"DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO LEAVE?" THE EARL ASKS WITH A GRIMACE AS THE PRIEST AND AL PREPARE THEIR BAGS. THE SHORT TIME THEY SPENT IN JINX WAS FILLED WITH READING, PLAYING CHESS, EXPLORING THE TOWN AND WATCHING OVER CAROL’S CONDITION.

AL’S CURE, IF IT CAN BE CALLED THAT WAS NOT AN END ALL. THE TUMOR ITSELF WOULD NEED TO BE DEALT WITH BUT IT SEEMS SOME OBSCURE TYPES OF HEALING MAGIC HAVE THE ABILITY TO SHRINK CELL MASSES, SO THERE IS HOPE ON THAT FRONT.

ALL IN ALL THE CURE WAS WORKING WELL ACCORDING TO AL. NO ONE ELSE HAD THE ABILITY TO SEE MANA LIKE AL BUT THEY FELT CONFIDENT IN HIS STATEMENTS. CAROL TOO CLAIMED SHE FELT IT WORKING. AND HAVING THE PLETHORA OF BOOKS TO READ AT HAND SURELY HELPED WITH HER BOREDOM.

BOTH PARENTS WERE THRILLED WITH AL’S VISIT. AND MICHELLE ENJOYED THE VISIT FROM THE NEW BIG BROTHER AS WELL. THE TWO TRIED TO FORCE MICHELLE'S HAND ON AL ONCE SHE GREW OLDER BUT THE PRIEST LIGHTLY WHISPERED ABOUT THE PRINCESS. THAT SHUT THOSE TYPES OF TALKS UP QUICKLY.

AND NOW THE TIME CAME FOR THEM TO LEAVE. MICHELLE WHIMPERED LIGHTLY AND THE EARL TOO HELD BACK A TEAR CAREFULLY. "I WON’T FORGET WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR MY FAMILY. IF THERE’S EVER ANYTHING MORE YOU NEED, JUST ASK."

"UNDERSTOOD." AL ANSWERS WITH A NOD.

"AND I HAVE WRITTEN A LETTER TO A FRIEND AT THE MAGIC ENGINEERING SCHOOL IN THE TIRISH, IF YOU EVER FIND YOURSELF IN THE AREA THEY WILL TEACH YOU EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT GOLEMS."

"IF HE LIKES GOLEMS OF COURSE HE’D GO SEE THE ARENA." CAROL ADDS AS IF IT WAS OBVIOUS AL WOULD VISIT THE CAPITAL CITY OF TIRISH.

THE PRIEST ON THE OTHER HAND HAD HIS DOUBTS AL WOULD VISIT THE CITY. THERE’S NO WAY IT WOULD BE THAT EASY TO GET ADRIA TO THE CAPITAL, ALTHOUGH IF AL PLEADED SHE WOULD PROBABLY RELENT. NOT THAT AL COULD PLEAD.

BUT THE WORDS DID INTEREST AL. HE NOTED THE PLACE AND THOUGHT BACK TO IT’S LOCATIONS ON THE MAP. IT WAS CENTERED ON THE PAPER AND SIGNED WITH A GILDED STAR. A FEW INCHES AWAY ALONG A LONG WINDING PATH SAT JINX, AND BESIDE THAT SAT KNOBBER HILL.

THERE WAS A VARIED ARRAY OF PATHS LEADING BETWEEN ALL THE CITIES ON THE MAP BUT AFTER THE LAST TRIP HE BEGAN TO IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENT LINES. A DOTTED LINE ON THE FORTS MAP INDICATED A ROUGH PATH LIKE THE ONE BETWEEN JINX AND THE HILL. THIN LINES INDICATE A ROAD LIKE THAT WHICH GOES TO THE CAPITAL FROM KNOBBER HILL. AND LAST THE THICK LINE, LIKE THE MULTI-LANE PATH LEADING BETWEEN JINX AND THE CAPITAL.

AL NOTICED WHEN EXPLORING WITH MICHELLE THAT THE ROAD WAS BUSY AT NEARLY ALL TIMES OF DAY. WITH TRAFFIC HEADING BACK AND FORTH OR EVEN JUST PASSING THROUGH.

"HAVE A SAFE TRIP." CAROL SHOUTS AS THE TWO DISSAPEAR DEEPER INTO THE TOWN AWAY FROM THE LARGE MANSION THE FAMILY OCCUPIED.

"GOOD PEOPLE." THE PRIEST SAYS AFTER LEAVING THEIR EARSHOT. "YOU DID GOOD AL. EVEN BETTER THAN I EXPECTED. YOU NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE I SUPPOSE."

