The winding sideroads whisked away shops for homes the further south I wandered. My quest to find a souvenir was on hold, but even if I had the time it looked like I wasn’t going to find anything quick and easy to buy.
The south gate stretched with pillars of logs, dividing the village from a meadow. Tiny, yet noticeable gaps between each of the columns sprinkled violets, golds, and greens into its frame.
A black shroud consumed my staff.
Miles’s Dimensional Storage
ᛇ+6 | ᚾ+3 | 🜃+2 | (🜁,🜄)
🜃 . 2ᛇ . 3(🜁,🜄) . 4🜃 . 5:3i(ᛇ,ᚾ) . 11:2iᛇ
A 10ft3 extra dimensional room should prove more than adequate for the task ahead.
“Imagine two empty bowls resting before you. The coming rains fill one of the bowls, but be sure to not let it overflow. Pour the water of the filling bowl into the other and achieve an equilibrium when the rain subsides. Look at the reflections they cast and tell me what you see.”
Founded by Miles Brightwater
3-2 Late Winter Year 91: Age of Ethereal
Near the gate’s entrance, a slanted, metal door rested atop the grass. Its hinges groaned while I walked the door open. Down iron bars, the crust of rusted metal flaked beneath my grip and the sun’s light struggled to follow my descent. Plop. The stench of spoiled dairy and stagnant water squirted into my nose. The disgust held my feet.
A blue hue dazzled and dropped a peppermint candy cane into my hand. Its bite was sharp, but welcoming and sweet compared to the stench that clenched the air. I crunched my teeth down and sucked on a small piece while I readied to brave the abyss.
Light the Mines Dimitry
ᚾ+2 | (🜁,🜄,🜂,ᛗ,ᛝ)
ᚾ . 2🜂 . 3🜁 . 4🜄 . 5ᛗ . 6ᚾ . 7ᛝ
The needs of those with eight eyes can often be neglected. Let’s change that.
“Imagine a wondrous world you can see from every perspective. Scan the rocks, the trees, the birds, the people walking about in excruciating detail. See the joy that blooms on their faces as you acknowledge them.”
Founded by Dimitry Nelov
2-1 Mid Fall Year 8: Age of Magic
An orb of white light bobbed and waved around the top of my head, illuminating rows of gemstones and metal balls cut into the walls of an arched tunnel. My eyes bounced from the schematics in my hand to the slime at my feet.
I rounded the first corner. A carpet of gravel crunched and stuck under my step.
Well, at least I haven’t stepped in people’s ick. At least, I don’t think I have. How does this thing even work? Eyeyeh- save it for later.
I bit down on my peppermint candy cane. Above me, the lives of many within the village carried on. Maybe friends met for an afternoon together. Maybe families sat down and enjoyed a late lunch. Maybe someone fed the ducks at the pond outside the inn. Whoever was up there, they were probably unaware of me creeping just beneath their feet.
The sewers wound in twists and turns, but all led to its eventual straightening out.
Mud clung to the bottom side of my boots. It wasn’t like the sludge before, but my boots squished with each heavy step down the tunnel. Halfway through, I finished the last chunk of my candy cane and resisted the urge to summon another. The slog I endured welcomed a new patch of darkness with each step I took. That ended when my eyes caught the edge of the tunnel.
The tunnel opened into a small, rocky cavern taller than it was wide. Dim streaks of light from above outlined the silhouettes of bodies folded into the mud.
My light fell dark, my heartbeat the loudest thing in the room. I stumbled back and held myself still.
When my eyes adjusted, I inched forward. Relief washed over me. Collapsed on the ground were the four adventurers I last saw by the mountains. Brief panic set in and I bent down beside them.
…
Minor cuts and scrapes. Maybe some torn ligaments and strained muscles at worst that I can’t see. I’ll need to check ahead to make sure we’re alone before I heal them.
I straightened myself up and took a step. Something snared my leg.
