Session One: A Dream of Life

“Elric, honey, be careful with the straps or you’ll tear it.”

            “Mom, I’m trying, but the leather doesn’t want to stay put. It keeps unraveling.” Elric tried to keep the thin pieces of leather intertwined, but it was useless. I took him fifteen minutes to get the leather around the stone, but only five seconds for it to unravel. He sighed in frustration.

            Rose laughed. It sounded light, it reminded Elric of the breeze sweeping through the pond out behind the house. Elric turned to his mother, her hazelnut eyes seemed to sparkle with laughter. She reached her hands behind her son and grabbed the pieces of leather and the small jade stone. With deft hands, she quickly wrapped the leather around the stone and tied it.

            “There, now we just have to make the strap and you will have your very own good luck charm.”

            Elric smiled as he held up the soon-to-be necklace, “Thanks mom.”

“Rose, Elric, I’m home.” A voice called.

Rose kissed her son on the forehead, “Your welcome, and it looks like your father is back.”

*******

            “Sam, get over here, it looks like he is waking up.” An unknown voice shouted.

Elric slowly opened his, brown tired eyes. He was greeted with an unfamiliar ceiling, and an overweight woman peering at him through large rimmed glasses. Her blonde messy hair obscured her ears but highlighted her rosy pudgy cheeks. Elric realized he was in a bed and tried to get up, but the woman gently pushed him back down.

            “Try not to get up too fast, you’re still recovering.” The woman said.

“W-who are you? Are you a doctor? Where am I? What happened?” Elric shot the questions as fast he could come up with them. His throat felt raw and it hurt to speak.

            “Calm down, kid. You’re alright. What’s your name?” A skinny tall man said as he entered the room.

            Like the woman, he also wore robes, though his were crimson red, while hers was a sunflower yellow. The man stood next to the bed and looked down at the boy. His short auburn hair did little to cover the bandages wrapped around his head. And his eyes darted back and forth trying to gauge the situation.

            “My name is Elric. Elric Insomnium.” The boy said tentatively.

            The man smiled widely, “My name is Sam, a mage from the city of August. This is Chloe, my colleague and partner. We found you lying on the side of the road, bleeding from several small wounds and a concussion. We brought you to the inn at the neighboring village. Chloe here patched you up. Can you tell us what happened?”

            Elric looked at the strangers, unsure what to make it of it all. He tried to remember what he had been doing last, but with an unnerving realization, couldn’t recall. “I-I don’t remember.”

            “Can you remember anything, anything at all? Even smallest detail would help us,” Chloe said.

            “I don’t know. The last thing I remember was getting ready for the spring festival. Then… nothing.” Elric’s voice shook, “What happened?”

            Chloe and Sam looked at each other.

“Memory loss, it seems,” said Chloe.

            “What happened, why am I here?” Elric shouted, ignoring the pain in his throat.

Sam turned towards the young teenager, “Elric, the spring festival was two weeks ago. Your village, Greenstead, was,” Sam sighed. “We found your village in ruins. You were at the side of the road, unconscious and bleeding. So, we brought you here.”

            “But, my family. Where is my family?” Elric’s whole body shook.

Chloe placed her hand on his shoulder, “Judging from the tracks, a couple of magical beasts attacked your village about two days ago. You were the only survivor.”

            “T-that’s not possible.” Elric laughed, but there was no emotion in his voice. “Monsters can’t get across the wall.”

            “Sometimes, very rarely, a gap opens up in the Barrier, and things can slip through, including magical beasts.” Sam added.

            Elric’s eyes grew hazy, “That’s not true. The kings and queens made the wall. Things can’t just slip through. My family is safe, they have to be. It can’t be true.” Elric pushed himself up, “I have to go see them.”

            “No, you have to stay in bed. You’re still weak,” Chloe said.

“Let him go Chloe. The boy deserves to know the truth.”

            Chloe shot an angry glance at Sam, but he pretended to not see it.

“I’ll get the horses ready. Can you ride?” Sam asked.

            Elric shook his head, “No, I’ll walk. Just let me go already. My family must be worried sick about me.”

            Elrick uneasily stood up and almost made it to the door before falling. Sam caught him up. “You’ll ride with me. Chloe, are you coming?”

“He’s not ready Sam,” but she still followed him out through the door.

*******

            They rode through the evening, just as the sun had begun to set. Elric sat in front of Sam, trying not to fall off the horse. He rarely got the chance to ride a horse, only in the seasonal festival did the farmers bring out the horses so the people could be taken on rides. But this wasn’t a time of festival’s or celebrations. This was a dream, a terrible dream. Elric swore to himself that it couldn’t be real. His family had to be alright.

Winter had just ended, the flowers were just blooming, his mother had gone out to pick some flowers to make a garland for Lili.  Elric looked around now and noticed through the dim light, how the flowers were already in full bloom. Had to be a dream.

