Ander

Ander stayed one more night in his cave before he left Payra and the Tenzen valley behind.

After he woke on the morning of his departure, Ander started to fill a pack that Cyrus had lent him. Even after he had placed nearly all of his meager possessions in the bag, it was depressingly empty.

Well, at least it won’t be heavy. The rueful thought went through is mind as he took one last look at the cave that had been his home for the past month. He wouldn’t be sad to leave it.

When his eyes fell on his pallet, the thing received a parting glare. He would be especially happy to leave that part of his life in Payra. Apart from Cyrus, Ander wouldn’t miss anything from this place, and it was almost time to say goodbye. That thought twisted Ander’s stomach up in knots, but he ignored the feeling and stepped out of the cave and took the small path leading to the farm.

Ander spent the entire walk combing through his memories of Cyrus. As long as he could remember, the old man had always been there for him. When Ander had been younger, Cyrus had found excuses to visit the village every day to check on him.

Those visits had kept Ander from despair, in fact they were the only happy memories that Ander had from his early childhood. Cyrus would bring him small gifts and encouraging words, before leaving to return to his farm.

As the years passed by Cyrus’s age kept him from visiting every day, but that didn’t keep Ander from going to the farm. His parents were happy that he would disappear the entire day when he visited Cyrus. They probably hoped that some beast would attack him on the way. Luckily for Ander, his strange ability as a shaper seemed to ward off animals of all kinds, including predators.

Because Ander’s parents refused to remain in his presence, it was with Cyrus that Ander learned so many of the things that he now knew. Skills like reading, writing, farming, and even some weapons training were taught between stories of Cyrus’s adventures. So much so that he became more educated than most of the villagers.

A sudden exclamation shocked Ander out of his thoughts. “Watch where you’re going, lad!”

The content smile Ander wore was quickly replaced by a look of surprise as he realized he had almost run straight into Cyrus. He had been too distracted by his memories.

“Sorry Cyrus, I was just thinking about everything you’ve done for me over the years.”

“I see, you must not have appreciated it much if you’re trying to run me over.”

“No, that’s not it,” Ander laughed, “I am incredibly grateful for everything. Really Cyrus, thank you. Thank you for saving me. I would have been completely lost without the direction you gave me, and I never would have made it this far without you.”

Cyrus ran a hand through his stark white hair as he responded. “You may not know this lad, but you have done far more for me than you could imagine. I don’t have any family left. I’m old, and I was alone for a very long time before you gave new meaning to my life. You gave me purpose after I thought that I would end up dying as an old and lonely man.”

There was an awkward pause after Cyrus spoke because Ander didn’t really know how to respond. They both stood still, staring at each other until Cyrus turned quickly and began to speak.

“Come on, lad,” Cyrus said in his gruff voice. “I have something to give you before you leave. You’ll want to get an early start on your journey.”

Ander wiped tears from his eyes as he followed Cyrus. It was going to be far more difficult to say goodbye than he had imagined.

Cyrus entered the small home and returned a moment later with a packet in his hands. He dropped the parcel into Ander’s arms, speaking quickly.

“This is some food I prepared for your trip. It should be plenty to arrive in Spectralia and then some.”

Ander tried to say thanks, but Cyrus just talked over him.

“Now, when you get there you should look for the Verdant Spring. It’s an inn near the east entrance to the city. A friend of mine named Mora runs the place, and she should treat you well if you mention my name. She used to adventure with me back in the day.”

The words came out in a torrent, almost like Cyrus was trying to rush them out as quickly as possible. When Cyrus stopped speaking, he started to push Ander toward the road that led away from the farm and towards Spectralia.

“Off with you now,” Cyrus said, “you should get an early start on the journey.”

“Wait, wait!” Ander protested as the old farmer tried to move him, “Why are you trying to send me off so quickly?”

Cyrus stopped pushing, looking embarrassed.

“It’s just, I don’t do well with goodbyes. I find that it’s much better to get them over with quickly. I’m going to miss you, lad.”

“Look, old man,” Ander said, “I have something to say before I go, and you’re going to listen.

Cyrus sighed resignedly and gestured for Ander to continue.

“I am grateful for everything you’ve done for me. You’ve taught me everything I know and I will find a way to pay you back.” Ander proclaimed, determination in his voice. “I’m going to make you proud.”

The old farmer looked at Ander meaningfully before speaking.

“Son,” Cyrus said, tears rolling down his cheeks. “I am already proud of you, and I always have been.”

With those words, Cyrus embraced Ander. It was a fierce embrace. Cyrus still had a surprising amount of strength in his aging frame, and Ander returned it with equal force.

