Page 20 of The Lost Guard's Healer

“Hold on,” I say, keeping my voice even. “Fighting each other will not solve anything. Let me get this clear. You know those bandits are out there and can attack at any moment, but you don’t have people keeping watch on the surrounding lands?”

Aldus scoffs. “Maybe you have the capacity for that in your big cities, but we are not like that. We cannot have people sitting around all day in the fields and on hilltops, watching for bandits who may not be coming for years.”

“You create shifts,” I say. “Everyone takes a turn. You can make it part of your Tasks, for the younger generations to prove their competency. It’s better than being caught unaware at any moment.”

Aldus’s cheeks have flushed red. “We are a village of farmers, craftsmen, and hunters. We have no soldiers to stand guard. We are defenseless.”

“Not anymore,” I say. That gets their attention. I let my words sink in for them. “Last night, I saw a glimpse of what your people are capable of. Some of you have been given special gifts. You can use them offensively when needed. But you need training.”

“You would have us turn into something we are not?” Aldus says.

“That’s not what I meant,” I say, but I don’t get the chance to explain.

“Why are you even here?” Bohan asks. “This is not your concern. We don’t need you telling us what to do.”

“Let’s not go too far,” Aldus says with some restraint. “I’m simply telling Tarin that what he’s suggesting will change the fundamental mentality of our entire people. The world has changed, yes, but it does not mean our people have to change with it.”

“You already have changed with it,” I say.

Aldus continues as though I haven’t spoken. “We will keep doing what we have been doing and pray for the support of the land to provide for us.”

I want to say more to make them see things how I see them, but I know I can’t interfere. They are stuck in their ways and it’s going to take a hell of a lot more than me to change that.

“I’ve wasted too much time here,” Bohan says. “I have work to do.” He pauses and looks at me. “If that’s alright with you?”

I give no response or reaction. Bohan sneers at me and walks away. I know that look. It said, ‘If you challenge me again you will regret it’.

When I’m alone with Aldus, I ask, “Who threw the ball of blue fire last night?”

His brows crinkle in thought. “I did not see that. And don’t know anyone with that power. Are you sure you saw correctly?”

I feign confusion and concede. Maybe I was mistaken. I get the impression he wouldn’t tell me who had that power, even if he knew. And maybe he does. There’s no use in asking who manipulated the earth either, as I don’t think I’ll get an answer for that. But I think he knows more than he’s letting on. Whether it’s about the magic last night or something else.

Aldus shakes his head in defeat and lets out a weary sigh. “There’s Magdalena,” he says, nodding across the way. “I have to meet with her to discuss what we are going to do about the festival tomorrow.”

“Festival?”

“The Patron’s Blessings Festival. It is a bi-annual festival to bless the world and keep us safe. Some are saying we would not have been attacked if we’d held the festival already. We’re going to have to cancel it, however. We’ll have to discuss that with the elders. A big party is the last thing anyone wants right now.”

I chew the inside of my cheek and consider that. “Maybe it’s exactly what you need. You can hold the festival in honor of those who died. And people will be comforted by the fact that you’ve blessed the land for support.”

Aldus eyes me for a long moment, his blue eyes shifting in thought. He’s assessing me. Perhaps wondering if he should listen to me or not.

“You’re right,” he eventually says. “I will bring that up with the elders.”

“I don’t suppose… I could meet them.”

He smirks. “Do not push your luck, lad. Allow us our privacy and traditions.”

I nod. “Of course.”

He claps me on the shoulder and makes his way across the field to where Magdalena is waiting.

I take some time to feel the wind and the air, taking in the serenity of the moment after so much chaos. The birds are back in the trees, happily singing their song.

My ankle has begun to throb, so I go to find a place to sit for a while. Dark clouds are looming on the horizon. The air is alive with growing energy. A storm might be coming. Or it might shift away and miss us.

I feel like I’ve spent my entire adult life in this situation. Waiting for a storm to come or seeing if it will pass. Perhaps that old man Yovin had been right. Maybe I’ve been brought here for a reason.

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