“Eep.”
Wet mud slapped and stuck to my cheek. I flipped on my back, turning my ankle around a red grip. That annoying grin painted through a mud coated face.
“Hey! What’s with you guys.”
Ech- too loud.
“The least you can do is help us after you abandoned us.”
“Abandoned? I-”
Ligmas’s calm voice juxtaposed to our bickering caught me off guard.
“Miss Marina, we wish to save those kids just as you do. We found a small patch of cloth up there similar to the ones sported by that unfortunate fellow from earlier. However, this one was still coated in bloodstains.”
A barrel of daylight leaked from above, pouring across the cracks of a stalactite covered ceiling.
Beatrice rolled over and snapped at Loric with a condescending cadence. “But somebody forgot to fasten our rope tight enough to hold four people.”
“Look I said I was sorry- ow. Talking hurts.”
Ligmas sighed through his nostrils. “If that blood was not because of those wolves, then there is a chance, however slim, that something else may be down here. I also regret to say that healing is not my specialty. Especially given my condition. So what do you say? Will you use some of that magic of yours to please help us out?”
The ‘at worst’ I couldn’t see is now more likely broken bones. They must be in a lot of pain.
A pink and yellow glow swirled around the adventurers. The light dimmed and their wounds restored to their former appearance. All their wounds except for Sugma’s. I handed his ax to Beatrice.
“Can you three stand over there? This is hard enough with all the metal, but he’s resisting me.”
“Ey, I can’t help that I don’t like doctors. I’m fine, I’ll make my own legs work-”
My finger flicked against Sugma’s bald head.
“Not a doctor. Just a girl with a pretty bow.”
Another flick. My voice turned playful.
“Relax or I’m gonna keep bullying you.”
“Erg, fine. I’ll do my best.”
I flashed Sugma a grin as pinks and yellows encircled his body. He lifted his legs and sprung to his feet.
“Aaah-haha, I take back everything I said - I feel like a million blue coins.”
“Your bodies will need more time to heal. That’s about the best I can do right now. The charm and illusion components of the spell are doing most of the heavy lifting, so don’t overdo it.”
Beatrice tossed Sugma his ax and pushed ahead of us.
“Noted. Let’s keep moving.”
The tunnel we dredged through became a slinking narrow. Our heads ducked low and the wet rocks ran less than an inch above our backs. The narrowest point brought us to a crawl. Beyond that, the tunnel rose, providing a much desired comfort I hoped for.
What if this is the wrong way? We’re way further out than I thought this went- could they be somewhere in the sewers?
“Hey Marina, that was a pretty cool trick you did earlier - what’s that one called?”
“Minor Tree Healing? It’s a pretty easy one - here.”
I reached into my bag and pulled out a pink notebook with the words Ancestral Feylie Spells etched into its cover. I tore out a page and handed it to Loric.
“Woah, thanks. - You have really neat handwriting. - I’ll become a master at it for sure.”
“Thanks~ After yesterday I’m sure you’ll learn that one no problem~”
Eheheee~ A little disciple in the making. I’m so proud.
Beatrice thrust her hand out in front of us.
We crept toward a bend at the end of the tunnel. The mud sticking to our feet was silent with each meticulous step. Around the bend ballooned a cavern a dozen meters across that stretched just as high. The drip of the stalactites fell to the feet of five figures near the back of the cavern. They surrounded a familiar set of robes tied to a wooden chair with a sack placed over their head.
There’s five that we can see. We can’t rule out the possibility of more deeper within the cavern. Now’s the time to recruit everyone we can from the village. They clearly want that person kept alive for something-
“Ey, ugly number one through however many of you there are. Hand over the kid and nobody has to get hurt, but boy do I really wanna make you hurt.”
“Heeeeeh?”
Ligmas anchored his claw around my shoulder and lifted himself up.
Oyoyo.
“..We were almost expecting him to act in this way. Do not fret Miss Marina, we have got this.”
