Chapter 22 - Cursed land

Silence descended.

“Have you tried all the passages out of the valley?” Erik tried to move the discussion forward. If he could get these people to help them reach the Whisper Tree, their chances would be much better.

“We have… and that’s not the only issue. We are almost out of water. The final source was swallowed by the swarm two days ago.”

At the mention of water, Erik’s parched throat came calling. However, this gave him an idea.

“I might have a way to get some more.”

The village chief gave him a skeptical look, but then he pulled out Erik’s empty waterskin from a chest next to him and placed it on the table.

“Is that where you got your water?”

“Yeah, and I see you’ve already made good use of it,” Erik said dejectedly.

“We did, and you got a cup of that. So you should be grateful.”

“I am, very much so,” he replied sarcastically.

“But enough of that. Tell me, how are you going to do that?”

“I have my ways.”

Omr snorted. “Fine.”

Erik smiled in response. This would be a huge leap in winning them over.

“You will take Thrane and the others.” The chief waved to the three villagers behind Erik.

“It would be better if I were to do this alone,” he said.

“No.”

“Fine. But have the other prisoner come with me,” he growled out.

“Why?”

“She seems to have some useful Abilities.”

“No. She will stay here as insurance that you won’t pull something on us.”

“I barely know her. What’s the point of that?”

The village chief just snorted and gave him a long look.

So he caught on to that and only asked why I wanted Fee to come to probe around… sly fox. Sorry, Fee, looks like you’ll have to wait here.

Erik just sighed. “At least give me my stuff back.”

“That, we can do. Anything else?”

“Yes. I’ll need you to point me to your graveyard or a place with a lot of skeletons.”

Omr gave him another long look.

“I suppose this has something to do with how you are going to get that water?”

“It does.”

“You can’t go near our dead,” he said with a clenched jaw, “but we will take you where you can find some.”

The village chief turned to one of the men near the door. “Thrane, take him first to the abandoned outpost.”

The man nodded.

Erik threw his would-be escorts a long look. He had noticed that they were like him and Freya, with Talents but not fully Awakened, which left him wondering if this was because they were inside a Whisper or due to something else.

“Why have you not reached the First Rank?”

“Because… this land is cursed. Before the fall of the city, there used to be a Mirmirsker here. But it was lost when the disaster happened. We are doomed to only Awaken cursed Talents that will never allow us to reach the First Rank.”

“Cursed? What do you mean?”

“My son told you about the first generation of survivors but not what caused the downfall of the city, right?” His expression grew distant.

“Yeah.”

“It happened towards the end of the Third Age. The city had already fallen into a terrible state, and hedonistic practices were widespread, especially among those who ruled over it…”

Erik nodded, having learned that himself.

Omr took a deep breath before continuing. “Aside from the castle in the city, the governor had a residence on top of the mountain. That was where the most despicable acts took place. He took essence beasts—only the champions of the arena fights—and tortured them mercilessly. He did it out in the open, to remind them that no matter how close they were to freedom, they could never reach it.”

“How do you know this?”

“Some records survived from his closest advisors.”

The village chief continued.

“And the essence beasts weren’t the only ones—people were taken there as well. He fed insects the blood of both humans and creatures, even growing them inside their bodies. Apparently, it was an attempt to improve his strength somehow.”

Erik was at a loss for words. This is…

“And because of these acts, legend has it that a calamity suddenly befell the valley. In a single day, most of the people in the city—those in the arena enjoying the blood sports of the day—were killed in an instant, while the survivors scattered. The passages through the mountains collapsed, and the swarm of essence suckers surrounded the valley.”

“All this time, the insects had only ever covered the edges and peaks of the valley. For some reason, they never came down. Until now…” A confused look crossed his face before he shook his head.

He then paused, sighed, and continued.

"The first generation was split on what to do. But before they could gather themselves and decide, some took the initiative... Believing the end was near and that a quick death was preferable, many traveled to the top of the northern mountain and jumped from the cliffs. On that ledge, where they took their final steps, a tree grew. It was said to be the result of the tears they shed before ending their lives. That same tree was later turned into the glowing beacon."