AL DOESN’T IMMEDIATELY RESPOND SO THE PRIEST TAKES THE OPPORTUNITY TO POKE A BIT MORE FUN.

"I SUPPOSE THAT’S WHAT HAS ADRIA SO ENAMORED WITH YOU." THE PRIEST CHUCKLES BEFORE SLAPPING AL’S BACK ROUGHLY. "YOU CAN LAUGH SOMETIMES YOU KNOW."

"SORRY." AL RESPONDS SHEEPISHLY. "I’LL TRY."

"YOU NEVER DISAPPOINT." THE PRIEST SAYS WITH ANOTHER LAUGH. "LETS GRAB A COUPLE APPLES BEFORE WE HIT THE TRAIL. AS LONG AS THE WEATHER STAYS GOOD WE SHOULD BE BACK IN LESS THAN TWO DAYS."

"GOOD." AL SAYS WITH A NOD, THOUGH NOT BASING HIS ESTIMATE ON THE PRIESTS TIMELINE AND INSTEAD CALCULATING THE DISTANCE HIMSELF. ULTIMATELY THE SAME NUMBER WAS COME UP WITH. THEY WOULD ARRIVE THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, EVENING AT LATEST.

AL ALSO REMEMBERED THE DOZEN POTATOES THEY LEFT ALONG THE TRAIL. HE SALIVATED AT THE THOUGHT OF THE ROAST POTATOES THE PRIEST HAD BECOME FAMOUS FOR SINCE THE DISCOVERY OF THE WILD POTATOES ONLY A FEW SHORT DAYS AGO. OF COURSE THE FAN BASE WAS LITTLE MORE THAN AL BUT THAT IS BESIDE THE POINT.

THEY COULDN’T GET ON THE TRAIL FAST ENOUGH IN AL’S OPINION. RETURNING WAS THE ONLY PRIORITY.

«§»

AGAIN THE WALK BACK WAS MAINLY UNEVENTFUL. A FACT THAT ADRIA WOULD BE THRILLED AT HEARING. AT ONE POINT AL SPOTTED THE TRAIL OF A DEER BEAST BUT ITS FOOTPRINTS WERE SEVERAL HOURS OLD SO HUNTING IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE.

WELL NO HARM DONE, WITH THE POTATOES GRILLED OVER THE FIRE AS-WELL AS THE REMAINING JERKY AND BREAD, LUNCH AND DINNER WAS A FEAST. WITH THAT DONE, AL AND THE PRIEST SAT BESIDE THE CRACKLING FIRE SILENTLY.

THE PRIEST WAS THE FIRST TO SPEAK UP. WITH THE HOUR STILL TOO EARLY TO SLEEP SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE TO PASS THE TIME. "I WOULD OFFER TO PLAY A GAME OF CHESS BUT I DON’T SUPPOSE YOU WOULD WANT TO AFTER SO MANY GAMES IN JINX."

AL NODS WITH A SMALL GRIN. "I AM CHESSED OUT."

THE PRIEST LAUGHS AT THE TRIGGERED CONVERSATION TREE. "I THOUGHT AS MUCH. WELL HOW ABOUT A STORY?"

"A STORY? ABOUT?" AL IS INTRIGUED BY THE OFFER. WITH NO BOOKS ON THE ROAD AL FELT IT WAS GOOD TO TAKE ANY CHANCE TO LEARN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

"JOINING THE PRIESTHOOD." THE MAN SAYS WITH A FIRM LOOK. "MY NAME WASN’T ALWAYS FATHER YOU KNOW."

"IT WASN’T?" AL ASKS HONESTLY SURPRISED BY THE NEW INFORMATION.

"NO," THE PRIEST CHUCKLES BEFORE CONTINUEING, "ONCE WE FINISH OUR TRAINING AS A PRIEST WE FORGO OUR NAMES AND INSTEAD DEVOTE OUR MIND AND BODY TO GOD. IN EXCHANGE FOR THAT WE ARE GIVEN A STAFF AS WELL AS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOLY MAGIC. IT’S A FAIR TRADE IF YOU ASK ME."

"SEEMS LIKE IT." AL RESPONDS WITH A NOD. IN HIS OPINION IT REALLY WAS. A NAME MEANS NOTHING REALLY, AL COULD…

AS HE THOUGHT ABOUT IT HE REALIZED IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. HIS NAME WAS GIVEN BY ADRIA, IT WAS ONE OF THE FEW GIFTS SHE HAD GIVEN HIM AND HE CHERISHED THEM ALL DEARLY. THEY ALL MADE HIM FEEL HER PRESENCE WHICH WAS SOOTHING.

