Days 227-228 (205th-206th)

Day 227 (205th):
We awoke to activity as the camp was being broken down and everyone what going their separate ways. Jacobo volunteered to escort us to Crialas.
Even though the sky was clear and snow lay heavy on the ground, the land looked gray and ashy. Sarah and Lisa confirmed the sickness of the land, yet could not pinpoint its source.
Jacobo chattered away as we rode, telling us his trips. I admit that I only half-listened. The land had my attention. Even in the snow, there should have been some animal life. Set commented on the lack.
"Where are all the furries? I can't hear or smell any except the horses," Set's mind voice was sorrowful.
"The land is sick. The animals left or died. Starlight sent us here to fix it," I informed him.
He whimpered, "I guess there will be no hunting for me while we're here."
"We have enough food for you. Besides, you can pop back to Raval, Selvis, or Thantos to hunt."
"I need more practice to get that far. I only found the Faerie Realm through the door in the garden and by smell. I don't want to get lost by popping so far away. Maybe I can find some rats in Crialas."
We agreed that it would be best to wait until we reached Crialas or a permanent town. I opened the supply bag on my saddle so he could grab food when he needed it.
I returned my attention to Jacobo when he indicated something ahead. Snow had been piled upon the road, blocking it completely. We were a mile away from it.
"Ladies, this looks suspicious. Be on guard," Jacobo warned.
We all felt around. About a dozen males of various races here hiding behind the snow, evil intent pouring from all of them. We informed Jacobo. He started to panic, but we calmed him.
"Let us take care of this. It is what we do," Gretta gently told him.
He bowed and reined his horse behind us. Seven swords were drawn simultaneously. We pointed at the snow mound and directed their energy towards those hiding. The magic raced to bridge the gap between us. It pierced the snow and slammed into the men. Even a mile away, we heard them shout at each other and weapons clash. Around the mound, they fought and argued. We slowly approached, keeping our eyes on them. Even a quarter mile from them, they were too involved in their own arguments to notice us. When we rode around the mound, we saw their gear, remaining weapons, plus the items stolen from other travelers.
We were well out of sight when I felt some of them returning to their former states. Jacobo was still shaken but maintained an outwardly calm appearance.
By sunset, we found an abandoned barn that was dry and snow-free. We made camp and worked to get Jacobo over his fear. He was still a bit shaky when we went to sleep. Set found a few mice to eat.

Day 228 (206th):
The fire was dead when we awoke. Jacobo was nowhere to be found. I could not feel him nor could my sisters. We could feel his residual energy and found it jumbled and chaotic. We pushed it aside to concentrate on which direction led to Crialas. I picked up a piece of straw and laid it flat on my hand.
"Fate, faithful patron, show us the way to Crialas. We are desperately needed there to heal this land."
The straw spun rapidly, then stopped. The point away from me split to form an arrow that pointed northwest.
The road was clear and the sky cloudless as we headed out. The land was getting grayer and more ashy as the day went on. Sarah wept a few times as the sickness moved her greatly. Even Lisa wiped away a tear or two as we rode. Anna could provide no history on the land, saying that it was "concealed" by the illness that lay as thick as the snow.
Around mid-day, Set commented that he smelled smoke. We looked around and saw a pillar of smoke rising behind us. Feeling out, I told the others that our barn form last night was being torched. We were all puzzled. It was abandoned.What reason would anyone have to set it ablaze? The land's illness made feeling people difficult from this distance. Set volunteered to "pop a peek" at the area to see if any were around. He vanished. We stayed put to assure him a stable return point. He returned in an inglorious splat in the snow. He shook himself as he flew up to our saddle.
"The men from the road set the barn on fire. One of them was holding Jacobo by a leash. He looked scared but the others were angry. They were yelling at him and each other and hunting for us. One of them saw me and yelled. I panicked and popped back," he informed us.
We headed back to the northwest at a faster pace. We speculated that Jacobo was suppose to lead us into an ambush but, when we affected them, that plan failed. Jacobo, probably, thought we would wait for his return and let ourselves be captured like the "foolish girls" they believed we were. Our only hope was to get to a town or settlement before nightfall and alert the authorities to the situation. I let the others take the lead while I withdrew to seek out Fate.
"Fate, my patron, I need your guidance."
"Speak, my dear, what troubles you so?"
"Bandits follow us, their intentions are unclear bu threatening. We need shelter and allies, hopefully soon."
There was silence for a moment.
"A few miles ahead, the road forks. Take the left fork. A town is ten miles after that. It is a place loyal to Crialas and two clerics know Starlight has sent for you. They will be your allies."
