They waited for Rain’s return, just exchanging a few words between them, no one daring talk about anything really serious or important. Mostly ZenTar¹Literally zen (silent) + tar (wind) explained VinWei²Literally vin (hard) + wei (crystal) how the people of the village had come to settle down in such a remote place, how they made their living, how a band of murderers for hire had become farmers and herders. Amazingly enough, Snow learned that the name of the small village was actually End of the World. He recalled thinking it ominous, when Rain had welcomed him to the End of the World when they’d first arrived. He could never have guessed that it was actually the village’s name.

When Rain returned it was almost midday, and they all happily followed her outside, glad that they had managed to live through the morning without having to cross paths with Grisly. Needless to say, if Rain hadn’t appreciated VinWei’s presence, Grisly would most certainly hate it, and, more often than not, the older man tended to act before thinking.

As they crossed the village most of the people would stop what they were doing to look at them, exchanging whispering comments with one another. They were mostly women, Snow noticed, guessing that, like Grisly, the men were probably still trying to get to terms with the hangovers resulting from last night's celebration. But it was still sad to see the suspicious expressions on their faces, the way they drew back, closer to their houses as if ready to run and hide inside at any time.

Looking up at VinWei, walking right beside him, he saw that she kept her gaze fixed on the path ahead. Like the rest of the group, there was no way she hadn’t noticed the reaction of the villagers all around them. But she had apparently chosen to pretend she didn’t notice it, walking with her head held high, her golden hair glistening under the sun.

Rain brought them to a small cave, the entrance covered by a recently hung set of mismatched old blankets now being used as curtains, since there was no entrance door. Or windows, Snow realized when Rain parted one of the blankets to allow them in.

Inside, even though the space was small, the stone ceiling low, someone had set an old table, taken from the tavern, Snow recognized it. Surrounding it there were four empty crates, that stood instead of benches or chairs. On the ground someone had hurriedly built a fire-pit surrounded by stones, where a small flame burned, offering the small space both warmth and light. And in the back two straw mattresses had been placed on the ground, clean blankets folded on top of them, another larger blanket hanging from the low ceiling separating the two spaces, thoughtfully offering some privacy to whoever might sleep on those improvised beds.

“It’s not much,” Rain began in a heartfelt apology, but ZenTar quickly gifted her with one of his bright, polite smiles, that Snow hated so much.

“It is more than enough, Rain. Thank you. It will do just fine.”

Rain averted her gaze, clearly not convinced, and sighed.

“I will make sure to deliver you some food every day, since there was no space to bring in any cooking utensils. And I will get you some pillows, so it will be a bit more comfortable,” she went on, looking around, searching for ways to make that small cave look and feel more like a home. “I can also get you some candles for better light. If I recall correctly, you won’t have any problem keeping them going.”

ZenTar nodded.

“That won’t be a problem at all. And please don’t worry. Like I said, a roof and a blanket would have been more than enough,” he honestly replied and Rain’s dark eyes peered unconvinced towards VinWei.

“If you say so … Well, I leave you to it, then. If you need anything else, just let me know,” she added, returning to ZenTar. “Also, well … I’m not sure how Grisly will deal with … this …” she mumbled, blushing in embarrassment and sighed. “Just please try not to kill him?”

“I will do my best,” ZenTar assured, a strange scary grimace appearing on his face, and River sighed again, shaking her head as she made her way to the cave’s improvised door.

They just stood there, in silence, waiting, to the point that Snow couldn’t help look at each and every one of them, trying to understand what was going on.

Taking a deep breath, ZenTar closed his eyes and slammed his foot against the hard, stone floor. A circle of white markings immediately surrounding him, and quickly expanded all around him, slipping beneath their feet, climbing over the walls and covering the dark ceiling.

Snow couldn’t help shiver at the strange vibration that coursed through his entire body. It was strangely foreign and rather unpleasant. And then it was as if the entire air inside that place had changed, had stopped, and he could no longer hear the normal sounds coming from outside. He didn’t like that even more. It was as if he’d been lock up inside an invisible box, the idea alone sending a cold shiver down his spine. Before he knew what he was doing, he was already slowly walking backward, towards the entrance, ready to escape that suffocating place.

The warm hand that landed on his head startled him, and he quickly looked up, ready to make a run for it. But the blue eyes that looked back at him somehow tamped down his increasing panic.

“You’re okay. This is just ZenTar’s array. So that other people won't be able to hear what we have to say.”

Snow lowered his gaze. He knew that. But he still didn’t like it. It felt constraining. As if what should be naturally flowing had been forcefully brought to a stop. It made the air heavier, harder to breathe.

The hand on his head lightly caressed his hair and that somehow helped him relax a bit.

“It’s a bit stifling, isn’t it?” VinWei was asking, a gentle, understanding smile on her lips. “But you’ll get used to it. And it can’t stop you from leaving, if you want to,” she intelligently added, and Snow looked at the cave’s entrance covered by those old blankets, right behind him.

Yes, the exit was right there. But somehow it felt as if it belonged to a different world.

ZenTar sighed and sat heavily on a wooden crate, looking even paler than before.

“You should really get some sleep. Before you drop dead from exhaustion,” ZaiWin³Literally zai (blade) + win (chaos). sarcastically pointed out and ZenTar glared at him, his green eyes piercing like knives.

“Talk! What happened since you left Woodbridge!”

