In Due Course

[Sören]

Sören was rapt. That edge of fever returned to limn his gaze. Shrine. God of the lake. He could feel the thrum of his own pulse beneath his skin, and when Gokul pulled out the trinket it was all he could do to prevent himself snatching it from the air. The hair on his arms prickled. Boundless energy coursed through his limbs. The fingers of one hand twitched, betraying the restless urge to clench his fist. Instead he waited patiently for an explanation.

He recognised the symbol as Buddhist. Iconography cyclic in nature came up again and again in his studies, associated with gifted ones. The nature of the world. He cast nets, assimilated the knowledge, drew quick conclusions. It was a shame his wallet had no signal out here, though perhaps the network would have failed him anyway. Their silence during the journey here now suggested, not that they had no information to give, but that they were unwilling to share. He keened on a sense of danger, but filed the thought away. He was too embroiled by now to consider the consequences rationally, so there was no point considering them at all.

Declan's translation was laced with doubt. Sören did not turn to address it. In fact he did not turn to Declan at all. "May I see, elder Gokul?"
He held his hand out, palm up, to accept the token. There was no demand to his tone, but he was, nonetheless, expectant. When the old man proffered the amulet, Sören curled his fingers possessively over the edges. His other hand, still resting on his knee, bunched into a fist. Naudhiz, the same rune that had quested into the lake, now touched delicate tendrils into the amulet. For a moment he thought he sensed a vibration, an echo of understanding, but then nothing. "A mystery, then."
His gaze flicked up to Gokul. "You don't know exactly what it does, I suppose."


He was not a man to take any but a calculated risk. Sören was not reckless. But he did believe in the deep and ancient roots of the world, and as such was more inclined to believe that Gokul might offer trickery, to get both men killed at the lake and thus leave this place in peace, than he was inclined to think the piece of wood and metal in his hand held no power. Sören could deal with tricksters. And he was far from powerless, if the amulet did prove to be worthless.

"Does this aid come with a price?"