Reading his expression, Mr. Herst shook his head in a sad manner. “Don’t think on it too much, dear boy.” Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he went on in the most common of the Drunish languages. “There’s nobody around. Why not practice your speech?”
“Okay,” smiled Alistar, who followed suit by switching languages. “So you’re a part of the Felian tribe! What affinity did you guys have?”
“It might surprise you to hear that we share the same affinity for healing magics. During the Inverted Wars, my people were pivotal to saving the lives of the countless wounded soldiers that the conflicts created. We healed anybody that was injured, regardless of which side they were on.”
“Do you know any healing spells?” Despite the fact that he had inherited his mother’s affinity for the healing arts, Alistar had only learned the most basic mending spell at this point. “Can you teach me one?”
“One day, perhaps. For now, just follow your teacher’s instructions like you have been.”
“But Mr. Albeck has an affinity for water magics. He can only teach me basic spells for the other affinities.”
“Have more faith in the man. He’s got quite the reputation in this kingdom, and I doubt it was unjustly earned. Now, do you remember the other three great tribes of the Drunaeda?”
Alistar answered without pausing to think, fluent as he was in the main Drunish language. “The Abdales, the Dauls, and the Kets.”
“And do you remember what set them apart from one another?”
“The Abdales had horns, and were the most powerful. The Dauls had skin the colour of flames. The Kets had an almost endless supply of inner energies, and the whites of their eyes were black.”
“Good memory, good memory. Now, have you ever wondered after their magical affinities?”
“Many times! Tell me, please.”
“The Abdales had an affinity for earth magics, but most notable was their incredible strength. Even a child could bend metal without much difficulty.”
“And the Dauls?”
“They were the most gifted when it came to fire magics. Even to this day, no other bloodlines have a stronger affinity for the element. Not even your ancestors.”
Since the Silverkin clan traditionally boasted two affinities, one for healing arts and one for water magics, the old man must have been referring to his father’s side of the family. “You know of my lineage? Please, won’t you tell me? Uncle seems determined to keep it a secret.”
“Then a secret it shall remain. Caedmon isn’t a man that does things without sound reasoning behind his decisions.”
Lowering his head, Alistar felt a bit betrayed. He wanted more than almost anything to know where his father was from.
“Don’t be like that. There’s a time and place for everything, dear boy. You’ll surely learn the truth when you’re ready. Just trust those around you until that day comes.”
“Okay…”
“Where were we? Ah, yes, the Kets.” His voice darkened by a small degree, which was only noticeable to Alistar because he knew the man so well. “As you said, their inner energies were almost endless. If they hadn’t betrayed the rest of their people and sided with the humans, then the fate of the Drunaeda might not have been so miserable. The Kets had an affinity for dark magics, a strange ability that only they knew the intricacies of.”
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“What happened to the Kets in the end?” If they had sided with humanity, then shouldn’t they still be around?
“Nobody knows. But the fact that they disappeared from history like the rest of my peoples means that their end likely wasn’t any better than that of the others.” Mr. Herst leaned back with the support of his arms, staring into the firelight with a sad yet happy expression. “I’m amazed by how quickly you’ve learned this language, Alistar. You know, I had been worried that it would fade away whenever it is that I finally leave this world. That, and the history that you seem to enjoy so much. I never thought that I would be able to have a conversation like this again.”
Alistar was stung with a sudden worry. The look in Mr. Herst’s eyes, he’d seen it before. It was the same look that had dwelt within his father’s gaze on the day that Kaila’s parents had died. It was the gaze of someone that saw more than what was simply around them, someone that anticipated an unfavourable future.
“Are you unwell, Mr. Herst?”
Seeing the worry in his eyes, the old man found his usual smile and patted Alistar on the head. “I’m quite well, dear boy. More than I have been in a long time.”
Finding his feet with a grunt of effort, the old man wandered over to a bookshelf on the other end of the room and withdrew from it a thick book with a plain, papery cover. Opening it, he plucked a small box from the unexpected compartment within, where the pages had been hollowed out in the shape of a large rectangle.
Alistar wanted to ask what was in the box, but kept quiet as he knew that an explanation would soon follow.
“I’ve got something that I want to give you, Alistar.” Opening the box, which was full of shredded parchment and small sticks of aged hay, he withdrew a small amber crystal that had been carved into the shape of a teardrop. “This was given to me by my mother, and to her by my grandmother. It’s the only thing that I have to remember my family by, though I would feel much more at ease if you were to have it.”
“I can’t accept this,” Alistar hurried to say. As far as he was concerned, this was akin to him giving away his mother’s locket. “Thank you, but I don’t think it’s right for me to take this.”
Mr. Herst put the crystal back in the box and then placed it on the rug in front of Alistar.
“Don’t be like that. I’ve already made up my mind, and I want you to have it.”
Seeing the stern look in the old man’s eyes, Alistar acquiesced and grabbed hold of the box. “Okay. Thank you, Mr. Herst.”
“You’re quite welcome, lad.”
Opening the box to reveal the crystal again, he asked, “What is this?”
“It’s a special type of magic crystal that my grandmother gave her life to create.” Seeing the hesitancy that returned to Alistar’s face, he went on, “She was already at the end of her life, but as a Felian, she was able to crystallize her internal energies to create this.” Resting his hands on Alistar’s shoulders, he put on a solemn look. “Remember what I’m about to tell you. Should you ever find yourself gravely injured, and I mean injured to the point that death is a sure thing, then swallow this crystal. So long as there’s still life in your body, you’ll make a full recovery.”
Staring down at the crystal in disbelief, Alistar saw through the old man’s intentions. He knew that Alistar planned to attempt to save Kaila in the coming years, and this was the man’s way of trying to help him.
Feeling tears of gratefulness in his eyes, he closed the box and gave his friend an affectionate hug. “Thank you so much, Mr. Herst. This is truly a wonderful gift.”
“I can think of no other person that deserves it more.”
Alistar was very moved by Mr. Herst’s considerations and generosity. It was clear that the man looked at him as family, so from this day forth Alistar would view him through a similar lens.
The rest of the evening was spent delving into the unknown history of the Inverted Wars, especially the significance of the local area. Many of the final battles had taken place in the vicinity of the Tall Mountains, including the occurrence of several mysterious anomalies. For instance, the remains of the three largest armies of the Drunaeda had all gone missing in the hours after their final stand against humanity had ended in failure, all of them disappearing into the mountains only to fade to the peripherals of history. Mr. Herst’s mother had used to claim that they were still out there somewhere, biding their time before choosing the right moment to return to the world to exact vengeance on the ones that all but annihilated their kingdoms and their peoples.
Alistar loved learning about little-known things of such importance, and would have stayed the entire night to listen to Mr. Herst’s tales of the past had the old man not grown tired around sundown and bid him to hurry home.