“Easy, Uncle, don’t move too much.”
Perry snatched the spoon from Ellis’ hand and brought it toward his mouth.
“I won’t have you feeding me like a child,” he pouted. “I can do it myself.”
Ellis leaned back on his arms and watched in amusement. Perry stretched himself carefully, trying to reach into the bowl without moving the rest of his body. He managed, with minimal wincing, to scoop up a tiny amount of soup. But as Perry brought the spoon up to his mouth, several drops spilled onto the blanket that covered his body.
“Mhm. It’s not bad.”
Ellis laughed.
“What!?”
“It’s nothin’.”
Satisfied, Ellis stood up from the ground and shook the dirt off his pants as he stretched. He then pressed his hands into his lower back and looked up into the sky. The sun was nearly set and the stars were beginning to show.
“Ellis?”
“I am going to go see if they need any help,” he answered. “If she wakes up, just call for us.”
Ellis waved Perry goodbye as he jogged down the hill toward the others.
Perry remained propped up against a tree which stood atop the side of a hillock overlooking the field lands. Next to him, Ingrid was sound asleep. Lyusya had done as much as she could before the fight was over. After some rest, Telhari had used magic of his own and bandaged Ingrid’s wounds. As for Perry, his leg had been immobilized and he was told to keep off of it; though, even if his leg had not been broken, he would likely have done so anyway. The side effect of Telhari’s spell, which previously had heightened his strength and senses, caused a grave strain his body. Truth be told, it was much more than simple fatigue. Every muscle and tendon felt as if it was on fire. Every joint was throbbing and sore. And on top of it all, even simple tasks such as lifting a limb or taking a breath felt incredibly arduous. Perry’s body and mind had become so used to the feeling of strength and quickness that to return to normalcy felt like torture.
Perry felt his neck begin to throb as he continued trying to drink the soup. He let out a sigh and relaxed his neck. His head plopped against the tree bark and he tried to ease himself further. Perry took a few deep breaths and looked out onto the horizon. A great crooked shadow was looming at the bottom of the hillock. Several smaller figures moved back and forth as the glow of a fire suddenly became visible.
Mary stared wide eyed as a flash of red sparks appeared over the kindling and ignited suddenly into a full flame.
“That’s amazing!”
Lyusya exhaled softly and withdrew the tip of her staff from the fire pit.
“It is nothing special, truly,” she said bashfully.
“Honest! You saved us so much time by doing that.”
“Good to have her around,” Albert said as he threw in the remaining kindling.
Mary looked around her at four other fires that had been lit around the perimeter of their makeshift campsite. Lyusya followed Mary’s eyes around the area but settled instead on the body of the dragon which lay splayed out several yards away.
“My magic is but a trifle,” she said with a soft smile. “After today, I can say that I have truly witnessed something worthy of legend.”
“Talking about me?” Ellis said with a sarcastic tone as he jogged into the campsite.
Mary rolled her eyes.
“Yeah,” she said as she scooped up a rock and threw it at him. “Your legendary complaining.”
Ellis gave her a side eye.
Albert put his hands on his hips and gave Ellis a look.
“What took you so long, kid?”
“Uncle Perry needed help—”
“Don’t worry about it,” Mary said as she raised her hand to him, “Lyusya did all the work anyway.”
“Come on you two,” Lyusya sighed. “Let us enjoy the fact that we are all still alive.”
At least that they could agree on.
Ellis, Mary and Albert walked over to the newly lit campfire and plopped down next to it. Ellis took his gloves off and held his hands up to the flame.
“Ahh, this feels good.” Then, he looked around at the other fires that had been lit. “How’d you do this so quick?”
“She used magic,” Mary chimed in.
“Oh yeah!? Show me!”
“She’s not a performer,” Mary snipped.
“You got to see it so many times!” Then Ellis flashed Mary a devious look. “Will she teach us?”
