The life of Euphemia Phaera Atractas was a simple one. Wake up, practice martial arts in the morning, eat breakfast with her family, and then go to school. After regular school that let out after lunch, it was off to the Lunapsar Cultural Center on the mainland for dance and language classes. Then, she’d go home, have an hour with her private tutor, Lencio’s mother, and finally be able to relax at the shop before family dinner, evening walk, and bedtime.
She walked to the upper floor of the tea shop, towards a balcony table reserved for her, on shaky legs. She hadn’t practiced dancing while she was with her mother on a trip, so it was her first time dancing again since she got back, and her instructor did not take pity on her at all.
“Effie!” Cio slid off his chair and rushed to get to her on his short legs. He was too young to go to school, though he had been privately taught by his mother since he was sensible. Effie tried to encourage him, constantly using examples of how amazing it was to be able to read and write and communicate effectively, especially as merchants.
The little boy looked worried and Effie quickly tried to straighten up to prevent him from worrying. “I’m fine!” That didn’t sound fine and she knew it.
Cio’s big blue eyes looked at her pitifully. She’d known Cio since he was a baby since his mother frequented the shop since it opened. He was three years younger than her, and she took it upon herself to take care of him.
Momma wasn’t married and she didn’t seem interested in getting married, so Effie figured her chance of being a big sister was slim. Might as well take care of the little kids around her.
Cio still put her arm around his shoulder. He was three years younger, but almost as tall. Still, he stumbled a bit as he tried to help her to the table. Effie made sure not to put her weight on him, but played along.
As they hobbled to the balcony seat, she heard a gasp behind her, and then a frantic voice. “Effie!” The rapid footsteps of a child sounded and in a moment, Effie’s other arm was over the shoulder of Terry. Terry had a much better complexion after a few days of recovery, but she was still thin, small for her age, and her eyes were still puffy because she would cry at night about Shadow disappearing forever. Effie had spent a lot of time trying to cheer her up. However, she was still stronger than four-year-old Cio and managed to quicken their speed to the chair. “Are you okay?”
Ah...it’s good to be loved. Effie relished the joy of friendship. “I’m really okay. I’m tired from dance class.” She shrunk her head back as she took a seat. “I didn’t practice while I was on a trip with Momma.” This was her fault. Her mother reminded her to practice, but she claimed she was on ‘vacation’, and instead, ran around West Wind Valley with Commadore playing with friends whenever she could.
That was a far different exercise from dance, which she could have practiced at the Cultural Hall there.
“Who are you?” Cio’s suspicious voice caught Effie’s attention. She looked towards the wary little boy who was holding on to the back of her chair and glaring at Terry with animosity.
Effie quickie stepped in to defuse the situation. “Cio, this Terry, my friend.” Cio stumbled back a step, as if he’d taken a hit. Effie waved to Terry. “Terry, this is Lencio. We call him Cio. He’s also my friend.”
Terry leaned to the side and gave Cio a small nod. “Hello, I’m Terry Pinon. It’s nice to meet you.” She straightened up and extended her hand to shake his.
Cio remained frozen in place, his eyes wide as he looked at Terry with shock. Effie tilted her head and reached out, giving his arm a little shake. “Cio?”
He seemed to come back to his senses. He took a deep breath and straightened up. The stunned look on his face was replaced with a serious one, as if he were pretending he was a grown-up.
“Lencio Ioannou Stavos.” He grasped Terry’s hand and gave it a firm shake. Effie squinted.
“Why did you use your full name...?”
“I am Effie’s first friend.” He took a step forward and wrapped his arms around Effie. She beamed and hugged him back.
“I’ve known Cio since he was a baby! Look how cute he is!” She cupped his chubby face like her brothers did to her. “He’s very smart and very good at drawing.”
Cio nodded his head once in agreement, still hugging Effie. “I am.”
Effie giggled and motioned for Terry to sit in one of the chairs. “Have a seat!” Always try to be hospitable to friends and loved ones, she’d been taught.
Terry walked to the seat next to her, but Cio cried out and then darted forward, planting his little butt on the chair.
The two little girls gave him a strange look. Terry looked at the open workbook and thick children’s pencil across the table. “Isn’t that your seat?”
“I want to sit here now.” Cio crossed his arms and pouted, clearly unwilling to leave.