"Thank you, Fate. I will let everyone know it was you who guided us."
She laughed as we parted, giving me an almost tangible embrace before she left. I returned my attention back to our group. I informed my sisters and Set of her words.
Lisa piped, "They are probably galloping to catch us. Even at a gallop ourselves, we may be caught before we reach this town."
Fate's wind blew through me. I looked up and smiled.
"They will not know our path. Plus, they will be slowed."
Before any could ask, snow began to fall around us. My sisters laughed and we slowed to keep the horses from faltering. At the fork, a sign pointed towards what lay ahead down either road. Lisa and Alice giggled upon reading the elfish words. Alice told us the town we were headed toward, Aurdoahrn, was an elf word for "ally".
We did not have to search for the clerics as they were standing just inside the town's border. A male and female elf greeted us and ushered us inside a stable.
"The horses will stay here," said the male elf, "It will draw less attention if we walk. Please, put these robes on. We have told others that we were expecting novices from another cloister."
He handed us plain, brown, hooded robes that, when we put them on, covered us completely to the point they drug in the falling snow. They must have planned ahead for mine was large enough for Set to hide underneath and had more material to obliterate our footprints so no one knew who or what was under all that cloth. Dawn and Bo were likewise hidden. The elves walked ahead of us, instructing us to keep our heads down, hands hidden, and watch the feet of the person in front of us.
"As novices, you are assumed to have taken the year long vow of silence," the female told us, "No one will address you, speak to you, or barely acknowledge your existence. Until we say, you are 'non-people'. Others, in the village, will refer to you as 'shadows' or 'shades'. Do not take it personally. It has been this way for centuries. Plus, it keeps racial bias to a minimum, as those outside the cloister do not know what races you are until you are full clerics, if you were truly novices of our order. The convent and monastery are in an ancient fortress. Males and females work and sleep apart, but eat and worship in the same room, separated, at the same time. Your dragon, snake, and bird will have to remain hidden, as they are seen as personal property and that is prohibited. Same for the swords. Please, follow us."
We silently lined up behind them as they walked side-by-side in the dark and snow. A few torches lit our way as we marched. I felt other people watching us from windows and doors. Many were simply curious while a few plotted to find out who and what we were to see if we were "allowed" to be clerics of "their" religion. One or two ran toward the stables. Lisa faltered.
"Be still," the male told her, "Your horses and gear are safe. They are simply curious and think looking at them will tell them your identities. Other than the dragon basket, there is nothing to mark you. Come along."
We continued in silence to an archaic fortress made of heavy stone without any ornamentation or decoration to break up its blank facade. The male bid us good-night and entered the right side section of the building. The female led us into the left. The interior was as bland as the exterior.
"You will bunk together. No other female novices are here right now. You have it to yourselves. Let you animals know that they must stay out of sight of any, save myself and the Bishop, the male elf who just left. I am also called Bishop, Lady Bishop actually. Please keep your mental chatter to a minimum as there are sensitive people here who wish their silence. We ring bells to get up, eat, hold mass, and sleep. I will send a trusted sister to help you appear as novices until safe transport can be arranged."
Sarah stepped forward. Lady Bishop acknowledged her and allowed her to speak.
"Bandits were pursuing us and forcing a bard named Jacobo to aid them. They burned an old barn about half a day's ride from the fork in the road in their search for us."
Lady Bishop held up her hand to stop Sarah, "Thank you for that information. I will alert our constable and tell him of Jacobo. Are you ready for bed or do you require anything?"
We asked for something to eat as food was forgotten in our hurry to reach safety. She nodded and said food would be brought to us then we were expected to go to sleep. We understood and thanked her.
Once she left, we made ourselves as comfortable as we could. The bunks were hard. We discussed calling for our mats, but decided that we could tough it out for a while. I felt someone coming close to our door and bid the others to be silent. The knock was light and Sarah opened the door to allow another brown robed person to enter. In silence, food was placed on a table and the person left.
The food wasn't bad, just rather plain, but the area's taint was palatable. Not long after we finished, another light knock preceded the same person who gathered the dishes and left.
The door had barely closed when Alice, Anna, and I were questioned about the server. We told the rest that "it" was a man, a human eunic actually, "sold" to the cloister by his master who was trying to purge himself of anything "unnatural". Many in this area, once the illness was felt, took to clearing out anything they thought caused or contributed to it, particularly living things. He had been at the cloister for years and the only male allowed in the women's areas.
We quickly got to bed when I felt an other's presence moving through the hall. It was dark and quiet when she arrived at the door. A round face poked in from the barely open door. She nodded slightly and closed it quietly. We settled in as best we could and went to sleep.