Old Thane had laid him on a bed of skins, his head upraised atop a sack stuffed with hay that functioned as a pillow so as to make sure blood flowed into his head properly.

Azhar groaned as he s.h.i.+fted himself up. He used his free hand to rub his head, his fingers splayed and pressing into his temple in a rudimentary ma.s.sage. His movements were a little shaky, but not at all due to physical damage. Nor was it due to mana loss as Li had restored his mana too.

Azhar's expression was more surprised than tired.

After some time tending to the fields, Li was drinking a mug of cool water at the table with Old Thane when they heard and saw Azhar coming to.

Li put down his mug and said, "You look surprised. Surprised you're alive?"

"A little." Azhar tapped his head with his fingers.

"Relax, you should be fine," said Li. "I have enough confidence in my healing skills for that. A little mashed up brain is nothing."

Azhar nodded. "Thanks."

Li motioned to Old Thane, now the same as ever, withered and aged and yet with that gentle, happy smile that made him Old Thane, not the Bloodfist.

"You should be thanking the old man. He pulled his punches on that last hit when you made your suicide dive. I can fix a little bit of brain damage, but when the whole thing's broken and you straight up die instantly? Yeah, no. Best my healing would do would be to make your corpse look pretty."

"h.e.l.ls, old man," said Azhar, awe under toning his voice. "Ya had time to pull back even then? Thought I really had ya surprised."

Old Thane made a fist and held it towards Azhar. "A warrior is always prepared, young lad. You best remember that."

"Yeah, this is the Old Thane I know," said Azhar as he smiled at the old man. "Less beatings and more wise quotes."

Old Thane loosed a hearty laugh. "It was an interesting experience to feel once more the rush to crack skulls, but now that the rush has slowed, I am reminded why I now prefer words over fists."

"Yeah? Why's that?" Azhar said, leaning forwards, expecting another wise quote.

"Because my back is just not as it once was," complained Old Thane as he tapped his back.

"Yeah, figured yer warrior's spirit never really left ya," said Azhar.

"Every warrior must one day lay down their arms, and accepting that is a martial feat of its own," nodded Old Thane. "And young lad, I must say that I am sorry for the harsh treatment I flung upon you. I imprinted my younger self with as much concern and care as I could, but alas, it was not quite enough."

"Naw, I'm all the better for it," said Azhar. "Made me stronger. Made me realized what fightin's really bout'."

"Just know that I won't be there all the time," said Li. "You won't have someone like me healing you every single time you decide to bash your own skull in."

��Jeanne's got that covered, though she's been slackin' on her priestly healin' to train her mutant powers." Azhar shrugged. "But yeah, get watcha mean. Course ya ain't gonna be rainin' healin' down on me night and day, but this whole trainin' was still good to make me realize what fightin' was really like. Made me understand that it ain't about winnin' or losin', it's all bout' killin' or being killed."

"Aye, young lad." Old Thane s.h.i.+fted in his seat to face Azhar, his expression becoming grave. "But as Li said, know that this mindset is a desperate one. You fight to survive and kill, but do not let those thoughts consume you. You cannot treat every fight as one to claw for your survival."

"Course' I know that," said Azhar with a laugh. "I ain't gonna' start bitin' off the ears and gougin' out the eyes of the next tavern drunkard that picks a fight with me."

"Simply a reminder," said Old Thane. "For unlike me, you have sisters who care for you dearly. To lose an arm to secure victory may sit right with your fiery spirit, but that sacrifice will pain them."

"Yeah, figured that too." Azhar sighed, looking down. After a few seconds, he looked up and matched Old Thane's gaze with a determined smile. "I may be a hothead, old man, but I know what I want outta' my life, and that's to make sure them manage to keep smilin'. For that, I'm ready to sacrifice anything."

Old Thane nodded. "You have far more purpose than I did when I was your age, young lad. Cherish it." He then took on a lighter tone. "Say, though, what possessed you to go to such mad lengths to sacrifice your skull? Such madness would have been unknown even to me, hah!"

Azhar tapped his head with fist. "Wasn't in you that said the skull's the hardest armor we humans got?"

Old Thane shook his head with a faint smile, amused by the ranger. "If only you had committed to your studies with this fervor. Then Aine would not have scolded you so."

"Studies don't get the blood rus.h.i.+n'." Azhar looked at Li. "Speakin' of, though, I wouldn't mind sittin' down and porin' through arcane texts to learn some magic from ya."

"Before we can think about that, I need to ask you a question," said Li. "Your specialty as a shaman, isn't it? I just want to confirm – how is it that you learn your spells in the first place?"

Azhar c.o.c.ked his head. "Well, I went to the Echoing Hills where them animal spirits roam round' and meditated there. Starved myself and took enough spores to knock a bear out for days. Spirits came to me then, and I learned from em', though I ain't sure if it was all in my head or not, outta' my mind as I was."

"I see." Li nodded. "And as far as your knowledge goes, is there any other way to learn these spells aside from calling upon these spirits?"

"Nah, it's impossible. We're drawin' from their power, after all."

"And is there a set series of tasks these spirits ask you to do in exchange for their power? Some kind of established record that's standardized for every shaman?"

"It's all up to their whims, really. Ain't no two people ever had the same experience with the spirits. Sometimes, the spirits get bored and end up eatin' a few."

"I figured as much." Li shrugged. He had realized this while Azhar was knocked out. In the game, players that used faith-based magic like this had to do quests revolving around serving their deity in some fas.h.i.+on in order to progress their skills.

Li knew the requirements for many of these quests, but in this world where spirits and deities had free will, these quests did not exist anymore. It was all up to the what these spirits wanted at the time.

"Then unfortunately, I can't help you with your magic," said Li. "I can't call upon your spirits and tell them to give you spells, and I don't have the time to trek all the way west to the hinterlands to talk to these spirits."

"Huh? That was what ya meant by teachin' me magic?"

Li raised a brow. "You expected something else?"

"Yeah, somethin' like…," Azhar glanced worryingly at Old Thane. "Ya know, cause' you're special and all."

Li understood where Azhar was going with this and stood up, pus.h.i.+ng his chair into the dining table. "Old man, mind if I talk with Azhar outside?"

"Secrets of the trade, eh?" Old Thane gave a casual shrug. "Of course, I do not mind, lad. Be sure to make it by supper, though, elsewise you'll have more bland porridge."

Azhar and Li stood at the back of the cottage, near the toolshed. Li stood straight, his arms crossed as he stared somewhat curiously at Azhar. The ranger seemed almost bashful, looking at Li's face but not meeting his eyes.

"I have an idea of what you're proposing," said Li. "But I'd like you to explain it in your own words so I know exactly what it is."

"All my magic's based on belief in some higher being." Azhar scratched his head. "See, I don't know exactly what ya are, but I do know in some way, you're some kinda spiritual being that's way up there on the totem pole. Spirits all have their color, and yours, that darkness, it's like an ocean compared to the little ponds that them animal spirits are.

It feels kinda weird for me to start treatin' ya like some kinda G.o.d now, but if it ain't too much to ask for, would ya take me in as a follower?"