“Oh....then I will sit across from Effie.” Terry smiled and rounded the square table. She took the seat across from Effie, as she said, and then smiled. “Now I can talk to her right in front of me.”
Cio’s eyes widened once more and his arms dropped, as if he’d realized something too late.
Effie patted his shoulder. “Now that we’re all here, I am going to teach Terry my favorite game!” She looked at Cio. “Terry moved next door and her dad is going to help renovate the inn.”
Cio took in a sharp breath. He lowered his head and whispered to himself. “She’s closer than me....”
“What’s the game?” Terry asked Effie.
Effie clapped her hand. “I call it ‘backstory’! It can be played anywhere, but here, we sit, and we look at the people passing on the busy street below. We have a good view, right?” Terry nodded. “Pick a person and then by analyzing their features, clothing, posture, and actions, you make up a backstory. Then we compare to see if it’s likely. It’s a game of observation and imagination.”
Terry looked intrigued.
A few paces away, Henry narrowed his eyes as he watched his youngest sibling lean over the edge of the balcony to point out someone with a hat. Observing people had long been ingrained in him, as he’d been born in a position where he needed to figure out if people around him were sincere or not early on.
Ash, having been born the youngest son, didn’t have a need of it at the time, but picked up a wariness while they were traveling. Neither he nor his aunt stopped him, as knowing who to trust and who not to trust, and to what extent, was vital in survival. In their travels, they were exposed to many different people, and patterns started to emerge.
“...she’s rushing around and looking over her shoulder, but seems focused on her destination. She’s traveling in secret. Her hood is on to cover her hair and she tries to avoid eye contact and keep her face turned away whenever someone glances her way,” he heard Effie say. “I’m going to say...well-to-do daughter on her way to make a secret deal with someone and she can’t let her family know because...they may be in danger, too.”
“Ooh....” The two other children looked impressed. Henry rolled his eyes. He couldn’t believe they bought that.
Another young woman had approached Effie’s table and leaned over the railing beside Effie. “Sorry, Effie, but she’s just on her way to buy her brother a surprise present. He’s popular on the street, so he may find out from word of mouth. That’s why she’s hiding her face.”
“Huh? Hana!” Effie tilted her head back and looked up at the young woman with a cheeky grin. “What are you doing here?”
“The new debossing plate I made for Ash is ready, so I brought it over. We’re installing it today. He’s still working so he said to come up here.” She smiled back and reached out to squeeze the puffs of silver-white hair on either side of Effie’s face. “So cute....”
“Hana, how do you know the lady below is going to buy her brother a present?” Cio asked.
“That’s Miraella Montez, the daughter of an iron ore mine owner. She came by the Metalworks Guild asking for help with some precious metal work for her brother’s gift. She’s going to the Pyrgia Goldsmith down the street.” She looked past the balcony again and the children followed her gaze. From the sound of their surprise, it seemed that the Montez daughter did go to the goldsmith.
“Hana.” Effie tugged on Hana’s sleeve to have her sit. Hana didn’t fight it and sat down on the chair next to Terry. “When is your next world club meeting?”
“It’s not a club,” Hana said with a chuckle. “It’s a gathering and support group of similarly situated individuals from various parts of the continents once every two years. And I only went to it last year.” She rubbed her hands together. “I made so many contacts....”
Henry continued to do his work, pulling apart a few tables that had been pushed together to accommodate a large party. He remembered that last year, someone had booked their entire tea house for a week for about a dozen people to come, Hana included. They were from all over, but aside from Hana, three were from other merchant cities and two were from Dareisol; all of them were excited to see each other.
“Are they talking about Ise-con?” The chairs around the table were moved around as Ash reached him.
“I thought you were off now.” Henry asked.
“Yes, but you look like you needed help,” Ash said, moving the last of the chairs. He was no longer wearing his uniform apron, but was still in his shirt and pants with his hair pulled up.
“Is Hana’s brother here, too?” Henry asked.
Ash rolled his eyes. “No, Hide has an actual job. Also, I don’t know why he came with her when she came over to help with the debosser presses the other night. He didn’t even do anything. He just sat there, glaring at us.”
