Chapter 14: Where Once Stood Homesteads
Leaving the ruins proved to be more difficult than anticipated. The cataclysm caused by the explosives had demolished what little remained of the established hallways and corridors. Just leaving the room that housed the Ymir casket required nearly an hour of tireless digging and careful maneuvering to avoid pitfalls. Nonetheless, the entire group made egress from the ancient structure, save for Bayin who remained to study the findings.
Kelek and Ladd found themselves longing for the slower pace that the oxcart imposed on the group, frequently lagging behind even the heavily armored Renault in their march home. Despite his often flagging stamina, Kelek took pride in the progress he had made since joining the Guild. The time he could march between rest breaks had more than doubled, and while he still had a long way to go before competing with the likes of Imp or Dmitri, his muscles had begun to display an appreciable definition.
The group traveled unimpeded past Tule before Festus made a proposal.
“You know, without the cart, the 4 of you should be able to clamber over the rockslide on the main pass easily enough. It’d lessen your trip by nearly a whole day since the roundabout way we took through the mountains would spit us out halfway between Barkroot and Ardor.”
Renzen raised his eyebrows in a look of realization at his remark.
“Of course we’re heading west anyway, so we’d split with you here and head up the mountain, if’n you don’t object.” Festus continued.
Ladd jabbed Kelek’s side with an elbow and quietly commented to him.
“Bet he’s keen on ditching us slowpokes so they can get to town quicker.”
“I don’t see why not. A night back in the Guild beds can’t come soon enough.” Imp said.
Festus clapped his hands once with a smile and was about to continue forward before Ladd interrupted.
“Actually I was thinking about coming to Regnarce as well. I’m sure there is plenty of new Guild work at that hall, and I really want to get a look at the new royal guard recruits to size up the competition.”
“Hah!” Dmitri spat, dryly. “You’re as like to become a royal knight as I am to sprout wings and fly. You handle that sword with all the grace of an oiled pig. You wouldn’t make it out of training camp, much less the combat exams.”
Renault roughly impacted Dmitri with his pauldron.
“Why don’t you teach him then, instead of being ass? I know you learned fencing, and I know good as any how to handle a sword. Between the both of us as tutors, he may stand a chance.”
Ladd’s face beamed with excitement at his comment.
“Oh please, thank you Renault! I was amazed watching how you guys handled those goblins, and the way you faced that giant golem was so impressive!”
Dmitri rolled his eyes and turned away but gestured for Ladd to follow.
“Come on then. Daylight is burning and we need to get to Regnarce either way. We can go over some basics on the road. Better to have a sword arm you can rely on than a walking liability anyhow.”
Festus bit his lip and squinted in annoyance behind them as he joined the party bound for the mountains.
“Come on then. Sun as it is, we should reach Barkroot by nightfall. Mayhap we can convince your folks to lend a soft bed to our delicate little flower.” Renzen said while making an exaggerated bow toward Imp.
Imp smiled in reply and snatched his ear between her knuckles, twisting it in such a manner that Kelek could not help but empathetically wince.
“Let’s not confuse an appreciation for the finer things in life with frailty. I don’t suppose this flower needs to remind you of her thorns?”
Renzen did his best to maintain a stoic façade, but the blow to his pride hurt more than the pain in his ear. He mumbled an apology which Imp deemed sufficient to release him. She then said something in a language unfamiliar to Kelek, likely elvish, which caused Renzen to blush.
“Best get some tracks behind us then. I’d be willing to bet there’s a bill or two waiting for us at the Guild. Word travels fast in a town like Tynemouth. That lady whose son we saved has sung our praises I’m sure.”
The trio of friends continued northeast along the coast from Tule, watching as their other group of companions disappeared into the Berestra mountains. Kelek was pleasantly surprised with the speed at which they approached the rockslide that had impeded their progress before. The main road was a nearly straight line toward Barkroot and Tynemouth beyond, and was mercifully flat compared to the winding route through the mountains. The only area of concern was their current location, where the path became narrow and cut through the easternmost edge of the mountain range.
