[https://i.imgur.com/VGCFMQy.png]

Refenial's head pounded from listening to the hours of arguing. Nox's constant yelling and Helus's constant smile felt indelibly branded into his mind as he stepped out of the coach onto the snow. They were in rough scrubby land. It had too many bushes and trees to be considered empty but not enough for Refenial to feel the discomfort he did when encountering a forest.

Matrill was already hard at work with his son setting up a campfire to cook for the evening amongst the bustle of the trade caravan.

Refenial saw Nia a little way away and walked over to her.

She gave him a tired glance. "I thought this trip would be fun, but my bum aches from sitting on that bench all day, and if I have to put up with any more arguing, I going to end up killing someone." She grumped.

Refenial grimaced in reluctant agreement.

"I did say I'd show you how to enchant," she said with a complete lack of enthusiasm.

"I need to get stronger," Refenial said, determined despite not feeling at his best.

"We should do this away from the camp, no one would probably know what we're doing, but I don't trust that priest guy. From what Nox said before, if he works out you're titled, it could cause problems. If we head out of the camp, Nox can watch out for monsters while I show you what to do."

They found Nox and walked a little away from the caravaneers until they were out of sight.

"Thanks for helping. Do you want to borrow my dagger?" Refenial asked Nox.

Nox shook his head. "No thanks, I'm a ghoul. Like I told you guys before, it does have its advantages. Any monsters that try to attack, I should have no problem with."

"Oh yeah, I don't think I've ever asked you what you can do as a ghoul?"

Before Nox could Reply, Nia spoke, "It's getting cold, and It'll be dark soon. Can you guys talk later?"

"Sorry Nia, please show me your magic."

Nia took her wand and held it in her hand. "Open your soul's eyes. It'll be easier to explain if you can see what I'm doing."

Refenial obliged and saw the particles of mana gently floating like languid fireflies all around them as they stood facing each other, Nox a few steps away, keeping an eye out for monsters.

Nia spoke, "The first and most important part of enchanting is intent. Without clear intent, nothing will happen."

She lifted her wand forwards to show Refenial. "Take this wand as an example. I wanted a weapon that would shoot a fast magical attack that dealt kinetic damage when it hit a target. So I needed to decide on how every aspect of that would work and have a firm visualisation of it in my mind. All of it! From how fast it can fire to the shape of the magical energy as it flies through the air, even precisely how the wand itself looks."

She paused for emphasis. "Every aspect needed to be absolutely clear in my mind. The less certain you are, the harder it is to enchant."

Refenial nodded as he listened.

"Once I have that visualisation, I then gently focus that image onto the wand using my soul and wait. Mana motes will eventually collide with the object you are visualising on, and depending on how effectively you are visualising, a small amount or maybe the entire mote will be absorbed into the object."

She looked down at the wand ruefully. "If you do this once, nothing will happen. But if you repeat this hundreds or maybe thousands of times, eventually, the item will be enchanted."

"So once it's enchanted, you can use it whenever you want?"

"Yes, sort of. To use it, you must visualise the enchantment as fully as you would when enchanting. As long as that visualisation is in your mind, you can use the item as you envisioned. There's more to enchanting than that, but that's the basic idea."

"How do I practice this?"

Nia smiled and pointed at the coin pouch she knew Refenial kept around his neck. "Take one of your coins out, one you can keep out."

He reached in and pulled out a small copper coin, which he vaguely remembered was called a 'beggar's treat' and held it in his hand.

"Now look at it carefully. Examine every nook and cranny, scratch and mark. You need to be able to visualise every inch of that coin. It'll probably take you a few days to remember it well enough, especially for the first time."

Refenial looked at the coin, feeling this wasn't that hard. He closed his eyes, trying to visualise it, then looked back again, realising his mental image didn't contain all the nuances and intricacies of the coin. This was harder than he'd assumed.

As he continued to study the coin, there was a rustling sound in a nearby bush. Refenial looked over. Just as a tiny squirrel monster shot out of the bush, launching itself at him.

Refenial, taken by surprise, flinched. He needn't have, though. Nox's arm shot out with inhuman speed catching the squirrel monster mid-flight. Nox then squeezed down, breaking the monster's neck. He let it go and stomped on it, with the sound of cracking bones, to ensure it was put out of its suffering.

Nox looked back up and glanced between Refenial and Nia, who were both staring at him. "Ghoul, remember." He said as an explanation.

"So being a ghoul makes you move faster?" Refenial asked.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Nox smiled slightly. "Move faster, stronger, heal faster, able to see in the dark, and uh..." he paused a little uncertainly. "Able to sense dead bodies at a distance."

[https://i.imgur.com/oMrGBK6.png]

The trio headed back to the camp and its warm campfire, Refenial translating Nox's explanation as they went.

Matrill was cooking over the fire when they returned. A man was sat eagerly watching Matrill as he worked. After a moment, Refenial recognised the man from his hat and bushy beard. It was the man who'd been asleep in the coach. Even Nox and Helus's constant arguing seemed to have done nothing to disturb his sleep.

As the trio sat on a bench before the fire, the man gave them a polite nod of greeting before turning his eyes back to the food being cooked.

The other passenger on their trip, the man with greasy brown hair and a disgusted look seemingly permanently etched on his face, came over and sat by the fire.

He smiled at his fellow passengers, but his expression looked hollow. "Good, Helus isn't here. we might get a moment of peace." The man said bitterly to those around the fire.

As if summoned by those words, Helus appeared out of the growing gloom and walked over to the fire, raising his hands out to warm them. "Ahh." He said, taking in the fire's warmth.

The disgusted man gave a disappointed look.

Helus looked around, and Refenial saw his eyes lock with Nox's. He knew if he didn't do anything, the arguing between them would start up again.

