Endrah flew as quickly as he could, the urgency of his Calling dragging him along like a team of oxen. His robes flapped like another pair of wings, and his hair streamed behind him like a gold ribbon. The dragging of the Call suddenly pulled him down to the ground, nearly with a physical hand. Endrah folded his wings and plummeted to the treeline, unfolding his wings again to hover just in time to avoid crashing to the ground. Angry voices argued back and forth just a little further than he could see. Endrah made his way through the plant's growth, careful not to make any excess noise. Through dying tree branches, Endrah saw the origin of the argument he heard.

Goblins are usually a quiet, hardy lot. Their short, green bodies held enough wisdom and fight to fill two humans at the very least. One group of goblins was mostly male, as shown by the horns curling around their ears. The other was entirely female. Their clawed digits were all seemingly ready to carve each others’ large eyes out of their skulls. Eyes as large as those in a horse’s head were wide open in each face. Their gravelly voices all tumbled over each other like rocks in a landslide.

There was no way that Endrah was going to physically get in between the two groups physically. Instead, he tried to shout over their argument. But, his voice was drowned out effortlessly. So, Endrah called to the wind, drawing on the familiar magic in him on purpose, drawing the new, strange magic on accident. He used a small windfunnell to project his voice into each of their ears. Instead, it came out as though he were speaking to an army.

“I cannot help if you do not quiet down,” Endrah’s voice boomed through the forest, surprising even himself. “Please stop for just a moment.”

The goblins all covered their ears and turned to him. Many of the men growled and made to move close enough to strike a blow.

“Sorry,” Endrah banished the wind funnell. “I didn’t mean to be so loud.”

“What do you want, sprite,” one of the women snapped.

“I was called here to help resolve this situation,” Endrah answered. He knelt down and folded his wings to be on the same level as them. “My Calling was not detailed enough though. What are you arguing over?”

“What would you care,” A man hissed. “Your people just care about the pretty things we carve.”

“Not all of us sir,” Endrah said. “I was a merchant before the position I hold now. I adore your magnificent clay works and work benches. The detail is so intricate I can do nothing but marvel at it. Your people’s culture is so different from mine that I simply do not know how to properly ask any questions.” Endrah toyed with his hair again. “But that could be a conversation for a later time. What lies before us now is more important than answering my curiosity.”

“These men refuse to tear down the dead trees,” one of the women snarled.

“You women don’t see that the trees aren’t all dead,” another man snapped.

“Perhaps I could help,” Endrah said. “I see that for most of the trees, the limbs are all that has passed on. If we work quickly together, we should be able to clear away what is dead to make room for the living.”

“We can’t reach the branches,” a young female complained.

“I can,” Endrah said. “I could break off branches and set them down on the ground for you to take and pile up for now.”

“What will we do with so much dead wood,” a man grumbled.

“If we are close enough to the mountains,” Endrah said. “We could ask a dragon if they would like the dead wood. They use it for feeding their young.”

“We are a month’s walk from the mountains,” a man said.

“I can fly over if you point me in the proper direction,” Endrah smiled and began braiding his hair. “If you would rather, we could also use the dead wood for burning.”

“We have too much good wood to burn,” a woman said. “You go to the dragons and give it to them. Let’s get started.”

Endrah stood and began his side of the work, pulling dead branches away from the trees. As the sun sailed to the horizon, Endrah and the goblins worked, stripping the dead branches and other dead plants from their living brethren. Endrah fell into a trance, pulling, breaking, and setting branches down. Before he knew it, there were no dead branches left to break and pull. He bent down to begin helping pull dead plants and living weeds from their grip on the good land. The full moon rose to give him light even as the goblins began drifting to sleep in their camp. The moon was about half way across the horizon before one of the goblins realized Endrah was still working. She grabbed him by the arm and physically had to pull him away from the task.

“I am not done yet,” Endrah said.

“You need to sleep, or you will not be able to keep your promise,” the woman said. “I never thought a sprite would be willing to work so hard.”

“My mother and father raised me properly,” Endrah said. He knelt down just outside of the ring of sleeping goblins. He fiddled with his braid for a few moments before continuing. “I was taught that any time spent still is time ill spent.”

