The morning after the first truth, I am thinking about how I will explain the others. We have a long day of travels, so I might end up coming up with something while we travel. According to Jarl, he mentioned skaldic poetry to me, which is deeply entrenched in their cultures.

The company took their bites of travel bread, packed up their camp, and began their journey as the sun slipped over the horizon–still a lot earlier than Emerys would have been used to in her own world.

As she noted the long days, and how both Gudrun and Jarl mentioned the way the sunlight patterns would change completely in the winter, there was something nagging in the back of her head–longing to go back home. As the Song Thrush echoed through the landscape, and as the clouds painted a dramatic sunrise, there was something in the back of her mind reminding her it had been less than two months in this world, for better or for worse. 

At least, this time, she had a proper amount of food, money, clothing, and companionship. Although something told Emerys she would need to find better shoes. Both Gudrun and Jarl had advised the idea that they would find themselves at a small shop at the base of the mountains, offering skis, snowshoes, and other gear which would be needed for the winter.

“I wonder if I could use my light and practice drawing heat from it,” Emerys said as they stopped.

They found themselves at the base of another waterfall, with the gushing waters. Nearby, a small deer waited on the other side, drinking from the water. The buck had antlers which were still fuzzy, as was custom to what they would be this time of year. However, with the size of the antlers, it was still impressive. It was like one of the fairytales which Gudrun mentioned. Emerys hadn’t been too interested in those–at least not to the degree that she should have been.

On most nights, when she could see the stars, she would grow her star chart when the lengthening night provided such an opportunity. A wolf howled off in the distance. Emerys shuddered, turning to her companions.

“Those wolves won’t bother us,” Jarl said. “And that deer is likely too healthy for them–they usually go after the young, sick, and old.”

“I mean, there were reports of wolves in the countryside of where I live, but they avoided the cities,” Emerys said. “Pelios was massive. Is, I should say. I should stop talking about my native city like it doesn’t exist, no?”

Just because she had refused to acknowledge her native world didn’t mean there weren’t viable ways to find her native city. She had listened to the stars, as well as the other worlds, when she couldn’t sleep.

I have counted five major different energy sources in what I have called the great plain. However, I know for a fact that my energy sourcing is incomplete. According to the patterns, it’s as if there is an order in the great plain, and this world–or universe–is in the third plain. Meanwhile, my old world is in the second plain. If I wanted to, I could likely hop back to my old world. But what I know about my own energy patterns is that it takes quite a lot of power to do even the basics with the stone. And although I grow stronger every day, there is a cool-down pattern to it.

She had yet to talk to Gudrun or Jarl about her discoveries. Something about being the only one who could sense the other worlds felt odd. Lonely, even. Her mind went back to what she had known about Zoe. Zoe, although there were clear differences, had understood her in a way that neither Gudrun or Jarl could.

This was, however, her first time hearing a wolf in person–she had spent too much of her life in the deep city. Even when her parents took them on vacations, it was often in a small coastal house right next to the sea. Though the individual village was smaller, it was still a part of the suburbs of Pelios.

Perhaps when she listened to the stars and studied the great plain, there was something of a homesickness. She knew, almost instinctively, which world was hers. And yet, in her mind, it was as if she had sworn not to go back. At least, not until she finished her current quest, and not until she helped Jarl figure out what happened to his son.

Try as she might, there was some doubt toward such a goal. There were five known plains, with more she needed to discover.

At the same time, every time she used her power, there was some hunger–most of which she couldn’t deny. The urge to go home. If for nothing else, it would at least be to see her friend, Lydia. But, on the flipside, she had taken the stone from Verina, and she would catch the wrath of the gods. Besides. The thought of giving up her stone–whether she wanted to do it or not, felt as if she were betraying herself. The stone had become a part of her.

“I have an idea,” Emerys said. “No one is going to notice if an individual deer disappears from the forest, would they?”

Before either of her friends could say anything, Emerys took out her bow and arrow, and she aimed it at the deer. In releasing the arrow, it found the deer’s chest. The deer attempted to run, but before too long, life drained out of the deer’s body.

Emerys turned to the deer. “How soon will we be in another village?”

“You don’t have a hunting license, remember?” Gudrun said.

“Jarl does, does he not?” Emerys said.

Jarl inspected the deer. “Most of the time, it’s Helja who does the hunting, but I do have a shared permit with her, of which I have documents for. Nonetheless, that was a good form with the arrows.”

Emerys blushed. “I don’t know. I guess I have enough rage to focus on my targets.”

“Do we have enough salt?” Gudrun said. “I suppose we could dress some of it to trade. And, Emerys, this time you will be keeping most of the money. Helja taught you how to dress a deer, did she not?”

“Jarl did,” Emerys said.

“Congrats on your first kill,” Jarl said. “Even though it was technically illegal, but the important thing is that you are meant to be a hunter’s apprentice.

Upon setting up camp, Emerys worked with Jarl to skin the deer. Upon removing its fur, she inspected it. “I suppose we could also sell the fur for money.”

As they ate the fresh venison, Emerys smiled. She was a true hunter now, having taken her first shot.

I now have one kill, and although we can’t take everything we gained from the deer, we’ve safely removed and discarded the arrow. The last thing we would want is evidence which would suggest I did it.