Now, if you couldn't tell already, Opprobrium was a small town where life was simple and everyone knew their neighbors by name. While not as isolated as Lefty's desert village, it was still a place that received few visitors, and even fewer interesting visitors. Lefty and Blu's dynamic entrance was, by far, the most exciting thing to happen in quite some time. Needless to say, the event managed to attract the attention of pretty much everyone who lived there. All throughout town work came to a halt, as the camelians put aside their mundane tasks to flock around their guests, eager to find out what had happened.
It took nearly an hour for the two of them to recover completely. Lefty ended up with a pair of slings for his strained arms, and both of them received some fresh food and water to replace the meal they had lost on the shores of Lake Yielding. Finally though, the two adventurers regained their wits, and sat to answer the townsfolk's many questions.
By then the crowd had moved them to a nearby dock and seated the guests on a pair of barrels. It was then, while looking out at the sea of attentive faces that stretched out before him, that Ol Blu realized just how excellent their situation was. Seizing the opportunity, he decided to do what he did best. Speaking up with the dramatic voice he used for crowds, the kicken brought the gathered townsfolk to a hushed silence. Stepping forward to the edge of the barrel, he puffed out his chest and raised his wing, his still damp fur and bright red eye patch giving him the aura of a royal eagle despite his size. Then, with every eye and ear focused on him, he began to tell their tale.
“Darkness! I had been trapped in darkness for three days. Confined to a tiny box by foul and foolish men with delusions of grandeur. Like many fools, they sought the Clavis Imperium; for they had more ambition than intelligence; more confidence than sense… and I was their trophy… their toy… a mere symbol of their supposed nobility. It was dreadful. Humiliating. A fate I scarcely deserve, but one which seemed inescapable.”
“But then! Just as all hope seemed lost… a hero arrived. From out of the night a mysterious young appeared. Lefty strode right into my captor’s camp, demanded that they free me immediately… and when they refused… he fought all three of them at once with nothing more than a shovel!”
The crowd gasped and looked to Lefty. The desert dweller was already so engrossed in the story that for a second he forgot it was about him. He looked up for a moment to see the camelians staring at him and immediately felt foolish for his lapse in attention. He looked back down in embarrassment, grinning as he awkwardly swung his feet. Most in the crowd mistook this for humility, and Ol Blu did not correct them. Instead he launched right back into the story.
“Lefty risked his life that night! Sacrificed his own safety to free me from my prison. And he did this, not for a reward or to steal me for himself, but out of the kindness of his heart. I was a stranger… and he went out of his way to help me… but we wouldn't remain strangers for long! For I soon learned that Lefty was on a journey of his own… an adventure that is destined to become legendary… and the more I learned of it, the more I learned of him… the more I realized that he was not just my savior… he would be my friend. ”
By now the crowd was hooked, leaning in eagerly to find out just what had happened to this enigmatic duo, and how it ended up with them flying through the air on wings of steel.
An hour later, Ol Blu finished telling the Legend of Lefty… to the extent that it existed back then. And as he brought the story to a close the gathered camelians broke into applause and cheers. The town didn’t have a dedicated bard, so simply having such a dramatic story performed for them was a treat in itself. To then be greeted by that story’s hero only added to the excitement.
Needless to say, any reservations the camelians may have had about the pair were gone; replaced instead with an overflowing sense of awe and respect. While the legend didn't shy away from showing Lefty's comical ignorance, it made a point to showcase his bravery as well, not only playing up his heroic confrontation with the beast, but making his leap from the tabernacle seem more like a bold risk rather than an idiotic mistake. Blu told the story so well that even Lefty, who experienced the events first hand earlier that day, was moved by the narrative.
By the end he had gotten so wrapped up in the legend that he actually became inspired by his own semi-fictional bravery. He stared in awe at the Grungle Mountains looming in the distance, realizing, perhaps for the first time, just how amazing his leap from the Tabernacle had been, and what a miracle it was that he survived. To be fair to the lad, he had been through a lot in the last few hours. I think anyone would have been a little out-of-it after such a death defying stunt.
Fortunately for him, the camelians misread his expression once again.To the gathered crowd it appeared as though Lefty was gazing confidently into the infinite horizon, in the way that visionary men often do. Not wanting to interrupt the stoic hero, questions were instead directed to Ol Blu, who fielded them quite expertly.
