Korv the Barbarian had taken his leave of the village for a few days. He felt in his soul that he needed time to himself to contemplate things that inhabited his thoughts as of late. He left quietly in the evening and set out to find his solitude.
He spent many an evening staring at the moon and letting his mind just roam aimlessly from one topic to another. Most nights he did not even remember what those topics were. He felt no particular emotion or attachment to any of these things. He merely let them exist as they were.
One night while he was returning to his shelter, he passed by several trees and noticed a yellow, almost magical looking dust falling from them. He had never seen the likes of this in his home to the north. He stared at it for a moment, and then dismissed it as some sorcery unique to this valley.
During his sabbatical, Korv has spent a good deal of time writing. There was an irony in this, as he was in the midst of deciding if he would cease this activity. Even as he wrote, he still gave the matter some consideration. He knew not if this would benefit him in the long run.
Even though he was away from the village, Korv still reported in for his assignment in the private army. A barbarian must still eat, after all. To wile away at his boredom, Korv joined the men in their physical labors. It was hot, heavy work, but it gave one a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day, and Korv indeed needed something to help him feel accomplished.
Korv noticed as the days wore on that he was feeling weaker and weaker, and had difficultly breathing. Many times he had to pause what he was doing to recoup his strength before continuing his efforts.
When he had ended his assignment one day, feeling particularly unwell and barely able to speak, Korv noticed that the odd yellow dust he saw previously was everywhere. Surely, this was vile sorcery and the cause of his ills!
Between the intense heat and this foul demon powder robbing him of breath, Korv felt completely drained and defeated. How can one fight such a foe?
When Korv complained to one of the men about the foul treachery of some stinking rogue wizard, the man explained to him that this was a change of seasons and happened every year. Many men and women were sensitive to these, and had to see the village apothecary for a remedy.
Korv was still skeptical. This sort of thing never happened in the north! It was the same, cold clime year round. The man again assured him this was indeed merely nature, and not sorcery, at work.
The barbarian finally accepted the explanation and decided he would visit the apothecary to procure an elixir to cure his ailment.
He returned to the village with the intent to rest and be rid of his ills. He shared his recent writings with his fellow villagers, and lay low in the hopes that he would soon recover.
We he felt better, Korv knew he had decisions to make about his path. He would need all his strength no matter how he chose.
© The Beginning At Last
The Beginning At Last 
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