“Stay safe old man,” Ander said choking on his tears.

“You too, son.”

When they finally separated, Ander took the opportunity to put the packet that Cyrus had given him into his pack. He had been holding somewhat awkwardly up until this point. Then with one last look toward Cyrus and a wave goodbye he turned and started down the road, heading west toward Spectralia.

--

It was mid-day on his second day of travel, and Ander decided it was time for a meal. He took out the packet that Cyrus had given him, and looked through what remained. It still contained a full loaf of bread, cheese, jerky and a good number of apples.

Ander took one of the apples and started to eat. As he sat some distance from the road, he observed a group of people walking by. The party wasn’t like any he had ever seen before, and although he didn’t know much about life outside the Tenzen valley, he knew that they should not be on the road to the capital.

The people certainly weren’t merchants. They wore the garb of farmers and simple folk, but despite their plain clothes, they were all armed with some kind of weapon. Ander caught sight of everything from hunting bows and quarter-staffs to kitchen knives and shovels.

These were the kind of people that should be planting crops and raising animals, not travelling traveling to the capital of the country. Yet, this was not the first group of this kind that Ander had seen. In fact, the further he travelled, the more frequently he saw these groups on the road.

Ander finished his apple and started on a piece of jerky, watching as the group plodded along. There were children and the elderly walking along with the party. It all seemed so wrong.

Several hours before, Ander tried to ask one of the groups why they were headed toward the capital, but the looks of hostility he received before they could even feel his realm of influence made him back off. For now, it would remain a mystery.

Ander finished up his piece of jerky and packed up the parcel of food, moving to stand from his sitting position.

As he stood, he heard a massive roar from the other side of the road, and a beast broke out of the forest and charged toward the group of travelers. It wasn’t like the strange creature that had killed the three men who had chased Ander, instead the beast was covered in greenish fur and it ran on four powerful legs. This was a dreadmaw.

Ander shot to his feet and started running toward the group. Even though his ability was usually useless, it did have one useful effect. It seemed to scare away even the greatest of predators.

The group of people was in pandemonium. They ran into one another as the men tried to move forwards with their weapons and the women gathered children. Fear consumed the people as they saw the beast barreling toward them.

When it saw the fear and confusion the creature let out another roar, its strange mouth opening in three directions, wicked teeth lining each of the three jaws that gave the dreadmaw its name.

Screams rang out as the group of travelers prepared for the attack. The dreadmaw lunged forward but the men who had gathered to defend against the threat managed to fend off the creature. They used their superior numbers to harass the beast with their improvised weapons. Even though it stood taller than a horse, the dreadmaw couldn’t find easy prey among the men. It turned its great head toward a group of women and children and focused its eyes on them.

Ander saw all of this happen in mere moments, quickly changing course.

The dreadmaw burst into motion, rounding the men and running towards its new targets, but Ander arrived just in time. Before it could attack the poor souls, it entered into Ander’s realm of influence and let out a scream as it shuddered to a halt. The predator looked like it might continue to attack for a moment, but to Ander’s relief it turned and bolted away from the group.

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Ander heard several cries of ‘praise to the creator’ and ‘thank Novian’, as the beast disappeared into the surrounding forest.

It didn’t take long for people to notice Ander. It was hard to ignore a shaper. The men who had come running after the dreadmaw started to raise weapons in his direction.

“I don’t mean any harm,” Ander said, raising his hands. “I just came here to help.”

Ander heard a few snorts after he spoke, but an older man with gray in his dark beard spoke up.

“We thank you for scaring the beast off, but we don’t want one of your kind travelling with us, begone with you.”

Ander wanted to respond in anger, but the words Cyrus had spoken to him a few days earlier stayed with him. Instead, he decided to learn something before he left.

“Sure, I’ll be off then, but would you answer me one question before I go?”

The bearded man wavered for a moment before answering.

“Very well. What is your question?”

“Why are you travelling to Spectralia? I’ve seen groups like yours on the road for some time now, and I want to know why so many people are headed toward the capital.”

The man looked taken aback by the question, but he answered quickly.

“Because of the shadow fiends. The dark creatures that suddenly appeared, killing everything in their path. We are fleeing to ask for protection from the arbiters.”

Ander frowned at the explanation. These creatures that the man spoke of reminded him of the beast that had killed the three men chasing him.

“Are the fiends a dark gray color with white streaks running through their bodies?”

“Yes,” The bearded man replied, “You must have seen one before.”

Ander nodded and turned away.