Turns out that, as inspired as Lefty was, many prominent members of the camelian community were even more inspired. After a few brief conversations, they offered to give the pair any assistance they could. The townsfolk were eager to aid them. Happy to help “the courageous Lefty” and “his wise companion Ol Blu” in their (sigh) “epic adventures”.
In the outpouring of emotion that followed Ol Blu’s story, the two of them would not only secure safe passage to The Capital, but food and lodging for the duration of their stay, which would end up being two weeks. That’s when a caravan of merchants was planning to head into the city anyway. The two adventurers could ride along free of charge. From there, the pair would have another two weeks to find lodging of their own while the merchants traded, before the caravan returned to Opprobrium with goods in tow.
For Lefty, the fortnight spent in Opprobrium was a vast and unrivaled learning experience. His first day was simply spent recovering from his injuries, but with the help of a local food mage, who whipped him up a bit of magical jerky to help accelerate the healing of his arms, he was soon back on his feet again, and eagerly exploring the little town. Everything was new to the young desert dweller, and he was very interested in experiencing all that Opprobrium had to offer. Each day he spent time with a different group of camelians, observing their daily lives with rapt fascination. He marveled at the simplest of tasks; finding excitement in the mundane work of farming, woodcutting, and even aqua mining; all tasks he had heard of, but never experienced before.
All of this could have been very annoying… if not for Ol Blu’s story setting up expectations.
After hearing his courageous acts described in such glorious detail, the camelians had half-expected Lefty to exhibit the kind of prideful elitist attitude that plagued most of the adventurers who made the trek to the Food Tabernacle. Instead, they found the brave young man to be utterly humble. He listened attentively to them, genuinely excited to learn their ways. He treated everyone with respect, acting as if common workers were master craftsmen from whom he hoped to learn. And more than just watching, he actually helped with their daily work; happy to assist and unafraid of getting his hands dirty with manual labor.
He wasn't very good at any of it of course. Most of his attempts to help his camelian hosts were unsuccessful; largely due to his complete lack of experience. But watching him try brought joy to their dull lives nonetheless. Despite his near constant failure, Lefty was always eager to try again. His overwhelming enthusiasm was refreshing for the townspeople to witness, and his pitiful attempts either made them feel better about their own comparatively well-honed skills, or simply made them laugh outright at his comical incompetence.
Now, I could sit here all day and tell you every detail of Lefty's stay. He did quite a few amusing things in such a short amount of time. There was his utterly disastrous fourteen hour fishing attempt. His surprisingly gory but nonetheless successful hunting expedition. The sweet cake incident. And his first attempt at a bath. But in the end, none of those tangents are all that important in the grand scheme of things. The only day in Opprobrium that would have a lasting impact on his journey, would be the quiet afternoon spent with Sheila; an old camelian bookkeeper who practiced sleep magic in her spare time.
Remember that Lefty had only learned about food magic the week prior. Ol Blu had mentioned the other elemental magics, but apparently Lefty wasn’t paying attention, because he became extremely excited upon learning that the town has a sleep mage. It took all his self control not to bombard the kindly old woman with questions right then and there. Instead, he saved those for Ol Blu. That night he returned to the guest room where they had both been staying, and eagerly asked his new friend if there were other kinds of magic.
“Of course there are.” The kicken said. “I explained this before. Food alone doesn't sustain the magic of life, it takes all four elements: food, drink, breath, and sleep”
Lefty's eyes widened in excitement. In just the span of a week food magic had already made his life infinitely better. Not only had it helped him recover quickly from the painful muscle strain endured during his “flight”, but he had gotten to taste magical bread for the second time a few days ago, and it quickly solidified itself as his favorite meal. He could scarcely imagine how these other magics might improve his life, and strove to learn more.
Tired, but always willing to educate, Ol Blu cleared his throat and pulled from his perfect memory another sermon he had heard once.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
“The first three elements are all fairly similar in theory. Just as most creatures must eat food to survive, so too must they drink liquids and breath gasses. And just as food can be magically enhanced, so too can beverages and the very air we breathe. Though the elements seem similar, in that they are all related to ingesting something, their associated schools of magics are quite distinct in practice, and have wildly different effects on the body.
Food is the sustaining force; that which gives living things form. Food is why we grow. It works to build up the body when it's healthy, and restore the body when it's ill. Great chefs are able to amplify those properties, preparing meals that heal wounds and provide boundless energy.
