’s pleading face.

“Is it so private that you can’t share it? Will it be harmful for them to know?” She asked Anna to make sure that it wasn’t something she was uncomfortable with disclosing.

Anna dropped her hands from Lilian’s arm. Her expression one of shock, be she quickly schooled it to a desperate looking one.

“I-I—It is not like a super personal thing! If that is what you meant. It is not really related to the trip or strictly about us Lilian. But I… I just wanted a chance to talk it over with you privately first; before we tell the group.”

Lilian looked at her Ashu’Rágé sadly.

“Well… I hardly think we will be getting a luxury like privacy out here my Ashu’Rágé.” She regretted to tell Anna this. “And if we will tell them later, we may as well tell them now. If it is a problem; maybe we all can pitch in to help with it.”

Harks nodded beside Lilian with a smug expression.

The other three behind Lilian and Harks that were sitting by the fire were watching them intently.

                            

                      

                                                          

Anna took a deep breath.

                                     

                                            

                                                 

                                 

“Alright then. Here goes….”

                    

                                

“I am a Shaman.”

                

                   

Anna confessed to Lilian.

          

Lilian looked at Anna confused for a moment.

            

“A shaman? What—“

“What the hell do you mean you’re a Shaman?!” Harks shouted. “Do you have any idea what a shaman even is?! What that position means to the Mokra’Torc people?!” He questioned Anna.

“Of course I know what it is!” Anna argued with Harks. “I have been visiting Tharhym’s hut every day to learn more about becoming a shaman!” She announced.

“Wait! I thought you said you were going there to learn about plants from this world, and that Tharhym wished to know about Earth?”

Anna looked at Lilian with a pained expression.

“I know. I know! I know that is what we told you Lilian, and I am sorry we kept this a secret. But you have to listen and understand: mother Rayala asked me to keep it a secret at first. When I first started hearing spirits and voices within my head, it was way back when we still lived on mount Maraiya. When we came to the village for the duel against Krak’Nathal, Tharhym learned I could hear Rayala’s voice and—“

“BULLSHIT!” Harks shouted, making Anna flinch in place. “I have listened to, and entertained a lot of what you have been saying, hoping you might not just have swamp madness; but do you really expect me: all of us. To believe you? a human? actually heard the voice of our precious planet mother?!”

“I did!” Anna pleaded. “Her name is Agra’Yala! That is her true name!”

Everyone there froze at her words.

“C-Could she really be a shaman?” Safarti asked Grak’Horve next to him.

“I-I don’t know. I have never heard the planet mother’s true name before today.”

“Well you haven’t yet either.”

“”WHAT?!””

Safarti and Grak’Horve, along with Anna all exclaim at what Harks just insinuated.

“If that is really her true name. Then call upon her. All shaman’s who know her name can.”

“I… Alright! I will!”

And stepped back and lifted her hands.

“AGRA’YALA! COME TO YOUR ADOPTIVE DAUGHTER’S AIDE!”

                

                          

                       

“……………..…………………………………”

                       

                           

                         

                        

But nothing happened.

          

                     

“What the fuck?!” Anna whispered in distress.

        

Harks scoffed and raised an open palm towards Anna.

“See? What did I tell you? Nothing.” He walked up to his Warchief and placed a hand on her shoulder. Giving it a sympathetic squeeze. “Seems your wife has caught the Swamp of Madness fever.”

“Anna…” Lilian called to her mate distressed.

“NO! I am not lying! And I’m not crazy! She is just upset with me because I didn’t do as she told me too!”

She walked up to Lilian.

“Agra’Yala wanted me to walk out into the swamp alone tonight without telling you. She wanted me to go meet the swamp guardian, so that it could take me to go receive some sort of blessing or gift from Agra’Yala herself!” Anna explained to Lilian.

“But I refused to listen to her! I didn’t want to not tell you what was happening! That is why I wanted to talk to you alone!”

Harks looked from Anna to Lilian’s face with sympathy.

