Chapter 566: Making Preparations (Part Two)
When Ollie stopped to think about it, Ashlynn had taught him that witchcraft was about blending his desires with the energy of the world to make things happen. Old Nan’s explanation might be slightly different than the witchcraft he’d learned from Ashlynn but that didn’t mean it wasn’t a valid path for him to follow in order to put his desires to keep his people safe into the wood as he carved.
If anything, it was a tradition that meshed so well with witchcraft that he wondered if it had been something the Heartwood clan learned from a previous Mother of Trees. Given the way the entire clan revered the Mother of Trees and the witches in her coven, it wouldn’t be surprising if traditions like this one had originated in witchcraft.
Feeling an even greater sense of confidence in the direction his plan had taken, Ollie redoubled his efforts to learn everything he could from Old Nan about the Heartwood Clan’s way of carving and dedicated himself almost completely to producing the protective amulets that would help to shield his men from the Holy Flames of the Inquisition in the battle to come.
Working together, day by day, with Old Nan to break logs down into appropriate sized blanks, roughing out the shape of the design to be inscribed and giving Ollie guidance as he turned each small piece of wood into a protective amulet, they made rapid progress even though Ollie had to be the one to finish carving every single piece.
At the very end, he held the finished amulet close to his heart and spoke the words that would transform a simple wooden charm into a powerful protective amulet.
"Through wood that stands where waters flow,
Where fire fails and cannot grow,
I carve this shield ’gainst zealot’s flame,
Let water’s touch end fire’s reign."
Each amulet was shaped like the shield of a knight and bore a symbol in the center reminiscent of ripples spreading across a pond. The first ones were simple and crude, but by the end, they were not only much more refined, but simply putting one on would bring a sense of calm safety and even relief against the oppressive heat of the double suns.
"I wish I’d realized this could protect people from the heat sooner," Ollie said, cursing himself for failing to think of something like this when he’d poured all of his energy into protecting his people. There was still time, however, to protect one important person who wouldn’t be taking to the field of battle with him against the Lothians and their partners in the Church.
"Please wear this, Old Nan," Ollie said, slipping a simple leather cord through a hole in the best protective amulet he’d made. "It isn’t much, but I know that the strain of the heat is taking its toll on you. Please, promise me you won’t give this away and that you’ll use it to protect yourself from the heat," he said, staring into her dark eyes with an intensity that surprised the old woman.