Painin stared at the sky as it began to lighten with the coming of the sun. What little sleep he managed to get was plagued by dreams involving glowing floating eyeballs that left him laying there staring at the sky. Master Pierce snored across the fire his back still against his saddle his ever-present cup next to him on the ground. Kemp moved around the ring of light provided by the small fire which had kept burning through the night. As he walked past the Battle Mage he bent over slightly as he peered into the cup.

“I wouldn’t do that lad.” Said Master Pierce with his eyes still closed.

Kemp straightened quickly and moved along his face turning a paler shade of white. Opening his eyes, the Battle Mage meet the gaze of Painin and smiled at him.

“Hope you slept well.”

“Not with that bloody eye thing out there all night.”

“What Helgma? Wouldn’t hurt a fly. Well, he would. I mean he did take out quite a few animals last night.” The orb in question silently slid up next to Master Pierce and they looked at each other seemingly having a silent conversation of some kind. Nodding at the floating eyeball he waved his hand and it disappeared by folding in on itself with a quiet pop.

They busied themselves breaking down their little camp and mounted their horses. Master Pierce turned his horse and started to head south as the fire went out leaving no trace of its presence behind. They ate in the saddle and there was little talking as they rode in a rough line. The days of travel soon followed the same sort of pattern with only some minor differences.

Kemp and Svening kept their distance from the Battle Mage seemingly only interacting with him when it was required. Painin asked him about it one night as they sat eating next to the magical fire and the mage sipped from his cup.

“It is the magic lad. People don’t understand it and so that frightens them or makes them uncomfortable. Would you expect someone to be afraid of a Master Carpenter? No of course not that would be silly because they have dedicated their lives to working with wood. Wood you understand because it comes from trees. Magic users dedicate their lives to magic an unseen force in the world.”

“So magic is all around us all of the time then?” Asked Painin sitting against his saddle.

“Yes. Just like many other things like the air that we breathe. Can’t see it but we know it is there and make use of it. People have faith in the different Gods, and we don’t always see them, but we can see their influence on people and the world around us. As a magic user, you get accustomed to it. Though some like the power that people’s reactions make them feel. I would rather be studying and making discovery’s.” Master Pierce took a sip from his cup and sighed and leaned back closing his eyes.

Painin didn’t know at first that the growing shape on the horizon they were riding towards was not mountains but instead water. It was almost too much for him to comprehend as it continued to grow the further, they rode. He had never seen anything as vast as the ocean other than his time in the desert but the two were so vastly different. Birds began to fly over their heads as they approached the seemingly endless water before them.

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They reigned in their horses short of the ocean and Painin jumped down landing in the soft wet sand. The water was very cold as he ran his hand and tasted salt just like his father had told him. It brought tears to his eyes to think of his father and family, but he pushed them down. The wind blew in off the water sending little bits of stinging sand flying towards them.

“Come. We have to follow the water west until we reach Hiserik.” Said Master Pierce gesturing off into the distance.

Painin found it hard to keep from staring at the giant expanse of greenish-blue water and its continuous row after row of waves that crashed onto the shore. Small birds ran along the waves picking at things left uncovered in the sand from the waves ahead of the group. They quickened their pace and soon some small buildings came into view ahead.

He didn’t know what he had expected from Hiserik but the seemingly random collection of buildings caught him off guard. They all seemed to be built from random pieces of wood that had been bleached by the sun and salt water. People moved about the beach and collected buckets of water which they poured into troughs back amongst the buildings. Those who were not engaged with the water were assigned to different tasks such as catching food and cooking. Everyone wore very rough clothes that were stiff and stained white.

Master Pierce rode forward and spoke to one man who pointed further back amongst the buildings and he rode back in that direction with the rest of the group following behind him. The mayor of the town wore clothes that matched everyone else and his exposed skin was dark brown and covered in wrinkles. The Battle Mage climbed down off his horse and approached the man and they talked quietly for a time.

They shook hands and Master Pierce returned to the group. He informed them that he would have to renew the runes of protection around the town that are out in the desert. The runes are charged with magic and kept dangerous animals away from the town and the valuable salt trade. Master Pierce led the group back out towards the first of the runes and they approached a pillar of stones stacked up.

He took a small barrel out of a larger barrel from the side of the pack horse and walked over to the stack of stones where he dragged his foot in the sand in the shape of a circle around the pillar. Chanting softly, he held the barrel out and placed it upon the topmost rock and a green liquid began to flow over and down them before being absorbed. The entire pillar glowed with a bright light that radiated from the top down to the bottom before going away.

They repeated the process another 5 times before they returned to the small coastal town as the sun was setting. They set up their little camp a little away from the buildings and settled in for the night. Painin was entranced by the sounds of the waves as they crashed upon the sand nearby and fell asleep to their rhythmic song.

The next morning, they made a quick stop to get a small amount of supplies to offset what they had brought with them. Master Pierce talked again with the Mayor who offered him some small barrels which he loaded onto the pack horse before returning and handing the Mayor a different barrel in return. They shook hands and the group headed back out into the desert to recharge the remaining rune pillars.

Their return trip again was nothing spectacular aside from the group stumbling upon a pair of giant scorpions which were present at a marked Haddad well. The Battle Mage ended up dismounting and began to cast a spell that he seemed to hold longer as the power between his hands grew. A large fireball shot from his hands and flew across the sands striking the first monster and blowing it backward. His hands were already moving as soon as the first ball of fire was followed by a second and then a third. Each of the balls slammed into the monsters which exploded leaving nothing but their smashed remains and burning sand behind.

The smell of the remains turned Painin’s stomach and the guardsmen put even more distance between themselves and the Mage. Master Pierce walked amongst the remains sifting through them with his boot and mumbling to himself. Once the water barrels were refilled the Battle Mage walked over and placed a small canvas bag under a rock with a clink. He noticed Painin looking at him and he motioned to the bag now under the rock.

“Payment to the Haddad for us using their well and leaving a mess.” He said mounting his horse and leading them back north towards the distant keep.