31

After the chaos of the attack, there's a moment of calm. The sun beats down, burning away the mist and revealing the full extent of the devastation—the broken equipment, the scattered bodies—and, not far away, the three who have watched you since your arrival.

You can see them clearly now, dressed only in loincloths and beautifully worked scrimshaw, armed with obsidian-tipped spears and polished clubs. Their bodies are tall and lean, their eyes fierce and bright, and you know that they can use those simple weapons to deadly effect.

The woman, who appears to be their leader, takes a hesitant step forward. Control has retreated into the thinning mist, while, beside you, Stralchus and Alexius regard the woman with haughty contempt mixed with fear. The woman studies the three of you with brown eyes so bright they almost seem golden, then puts her hand on her chest and says, "Keimia."