"IN THE EARLY DAYS BEFORE I WAS SENT ON SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT BY THE KING, I LIVED IN JINX. I WAS ASSISTANT TO THE HEAD MONK AT THE CHURCH THERE. THAT’S WHERE I MET THE EARL AND HIS FAMILY. HE TAUGHT ME TO PLAY CHESS AND WATCHING HIS FAMILY GROW WAS THE HAPPIEST…" AT THIS POINT THE NAMELESS PRIEST WAS IN TEARS. HE CUT TO THE CHASE AND FOCUSED HIS WET EYES ON AL. "THANK YOU AL. FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART THANK YOU. YOU ARE A MIRACLE FROM GOD I TELL YOU, TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT."

GOOD TO GET SOME APPRECIATION AROUND HERE.

AL SEEM SLIGHTLY TAKEN ABACK BY THE WORDS. "ALL I DID WAS APPLY THE THINGS YOU HAD TAUGHT ME. IT WASN’T SUCH A GREAT DEAL."

"YOU SAW FREE MANA. I CAN’T STRESS ENOUGH HOW IMPRESSIVE THAT IS. IT’S SAID THAT ONLY A DOZEN EVERY CENTURY POSSESS THAT ABILITY."

"WHAT EXACTLY IS FREE MANA?" AL ASKS, UNABLE TO PLACE A DEFINITION TO THE TERM.

"FREE MANA IS MANA UNAFFECTED BY HUMANS OR BEASTS. FOR INSTANCE WE ARE SURROUNDED BY MANA."

"YELLOW." AL ANSWERS GLANCING AROUND.

"R… RIGHT. I’M AT MY STRONGEST IN YELLOW AND WHITE MANA, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO USE MAGIC TO SEE THAT, YOU DON’T. BASICALLY THE PRIMARY WEAKNESS OF MAGIC DOESN’T APPLY TO YOU. I’VE MENTIONED THAT IF I PERFORM MAGIC IN A DARK MANA ENVIRONMENT I WOULD BE HARMED RIGHT?"

"YES?"

"RIGHT, WELL OTHER THAN BY PERFORMING SOME WEAK MAGIC I CAN’T BE SURE THE AREA IS CLEAR OF DARK MANA. YOU ON THE OTHER HAND COULD EASILY LOOK FOR YOUR WEAKNESS MANA AND AVOID IT."

"I SEE."

"SO YOU HAVE A VERY IMPRESSIVE GIFT. ALMOST SAD YOU WILL WASTE IT ON GOLEMS." THE PRIEST REALIZING HIS WORDS PUTS A HAND TO HIS MOUTH. "SORRY, DIDN’T MEAN IT LIKE THAT. YOU DO WITH YOUR LIFE WHAT YOU PLEASE."

AL AGAIN NODS TO THE SUGGESTION. AFTER SOME IDLE TALK ABOUT THE EARLY DAYS IN THE MONASTERY THE TWO TURN IN FOR THE NIGHT. THE FIRE CRACKED RHYTHMICALLY UNDER THE STARS, THE PRIEST FELL ASLEEP QUICKLY BUT AL AS ALWAYS LAY HALF AWAKE.

HE HAD AGAIN LEARNED A LOT IN A SHORT TIME. EACH NIGHTS SELF-RESET SEEMED TO BRING ANOTHER UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD. AND TONIGHT WOULD BE NO DIFFERENT. TONIGHT'S UPDATES WILL BE FOCUSED ON THE THIRD UPGRADE TO WALKING ON ROUGH PATHS. AL DIDN’T TRIP OFTEN BUT HE DID ALMOST TWIST HIS ANKLE A FEW TIMES.

WITH EVERYTHING IN ORDER HE SELF-RESET AND SHUT HIS EYES TO SLEEP.

IN WHAT FELT LIKE A MOMENT HE AGAIN OPENED HIS EYES TO THE RISING SUN. THE PRIEST WAS ASSEMBLING THE FIRE AND PRESSING HIS STAFF TO IT. AGAIN SMOKE ROSE AND THE FIRE IGNITED.

"I FOUND TEA." THE PRIEST SAYS SIMPLY HOLDING OUT A BRANCH OF YOUNG BUDS. "TRY SOME."