Glaring at you. Henry thought. Hana had two older brothers and numerous older cousins in her clan. She was the youngest, and the only girl in a family that wanted a daughter for a long time. She was the first daughter born in the clan in four generations. In the Nobuya clan, Hana was their little princess.
Ash, for how wealthy and talented he was, didn’t appear to be a good, stable match for Hana. Henry eyed his brother. He loved Ash. More than a few times he had risked his life for him, but he also didn’t completely disagree with the Nobuya’s assessment. If the adventure was interesting enough, Ash would happily wander off. How did his baby brother grow to be both responsible and irresponsible at the same time? Henry looked at his brother and let out a tired sigh.
Ash drew his head back at his brother’s expression. “What?”
Henry looked at him with pity. “I’m just judging you.”
Ash crinkled his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. He turned his head towards the balcony, ignoring his brother. “Hana, are you ready to install the new plate?” Ash called out.
Hana shot up from her seat. “Yes!” The two headed back downstairs. Effie wrinkled her nose.
“She’s always so excited to see Second Brother,” Effie said with an exaggerated exasperated sigh. She looked back at Terry and motioned towards Henry. “But Brother is the better looking one.”
“Thank you, Effie.”
“Even if he’s more boring.”
“....” Henry stared at his sister for a moment, then turned around and walked away.
“Why do you look upset?” He passed his aunt, who was seated at a table by the stairs and raised a brow.
“My siblings are hateful.” He muttered as he walked down the stairs. Nera chuckled and continued reading a book during her break. He started at the same time as Ash that day and was scheduled to clock out.
After untying his apron and telling Aunt Margeaux he was off, he headed up to the house. Just as he settled into his office to finish reading the latest trade news in East Iveria, the crystal above the door indicated that someone had come. Henry tilted his head back and let out a heavy sigh.
He placed the book back on his desk and stood up. He could hear Ash and Hana in Ash’s work room shouting about pivoting the new debossing panel and shook his head. He knew he couldn’t depend on Ash to get the door. With his aunt and sister still at the shop, he answered the door himself.
“Hi, Drae.” Henry greeted the man still in his guild uniform.
Drae raised his brows in greeting and held up a folded piece of paper. “Hi, Brother. Ash asked me to keep a lookout for magic items requests. Unique ones that offered a lot of pay. I finally found one that may work.”
Henry furrowed his brows and took the paper. Without hesitation, he unfolded it and read through the request. After a few moments, he raised his eyes over the top of the paper. “Is this even possible?”
Drae gave him a helpless shrug. “If it is, Ash is the only mage I know who can probably make it.”
Henry sighed and folded the paper. “Ash has never made a protective suit before. He’s never made a suit before, let alone one that’s fireproof against the flames of a fire dragon.” He shook his head and prepared to hand the request back. “Fire dragon flames are supposed to melt steel.”
“That’s probably why no one claimed it. It was posted in all West Iverian Adventurer’s Guilds.”
Henry raised a brow. Posting a request or quest at a local Adventurer’s Guild didn’t cost too much, though they had to be screened so the guild wasn’t bombarded with fake or ridiculous requests. Henry recalled that Terry’s post to help find her dog was a few coppers.
However, posting across multiple Adventurer’s Guild locations was costly. It was more a widespread advertisement. The more guilds, the more expensive it was. For someone to post across all the West Iverian Adventurer’s Guilds, of which there were over twenty-five, the amount to pay was substantial.
Henry unfolded the paper once more and narrowed his eyes. The amount offered as a reward was significant, as well.
Of course, only if the product worked. Most requests required the supplier to show proof that the product wasn’t faulty.
Still, Henry narrowed his eyes.
He’d never heard of anything being fireproof against a fire dragon. For regular fire, there were plenty of things. Various types of magical fire also usually had something to counter them, but the fire of a fire dragon not only melted steel, but was said to burn until there was nothing left for the fire to consume.
Most fires would leave charred remains. Fire dragon fire left nothing.
“Whoever requested this is crazy,” Henry deduced. “What sane reason would someone have to get so close to a fire dragon that they could be burned out of existence?”
Drae hesitated. “I can’t release all the details until you at least agree to a preliminary review.” That required signing non-disclosure agreements so those who were interested, but ultimately decided not to accept a request would be legally bound not to share the details. It would cause expulsion from the guild, and any adventurer who wanted to make a living at it and have access to all the resources the guild provided needed to be registered with the guild.