“Yeah, this right here. Classic case of swamp madness. They are hearing voices telling them to go deeper into the swamp. I have been told that this happens to those who spend to much time close to the center of the swamp.”

                 

“WILL YOU SHUT UP HARKS! YOU ARE NOT HELPING!”

        

Anna looked up at Lilian’s face to hope to see that Lilian was starting to believe her.

But all she saw was pity, concern and worry.

This is bad!

“Look. Look! There is one more thing I know that can convince you!”

She bent down and picked up a couple rocks and held them in her hand.

She then concentrated and slowly but surely the lifted up above her palm.

She looked up excited at the group.

“See?! I learned this from Tharhym……”

But the looks she received were not ones of astonishment. Their expressions were ones of fear or worry.

Lilian looked the most concerned of them all.

                   

“Anna… My Ashu’Rágé. How could you?!”

“Huh?! What is that suppose to mean?!”

“Humans can’t use elemental magic like shaman’s can. They can only use their own energy as mana to use spells.”

“HOW DO YOU KNOW ALL THIS?!” Anna screamed in outrage that Harks had a counter for everything she said or did.

“When you get to be fifty-six summers old. That is when you have truly lived and can say you have seen some shit. While I am not a mage nor a shaman myself. I have met a few in my days that have imparted some of their secrets to me. One being thar human’s can’t become shamans. Ever. That is a known fact amongst the Mokra’Torc people. You showing you can manipulate energy, just goes to show that you are not a shaman, but a mage… that or you are possessed by a demon.” Harks scoffed. “Makes me question whether all those stories floating around about you being from another world are really true.”

“They are! Lilian can vouch for me! She had said she had seen me fall out of the portal thar dropped me here!” Anna pleaded desperately.

“A portal huh?”

                   

Oh no…

            

“Yeah? What of it?”

“I hear that highly trained magicians can create portals and rifts through the world.”

“NO! I am not a mage! I am a shaman! I can prove it!”

“…Anna…” Lilian called to her softly.

But Anna was past the point of desperation.

She ran up to Horrik and grabbed him by his shoulders.

“Horrik, you will believe me! I know it! I have seen your departed mate! You keep asking for guidance about your daughter because of what she is asking to be trained as, so you are asking your mate for guidance on whether or not you should—“

“ANNA!”

Lilian shouted and turned her Ashu’Rágé around to face her.

“That is enough!” Lilian shouted at her.

She then pulled Anna into a deep embrace and held her behind her back. Pressing her head into her shoulder.

“…That is enough…” Lilian whispered in fear.

Anna could feel Lilian trembling.

Anna’s tears flowed from her eyes.

                

I convinced her right?! I had to have with that last bit!

              

Anna held on to Lilian by her shoulders from underneath her armpits. Clinging onto Lilian, as if she was holding on for dear life.

“……please believe me!……” Anna whispered to her.

                     

Lilian pulled back to look down at Anna’s face; she had tears streaks running down her cheeks. She was worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. Her expression was a desperate plea for Lilian to believe her.

             

Lilian looked around at the expressions of all her soldiers. Most had stern expressions on their faces. Horrik looked like he was shaken up by what Anna had said.

Lilian sighed before looking down back at Anna. She smiled at her. But her smile was still just a touch bit sad.

“I love you Anna.”

Anna returned her smile with one of her own.

            

                       

She believes me!

                   

                                       

Lilian looked up at the faces around the campsite with a stern expression.

“It would…” She paused to focus herself and to take a shaky breath. “It would seem that, my Ashu’Rágé has become unwell do to some unforeseen circumstances. It is most likely due to being in contact with the swamp for so long.”

Anna face fell at her love’s words.

She felt her heart almost literally breaking.

