The frigid north was called this for a good reason. For a solid three months I stayed on the Ship Redemption. I took a mental inventory of my whole journey thus far but there was this nagging memory of people going into the Monastery and never coming out. This knowing burrowed into my soul. I thought of such things on the bow of the ship, drinking tea and eating bread rolls. I could see the giants on cliffs taking care of their mammoths. I was not sure if they served the Author of Life or not, but one of them jumped and and down when they saw our ship, I immediately knew they definitely were.
I was so thankful for the coat and the cold did not bite me. The waves were rough though, though the cold did not take me out, I had my first experience with serious sea sickness. The north sea I had never travelled to the giants of Ironside Mountain did not need silk so there was no need for us to travel there.
Mammoth milk was amazing but we only bought it from villages that needed it for making baked goods. Pip's father was a master of seas. I wish Caspian was here to give me tips on my sea sickness.
I was the only one on the ship and it was getting a little lonely. The crew were much too busy to entertain me, but the cook made good conversation. At this very moment of my loneliness she was asleep and I certainly was not going to wake her.
After many weeks we finally arrived at the Glen Port, before I disembarked the cook gave me enough supplies to fill my whole sack, miraculously the canteen that held the water from the Valley of Doubt was still in the canteen.
I waved goodbye to her and gave her fifty Gnaggins for the extra supply of food and then I was off. The Glen was just like I remembered from my childhood.
Children greeted me and led me to the path to the Monastery. "How did you all know I was going there?"
" Your hand is pierced from the Cliff of Tears and only those that have that piercing go to the Monastery." A little redheaded girl exclaimed, taking me by the hand.
After about a mile or two and after we all had a meal overlooking the bay I finally saw the entrance.
"You cannot take anything except yourself inside the gates. Don't fret, Rune, I will take care of your Shields and your pack." Tula said softly.
I was not sure how I felt giving all of this up but she was right. Something about how this little girl spoke I knew she spoke solid rock truth.
I opened the satchel and each of them could see the scroll. I wanted to make sure none of them were demons disguised as children. I had my life savings in that satchel, though strangely, I never needed Shields. The only coin I turned over was that of my own free will.
I kissed the satchel and the bag, symbolic I suppose looking back, kissing those that had given me the gifts the kisses were from them. The only thing Tula gave me was the scroll. "You will need this, dear friend, the gatekeeper will want it."
"Thank you, Tula. Make sure each of the children get a few Pinniths." I stated quickly as I took the scroll from her hand.
I blessed each of the children and my way into the gate. Holding tight to the scroll.
The gatekeeper was a Nim, not surprisingly they were the record keepers for The Realm, and anything that had to do with Monastery invitations and The Glen as a whole, Nim folk were in charge.
They are short in stature not much taller than a child, they have fur and pudgy bellies and large rounded ears and they wear spectacles. You cannot tell them apart; they all dress the same with vests that go all the way down to the floor.
They speak a language amongst themselves but have the ability to have others hear the language that is native to them. No one else in Nod has this ability. Unlike Mull folk there are other races that have telepathy.
"Invitation please." Nim gently asked. Nims are the most mannerly race in all of Nod.
I handed over the scroll. "It is good that you have the scroll. Right hand." The Nim demanded with great gentleness.
I put my hand in the box and the Nim's hand, which looked more like a paw, held out a light and a tree could be seen inside the light.
"You may enter." The Nim said, extending their hand to make the way clear for me. I walked softly on the paved walk. The design on the ground was the exact same tree I saw in the light when the Nim examined my arm.
I knocked on the entrance door and a voice echoed from the inside. "Come in Rune." The voice was gentle and kind and I walked in.
Another Nim appeared before me. "This is a training Monastery, for those marked with the Author of Life to take down darkness. You cannot leave until you master everything. This will test your spirit and wit to the fullest extent. You must trust me." The Nim said with gravity that hit me like a wall of uncertainty.
I whispered a hoarse affirmative answer, it seemed wrong to talk aloud in that moment. The Nim gave a half bow and I followed the Nim to my room.
"My name is Comforter and you can call on me during any of the trials there are fifteen trials and you will not know until all the trials are done if you have passed or failed. If you fail the trials you cannot leave until you pass them all.
"To fight darkness Rune, you must walk into total light. These trials will refine you to be a Light Walker.' Comforter said looking into my soul so deeply I thought we were one.
"Rest and do not worry. You will not die here." Comforter said, giving me the deepest reassurance of my life. Much to my surprise I slept as if I had never known what being awake was like.
I had no dreams and felt the most perfect peace. I knew my soul was ready to be refined by fire.