Beatrice spun her dagger around her finger and stepped into the cavern.
“You heard the man. Or do we have to make you hand them over?”
Alone, I scrunched down and hugged my knees to my chest. A sliver of the cavern was all I could see. The sounds filled in the rest. An eternity of waiting, but in reality it was no longer than a minute that I sat, tormented by grunts and clashes of metal that painted gruesome splatters on the canvas of my mind.
Sugma stumbled backwards into sight. An arm reached out from beyond the rocky bend and struck his neck. Sugma’s knees buckled, splashing against the mud. My heart raced.
I need to get out of here-
I sprinted toward Sugma. My bones twisted and cracked while I collapsed to the floor. Mud dragged across my forehead and my eyes followed a faint purple line that wrapped around the ceiling to the opposite side of the room. On the other end, a woman licked her lips into a crooked smile.
“Astra.. ..body.. ..terra.. ..flow too.. ..nature?”
Probably- I can’t breathe. Think. Breathe- I can’t.
Beatrice jumped midway between us. Her eyes widened while she watched me writhe in pain. I thought those eyes were going to be the last thing I saw as mine became too heavy to keep open.
The sound of a harmonic ring approached me. Not a second later it stopped with a sharp hum at my feet. My body relaxed and my eyes opened.
“Don’t worry Marmalade, we gotcha.”
Metal plate guards flung across the room. When he reached me, Loric ripped Sugma’s ax from the ground and tossed it back to him before pulling out a piece of paper. Wrapped in a warm blanket of pink and yellow lights, I shuffled to my feet.
The fight exhausted to a battle of attrition, a battle that would leave us no win condition. My mind shouted to retreat. I looked up.
“Ligmas, nˈɛkte͡ɪvi ˈɛlvi ˈɛk ˈuːɹʌk ?”
“That I can - but I do not think this is the best time for a linguistics lesson.”
“tˈɔːlmɐd͡ʒˌiː sˈʌɡmˈɑː ˈɛk bˈiːɑːtɹəs vˈiːɐɹˌuːt ˈiː ˈuːɹʌk ˈɛk ˈɛlvi . ˈiː nˈɛhəm .”
“Very well.”
“Loric, I have an idea, but I’ll need your help.”
My finger traced across the mud.
Alentze
+2(ᛞ,ᚨ) | (🜁,🜃,ᛉ,ᛈ,ᛃ)
🜁 . 2🜃 . 3ᚨ . 4ᛞ . 5ᛃ . 6ᚨ . 7ᛞ . 8ᛉ . 9ᛈ
Bring the house down.
“Imagine your mother has just prepared a savory meal for dinner. She smiles at you as she brings the plate down to the table and the smell warms your heart.”
Founded by Marina Elysera
2-3 Late Spring Year 0: Age of Uncertainty
Loric studied the spell while the clanks slowed and the grunts lengthened.
I won’t blame him if he can’t. If it’s just me I can probably-
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
“Got it.”
“Ligmas, now.”
“tˈuːɹuːnˌuː . sˈædɐvˌe͡ɪ ˈiːle͡ɪ .”
Sugma forced back his opponent with wild, arched swings.
“I have no idea what you guys are saying, but less talking and more fighting.”
Beatrice scooped up Sugma and fled toward the exit. Ligmas teleported between each of the four adversaries. With mocking blows, he struck them with his pole before disappearing around the bend. Gravel and mud scraped against my boot. My arms thrust toward the ceiling.
Waste Not Want Not
ᛃ+3 | 🜃+2 | (🜄,ᚺ,ᚨ)
🜃 . 2🜄 . 3ᛃ . 4ᚨ . 5ᛃ . 6🜃 . 7ᚺ . 8ᛃ
I am sick and tired of having to throw out piece after piece of fired clay that Yolie slaps on the store shelves. After three weeks of countless test, I think I have found a stable way to repurpose them.
