With the last two rifts closed they made their way back to the village. It was late afternoon when they started walking, and they were a good distance away, but the militia was eager to be home and wanted to push their way there rather than camp for another night. Michael felt at ease for the first time in a while without any rifts spilling out dread. He’d gotten used to a low-level anxiety that had permeated him for the last week and it being gone made him feel as if fifty pounds had been lifted from his shoulders.

  They arrived at the village in the middle of the evening and the guards were quick to open the gates for them, Kris coming out to meet them.

  “Did you do it? Did you close all the rifts?” she asked.

  Laird smiled, surprising everyone. “They did the realm proud.”

  She smiled and moved to speak to the other villagers, helping them to draw their supplies from the wagon and get everyone behind the safety of the makeshift walls.

  Michael and Ollie exchanged a number of arm clasps and even a few embraces from the villagers they’d fought with over the last several days.

  “Be dead if not for you,” said one of them as Michael clasped his hand.

  “It was thanks to the gods,” said Michael.

  “Well, I’ll thank them then. What was the protector one? Seran?”

  “Seras.”

  “Well, I’ll thank her then.”

  “Please do.”

  Once everyone was behind the walls they all went to settle into their homes. Families that had been divided by patrolling and guarding duties for months were able to sit at a table together for the first time in a long time, or share a bed. Michael had expected a party or a celebration of some sort, but that didn’t seem to be the kind of people the citizens of Old Hume were. Instead a kind of comfortable peace settled over everything. They just wanted to focus on the people that they had been missing and keep them to themselves, not share them in a celebration.

  Michael and Ollie made their way to the infirmary that was still empty from Michael’s efforts and set themselves up on their pallets. With the pleasant calm that had settled over the village, the lack of dread from nearby rifts, and the satisfaction of a job well done Michael drifted off the sleep within moments.

  …

  Michael awoke before dawn as always and slipped out of the infirmary to the training yard. This time he wasn’t joined by any of the knights or their squires that they’d sent ahead to Creekbend. Once he was done with his morning prayers and training, he found the village well and drew some water to bathe himself with the soap he kept squirrelled away in his pack. With that done he went back to the infirmary and put on fresh, or at least fresher, clothes. Then he drew his small hand mirror from his pack to divine himself. He focused first on his Champion of the Gods title and found that his Minor Strength boost had changed to Middling Strength. He couldn’t say that he was too surprised by that. He also noticed that a Very Minor Speed had been added to the list. He felt that was from Estaid, Goddess of Judgement. It seemed she was pleased with him. Aside from that he found a new deed on the list.

  Realm Firmer

  When acting to bring order to an area Grants:

  Minor Durability

  Minor Concentration

  Minor Strength

  That was vague and useful. He clenched and unclenched his fists a few times. He was much stronger than he used to be. Walking the path of the gods and fighting as often as he had was adding up more and more quickly. Comparing himself to the other warriors he’d seen in the past he guessed that he was stronger than Bayle at this point, definitely stronger than Lance when he’d been fully titled. All of that was without considering the additional power his blessings granted him. From what he’d seen of Laird and Hu he was much stronger than the average knight as well. Was he approaching the strength of Kings? He thought of his vision of the old Emperor of Hume. He was nowhere near that level of power, but none of the kings who ruled over his fragmented empire would be at that level either. He could do so much good with the kind of strength he was growing. When the threat of the rifts was ended he’d be able to turn his attention to using it to help people. He smiled at the thought.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  He considered waking Ollie, but decided to leave him snoring in his pallet and find himself something hot to eat. He left the infirmary to see Kris, Hu, and Laird talking and approached them.

  “Hail,” said Laird in a monotone.

  “Mornin’ ," replied Michael. “Heading for breakfast?” he asked.

  “Yes, breakfast and a brief,” said Hu. “I wanted to let Kris know what our plans are now that the nearby rifts have been sealed.”

  “Can I join you?” he asked.

  “Please,” said Hu.

  Laird kept his expression neutral, but didn’t seem thrilled by the idea.

  They went to a small part of the town where an elderly woman was preparing what seemed to be oatmeal with small bits of meat mixed with honey. Michael took a bowl and started eating as Laird began to speak.

  “We will be leaving for Creekbend today,” he said.

  “You’re leaving us?” asked Kris, her voice tinged with anxiety.

  “The nearby rifts are closed, your numbers are restored, and you have all gained the experience needed to keep yourselves safe until reinforcements are needed when they begin to appear again.”

  “We would feel safer with armored men on horseback staying here,” she replied.

  “Our plan is to take Michael here and do for Creekbend what we’ve just done for you. Once that’s done we hope to get one or two of the knights along with their squires to come here and support you.”

  Kris, mollified, chewed on that for a moment. “You sure you can’t leave him?” she asked, pointing at Michael.

  Laird shook his head. “He’s too valuable. We would not be in the position we’re in now if it were not for his arrival. We need to bring him to the Knight Captain to determine how best to use him.”

  Michael nodded. That’s what he wanted, a clear line to someone with authority. He could tell the rank and file and any villagers he encountered about the gods and the stakes, but the backing of those in charge would make things move much more quickly. He also did want to be used as efficiently as possible. He could act like a missile, just seeking out any rifts and closing them as quickly as possible, but there were definitely priorities that needed to be considered. Which rifts were giving off the most dangerous creatures, which ones blocked important routes, which ones had led to the most destruction. That was information he needed to get from others.

  He paused. “There is something I may be able to do to help before I leave.”

  “Oh?” asked Kris.

  “Your diviner. He seems older. I’m guessing he’s been struggling with the rift sealing.”

  “He’s been doing his best, but yes.”

  “After we’re done eating, take me to him.”

  She nodded, carving another spoonful from her bowl and eating it.

  They all sat and ate, Michael having three bowls of the oatmeal as he listened to Laird and Hu discuss their plans and what they needed to do before they left, lamenting that they’d sent away both of their squires which left a lot of the maintenance work to them.

  As he ate he noticed a number of stares and waves from those in the village. It seemed as if public opinion of him had changed now that he’d sealed so many rifts for the village and brought everyone back safe. Even those that had been staring daggers at him before were now ignoring him, which was a step up.

  When they were done, Kris led him to a smaller home on the edge of the village and knocked on the door. After a few moments a young man opened the door.

  “Kris,” said the man concernedly. “You don’t need me for the wall do you? I was hoping to stick around today to keep my Da from pushing himself too hard.”

  “I’m actually here to see your Da. Michael thinks he can help him make rift sealing easier.”

  “Why would he… they’re taking him somewhere else? My father’s going to die out there!”

  “Other people need his help. We’re lucky we had him long enough to seal the rifts that are here. Are you going to get your Da or no?”

  The man grimaced, but before he could answer a voice came from further inside.

  “Who is it?” said Lukas as he walked up to the door, pushing his son gruffly aside. “Ah. The taker and the would-be-chief. What do you want?”

  “I’m here to bless you.”

  Lukas shook his head. “I don’t want a taker's blessing.”

  “It’s not my blessing; it’s the gods',” he kept talking, not wanting Lukas to find some way to weasel out of the help he was about to give him or let his prejudice keep him from receiving it. “Bruntus, grant Lukas the steady strength to do what his village and family needs of him in these trying times.”

  He felt the blessing land, and watched as Bruntus granted the man minor recovery through it.

  Lukas frowned for a moment and walked away to grab a small mirror. He looked at it for a few moments.

  “You can grant titles?”

  “Small ones. Blessings from the gods.”

  “Well…” he seemed taken aback. “Thank you.”

  Michael smiled. “Thank the gods.”

  He frowned. “Thanks gods.”