Mary’s eyes widened and the two of them looked at Lyusya expectantly. She blinked several times at them.
“I…”
They continued to stare with unwavering smiles.
She cleared her throat a few times before responding.
“I am honored, but I feel I would be an inappropriate teacher compared to Telhari.”
Ellis shot air from the corner of his mouth and threw himself onto his back.
“Don’t worry… anyone would be a better magic teacher than him.”
“You must be joking?” Albert blurted out.
Mary tucked her knees to her chest and stoked the fire with a stick.
“Ellis is right,” she added. “Telhari won’t teach us anything.”
Lyusya lowered herself carefully onto the ground and placed her staff beside her.
“If he refuses to teach you, then I am sure there is a reason.”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Ellis poked his head up from the ground and frowned at the figure of Telhari in the distance.
“What’s he doin’ anyway?”
“Dunno,” Mary said with a shrug. “He’s been that way for almost an hour now.”
“Its a ritual of some kind.”
The three looked at Lyusya with surprise.
“A ritual? How do you know?”
She folded her arms in her lap and continued to watch the dancing flames.
“I do not know its purpose, but I can feel the magic.”
Ellis peered through the glow of the fire and tried to focus on Telhari. He stood there, facing the dragon’s corpse; in his hands he held his sword with the broad side facing the dragon. Then Ellis began to feel the familiar sensations he had felt so many times before. Lyusya was right. It was incredibly subtle, but it was there.
Mary flipped over a log and rolled it toward the center of the pit.
“Say, Lyusya” she asked, “Why do some people do magic differently? Telhari has his way of doin’ it. But the dragon was completely different. And then there was this man from Edge who made fire just by whistling.”
Ellis shot up to a sitting position.
“You’re right…its always something different. And now Lyusya makes magic with her walking stick.”
Lyusya side-eyed him.
“This is a staff.”
“What’s the difference?”
“It’s complicated,” she began, “There are many different ways that people utilize what we call magic. For me, this staff enables me to cast certain spells. Telhari, I am sure, has his own way, as did the dragon. As for the man you mentioned, he was likely trained in the Aurellian Bardic tradition.”
They looked at her with a blank stare.
“It is a sect of south-eastern magic that utilizes music and sound to manifest spell-work.”
“So then how does yours work?” Mary asked.
Lyusya held up her staff and examined it by fire light.
“This staff was made many years ago by an unknown craftsman. I cannot say how old it truly is, but it is, without a doubt, powerfully imbued with magic. For some reason, I am able to influence these enchantments. And, after much training, I can coax the magic within to create the spells that you have seen.”
Mary reached out greedily.
“So if I take it, I can use magic!?”
“Not quite.”
Mary deflated.
“Oh…”
Ellis looked confusedly between them both.
“Why not?”
“Magical objects such as these can be quite fickle. Some even say they have a mind of their own. Not just anyone can assuage an enchanted object to their will. And even if one could, one would need to practice to make use of it.”
Lyusya eyed the two of them. They both sat slumped and staring at the flame, dejected by her words.
“However,” she added quickly, “That is not to say that you will never be able to use magic.”
Mary perked up immediately.
“Really!?
Lyusya smiled kindly.
“Yes. There are many schools of magic from which to choose. Not everyone will have the apt for it, but there is nothing to stop you from trying.”
“Yes!”
Mary jumped up to her feet and punched at the air.
Suddenly, there came a soft glow from in the distance. The group stood up and gazed toward the dragon’s corpse. Swirling wisps of green light surrounded the dragon’s body and settled atop it like vapor. Then, as quickly as it had come, the glowing mist evaporated and was gone.
Then, without warning, Telhari lowered his sword and stabbed it into the dragon’s body.
Startled by this sudden act, the four of them ran over to him.
“What are you doing!?” Ellis shouted.
Telhari lowered his arm and peered over his shoulder.
“Hmm?”
“Why are you cutting it?” Mary asked.
