Ch 108: Healing Scars

The air in the valley carried a new stillness, a sense of tentative peace. The glowing embers in the ashfields dimmed, and the once-volatile skies no longer raged with firestorms. Yet beneath this calm, traces of the Augury's influence lingered, leaving subtle disruptions in the valley's natural balance. Rivers that once roared through the rocky terrain had turned sluggish, their currents halting as though hesitant to continue their journey. Patches of scorched earth, where life once thrived, remained barren and unyielding despite the passage of weeks.

Kalem stood at the edge of a deep fissure, his brow furrowed as he examined the flow of residual energy seeping from the cracked earth. His tracker arrows had guided him here, and the faintly glowing runes etched into the rocks confirmed his suspicions. Despite their damage, the remnants of the rune network pulsed faintly, their influence rippling through the valley like an unseen tide.

"Still poking at those runes, boy?" Tharic's voice cut through the quiet, accompanied by the sound of boots crunching against loose gravel. His figure, broad and dust-covered, loomed over Kalem's crouched form.

Kalem didn't look up. He leaned closer to the fissure, running a gloved hand over the faintly glowing patterns. "The Augury's magic didn't just vanish when we destroyed the points. It's still here—changing things."

Tharic approached, wiping sweat from his brow after another grueling day of repairs at the Ironworks. The furnace fires were roaring once more, and the rhythmic clanging of hammers had begun to echo through the valley again. Yet a tension lingered in the air that even the relentless work couldn't dispel.

He squinted down at the glowing runes, his expression a mixture of curiosity and unease. "You're telling me these leftovers are still causing trouble? Didn't we take care of all this?"

Kalem shook his head, his brow furrowed as he jotted notes into a leather-bound notebook. "Not completely. The rune points were the anchors, but the energy they unleashed has already spread. It's... entangled with the valley now. Like a fire smoldering underground."

Tharic crossed his arms, his gaze scanning the horizon where faint wisps of steam rose from the scorched fields. "Well, let's hope whatever it's changing doesn't come back to bite us. This place has had enough excitement to last a lifetime."

Kalem barely heard him, already lost in thought. He stood, holding up the notebook where he'd sketched a rough diagram of the runes. The patterns were complex, their intricate geometry a language that seemed just beyond his comprehension. If he could understand how the energy flowed, perhaps he could figure out how to neutralize it entirely.

"That's going to take more than a few notes and some arrows," Tharic said, glancing at the boy's determined face.

"I know," Kalem replied, tucking the notebook into his satchel. He turned his gaze toward the distant mountains where the remnants of the Augury's influence lingered strongest. "But I need to try. If we leave it, the valley will never fully recover."

Tharic sighed, resting a hand on Kalem's shoulder. "You've got a stubborn streak, boy. Just don't forget to take a break once in a while. Even the best anvils crack under constant pounding."

Kalem offered a faint smile, but his mind was already racing ahead, planning his next move. As Tharic walked away, his figure silhouetted against the setting sun, Kalem knelt by the fissure once more, tracing the glowing lines with a sense of purpose.

The next morning, Kalem ventured deeper into the valley, following the faint trails of residual energy that snaked through the landscape. Each step brought him closer to the heart of the disruption, where the runes pulsed more vividly. He paused by a cluster of ancient stone pillars, their surfaces inscribed with the same intricate patterns he'd seen before.

He set up his tools—a set of chisels, enchanted lenses, and a small contraption he'd built to measure magical flux. As he worked, a sense of unease crept over him. The energy here was stronger, more erratic. It tugged at his senses, making his skin prickle with an almost imperceptible vibration.

A faint rustling behind him made him freeze. Kalem turned, his hand instinctively reaching for the dagger at his belt. A familiar figure emerged from the shadows—it was Vornar, his expression as calm and unreadable as ever.

"Didn't think you'd come this far alone," Vornar remarked, his gaze sweeping over the pillars.

"I needed to see this for myself," Kalem replied, gesturing to the glowing inscriptions. "These runes—there's something different about them. They're not just remnants. They're active."

Vornar knelt beside one of the pillars, his hand brushing over the etched surface. "Active? You mean the Augury's influence is still alive here?"

Kalem nodded. "It's subtle, but it's there. These patterns—they're channeling energy, even now. I think they're part of what's keeping the valley out of balance."

Vornar's eyes narrowed as he studied the runes. "Then we need to deal with them before they cause more damage."

"I'm working on it," Kalem said, holding up his notebook. "But it's going to take time. These aren't like the rune points we destroyed. They're more... resilient."

Vornar placed a reassuring hand on Kalem's shoulder. "You've got a sharp mind, boy. If anyone can figure this out, it's you. Just don't let it consume you."

Kalem managed a small smile, the weight of the task ahead pressing heavily on his shoulders. As the two of them stood amidst the ancient pillars, the valley seemed to hold its breath, waiting to see what would come next.