“Really? Can’t it wait until you can actually keep both eyes open?” ZaiWin retorted but ZenTar’s angry glare made him sigh. “Hey, Snow. Think you can lend him a hand? Only so he can actually remain awake to hear what I have to say.”

Snow’s eyes widened in surprise but he was nodding before he could even think things through.

That was the first time anyone had ever asked him to use his power for anything. And, although he knew it was silly and even dangerous, he couldn’t help feeling happy that he’d been recognized to the point that someone might actually depend on him; that someone as frighteningly strong as ZaiWin might actually depend on him.

“I don’t need …”

“Shut it. It’s either that or I’ll leave and only come back tomorrow morning,” ZaiWin cut ZenTar’s protest halfway, and the older man frowned, clearly unhappy with his condition, but didn’t say another word.

VinWei chuckled lightly and sat down next to him, patting his arm.

“Just accept the honor, you brutish, old man! You think it's just anyone who can receive the blessing of a Tien’Elhar?”

ZenTar opened his mouth to protest, a deep scowl on his face, but the sudden golden light that bathed the entire cavern stole his words away.

Raising their heads, they both looked to where Snow stood, right next to ZaiWin, and they couldn’t help gape at the three complex circles of markings surrounding the boy’s feet. With his eyes closed, his pale skin and silver hair reflecting the golden light emanating from the ground, he looked as if he’d fallen asleep while standing, his body softly swaying from one side to the other. Like ZenTar’s array, his too, expanded throughout the entire cave, bathing it and everyone inside it in their golden light.

ZenTar blinked, his heart jumping to a maddening beat, his daitai⁴Literally dai (light) + tai (mark), or holy Markings, considered Heavenly Blessings. They’re the source of power. vibrating in response to the gentle wave that washed over his entire body. It felt warm and caring like a mother’s embrace. And it not only replenished his exhausted energy, it … cleansed the channels he used to circulate it through his body, almost rejuvenating them, reinforcing them, making him feel as if he were eighteen years old again. His daitai too. Were carefully realigned with their true nature, the strain from using them beyond their ability completely gone, the small specks of darkness they had accumulated after years of fighting the feimao completely gone. It was enough to bring tears to his eyes.

“Holy shit …” he breathed once the golden light had completely faded away, his green eyes still fixed on Snow. He couldn’t even react when VinWei jumped from her crate, crossing the small cavern to worriedly hold the brat’s hands.

“Are you all right? Doing all that! Hasn’t this idiot told you about the danger of doing too much all at the same time?” she demanded all in one breath, and Snow blinked, unable to choose what to answer first.

“Like you said, I told him about that,” ZaiWin patiently replied. “And he’s fine!”

“Really? Are you sure?” VinWei insisted, squeezing Snow’s hands, and Snow nodded. “Still! You must never cast three arrays at the same time!” she went on, now clearly scolding him. “One at a time! You hear me?”

Snow nodded again, trying to keep up with her urgent words.

“You didn’t exhaust yourself because there’s only three of us here, and ZaiWin was fine to begin with! If there had been more people you might have ended up spending more energy than you can afford! Do you understand?”

Snow blinked and nodded.

“Even if others look fine, you can never tell if they’re really okay. You’re indiscriminately ordering your daitai to replenish, cleanse, heal, re-balance! What if the person in front of you is actually really sick? What if there are more than one person like that? Do you understand?”

Snow lowered his gaze. He hadn’t thought about that. He had simply assumed that ZenTar and VinWei had spent too much energy getting there, the same way ZaiWin had, when he’d first brought him to that village. And, of course, he had been right. The problem was that none of the other things VinWei had told him had even crossed his mind.

“I understand you have … more energy than most. And that you can recover faster too. But if you strain yourself to the point where you end up collapsing, how can you recover then?”

“I’m sorry …” he whispered and VinWei sighed, suddenly aware of how fierce she sounded.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. I am very grateful for what you have done,” she said in a much calmer, much gentler tone. “I feel much, much better. Thank you. It’s just that I can’t help worrying when I see you doing things like this …”

Snow nodded and then that warm hand was on his head again, comforting him and reassuring him.

ZaiWin raised his head and grinned back at ZenTar, who was still clearly in a daze.

“Close your mouth, Zen! You look like a love-struck little boy!” he purposely mocked and ZenTar blinked, glaring murderously at him. But then the kid was also looking at him, his pale eyes apprehensive, as if he feared he’d done something wrong, as if he were afraid ZenTar might get angry that he had taken the liberty to … to what? His heart was still beating hard inside his chest. He had no words to describe what he’d felt just then, he admitted with a sigh.

ZenTar’s gaze fell on the protective and clearly possessive hand ZaiWin kept over the boy’s head. Love-struck, right?! That cheeky, damned brat! Fine! Whatever!, he decided, crossing his arms. Why not? If Nox⁵Literally nox (night). Where Nox is the name of the Clan, also the name of a Province. wanted to blow the fucking world to pieces he’d be fine with that as well! Only he knew he was entitled to that and much more.

“Sit down and start talking!” ZenTar simply grumbled instead, and ZaiWin smiled, leading Snow to the table where they all sat down.

Silvareiel

Hi guys! So sorry for missing yesterday's update. ? Unfortunately, a power outage, and no power means no laptop, since my poor baby has a dead battery. ?? Anyways, hopefully it was a one time thing, which can't be guaranteed, since they're doing some major construction works right outside my door. ? So, yeah! Just to let you guys know that I'm not dead, yet ?