Henry shook his head and handed the paper back. “No-”
“Drae, did you see something good?” Ash’s voice came from the top of the stairs, causing Drae and Henry to look up just as Drae was about to take the request back.
“I found a request for a magic item that paid a lot, but it’s complicated,” Drae replied.
Ash’s interest was immediately piqued. He began to come down the stairs. “Go on....”
“Someone wants a suit that is fire proof enough to withstand the heat and fire of fire dragons in a volcanic valley,” Drae told him.
Ash wrinkled his face as he reached the bottom of the stairs. “Doesn’t the heat from a fire dragon fire melt steel?”
“They do,” Henry said. “I’ve never heard of a suit that can do such a thing. What material would you start with?”
Ash took the paper from Henry’s hand and read through it. He raised his brow at the reward payment, but as he read the details of the request on the form, his expression grew increasingly confused.
“If he’s walking through a volcanic valley, it means the suit has to last a good deal of time. I can think of a few things off the top of my head that can resist heat from that sort of fire, but only for a short amount of time,” Ash said, folding the form back up. “Two, maybe three minutes at most if the material is woven well enough and layered. Then there is the gas in the air, if they can even breathe the air with how hot it is.” He handed the paper back to Drae. “This isn’t just a suit, it’s gloves, shoes, headwear, something to regulate breathing. The slightest miscalculation of that suit and they could die. It’s too difficult and risky.”
Drae nodded with understanding as he reached for the paper. “We thought as much in the guild. No one inquired about it as even for the amount, it sounds impossible. Most of the mages we work with are responsible and won’t take on something far beyond their ability.”
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“That’s responsible.” Henry gave him a nod. Few organizations were as reliable as the Adventurer’s Guild.
“Even the Magic Tower says it’s impossible.”
The foyer went quiet, as time stood still.
Henry shut his eyes and grit his teeth. Why did you have to say that? Drae...why.
The request in Drae’s hand was pinched between Ash’s fingers. The silver-haired young man didn’t let go. “The Magic Tower says it’s impossible?”
“Yes, the requestor first reached out to the Magic Tower,” Drae replied. “But he was rejected. They told him it wasn’t possible.” He tried to pull the paper back, but Ash wasn’t letting go.
Ash sneered. “And he believed them?”
Drae rolled his eyes. “Didn’t you say it was impossible, too?”
“I said it was difficult, not that it was impossible,” Ash said. He pulled the request back and Drae couldn’t get it. He let out a heavy sigh as Ash held it against him. “I am not the Magic Tower. If they can’t do it, that doesn’t mean I can’t.”
Henry looked at his brother with disdain. “Don’t do this.”
“I’ll take the request!” Did Ash even hear him talking?
Henry took a deep, measured breath. “Ash, this may not be impossible, but it’s nearly impossible. You don’t know how much time and energy you’ll have to put into it-”
“Brother, it’s just a fireproof suit. How hard can it be?”
Sometimes his brother’s confidence was infuriating. “You were just talking about how difficult it is-”
Ash gave him a dismissive wave. “I’ll figure it out!”
Henry almost raised his hands to throttle his brother. “You’re just doing this out of spite!”
“Lots of things I do have been done out of spite! Don’t tell me what to do with my spite!”
The two brothers stood across from and glared at each other, unwilling to back down. The foyer was quiet once more. Drae looked from one brother to the next, used to their random conflicts, and pursed his lips.
“So...are you taking the request?”
“Yes!”
“No!”
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“...so, he accepted the request, huh?” Effie asked in between slurps of a noodle soup with thin, clear noodles.
A loud thud filled the kitchen adjacent to the family’s dining area as Henry’s butcher knife sliced a melon in half. The melon didn’t stand a chance.
“It’s times like this that I hate the Magic Tower for being incompetent.” He turned half the melon on to its flat site before lifting the butcher knife and slamming it down, cutting the melon into quarters.
“They’re not incompetent,” Nera said as she fished out a short rip from the soup to eat. “Your brother is just a far better mage.”
“Sometimes my raw talent and ability....” Ash said as he looked up. “It impresses even me.”
