South Jaga City, Job Hall – Year 1344, Month 1, Day 8. Spring

I climbed from my bed feeling wrung dry, drained of vitae, missing a few beats, and plain old tired. I had fallen asleep again before the sun rose merrily ignoring my own melancholic mood. That cheery, cheeky, bastard of a fireball.

Now it seemed closer to noon. The sun was still out there, waiting for me. Why could I not have slept until nightfall and hidden in the shadows until the world felt right again. What time was it anyway? I sent a quick thought to the ever-helpful friend in my head or was it somewhere more ephemeral. Bah, who cared for now? Damn the sun! Status Report!

“The local time is 11:43 in the morning. Noon was an apt estimate.” Came the slow and almost humorous reply.

I was right! Still the sun is far too chipper today, wasn’t it supposed to be early spring?!

“Bloody hell,” I muttered, “I am cursing the sun like a right old villain. I must have turned fifty last night, next thing you know I’ll be complaining about old bones and the storm coming in.”

I heard laughter as I finished speaking and whirled about to find a scary mountain looming over a poor innocent table. Sitting next to him was another woman hiding her amusement behind a hand in some pretend attempt at politeness.

“Glad you’re finally awake kid.”

The woman nodded as Doogan greeted me in his own way.

“Rough night. Who let you off your leash?”

“Calm down. I brought Camilla here as a chaperone of sorts. Making sure you do not abuse me somehow.”

The woman, Camilla glared. Was she mute?

I looked at the woman in question. She wore a plain black skirt flowing down to cover her knees, more pale skin colored her solid calf’s flowing down to her ankles in a smooth line. She was sporting the frilly socks I had seen most often worn by the more affluent women of the city. Her hair pulled back in a severe braid, black as midnight with gray eyes centering her face showing a depth of color as they shifted in the light from the window. Straight even brows topped both, though the right one had a tiny sliver of silver where a scar was slowly fading. Her blouse had mid-length sleeves, all black with shiny brass buttons. Her right arm had a three-inch-wide ribbon style wrap that showed a hawk gripping a scroll. All told she resembled a corporate secretary from those seventy-year-old bond films.

“Wait a minute, how would I abuse you?! You deserve it for making me eat rats but when have I ever been anything but professional!?”

Doogan looked both amused and relieved, he was worried about me. Camilla looked confused. I was still curious about the third wheel as I returned my stare to Doogie.

“Calm down. You never complained about the stew, I remember you clearing the entire bowl.” He continued as I kept up my staring, “Camilla is actually here as a favor to me, she is willing to give you a demonstration of a few of her spells and abilities.”

Camilla nodded as Doogan finished speaking as if to confirm his words. I turned my gaze in her direction.

“Magic lessons?!”

She nodded, smiling just a little.

“Now, today?”

Another nod.

I turned to Doogie trying to figure out the game here. He had said a favor to him from Camilla. He keeps insisting I use his master title, and I think that master is a level granted title. But maybe he is a little more important than just a high-level grump.

“Question.”

“Questions, already?” came the reply as Doogan’s eyebrows lifted slightly.

“Did you bring a mute in here to play tricks on me?” I was genuinely convinced she could not speak, she hadn’t yet, and no one had enough control to not talk to me. Right? Maybe not. I had been neglecting to address her specifically, that was it.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“She’s not mute.”

“Not mute, you’re sure?”

“Aye. Not mute.” He responded.

I turned to the mute in question, it was my fault. “Hello Camilla, my name is Olea Munroe. Novice adventurer and all-around awesome person. I don’t mind if you really are a mute, though Master Doogan should have told me beforehand rather than bringing you in here as his pet.”

Doogan sputtered as Camilla’s lips curved up in a smile. I was awesome after all.

“My name is Camilla, no surname.” She said in a right proper Welsch accent. Was it Welsch if Wales was not a place here? Why the mental comparison, I honestly could not tell if we were speaking English right now or not. That thought led to a few more rabbit hole type tangents I would need to discuss with Help-chan.

“Hello, hello! So rude of Doogan not to give us a proper introduction!” his smile slipped just a little at the end.

“Doogan actually told me your name before I came in, he was quite close in his estimation of the time it would take for you expound on… your awesomeness.”

It was my turn to frown; I had been set up. I showed Doogan the glare I normally reserved for rats. He was not showing any signs of it working. Rude. I glared more.