Drinks meanwhile, are based around water, the flowing force which bestows living things with movement. By altering water into different drinks, a great mixologist can alter the flow of the body, changing its shape, and making it harder, better, faster, or stronger.
Finally there is breath, the vehicle for thought; that invisible intangible force required for consciousness itself. Perhaps the most dangerous of the magics, a powerful chemist can craft concoctions which alter the breather's mind, and change their perception of reality.”
“What about sleep though?” said Lefty, making Ol Blu’s ears twitch.
“Patience lad, I'm getting to that.” said the kicken, as glared at his young companion.
“Sleep is the odd one out, the only element of the four which is not an external force, but an internal one. It is the element of willpower; which governs both body and the mind. Where other mages shape the energies of the world into something they can ingest, a great dreamer does the opposite. They shape their own energy into something new, then push it into the world; crafting items in their dreams that can be brought over the threshold into reality.
Lefty was speechless. He had never heard of anything so amazing in all his life. Food magic had been incredible, but understandable. He liked magic food, but had no desire to create it himself. Especially after the sweet cake incident. Sleep magic, however, seemed like an outright miracle to him; something full of mysticism and infinite possibilities. No sooner had he been introduced to the concept than he decided he would become a great and powerful sleep mage.
Ol Blu saw the look in his eyes, and frowned worriedly.
“Don't get too excited lad.” the kicken said, obviously a few moments too late.
“Sleep magic is the most difficult to learn. It takes a special kind of mind to be a dreamer; it's not as simple as just following a recipe. I mean, don't me wrong, there's a lot more to making magic bread than just following the recipe, but the artistry involved is still a skill. With enough time and dedication, nearly anyone can become a chef or a chemist or a mixologist.”
“But to even begin practicing sleep magic, you have to dream lucidly. You must be aware that you're dreaming, and have control over everything that happens in that dream. It's not something easily taught, nor is it something everyone can do. Some people spend years trying and never succeed, at least not consistently enough to actually practice sleep magic.”
“And even if you DO master lucid dreaming, that's only the start of it. You don’t just think up something amazing and have it become a reality. Most of the things that people dream up can't exist in the waking world. Dreams have their own twisted sense of logic which isn't compatible with reality. Make something using dream logic, and it will have a tough time making the transition to the waking world. If you're lucky, the thing you made won't materialize at all, or it will turn to dust in your hands the moment you awake. If you're unlucky, the thing will explode in a flash of heat and light. It's not uncommon for apprentice sleep mages to be missing fingers or even entire hands!”
“In order for a dream crafted object to survive the trip, it must be expertly designed using a combination of real world logic and dream logic. It requires the kind of focus and creativity that it's rare to possess whilst asleep. Success requires you to not only master lucid dreaming, but to maintain a detailed understanding of math and physics while doing so. It's an intense combination of engineering, artistry, and luck. Few have what it takes to master it.”
All of this Ol Blu explained to Lefty in an attempt to dissuade him from pursuing sleep magic. The young man was barely literate and had only dreamt once. For his age, he was severely lacking in both experience and knowledge, and it would take a supreme effort for him to catch up. The kicken continued on, warning him that even if he started now and focused all his attention towards it, it was likely he would never perform a single feat of sleep magic.
But Lefty didn't care. His excitement had reached its zenith, and it would not be deterred by an insignificant things like “reasonable expectations”. He would be a sleep mage, he declared, no matter how long it took or how difficult it was. It was the kind of youthful exuberance that Ol Blu couldn't help but smile at.
The next day Lefty returned to Shelia, and asked the elderly dreamer if she would teach him about sleep magic, offering to stay behind in Opprobrium and apprentice under her if need be. The old camelian smiled softly, patted the young man on his shoulder, and pretty much repeated everything Ol Blu had, telling him kindly that, starting at his age, with zero experience or talent, he would likely never succeed at dreaming. She had been born with a natural talent, she explained, and had been working at the craft since she was old enough to read; and yet even after a lifetime of practice, she had only found the tiniest bit of success. The only things she could produce with any real regularity were mere trinkets; glittery stones of unnatural colors which were beautiful to behold, but utterly useless in any practical sense.
