Chapter 79 A Bond of Family
By morning, Ray was up and moving. He would have a few scars, but the burns had healed up a remarkable amount and he would be all right. Feeling responsible, I walked over to where he was sitting and slid into the chair next to him. “How are you doing?”
“Surprisingly all right. Youama explained that I’ll have some scars, but at least I’ll live.
” He paused, then added, “Don’t blame yourself.
I know you, and I know there’s part of you that feels to blame, and you shouldn’t.
We all made the decision to come here; we all went into that dungeon together. We’re a family, and we stick together.”
His smile pierced through like a sunbeam through thick, gray clouds, and I slumped, feeling both reprieved and yet humbled.
“Family…we really are, aren’t we? We started out as friends, and now, here we are, united by circumstances that have bound us together. Thank you for not blaming me. I’m so sorry you were hurt.” I rested my hand on his arm, and he placed his hand over mine, squeezing it gently.
“Yes, we’re family.”
Otsiano joined us. “Erenye, now that you’ve finished your quest, and before you go home, there’s a matter we need to settle.”
“I’ll be working for you, correct?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yes, all of you, if you like. But from you, I need to bind you to a pledge. Anyone who works for me has a code of conduct to follow, and I need your oath to uphold that.”
Nervous again, I shifted in my chair. “A code of conduct? Isn’t that for…like a cleric to bind to their god, or a monk to their order?”
“Yes, but it’s also for those who follow my path. Will you take that pledge?” His voice was grave, and I realized that it would be a binding oath, not a list of suggestions.
Otsiano had been more than fair with us and extremely helpful.
We probably wouldn’t have survived the battle with Zaran if he hadn’t helped us escape.
And going forward, I was fairly certain Zaran would be back for revenge, and it seemed a good thing to have Otsiano on our side.
I wasn’t certain how Master Ashelainn played into all of this, but he was friends with Otsiano, and that was good enough for me.
“Yes, I’ll take the pledge. When and where?” I asked.
“This afternoon, before you leave for home tomorrow. It’s a simple ceremony,” he added.
“What happens if I fail? What happens if I break the oath?” I asked. “I don’t plan on it, but it’s good to know the consequences.”
Otsiano’s gaze clouded. “That depends on the magnitude of the betrayal. Minor and I forgive and we move forward. Major…my hounds will hunt you down.”
That was all he had to say. Major betrayal meant a painful death.
But…once again…a major betrayal would be deliberate.
I could imagine making a minor slipup, but right now, I couldn’t foresee sneaking around behind his back.
While the forest gods tended to be neutral, I’d never heard of one treading evil paths.
“Can we do this before I chicken out?” I asked.
He nodded. “We can. Come with me.”
“What happens if I want to pledge to you, as well?” Ray asked.
“You’ll have to switch to a dual class and work on your Druidry. As you know, a druid—here in Abarria—is a woodland-focused cleric. Are you willing to do that?”
Ray nodded. “I am. And I’d like to feel I have some small protection over my head—that I can call on someone if the going gets rough.”
“Then, if you are ready, come with me.” Otsiano stood, heading for the door.
We followed him. Brynn, Thornhold, and Reggie stayed inside.
The day was partially cloudy, but warm.
“Is it perpetually summer here?” I asked. “In the Crystal Forest?”
Otsiano shook his head. “No, actually. We do have seasons, but they don’t run parallel to Abarria.
Remember: this is a different dimension.
Abarria was created as a game, but it became its own reality over time, and now it’s fully autonomous.
The Crystal Forest, and everything in here, existed long before Abarria was ever birthed. ”
Everything had a magical—almost fragile—feel to it.
The flowers reminded me of glass, but when I accidentally stepped on one, it just sprang up again after I moved my foot instead of shattering.
There was a surreal glow to the forest, as though superimposed over the woodland.
I realized I was holding my breath after a moment and gulped with a wheeze.
“Are you all right?” Ray asked.
“Yes, I am. I just…I forgot to breathe.”
“I know what you mean. It’s like walking into a wondrous land where it’s so overwhelming you can barely take it in.
” Ray reached out to take my hand. “We’re walking into something together, and this means it’s real.
It’s all real. I’ve lost the love of my life.
We’ve all lost our families and pets. We have to stick together, Erenye. We have to truly become a family.”
The tears in his voice told me just how deeply he was feeling his loss.
I squeezed his hand. “I’ll be your sister, Ray.
And Reggie, and Brynn, and Thornhold—you’re right.
We truly are a family. We’ll stick together and make the best life we can.
And you and I’ll share a pledge to Otsiano, and that will make it easier to keep if rough times come. I trust him.”
“I do too, or I wouldn’t offer to become his druid,” Ray said. “I’ve always wanted to talk to animals. Since we are stuck here, that would be a handy skill to have. Also, I’ll learn more about woodsmanship.”
“Then you have thought this through,” I said. “I was hoping you weren’t doing this just because of me.”
“No,” Ray said. “It’s for me, and also for our group.”
We stepped out from the trail into a beautiful clearing, surrounded by white-flowered trees and bushes with shiny green leaves.
Butterflies flew thick through the glade, and birds were tending their nests.
Otsiano was standing in the middle, behind a stone altar with two chalices on it, and a candle in the center.
Roses ringed the ground, forming a circle around the altar. Near the altar stood Master Ashelainn.
Otsiano motioned for us to come forward. We approached the altar, stepping over the roses so as not to mess them. As we approached the altar, a gust of wind whistled by, lightly stirring the roses, then it died away.
As we stood there, Otsiano lifted his hand, and the candle lit. Even with the light breeze, it barely flickered. Otsiano motioned for us to hold out our hands, and we did.
“Pledge yourself to my service from now until the end of your days or until I release you.” He reached out and took my hand in his.
The next moment, he used a crystal spike to slice a small cut on my palm, and as droplets of my blood dribbled out, he held out a sword.
“Place your hand on this blade and pledge your life to my service. You will always act with honor, aim for the best, seek to understand the needs of others, and embrace the woodland as your home and temple, protecting it as necessary.”
I nodded. Nothing there I couldn’t agree to. I placed my hand on the smooth blade and left my bloody handprint. “I pledged to be your servant, to be a voice for the forest, and to stand by my word and honor.”
Otsiano repeated the sequence with Ray. When we had both pledged our oaths, Otsiano plunged the blade into the soil.
“Bound you are, by earth and soil, by water and woodland, by your oaths and my gratitude. We are now tied, and you may call on me when you need to. I will come when I can—and help where I’m able.
” After a brief pause, he added, “This means great need, not when you need to build a fire.”
I couldn’t help it—among the solemn feel of the glade, I snorted, and the snort turned into laughter. Ray joined me, and Otsiano as well.
After the tension was broken, he looked at us. “Welcome to my service, Ray and Erenye. I’m grateful to have you. And Master Ashelainn was our witness. He remembers all oaths given to the woodland, even if the pledge didn’t know he was there.”
And with that, Ray and I belonged to the forest lord, and for the first time in a while, I felt a sense of protection and belonging.