“Sometimes, one needs to be still,” the woman said. “Being still is the only time that you can heal, rest, and see the work you have done.”

“Thank you,” Endrah said. He slowly laid down, careful to fold his wings close.

Dawn came far too early for Endrah’s sore wings and arms, but he set himself back to work. By noon, the dead plants and branches were all organized into different piles. Endrah stretched his wings out and shook them, preparing for the flight.

“It should only take me until sundown to get to the mountains,” Endrah sighed and tied his hair back again. “If I find a dragon before respectable flight hours are gone, we could be back here again by just after dawn.”

“Rest and eat first sprite,” one of the men said. “No one should journey on an empty stomach.”

“Eat with us young man,” an old woman said. “We have plenty to share.”

Endrah nodded and sat down to join the goblins in their meal. He tried to hide how hungry he was, but one of the women, this one with a child clinging to her back, kept giving him that look all mothers do. The look that she gave him reminded him of his own mother, and he let her pile more stuffed mushrooms and fruit on his plate. After having his fill, Endrah couldn’t help laying down in the shade and sleeping again. When he woke, the sun looked to be bleeding with the dusk. A young goblin sat grumbling to herself just a few feet away. Endrah was careful not to scare her as he sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“You’re awake,” the girl squeaked. She hopped to her feet and started tugging at his robes. “Mamma said to bring you over when you woke up.”

“Why didn’t anyone wake me,” Endrah asked.

“Nanna Kial said you were awake until she pulled you to the camp last night,” the girl said. “She said you were one of the first to wake and get back to work too. She told everyone to let you sleep.”

“I will have to thank her then,” Endrah said. He slowly stretched his wings out as the girl scampered ahead. He stood and followed her as quickly as he dared on heavy legs. When he came to the clearing again, there was someone new with the goblins.

“I have never seen a purple dragon before,” the girl said.

A female dragon with purple scales and light yellow tail spikes and nose horns lay curled up in the clearing. Her long neck was laid on the ground and her head was just high enough off the ground that a young goblin could crawl under her chin. Her wings were folded tightly on her back, and her tail was tucked under her legs.

“How did I sleep through a dragon landing,” Endrah whispered to himself.

“That question is easily answered youngling,” the dragon said. Her Mind Voice tickled the edge of his mind like a feather. “A minor Elemental told me of your Calling to these goblins. They said that you and your companions here had no use for the dead wood and plants.”

“But how would a minor Elemental know,” Endrah asked.

“You are connected to all the minor Elementals now youngling,” the dragon said. “You are the Air Drifter now.”

“Ah, you are awake,” the female goblin from the night before came up to Endrah. “You slept rather heavily. You must have needed it.”

“He is freshly bonded to the magic that makes him the Air Drifter,” the dragon said. “I would say he has not held the bond for a week just yet.”

“Only five days,” Endrah began trying to untangle his hair. “This is my first Calling.”

“I can see something within you Air Drifter,” the dragon raised her head just enough to look Endrah in the eyes. “You feel a different calling, the sort all younglings feel when they first leave the nest.”

“Homesick then sprite,” Nanna Kial said. She shook her head. “I suppose that the storm last week is what dragged you so far from home.”

“Yes ma’am,” Endrah nodded and tugged at his hair.

“I will send word to your clan that you are safe,” the dragon said. “I need only your name and your family’s name.”

“I am Endrah Feyborn,” Endrah answered. “My family lives in the southwest portion of Aviary.”

“I have met your kin before then,” the dragon said.

“How,” Endrah asked.

“I met a young sprite named Alac Feyborn many years ago,” she chuckled. “That youngling was set on being as fast as a dragon one day.”

“Then you are Tamarah,” Endrah asked.

“Yes I am,” the dragon, Tamarah, answered.

“Would you mind taking word to my family,” Endrah asked.

“Of course not Endrah,” Tamarah said. “You need not worry.”

“Thank you,” Endrah said.

“When you come home is up to the First Wind,” Tamarah sighed. “Otherwise I would carry you to your family now.”

“I thank you just the same for the sentiment,” Endrah smiled.

“Ask your magic to draw you to Current,” Nanna Kial said. “There you will be able to meet up with the other Drifters. Be careful, the magic will simply pick you up and drop you there.”