Without the burden of the cart, climbing over the rocks would not be overly difficult. Kelek would’ve thought the roadblock impassable just a month ago, but his physical exercise and magical training instilled a greater confidence in him. Taking the opportunity to display his elven agility, Renzen leapt atop a boulder that protruded nine feet above the ground. He then grasped the rough handholds of another rock and used it to sling himself to the peak of the rubble, looking down at Imp and Kelek with a satisfied smirk.
Imp shook her head dismissively as she climbed up the rubble pile. While not nearly as expedient as the elf, her own climbing prowess was a feat that would put any full grown man from Barkroot to shame. By the time she reached the top, her breathing was barely any heavier than normal. A single bead of sweat trickled down her face, colliding with the topmost of the three scars that ran diagonally across her face and tracing its path toward the edge of her jaw.
Kelek did not share in their display of athleticism. He tried, and failed, to clamber to the large outcropping that Renzen had jumped to for nearly ten minutes. Finally, in a bout of frustration, he succeeded. He became acutely aware of the weight of the rifle, Sturmangriff, slung along his back. The stock was far heavier than the long metal barrel, due in equal parts to the gemstone housing mechanism and the sheer density of the Augurbark. Bayin had allowed Kelek to heft his staff for comparison during his training and he was able to see firsthand how much heavier Augurbark was than mundane wood.
After a brief respite, Kelek managed to surmount the rockslide. They carefully descended the northern side of the pile and continued their journey up the road toward Barkroot as the sun slowly descended behind the mountain range.
“You’ve spent quite a bit of time with Bayin. What do you think of him?” Imp asked Kelek.
He was surprised by the sudden question as Imp rarely made comments about others not in present company.
“He is a truly impressive wizard. I could scarce dream of the kinds of spells he seems to be able to cast on a whim. Not to mention his seemingly limitless knowledge on any topic. And I had never even heard of Aursols before meeting him. The little wisps of magic in his eyes are-“
“Yes, yes, but what do you think of him as a person? Do you trust him? “ Imp interrupted.
“Oh, well I suppose…” Kelek gave some genuine thought to her question for a while. “I mean, he hasn’t done anything I would find particularly untrustworthy… I can’t say I care for him reading my mind. And… I guess he can be a bit… controlling with how I use my magic.”
“How do you mean?” Asked Renzen, taking a sudden interest in the conversation.
“Well he told me to only cast spells through a focus and to verbalize them. Though I suppose those are reasonable demands for someone freshly learning magic. After we found Benjamin… He made me swear to never attempt resurrection again.”
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Renzen nodded along to his explanation before asking.
“Do you remember what happened that day?”
Kelek shook his head. “Not really.”
“You fell unconscious shortly after incanting the spell. I immediately grabbed your hand and attuned my body to yours, same as I did earlier that day when we were falling through the cave. Your life force was fading quickly, and the only thing I could do to save you was pour my own into yours. It still wasn’t enough though. I had to take up Imp’s hand and join her into the pool as well. Even the combined energy of all three of us was barely enough to satisfy the demands of the spell. Honestly I still don’t feel quite the same, almost like I’ve aged myself several years.”
Imp nodded solemnly in agreement.
“In all my years on this land, I have never once heard word of a sorcerer successfully bringing someone back from the dead. Sure there are plenty of fables and stories, and the academics in Feldoch work tirelessly to research it, but I’ve not seen one shred of evidence that it was possible. I suspect Bayin had good reason to forbid you from pursuing that path. Necromancy is a dark affair.”
Kelek did not respond.
“What bothers me,” said Imp. “Is that he knew that room was in those ruins. We went and checked it out before and we never made it past the initial room. I have a suspicion that he investigated the ruins himself, saw the entrance to the room, and knew that he needed blackpowder to bust in. But I don’t know why he would wipe my memory of the event. I am beginning to wonder if I was even attacked by a lizardman in the first place…”
“Come now that’s a bit of a stretch isn’t it?” Kelek retorted. “It’s reasonable to assume ruins like that would need some explosions to work through.”
