In the cold.

     As they traveled Oolah patiently pointed out obstructions. She showed him how to patiently work through thorny brush, slowly moving the branches out of the way, which worked especially well when following low game trails. He saw ample wildlife, And wondered why she hadn't shot up any food for them. They did occasionally snack on travel foods as they moved, but Van thought she would want to supplement it. They traveled until it was late in the day. Finally, she stopped. Looking at him, she held a finger to her lips and approached him. Then, leaning in close, she said quietly, "We're too close to goblonii threats for a proper camp. When we're in safer places we'll have more time to train or practice. wait there." She pointed to small clear area on the forest floor. After unpacking and feeding her beasts, she set about making camp.

     He watched as she cleared an area, then order the Erlokas to lay on the far ends, leaving about 2 feet between them, then lined up the packs between their heads. She spread a canvas over the them and tied it off with enough slack to leave a recess in the center. that, she filled with clean dry leaves. Motioning to Van with one hand and pointing with the other, she directed him to lie down next to one of laying Erlokas, on the leaves. She spread another canvas across, this time pulling it taut over the Erlokas, leaving a low hollow beneath and tapering off on the 'bottom'. She crawled in from the foot side, popping up next to Van. "If you must," she warned him, "Take off your coat or boots. Do not sweat if you can help it." He nodded, their faces nearly touching.

     "What about the Erlokas," he whispered, "what if they want to get up?"

     She smiled. He could feel her breath as she spoke prompting him to preemptively cover his nose in case of nosebleed. "If they get up, we'll have plenty to worry about beside the cold. Glam said you can see in the dark. That'll help. If the Erlokas get up, calmly get dressed. They are small but fierce, and should buy us a moment or two, at worse." They lay in silence for a bit, then Oolah spoke up again with a question. "What is it about your power the others find so terrifying?"

     "Others?" asked Van. He'd been under the impression it was just Eloin.

     "It's more prominent in the woman sure." She started, "But all but the Goerfo Glam, and the other relic holder, have some level of fear of you. Well, the other holder doesn't quite fear you, but your presence fills him with a sense of dread, and I think some concern for you."

     "It's because he knows what happened to the last person who had this power." said Van.

     "Tell me about the power," she requested. "Who knows, maybe I can help. I promise I won't fear you... And you should know this. That woman does not hate you. But your presence feels her with terror. I believe she has been accidentally harmed at some point, by someone with powers they couldn't control."

     "How do you know all that?" he opined. 

     "Is my utility power," she answered, "It's empathy. I can feel a persons emotions. With you, I have felt a deep sadness, the sadness of someone who has lost everything. It is not uncommon. But there is also a strong sense of gratitude and hope within you. These are beautiful, powerful emotions. It's why I've liked you immediately." She adjusted herself a bit, putting more weight on her back and it also had the effect of moving her ear closer to him. "Now about your power...?"

     "It's negative energy. It sucks life. It even gives a portion to me. The last wielder lived hundreds of years. The sword is condensed into a solid, and is the safest way to use it. A cut from it will slowly drain the life from something. In it's raw form, it simply needs to be close to something. I've seen it myself destroy all the vegetation in the area I practiced in. It feels sickening. I could possibly just hold a small amount over someone sleeping, and they'd be dead before morning." There was silence as Oolah processed this.

     "Is not so bad." she said. "Is about the user. I do think one thing though. Is like a blade, but needs a sheath. Someone to keep you... grounded. It has been Glam. Perhaps you will allow me to help you, now."

    Silence followed, both falling into their own thoughts, then sleep. later, Van updated Oloss on his day. It had become habit. They'd long since stopped discussing sword use and learning stances and techniques. In these Van had surpassed him, having being taught by masters Glam and Eloin.

     "So you didn't tell her... everything..." stated Oloss when Van had described the conversation he'd had with Oolah.

     "I almost did," came Vans rejoinder, "but how could I? I... insinuated... when talking about the plants... How it made me feel sick when I absorbed their lives. Sometimes I can almost hear the Goblonii I've slain with the sword, as though they're trapped somewhere, screaming, tormented, trapped and banging on a wall"   

     "I wonder..." mused Oloss. "I wish you could experiment here. Perhaps if you use them the way your instincts lead you, it'll set them free."

     "I don't know what's worse," lamented Van, "not knowing what your power is and wanting to experiment to find out as I was before, or knowing what it is and wanting to explore it but unable to. Of course I'm biased, the current problem being more in focus then the one in the past. I'd need to be in a dessert to feel comfortable enough for testing that, though."

     "Well, I wouldn't feel bad about trees and bushes." Oloss pointed out.

     "It's not just them," Van explained, "I can't see if a squirrel wanders too close, or a bird flies overhead or lands nearby."  

     "Perhaps you're being overly cautious. You said it yourself. Edvarti could stop even the black fire at will."

     "He had more then a hundred years of practice and in the end even he killed the one he loved more then life."

     "Wait a second." exclaimed Oloss. "Did you say she said she had a utility power?" That's when it hit Van. She was also a relic holder.