AL TRANSITIONS TO A SITTING POSITION AND WARMS HIS HANDS BY THE FIRE AS HE HAD WATCHED THE PRIEST DO DAYS EARLIER. THE WARMTH WAS NICE SO AL ADJUSTED THE POSSIBILITY OF TRIGGERING THIS RESPONSE TO FIRE.

THE PRIEST PLACED A METAL KETTLE DEEP IN THE FLAMES ONCE THE WOOD CRUMBLED A BIT. WITHIN MOMENTS IT WAS BUBBLING AND CHURNING. THE PRIEST, WHO HAD BEEN CAREFULLY PRYING THE DELICATE LEAVES APART, PLACES THEM ONTO THE TOP OF THE ROLLING BOIL. INSTANTLY A WARM AROMA FILLS THE AIR. IT SMELLED PINEY AND SWEET. IT STUNG AL’S NOSE BUT HE WAS EXTREMELY CURIOUS.

AFTER A LONG MOMENT THE PRIEST POURS TWO SMALL METAL CUPS AND HANDS ONE TO AL. AS ALWAYS AL WATCHES THE PRIEST DRINK FIRST BEFORE HE FOLLOWS SUIT. IT HAS A SMOOTHER TASTE THAN THE PUNGENT SMELL AND HINTS OF EARTHY FLAVORS BALANCE IT.

IT WAS GOOD. AL COULDN’T JUDGE IT COMPARATIVELY BUT HE PLACED IT HIGH ON HIS LIST OF DRINKS. WAY ABOVE WINE FOR SURE.

"IT’S A SIGN THAT SPRING WILL COME EARLY." THE PRIEST GRIPS THE CUP TIGHTLY AND DRAWS ANOTHER LONG SIP. "THE WORST OF WINTER IS OVER IT SEEMS. THAT’S WHAT THIS TEA TELLS ME."

"IT WILL SNOW TODAY." AL SAYS LOOKING UP AT THE SKY.

"YES, BUT THE BUDS WILL SURVIVE. THEY KNOW BETTER THAN US ABOUT THIS KIND OF STUFF. I’VE TAKEN THIS TRAIL FOR FIVE YEARS THEY’VE NEVER BEEN WRONG."

AL TAKES ANOTHER LONG SIP FROM THE TEA.

"WE’LL GET MOVING ONCE THE TEA IS FINISHED. I SAY WE EAT ON THE ROAD AND TRY TO GET HOME SOON AS POSSIBLE. I'M SURE YOU WANT TO SEE ADRIA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. TELL HER ABOUT YOUR SHINY NEW BADGE, AND HER REASSIGNMENT."

"REASSIGNMENT?" AL ASKS, UNSURE OF THE PRIESTS MEANING.

"AL, THE EARL GAVE YOU THE ABILITY TO GIVE ADRIA A PRETTY GOOD JOB. HONESTLY SPEAKING THE LIEUTENANT SECTION COMMANDER OF A PODUNK VILLAGE LIKE THE HILL IS WELL… IT’S A SHIT JOB FOR AN OFFICER RANK. BUT BODY GUARD TO A COURT APPOINTED RESEARCHER. THAT’S SOMETHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT... ASSUMING THAT HOME WEREN’T THE ROYAL MANOR."

"SO I SHOULD OFFER THAT POSITION TO ADRIA?"

"YES!" THE PRIEST SAYS NEARLY SPILLING HIS TEA. "THIS IS SIMPLE AL. AND IT'S THE PERFECT REASON TO STAY CLOSE TO HER. I MEAN THINK ABOUT IT YOU CAN’T LIVE WITH HER FOREVER. WASN’T THE ORIGINAL PLAN JUST FOR HER TO HELP YOU UNTIL YOU UNDERSTOOD HOW TO LIVE?"

"THAT’S RIGHT."

"AND WOULDN’T YOU SAY AT THIS POINT YOU HAVE PROVEN THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO LIVE?"

"THAT’S RIGHT..."

"EXACTLY, SO USE THIS CHANCE TO STAY CLOSE TO HER. I DOUBT SHE’D SAY NO."

AL BEGINS THINKING CAREFULLY. IT WAS TRUE PROTOCOL ONE WOULD BE BROKEN IF HE COULDN’T LIVE WITH ADRIA, ALTHOUGH IF ADRIA TOLD AL TO LIVE ALONE HE WOULD HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO FOLLOW TO THE COMMAND.

"UNDERSTOOD." AL SAYS WITH A NOD. HE BEGINS COMBINING VARIOUS CONVERSATION CHAINS TO PREPARE FOR THE VARIOUS RESPONSES ADRIA MAY USE.