Shaden didn’t know how the others could travel without magic.
The heat was fire on his skin, the raw power of the sun threatening to burn his head and back off. He’d thought that he’d be able to adjust just by circulating, but the hotness continued to build up in the clothes he’d been given, cooking him like a microwave. Well, it wasn’t that bad, but he’d never experienced anything like it before. All of his life he’d lived where the hottest day was a good chance to sweat, not to burn.
At first, he tried to cool his body using wind magic. But the air itself was warm, and instead of cooling him, made him more agitated. Water he conjured into mist turned warm a few seconds in the air, and in the end, he resorted to ice that he pressed against his body in tiny chunks to endure the continuous heat.
And Eshel chuckled every time he did something.
“Wasting energy on that? Hah! Don’t fall over, or else the sands will consume you!” she laughed, looking perfectly fine. He didn’t know how she could stay cheerful in such weather. Then again, her whole family lived here, and now he’d have to too…
If he died from getting a heat stroke, it would be the worst death imaginable. But the ice was soothing his skin, so it was bearable once he got the hang of it.
“How long does it take to arrive?” he asked, squinting at the endless hills of sand that stretched impossibly forward.
“One, two days if we encounter unexpected problems,” Eshel told him. Her hawk was sitting in her lap, covered by the white robe she’d put over it. Occasionally, she’d send it flying to scout the area and shout at the other members of the caravan of her findings.
They were loud people, the Jakhar Kishaks. They weren’t necessarily shouting, but their voices could be heard from distances away. He wondered if he’d have to shout too.
After what felt like hours and Shaden feeling exhausted from just sitting, they finally reached an oasis that seemed to appear out of nowhere. It was small, with a few trees surrounding it with sparse bushes, but he was grateful for the break. There was a moderate commotion as everyone took their animals to water them, washing their faces at the same time. They were legs-deep in the water, and Shaden didn’t really like being wet.
“Go take a swim. You will feel much better,” Eshel told him, patting her kevali’s neck as it drank. Her hawk was doing a miniature dance in the water.
“Is this safe to drink?” Shaden asked, looking at the spit that dripped from the animals’ mouths.
She gave him a funny look. “That’s why we’re drinking it, no?”
He didn’t want to argue, so instead of drinking from the oasis itself, he made some water and drank from the bubble he’d formed in front of him. He even used some ice to cool it and enjoyed some fresh hydration.
“Ohhh! Is that ice?”
Eshel’s eyes were sparkling, looking at him in anticipation.
“Yes,” Shaden told her. “Uh, want some?”
“I would love to. A big chunk if possible, please.”
So Shaden went ahead and created some ice the size of an apple and gave it to her. She accepted it with a smile.
“Thanks!”
“No problem.”
Then the girl gave the chunk of ice to her kevali, who munched it down like candy.
“He likes it,” she said as a matter-of-fact.
“Uh, do you want some for yourself?”
“No, it will make me hot.”
He didn’t know what she meant by that. Shrugging, he finished his bubble and took a dip in the oasis. The water was cooler than he’d thought, and he quickly washed his face then came back out.
He was trying to squeeze the water out of his pants when Eshel motioned him to stop.
“The sun will dry it off naturally,” she said.
“Ah. Makes sense.”
A new environment came with many things he wasn’t used to, but he didn’t dislike it. Being with strangers was a little uncomfortable, but the older girl was speaking frequently to him, making him feel less awkward. He was grateful for that, even if she came across as impolite. Then again, it was a culture he did not know. Eilae’s manners had shocked him the first time he’d met her.
“But I’d advise you to conserve your mana,” Eshel told him while he stood under the shade of the kevali. “You will have a heat stroke.”
“You don’t have to worry. I have a big mana pool,” he told her.
“No. Children don’t know their limits,” she insisted. “You must grow accustomed to the desert naturally, not by magic. When your magic runs out, the heat will take you. I’ve seen plenty of outsiders fall over, foaming in the mouth because they were foolish.”
Shaden just nodded.
“Good. Now, hop on.”
