Haldora took a long journey with the old man by her side. They rode each on their horse to the north, through the inside of the land. Passing through war zones, where bodies hid the land and redness ruled. Passing through empty, burned down villages. Passing through people that ran from the fighting zones, with what little tings they were able to collect. Passing through man that were drafted to the army and were to fight next to the king in one last decisive battle. To all this the Old man seemed indifferent. They would camp for the night and he would not worry about wild animals or men. In the morning they would leave and he would still look serene. As they approached their destination, the voices went silent.
The trees were gone and all they saw were open spaces and some rocks here and there. At a distance there were some houses with freckled lights within them.
- We are in the town of Salisbury and here we will remain until you are ready. – the old man explained.
- I understand.
- Can you read?
- No.
- Then that is where we’ll start.
They came to one of these houses. Stopped, got off from their horses and the old man knocked on the door. Another old man opened the door and welcomed them in. Food and beverage were laid on the table, though Haldora ate nothing. The men in the house all wore the same clothes, a brown gown. They all looked alike. The walls of the house were filled with shelves containing parchment papers rolled up and stacked on one another. On one wall there were small wooden boards also stacked on one another. Below it there sat a man copying this wooden boards carvings to parchment. The men did not look at Haldora, they continued on with their work as if she was not there. Some labored around a caldron, others, around bottles and others cutting fresh herbs. She soon came to a conclusion.
- There are no women here. – She whispered to the old man.
- You are right. It’s been a long time since we’ve taught a woman.
Haldora asked herself what this teaching would bring her. She was only happy she heard nothing but silence.
The days passed swiftly. Haldora learned to read the old tongues and the new languages. She could speak them as a native. She learned at a rapid pace. Soon she would copy the parchments herself and commit many of them to memory. When her learning of the written formulas was complete, she move on to the understanding of nature. She would take long strolls with the old men and learned the herbs. She would identify them and soon use them in potions and remedies. The sun light became more of a friend, but the darkness still kept little secrets from her eyes and little by little it appeared Haldora was becoming more of a mortal.
The voices still bothered her when she left this sacred place, but soon that would also be dealt with. The hardest thing to learn was to use her own inner strength. She would have to learn to control herself and everything around her. Meditation was in order, but she could not do so on account of the voices. Long years were passed before she could bring herself to take this last step.
The old man was now too old and dying, Haldora could feel his soul slipping away. Other men had already gone and she and very few others remained. Her heart ached for the loss of this her friend.
A very aged Anna arrived before his death and sat with him till his eyes were closed for good.
Haldora carried his dead body outside as if it were a child and laid him on a stone. She joined the others on a ritual to command his soul. In deep prayer, she felt tears run down her face, as she opened her eyes she could see winged spirits take his soul to the skies. These were new gods, her new gods.
The men kept themselves inside talking about their faith, now that the eldest of them all had died. Haldora kept herself outside trying to complete the training he had started her on.
- The years have not been cruel to you. – stated Anna when she found Haldora sitting outside with her eyes closed.
- They have been more cruel then you’d know. – Haldora opened her eyes.
- Soon I will join him. – Anna announced as she sat down with great hardship.
- I know. And I will be alone, with no one to guide me. I don’t want to be away from you, my best friend.
- Trust your instincts. They will find me. I came to warn you of things to come. The Danes are at peace with this land but more will come. You must keep what you learn here a secret and you must be careful. If you do not bow to their god, Christ, you will suffer.
- Suffering does not scare me. Not anymore.
Anna took her knife from her belt and grabbed Haldora’s hand, she make a cut through the palm and then did the same to her palm. Haldora’s near black blood oozed out of the wound and contrasted with the bright red liquid coming from Anna. They joined hands.
- You will always find me and I will always remember you. Blood sisters for eternity.
Haldora smiled to her old friend but believe she would never see this woman again. Anna went inside to rest. Haldora walked most of the night to the most sacred site of the land. Her sadness and sense of loss were great. She lay down in the centre of the gigantic circle of stones, a place where the old man had taken her many times to celebrate the seasons and the life of nature. Within those high stones she felt as safe as ever and she could feel the pounding of the earth’s heart and the flowing of her blood. The ancients said there was a dragon living at the core of the land. Haldora thought it would be Otr and she spoke to it, lamenting herself. Today she cried the loss of her mentor as she had cried for the loss of her warrior.
Haldora sat down and wiped the tears from her face and took a deep breath. She could not let her mentor down by weeping his death as a child. She would finish her training as he had instructed her. She would continue his legacy. She concentrated in her own mediation, forgetting everything around her. Immediately she was brought to a new place. In this place it was morning and men were working in the fields and tending to animals as farmers do. She stood in the middle of this little village, wearing her white tunic from the Underworld; no one seemed to be able to see her. She searched to recognize anyone but no one seemed familiar, it wasn’t her old village. Soon she saw the boy she had seen before on her away to the old man’s house. She came near him, and he still could not see her. She followed him to his house and inside she found his mother expecting a new child. The woman tried to cook, while rubbing her back in pain. The boy sat down at the table, waiting to get his food. Haldora turned to leave this house, when in front of her stood her warrior, in the farmer’s life he had chosen before. He walked through her as if she were air and sat down to eat. Haldora no longer saw the family life, she tried every way to try to touch her warrior or at least get him to hear her. Every attempt failed. Strong sounds came from the outside. Haldora left the house and her warrior followed. Men on horses galloped into the village from both sides. They came for war. On one side men wearing animal heads on their own, throwing fire to the roofs and killing every man and woman that stood in their path. On the other an army of knights, wearing iron helmets and colorful clothes. Haldora’s warrior turned to run home, but as he did a spear pierced his unprotected body…
Startled… Pain on her chest…
