"There," Maze whispered, his voice barely audible over the rustling of the tall grass. He pointed towards a dense bush that blended seamlessly with its surroundings. Charles nodded; his eyes filled with excitement. He knew what to do. Placing his hand on the open page of the green book, he focused his mind and spoke the word, "Reveal."
As if responding to his will, the stems of the dense bush slowly parted, unveiling a bunch of brown dirty spheres. They hung in a small hidden alcove covered in a fine layer of dirt, all connected through one thick branch.
Maze patted Charles' back as Arthur bounded through the thick grass to eagerly snatch up the newfound bounty.
Charles couldn't help but ask, "What are those?"
Maze's grin widened as he replied, "Greedoes my boy! Lovely delicious greedoes."
Charles raised an eyebrow, not entirely satisfied with the explanation. But before he could voice his uncertainty, Arthur returned, showcasing one of the edible tubers and brushing off the dirt from the stack. On closer inspection, Charles realised they resembled something like potatoes in size and shape.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Charles prodded the bunch with an inquisitive finger and asked, "What do they taste like?"
Arthur's grin grew wider. "Just wait and see. You’ll love it," he said.
"Alright, well done, lad," Charles said. "Let's see if we can find anything else. We’ve lots of mouths to feed."
With a nod, Charles turned his attention back to the green book. The previous events he’d cast had given him a glimpse of the power contained within its pages. However, each time he used the book, he felt a surge of energy course through his arm. It was exciting yet draining. Each time he replicated an event it felt like all the energy he had left him as if he’s just finished an eight-hour shift.
Flipping back a few pages, Charles came across a spell for locating. The ancient rune, etched on the page, came alive as he placed his hand on it. Maze had explained that the words formed a connection between book and user, so translation was done through the user's mind. What one person read from the page differed to another as the Ink attuned itself to the wielder.
Underneath the giant rune, the focusing word appeared. Charles positioned his hand on the designated spot and spoke the word aloud, "Sight."
The pages of the book rippled as if stirred by an invisible force. The recorded spell created a copy of itself before Charles' eyes, transforming the once-rune-filled page into a dynamic display of ink and patterns. Rapidly, the parchment shifted and transformed, revealing a detailed map of their immediate surroundings.
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Tiny, illustrated versions of themselves emerged on the map, while a few hundred yards behind them, a large cluster of people came to life on the page, bustling about around the camp.
A grin spread across Charles' face as he recognised a tiny silhouette beside Rose, unmistakably the love of his life. They were preparing for the next leg of their journey, their dedication clear even in the miniature depiction.
"Ah, guys?" Charles said, his brow furrowed in confusion as he stared at the map spread out before them. "Can you come here a second? "
Intrigued, Maze and Arthur moved closer.
"Look here," Charles instructed, pointing to a specific spot on the map.
They each placed a finger on the page and stared at the illustrated figures moving in the northern area of the camp.
"Who are these guys?"
Arthur spun around and bounded through the tall grass toward the strangers. Charles hurriedly followed, struggling to keep up, while Maze trailed further behind.
Before the strangers came into view, Arthur suddenly dropped low, disappearing into the grass. Charles imitated the movement, crouching beside him. Together, they peered through the grass, their eyes fixed on the small crowd.
"We're lost!" a man's voice rang out, carrying over the rustling of the wind.
Through the swaying grass, Charles caught sight of the man, clad in tattered animal hides, a rusty wicked blade at his hip. There were five men in total, all dressed similarly in tattered animal skins. They looked dirty and desperate; a combination that made Charles feel uneasy.
"We're not lost. Just wait an hour and we will know where to go," another man replied as he pointed towards the midday sun in frustration. As he stood among his companions, Charles noticed he was considerably shorter than the others.
"I'm so sick of this damn valley. Why can't we go back on the road?"
The shorter man let out a sigh. "Because you can keep your damn mouth shut."
"Why’s it my fault?" the man shot back defensively.
The shorter man, clearly annoyed, shoved him and crossed his arms. "Ah, let me guess. Who was the one who told them about the damn dragon kid?"
The taller man shook his head in disbelief. "It wasn't our fault that the ghost's eyes were faulty. Rudnick’s potion was a fake!"
The rest of the group scowled, casting accusing glances at their friend.
“We all saw it mate!” cried the shorter man. “The potion he made was no fake! The kid broke it! And I even told you they wouldn’t believe us and there you go yappin’ again!”
"I didn't know they'd turn on us. We did our jobs. Man, if I ever see that kid again, I'm gonna’ cut him up!"
The shorter man sneered. "You're gonna’ fight a kid who can summon dragons? Are you stupid?"
"Hey, don’t call me stupid!”
The shorter man's patience seemed to wane. "Well stop acting like one! Right now, I don't wanna’ hear another word from you till we get to Turtin."
"I still don't understand why we're heading there," one of the others piped up. "Ain’t everyone runnin’ from there?”
Another man chimed in, “They say swine are amassing across the river.”
The leader's voice held a sense of urgency as he replied, “We’ve got no choice now! Stupid over here has made sure of that with his blabbering. You heard what they said back there.”
As the group of rough-looking travellers bickered, their voices carried on the wind, gradually fading into the distance as they continued their journey southward, oblivious to the presence of the three hiding in the grass. Charles noticed the tension in Arthur's body ease, and he let out a soft sigh of relief. It seemed that, for the time being, they were safe from any potential clash with strangers.