Telhari withdrew his blade from the dragon’s chest and turned to face them.
“I am cutting out its heart.”
They blinked at him.
He started back.
“Is that all?” he asked.
“Why are you cutting out its heart!?” Ellis blurted out.
“Ah,” Telhari said as some awareness came to him, “Of course you do not know.” He turned from them and began cutting into the dragon again. “Gal Kash’Uzim tradition dictates that the victor devours the heart of fallen. It is a custom of honor.”
Mary covered her mouth as Telhari severed through the cartilage of the dragon’s ribcage.
“Is…is that really honorable?” she asked.
Telhari nodded.
“Yes. It is a sign of both an honorable death and of respect for dragon-kin.”
“A-are you gonna eat the whole heart?” Ellis asked.
Telhari twisted his blade to break free the dragon’s ribs from its sternum.
Snap!
“Well, in some traditions, it is customary to consume the loser entirely.”
“Why?” Mary asked with a squeamish look.
“Dragon kind often believe they are the pinnacle of all living creatures, made in the image of their creators— destined to rule over land, sea and sky. To waste their flesh would be akin to squandering a divine gift. It is unacceptable.”
Lyusya stepped back as fluid gushed out of the corpse and onto the ground. Telhari continued to cut.
“But… you don’t plan on actually…?”
“No,” Telhari answered flatly.
“But I don’t understand?” Ellis asked. “Why are you trying to do right by this thing? After all the people that it killed?”
Telhari ran his blade carefully along the dragon’s exposed viscera, cutting away each layer, little by little.
“It is not so easy to explain…”
Ellis frowned.
“Well why not?”
Telhari stopped cutting.
“Do you know what Thrice-born means?”
Ellis and Mary shared a look.
“No.”
Telhari paused a moment to think, then began cutting once again as he spoke.
“The legends say that when the world was first made, three beings also came into existence: there were the Darazak, or dragons as human language calls them; then were born beings of immense physical power known as Titans; and finally there came the Elfkin. Their duty was to help build this world as we know it— the oceans, the mountains, the rivers and forests, and everything that dwells therein. And in return, each of them would be given dominion over those lands which they had created.”
As Telhari finished speaking, he withdrew his blade and peered into the flesh of his foe. A massive, bloodied lump of muscle was tucked between two lungs. Four large vessels jutted off from the chambers of its heart and sprouted into numerous smaller arteries that wormed their way throughout its layering muscle. Telhari brought his blade up to the largest vessel and cut.
“Though the history thereafter is quite contested,” Telhari continued, “One fact remains undeniable.”
Telhari slid the tip of his blade through the last vessel and then placed his sword in the grass. He stole a final glance at the corpse before him.
An enemy to be sure, but a magnificent creature nonetheless.
“There is a connection that we share,” he said, finally, as he took off his gloves. “One of respect and admiration that is deeper than any blood bond. A special kind of kinship.” Telhari placed his hand on the dragon’s hide and felt the rugged texture of its tar black scales. “The world, as it was made for our kind and within which we grew and thrived, is nearly gone. We are relics. Near forgotten things.”
“So you feel sorry for it?” Ellis laughed.
“You may think differently from your position, and I cannot fault you for that sentiment. But even so…we share the same plight. The titans have gone extinct. My people dwindle in seclusion. And now, the Darazak young die in their nests before they take their first breaths.” Telhari’s eyes softened. “To live within a world where you no longer have a place to belong…is quite a cruel fate.”
Ellis wanted to protest, but he couldn’t help himself from considering Telhari’s words.
“I-I still wont forgive it.”
Telhari smiled at him.
Ellis waited for some kind of response or interjection but none came. Instead, Telhari slipped his fingers behind the dragon’s heart and loosened it carefully.
“Are you at least gonna cook it first?” Mary asked.
Telhari looked at her with a raised eyebrow and shook his head. Then, he brought the organ to his mouth, opened wide and bit down.