During the next two weeks, many reinforcements and supply shipments arrived from the south; the southern side of the village had become an ocean of tents. There was not an hour of the day Flann did not see at least forty people, arms occupied with supplies, tools or documents, headed somewhere on an important task. Flann was also busy with her usual task of handling supplies, while Walgen and Ragnhild were distributing weapons.
A few groups of demons tried to get past the wall, but had failed, as they were now too few in comparison. They were decimated with a few beams of water and a flurry of sword and pole-axe blows.
Days became grim and gray – most suspected rain to come, but it never did. On one of the many dark days, the remainder of the reinforcements had arrived, and the departure for the journey north was nigh. Many gathered with their designated priest or priestess for prayer. Caron stood in Flann's sector of tents, on a tidy pile of crates surrounded by many soldiers, vanguards and lower-ranking priests and priestesses. The Steel Brigade cared little for the Maiden. All knelt before him.
"We know not when our ranks will meet those of the demons, but let us pray as if we face death every moment until we have purged this land of those fiends," intoned Caron. "May the Maiden, ever-watchful, ever-loving, give us strength, energy, and unbreakable will for our final journey and battle. May she shine her light upon our souls, cast the darkness of years of war from our hearts, and fuel our courage when we face our foes."
Caron, eyes illuminated with fervour, looked to the sky and reached up.
"Our doctrine, our training, and her holy guidance will lead us to victory!" he called to the sky.
The clouds parted above Caron, casting a ray of light upon him and his congregation. He reveled in it, tears running down his rough farmland-like cheeks, eyes glowing with joy at the manifestation of the heavens. Flann, like the rest of the congregation, stared at the sky in awe, mouth hanging wide open and full-moons for eyes. As the ray widened, many other congregations joined Caron's. Many praised the High Priest and the Bleeding Maiden.
"Behold the light! She shines her love upon us! She holds us to her bosom. 'Dear men and women of the Legion and the kingdom, fear not the coming hordes of Chaos, for you bearers of the light will tear apart their ranks and smite their vile forms! Their ash will fly with the wind upon the day of their defeat, and you will march home crushing the dark bones of demons!' she says!" cried Caron to the sky, ecstatic.
Flann could not believe her eyes; it must have been an illusion, she thought; never before had the world ever shown any response to her prayers, nor anyone else's, she thought.
The united congregations cheered to the heavens, an uproar of delight and joy, tidal waves crashing upon the roughest shore, a sound that reached Flann's heart and made it shake and throb with it. Even the mercenaries joined the clamouring crowd.
The light remained, but fervour dissipated. Men and women returned to their duties with renewed energy, energy more abundant and powerful than had ever existed in their lives.
Flann remained to speak to Caron. Once he had given a few short individual prayers to some who had also remained, she approached him.
She opened her mouth to speak, but could not find words fit to describe the sight she had seen, nor the incredible joy that had momentarily dominated her soul.
"I see faith reborn within you, young Flann," chuckled Caron, "Have you ever truly believed that the Maiden existed, watching over us?"
"Never before had I thought so," she revealed.
"Behold, then, a manifestation of her love. She is there and she watches us. Perhaps she does not seem to intervene, but now that you have been enlightened, you may yet see her power in this world, the very power that freed us from the Sea of Flames," he said.
He put his hand upon her shoulder.
"There is something I must teach you before we depart."
Flann nodded.
"I did not want to teach you more than healing, for I was worried you would cast yourself into battle and fall, if I taught you battle magic. Now, however, I see the need to teach you one thing. Within you is the potential for powerful magic. You have the potential for miracles, if you train hard. You shan't cast such a spell in this final battle, nor, perhaps, for many years, but I must see to it that you survive, that you may become a miracle-maker."
He guided her to her tent, where he instructed her to equip herself. He then took her south, out of the ocean of tents and into the highlands.
"Now is time for you to learn a simple spell for battle. Your silver wand is particularly good with wind magic. I will teach you how to summon powerful winds to repel foes. However, those winds can also tear flesh, as you have seen done by the stormborn. I will teach you to unleash such a blast, empowered not by the desire to destroy, but the desire to protect," he explained.
Flann drew her wand and stood ready. Caron put his hand on hers, and one on her back, aligned with her heart. He used his mana to stimulate hers, to direct it and shape it into wind. They spent many hours training. The sun was falling by the time she could rend the earth with a powerful blast. Flann, feeble from the strain and mana-expenditure, thanked Caron.
"Now I may yet be able to protect Walgen for real, rather than being trampled by the demons," she said.
"I think you have learned your lesson from your encounter with the rogue," stated Caron, "It is important that you remain alive, for you are one of few who could reverse the damage caused by the demons. You are a healer before all."
She nodded, taking a seat on the ground and admiring her work. In several places, there were holes big enough to contain a child. She suddenly found the sight gruesome, as if she had dug child-graves. She thought of the young boy she had found in Kriesgrab.
She turned to Caron and asked: "How do you stay so strong, Caron, when so much death and suffering surrounds you? How can you pray to the heavens when signs are so rare, and when you know that many have already met terrible fates?"
Caron sat next to her. He took a moment to think.
"Simple, it is. If you let yourself be held down by suffering, be it yours or that of others, you will not survive – you will not thrive and find fulfillment," he explained, "But not many have the chance you and I have, the chance to alleviate suffering. Since we have that potential, it is our duty to do so."
"What a daunting task, to care for so many people," admitted Flann.
"I will be honest with you, Flann. As powerful as I have become with years of training and faithful service, I cannot care for all those who suffer. Think of those in the Sea; I can do nothing for them, nor can I care for all who yet tread the realm of the living."
He paused, eyes cast to the ground before him, transfixed, as his mind was elsewhere.
"Not all can be saved... but we must devote ourselves, for that is the only way to succeed at all. We must be healers and miracle-makers as long as we bear mana. What you have no control over, do not let it hinder you. If your soul is in strife, you cannot spread goodness about you."
Flann remained silent, absorbing the wisdom. After a few more moments, they returned to their camp. Flann found Walgen patiently sitting before her tent. He was polishing the boots she had made for him. She sat beside him.
"That was quite something, wasn't it? The Maiden shined upon us today, upon Caron," he commented.
"It was. Today has been a busy day. Caron finally taught me some battle magic. I am quite lucky to have an affinity for wind and the proper wand, otherwise it may have taken much longer to learn to use it. Perhaps I may yet learn to use other elements."
They spoke idly about the morning's tasks, and what waited the next day.
Suddenly, Flann asked: "Walgen, tonight I would like to make love. I do believe that we will not be waging war much longer. We have not done it for a long time, and I am afraid we may never have the chance again."
Walgen laughed, "I do believe the last time was along the lake, near your farm, back in little Mirthenhelm. I suppose the risk of pregnancy matters little at a time like this."
They ate their evening meal, and after another hour or so, entered Flann's tent. They tied the flap shut with a leather thong.