“Maybe.” Said Renzen. “But he didn’t bother to save any of the supplies for anywhere else in the ruins. If you noticed, every single stick and barrel was used at that door, and judging by Dmitri’s coat, there were plenty of artifact laden rooms he did not deem worth more scrutiny.”
“Not to mention he is obviously a tremendously powerful sorcerer, yet he did not even attempt to use magic to get into the room.” Imp added.
Renzen continued to reinforce her argument. “Perhaps he was aware of the golem’s ability to neutralize magic. Mayhap the crested wall itself had a similar enchantment. Dmitri’s last attack proved that such a defense offers no protection from a physical explosion. All of this to say that he must’ve known what we were walking into.”
Kelek digested their words for several paces.
“Alright, even if he was aware of what we were trying to find, what does it matter? Nothing is different now than if we had walked in blindly and all the same events transpired.”
“That’s not the point, Kelek.” Imp replied sternly. “He is hiding information from us. Whatever his reasons are, it means that he either doesn’t trust us, or we should have reason to distrust him. Either of those options mean he is a dangerous man, especially when he is capable of reading, erasing, and maybe even completely rewriting our minds. I don’t know how long he is going to be studying that Ymir business, but I think we should make for another Guild Hall before he returns. We can take whatever work has been posted when we return, but I no longer feel comfortable being under his lead.”
“But what about my magic training?” Kelek pleaded.
“Do you plan to be a fledgling for the rest of your life? You’ve already performed several magical feats worthy of folktales. There are plenty of other Harnessers to learn from, not to mention the fact that you should start honing your own style.”
Kelek contemplated their suggestion in silence as they continued their northbound trek. He could not deny that Bayin was worthy of suspicion, and he ill-liked the strict rules he had imposed on his own use of magic.
“He told me.” Kelek finally said after a tense few minutes of walking. “That some of your techniques use Ether, Renzen.”
“Oh?” He replied.
“Yes. Those clear projectiles of energy you used on the Etherbeasts and the way you can change your momentum. I can attest when you used that with me in the cave it felt pretty similar to when I use my own magic. I wouldn’t be surprised if the way you can ‘attune’ your body to others and redirect your pain are also implementations of Ether.”
Renzen scoffed. “Well I can’t say I haven’t suspected as much. I’m well aware that one need not be a Harnesser to wield magic. I had hoped my abilities were a testament to honing my body to its physical peak, but I suppose I can’t deny the supernatural aspects of some of my power.”
He clenched and unclenched his fists several times, causing the mouth of the snake tattoos to close and gape in concert.
“I must say I envy the ease with which Harnessers summon the Ether. The toll it takes on my body to use some of these techniques I fear will land me in an early grave.”
“It isn’t always that easy. It can be just as hard for me to do something that goes against my affinity. Even Bayin has trouble creating fire. If I had to guess, I would imagine you have an affinity for magic that affects your body. Maybe if you work around your current techniques with that in mind, you can try using them through that lens and it might make it easier?”
“See, what do you need Bayin for? The student has already become the teacher!” Imp chimed “Maybe someday you can even teach me how to use some magic? I sure wouldn’t mind zapping my enemies into a pile of dust.”
They shared some laughter that quickly subsided as they crested a foothill and Barkroot, or rather what remained of it, came into view. The previously quaint farming town had been entirely razed. Deep black piles of soot dotted the road where once stood homesteads. The fields of corn and beans that surrounded the town were similarly burnt. A pall of dread settled over Kelek as he looked out over the ashen husk that was his childhood home. Three figures were visible in the road that ran through the town, one of them spraying water from their staff on a large smoldering pile.
Kelek, Imp, and Renzen dashed toward the center of town. As they approached, the figures became clear. They were the Centurions. Nashandra was extinguishing whatever fires remained while David and Al-Cid looked on with grimaces.
“What happened!?” Kelek shouted out as he reached them.
Al-Cid turned to regard him, face still wearing an unpleasant scowl.