“Imagine sliding your foot along the snow covered ground. Kick the snow out of the way to design the shape you envision as your master work.”
Founded by Sarif Neylum
3-3 Mid Spring Year 2: Age of Runes
Shield of Aegis
ᛉ+8 | ᛈ+4 | +2(🜁,🜄,🜃,🜂) | ᛃ
ᛈ . 2🜁 . 3🜄 . 4🜃 . 5🜂 . 6ᛈ . 7ᛉ . 8🜁 . 9ᛉ . 10🜄 . 11ᛉ . 12🜃 . 13ᛉ . 14🜂 . 15ᛉ . 16ᛈ . 17ᛉ . 18ᛃ . 19ᛉ . 20ᛈ . 21ᛉ
Okay, okay, last one I swear, but this one is super cool. It protects like multiple people.
“Imagine you just achieved a perfect score on your math test. Your parents embrace you and tell you you’ve done a good job.”
Founded by Aegis Timeworn
1-7 Early Fall Year 88: Age of Balance
“Alentze.” “Alentze.”
I clenched my fists. The base of the spikes narrowed, cracked free, and screamed between blinks. A cloud of dust and debris washed throughout the cavern.
“Loric, you okay?”
A mess of ichor coated the rocks in a grotesque shine.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
A whistle from around the bend snapped the tension and I nearly jumped out of my skin. Sugma stepped out and stomped his foot into the skull of a then decaying corpse.
“Alright, maybe some of that magic stuff ain’t half bad.”
Loric laughed and fell on his rear.
“Thanks for helping us Marina.”
Another harmonic ring sung in my ear. When it stopped the world flashed white.
Where am I? So many faces I don’t recognize. Aa.. everyone looks so happy.
I’m saying something. What was I saying?
Reunion
+4(ᛞ,ᛇ) | (🜁,🜄,🜃,🜂)
🜁 . 2ᛇ . 3ᛞ . 4🜄 . 5ᛇ . 6ᛞ . 7🜃 . 8ᛇ . 9ᛞ . 10🜂 . 11ᛇ . 12ᛞ
Perhaps in another life things would have gone differently.
“Imagine chains holding you to a desolate plane. Your flesh burned and peeled away by your subjector. Part of you exists away from this ground of husks. Look up to the malformed skies and imagine your life back home.”
Founded by Miles Brightwater
1-1 Early Spring Year 3: Age of Fracture
The ground boiled into a brown ocean rocked by violent waves.
A dragon roared in the distance. “Marina!”
Aa.. it’s so peaceful here.
A blur of silver and blue streaks danced through the sea. It took to the air with outstretched arms and embraced me when it fell. I felt a breath on my cheek, but couldn’t hear the words. I could only hear my own.
...
“Shingeki.”