After over an hour of riding they finally arrived at Greenstead. A large patch of the road had been blackened and scorched, houses all around had been torn apart. Elric tried to get off the horse quickly and fell. Sam shouted after him, but he just ran towards his house. It couldn’t be real. The houses in the town square had claw marks all over them. Blood stains covered the street. Elric ignored it all until he got to his home. The door had been ripped open.

“N-no,” He slowly walked into the home. There was blood on the kitchen table. He systematically went through every room, making sure they were all empty. Eventually, he walked to the back of the house to the small pond.  The flower bushes near the pond had all wilted, stone bench near the pond was still there. It was all the same and yet different, he was alone. Elric slowly sunk to the ground. He stood there in silence as the sun’s light began to disappear and eventually the moon’s light bathed him. It was as if his life was fading with the sun along with everything he knew.

            “There you are, we’ve been looking for you. We we’re worr-” Chloe said from the edge of the house. She waited mutely.

            “They’re gone, aren’t they?” Elric he asked softly.

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“The nearby village helped us bury the bodies. Sam found your village’s ledger. Excluding you, the body count matched the number of people who lived in Greenstead.”

            “I-i didn’t. I didn’t-” Elric couldn’t finish the sentence.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything.” Chloe sat next to Elric and wrapped her arms around him.

They sat there for a long time. Sam eventually found them and the three of them slowly made their way to the horses. Elric ignored his surroundings and simply looked at the ground, his hand clutched a small jade necklace. They got back on the horses and rode for only a few minutes, just far enough to be away from the village’s sight.

            “This’ll be fine. We can rest here for now,” Chloe said, dismounting her horse.

Sam made a small groan, “Do we have to stop right here? Can’t we just go back to the inn. I rather have a warm bed instead of the hard ground as my companion tonight.”

            “We will stay here tonight, besides Elric’s wounds have opened up from all the riding,” Chloe looked at the blood soaking Elric’s shirt. Elric looked at his shirt in mild surprise.

            They dismounted. Sam grabbed a few logs from his horse’s pack.

“Now sit down and take your shirt off, let me see how bad it is.” Chloe ordered the young man.

            Elric gingerly took off his shirt, only now realizing how much pain he was in. He winced as Chloe unwrapped the bandages.

“Not as bad as I thought,” Chloe smiled, “not as great as I hoped either.”

She raised her hand and whispered. Her hand glowed a soft yellow. Elric gasped in surprise.

Chloe laughed, “It’s alright. I’m a mage remember? A life mage to be precise.”

He had actually forgotten. “S-so you’re actually mages. The real thing.”

“Well, of course.” Sam smirked. He spoke a few words but Elric didn’t hear anything. Suddenly a small flame appeared over Sam’s hand, he threw the flame over the logs. “Voila, the campfire is complete, now Chloe, you can cook.”

 “It’s your turn to cook,” Chloe placed her hand on Elric’s ribs.

“Ah, I forgot.”

Elric’s eyes widened as he felt the pain from his chest begin to disappear, the three claw mark wounds were actually closing up.

“This should do for now, although make sure to not move too much, lest you open your wounds again.” Chloe said as the light around her hand faded away.

Elric stared at the both of them. He had of course heard the stories of the mages and their amazing powers. But he had never met any, he hadn’t gone to any of the great cities, nor had a mage been in his village for two decades. Elric wasn’t even that old.

He laughed sadly, “I can’t believe it. Two real life mages right in front of me. And we’re camping under the stars. As if I’m in one of those magical tales of Primus, going off to save the land.” He laughed again.

            Both Sam and Chloe stared silently.

“But it’s not, is it? My village is gone,” Elric couldn’t stop laughing. “It’s like it’s all a dream, but I can’t wake up. My family is gone. And I didn’t.” His laugh slowly turned into a cry, “I didn’t get to say goodbye.”

Suddenly it all felt so real, his family was gone and there was no getting them back. Despite the magical healing his chest hurt more than ever. Tears burned down his cheeks and he screamed in agony. There were no words, just primal guttural noise. Chloe held him tightly. Sam turned in surprise as the campfire burst into nothingness. The horses neighed in panic. Flowers began to sprout around Chloe and Elric. Roots sprung forth from the ground and began to wrap around the both of them, as if mother nature was responding to his suffering.

“Chloe!” Sam whispered.

She looked at Sam but shook her head in silence.

Sam stood uncertainly but eventually sat back down, keeping an eye on the ground. The roots eventually wrapped all around Chloe and Elric, and began to sprout flowers of their own.  Elric cried unaware of his surroundings. He cried until the tears stopped coming forth, then he simply whimpered in pain. Chloe stroked his back while making soothing noises. They stayed there until dawn broke through the sky.

Elric sat there quietly, wrapped in his web of roots, all his energy drained. Chloe turned her head towards Sam.

“Cut us out of here.”

*******

            Sam yawned, as they entered the inn. A waitress spotted the three and quickly came over.

            “M’lord magus, we are so glad you have returned.” She smiled towards Elric, “and I am glad you have woken up. Everyone in town is very sorry for your loss.”

            Elric didn’t respond. The waitress stood there unsure of what to do.

“*cough, cough* I was wondering if we could get something to eat.” Sam interrupted.