Henry slammed the knife through a melon once more and turned around. “You are so full-”
“The request’s full dossier says that there is a time limit, isn’t there?” Nera cut him off before he could continue. Henry grumbled and returned to cutting the melon slices to have the ‘bunny ears’ that Effie liked.
“The hibernation of the fire dragons will start in a few weeks. He’ll have a three-month window to go through the valley while they are in deep sleep and get a dragon scale. It takes almost a month to get to the Principality of Uqi’ichu by horse to deliver the suit,” Ash replied.
“That only gives you, at most, two months to develop and build the suit,” Nera said.
“Second Brother, why doesn’t the requester just buy one, or hire a mage or a fire spirit summoner to get the dragon scale for him?” Effie asked, her chin glazed with the oil from the soup. “Hiring one for one dragon scale will be cheaper than the payment amount.”
Nera shook her head. “Fire dragon scales are extremely rare, Effie. Not only are they difficult to get, but under the right conditions, old dragon scales from shedding will burn off. It’s rare that a whole scale is available. In addition, a fire dragon scale burns to the touch long after it’s fallen off. It’s difficult to keep unless you get a special box that can withstand the heat. If you put it in water, the water will heat up. Too little water and it will boil.”
Effie scrunched her face. “What about hiring someone?”
Ash took a deep breath and exhaled. “This doesn’t leave the room,” he said, looking at his sister. “Apparently, the noble who wants to the suit must retrieve it himself from the volcanic valley where the fire dragons nest to prove his love for some daughter of some king on the Smiya Sea coast.”
Effie frowned. “If she asked him to risk his life for her, does she really love him?”
“Royal and aristocratic marriages rarely have anything to do with love, my dear,” Nera said before taking her daughter’s chin and wiping the oil off. “It is an unfortunate consequence of their station.”
“That’s not to say it doesn’t happen in those circles,” Henry said as he placed the last of the melon slices on a plate. He picked it up and turned around to bring it to the table. “But most of the time it is about wealth and consolidating or keeping power.”
“And sometimes someone is just greedy for another’s face,” Nera added. Effie pouted.
Henry placed the plate on the table. “The dossier said that it was the princess’ father, the king, who demanded a handpicked fire dragon scale as proof of the noble’s love. It doesn’t say anything about what the princess feels about it.”
“I’m more surprised that he’s willing to go through with it,” Ash said. “For the amount of money he’s paying for the product, he could’ve that as some sort of bride price. I think those are still done in that area.”
Wealthy merchants married for money and power, too, but it was less ceremonial and more legal. It was never one party received or gave something in exchange for a partner. There were mutual exchanges between the two parties, documents protecting respective assets, and other various agreements for both during the marriage and in case of separation.
It was a common practice in the Federation for couples of all financial situations, regardless of why they were getting married, to go through the ‘agreements’. After the agreements, they would do civil registration and then nuptial sacraments, which varied depending on one’s religious and familial cultural background. It was also common to do more than one nuptial sacrament, as the Federation was a mixture of many groups from different backgrounds.
“What happens if he can’t get the dragon scale?” Effie asked.
“Then I guess he can’t get married to the woman he wants to marry,” Ash answered. That was not satisfactory from the disgust on Effie’s face.
“Asking for something near impossible to get all but screams that the king doesn’t want this marriage to happen. He’s counting on the nobleman to be unable to get the scale,” Nera said.
“He better let them get married once the nobleman gets the scale....” Effie mumbled before slurping up the last of her noodles.
Ash grinned. “You’re sure the nobleman will get the scale?”
Effie gave him a dull look. “Second Brother, if you say you’re going to make a fireproof suit that will withstand the heat of fire dragon fire, then you will and he will get his fire dragon scale.”
Ash reached over and put his hand on her head, giving her a little pat. She swatted his hand away. “Brother, a bunny!” She turned her head towards where Henry had taken a seat beside her and opened her mouth. Henry picked up a slice of melon that had the skin peeled and cut to make a little rabbit shape and fed the fleshy part of the melon to his sister.
“Do you know where to begin?” Nera asked, looking at her son. “The clock is ticking.”
“I know where to begin,” Ash replied with confidence. “Sourcing the material and doing the tests to get the product to do what I want will be the difficult part. The easy part will be sewing the garment wear.”
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“...and how did you get a needle to go through part of your finger?” Ash could sense the disbelief barely disguising the disgust in Drae’s voice.