“Thanks for the information,” He called back as he started moving toward Spectralia.

Something about this whole experience was bothering him. It wasn’t the way that the people had treated him, he was used to that. It was the fact that a dreadmaw had attacked such a large group. They rarely attacked humans, and they almost only attacked them when they were isolated.

Are these fiends killing the dreadmaws normal prey, forcing this one to resort to attack a group of people? Ander thought as he walked.

Something strange was going on and Ander was determined to learn what it was.

--

It was evening when Ander finally reached Spectralia. Despite the darkening skies, he could make out the city clearly.

Spectralia was incredible.

Even though Cyrus had told him stories of his travels, nothing could have prepared him for the sight. Ander could hardly believe that so many people could live in one place. The streets were clogged by the number of people moving through them, despite the enormity of the city.

Lights from torches and lanterns sparkled like stars throughout Spectralia. It was beautiful in a way that Ander had never seen before.

As Ander moved closer, he realized his jaw was hanging open in amazement. He had never seen anything like this in all of his life. Payra was nothing compared to the grandeur of Spectralia.

Ander approached the eastern gate to the city and saw a long line of people waiting to enter. The people waiting in the line looked a lot like the groups he had seen while travelling on the road. It appeared that a lot of people were looking for the safety that Spectralia would provide. He joined the line, ignoring the looks he received from the surrounding people. They would just have to deal with his realm until he could enter the city.

As he waited, Ander noticed that some kind of construction was going on atop the towering walls. Tall poles were being erected at even intervals for as far as he could see. I wonder what that’s for, he thought, but no matter what idea he came up with, he couldn’t reason out why they would build the things. The best explanation he could come up with was they wanted to wave additional banners from them. It wasn’t likely, but it was the only thing he could think of.

Ander was distracted from his musings by the people around him. He continued to receive looks and muttered complaints until it was finally his turn to talk with the guards at the gate. They looked weary, but they jumped to attention when they came into contact with his realm.

“What business do you have in Spectralia?” Asked the lead guard as Ander walked up to the gates to the city.

Ander didn’t really know how to respond to that question, so he came up with a plausible response.

“I came here seeking refuge from the beasts.”

The guard gave out a frustrated sigh. He looked at Ander suspiciously before replying. “If I didn’t have instructions to let everyone in who asked for refuge, I would turn you away. The last thing we need is more shapers in the city. Move along before I change my mind.”

Ander entered quickly, though a sinking feeling filled his stomach as he hurried past the guards. He had hoped that people would be more accepting here in Spectralia, but it didn’t look like that would be the case. Ander felt the same hateful stares here that he had received his entire life in Payra.

Ander shook off the feeling and decided to look for the inn that Cyrus had mentioned. Searching his memory for the name of the place. Verdant Spring was the name, he recalled, and Cyrus’s friend is called Mora.

It took some time for him to find the place. After about a dozen attempts to ask people for directions, he finally found someone who would talk with him, and he was convinced that the man he had cornered only told him because he wanted Ander to leave him alone.

Ander eventually found the inn just as the sun disappeared behind the mountains to the west. He was relieved that he found the place. He didn’t want to look through the city after dark. Many of the streets had already been vacated and only people of a rougher class seemed to move through them.

Without any further hesitation Ander entered the inn, immediately silencing the room. The people inside looked at him before eventually returning to their conversations, somewhat more subdued than before.

The inn was clean, and it had a cozy atmosphere to it, even though it was packed to bursting.

Ander spotted an old woman with a commanding presence. She was busily ordering the staff around. Ander made his way toward her because he knew that she had to be Mora. As he stepped up to her, she raised an eyebrow, but remained silent. Everyone else moved out of the area as soon as he arrived.

Ander cleared his throat nervously before speaking. “I’m a friend of Cyrus, he told me that I could come here for a place to stay.”

A broad smile lit up her face as she heard the words.

“Really? Cyrus is still alive then? You would think that the man would have let an old friend know before now. Come along then, we don’t want you upsetting all the guests.”

Mora led him to a back room meant for storage by the look of the various objects covered in dust. The storeroom was far enough away from everything else that Ander’s realm wouldn’t affect any of the people there.

“How is Cyrus doing?” Mora asked curiously.

“He’s doing well,” Ander replied. “The old man is managing a farm in the Tenzen valley.”

Mora nodded as if this were expected. “That’s what he said he wanted to do when the group finally broke up. It’s not the kind of life that I would enjoy, but I think it would suit Cyrus.

After the statement Mora examined Ander from head to toe before speaking. “Now, who are you, and why did Cyrus decide to send a young shaper to my inn?”

