51.4 More Than a Promise

General Summary

Days 1027 - 1029

Sha’an’derin is constantly on fire when he is conscious - part of the price of him sustaining this magic. Ausha and I create a cooling mist that holds it at bay while we work, but it is clearly not an existence that is right for him. With long hours working together, I learn enough about the magic that keeps him here to see that it is very much like Nadia’s. Her guardianship meant living in the nightmares wielded by her forest, and his means living in the flames.   Smolder returns to the Inferno trolls while the rest of us begin work on transforming a patch of forest hidden in the hills in order to shelter the trolls. It takes us several hours late into the night before the fire is ablaze again and we can welcome the trolls back over the course of the next two days. In my dragon form, I create a living bridge for the trolls to pass over and keep them warm and safe on their journey. Many of the elderly ashen trolls walk along me, and many are clearly parents to young, brightly lit children.   To me, the flame is warm and nurturing, and I imagine that the original flames would have felt welcoming as well. It’s an Imperial magic, casting pale flickering shadows that are sometimes deceptively dark, and so it is home to me.   While we get everyone settled, Qishali departs to bring an explanation to Bran, who arrives on the eve of the second day after hearing everything we’ve learned. To my surprise, he has brought Mireen along with him but left Vaneilli behind.  

This is very different from what Trunk described.

 

Days 1030 - 1050

Bran’s counsel is valuable as we talk through what we might do next. He prods at how confident I am that what the monolith says is true (very confident, or at the very least - willing to accept it with no further investigation), and eventually it is him, Yneir, and I who settle on the plan.   I will do as Torch suggested and divide the forest in half - Eastern mountainous region for the Inferno trolls and Western sea-ward region for the ancestral trolls. With the combined magical knowledge of everyone including Sha’an’derin, I think it is very possible to modify the monolith’s encoding the create something new in this space, and to enforce it differently,   Instead of applying this fire curse to the forest itself, we will redirect it to only those named by the monolith. Yneir’s contribution is that she thinks she and Bran can make the flames ignite in the named trolls when they enter the forest, which I do think is more appropriate than simply being unable to enter at all. With Mistress and Uncle Red’s help, we also include conditions for ending their personal curses. I can’t help but think of Bark and that maybe they might be the first of the still-living named trolls to successfully return.   Over the next two weeks, all of us toil endlessly at magic circles, interactions, and connections between the monolith, spirit-calling, and the many small magical and logistic details needed to execute on this plan.   Liliales works to create portent dreams and illusions that will drive the ancestral trolls out of the forest half that will be set ablaze, as well as an extended illusory dream that will show all the younger trolls the history of this place. It wouldn’t surprise me if their council never shared the story with anyone who wasn’t there.   At last, all the pieces are in place and half the forest goes up in flames once again. The face of the monolith listing the crimes of the troll leaders remains exposed to the ancestral forest, and I further enchant it so that the Osyr runes are legible to all. Now, the names burn with an endless fire and will go dark and cold when the owner dies - five names are dark already. But for those who overcome our animosity and change enough that the forest will allow them them entry, their names will be illuminated with the fresh green of new growth. Only time will tell if that part of my enchantment ever comes into play. Bran, for his part, estimates that Bark has equal odds of being able to enter the forest again.   With the work completed, Sha’an’derin approaches both me and Ausha. Over the time of our work together, we’ve explained what has happened and the state of the world now.  

Is my watch over?

  The job is done, but he can persist if he chooses. But we all know that he can’t leave this place. He is too tied to it. He looks at my staff, and says that it once belonged to his lord, Prevli. The name is familiar - I recognize him as one of the Hands in the ziggurat, who watched over the shard of Kaide and gave me his staff. Gently, I tell Sha’an’derin that his lord has indeed passed on, though he taught me much in the brief time I had with him.  

If he is gone, I shouldn’t keep him waiting.

  So Sha’an’derin’s watch comes to an end, peacefully.  

Day 1051

Once the magic is released, I circle around to outside the ancestral forest and simply wait for Trunk to emerge. The three named council members (Trunk, Muck, Lichen) come tumbling out of the forest, followed by fireballs which drop from the trees and are sucked back into the roots. Leaning to Yneir, I remark that I hadn’t realized that they were going for physical fire…I had thought it would just be a sensation…but honestly this is perfect. This is visible.   It takes five hours before Trunk approaches - the time slowly eaten up by them healing one another, staring at me, and talking. At one point, Muck and Lichen stand as though they intend to approach, but Trunk stops them. Trunk, alone, approaches.  

Trolls are welcome in this forest again, except for those who are named and unrepentant. I would not hurt your civilians.

  Trunk gives me a slow, evaluating look before offering a brief bow and simply turning back to their colleagues and walking away. To Muck and Lichen, I call out  

You will hear this from me directly. This forest will remain unwelcoming to those who are named as committing crimes against civilians. If the character of your spirit changes enough that you are no longer the person who did those things, you will be welcomed back. I hope you find your place again.

  But the three continue to walk away. Bran turns to me with concern.  

This won’t end well. They’re going to cause trouble. We could stop them…but they haven’t done the thing yet. I don’t want to sentence them for what I think they’ll do.

  He sends Mireen to give them a blessing that the two of them have been working on - evidently they will be made miserable as they work on whatever they are going to work on. It is something she had previously done accidentally to allies, but they have been working on shaping it into something intentional. On whatever timeframe I need to worry about the ancient trolls’ behaviour, I think we will continue to find solutions. That they know how to summon Ingans is deeply concerning to me.   The Inferno trolls are mid-party when we finally get back, happily imitating things from Liliales’ and Zehi’s stories about the tournament on the coast. Everyone is rowdy and drunk, and I think my little son is likely to blame.   Eventually, Torch approaches me with his partner, Pyre, and their unnamed baby! Young Inferno trolls go on a trek from the edge of the forest to the monolith and pick up anything that resonates or catches their attention. Once they reach the monolith, they talk to their family about the items and what they mean, which ones fit who they are. Torch says he sought fire to bring into the darkness, while Pyre collecting things that were meaningful to others to keep them close. Their child is not old enough to figure out a name yet.   As we talk, I call Ausha over so that the two of us can make the offer together. Sha’an’derin said that Kaide likely would have come back for these trolls to bring them into the fold of the Empire, had the Barrier not divided us. In her stead, we extend the   Torch accepts instantly, with no hesitation. He says he knows they are no longer just weapons, and all he needs to know is that when they were at the edge of losing everything that mattered, we came to help. He pledges their help in our battles as well.