He got on the kevali again and put his arms around the girl’s waist. She wasn’t exactly an adult, but she wasn’t a teen either. Somewhere in between. Well, he was a kid right now. He’d listen to her until they reached their destination.
The sun wasn’t as scorching as it had been, and while sitting without the assistance of magic felt like suffocation, it grew less and less intense the more he endured.
It reminded him of his time with his aunt. Lytha had restricted his magic use during their training, making him rely on circulation before anything else. The cold nights had been horrible, but he’d learned to stay warm after two nights of shivering.
So, he’d learn how to cool himself inherently. It made him excited just thinking about it. His abilities had stayed relatively the same for a while, but the new environment was changing him. He couldn’t wait to try out the new things.
Come to think of it, his aunt hadn’t said goodbye to him. It made him a little sad thinking about it, but that was how she’d always been. Here one moment, gone in the next.
He didn’t know how far the Jakhar Kishaks had traveled until they set up camp for the night at another, smaller oasis. Tents were prepared from the baggage on the kevali, and he helped Eshel out by building hers together. It was a small tent meant for two people, created from cloth and wooden poles, embedded into the sand. She tossed him a bundle of cloth after getting it from one of the servants.
“Put your mat next to mine,” she told him, unrolling hers. “You’d rather sleep next to a pretty girl like me than an old man, no? But don’t get too excited, or Shan might peck your eyes out.”
Pretty? Yes. Excited? No. He’d spent life as Shaden surrounded by beautiful people, so it wasn’t all that unfamiliar to him.
They ate dinner around a large campfire, and he was formally recognized as their guest.
“A toast to the heir! May his mind be filled with knowledge and wisdom!” Mayarrack said, holding his cup of wine upwards. His old eyes looked kind.
“Ay!” the others repeated, sending their regards his way. Shaden meekly smiled and held his up too, though with less confidence. These people were assertive, and he’d need some time to adjust.
And they all laughed and clapped around the fire, their animals eating next to them while they drank and told stories.
“We must get you an instrument!” Eshon said, taking something that looked like a fat flute out. “It is the best way to connect with your bond.”
“Even your cat doesn’t like your music, brother,” Eshel laughed, her hawk squawking with her. “It would be better to teach him how to make treats!”
A lizard began crawling towards him, spitting tiny wisps of fire from its mouth. It stared at him. Shaden stared back, raising an eyebrow.
“My lizard is interested in you,” an older woman said, walking up while her siblings argued about whether or not music was good for animals. She picked it up and put it over her arms and chest. “He’s a special one, from near the mountains of Taash.”
Taash. Where had he heard that? Oh right. Rother’s sword dance thing from when he was ten had something to do with it.
“Is he a monster?” he asked, wondering how a lizard would breathe fire.
“Monsters, beasts, animals. They are the same,” she said, sitting next to him. Her eyes seemed to look at him with sympathy. “You must be lonely and worried, separated from your family. How cruel your inheritance is to send you off at the mere age of ten. But worry not—we will make you feel at home.”
Shaden wasn’t particularly distressed. If anything, he was looking forward to it.
But he didn’t want to come across as someone unapproachable or haughty, so he just smiled weakly.
“Thank you,” he said. “Can I touch the lizard?”
“Of course!”
She took the lizard off of her bosom and placed it on the ground in front of him. Surprisingly, the lizard didn’t move, allowing him to touch its spiky head with ease. It was as long as his arm including the tail.
“It’s cute,” he said honestly. Squinting lizards were more adorable than he expected.
“Many people do not understand the appeal of reptiles,” Eshan said. He remembered her name since she’d said it while kneeling during the ritual. “But I’m glad you do! There are much more at our home.”
“Snakes too?”
“Of course.”
Well, he didn’t like snakes that much after Lytha had thrown them at him more often than not, but he could tolerate it. “I’m looking forward to meeting them,” he told her.
He regretted it a second later when Eshan called for her older sister.
“Shaya! Sister! The boy wants to see some snakes!” she called over the fire.
“Does he?” the woman yelled back. “Then I have no choice but to move!”
She sounded a little drunk, with her face red and all. Her large snake was coiled around her body, probably sleeping, but it had woken up after she began walking towards him. It stared at him with slit pupils, hissing.