“I don’t know the new magic well enough,” Endrah said.

“It is the First Wind’s power you draw on. Reach out to Her and you will find Current,” Tamarah said.

Endrah nodded and did as told. He felt both heavy and light as the magic moved him.

~

“All I get is fixing up a cabin,” Brook muttered under her breath. She threw another chunk of wood out of the cabin window closest to her. “I couldn’t have gotten a call to the ocean? Or just to a river?” She threw more wood out the window, “How much did the previous Drifters think they would need?”

The cabin she worked in was small, only one level, just enough rooms for the Drifters and a few guests. She muttered as she went through the main common room. Things that belonged to the previous Drifters were arranged neatly in the center of the room, just as Brooke had found them. She was careful not to knock anything over or break anything. She had thrown enough wood to keep the cabin warm through autumn and winter out the window already. A blanket still covered most things in the room, but it was her last one. The other rooms were ready for the new Drifters. The kitchen needed stocking but that could wait until she was done cleaning. Brooke had decided to hang her uniform on a coat rack in the room she wanted to claim. Her scaly, hairless head would have shone with sweat if she could sweat. Her gray scales were freshly wet from her most recent soak.

“You know, some of you could help if you have had enough entertainment,” Brooke called. “Don’t think that just because I can’t see you that I can’t hear you.”

Minor Elementals giggled from behind the curtains and set themselves to task, whisking the dust away. These little breezes had probably been more drawn to the previous Air Drifter. Brooke rolled her eyes as one of them wove its way between her legs to sweep up wood chips. Another beat itself against the sparse furniture in the cabin, raising more dust into the air.

“At this rate I am going to need to soak before the hour is up,” Brooke grumbled. She picked up another piece of wood and turned it over in her hands. “I wonder if this is going to happen when I pass on. I hope that all of this dust and wood is just from friends of yours trying to be helpful.”

The Elementals giggled and sighed as they worked with her. A smaller minor earth Elemental rolled its way into the room, chuckling as it dragged more dirt in. Brooke picked it up and tossed it out the window with a sigh.

“Go tell your friend there that the dirt needs to stay outside,” Brooke said.

“Well I think it would be wise for you to tell them yourself,” Endrah chuckled. “You seem to be good at it.”

Brooke nearly jumped out of her scales as she whirled around. She crossed her arms over her flat chest and tapped her foot on the floor.

“You look like you want me to tell you something,” Endrah said. He stretched his wings out and took his robe off.

“How did you get here,” Brooke asked.

“I used magic,” Endrah answered. “The new magic that we have tying us to our Elementals can move us apparently.”

“And none of you told me this,” Brooke scolded the minor Elementals.

“A dragon told me,” Endrah shrugged as he folded his robe neatly. “How long have you been here?”

“Since an hour and a half after we parted ways,” Brooke said. “I have spent the last two days cleaning this cabin for us because apparently that is so important that I had to do it before I went back to the water.” She kicked one of the rocking chairs. “And you would not believe how filthy this place was when I came in.”

“I see enough wood to last a really hard winter sitting in front of the cabin,” Endrah said. “Perhaps one or more of the Drifters before us worked with wood.”

“But that much wood is excessive,” Brooke picked up and tossed another block of wood out the window. “By the way, we need windows.”

“I know someone I can barter with for good glass,” Endrah said.

“I could hardly walk in here an hour ago without stepping on glass,” Brooke muttered. “Are you going to help or not?”

“What do you want me to do,” Endrah asked.

“Grab a broom and sweep the halls again,” Brooke answered. “The little ball is cute but not helpful.”

Endrah smiled and nodded before setting himself to task. On into the night they worked, setting the trinkets and other items that the previous Drifters had owned into the ever-growing pile, sweeping, and scrubbing at stains. They chose to eat fish and berries for dinner once again before turning in for the night.

They were joined by Wanda and Acarad a few days later. Both the worse for wear after the journey. After a few day’s rest, the four of them reached out with their magic, calling to minor Elementals. They spread the word of the previous Drifters’ deaths to their loved ones and opened the cabin to their loved ones. Each Drifter met with the families of their predecessors, offering condolences and apologies for not sending word sooner.