His eyelids slid open as if by their own will. The sun was not up yet, but he just knew when to awaken. It was only a strange feeling the more he thought about it. Over the last few months this development and several others had started to become the new normal. For all his years of training and study, there was nothing that could really have prepared Cole for the Rite of the Keeper.
With a groggy sigh he sat up and held his face in his hands a moment. He turned to his left and sat cross-legged on his bed of furs in front of a small stack of stones, 5 in all, one on top of the other. The spirit he had called agreed to watch over him all night and alert him to any dangers in exchange for food. A simple enough ritual and a simple enough price. Most Keepers invoked such a ritual every night or near enough. "Thank you." The small offering of bread and smoked rabbit was already gone and the stack of stones collapsed to the ground, toppled by some unseen push.
Cole stood up and began his morning grooming routine. It had been drilled into him since he started growing facial hair so at this point he could practically sleepwalk through it. He rinsed himself at the basin, gently washing away the sweat and grime of the previous day. The equinox was only three days away. He toweled himself off though his chest hair stubbornly remained damp. The two of them would be meeting today. They would be meeting for the first time since he left to undergo the Rite of the Keeper. He carefully trimmed and sculpted his beard and washed his face and hair. They were risking a lot by seeing each other. He looked at himself in the mirror. Right in the reflection of his own dark eyes. But they had to try.
The morning was cool and the omens pointed to good weather in the coming days. Cole smiled to himself as he watched his village bustling with preparations for tonight. The Festival of Flames. The hills would be alight with bonfires every night for a week to welcome the equinox and the coming of the harvest. People were moving quickly. Once the sun went down all work would stop and the festivities would begin. Every village was participating, and visiting relatives from neighboring villages were common. How fortunate it would also make it easier for her to blend in.
His eye caught the sight of another green-cloaked Keeper and he turned to see Kamren approaching him. Kamren had been present for the latter years of Cole's training and their relationship was... complicated. "Cole!" Kamren barked in greeting with a shit-eating grin on his face. "You're in a good mood. Looking to get lucky tonight?"
Cole flushed slightly and demurred, "Aren't we all?"
"So you are on the hunt," Kamren smirked back. "Should be interesting. I don't think I've ever seen you with a woman. Or a man." He leaned in conspiratorially. "Anybody I know?"
Cole hesitated trying to think of how to answer that. There was a very good reason that Kamren had never seen him with her. The laws on unsanctioned magic were very clear.
Kamren chuckled and patted Cole on the shoulder. "Relax. I'm giving you shit. Just keep your wits about you." Kamren's aspect darkened and Cole knew what was going on in his head. For all his experience, discipline and skill, Kamren was a troubled man. "Such festivals always attract spirits. We must be on our guard."
Cole nodded and quietly went on his way.
That afternoon he sat on the hill where his own bonfire was. He was to light it after sunset, which was only a few hours away. He had told his love by raven to meet him here before sunset. Cole stared out at the horizon and waited.
With a groggy sigh he sat up and held his face in his hands a moment. He turned to his left and sat cross-legged on his bed of furs in front of a small stack of stones, 5 in all, one on top of the other. The spirit he had called agreed to watch over him all night and alert him to any dangers in exchange for food. A simple enough ritual and a simple enough price. Most Keepers invoked such a ritual every night or near enough. "Thank you." The small offering of bread and smoked rabbit was already gone and the stack of stones collapsed to the ground, toppled by some unseen push.
Cole stood up and began his morning grooming routine. It had been drilled into him since he started growing facial hair so at this point he could practically sleepwalk through it. He rinsed himself at the basin, gently washing away the sweat and grime of the previous day. The equinox was only three days away. He toweled himself off though his chest hair stubbornly remained damp. The two of them would be meeting today. They would be meeting for the first time since he left to undergo the Rite of the Keeper. He carefully trimmed and sculpted his beard and washed his face and hair. They were risking a lot by seeing each other. He looked at himself in the mirror. Right in the reflection of his own dark eyes. But they had to try.
The morning was cool and the omens pointed to good weather in the coming days. Cole smiled to himself as he watched his village bustling with preparations for tonight. The Festival of Flames. The hills would be alight with bonfires every night for a week to welcome the equinox and the coming of the harvest. People were moving quickly. Once the sun went down all work would stop and the festivities would begin. Every village was participating, and visiting relatives from neighboring villages were common. How fortunate it would also make it easier for her to blend in.
His eye caught the sight of another green-cloaked Keeper and he turned to see Kamren approaching him. Kamren had been present for the latter years of Cole's training and their relationship was... complicated. "Cole!" Kamren barked in greeting with a shit-eating grin on his face. "You're in a good mood. Looking to get lucky tonight?"
Cole flushed slightly and demurred, "Aren't we all?"
"So you are on the hunt," Kamren smirked back. "Should be interesting. I don't think I've ever seen you with a woman. Or a man." He leaned in conspiratorially. "Anybody I know?"
Cole hesitated trying to think of how to answer that. There was a very good reason that Kamren had never seen him with her. The laws on unsanctioned magic were very clear.
Kamren chuckled and patted Cole on the shoulder. "Relax. I'm giving you shit. Just keep your wits about you." Kamren's aspect darkened and Cole knew what was going on in his head. For all his experience, discipline and skill, Kamren was a troubled man. "Such festivals always attract spirits. We must be on our guard."
Cole nodded and quietly went on his way.
That afternoon he sat on the hill where his own bonfire was. He was to light it after sunset, which was only a few hours away. He had told his love by raven to meet him here before sunset. Cole stared out at the horizon and waited.