The whites around Ash’s eyes were red as he stood on the other side of Drae’s desk at the Adventurer’s Guild to fill out a form notifying the requestor that the suit was done. His face flushed with embarrassment.
“Hana’s brother’s sewing machine is more powerful than I initially thought,” Ash replied in an even voice. A bandage was wrapped securely around his left index finger. “And I did not keep up. It was my first time.”
Drae rolled his eyes. “Why didn’t you just let Hiro sew it for you?”
Ash looked away. “I was already borrowing the machine for free. I have shame!”
“That’s a surprise.”
“Stop talking like my brother.” Ash shot him a glare. “And also, Hiro’s husband said that Hiro’s hands should never touch such an ‘ugly’ thing. First of all, it’s not ugly, it’s practical. I told him it was function over fashion, but Pierre refused to allow them to touch the garment because then I could claim it came from their atelier.” Ash scowled. “No one cares if it did!”
Drae squinted at Ash. “Hiro and Pierre’s atelier makes some of the most requested garments for adventurers. They’re internationally recognized for their craftsmanship and function, as well as fashion.”
Ash snorted. “Then they should’ve been begging to have something to do with the fire gear I designed.”
Drae sighed. “Did you fill out the confirmation form?” He steered the conversation back to the task at hand.
Ash nodded and handed him a folio. “Notify him that it will be delivered by me within the month. I will accompany him to test it at the mouth of the volcanic valley.”
Drae nodded and opened the folio to look over the form. “I’ll have him send the delivery and testing fees to your guild account. If he’s happy with the product, you can have him pay at his local guild. I will send the confirmation.” He paused as he looked over the expected arrival date. “How soon are you leaving?”
“Tonight.”
Drae raised a brow. “Don’t you think it’ll be alarming to the Magic Tower if they find out you developed and created a suit resistant to the fire of a fire dragon in two weeks? Something that they said was impossible?”
Ash met his gaze with unimpressed, but narrowed eyes. “Let them be alarmed. I want them to know that there is someone out there doing what they think is impossible. They need some humility.”
“They’re not the only ones....” Drae muttered as he got up with the form.
“What?”
“I said sit here while I scan this.” Ash watched his friend get up to go to the back office. The Adventurer’s Guild used a myriad of items for communication. Standard was through messenger birds or regular human messengers and letters. For distanced text communication, they had large, flat clear crystals mounted on tables. When a document was placed on it and activated using an energy crystal, it transferred the dark markings on a document, like its text, to corresponding other clear crystals registered within the guild’s network.
Next to the clear crystal was another that received the text with a pile of paper that rolled on top of it when a transmission was received. This clear crystal had micro beads of sunshard, which burned the paper to ‘write out’ the received text. It was developed in the Cloud Continent, which was well known as the most technologically advanced of the continents harnessing crystals and developing all sorts of things.
The problem was that there was just not enough raw materials on the other continents to make the parts. In some cases, the environment of the other continents just did not allow for Cloud Continent technology to work.
According to Wayne Traceras’ book chronicling his work in the Cloud Continent, it was because the Cloud Continent did not have magic energy, and magic energy, which was prevalent in the other continents, cancelled out a lot of technology that came from the Cloud Continent.
Ash rarely shared his books, but he had allowed Hana to read them, as she was good at building and designing metal things. She once called herself a ‘mechanical engineer’ at the gathering with her foreign friends the previous year, but Ash had no idea what that was.
It was Hana who developed the sewing machine at her brother’s and brother-in-law’s atelier. Not only was it fast, but it pierced through thick materials and layers far easier than normal. It was why Ash and Hana asked Hiro if he could borrow it, as Hana assured him it was faster than sewing by hand.
Much faster. Ash pursed his lips as he looked at the bandage on his finger. He was lucky that he was almost done with the garment when he was injured. Lunapsar healed quickly, so it would be gone by morning, but it was still annoying to have gotten injured by a machine that he was controlling.
“Alright, the guild near Uqi’ichu has been notified.” Drae returned along with some other papers, including a map. “They will receive you and will arrange for lodging while they contact Lord Sumak. However, you two are in charge or arranging for the product review.”
