Steed

The hand squeezed tight and used me as a hold to brace against the current.

Whatever it was, it is being dragged by the current and it was fighting it with all its got.

I tried to pry the short stubby fingers off of me but its so strong it threatened to break the elbow.

If I used my blade then I would get taken by the rivers current.

I was using all fours limbs to cling on the riverbed when it hit me.

I try and wrap the energy around it and get it off but it was oddly resistant, I felt it pulsating with mana pushing my energy off.

I change direction, moving to my left I begin to work my way to the side of river closest to me.

I break my head out of water and draw out a furry looking creature that was so heavy I could barely drag it out.

I try to unsheathe my blade before I hear a deep grunt and coughing

Followed by the creature lunging me making me fall back while my only hand fumbled behind my back.

It dragged me inward while jumping forward, it was about five foot even and as ferocious as it was strong.

It wrapped it's arms around me but in the process released its hold on my elbow.

"Oish brother your alive! Ooins beard you saved mine hide"!

It wasn't the Inka language that stopped my blade from falling on its neck, it was the name Ooin.

Ooin is a Norse god of wisdom, healing and death also known as Odin.

Hearing the word 'Xian' with the same meaning in Mandrin and now hearing this name made my mind whirl with questions.

It grabbed my shoulders and extended it's hands taking a good look at me and vice versa.

The moon illuminated a face with a beard that ran down to a thick waste, arms the size of professional body builder and a big head with a thick neck to hold it up.

'Dwarf' I thought looking at his pointed ears.

"Human"! it said in disgust while letting me go and taking a step back.

It or 'he' began to look around as if expecting someone to rush out at him.

"Come on out! I'll ground every single one of your filthy bones"! he gnashed his teeth and his deep voice filled the forest.

He sounded so convincing that I would have turned my head and looked if it wasn't for the the voice I heard in my head.

'You heard that too' I asked Ava who confirmed with a small pulse, not wanting to leak any energy.

When nothing happened he brought his attention back to me a confused expression began to spread.

Eventually his face matched mine and we both wordlessly stared at each other until a breeze came between us, raising his beard.

'Are you going to do it again'? Ava asked, referring to my habit of killing first and asking questions never.

He eyeballed my dagger in my hand and then the other hand reaching back for the other dagger, I stilled for a moment.

"No need for a fight" I said while opening my hand in front of me.

"No need mine tanned hide, you filthy oath breakers-"

"I've made no oaths to break, humans have done nothing for me but keep me in shackles" I interrupted.

I still had my hands raised above me with the dagger dangling in between my fingers.

A loud roar filled the sky making me duck and him turn his head towards the sound.

"Oskana" the Dwarf growled his head lowering and he stepped towards the river away from the concealment of the trees where I had dived into.

"OSKANA"! His voice filled the sky, "COME DOWN AND FACE ME YOU SPINELESS SNAKE".

"FILTHY COWARD, YOU AND YOUR FOREFATHERS BE DAMNED".

I didn't just hear him I felt the pure hatred he had for the flying beast that was flying across the sky the moon illumining it as it passed.

He kept yelling colorful insults, some I didn't understand at the top of his lungs.

His deep voice vibrated through the air.

Oddly enough the beast seemed to shy from his voice and go the opposite direction.

The beast named Oskana moved north away from us, making me wonder what this little fellow was capable of.

I wasn't here to make enemies definitely not one that can make a beast like that turn tail.

The thought of leaving and running away died the moment the name 'Ooin' came out of his mouth.

I came out of my cover the moment the beast named Oskana disappeared over the horizon.

"So tell me why you are sneaking around in Druid territory boy and the answer better be good or I'll skin you alive" he turned to me.

I instinctively place my dagger in front of me, "I had no idea this was your territory, I didn't even know of your existence" I replied.

"Ah so your just out for a stroll in the moonlight, at the bottom of a river no less".

I pointed up, "I'm not becoming food for that beast".

He looked disgusted by my answer which confused me.

"You humans are all cowards through and through, not a real man among you" he spat while his hands are placed on his waste as if not seeing my defensive stance.

I didn't respond, I didn't think any retort would be worth agitating him.

Most mages at this point would start sending mana pulses out to check their surroundings, I had my spores slowly extending out but he just stood there.

In the night my energy looked like a very thin mist with a slight twinkle to it.

"Don't bother boy, I would kill you a hundred times over before you could do anything about it" he 'tsked' after spitting out his words, looking at me as if I was harmless.

"What's a human child doing in the Little Mountain"?

"You call that Little"?

"I asked you what your doing here, don't test mine patience boy it will be the last thing ya do".

"Running".

"Running from what"?

"Everything" I replied leaving him in silence.

"So you just picked up and began to run west, because the world is terrible"?

"Cowards the lot of you" he shook his head kicking a rock and stretching his arms into the air.

"I am running towards freedom, and away from servitude" thinking of the life I would live in the east, constantly hunted for how I was born.

He looked at me with a curious glint in his eye.

"Freedom ya say, if ya want freedom ya gots ta be strong nough ta take it"

I was having a hard time understanding him as he cut his words short.

"Says the one who can't swim"

His ears reddened and he glared at me.

"You watch yourself boy I still haven't decided to let you live".

"Are all of your kind as ungrateful"? I asked wondering if this is how it will be every time I run into one of these little fellows.

This time his nose turned red, unknown to me Druids have a heavy moral compass and returning the act of kindness like pulling one out of the river with murder went against everything he was taught.

He folded his arms and closed his eyes apparently thinking very hard as his face blushed even further and a vein popped out of his neck.

"Ooins beard boy you did save mine hide, I shouldna been so quick to judge ya"

"Off ya go now boy, if mine kind find ya there be a price ta pay in skin".

"I'll be going" I said taking a step to the left.

"Wrong way boy, if ya want ta cross the Little Mountain North be the way".

I looked at where Oskana disappeared and he saw my gaze a smile played on his lips.

"Ya can always turn back boy, but the mountain pass in the north is the only way"

"Ya can travel east, but ya would jus waist time"

"The Spine stretches until Usejas Waters".

"The spine"? I asked.

"Ai, the spine be the mountains they run across the whole of Zefria"

I nodded at his words and walked towards the river intending to cross it moving north.

"I have a question" I said when I had my back to the lake.

We are close, but far enough for me to dive into the lake if I need to.

"Out with it then".

"What is Valhoil"?

Valhoil is a place where slain warriors go also depicted as Valhalla in Norse Mythology.

If he knew it then there is a connection between this life and the one as Otis.

As if an ice bucket had been dropped on him the dwarf looked at me with a stunned expression.

"Where did you hear that"? .

"In a dream" I shrugged.

The Druid stared at the human child, no one outside the Druids knew of the place so how could this human boy know.

And none would speak of Valhoil to a stranger let alone a human.

And why would he ask him so casually?

"Valhoil is a place for us Druids, when we die in battle" I nodded at his response.

It seems like there was a connection, the revelation gave me butterflies.

"How about Jesus Christ? or Yaweh"?

"What"? he asked with his mouth open.

It seems I took him by surprise, I turned and was about to wade into the water.

"Wait I'm coming with you" he said suddenly.

"What? Why"?

"Cause like ya said I cannot swim, and I am going to face Oskana"

"Going around the river will take too long".

I wasn't sure I heard him right and I didn't want to ask him again.

"I'm not going to be your steed" I said backing into the river.

He smiled wide, I could see clean white teeth underneath his beard, "Oh yes ya are boy".