“Now, now. Quit being a pest.” Said Doogan.

“I am not being a pest!”

“You are.” Chimed in Camilla. “Doogan, I think I may have come too soon for this lesson.”

“You think so too?” he said.

“Yes, I believe I will have to stop in after my next trip to Felandross.”

I had no idea where that was, but it sounded like I was being baited. Did they expect me to grovel for magic lessons to beg like some… beggar! Nope.

“Leaving the country,” asked Doogan, “rough travels this early in the season.”

“Orders from the boss,” said Camilla “I am needed to deliver a letter to the guild there, along with the stones for the winter records.”

“Will ye be going over Sathrozen or traveling the rivers?”

Camilla laughed, a tinkling chime of mirth, “By the Twelve Doogan, I am still at expert. My mana would never last over the whole of the wood. I will be going upriver to Tamirtell and then heading through the pass west of there before I reach the gulf.”

“I’m still here.” I said lamely.

“We see that.” Said Doogan, “That will be weeks at least.”

“At least, and that is if I don’t move south instead of returning.” Said Camilla nodding.

I was getting a little frustrated as I was no longer the topic of conversation. What? I am allowed to express vanity. I mean, I do not even think it is a sin in this world. Don’t get me wrong I did not want to turn into some villain that always had to monologue for attention and recognition… Argh, forget it.

“…Forgotten.”

“Tough trip.”

“Yep, so you see I think it could wait some time before we worried about this one’s magical advancement,” Continued Camilla “you said she was what level three? I see no reason lessons cannot wait another month.”

“I suppose so, we can at least show her what she is missing though I think.”

“We could, you think the captain will get mad if I go that way. It is against city ordinances.”

“I’m still here.” I spoke. They were obviously obfuscating on purpose!

“We know.” They said together.

“I guess it can’t be helped, did you want to use the balcony?”

“I believe I will.” She replied.

I followed the rude pair out of the room to the hallway and then out onto the balcony overlooking the rear practice yard. Still curious as to what this was all about.

“It was a pleasure catching up Master.” Said Camilla with a slight bow to the two of us.

“Always happy to see you, Cammy.”

“I’m confused,” I said, “Still nice meeting you though. Were you leaving already, I thought that was a joke…” I really had. Damn these secretive old people. Well older people, Camilla could not have been more than thirty.

“No jokes from me kid.” She said, “I see you have quite a large amount of magical potential, but it is too soon for me to teach you much. I am sure I will be back before you hit level ten even if your advancement festival is soon.”

Advancement festival? That sounds odd. News to me. And level ten, the streets would need to run red with rat blood for that to be a concern. I really needed to find something worth more experience to kill. Did that make me a murder-hobo? Maybe. Oh, I should address my skill point overflow soon. Meh, maybe overflow was not the right word I had not even hit double digits yet.

“So why the balcony?” I asked, “Climbing or jumping down seems like it would be tricky with those clothes.”

“She does have sense. I am glad you pay some attention.” She said, “Master Doogie has told me you have almost no respect for your clothing or appearance, I didn’t think you would consider my attire being unsuitable for anything.”

I gave him my sternest stern face.

“You do tend to lose a good amount of cloth when working. You should start using the armor we supply the full members.”

“ARMOR?! No one told me we had armor to use.” I shouted.

“We did, you just left in too much of a hurry to pay us any attention.” He replied, “The excitement of youth I suppose.”

“That is enough fun. I think I should be going now.” Camilla cut in. “It really has been good catching up over this morning Master.”

With that parting remark she uttered a few words and leapt atop the balcony railing. She looked like a lightweight woman but there is no way that balcony could support her weight for longer than a breath.

“Be safe out there.” Doogan said.

A smile lit her face causing her silver-gray eyes to twinkle in the light. She turned and leapt again, kicking off from the railing, except the railing never budged. Her jump carried her almost five feet forward before she kicked off again, her feet shimmered as if supported by light and air. This leap carried her even further, easily covering another ten feet as the wind began to blow with more force. Another jump and she was climbing into the sky, like a squirrel through the trees, increasing her elevation by several feet. With each passing moment she climbed higher and moved further away. I saw her clearing the gates where she fell slowly before kicking off again at a faster pace.

My mind was consumed with only one thought.

I wanted to fly.