Ash nodded as he received the papers and skimmed over the details. The guild had also recommended a suitable route for him, as well as recommended lodging along the way. The fastest road was the coastal one that hugged the coast of the continent. If Ash followed it out of Carthage Harbor he would end up back in Carthage Harbor.
Normally, he’d take a ship to the nearest port, but he was tasked to deliver things to guilds along the way in return for free lodging and a small payment. Since he’d finished making the garment faster than he thought, he wasn’t in a rush to get to Uqi’ichu.
“Did we ever find out why that king needs a fire dragon scale?” Ash asked.
Drae shook his head. “I just don’t think the king wants his daughter to marry a nobleman.”
“Momma said the same thing. It’s a ridiculous move and a waste of everyone’s time. Which kingdom is it?”
“Zimora.”
Ash squinted at the map. After tracing along the Smiya Sea coast of the continent, he finally found it. “It’s tiny....” He found Uqi’ichu not far away. “...it’s smaller than the nobleman’s homeland. Is it more powerful?”
“It’s on the way to Uqi’ichu. You can stop by and see if you can find out what’s going on there and why the king wants a fire dragon scale,” Drae told him.
Ash nodded. He was curious as to why. “What do we know about him?”
Drae shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Ash scoffed. “Isn’t it the guild’s job to have basic information on a kingdom?”
In a deadpan voice he replied. “Ash, this is the Adventurer’s Guild. We are a guild for adventurers.”
Ash let out a small ‘tsk’. He gathered all the papers. “If you see any more requests for magic items that are suitable for me, don’t save them. If they’re still around when I get back, I’ll take a look.”
Drae stood to see him out. “I knew you wouldn’t sit at home for too long.”
“Momma knows this time. Besides, she knows I’m trying to earn money for a good cause,” Ash said. He tucked the papers into his bag. “Also, my brother is coming with me this time.”
Drae paused. “The requestor only paid for the travel expenses of one person.”
Ash waved his hand. “Brother is coming of his own accord. Momma told him to go with me.” He bid his friend good-bye and headed home.
Upon arriving, his brother was still out picking up the last of their journey supplies. Effie was still at the Cultural Center. Most of his things were already packed, so he went to check in with his mother.
Her study and room were above theirs, and Ash found her in her study.
She was seated by a desk by a large window, using the sunlight to help her see the little cracks and crevices on the jewelry Ash had salvaged from the bottom of the sea.
Without looking away as she lowered a small piece of gold and used a small brush to sweep away at the debris, she spoke up. “Everything is confirmed?”
Ash nodded and stepped into the study. “Yes, Momma.”
“Before you go, pay your respects to the ancestral altar,” his mother told him. Ash nodded again and left the room. Also on the upper floor was a modest-sized room with windows that opened to the east, as well as some sky lights.
The windows were sealed, so no one could see inside, but one could see from the inside looking out. The seal also blocked out much of the sunlight, keeping the room dim during the day, but allowed for moonlight to filter in freely.
Lunapsar usually had small altars in their family homes. Aside from a small stone or metal statue representing the moon goddess on the top tier, there were usually small metal tokens of deceased family members on the descending tiers. The closest members were placed just below the moon goddess, and there were usually three or four generations.
Despite having never set foot on Samelu, they still had many tokens representing family members.
Ash closed the door behind him and removed his bag. He walked to the counter by the door to select the incense he wanted to burn. In a well-practiced ritual, he put the items needed on a tray and carried it to the altar.
The altar itself was elevated, so the tiers were at his shoulder level. Just below it was an elevated platform with a low table and embroidered cushions on a thick, woven rug. He removed his shoes before stepping on to the platform.
Ash lifted the silver tray to the east, then placed it on the table as he knelt. With smooth movements, he picked up the white and gray stone bowl with little feet that fit in his hand and lifted the lid to reveal nearly transparent sand. He opened another, smaller bowl made of metal and removed the lid.
Inside was a white incense that smelled of jasmine and earth after the rain.
Ash placed a metal stencil on top of the sand in the bowl before taking a thin spoon and scooping a little white incense into the stencil. Once he had enough, he used another tool to spread around the flatten the incense to fit the stencil before lifting the stencil off. He then lifted the bowl up in both hands.