Shingeki
ᛞ+80 | +12(🜁,🜄,🜃,🜂) | +6(ᚾ,ᚨ) | ᛃ+5 | +4(ᛈ,ᛇ) | ᚺ+3 | ᛉ+2 | (ᛗ,ᛝ)
ᚨ . 2ᛞ . 3ᛃ . 4ᛞ . 5ᛈ . 6ᛞ . 7🜁 . 8ᛞ . 9🜄 . 10ᛞ . 11🜃 . 12ᛞ . 13🜂 . 14ᛞ . 15ᚾ . 16ᛞ . 17ᚺ . 18ᛞ . 19ᛉ . 20ᛞ . 21🜁 . 22ᛞ . 23🜄 . 24ᛞ . 25🜃 . 26ᛞ . 27🜂 . 28ᛞ . 29ᛇ . 30ᛞ . 31ᛈ . 32ᛞ . 33ᚺ . 34ᛞ . 35🜁 . 36ᛞ . 37🜄 . 38ᛞ . 39🜃 . 40ᛞ . 41🜂 . 42ᛞ . 43ᚾ . 44ᛞ . 45ᛃ . 46ᛞ . 47ᛇ . 48ᛞ . 49🜁 . 50ᛞ . 51🜄 . 52ᛞ . 53🜃 . 54ᛞ . 55🜂 . 56ᛞ . 57ᚾ . 58ᛞ . 59ᚨ . 60ᛞ . 61ᛃ . 62ᛞ . 63ᚺ . 64ᛞ . 65🜁 . 66ᛞ . 67🜄 . 68ᛞ . 69🜃 . 70ᛞ . 71🜂 . 72ᛞ . 73ᚨ . 74ᛞ . 75ᛃ . 76ᛞ . 77ᛈ . 78ᛞ . 79🜁 . 80ᛞ . 81🜄 . 82ᛞ . 83🜃 . 84ᛞ . 85🜂 . 86ᛞ . 87ᚾ . 88ᛞ . 89ᛇ . 90ᛞ . 91🜁 . 92ᛞ . 93🜄 . 94ᛞ . 95🜃 . 96ᛞ . 97🜂 . 98ᛞ . 99ᚨ . 100ᛞ . 101ᛉ . 102ᛞ . 103ᛃ . 104ᛞ . 105🜁 . 106ᛞ . 107🜄 . 108ᛞ . 109🜃 . 110ᛞ . 111🜂 . 112ᛞ . 113ᚨ . 114ᛞ . 115ᛈ . 116ᛞ . 117ᛗ . 118ᛞ . 119🜁 . 120ᛞ . 121🜄 . 122ᛞ . 123🜃 . 124ᛞ . 125🜂 . 126ᛞ . 127ᚾ . 128ᛞ . 129ᛇ . 130ᛞ . 131ᛝ . 132ᛞ . 133🜁 . 134ᛞ . 135🜄 . 136ᛞ . 137🜃 . 138ᛞ . 139🜂 . 140ᛞ . 141ᚨ . 142ᛞ . 143🜁 . 144ᛞ . 145🜄 . 146ᛞ . 147🜃 . 148ᛞ . 149🜂 . 150ᛞ . 151ᚾ . 152ᛞ . 153🜁 . 154ᛞ . 155🜄 . 156ᛞ . 157🜃 . 158ᛞ . 159🜂 . 160ᛞ
Welcome home.
“Imagine...”
Founded by Miles Brightwater
1-1 New Year’s Eve Year 99: Age of Ethereal
Imagine..
Imagin..
Imagi..
Imag..
Ima..
Im..
I..
Ah- Oop.
Each thump of my heart burned with a molten heat. I tried to inhale, but my throat squeaked and my lungs locked up. The world became still.
Beatrice tightened her grip. “Calm down.”
I gritted my teeth and tears welled up in my eyes. I shrieked through a cracked voice.
“They killed him - they need to die. Get off me. I’ll make them regret it - I’ll kill them.”
I struggled in vain to break free. Her constricting embrace continued to wear me down.
“You’re going to end up killing all of us instead. Please calm down. It’s okay.”
My body gave in. The tears gushed down my cheeks and spilled off my chin.
Sugma broke his ax free of a decomposing body. “Yeah, everything is okay.” He walked over to us and looked down at Loric’s bubbling corpse.
“Like Beefist said earlier, we signed up for this kinda thing. Loric knew that. Best thing we can do is keep his smile in our hearts.”
He plucked Loric’s femur from the collapsed pile of bones and inspected it before he shook off the excess ichor and tucked it between his belt.
Ligmas’s snout furled, covered with lines of disgust. “What are you doing?”
“Souvenir.”
Beatrice whipped around with a glare that failed to interrupt him.
“In my culture we take the leg of our fallen brothers with us so they can continue their journey.”
Beatrice’s voice echoed through the cavern. “You just made that up!”
“Wha- nuh-uh.”
“Ya-huuh.”
A burst of laughter at the absurdity of it all escaped my mouth, my hands quick to cover it up.