"Uh... what are you cooking Matrill?" he asked in a desperate bid to divert the debate before it began.

The grizzled man looked up. "Beef stew, I've got fresh bread and butter to go with it."

The bearded man let out a contented little sigh at Matrill's words.

Helus opened his mouth to speak, seemingly not put off his potential discussion with Nox by the question.

Refenial looked at the bearded man and the disgusted man. "I don't think we've actually talked. I'm Refenial. Who are you two?"

"Iln." The disgusted man said.

"Oh me, I'm Talot, the plumber." The bearded man said with a smile that revealed several missing teeth.

"It's ready," Matrill said and began serving the food. As everyone tucked in, the food was good enough to maintain the group's silence, much to Refenial's relief.

Once everyone had eaten Matrill showed them their tents, each was a single-person canvas tent made comfortable with thick furs and blankets. They were also each given fire-heated stones wrapped in cloths that would provide much-needed warmth on the cold winter's night.

Before bed, Nia, was keen to practice Frullian with Refenial, though he was unsure of the phrase she was so eager for him to teach her.

[https://i.imgur.com/oMrGBK6.png]

The next morning as everyone sat in the coach and it began to trundle along in the cold morning air, Helus spoke, "So, Nox, you've had an evening to consider my words. Perhaps your position on the Systemic Order has improved, at least a little?"

"That's never going to happen. You're the worst thing to ever happen to Frull. There have been plagues that were more pleasant than your Order." Nox snapped back, his voice already approaching a yell.

Nia calmly pulled out her dagger, causing both men to turn to look across at her in surprise.

She smiled at both of them with a dangerous sweetness and spoke in halting Frullian the words she'd asked Refenial to teach her last night. "If you don't shut up, I'm going to start stabbing."

Both men sat back silently. Talot, the plumber, who Refenial had assumed was asleep since his hat was already laid across his face, chuckled slightly.

[https://i.imgur.com/oMrGBK6.png]

The next few days passed much more smoothly. Refenial alternated his time between studying the music book and looking at the coin during the boring days of the coach trip. He practised the whistle most evenings away from camp. He also helped Nia with learning the language, though she ended up using her new phrase twice more when Helus and Nox forgot her earlier threat and began arguing again.

It was mid-afternoon when the caravan stopped. Refenial was busy studying his coin memorising every aspect of it.

Nox looked out of the window. "Seems a bit early if we're stopping for the day."

The coach sat there unmoving for several more minutes before Matrill came and opened the door of the coach. He gave the passengers a sombre look. "We have a problem."

"What?" Refenial asked.

"We were due to stop in a village tonight called Newfield. It's just over there." Matrill said, pointing towards a wooden wall very similar to the one that had been around his and Obit's village.

Matrill continued, "The problem is, the village looks abandoned. The gates are wide open, and no one is guarding them. No one has gone in yet, but we can't see any movement inside. So the caravan is looking for volunteers to go and work out what's happening. We need to know if it's safer to stay the night inside or outside the walls."

Refenial thought of how similar the village walls looked to the one he'd lived in. He wondered if people like Alton, Maxit, and Obit lived there. The thought that something could have happened to people like that set waves of nervous energy washing through his stomach.

"I'll go." He said matter-of-factly.

Matrill gave him a warm smile "Lad, while I'm happy to see such a brave young lad. I don't think it's appropriate for adults to be sending a child into a dangerous unknown situation."

Refenial didn't want to give away that he was Titled, not with Helus near, but he didn't want to sit here doing nothing. "I'm tougher than I look. I can take care of myself."

Matrill gave him a long, considering look. "You might be right, but I'm still going to say no."

"I'll go." Nox and Helus said in unison before exchanging glances, Helus's a wide grin, Nox's a scowl.

"I'll explain to Nia. She might want to go." Refenial said.

Matrill shook his head. "I'm sure she's capable, but we need clear communication, and if you're the only one she can talk to, it's better she stays here with you.

Refenial sat there feeling frustrated as Helus and Nox left the coach.

He turned to Nia, explaining the situation.

She gave an annoyed look. "I hate being told what I can or can't do. Let's go." She said, standing.

"But they said we couldn't go with them," Refenial said uncertainly.

Nia laughed as she stepped out of the coach Refenial following behind. "Sweet Reffy, people say many things. If what people tell you to do mattered, I'd still be at home diligently studying with my Grandfather."

[https://i.imgur.com/oMrGBK6.png]

Once out of the coach, they saw a small group of eight people, including Matrill, Nox and Helus, slowly walking towards the village walls.

They jogged to catch up with the group. "We don't need a kid and a darkling tagging along too." One of the men in the group that Refenial vaguely recognised as a wine merchant's guard said as they approached.

Matrill turned to the man. "They're my paying customers, you'll talk to them with respect, or we're going to have a problem."

The man shut up.

Matrill turned back to Refenial and Nia, who'd nearly reached the group. "I said to go wait in the coach. This isn't safe."

"No. We're going." Refenial said definitively.

Matrill and Refenial locked gazes for a long moment, two eyes staring into one.

Matrill sighed and turned to Nox. "You're travelling with the boy. Talk some sense into him."

Nox smiled down at Refenial, "Matrill's right. I know you're tough, Refenial, but..."

Nia pointed at the village and then tapped her still-sheathed dagger before repeating her new phrase, "If you don't shut up, I'm going to start stabbing."

Nox hung his head in defeat before turning to Matrill. "Unless we physically lock them in the coach, I don't think we're going to stop them." Nox glanced down at Nia's dagger. "And I'd rather not try that."

Matrill gave Nia and Refenial a cold look. "Fine. But don't do anything stupid, and if any of you die, the blood isn't on my hands."

The group began walking towards the abandoned village.

[https://i.imgur.com/3vZaHAB.png]