Ander considered what he wanted to tell Mora. It didn’t take long for him to decide to tell her everything. Cyrus trusted her, and he needed to confide in someone. On top of that, Mora might be able to help him if he gave her the correct information.

Ander told her his name, and everything about the three men chasing him in Payra, and how he wanted to learn who they were and why they were searching for him. He also explained about the strange monsters and that he wanted to inform the arbiters about the danger and send help to the Tenzen Valley.

Mora listened patiently, only speaking when Ander finished his explanation.

“Sending help to Payra is already in progress. The arbiters are aware of the danger, and they have been receiving reports of these monsters for quite some time now. Anything that can be done is already being done. As for these people searching for you, I don’t know who they could possibly be, but something strange has been going on with the shapers in the city. I don’t really know anything about it, but I know a shaper that passes by here each morning, I am sure that if anyone can help you, she can.”

A nervous excitement rose in Ander’s chest. He had never met another shaper before. It would be interesting to meet someone like him. Before he could meet this person though, he needed a place to stay. He would prefer to stay here, but Ander wasn’t sure if Mora would allow a shaper like him to remain in the inn. In the end, not really sure how to ask, he just blurted his question out.

“May I stay here while I try to learn what is happening?” Ander asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

“Of course. Any friend of Cyrus is a friend of mine. Realize though, that I can’t give you a normal room. There isn’t a room to give you with all the refugees in the city, and even if I did have one available, I wouldn’t give it to you. Your aura would scare off all of my customers, but I can have a bed set up in this room. It’s far enough away from everything else that nobody will be bothered by your realm of influence.”

“That would be wonderful,” Ander said with a relieved smile. “Thank you. How much will it cost per night?”

Mora simply waved a wrinkled hand at the question. “Don’t worry about it. You can stay here as long as you want, no charge.”

“What? I can’t accept that; it’s far too kind.”

“I want to, you remind me of someone that was dear to me. Let an old woman be generous.”

All Ander could do was give a small bow and thank her repeatedly. Apart from Cyrus she was the only person to act kindly toward him. He wondered why that was. Mora said that he reminded her of someone. Perhaps something her their history together helped them become more tolerant than others. It was possible, even though Cyrus had told him many stories from his adventuring days, there were some questions that he would never answer in full.

Mora left Ander in the room, though she quickly returned to bring him a hot meal of grilled chicken with a roll and diced carrots on the side. She sat the meal down on a table that Ander hadn’t noticed. She gave him a smile before she left, telling him that she would send some people to prepare the bed for him.

While Ander ate, several men came in and retrieved a bed frame from somewhere within the storeroom. They set it up in a business-like manner, leaving quickly after a mattress had been placed on top of the frame. After that, a maid entered with pillows, sheets and a blanket.

By the time he finished his meal, the bed was ready to be slept in. Ander left the storeroom to look for the kitchens. After a short search he found them and left his dishes to be cleaned. On the way back to his room, he spotted Mora, and she called out to him.

“Is everything to your satisfaction, Ander? I know the bed is rather old, but I hope it will do.”

Ander had to keep himself from laughing, thinking about the pallet he had been sleeping on recently. Anything would be better than the torture of a night sleeping on the thing. Instead of laughing he simply said, “Yes, thank you for everything.”

“Good,” Mora replied, “breakfast will be ready for you in the morning, you will want to be up early to meet with the shaper I spoke to you about. Would you like someone to wake you tomorrow?”

“Yes please, that would be very helpful.”

“Great, I hope you enjoy your stay here at the Verdant Spring. I will have a bath drawn for you before you sleep. No offense, but you look like you need it.”

With those final words Mora left Ander to himself in the storeroom.

Now that Mora mentioned that he needed a bath, Ander had to agree. Two days of travel had left him in a poor state. A bath sounded wonderful.

Ander marveled at how efficiently the inn was run. In a matter of minutes a tub had been brought to his room and filled with warm water. After the inn’s staff left, Ander spent a long time relaxing in the water just thinking about what had happened to him over the past few days.

When the water started to cool he left the tub and dried himself off with a towel that had been supplied, and he called for the tub to be removed. In quick order it was gone, and he was once again left to himself.

Ater a short amount of preperation Ander lay down on the bed, letting out a contented sigh. It was like laying on a cloud compared to the pallet he had slept on for the past month.

As he slowly drifted off to sleep, he thought that things were looking up. Tomorrow he would have the opportunity to meet another shaper for the first time, and he would be able to explore the magnificent city of Spectralia.