“You guys really are morons.”
Bitter-sweet laughter beside us, we picked ourselves up and continued on. The tunnel at the opposite end of the cavern opened into a small room. At the back rested a chair with the tied up student. Sugma uncovered the student’s head.
No. Why.
“He’s gotta be in his late 40’s. He’s practically on death’s door. There’s no way Loric died for this.”
“I uh. I can hear you.”
Sugma loosened the ropes that bound the man.
“She’s going through a lot right now. Not really a good time.”
“And I can also hear you- what’s that?”
Ligmas was several meters away from us fiddling with a small plank of wood.
“There is an inscription on here for a spell. It does not appear to be something those barbarians were privy to.”
Sugma snatched the plank away from him.
“Watch who you’re calling barbarian. Those scum don’t deserve the honor. Here Macarena, read this since Lupus can’t.”
“The audacity! I most certainly can if you’d give me time to decipher it. You’re the one-”
“Ah, ah, ah, not very clergy like of you to shout Lodges.”
The following is a reconstruction of a plank of wood discovered beneath a well near the village of Druidale. Carved into its surface is an archaic spell written in proto-common.
Begin record:
woth thi mollinoe thet hes pessid, o riqaori e sefi hevin fur my must triesarid ertofects - biluw thos helluwid gruand thet hes siin handrids uf yiers uf bluudshid shell bi e saotebli strunghuld - apun my nemi - muntgumiry - o shell fell tu nu uni - tu cumpliti thos tesk - thi leki shell fell loki imporis bifuri ot end wilcumi mi tu my peleci biluw
appir mexomam - dieth
mexomam - mond, wetir
monomam - ierth
luwir monomam - sammun
End record.
ARC ALI 2000.068-2711:R1:TK
Sincerely, Marina Elysera
“The text is in proto-common, but it looks like it’s a primitive sealing spell. Do you mind if I have this?”
“Heh, I got no complaints about it, right Legsass?”
“Actually, I would-”
Beatrice dropped her elbow on Ligmas’s shoulder. He leaned with a nervous look across his face when Beatrice grinned.
“No complaints from us, right Ligmas? It’s all yours.”
“But- ugh. Fine.”
I pocketed the plank and my feelings before I knelt next to the student. I tried to heal him, but when that failed I rolled up his sleeve to reveal an ornate golden armor underneath.
Beatrice jerked his arm away from me and whistled.
“Thought it was strange you weren’t freaked out. This is some expensive stuff. Some kind of primal? Bit much for someone looking to be a druid. Talk.”
“This is all my fault.”
“Damn right it is, one of my men is dead because of you.”
“Ey-. What do you mean your men? Who made you leader?”
Beatrice raised her eyebrow at Sugma before turning her attention back to the student.
“Continue.”
“My son had dreams of learning from one of the Oracle’s students. - But he was turned down. I bought my way into his tutelage by paying off one of his would-be students. That way I could teach him everything I was going to learn. These bandits knew who I was and were going to use me as a bargaining chip to extort money from my family.”
He struggled to keep his face relaxed.
“It’s okay, just- don’t say anything. You’re all banged up.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and helped him remove his armor before mending his wounds.
We returned to the cavern that the battle had taken place in. On orders received, bones were buried and one pile of remains was collected. With the job complete, we rounded the bend toward the sewers a final time.
Ligmas’s staff illuminated the path ahead while I poured over the schematics that Gerald had given me.
Daylight peeked through our exit. I don’t remember my first step outside the tunnel, but we didn’t make it far before we were approached by some villagers. Those few that found us soon turned into a crowd of many. The noise was muffled in my ears.
The others were chatting with some of the locals when the rancid stench of my clothes penetrated my nose. I hunched over and spilled chunks of tan gunge onto the grass. Globs of black gunk stuck to my fingers as I ran them through my hair. My tightening throat and choking burps brought my ears back in tune. I gasped for air. The water in my eyes and strands of saliva streaming from my mouth were cold, but my throat was on fire.
