Acarad woke in the clearing underneath a blanket of stars. He shook his head and slowly sat up. He brushed his hair away from his eyes and surveyed the clearing. Brooke, Wanda, and Endrah still lay sleeping around the cold fire pit. They were all wearing matching clothes, which Acarad recognized as Drifter’s uniforms. An unfamiliar magic still hovered in the air, so thick that Acarad sneezed. He heard something rustle in the bushes behind him, and slowly turned to look. A large doe stood half in the brush, and half out of it. Acarad offered her his hand, not meeting her gaze. The doe reached out and touched her nose to his hand for a brief moment. As she moved away, Acarad slowly rose to his knees and reached out to Endrah. He touched the sprite’s shoulder and Endrah’s eyes flew open. He sat up quickly, spooking the doe. She leapt into the brush as Endrah’s wings flared open.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Acarad said. “I just meant to wake you.”
“It’s fine,” Endrah said. He folded his wings close to his back and looked down at the Drifter’s uniform he wore. “Where did this come from?”
“It’s Drifter’s uniform,” Acarad answered. “The Elementals probably put it on us.”
“How long do you think we’ve been asleep,” Endrah asked.
“Based on the stars,” Acarad paused, looking to the sky. “I would say three days and nights.”
“My mother is going to peel my hide off with a spoon when she sees me,” Endrah gathered some of his hair in one hand and played with it. “I didn’t finish making my deliveries before the storm hit and now I don’t know where I am.”
“Do you know any trade routes in Glade or Shay,” Acarad asked.
“Only high ranking merchants are allowed to go to human lands for trade,” Endrah shook his head. “And even if my family were so high ranking, trade between us and humans takes place every thirty years. The last time was a year after I was born. I had never left Aviary before the storm.”
“Then we could find another way,” Acarad said. “In my workshop at home, I have finding spells. We could use one to get you home.”
“You already know human magic,” Endrah asked.
“Yes,” Acarad answered. “The previous Earth Drifter tested me for magic when I was five years old. She sent me to learn with a master before she left Glade. I am the youngest Wizard to be fully recognized in the last hundred years.”
“How does a finding spell work,” Endrah asked.
“If I had the proper tools and herbs I would show you,” Acarad sighed. “But Once I burn the proper herbs and use the verbal spell summons, I hold what I am looking for in my mind. If I were looking for a person I would be drawn to them. If I were looking for an object it would come to me.”
“What does using magic feel like for you,” Endrah asked.
“It feels like something is holding me, and I am holding it,” Acarad said. “When I use it, I feel like it is both stretching me and my senses. I have this…” Acarad licked his lips, struggling for the words. “I feel this need to reach further out as I go through normal actions.”
“Like if you reach just a bit further down,” Endrah’s wings slowly unfolded. “You will find what the magic is leading you to, and what you are leading it to?”
“Exactly,” Acarad smiled. “And that release that comes with the end of a spell, feels like…”
“Like you’re flying,” Endrah asked.
“No, I feel like I am home, the happiest that I could be,” Acarad answered. “There are only a few spells that I feel anything but contentment after. Those few are all battle spells.”
“When I do magic, I feel like I am soaring above the clouds,” Endrah looked up to the sky. “I feel like I am weightless, and cradled by First Wind herself. I feel both safe and ready to fall to the ground while the spell builds. Then when it is done, I feel free to ride the winds.”
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“Are you two just going to compare your magic all night,” Brooke groaned. Endrah jumped, wings flaring open again. Brooke sat up and tugged at her uniform. “How do you lad dwellers stand these garments? I feel like I can’t move.”
“We are used to them,” Acrad rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry, I just got a bit carried away with my curiosity.”
“Who wants to wake Wanda,” Brooke asked.
“I will,” Endrah reached out to Wanda, gently tapping her arm. “Wanda, wake up dear.”
“I need a soak,” Brooke stood and began taking her Drifter’s uniform off. “It looks like the creatures around here left us some food.”
“Wanda, wake up little fire,” Endrah shook Wanda’s shoulder and she raised her head just a bit. “We need to eat something.”
“Do you have kids at home,” Acarad asked.