“Of course, right this way.” She led them to a nearby table. “Please, take a seat. I’ll be right back with your food.”

            As she left Sam began to rub his eyes, “Not one wink of sleep, but at least I’ll get some warm food.”

            Chloe ignored him and looked at Elric, “We have to discuss what happened this morning.”

            Elric was slow to respond, “What do you mean?”

“The roots and the flowers, that was you.”

            “M-me? That’s impossible. I’m not a mage,” Elric said confused.

“Not yet at least,” Sam pitched in.

            “What’s certain is that neither Sam or I created those roots to move, or those petals to grow. We think you awakened last night.”

            “Awakened?”

“It happens to all with the gift of magic. Our magic lies dormant until we turn fifteen and then some event, usually a very stressful one, causes our magic to awaken. There usually is a burst of magic accompanying the awakening.” Chloe explained.

            “Like last night,” Elric was beginning to understand.

Sam laughed, “Not even close. Normally a glass of water freezes, or your clothes might start smoking. You sir, are rare.”

            “What?” Elric was feeling confused again.

“Don’t listen to Sam. It just means that you have great potential, more than most. The next semester for August’s royal academy is starting soon. I could help you enroll if you’d like,” Chloe offered.

            Elric smiled sadly. Life was so ironic. First, he lost everything he ever had and now he found out that he had the potential to be a mage like the fairy tales and forget those he left behind. Life could go screw itself.

“Thank you, for the opportunity, but I have to decline.”

            “What, but why?” Chloe asked, genuinely surprised. Her glasses making her wide eyes seem larger.

            “An oddity I tell you,” Sam restated.

“Sam, shut up. Elric, why don’t you want to join the academy? This is an amazing opportunity; many people dream of studying there.”

            Elric tried to put his sentiments into words, “It’s just that I feel like it’s wrong. Everyone I know lost everything they had. And now I’m supposed to just go to fairyland school and live happily ever after?”

            Chloe shook her head, “Elric the royal academy isn’t some fairy tale. It is a rigorous school where the wealthy, nobility, and magically talented attend. You’d be a great addition to the school body and in turn to our city-state of August.”

            “Is that what I am to you? Just some addition to your perfect city? And what has August and the King ever done for me? Certainly, not protect my people, which is their only job.” Elric lashed.

            Chloe closed her eyes and took a deep breath, “Just this once, on behalf of your loss, I will ignore your disrespect for the king and our city, which you are a citizen of despite living near the borderlands. I have been trying to be understanding and help you throughout this difficulty time. But this is the real world, bad things happen to everyone. It doesn’t give you the right to do whatever you want. So, let me make this clear,” Chloe leaned over, “Insult our king again, and I will personally beat you senseless and put you in the stocks. The king has done more for this kingdom than any of us combined, I won’t have anyone go around disrespecting him. Do I make myself clear?”

            Elric looked at the woman standing just inches from his face. He swallowed and looked away, “Yes,” he whispered grudingly.

            “Good,” Chloe leaned back and smiled. Suddenly she was back to the kind middle aged woman he had met. “Now about the academy.”

“I don’t want to go,” Elric said immediately. “I rather be a village clerk, like my father.”

            “Anyone can be a clerk, but only a few can be mages.”

“Give me one good reason I should go.”

            Chloe sighed in exasperation, “Elric-”

“Kid,” Sam interrupted. “You want a reason. I’ll give you one. The monster that destroyed your village is still out there.”

“Sam, we weren’t supposed to tell him!”

“What? What do you mean it’s still out there?” Elric felt his body shiver.

Sam continued, “Despite our best efforts the beast eludes us. It most likely crawled back to where it came from and therefore outside the city’s Great Barrier. And do you know who is qualified to go through the Barrier? Caravans. But do you know who is qualified to hunt down a beast? Knights, which require you to be nobility, which you’re not. Or mages, and that my peculiar friend, you can be.”

            Elric stood still in thought, slowly his eyes turned to the necklace lying on his neck. “I’ll do it. I’ll go to your academy. I’ll become a mage,” he spoke with determination.

            “Elric, becoming a mage isn’t so you can use your power for exacting vengeance,” Chloe said.

“You wanted me to go, right? I’ll do it.” Elric said adamantly.

            Chloe sighed, “Elric, we can work on your goals later. The academy’s enrollment begins in about two weeks. You can stay at my home in the city, until then. For now, let’s eat.”

The waitress had returned and began to serve them their meals.

            Chloe turned towards Sam with an angry stare, “Revenge, really?”

            “Hey, he wanted a reason to go.”

“Saaam.” Chloe said in anger.

            “It seems as if you might be a tad livid, no worries, we can talk about this later. For now, let’s eat.” Sam raised his hands in a parody of a plea.

            “Forgive us m’lord and m’lady magus, we are fresh out of soup,” the waitress bowed, “But we still have bread from last night. It’s cold but still fresh.”

            Sam stared back and forth between the bread and glass of water in front of him, and the waitress. “Seriously?”

            Chloe laughed.