Everyone's attention was on a woman standing in front of the adventurers. She was portly and wore a short red and white checkered dress.
I stumbled over to them.
“Loric, why - why did this have to happen. You. You- you have no right to be standing here. It should have been you. Look at what’s left of my poor baby. He’s dressed in your ugly rat hair like an ornament. Get him out of there. Right now. You disgusting witch.”
It must have been mortifying for her to see her screams bring no reaction to my face.
One of the local taverns let us stay for free that night so we could attend the funeral in the morning. I retired to my room the moment I was able to clean what remained of Loric out of my hair.
I fell face first into the bed and plopped down a bag of 50 adamant coins onto the nightstand. My hand hovered atop of it for several minutes before my arm went slack, dangling off the bed. The cool cover of the pillow grazed my cheek when I rolled my head.
Carried through the window, the afternoon sun cast itself onto the floor. I spent the rest of the day watching that rectangle dim and fade.
When night fell I stammered to my feet and stumbled down the stairs. I grabbed some stale bread with large grooves in it from the pantry and glazed the grooves with some kind of purple jam. My gurgling stomach ceased and I could finally escape off to sleep.
Loric praised none of the realms’ three gods, but his mother decided for him anyway. His remains were burned on a pyre along with some of his possessions in the name of Celeste. The ceremony concluded with the winds whisking away his ashes.
His mother held me in her arms, her tears staining my shoulder. She thanked me for being his friend and my tears stained hers.
The aftermath of our adventure resulted in one student saved, two students eaten by wolves, and one adventurer killed by a cave-in. Paranoia. Conspiracy of wrongdoings. Our word against the feelings of the mob. That’s what we believed at the time. The phony pupil Seril was just happy to be heading home. If he refused to play along I wouldn’t have put it past us to use his secret as blackmail.
Following the funeral, the air around the village was melancholic and everyone moved on with their lives.
I met up with the three adventurers that afternoon to go fishing at Lake Silver. Our lines cast, we joked and jeered just as we did over drinks two nights before. I was looking over the plank Ligmas found when he handed me a special blueberry drink. It was strong, but sweet and actually tasted like blueberries. He looked like he was having the time of his life even when his hook snagged the rocks.
When the time came to say our goodbyes I saw them off at the eastern gate.
“We’ve decided to swing by Eyngard first. Only right that we break the news to Loric’s pops since he was one of us- - since he was our friend.”
“Hey Malaria, you’re pretty fast on that stick of yours. If you beat us there you should join up with us.”
“You just wanna use her as a tour guide.”
“Hey- it ain’t my fault cities aren’t my thing. What if we get split up?”
“Oh no, whatever will I do if I lose my child. Someone help~. My little boy has gone missing~.”
“Watch it-”
“Ah- thanks. I’ve got some stuff here I want to check out, but we’ll see.”
Ligmas took a step ahead of us beyond the wall.
“If you are back home, we are planning our visit around two in the afternoon on the 13th. It will be just over a day’s journey for us and give us a chance to get settled in.”
It’s all too much.
“That’s- oddly specific.”
“Heh, leave it to Beavercyst to have everything worked out.”
Ligmas clasped his hands together in a sincere gesture of prayer.
“We wish you the best, Miss Marina. We must take our leave, but may the light of Lord Highcrown bless your travels.”
Sugma’s and Beatrice’s fists bumped against the back of my hands as they walked past.
Rays cast against their silhouettes traveling toward Eyngard. I raised my arm above my head and yelled out to them with a smile.
“I hope one day I’ll read about the great Sugma, Ligmas, and Beatrice. Arcanus will never forget you.”
And it will never forget Loric Rhustar, conqueror of the trees.
…
Maybe that's a little too cheesy. Mm. But I’m sure he’d like it, right?
I’m sure he would.