He didn’t need to ignite the incense. It only took a moment for the incense to react with the sand and start to release a faint, hazy white smoke. While kneeling, he offered the incense bowl towards the altar three times. He then stood up, bowed to the altar, and placed the bowl in the center of the second highest tier, just below the moon goddess.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before putting his hands on the edge of the lowest tier and whispering a prayer. When he was done, he looked at each of the tokens of his Lunapsar family. He knew all of them by heart.
There was the ring of his great-great-grandmother and part of the gauntlet of one of his great-great-grandfather’s. Then, there was a ring belonging to his great-grandfather and a pendant of his great-grandmother. Both had two intertwined snakes engraved in them. His mother said that they were a pair. They had died when Samelu sank.
Closest to the top was a silver engraved torque of his grandmother. It was shaped like two snakes that wound around it to meet in the center and seemed to rest their heads together. His grandmother had plenty of jewelry, but this torque had been prepared for her by her parents upon her birth and she wore it when she grew into it. She had selected it to go on the family altar.
His mother’s gift from his grandmother was a snake pendant; however, she had instructed him that the trinket she wanted on the altar was the oversized scarab ring that she wore on the same chain as her snake pendant. Ash didn’t want to think about having to put that on the altar one day.
Recently, his mother had added another piece. Though it belonged to the sister of his great-grandfather, so they were not directly descended from her, this great-great aunt didn’t have descendants of her own, so she would be honored by them.
His mother had placed it at a place of honor to show her respect.
Just beside the moon goddess symbol was the Mahsa Diadem.
Ash bowed his head once more. “Great-Great Aunt, once Momma cleans another piece, she’ll put a more appropriate token for you on the altar. I am going with my brother to make money. When we have enough, we will retrieve the remnants of the city and the rest of the temple from the bottom of the sea. Once it is cleared, we will do the death sacraments. Until then, beseech Lady Lunaya to guide us to safety.”
He then collected the tray and brought it to the counter.
While he was putting the items away, Henry entered. He didn’t look surprised to see him.
“Don’t put away the moonlight jasmine, I want to use it, too.”
Ash nodded and left it on the tray as Henry selected another incense bowl before carrying it to the altar. Though Henry and Effie were not blood related to his mother, as part of her family, they paid their respects as well. Henry wasn’t Lunapsar at all, and his formative years had him following the teachings of the fire god and doing sun goddess worship on his mother’s side. It was nearly identical to moon goddess worship, since they were sister deities, so it may have made the transition natural.
Effie tended to ramble on and almost report her most important and memorable experiences, as if she were telling a living, breathing ancestor. According to their mother, the tokens of the dead conveyed their words to the resting souls, connecting the descendants to their ancestors, and Effie took that seriously.
Henry whispered the prayer as he held on to the edge of the altar. It was in liturgical Lunapsar, which was a bit more complex using words not used in regular Lunapsar. As Henry bowed his head to the tokens, he spoke to them, asking for Lady Lunaya to protect both him and Ash on their journey, as well as to watch over Momma and Effie while they were gone.
After he was done, he gathered the tray to leave.
“Is it confirmed?” Henry asked after they left the altar room.
Ash nodded. “The guild only arranged for a single traveler, but it’s fine.”
“I planned to pay my way, anyway,” Henry said.
“Are you sure you want to come?” Ash asked. “It’s over a month and a half of travel, and I know you hate being away from home for so long.”
“It’s fine. After that run in with the Ashtari ship, I’ve been antsy.” Henry frowned. “I feel...restless. Auntie said I should go out a bit to reorient myself.”
Ash didn’t want to say it, but he had a feeling his brother was feeling restless since they got back. Though it had been a dire circumstance with Terry’s curse, Henry was much more active and focused than usual.
Maybe he misses the taste of adventure. He wanted to say it out loud, but his brother would just rebuke him. Henry was an ideal quest party member, but he swore that he was not interested, no matter how good at it he was. He said he much preferred working at the tea shop and doing work for the family business.
Considering how much Henry read and did paperwork, and was all around boring otherwise, Ash believed it.
“I’m still glad you’re going,” Ash said as he looped his arm over his brother’s shoulders. Henry didn’t shrug him off and only chuckled. “This is a real, official, guild sanctioned adventure. Just you and me: the Atractas Brothers!” He gasped, his face lighting up with excitement as he looked at Henry. “We should come up with a catch phrase!”
“We’re not doing that.”