When we return to the settlement, we waste no time calling an immediate clan assembly. We will not let the council of elders poison the well any further. Some groups of hunters are away on long hunts. But their families are still here, and they will not take kindly to the news we are about to share.
My brother and I stand in the public square, where the roof of our cavern reaches its highest point, at least ninety feet high, and gradually slopes lower a mile in each direction until it meets the cavern floor. Public buildings surround the open space of the square. Our structures were constructed mostly with stone, mortar, and clay repaired countless times over the centuries. Wood is less common since trees do not grow this far into the Arctic Circle. Artificial suns light the entire cavern, powered by the magick we absorb from Malefic Folk. The cavern itself is a natural wonder that our forebears settled millennia ago. Though what little the clan tolerates of magick, we had it magickally reinforced long ago and it continues to hold without issue.
The crowd grows large straightaway. This is an unusual occurrence. Some hunters congregate near us, looking concerned and not a little disgruntled. “Norrell, have you returned for good? Or are you abandoning us again for a witch?” one spews with unearned cockiness, spitting on the ground in disgust.
I level him with my own withering gaze. He is one of those benefitting from Harlok’s stranglehold over the hunter assignments. No doubt there is a strong current of disrespect and bigotry among that group. They are in for a rude awakening.
“Brothers and sisters of the clan,” I begin. “Elgar and I have grave news concerning the council of elders. They have beenconspiring for many years, not only to undermine the leadership of the Huntmaster of the True North, but also the egalitarian opportunities given to the hunters in our society. For years, they have granted the easiest, safest hunts to those who garner favor with Harlok and the rest of the elders he pulled into his schemes. He works to undermine the very fabric of our society, the foundation of our clan’s ways.”
Elgar, who has always been more at ease with public speaking, steps forward and elaborates in excruciating, undeniable detail how this was done and why. Much of this information came from Tallan directly, who also provided evidence to back up his claims. Two other elders who in the past had been trustworthy, or so we thought, came forward similarly once Tallan told them he confessed everything to Elgar.
The insolent hunters who stood near us earlier have conveniently vanished from the crowd. No doubt escaping the public shaming. But their names will still be dragged through the frosted bedrock as enthusiastic participants of this treacherous favoritism.
As Elgar thoroughly demolishes the reputation of Harlok and the council of elders, Harlok and Torman storm into the square. “They lie! I have done no such thing. Yes, we kept information from Norrell Snowstrider, but only because he was never worthy of leadership! He swooped in and stole power for himself! He wanted to change the old ways. So we did not let him. We have strayed too far from our era of heroes! I alone am working to bring us back to our prime. Under Norrell, we are growing weak, breaking with the heroic ways of our past. He has put the interest of filthy magick wielders and Whispered Folk above our own since my reign ended,” he shouts in a frenzy, spittle flying from his lips.
This unhinged declaration does not sit well with the crowd, whose chatter intensifies during his speech. “You make us weak,Harlok!” A voice yells from the crowd. “No hunters should be coddled!”
“Send your own weakling son on a month-long hunt, Harlok. See how he fares in the rough so far away from his family,” clamors another.
The jeers continue, turning into chants against Harlok and the elders. Those in attendance, including Harlok, quickly leave the scene when it’s clear that no one believes him.
When the crowd calms again, Elgar resumes his speech, elaborating on how he has agreed to take over my position permanently once he receives the votes needed from our hunters. He will have to wait to make it official until the rest of the hunters have returned. But in the meantime, he will continue to act in my stead, as I am stepping down from the role of Huntmaster of the True North. The noise of the crowd swells after the declaration, but it seems supportive.
He sighs roughly, his disgust with the council of elders written on his face. When he finally resumes his speech, he lays the situation bare. “A layer of black, putrid frost formed over this corrupted body. The council of elders is hereby dissolved, and the members lose their title as well as the respect of the clan. They are all disgraceful. A stain on our history. The council will be formed again in time with elders who are committed to upholding the true values of our clan. And we will formalize the scheduling of the hunts and make the process public. We will also introduce programs to train hunters from all backgrounds who are interested in leadership on the hunts as well as working toward the role of Huntmaster of the True North. Our society hinges on these opportunities made available to all of us. Our heroes of the past were not kings and queens, but extraordinary hunters from all walks of life. We will not tolerate the gatekeeping of power to only those who are most connected. It is a cycle that perpetuates systemic deception and inequity.”
