and likely that was because of the winter-like conditions.
“The winters have been getting worse on O as well,” Abagail told her.
“They should prepare,” Celeste said. “The stronger the hold of the darkling, the longer the dead season will last.”
“Heimdall said something about frost giants,” Rorick said. “Do you think the winter is lasting longer because they are here?”
“They came after winter settled in that first spring. They weren’t here before, or at least not this far south. They’ve moved further south out of their arctic north because winter is moving and allows them larger places to roam . . . more game to hunt.”
Abagail shivered not needing to ask what kind of game the frost giants hunted.
Abagail tried to keep her eyes rooted to the wooded path before them, but her sight kept being pulled away by the movement of shapeless shadows along the edge of the road.
“Pay them no mind,” Celeste said. “The more attention you give them the stronger their hold on you.” Her finger clanged against the sun scepter again, and the light of the weapon flared brighter, chasing away the darklings that lurked at the edge of the path.
“What is that?” Abagail asked Celeste when her hand yearned for the scepter again.
“This is the sun scepter,” Celeste said.
“But what does it do?” she asked.
“It’s said to be a part of the Waking Eye of the All Father, brought to Agaranth when the darkness started getting stronger here.”
“And you have the only one?” Leona asked. “Are you someone important?”
Celeste smiled. “No, not overly important. The elves are guardians of the light, we try all we can to chase back the darkness, the sun scepters, just as the moon scepters, were given to our race to help bring the Waking Father to bear on the darkling.”
“Where can I get one?” Leona wondered.
“Are you an elf?” Celeste asked her, a smile playing at the edges of her mouth.
“No,” Leona admitted.
“So, how far away is this town of harbingers?” Abagail asked.
“It’s not really a town, but I would say a good day or so traveling,” Celeste said.
“I thought you said the trip was going to be rough,” Rorick asked, his eyebrows knitting together.
“It will, because we have a harbinger with us,” Celeste said.
Abagail sighed.
“How long have you had the shadow plague?” Celeste asked her.
“Not long, a couple days,” Abagail admitted.
“Wow, and it’s already spread as far as it has?” she wondered, looking at the glove hiding Abagail’s hand from the world as if she could see the veins of the plague underneath.
“I fought off a darkling that was trying to get through a mirror in our house and on to Eget Row. Well, I didn’t know it was going to Eget Row initially, but I knew it wanted in the mirror and I knew I couldn’t let it. Daphne was there.”
Celeste nodded as if she already knew all of this. Maybe Daphne had told her, Abagail couldn’t be sure.
“Being a harbinger is hard,” Celeste said. “You have the choice of darkness and light within you, but you will constantly be tested, constantly tempted. Darkness will always try to get you to do wrong, you must resist. More evil will come to you now than you would ever have thought possible.” Celeste looked around them at the shadows beyond the edge of the trail. The glow of the sun scepter had diminished some, but Abagail was certain with another click of her finger, the light would flare back to life. “Darklings of all kind will hunt you down, trying to get you to their side of the balance.”
“But why won’t the light come to me as well?” Abagail wondered.
“Because that’s inside of you. The light wants you to make a choice of your own will. You have all the good you need inside of you, all you have to do is make the conscious choice to use it. Anger is a fast thought, choosing to do right is a steady knowing that comes with understanding the balance.”
“That doesn’t
“The winters have been getting worse on O as well,” Abagail told her.
“They should prepare,” Celeste said. “The stronger the hold of the darkling, the longer the dead season will last.”
“Heimdall said something about frost giants,” Rorick said. “Do you think the winter is lasting longer because they are here?”
“They came after winter settled in that first spring. They weren’t here before, or at least not this far south. They’ve moved further south out of their arctic north because winter is moving and allows them larger places to roam . . . more game to hunt.”
Abagail shivered not needing to ask what kind of game the frost giants hunted.
Abagail tried to keep her eyes rooted to the wooded path before them, but her sight kept being pulled away by the movement of shapeless shadows along the edge of the road.
“Pay them no mind,” Celeste said. “The more attention you give them the stronger their hold on you.” Her finger clanged against the sun scepter again, and the light of the weapon flared brighter, chasing away the darklings that lurked at the edge of the path.
“What is that?” Abagail asked Celeste when her hand yearned for the scepter again.
“This is the sun scepter,” Celeste said.
“But what does it do?” she asked.
“It’s said to be a part of the Waking Eye of the All Father, brought to Agaranth when the darkness started getting stronger here.”
“And you have the only one?” Leona asked. “Are you someone important?”
Celeste smiled. “No, not overly important. The elves are guardians of the light, we try all we can to chase back the darkness, the sun scepters, just as the moon scepters, were given to our race to help bring the Waking Father to bear on the darkling.”
“Where can I get one?” Leona wondered.
“Are you an elf?” Celeste asked her, a smile playing at the edges of her mouth.
“No,” Leona admitted.
“So, how far away is this town of harbingers?” Abagail asked.
“It’s not really a town, but I would say a good day or so traveling,” Celeste said.
“I thought you said the trip was going to be rough,” Rorick asked, his eyebrows knitting together.
“It will, because we have a harbinger with us,” Celeste said.
Abagail sighed.
“How long have you had the shadow plague?” Celeste asked her.
“Not long, a couple days,” Abagail admitted.
“Wow, and it’s already spread as far as it has?” she wondered, looking at the glove hiding Abagail’s hand from the world as if she could see the veins of the plague underneath.
“I fought off a darkling that was trying to get through a mirror in our house and on to Eget Row. Well, I didn’t know it was going to Eget Row initially, but I knew it wanted in the mirror and I knew I couldn’t let it. Daphne was there.”
Celeste nodded as if she already knew all of this. Maybe Daphne had told her, Abagail couldn’t be sure.
“Being a harbinger is hard,” Celeste said. “You have the choice of darkness and light within you, but you will constantly be tested, constantly tempted. Darkness will always try to get you to do wrong, you must resist. More evil will come to you now than you would ever have thought possible.” Celeste looked around them at the shadows beyond the edge of the trail. The glow of the sun scepter had diminished some, but Abagail was certain with another click of her finger, the light would flare back to life. “Darklings of all kind will hunt you down, trying to get you to their side of the balance.”
“But why won’t the light come to me as well?” Abagail wondered.
“Because that’s inside of you. The light wants you to make a choice of your own will. You have all the good you need inside of you, all you have to do is make the conscious choice to use it. Anger is a fast thought, choosing to do right is a steady knowing that comes with understanding the balance.”
“That doesn’t