Then the woman dumped the snake on him. Shaden held in a scream as the serpent began to coil around his small body, and he knew that had it happened to any other kid, they would have fallen over from the weight.
But the snake felt surprisingly...gentle. It didn’t constrict his limbs, but slid around smoothly as much as its bulky frame would let it. But being as big as it was, Shaden couldn’t wait to get it off of him.
He knew from his zoo knowledge that if the snake tried, it could swallow him whole.
“You can’t drop it on him!” Eshan scolded, pulling the animal off of him. “Can’t you see that he was frozen from shock?”
Shaden let out the breath he’d been holding in.
“But my Kishik is wonderful. If only more people would let him—”
“You are drunk, sister.”
With that, the two women headed to their tents, with the younger sister supporting the older one while their animals slithered behind them. Shaden was left alone again, and he quietly gazed into the fire that was somewhat dying out now.
The food was okay—a simple meal with flatbread, jerky, and cheese. He liked the cheese since it was nothing like he’d ever tasted before. Slightly sweet with a strong, savory smell that went well with the bread.
The only thing that annoyed him was the sand that kept clinging onto his shoes and clothes, but given the dryness of the desert, it was relatively easy to dust it off.
So far, he liked it.
He slept a dreamless sleep that night after watching the countless stars in the sky.
⤙ ◯ ⤚
The sun was worse than ever, but it wasn’t enough to stop him from sleeping.
He was a great adapter, and with enough circulation, any discomfort could be endured. His head was currently on the person in front of him while he dozed under his white cloak, subconsciously feeling the kevali’s footsteps as it walked on tirelessly.
Something slapped his shoulder. He didn’t recognize the sensation until the second hit.
Shaden pulled his head off from Eshel, who’d been the one to nudge him with her elbow.
“We’re almost there, so try to keep your head up,” she told him, her eyes ahead of her. “First impressions are important, no? You’re still a child, so I understand, but people like Auntie will shout at me for being careless, so please stay awake.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
“Auntie?”
“My father’s older sister. She runs things at the main camp. She’s...a strong kind of person.”
“Huh.”
Shaden yawned and tightened his cloak over his face. He really didn’t want to get a sunburn. At least when they arrived, he’d be able to stay in the shade. Increasing his circulation cleared his mind, and he was energetic enough to climb a mountain.
“Are you afraid of her? Your Auntie, I mean,” he asked, squinting. He thought he saw something in the distance.
“She’s reliable, but she has a loud mouth,” Eshel replied. Shaden found that ironic but didn’t comment on it.
“Eldest Sister is named after her,” she continued, “which shows how important she is to Father.”
“Do you mean Shaya?”
“Yes, her. Eh, you’ll understand when you meet her. Be careful not to cross her, yes? She can give a pretty good beating.”
Huh. He’d never been spanked before as Shaden. Well, he doubted he’d be scolded for anything. He was pretty talented, if he said so himself.
“Do you see it?”
“The camp?”
“Yes. The dark line you see in the distance is where we live.”
The sun was making it tiring to see, but he did spot the camp. At a glance, there weren’t any tall buildings looming over the area.
The more they neared it, the less it looked like the desert city he’d expected. Grass and other kinds of small vegetation were growing more numerous by the second, turning the orange-yellow earth into dark brown and yellow-green.
“Eshel? What kind of houses do you live in?” he asked, half-expecting the answer.
“We live in tents,” she told him.
“Tents? Do you move around a lot?”
“Not really. But building material is hard to get here. Tents are good for living, and mud huts are good for storage. The ground is too weak for larger buildings. But I always wanted to live in a castle, yes? You must have lived like a prince.”
“Not really.”
“Skotos is your kingdom, no?”
“Isn’t it a little depressing?”
Eshel laughed, and the kevali laughed with her. “Ah, yes, it is dark. Too little sun.”
“Yep,” Shaden agreed.
“But this place is our home, our little kingdom,” she went on. “Everything there is our property and family. We are a small nation ourselves, even if we pay taxes. I am a kind of desert princess myself!”
“Nice,” Shaden said plainly.
