It was under the lesser trees and within the tall grasses that they awoke. The charming birds left songs hanging throughout the air, while the morning breeze wafted a chilling air across the land. The orks had already begun to start their days as well. However, they had chosen to sleep in their tents rather than pass out in the tall grasses with dirty platters still next to them.

  The two didn’t know what to do, so they simply relaxed in the cool, dewy grasses, waiting for someone to approach them. It was not long, though, as it only took Ukkar a half hour to approach them.

  “We are to present our amber before the chief. It is time.” Ukkar offered a hand to Ren, and then to Cella. It was no difficult task for them to stand unaided, but merely a courtesy.

  “What will we be doing?” Ren asked.

  “We will make use of our amber. I do not know myself, but it is something rather important from what I know.” Ukkar nodded and gestured towards the yurt in the middle of the camp.

  Ren relayed the information to Cella quickly as they headed off to see the chief.

  They were welcomed by the smell of woody incense, an odd thing for the orks to use, but rather welcomed by the nose of the two humans. The chief had a large braiser at the center of his tent. Above it five small bowls sat warming on the fire. They were made of clay, and devoid of any fashionable designs.

  As the two other orks arrived, the chief spoke. “As Chief over the Raging Boars, I declare all those who have fought to win their amber true Boars. You have completed your trial to become full warriors within our clan. With the frozen blood acquired, you will be rewarded.”

  Ukkar approached the chief first, he placed his amber within a bowl. The chief placed a small handful of powders within the clay bowl and lit the interior of the bowl on fire.

  The other two warriors came next, each placing their small piece of amber into a bowl, then the chief doing his part.

  Next, the two humans began their part. First, Ren walked forward, looking down into the small bowl he noticed a thick sap already bubbling within the empty bowl. Then, he saw the three other bowls. They burned bright as their amber melted in an odd mixture. He placed his amber within his respective bowl, then backed away.

  Cella came next, repeated the process of all the others before her. She had not yet understood anything that was said, Ren felt speaking during this time was improper, even if it was just translation. Regardless of this, she understood what was happening.

  The chief picked up the first bowl and brought forth a jug. He poured a thick brown tea into the bowl. A great steam cloud rose from it, as the tea was nearly all evaporated. He repeated this process four more times as he cooled every bowl.

  When the tea pouring was finished, he added several handfuls of dried leaves, berries, and herbs into the bowls. The concoction smelled strange, but not unlike a fancy tea, though one that was just on fire. Ukkar approached first at the beckoning of the chief. He was handed the hot bowl, which visibly steamed against his hand. The heat within the bowl was still burning hot, enough to scorch a hand, let alone a mouth and throat. Regardless of the pain, Ukkar drank down the fluid. He stumbled and the chief placed an arm around him. He called two orks who quickly entered the tent, taking away Ukkar.

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  Next came the two orks, called by their names by the chief, the first was Yunhik. He was tall and broad, though shorter than the other orks in the tent. His width made up for it though, as if he even got one of the others on the ground in a fight, they would be in terrible trouble. He too took his bowl and drank down the contents of the bowl. Swiftly, the two orks called by the chief took him away.

  The third of the orks, he who came last, was called Ilan. The name did not come off as orkish, but somehow it fit the thinner ork. Perhaps some names came from old tales or old friends of orks, some came from their imagination, and others could know. He drank down his bowl from the hot braiser, being carried away, as he could barely hold himself up.

  Ren was the next to be called up, the chief spoke. “Tell her what I speak.” He gave a moment for Ren to ready himself. “You will be given what is made for orks. How it will affect you, how you will live with it, I do not know. You say the fate of the world hangs in the balance, so take what chances you will with this. You may leave this, and leave the orks. I do not know how your body will handle it. So, if you wish to not risk your life, you may go.”

  Ren repeated the meaning of the chief’s words. “What do you think, should we do it?” He asked Cella.

  “We’ve come this far, I doubt whatever it is will kill us.”

  Ren nodded. “Alright, well, bottom up!” He took the bowl of the sludgy tea. A burning lump made its way down his throat, one that barely crawled down. The fluid went down easily, though it did burn. The burning amber though, slowly made its way down his throat, a semi-melted state, it was gooey. The lump in his throat trapped some of the fluid higher up in his mouth and throat, giving him the sensation of choking.

  Ren fought the urge to vomit out the hard lump that slowly made it way down his esophagus. The overwhelming desire to panic built in him, but he fought it as he felt the lump drop as it neared his collarbone. His throat felt a raw mess, he tried to speak, but the world spun around him. Two orks caught him and aided him. He couldn’t speak, and his body began to not respond to him. A pain began to burn in his heart, a searing pain that left him wanting to begin tearing at his chest. He was powerless, unable to fight the burning that began taking over his heart. It was only for moments long as his mind began to lose focus of reality.

  Ren’s mind became inwardly focused as he felt an invasion of energy. It was foreign, yet not terribly unwelcome. Part of it reminded him of the dream, the one Cella had rescued him from. Though here, there was no malice. There was only a glowing green light. It touched him, moved through him, and sank deep within him.

  A golden light shone within the green. Here, an orb of amber burned hot within his chest. At the center of his heart is burned, it had made itself a home there. The green light pulsed forth from the golden amber pulsing within him. It was as if a new heart and made itself within the one of flesh and blood. Though this heart was one of gold rather than flesh and blood.

  Relief washed over him as all of his thoughts and worries drained away. Only the pulsing euphoria within his chest mattered now. He felt at home, he finally felt safe.