The crowd responds enthusiastically. Many surge forward to speak with me and Elgar, vocalizing their support for these ideas, many wishing they had been implemented decades ago. If nothing else, I hope that Elgar has been put in a good position to lead them into a better future. One that I relish leaving behind.
That night, we gather in our family home. Elgar and I leave first thing in the morning to retrieve the relics. A large group of capable hunters volunteered to accompany us. While most still do not trust other Whispered Folk, they want to join us on principle in light of the elders’ wrongdoing.
My parents embrace me tightly as I step inside, the first time I have seen or spoken to them since I returned. We did not take any risks before calling the meeting, not even telling our parents, in case it inadvertently spoiled the element of surprise we needed to act quickly and decisively.
“Son, we are so proud of you. Both you and your brother are a credit to our clan,” our father praises us as he clasps my shoulders affectionately.
“This is all such a shock,” my mother says. Her body sags into mine as we hug. “It makes me sick how close Harlok came to compromising our entire clan.”
“Mother, father, before we talk about everything going on with the council, I need to tell you I am moving to Monstera Bluff permanently. Ada has always been my mate. That will never change. We will be together again,” I tell them firmly.
My mother nods her head in understanding. “We agree you should stay there. We are so grateful you have found a second chance with her. We know how much the separation from her hurt you. It hurt us nearly as much to see the constant sadness in your eyes.”
“You have done more than your fair share of duty to the clan. Go and be happy with your mate. We will miss you, but most of all we want you to live the life you want,” my father affirms.
“Thank you,” I sniffle, my emotions heightened after a tremendously long, trying day. “I will miss you too. But I will not bring Ada here, ever. I will never fully trust the clan to treat her respectfully. But I want you to visit us whenever you wish. I will arrange everything to make it easier for you.”
“We will,” my mother confirms, her voice unusually tender. “We look forward to meeting her one day soon.”
At the appointed time, the group joining our expedition meets in the public square, ready to set out on the long journey. We anticipate running into groups of Malefic Folk, so we are treating this like a long hunt into our territory’s wilder works of frost. It will be challenging for all of us, but we are ready. Those joining me and Elgar hunger for the opportunity to prove themselves. Most are those who were forced into the worst hunts for many years. They are seasoned and reliable. It surprises me to see a few who benefitted from Harlok’s system, though they assure me they want to separate themselves from it. I trust they also be valuable to us.
It takes many arduous days to reach the cave. As Darla foretold, I am thefrost-mailed warriorfrom her vision. The weather does not let up the entire time. I am encrusted in snow and ice the entire journey there. All of us are. But no one slows their steps, understanding the gravity of the mission.
The cave itself is unremarkable except that its giant maw opens about a third of the way up a mountain, following an inhospitable path that requires us to climb steep, sheer rockfaces with our tools, and at times just our clawed hands and feet. The cave is deep enough that the relics are kept well out of the elements. Their fae magick pulses around us in unimaginable power. No wonder our ancestors hid them away so thoroughly. If relics like these are needed to reverse the fae’s spell, I shudder to think how powerful it must be. Ada is unbelievably strong to have fought it for this long.
“Here they are, brother. Some of our clan’s darkest secrets,” Elgar observes sardonically, eyeing the relics with some trepidation. I don’t blame him. We are all viscerally repulsed by them.
“What are they?” one of our younger hunters cuts in.
There are several relics hidden here, but we will retrieve only the two mentioned by the fae:The Banner of LifeandThe Forged Ruby. Tallan gave us their descriptions, so we can identify them. The Banner of Life looks like an elegantly crafted crown. No doubt that says a lot about who it was intended for. The Forged Ruby does resemble a ruby, though its inconsistent color is lit from within, showing both darker and yellower variation inside the chunk of red gem.
“Proof the fae are an abomination,” I respond to the young hunter, who has kept his distance from them the entire time.