Omr grew quiet as he finished the story.

“So you see, this place is cursed,” he said in dejection.

Erik didn’t think that was exactly the case, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

The mood had grown increasingly somber, and now no one seemed to want to talk.

The village chief sighed and began, “I suppo—”

Then there was a loud crash as a short figure tumbled down the stairs from the second floor and landed in a heap at the bottom—right in the living room.

It was none other than Endur.

“Ahhh! That hurt! Dammit!”

The village chief smacked himself in the face. “Endur! What are you doing?! Go back upstairs!”

“Oh, come on, Dad! I accidentally overheard your conversation. Can I go as well? I still need to test my armor!”

“No! And you’re still being punished for sneaking out in the first place!”

Then another person came down the stairs, though with far more grace, a middle-aged woman dressed similarly to the village chief. Coarse clothes and crude wooden armor, but that did little to diminish her sure steps.

She, too, was different from the other villagers. It was evident in her gait—in this oppressive environment, there was a certain elegance to it.

She is just like mother.

“Dear, I think he’s learned his lesson. Don’t you?” she said in a calm voice, a slight smile playing on her lips.

“Fine,” he said in exasperation, then turned to the boy. “But don’t speak. I am still discussing matters with our… guest.”

Erik snorted and raised an eyebrow.

“How about you remove my binds now?”

Omr studied him for a while. “We will, but if you try to do something—”

His voice trailed off, turning cold.

Erik gave him a nod in acknowledgment.

“Remove them… and keep an eye on him.”

The one called Thrane—the most reasonable of the lot—stepped forward and removed his bindings.

Rubbing his wrists, Erik asked, “So when are we leaving?”

Before Omr could answer, Endur jumped in and tried again.

“Dad, come on, let me go as well!”

“No.”

“Please? They'll need my spiderweb armor. I know it will work!”

“I said no!”

The kid hung his head in dejection while the older man massaged his temples.

“The others will need some time to prepare. You’ll leave in a few hours.”

“And where are we going?”

“The eastern mountain range,” Omr said, glancing in annoyance toward the boy, “where you met my son.”

Endur had obediently sat down on a chair in the corner, avidly listening and not daring to say anything in case it got him kicked out. Still hoping that he would be allowed to join the expedition.

His mother, Gylfi, had sat down next to her husband, quietly observing Erik.

Their family reminded Erik so much of his own. Their home, as poor and austere as it was, still bore the telltale signs of a family trying to maintain some semblance of a happy life.

And looking at the way the man's eyes rested on the boy and the woman, he saw what his purpose was.

He would do anything for them, Erik thought.

“Isn’t there another source of water? What about the south or west?”

“They are too far away, and the water sources there are no more accessible than the one in the east. Also, the southern part of the valley… is not good,” he said with a grimace.

“What do you mean?”

The man hesitated for a moment. “There is a sort of border between the north and south, with the lake in the middle, the ruins to its west, and the spider territory to the east. All of these are usually difficult to pass. But it’s not just that—the land in the south is in far worse condition. The soil more barren with fewer clean sources of water, which makes food scarce.”

Erik nodded and thought for a moment. There is still something he hasn't mentioned.

“And where is the other human settlement?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I’m just curious.”

“You should be careful what you’re curious about,” the man’s brown eyes held his for a moment.

“We are exiles here. Those deemed too weak or useless to be of any help. Only those with some proven strength can stay there. And there are also other practices at that place… you will not be welcomed with open arms in their settlement.”

“I’m not planning on going there. I’m only asking so I know which place to avoid.”

“Good. You should do that… They are not far from the northeastern side of the lake, on the other side of the spider territory.”

Erik nodded. He did indeed plan to avoid the place.

“Thrane, take him to his things.”

Erik got up, but before he left, he turned and said, “Can you let the other prisoner know what we talked about and that I’ll be away?”

Omr just gave him a nod and said, “Just so you know, the other settlement has always been pressuring us. The elders of our village wanted to sell you two to them in order to appease them. But I convinced them that you might have more worth to us. Don’t make me regret it…”

Erik did not reply as he left with the other three men. He hoped that this endeavor would help them get to the tree eventually.