Eshel cocked her head. “You don’t sound impressed. We are one of the most powerful in Nafar.”
“I am impressed.”
“Hmm. You should speak out more. Loud voices are good! Or else no one will hear you.”
“I mean...the whole point of—” he motioned to himself, “—me is being unnoticed, right?”
“Hah, I suppose so. I speak out of concern, but you do whatever you do.”
Eventually, their caravan reached the end of the settlement, and various people came out to greet them, waving their arms. A couple of men came to Mayarrack with papers in their hands.
Animal breeders and traders. That’s what the Jakhar Kishaks were. Already, the smell of beasts, poop, grass, and moisture filled his nose—bearable enough to breathe, but bad enough for him to be conscious of it.
“Ah, the smell of home!” Eshel sighed as they passed the tents and headed deeper into the settlement. “How’s the smell?”
“Pretty strong,” he said.
“It gets fresher where we live, so don’t worry,” Eshel told him while grinning. “First the heat, then the traveling, now the smell. You must be having a rough day, no?”
“I don’t dislike it.”
“Hah, strong boy! You’ll fit right in.”
It wasn’t only the smells that were foreign to him; the sounds of hundreds of cattle, including sheep, goats, and horned animals he didn’t recognize resounded in the air ceaselessly. People were shouting too, moving items this way and that, urging their animals along.
He hadn’t seen this much commotion in his life before.
“There is plenty of fun to be had here, so don’t worry,” Eshel said while waving at someone who’d called out her name. “Hunting is always fun. Wild game is plenty to the east. You might even spot wyverns if you’re lucky.”
“Wyverns?”
“They’re very rare around here. A stray comes around once every two to six years, but who knows? We might be lucky this year.”
That had piqued his interest since he hadn’t seen any winged lizards yet. “Are there dragons too?”
“Let’s hope none of them visit, shall we?”
Shaden’s eyes twinkled in anticipation. “So there are dragons?”
“Too east. You’d die before you reached them. But if they visit, they’re probably very, very hungry and...well, the country will be in chaos. So—no, you won’t see dragons here.”
“Oh.”
“I know, seeing a majestic beast is a tale to tell! But those are childish dreams.” She lightly patted him on the head once. “My brother is like you, a little. I hope you get along with him.”
“Do you mean Eshon?”
“What? No, he’d rather stay indoors and cook. No, my younger brother. He didn’t come because, well…”
Shaden couldn’t see her face, but her voice was one of worry. “He has been...vivid. Growing up without a mother isn’t good for one.”
“I’m...sorry to hear that.”
“His name is Keygashen, but call him Keyga. He’s one year older than you.”
“Alright. I’ll...be his friend?”
“I’ve always thought this, but you speak so timidly,” Eshel said, tilting her head. “Aren’t children supposed to go, ‘Yes! I’m so glad to meet a friend!’ or something along those lines?”
She was loud. Then again, the whole environment was loud.
“Oho! I’m so glad to meet someone my age!” Shaden cheered, albeit a little sarcastically. He held in a laugh when the girl frowned.
“Yes, like that but...something about it irritates me.”
“It’s just your imagination,” Shaden said, looking away.
“Well, aren’t you a funny one!”
Eshel slapped him on the back (her arms were longer than he’d thought) and let out a chuckle. It was hard enough to sting, and Shaden almost yelped from the impact.
“Seems like you’ll do fine. Now then—we’re almost here.”
Shaden peeked ahead to see a group of expensive-looking white tents, each one larger enough to be called a house. They towered over the rest of the other tents and had simple embroidery lining their walls and entrances. At a glance, Shaden could tell that these were luxurious houses for the rich—for the main family.
“How are those tents?” Shaden exclaimed, filled with awe. “Some of them are two—no, three stories tall!”
“A frame with leather or cloth draped over it,” Eshel stated. “Is that not a tent? We don’t have any solid walls.”
She was right. But the cloth didn’t look like regular cloth, nor did the supports look like regular wood. To keep such a shape, they had to be stronger, tougher.
Shaden ginned.
He was in a fantasy world, after all.