“We’re responding to a fire. Wind carried smoke west from here toward Ardor and someone reported it. By the time we got here the entire town was like this.”
Kelek dropped to his knees as he looked around in horror. He spotted the site where he grew the flower throne. Not a shred of evidence remained of its existence. He scrambled around in the soot, digging through the hot ashes and burning his fingers as he desperately searched for any sign of life. Imp kneeled next to him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“It’s really a shame.” Al-Cid said. “This whole town up in flames, not a trace left. Probably all because some drunkard farmhand left a lantern where he shouldn’t.”
Kelek stopped his digging. He snapped upward and turned to face Al-Cid with an incredulous look. Nashandra shot a venomous glare to Al-Cid and opened her mouth just as Kelek lunged at him. The two of them tumbled backward, landing in a pile of smoldering ashes. A cloud of black dust sprang to life as they rolled in the soot. Kelek let out several angry screams and clawed at Al-Cid’s face and torso, ripping his shirt and flinging his tricorne hat into the loose ash. Al-Cid responded in kind, delivering several painful knee strikes to Kelek’s groin and landing a solid hook to his left eye. Emotions peaking, Kelek grasped his opponent by the shoulders and held him against the ground. Not saying a word, magic flowed down his arms and through his fingers encasing his hands, and Al-Cid’s shoulders, in a wreath of bitter frost. Al-Cid screamed in agony as his flesh was flash-frozen and the consuming cold began to spread.
“ENOUGH!” David shouted in a voice that could wake the dead. His large hand seized Kelek by the collar and threw him from Al-Cid. The cringe-inducing sound of ripping flesh let out as Kelek’s frozen hands brought with them several inches of Al-Cid’s shoulders.
“Damn you, you filthy country reprobate!” Al-Cid shouted, climbing to his feet and fumbling with his pistol holster. “You think you’re worth something just because you got lucky enough to be born a Harnesser? You think you deserve to have Bayin Amadeus as a personal tutor just because your cesspit of a town happens to be next to him? I’ll show you what a real Harnesser can do!”
He drew the red pistol from his waist and aimed it at Kelek. His arm was shaking, and a steady stream of blood poured from his exposed shoulders. The barrel of the firearm wavered as Al-Cid shouted.
“Buronden!”
The scarlet barrel of the pistol flared brightly as an ephemeral pellet of energy shot out. Al-Cid’s injured arm caused the projectile to miss Kelek by several inches. The magicked bullet whizzed past his ear into the distance, where it then detonated. The initially miniscule bead of energy caused an explosion nearly fifteen feet in diameter. The force of the explosion caused waves of ashes to scatter in all directions. Imp and Renzen glared at Al-Cid. Before they could act, David delivered a swift punch to his companion’s gut, incapacitating him, before picking him up and slinging him over his shoulder.
“Come on, there’s nothing for us here.” David said and began walking west. Nashandra closed her eyes and bowed toward the others, offering an apology for Al-Cid’s comments and actions.
“I understand this is your hometown, and you must be devastated by this. Please forgive Al-Cid, his temper gets the better of him sometimes.” She said, picking his hat up from the ashes. “We did everything we could when we arrived, but it was simply too late. I am sorry.”
Nashandra hurried away to reconvene with David and their restrained friend. Kelek stood, sorting out the cacophony of feelings that raged within him. Renzen and Imp wisely let him ruminate in silence. With a sudden start, Kelek ran over to the remains of his parent’s home. He sifted through the ashes for several minutes, searching for remains. After he was sufficiently pleased with his survey he commented to Imp through choked back tears.
“I can’t find any bones. Maybe they made it out somewhere. They probably would’ve run to Tynemouth, right?”
Imp offered a sympathetic smile and nodded silently, but the unspoken realization of their fate continued to bear down on them. Kelek began to sob as he fell into Imp’s embrace, and Renzen knelt to draw in the both of them. They sat, surrounded by the ashes of Kelek’s home, family, and the remains of his old life, and cried together.