The morning after their discoveries about Stonehollow and the medallion, Kael rose before dawn. Sleep had been elusive, his mind churning with the implications of what they had learned.
The March's struggles were not merely the result of natural hardship or political neglect, but of deliberate sabotage, perhaps stretching back generations, connected to ancient rituals and forgotten powers.
But dwelling on mysteries wouldn't feed his people or strengthen their defenses. Kael splashed cold water on his face from a basin, the shock helping to clear his thoughts and refocus on immediate needs.
Today's priority was the planting. The irrigation channels now reached several fields near the fort, providing enough water to attempt crops that had previously been impossible in the parched soil.
Seeds salvaged from the royal quartermaster's supplies; barley, hardy wheat, and root vegetables had been carefully rationed and prepared. If successful, this first modest harvest could mean the difference between survival and starvation in the months ahead.
Kael dressed simply in a worn tunic and breeches, leaving his armor hanging on its stand. The weight of steel had its place, but today called for the tools of creation rather than destruction.
The courtyard was already stirring with activity when he descended from his quarters. Refugees worked alongside the fort's original inhabitants, their integration proceeding more smoothly than Kael had dared hope. Necessity had a way of eroding old boundaries.
"Sir Kael." Sera approached, her practical farmer's clothing already dusty despite the early hour. "The planting teams are assembled. We've divided the prepared fields as you suggested, different crops in each section to see what works best for the soil."
Kael nodded his approval. "And the seed stock?"
"Distributed according to Elara's recommendations. She says the barley should be planted deeper than we're accustomed to, something about moisture retention in sandy soil."
This was news to Kael. "When did she become an expert in agriculture?"
"She's been studying those tablets from Stonehollow," Sera explained. "Says they contain farming records from when the region was fertile. Techniques specifically adapted to this climate before it... changed."
Interesting. Elara continued to surprise him with her range of knowledge and her ability to extract practical applications from historical sources. Kael made a mental note to discuss her findings in more detail later.
"Let's begin then," he said. "I'll join the eastern field team."
Sera's eyebrows rose slightly. "You intend to plant yourself? Surely there are more important matters requiring your attention."
"What could be more important than ensuring we don't starve?" Kael countered mildly. "Besides, I've found people work harder when their lord works alongside them."
He left Sera looking thoughtful and made his way to the eastern field, where a team of ten - a mix of original settlers and refugees had gathered with tools and seed bags. The field itself was a testament to their recent progress: irrigation channels bordered it on two sides, and the soil darkened with moisture that had been absent for years.
"We're honored by your presence, Sir Kael," said Joreth, who had emerged as a natural leader among the refugees. "Though I confess, I didn't expect to see you wielding a planting stick instead of a sword."
"I've wielded swords enough for a lifetime," Kael replied, accepting a simple wooden tool from one of the farmers.
The work began in earnest as the sun crested the horizon. They moved in a coordinated line across the field, creating small holes at measured intervals, dropping precious seeds, then covering them with soil. It was methodical, backbreaking labor - the kind that allowed the mind to wander while the body followed established rhythms.
As Kael worked, he found himself thinking of his first life, of the small garden his sister had maintained behind their modest home. He had helped her sometimes, before the accident that left him paralyzed.
The feel of soil between his fingers, the quiet satisfaction of placing seeds in the earth: these sensations bridged the gap between his two existences, connecting the teacher he had been with the knight he had become.
Midway through the morning, Elara appeared at the field's edge, a leather satchel slung over her shoulder. She observed their work for a moment before approaching Kael.
"You're planting too shallow," she said without preamble, kneeling to examine one of the seed holes. "In this soil, the barley needs to be at least two inches deeper than normal."
Kael straightened, wiping sweat from his brow. "Based on the Stonehollow records?"
"Yes. Before the Wastes spread, this region had a specific planting technique to deal with the sandy soil and limited rainfall." She opened her satchel, removing a tablet covered in faded markings. "See these diagrams? They show the root systems developing differently when planted deeper."
Kael studied the tablet, recognizing the practical wisdom in the ancient instructions. "Adjust the planting depth," he called to the team. "Two inches deeper for the barley."
There were some grumbles; farmers tended to be conservative in their methods, but the respect Kael had earned through shared labor ensured compliance. Elara stayed to demonstrate the proper technique, her healer's hands surprisingly adept at agricultural work.
"You continue to surprise me," Kael observed as they worked side by side. "Battlefield medic, translator of ancient texts, and now farming expert."
"Survival requires adaptability," she replied with a shrug. "Besides, medicine and agriculture share common principles, understanding how living things respond to their environment, and how to nurture growth in challenging conditions."
They fell into a comfortable rhythm, working together as the sun climbed higher. Around midday, as the heat became oppressive, Kael called for a rest. Water was distributed - clear, sweet water from the new well, a luxury that still brought smiles of appreciation to weathered faces.
As the workers rested in whatever shade they could find, Kael and Elara moved to the field's edge, speaking in low voices about what they had learned from the Stonehollow artifacts.
"The tablets mention a cycle," Elara explained, her voice pitched for Kael's ears alone. "Periods of fertility followed by gradual decline, then rapid transformation into wasteland. The rituals at places like Stonehollow were attempts to control this cycle to contain the transformation within specific boundaries."
"The Desolate Wastes as a deliberate creation, then," Kael mused. "A sacrifice of land to prevent something worse."
"Exactly. But the records suggest the cycle has been accelerating. What once took generations now happens within decades." Her expression grew troubled. "And someone is actively working to extend the Wastes northward, using the same principles but applied more... precisely."
"House Veyne?"
"Perhaps. Or someone using them as unwitting tools." Elara glanced toward the distant haze that marked the Wastes' boundary. "The medallion Joreth found suggests a network of ritual sites throughout the March, each one a point of... thinning, I suppose you could call it."