⤙ ◯ ⤚
In the middle of a cozy room with a fluffy mat and fancy couches that reminded him of a throne, Shaden sat patiently, waiting as the head of the Jakhar Kishaks brought him his inheritance. This was a one-story tent, but it was by no means small. He assumed that it was used for important meetings since the layout of the seats suggested it.
The door fluttered open, and Mayarrack entered carrying a package wrapped in leather. Sitting down in front of Shaden, he removed the covering, revealing a book—similar to the one he’d read years ago, but thinner. He hadn’t noticed it when he’d read the book at Skotos, but the tome had a certain atmosphere to it, almost identical to the dagger that was now inside of him. He felt something connect—a soothing, peaceful feeling.
“Normally, we teach the technique ourselves to our children,” the older man said, “but you will be able to read this.”
“Do you mean that you can’t?” he asked.
“No. I doubt any of the families could. It is much easier to learn directly than to read with a tongue that has little use outside of Skotos. But, that is precisely why it can be preserved—so that you may learn from it.”
Shaden nodded, accepting the book.
“Now, it normally takes years to master the art, but I’ve heard that your dark spirit gives assistance to understand everything within a year. I know little, but it would be good for you to rely on it.”
He was referring to the dagger. Shaden put out his hand and let the dark substance materialize into a ball in his palm.
“It hasn’t talked to me yet,” he said, waving it away.
“I’ve also heard that you’re a genius, able to learn both the language and its art in mere months,” the man said, stroking his beard.
“I’m just good at adapting.”
“So you are. From a normal boy to the heir, and without difficulty. You are different.”
“Is that good or bad?”
“I suppose good. You are a kind boy, no? I see it in your eyes.”
Shaden laughed softly. “Well, I like this world.”
“Mhmm. It is a good world, a good world indeed. But I shudder imagining what you may become when there is nothing in your way. So much talent at such a young age. But you are kind.”
It sounded more like a question than a statement.
“Now then, I must leave you with your inheritance,” the man said, getting up. “If you ever do come to a stop, ask my children. They will help you.”
“Thank you.”
“You can also ask me, but I don’t think you’d like talking to an old man, no?”
With a chuckle, the man exited the tent.
Shaden flipped the book to the first page and began to read. He always loved reading. Like before, the book had a short historical segment at the beginning. Looking ahead showed him the explanation behind the technique of taming and how it worked.
He loved reading, so he began right away. The floor was comfortable enough.
Before he knew it, time for dinner had arrived.
“Here you are!” Eshel cried, coming into the tent. “Come, we must go. Now. Auntie is furious.”
Just when he was at the good parts too. “I’m coming,” Shaden said, putting the book into its covering. He tucked it under his arm and went to Eshel.
“You’re bringing that?”
“Yeah?”
“It’s bad manners.”
“I’ll put it in my room then.”
“We’ll be late—argh, okay do it quickly.”
He’d already been assigned a place, one of the luxurious tents furnished with lavish chairs, a bed, a table, and other pieces of art. He quickly entered it, placed the book on the table, then headed outside. Eshel took him by the hand and pulled him, making both of them run.
“It can’t be that bad,” Shaden said, looking around. There were still people working.
“We—Auntie especially—treat family meals with great importance. Especially the evening meal. You’re fine—it’s just that I’ll be scolded for forgetting. Ah, embarrassing!”
Shaden raised an eyebrow. “I’m considered part of the family?”
“What else? I know, I’m shocked too.”
They quickly reached a larger tent that had a darker color, folded up at the sides to let the air pass through, A long table was laid underneath it, and the food had already been set, as well as the people sitting around it. The family head sat at the front, and a few people Shaden didn’t recognize were seated closest to him—including an old woman who had a frown on her face.
The Auntie, he guessed.
Eshel quickly bowed a few times in apology, and Shaden copied her. He could feel the old lady’s eyes on him. Best not to upset the people I’ll be living with.
“Very sorry everyone!” Eshel said, plopping down. Shaden sat next to her at the end of the table. He spotted a kid across him who was fiddling with his spoon and fork.
