Avros

ELINA SAW NAINA ENTERING Avros' communal longhouse, so she crossed the central plaza of the Rebellion's hometown and followed her in. Heindal's and Alson's kids were playing hide-and-seek in the dining area. The smell of spilled ale lingered in the air. Naina was sorting through a closet on the far end of the longhouse. Elina hurried over, past the cold fireplace, tablet in hand. "Naina, a moment, please."

Several streaks of grey ran through Naina's hair. Had those been there before? Combined with the bags under her eyes, they made her look frail, even in her leather armor with the stitched-on Rebellion emblem and general's stripes.

"What's up, Elina?" Naina asked.

"About the Svenson family. We don't have the funds to send them support."

Naina's shoulders sagged. "That's not an option. The Inquisition chasing Leiki into hiding was bad enough, but there was no need to arrest his father. They've got nothing left."

Elina stuck out the tablet. "We don't even have enough money for the supplies coming in tomorrow. Even if we wanted to, we have nothing to send."

"They're using them to make a point, Elina. We will help them."

Elina thought for a moment. "What if instead of sending money, we ask the Sorenson family to take them in? They owe us a favor. And they can always use a couple of extra hands around their farm. Maybe the Svensons can even rent out their house for some extra income."

Naina clasped Elina on the shoulder. "Now you're talking. We're all in this together. We just need to be creative in supporting each other."

A murmur of voices rose outside the longhouse. The door at the far end of the longhouse flew open and Hedvig burst through. He ran up to Naina and grabbed her arm. "You've got to come! Hurry!" He waved towards the plaza. "Gudmund has returned."

Naina jumped up and ran for the door; Elina hurried after her. Hedvig was usually composed and calm. Gudmund must have gotten in trouble again. Elina ran out of the longhouse and blinked in the bright light outside, narrowly avoiding bumping into Naina, who had stopped short right outside the door.

Elina looked up. The reason for Naina's abrupt stop stood in the center of the plaza. There, a huge rock formation stood surrounded by people jumping up and down with excitement. "Is that...?" Elina's question trailed off.

"Yes," Naina said. "Gudmund found a Manhir."

––––––––

AFTER THE MANHIR HAD been paraded around Avros and everyone had had a chance to touch his rough skin, Elina took their two guests to the longhouse. Together with Gudmund and Naina, they withdrew to the back of the central hall for an improvised meeting. The Manhir, Henge he'd said his name was, was sitting across the table from her. She had always imagined Manhir to be broader. Henge was rather slender, even if he dominated the room with his height. He stooped to prevent his head from hitting the ceiling. The fellow who'd found him, Finn, sat by his side. He was taller than Gudmund, but not as broad. He wore the rough woolen outfit of a peasant, but there was a suppleness to his movements that suggested that there was more to him than she'd first thought.

"Where are the rest of your people?" Gudmund asked. "We could use their help in our struggle against the Inquisition."

"I don't know," Henge answered sadly. "Finn told me they disappeared sometime after I got stuck. Maybe the Ochloroc got to them during the war."

"Gudmund," Naina said, "you can't be thinking of keeping him here. The Inquisition would be all over us." She turned to Henge. "No offence meant."

"Naina, don't you see what he is?" Gudmund pointed at Henge. "With him, we can show the world the Inquisition is wrong! He's just a normal fellow, not some demon who sided with the Ochloroc during Ragnarok."

"The Inquisition ignores us because we're no real threat to them," Naina said. "They wouldn't give you a chance to parade him around. They'd stamp us out until no one remembers us."

"We can ambush them," Gudmund said. "If we know they're coming, we can prepare for them."

"We're no army."

"With Henge on our side, people will flock to our banner." Gudmund slammed his hand on the table. "We can take him to Stirgard. The Inquisition won't dare follow us there. Thane Stigur will welcome an opportunity to make fools of the Inquisition."

Henge raised his hands defensively. "Look, I don't want to fight anyone. I just want to find my people."

Gudmund shook his head in frustration.

Naina turned to Henge. "I'm sorry. You're right, of course. This isn't just about us. How can we help you?"

Henge bowed his head. "I don't know," he said to his feet.

"Very few records survived Ragnarok," Naina said. "I'm not sure anyone knows what happened at the end of the war, or how we survived the apocalypse while the Ochloroc perished."

"What about the Inquisitional Library in Uneltemus?" Finn asked. "They must have information on the Manhir."

"How would we get it?" Gudmund pointed at Henge. "He'd stand out like an axe in a bakery. And you're not exactly popular with them either at the moment."

They all fell silent.

Elina looked at Henge. He really did look nothing like the demons the Inquisition preached about. If she ignored the rocklike arms and the grey lichen he had for hair, then he sounded just like any other man... a man searching for knowledge. Something nudged her memory. "What about the Oracle? It's where we go if we need answers. And Pythia has been around for even longer than Uneltemus."

"The Oracle," Finn said. "Of course. Either he knows something, or they'll have records in their library we can use."

"Let's go, then," Henge said. "Does he still reside in Pythia?"

Gudmund nodded. "We can supply you to help you get there. If she wants, Elina can guide you. She's travelled most of the lands to the west of here."

Elina raised an eyebrow at Gudmund. What was on his mind here? He gave a slight shake of his head. He'd tell her later.

"We can get you sorted and ready to leave by tomorrow," Gudmund continued. "In the meantime, Naina can get you something to eat and show you a place to rest."

"Thank you," Henge said. He placed his right arm across his chest and bowed.

"Come with me," Naina said. "I'll show you where you can freshen up. And I'll get you some food." She led Henge and Finn out a side door.

Elina turned to Gudmund after they'd left the room. "I know most of the lands west of here?"

"Don't worry, Pythia is easy to find," Gudmund said. "Finn can probably get there without help anyway."

She drummed her fingers on the table. Gudmund had concocted some crazy scheme again, it seemed. "Well, go on, then," she said. "I'm sure they can't hear you anymore. What's going on?"

"Why must something be going on?" He feigned innocence as he said it.

"Because something is always going on with you. And now, of all things, you've stumbled across a Manhir."

"What do you think of him?" Gudmund asked.

Elina sighed. Gudmund was evading her question, and wouldn't reveal what he had in mind until she played along. "He looks a bit out of his depth. Though I guess that's to be expected when you wake up and find out you've been hibernating for a thousand years."

"Yes, and that changes everything. Henge makes a fool of the Inquisition's teachings. He's going to change everything. The world is changing as we speak; I feel it in the wind."

"I don't know, brother. He doesn't look like someone who wants to change anything. He just wants to know what happened to his people."

"Yes," Gudmund said, "and that is a problem. You've done our books. You know the state we're in. We can't keep our fight going like this for much longer. We need him on our side. He's a gift from the gods. We can't throw that away."

"Which is why you want me to go with them."

"You've seen them. They'll get lost or blunder into an Inquisition army if no one guides them."

"Fine, I'll babysit."

"Thank you," Gudmund said. "And tell Henge about us while you're on the road. Explain our cause to him."

Elina gave Gudmund a push against his shoulder. "Convert him, you mean. Do you ever consider the person?"

"The cause is more important than any single person. What is a single person, put against overthrowing the Inquisition?"

"Don't worry, I'll talk to him."