“I have two younger sibs, three nieces, and a nephew,” Acarad answered. “My two older sisters have children and live close to home.”
“None of your own,” Acarad asked.
“I am engaged to a useless waste of air and flesh,” Endrah tugged his hair. “I wouldn’t be able to have children with him if I wanted to right now.”
“Why is the fire out,” Wanda asked. She sat up and rubbed her face.
“We have been asleep for about three days,” Endrah answered. “I will find some kindling.”
“No need,” Wanda said. She thinned her outer shell and touched the cold kindling in the firepit. A small fire leapt to life as she pulled her hand away. “Where is Brooke?”
“She needs to be in the water for a while,” Acarad answered.
“Does anyone else….”Wanda trailed off. “Do either of you feel like you need to be somewhere?”
“What do you mean,” Endrah asked. “Homesickness, duty, or something else?”
“I’m feeling it too,” Acarad said. “It feels like a finding spell is pulling me to someone.”
“Like you’re needed,” Wanda asked. She cocked her head to the side, flame brightening as she moved.
“Exactly,” Acarad answered.
“I heard that Drifters hear calls that others don’t,” Endrah said. “Maybe that’s what you’re feeling.”
“Then we will follow the call,” Acarad said, nodding to himself. “First we need to eat and drink.”
“There is a pile of foraged goods over there,” Endrah pointed to the pile of fruit, nuts, and leaves.
After a few minutes, the three present Drifters began filling their bellies, the only sounds breaking their silence were the crackling of the fire and the sounds of the night. Brooke came from the water carrying six dead fish. Without a word, she handed the fish to Wanda for cooking and took a handful of berries from the pile.
“What are we going to do now,” Endrah asked. “Do we just wait for this Drifter’s call to come to each of us?”
“I suppose so,” Acarad answered.
“What should we do in between our callings then,” Wanda asked. “Do we try to have a normal life between all the callings?”
“I have a kingdom to help rule,” Acarad shook his head.
“I have a family counting on me,” Endrah’s wings fluttered for a moment from the cold.
“I am a royal advisor during Gathering,” Brooke said. “I have duties in the water that I cannot abandon.”
“What should we do,” Wanda asked.
“Faking our deaths would only cause pain and complicate things further,” Acarad said.
“Why is faking your death the first thing to come to your mind,” Endrah asked.
“Humans have a flair for the dramatic,” Brook scoffed.
“I think we should just tell our loved ones,” Endrah said. “If they know, they will be able to offer support and assistance.”
“Not all of us have loved ones who can do that,” Brooke said.
“Why not,” Wanda asked.
“Kyrill are only social during Gathering,” Brooke answered. “We keep to ourselves like sharks do. The only ones we are with for long periods of time are our lifemates.”
“What about your children,” Wanda asked.
“We only watch eggs until they are hard enough to not be threatened,” Brooke answered. “Sibs raise each other after they hatch. Most things are known on instinct, and what isn’t comes as they learn and grow.”
“That seems so cruel,” Wanda said.
“It is simply how our people have done it from the beginning of time,” Brooke replied. “Your people hack off a part of their bodies, put more fire in it, and give it a soul somehow.”
“That is an oversimplification,” Acarad said.
“Flits take a part of the mother’s extra shell, some of her flame, part of the father’s flame, and use fire to bring a child. It is nearly the same as when humans come together, we simply place our little one in a cradle and keep them warm as they grow. Humans can carry their children with them.”
“Women have no choice but to carry the child,” Acarad said. “The child grows inside of her, and comes out when it is time for them to be grown enough to survive. Sometimes they still don’t, or the mother dies, or both live or die.”
“That is what you get for being mammals,” Brooke snorted.
“Sprites also carry, just not as long as humans,” Endrah said. “We cannot fully develop while inside the womb. Our wings forming in the womb could stop the younglings from coming into the world, thus both mother and child die. So, we come into the world after six months and are kept warm in a sauna room with our mother until we finish developing.”
The Drifters continued to talk and eat as the night carried on into day. The feel of Drifting Calls grew in each of them as they talked, until finally, as the sun rose, They each stood. Acarad and Wanda both turned south-west, Endrah northeast, and Brooke due south.