“We thank the farmers and the plants,” Mayarrack began, “the livestock and the shepherds, the sun and the soil and water. Thank you for this meal.”
“Thank you for the meal,” everyone repeated except for Shaden and the boy in front of him. He’d say it next time, but he wondered why the kid had stayed silent. He looked distracted.
Keyga, he remembered. The boy who was one year older than him. He was the same age as Eilae, but this one felt a lot more like a normal child.
Shaden didn’t talk much during the meal. He simply ate the things in front of him while the others asked each other to pass the plates. It was unlike any other meal he’d had—filled with talking and gesturing—a little unorderly for his standards, but nice, nevertheless. The meal felt alive. He listened.
“The shipment of new beasts—”
“There are orders from the north—”
“Oh, Skotos was cool. There was this—”
“Your cat is rubbing my legs again—”
It made him feel happy. He didn’t know why. But the mood seemed to infect him.
That is, until someone bashed their hand against the table, loudly. The whole place went silent.
“What is it, sister?” Mayarrack said, looking at the old woman.
“He is an outsider!” The woman screamed, her voice echoing across the air. This time, Shaden flinched.
“Sister. We’ve talked through this before. I’m sure you remember Granor.”
“That—pale butcher!”
Shaden saw everyone flinch.
She was talking about his grandfather.
“He refused to sit with us, always eating alone,” she went on, her voice louder than ever. “The new boy might sit there, but he refuses to converse! What is family if you will not speak?”
She was glaring at him now, if old women could glare—and she managed to make the blood rush into his cheeks. He’d done nothing wrong.
He looked at Mayarrack, who was frowning deeply. The others were staring at their plates.
“He is a guest, but unaware of our customs. If anything, we should be the ones to speak to him. Eshel has been doing a wonderful job. But sister, every man needs time to adapt. Is that not how we bond with the beasts?”
The lady closed her mouth. With a great humph, she began eating again.
“About the new casks of wine—” she began speaking again, and the others took it as the cue to continue the conversations that had been cut off. Eshel leaned towards him.
“Yeah, Auntie is...uncontrollable,” she whispered with a pained look. “I don’t know how Father manages. Just don’t take her too seriously, yes? She is the most stubborn person I know, but she cares for her family.
Her family. The outburst just now had shown him that he probably wasn’t included.
It was funny, because after the meal, everyone came to apologize to him—excluding the boy and the people he didn’t know. It was almost as if they were trying to be on his good side. Well...he didn’t want to be feared, so he just nodded.
“Thank you,” Shaden said when Mayarrack came to him. “Does she dislike my grandfather that much?”
“He killed some animals she considered precious,” he replied, “and even after all these years, the grudge hasn’t been resolved. Please forgive her,” he said, bowing his head. “She is stuck on her beliefs.”
“Please, don’t do that,” Shaden pleaded, waving his hands. “I’m just a child.”
“No. Even small dislikes can become curses if unresolved. I do not want you to hate my sister, nor do I want her to hate you.”
“I understand.” He couldn’t hate someone who was his grandmother’s age. “I won’t.”
“Thank you.”
The old man left, his robes flowing behind him. Shaden couldn’t help but look at his back with respect. A kind old man with words of wisdom was someone he wanted to learn from.
There were bad things, and there were good things. Shrugging, Shaden returned to his room.
There were lamps, but he didn’t bother turning them on since he could light the room himself. He read the tome late into the night. Something clicked with every page, and he could feel the presence growing more definite within himself.
Would it ever speak to him? He wished it would.
Before he knew it, he’d finished reading the book. It was past midnight, and he yawned. But before he went to sleep, he wanted to see the starry sky.
It was beautiful as the first time he’d seen it. Constellations he didn’t know of were painted across the sky accompanied by the silver crescent that hung in the sky.
He breathed in deeply. He was already getting used to the smell.
“Taming magic, huh?”
He knew the basics now, but trying it out would be a different matter. He’d ask one of the people tomorrow. Now was time to sleep.
Before he returned to his tent, he felt something in the air. He turned around. There wasn’t anything. Except—
“Eesh, mosquitoes.”
He was glad he had protection magic.
Shaden went inside and fell asleep.