She had managed to make a few high quality globelights in her prime, she said with a wistful air of pride, but she had never been consistent enough to make dreaming a full time job. She sighed sadly as she thought about it, her old eyes full of nostalgia, and then showed Lefty her hands. The flesh of her palms was pale, and had a strange swirling look to it, as if her skin had once melted slightly and then re-solidified wrong, the whole surface a strange wrinkled scar. She was lucky, she explained, that the failed attempt had only burned her hands, but left them intact. She could still work as a bookkeeper, even if she couldn't write quite as quickly as before.
The sight softened Lefty's excitement a bit, but didn't diminish it; nothing could. Just as with the beast of the Food Tabernacle, he was determined to go forward regardless of what warnings or obstacles stood in his way.
He was sad, of course, that the old woman wouldn't teach him, but he understood that her decision came from a concern for his well being and not from malice. He thanked her genuinely for talking with him, but knew as he turned around that he would not give up. If she wasn't willing to teach him about sleep magic, then he would have to find someone else who would.
Perhaps the old mage sensed that in him, and wanted to guide him on the right track. Or perhaps she simply took pity on the dejected looking young man, and decided to leave him with some scrap of hope. Whatever the reason, she stopped Lefty at the door, and asked him to wait while she fetched something for him. A few moments later, with an expression that was equal parts pity and joy, Sheila handed Lefty a pair of books from her collection; gifts for the curious adventurer.
They were old tomes, coated with dust from years on the shelf, and containing basic information she had long since committed to memory or copied down elsewhere. One was a beginner's guide to the practice of sleep magic, and the other was a reference book on physics, full of mathematical formulas and useful diagrams. They were useless to her now, but she knew that Lefty would find the knowledge invaluable.
Indeed, he was overjoyed at the old woman's generosity, treating the common books with more reverence and respect than the one-of-a-kind Clavis Imperium which still bounced around at the bottom of his backpack. Throwing his arms around her, Lefty gave the elderly camelian a big hug, bestowing a warm smile to her face as he thanked her again and again for the amazing gift.
(sigh)
A few days later, Lefty and Ol Blu finally departed from Opprobrium, riding out on a caravan headed towards the capital. There were few in town who wanted to see them go, and truth be told, Lefty wasn't all that keen on leaving either. There was so much to learn and experience in Opprobrium, and he had only gotten a taste of it in his two week visit. If not for Ol Blu, enticing the young man with the promise of even greater adventures, he might have stayed there in that peaceful little town, and perhaps maybe even made a home for himself among the friendly camelians.
But for better or for worse, that was not to be. Lefty and Blu gave their heartfelt thanks, said their final goodbyes, and left Opprobrium behind, striking out on the road to The Capital, with no intention of ever returning.
Most of the things that Lefty learned about during his short stay with the camelians would stay there. Never again would he go fishing, or chop wood, or gather water into a barrel. But thanks to Sheila's gifts, an interest in sleep magic would follow Lefty onto the next leg of his journey. He may have barely been literate, but he could still read, and now that he had something worth reading, he made sure to do so every night before going to sleep. He went along at a snail's pace, and he barely understood the material, but that didn't stop it from having an impact on him.
The very first night of his journey, as he lay sleeping in the back of an unfamiliar wagon, Lefty dreamed for the second time in his life. It was the same dream he had two weeks prior. Once again he found himself walking through the desert, returning to the home town he abandoned. And once again, he found it pleasantly deserted, returning home with a smile on his face. Like before, he made his way through the quiet empty streets to the place where he used to live, fully intending to lie down and relax in his old familiar bed.
This time, however, when he reached the door to his house, he paused. He was dreaming. He knew it. Only in his dreams would he ever go back to the place he was born. And only in his wildest dreams would it actually be pleasant and empty. He had done it. He was lucid; the first step. His heart beat faster at the realization, his mind filled with such overwhelming excitement that he couldn't help but shout.
“I did it!” he said, raising his arms to the sky as he sat up from his makeshift bed in the back of the wagon, a huge smile plastered on his face.
Ol Blu stared back at him in the dim light, obviously confused as to why his companion was shouting, but unwilling to start a conversation in the middle of the night. A raised eyebrow was his only response.
Lefty opened his mouth as if to explain, when suddenly it dawned on him that he was awake. As the realization of what had just happened sunk in, the smile slowly drained from his face. “Oh…” he said, much quieter and much more disappointed as he lowered his hands. “Nevermind” he added as he lay back down and curled up on his side.
It took a long while for him to calm down enough to sleep again. When finally he did… he was greeted only with darkness. Lefty would not dream again that night. Or the next night. Or for several weeks after that.