After a filling but quiet meal, I dug out two of the newly acquired gold coins and placed them on the counter.“For the bed and meals…two weeks.”
Before she can argue, I step away and out the door. I need to find something to do here. Or, maybe I don’t need to find something to do…I could just visit my sister and head out. I don’t want to though. First, I need to find out what is going on with my brothers. My sister didn’t mention anything, just that they were living in the “new” capital. Do I really want to get involved with this? My relationship with my brothers was a little difficult due to the age difference. They were already working by the time I could recognize who they were.
As I look back, I wonder what their issue was? Were they concerned with inheritance, or were they just jerks. I don’t have a lot of fond memories for a seven year-old, but I don’t remember kindness. They just seemed to be indifferent to me and my sister…except when they were pulling pranks or some such. I don’t even know what made their crafting special, or even my father’s work. Why did we get treated with such deference. Maybe I can ask my sister later.
Also, I need to tell her about the bandits-slash-expeditionary force I met on my way here.If they were leading a way for expansion, my sister’s village might be a target.Even as a kid I heard whispers about how secure our village was.I can’t tell her everything.Even if this village has a Strong running a tea shop, I can’t assume that they will consider the other Strongs across the mountain as a non-threat.
As I walk to the far end of the village, I can see the back gate. Much like the front gate, it carries the twin towers and sloped entrance as the front. The only key difference is that the their are twin gates, back to back at the top of the ramp…and the gates are closed. I guess I can assume that the outer gates are closed as well.
As I stare at the gates, a guard comes out of the far tower. He looks like he is on a mission of great importance. …maybe a message runner or something? As I step to the side to let him by, he stops and squares up to me.
“You! What’s your business here? This is a restricted area and not to be gawked at by tourist.” I didn’t really now how to respond. How is looking at a gate restricted? Why is this guy being an ass?
“Uh, sorry. I didn’t know. I just came today and was wandering around the city.” Something about what I said seemed to annoy him further.
“So you just came today? Did you get interviewed by the Captain? Do you have approval to be in this village? This is special place, we can’t just let anyone in.” What is this guys deal?
“Ah, yes. Yes, I did interview with the Captain. Now I am wandering the village. Is there something I did wrong…Guard?” I state the last with a little heat. The guy is built, so I would probably lose a simple physical fight…but, there is something off with this guy.
“Listen here Influencer Newbie…I don’t care about what past relationship you had with the Captain, but she is going to marry me, not you. I already have permission from her brothers…a permission that cost my family quite a bit…so you have no chance here, get it!” Ah, and so the nut finally drops from the tree. This is John. He thinks that paying off my brothers allows him to own my sister. I can now understand why my sister is not interested in this guy.
“Ah, I will take that into consideration. Now excuse me, I have a bit more wandering to do.” I abruptly move past the man and begin walking the paved staging area between the walls and the village proper.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
“Hey! I am not done talking with you, citizen! You turn around and get back here…or are you defying a village guards orders? We have several ways to ensure your compliance within the city.” I don’t turn around and I don’t stop walking. I can feel him pulling on the essence…Parity, wind.
Trying not to reveal myself to more people, and especially not a nutcase like “John”, I work with his intent and add more intensity to it. Wind essence loves big movement…so its not hard to push that into the song and stir up all the sand and dust in the area.
“Stop..or….” Now he realizes that things have gotten out of control. The small gust he was trying to push me with is now a full block size maelstrom. I turn into the nearest alleyway and then take several random right turns…and I am lost. If I am lost, he probably can’t find me either. The maelstrom has calmed down by now, and I can feel him pushing wind down the various alleyways trying to find me again. He probably doesn’t realize that even if he was an Influencer he would never be able to find me. I can hear his rants though. I am pretty sure everyone in the village can hear his rants. Poor John.
———————————————-
“Do you think he is ok?” My wife looks over to me. I can see her concern. We spent 6 years cleaning up our own country before coming over to this continent in hopes of helping the fledgling Avatar. In the span of our lives, this is not a big expense, but it is a little frustrating. We can feel him in this area. We know he is living within these mountains. We even know that he is doing the best he can to save those unjustly enslaved by the Shattering. We talked with the encampment on the other side of the mountain. While they were hesitant to talk to us initially, they soon came to realize that we were not there to enslave them and take them back to some backwater King.
But, with all that, we can’t find him. It’s like every essence is working with him. Our connection to earth allows us some ability to track, but when we go looking, the essence just sings with such strength that our voices are not heard.
This is new for us. Decades of being the most powerful pair of human beings on this plane of existence, and are songs are just a background chorus.
The stories we pulled from the village, we know he used to live their. We know…thanks to a drunken night for the village’s Captain…that it is her brother that we are looking for. We know he was seven when he saw his father murdered in front of his eyes. We know…maybe suspect…that is what caused the great shattering. We know he is bonded to a light/earth Bear…the story is a little muddied here…but some improper ease dropping on some visiting dignitaries, put some of the events in order.
Part of me is glad he never went through his tuning. If the Seat Kingdom had found out he was an Avatar, he would have been blackmailed, coerced, abused until they broke his mind…assuming they could. Maybe that is why they tried to kill him and his father. He was too powerful to be restrained.
But it would be irresponsible to allow this kid to continue to grow and influence the world without us checking in on his character…at least this much.
It’s about this time we both feel the pulse and look back towards the village. Our daughter wants our attention…it doesn’t have the intensity of an emergency, but it is excited. I hope its not another rude customer. Most of the village knows not to mess with our daughter, but it took a couple years of work to get them to accept her.
“I assume you felt that.”
“Yes, not an emergency, but excited. She is getting better at pushing through the essence to us. I am pretty sure we could have been a few hundred kilometers away and still felt that.”
“Yes, but she is still young and excitable. I blame the cat. Maybe we should have found a dog or small sloth.”
My wife giggles as that. “Sure, you know we had very little choice. The kitten literally ran away from its mother to be with her. The two of them have formed a solid bond.”
“Yes, yes, but it doesn’t help that she is this ..prone to destruction. Her brothers and sisters are even scared of her…well, not scared, but cautious.”
“Hahaha…yes, well, she means well. I was surprised that the Captain vouched for her, until I heard she was his brother. Not sure she knew what she was getting into.” That had been a surprise. I expected the kid to run, and we would be tracking him halfway across the continent. Instead, he stayed close to home. As I think about it, he probably didn’t need to run to hide. His grasp over the essence the last few years makes him more of a ghost than an Avatar. He must have multiple essence affinities. This alone makes him very dangerous.
“Ok, let’s head back. The village’s earth Parity architects should probably be in the village.” A small smile lights her face, and I remember why I have been married to her for so long.
Grabbing my hand, my wife and I stroll back to the village.