Kael absorbed this information, connecting it with his growing understanding of the March's challenges. "So our efforts to revitalize the land..."
"Directly oppose whatever purpose these rituals serve," Elara finished. "Yes. Which may explain the increasing resistance we're encountering, both political and otherwise."
Their conversation was interrupted by a shout from the field. One of the workers had uncovered something while digging a planting furrow, something that gleamed dully in the sunlight.
Kael and Elara hurried over. The worker, a young man named Tarn, stood back from his discovery with obvious unease. Embedded in the soil was an object similar to the medallion Joreth had found, but larger and more elaborate in its design.
The same symbol, a circle bisected by a jagged line, was prominently displayed, surrounded by smaller markings that resembled script.
"Don't touch it," Elara warned, though Tarn showed no inclination to do so. "The metal may be contaminated."
Kael knelt for a closer look, careful to maintain distance. The object appeared to be a plaque or marker of some kind, deliberately placed. "This field was chosen specifically," he realized. "A ritual site, hidden beneath the surface."
"Should we dig it out?" Joreth asked, having joined them to investigate the commotion.
Kael considered the question carefully. Removing the marker might disrupt whatever influence it exerted on the surrounding land. But it might also trigger unforeseen consequences, especially if it was connected to the larger network Elara had theorized.
"Not yet," he decided.
"Mark its location precisely on our maps. We'll continue planting around it for now, maintaining a safe distance. Once we understand more about these artifacts and their purpose, we can decide how best to proceed."
The discovery cast a shadow over the day's work, though they continued planting until the field was completed. The workers were subdued, many casting nervous glances toward the partially exposed marker. Superstition ran deep in frontier communities, and the object's connection to the abandoned settlement of Stonehollow did nothing to ease their concerns.
As they returned to the fort at day's end, tired but satisfied with their progress, Kael felt the now-familiar warmth of the system activating.
***
[Agricultural Initiative: Commenced]
[Ritual Site: Discovered (Inactive)]
[Soil Analysis Complete]
[Barley yield +20% if planted 2 inches deeper]
***
The system's assessment confirmed Elara's instructions about planting depth, which she had derived from the ancient tablets. Kael found himself wondering again about the nature of this awareness that had awakened within him. It seemed to quantify and analyze information he had already gathered, rather than providing new knowledge from some external source.
That evening, as darkness fell over Fort Marrow, Kael met with his core advisors: Elara, Garek, and Sera, to discuss the day's discovery and its implications.
"The marker is similar to artifacts found at known ritual sites throughout the northern kingdoms," Elara explained, referencing notes she had compiled from the Stonehollow records. "They're described as 'anchors' or 'tethers' points where the boundary between our world and... something else... can be manipulated."
"Through blood sacrifice," Garek added grimly. "Like what happened at Stonehollow."
"Yes, but on a smaller scale in most locations," Elara clarified. "The tablets suggest a network of minor sites feeding into major ones, creating a pattern across the land. The Desolate Wastes appear to be the result of a major ritual, while the March's gradual decline might be attributed to these smaller, scattered sites."
Sera, who had remained silent until now, spoke up. "So our land is being bled dry deliberately? To maintain some mystical barrier?"
"That's our current theory," Kael confirmed. "Though many details remain unclear."
"And now we're planting crops directly above one of these 'anchors,'" Sera observed, her practical farmer's mind focusing on immediate concerns. "Will they even grow? Or are we wasting precious seed on cursed ground?"
It was a valid question, one that Kael had been considering himself. "The marker appears dormant or inactive," he said. "And the irrigation channels have already improved the soil moisture significantly. I believe the crops will grow, though perhaps not as vigorously in that specific area."
"We should monitor it closely," Elara suggested. "Compare growth rates in the vicinity of the marker versus the rest of the field. It might provide insights into how these artifacts affect the land."
They discussed practical measures to increase security for the fields, regular testing of the irrigation water for contamination, and careful observation of the newly planted crops. By the meeting's end, a plan had been established to balance continued agricultural development with investigation of the ritual sites.
As the others departed, Elara lingered, her expression thoughtful. "There's something else in the tablets," she said once they were alone. "References to individuals who could sense and interact with these anchors. People called 'Stonefangs.'"
Kael's attention sharpened. "Stonefangs?"
"Yes. The name appears to reference their ability to 'bite into stone' to connect with the land in ways others couldn't." Elara watched him carefully. "Like the manual you mentioned finding in a cave at sixteen. The one that taught you your aura circulation."
The connection hadn't occurred to Kael, but now it seemed obvious. The Stonefang Manual, with its techniques for visualizing aura as roots anchoring to the earth, might be connected to these ancient practices not as a means of sacrifice, but perhaps as a way to counter or redirect such energies.
"Could my aura technique be related to whatever power these anchors manipulate?" he wondered aloud.
"It's possible," Elara acknowledged. "The tablets describe the Stonefangs as guardians or wardens, maintaining balance where others sought to exploit power. Their techniques focused on connection to the land rather than dominion over it."
This new perspective on his abilities gave Kael much to consider. He had always viewed his aura circulation as simply a combat technique, a method for enhancing his natural capabilities through focused breathing and visualization.
But if it connected him to the land in some deeper way, might it also provide insights into the March's afflictions and potential remedies?
"I need to test this," he decided. "To see if my aura technique interacts with these anchors in any meaningful way."
"Carefully," Elara cautioned. "If these artifacts are as powerful as the records suggest, probing them without proper understanding could be dangerous."
Kael nodded, acknowledging the wisdom in her warning. "Tomorrow, after we complete the planting in the western fields. I'll attempt a controlled experiment with the marker we found today."