Return to Torinheim

It was the middle of the next night when I awoke from my dreamless sleep. Svanhildr and the baby were in the bedroom with Lariss. I thought about peeking in on them to see how Lariss was doing but there was little chance that Svanhidlr wouldn't find out. Instead I entered a meditative position and began the rhythmic breathing to improve my basic aura.

As much as I tried to keep my mind clear of distraction, thoughts of that Dream Earth kept coming back to me. I didn't regret breaking free from it, it wasn't real. If everyone just acted how I thought they should act, then they wouldn't be my real family. The event actually helped me get closure in some ways. Even though they weren't real I had the chance to say good. This was my world now. I'd still wonder how their lives turned out, but the major part of mourning their loss had passed.

Just before dawn, Svanhildr came out of the room with the baby and a bassinet that looked to be woven from a single vine. She didn't pay any attention to me and started cooking breakfast. When she was done I was called down and we ate in silence.

"How's she doing?" I asked when we were finished eating.

"It'll still be a few days until she wakes up. I'll send word when that happens and keep you updated with her recovery." She said.

"I was planning on staying at least until she wakes up." I said.

"That core needs to be taken care of. The entity in yellow is still connected to it. That thing exists outside our world with thoughts, needs, and desires beyond us. Without a link to this world it'll forget about us and move onto something else to pass its time." She said.

"I feel guilty just leaving her here." I said.

"She's alive because of you, that's what matters. After you say your goodbyes you need to hit the road." I nodded to her suggestion.

"Have you given her a name?" I asked as I looked at the sleeping baby.

"If I gleaned it correctly, she wants to be called Signy. When she can talk, she'll let me know if I'm right." She said.

"She named herself?" I asked.

"Most witches do." She replied.

After that I was allowed into the bedroom to give my goodbyes to Lariss. She looked very peaceful as she slept. I had divided up what we had collected from the forest and left half of it in one of the low grade Storage Rings for her. The rest of my stuff was transferred into the midgrade Storage Ring that I'd be using from now on. It had twice the space as my previous ring. Then I took one of our horses and made my way north.

The ride back to Torinheim was uneventful compared to the forest. I did run into a few small monsters, like wolpertingers and some carnivorous deer, easy enough for me to handle. There was concern that I might run into more bandits waiting for me but I only encountered a few merchants and farmers along the road.

I arrived at Torinheim late on the third day and found an inn to stay the night. Before we left it wasn't a secret that I was headed to the Forest of Gosigronn and any number of people within the Union could have found out about it. Aki knew where we were going and I couldn't rule out someone from the Union giving them that information. After I dropped off the core at the cathedral of the Holy Light and ran a few errands, I'd try to meet up with Raginhard.

The cathedral was in the eastern part of the city and reminded me of European ones from Earth. There were two great towers near the entrance with a large sunburst stained glass window above the massive wooden doors. To the sides of the large main building were gardens and long smaller buildings that looked to be dorms.

When I entered I saw a large brazier in the middle of the main hall, with a mighty fire burning within. A number of clergy were in prayer around it with parishioners behind them also in prayer. A few priests stood towards the entrance greeting people.

"Welcome brother. What brings you to the embrace of the Holy Light?" One of them asked.

"I have something that needs to be cleansed by the archbishop." I said.

"I'm sure we'll be able to help you, if you'd present the object for assessment." He said

I knew that it was going to take some convincing that I needed to see the archbishop and I didn't want to have someone inexperienced handle this. Before I could start trying to convince him, I heard a familiar voice call my name.

"Wilmaer. What are you doing here?" Aspasia had just entered the main hall from a side chamber.

"I'm glad to see you made it out alive." I said.

"Sister, are you familiar with this man?" The priest asked.

"Yes, he's a fellow adventurer. I can assist him from here." The priest looked relieved that he wasn't going to have to explain why the archbishop wasn't going to just meet with any one. A few of the other priests had looks of disdain when she mentioned we were adventurers.

She pulled me to the side of the main hall and asked what I needed.

"Lariss and I were able to get to the heart of the forest. We encountered that abomination again and through sheer luck we killed it." Svanhildr and I had discussed giving as little detail about what happened as possible.

"How? The three of us barely managed to fight it to a draw." She had a right to be skeptical, having faced it twice.

"There were oddities within the heart of the forest that we were able to take advantage of. It wasn't easy and Lariss is going to have to spend the next week recovering in Greendew. What I need help with is the monster core that was in it. Our friend there was able to seal it but recommended having the archbishop handle the full cleansing since she doesn't have as many resources on hand as the church does. " I replied.

"I see. If you come with me, I'll see what I can do." She led me to a small meditation room off the main hall and left to find someone that could help.

A few minutes later she returned with an older priestess. "I understand you have a rather difficult object in your possession. My name is Matrium Halldora"

"I do and I mean no offense to your abilities but this may need the attention of the archbishop." I said.

She gave me a condescending smile. "Why don't we take a look at what you've brought us before we bother his Eminence."

I sighed and pulled out the Storage Ring that contained it. When the monster core appeared in my hand her eyebrows arched.

"This sealing.." She began.

"Was done by a witch. It's on her recommendation that I came seeking the aid of his Eminence." I said.

"How do I know it's not some sort of trap? I can't put the archbishop in danger." Halldora said.

The cloth was tied shut at the top and when I untied it, the cloth fell off the core and a foul energy entered the room.

"Even with being sealed, it's this strong." Aspasia and started to pray.

The Matrium had gone pale and exited without a word. After she left I pulled the cloth back over it as best as I could but the corruption held within had already started to enter the room. It wasn't too long afterward that the door opened again and an older man with slicked back medium length grey hair entered followed by the Matrium and a few other older priests.

"Yes, this is a foul object indeed." The archbishop said. His hands moved around the core as he prayed with sparks of light trailing his movements.

"This will take some time. Young man if you'd place it on the floor and give us the room." He said.

I followed his instructions then found myself and Aspasia being moved to another room by Matrium Halldora.

"His Eminence wanted me to ask how you came by such a thing." She said.

"It was the monster core of a desecration best from the Forest of Gosigronn. My companion and I were lucky in killing it. Aspasia here was in the forest around the same time." I said.

"That place has been polluted by witches' magic for too long." Halldora said.

"Well with the aid of witches the source of the corruption is gone now. If there's nothing else, I have a few more errands to run." I said.

The Matrium looked down on me as she dismissed me from the room and Aspasia walked me out of the cathedral.

"Thank you for your aid in the forest. We never would have survived if we hadn't run into you two." She said.

"You're welcome. How are the others?"

"They're recovering. I was actually here to see Wigand. His arm is currently being regrown and it'll take another two weeks. It's a rather painful process and having company helps him deal with it. Dagfinnr has most of his energy back and can take a quest any time now." She stirred in place looking to ask a question.

"If there's nothing else, I'll see you around the Union." I said.

"Have you given any thought to joining the Ancient Anvils? A guild could be of use to someone with your skills." She said.

"I have and when the time comes, I think I'll form my own guild." It was something that had been on my mind since I had to run from a stronger opponent in the sewers. With my own guild I'd be able to have my freedom and only needed to take in those that I trusted.

"Oh, well let me know when you do. We can form an alliance."

"I'll keep that in mind."