                             

No…

                           

“We… *INHALE* We will have to count this mission as failed do to my ineptitude as both a leader and as a mate. I did not realize that my Ashu’Rágé was becoming delirious; with this risk looming over all of us. We will have no choice but to abandoned the mission for now, and return to the beginning of the swamp… from there. Horrik will take my mate back to the village; he will report back on what has happened, then the both will be relieved to rest: as for the rest of us. We will, after escorting my mate and Horrik back to the beginning of the swamp. Have to double time it to make it through the swamp if we are to make it to the kingdom of Falaris before the deadline… are there any questions?”

                   

Anna had slid down to her knees. She curled up into the fetal position, her head in her arms as she cried her eyes out silently.

After giving a few more instructions. Lilian bent down and picked up Anna. How had seemingly be come catatonic. She then took her towards their tent. Where she helped her get dressed down. All while Lilian’s own tears flowed as she worried for the health of her mate at the moment.

Nothing is more important than you Anna. I can’t do this if I lose you. Lilian thought to herself.

As soon as Anna was laying on the sleeping bag. She had curled back in on herself.

             

                

“….…………………”

Lilian was scared to say anything. But she also didn’t want to just to leave her love in here like this alone.

“Ashu—“

“DON’T FUCKING CALL ME THAT!”

Anna’s harsh words stung more than any wound she had ever received.

“…Anna…” She called in a pathetic sounding voice.

“Shut up! Don’t talk to me! Don’t even touch me! And don’t call me that name anymore! You don’t even no the meaning of it!” Anna accused her.

All Lilian wanted to do was fall to the ground and beg Anna for forgiveness. To convince her that this was for her own good.

But she knew she had to be strong. If not for herself or her men or her people. Then she at least had to be strong for Anna.

“O-O-Ok-*HIC* Okay Anna… if that— *HIC* if that is your wish. I will leave you alone for now…” She backed up towards the tents entrance before stopping there.

               

“I love you Anna.”

                      

And right before she left. She heard Anna say.

“……And I love you too……”

This made Lilian’s heart light and felt like soaring to hear Anna say that.

At least she doesn’t hate me.

She thought relieved as she left the tent.

                      

————————————————-

                              

As Anna laid there. She thought back on all that had happened.

                    

What a liar.

                       

“≈I tried to warn you chi—“

“No! Shut up!” Anna shouted. “You don’t get to pull that shit! You stepped away from this situation! You don’t get to say, “I told you so!” If you just make it a self-fulfilling proficiency! So you can take your “I told you so!” And shove it up, what is an equivalent for your ass!”

        

“≈I told you I would not help you with this.≈”

“Yeah? Is that the only way you get to win at things like this? When you cheat? I had them almost convinced. But then you pulled away and left me high dry! You told me before that Mokra’Torcs have an explicit connection with you. That if you wanted or need to. You could call on any of them! But because of you! I couldn’t even feel another lesser elemental around me to call upon for help!”

“≈There are none around here. Only Lazrator lives within the swamp.≈”

“Great to fucking know! Now if you would be so kind,”

Anna curled up more into a ball.

“Fuck off.”

“≈My child, I—“

                 

“FUCK. OFF.”

               

“≈…..………≈”

                               

                            

“≈…As you wish…≈”

                    

                                

                             

                                

                              

                             

                          

                                             

                              

As Anna lay there. She thought of a plan on how to fix all of this.

There is only one thing to do…

She sat up. She knew the entrance to her tent lead right in-front of the campsite.

                  

I have to go and get that blessing.

                     

She reached over and started pulling up her gear. Getting herself ready for traveling.

She pulled her carving knife from her pack.

She looked back towards the entrance. Seeing the light of the campfire illuminating the entrance of the tent.

She took the knife and carved out the back of the tent.

She slipped out into the darkness of night on the other side of the tent.

Agra’Yala said that I can take any direction to get their. That Lazrator will find me.

Hope he does before Lilian or a croc does.

She released a shudder as she started to move low and slow through the swamp. Trying desperately to not make any sounds.

Was that shudder because of what I am going to run into? The thought of a croc finding me? Or Lilian?

She didn’t have an answer to which thing she feared more at the moment.