Rain patters down from the sky. I love it. It makes everything feel like more, instead of less. It draws out the fragrances, making the forest smell fresh. The rain is something that starts to world anew to me. It makes things that are dying without, grow. It brings life; A new beginning.
The muddy road stretches out before me as I walk towards my apprenticeship. I still don’t know why old man Mavin chose me. Others have far more talent than me. Sometimes when my mind wanders, I feel bad because I took that chance away. But that is the way it is, isn’t it? To get ahead, others need to fall behind. And to do that we drag them down, uncaring, to reach the top ourselves.
My gaze flicks up to the wooden walls of the village. Armoured guards stand upon it, protecting us from the forest dwellers. I heard they increased the amount of guards on the wall once again, and it is only the beginning of fall. Food is already getting scarce out there, especially with all the farmers having finished their harvests. So, more things come to find food near the village.
I tear my gaze away from the sentries, to the street that is already overflowing with life in the early morning. Bakers have already heated their furnaces, kneading the dough to make bread. Stalls are being set up to sell wares. Taverns and inns are opening up to serve their first customers. It brings a smile to my face. Some say the backwater city of Laia is a boring town. I disagree. Someone is always doing something, striving to live a comfortable life in their own way.
After a quick pause at a stall that sells jewels and such frivolous items, I am greeted by a friendly voice. “Izial, How are you today?”
I whirl around, hiding a jade ring behind my back. Slowly, I drop it back onto the counter. I can always come back to buy it later.
My eyes lock on her. The early rays of sunlight hit her hair perfectly at this angle, turning it into a fiery red. Freckles cover her face, giving her a fragile beauty. Earthy hazel eyes meet mine. I don’t know how, but her eyes always seem so alive as if she always is in the moment, not in the past nor the future. “I’m well, Edithe. I heard that you got an apprenticeship at the herbalist?”
“That woman?” her face turns sour, “She’s no herbalist. She is a witch, I say. Yesterday when I came in she was gibbering in some kind of forging language while stirring her cauldron. She must’ve been putting a curse on someone. Again.” She emphasises the last word.
I smile at her. I’m almost certain that Hagria isn’t a witch, although you never know. She does have the look, I have to admit. The black cat and crow she keeps around certainly doesn’t help.
Edithe brushes a few strands of hair out of the way. “Anyway, how is your apprenticeship going? I still can’t believe that Mavin decided to take you in.”
A chuckle escapes my lips, “Me neither. Sometimes I think he just took me in so I can water all his plants. It’s going differently than I thought. The man just makes me read tome after tome. Occasionally he likes to mix things up,” My face twists in a frown at the memory. “Certainly it is interesting, but I can’t say I am learning much. I think he doesn’t like me.”
She nods.
I walk next to her down the street. Edithe stops at a few stalls, buying herbs that Hagria wants. I spare a glance at the stall that sold jewellery. That ring, I will come back for it. She would love something like that.
After having perused the market while making idle talk we split off. Edithe waves at me, and heads into an alley where the road isn’t paved. It doesn’t have anything except Hagria’s brews, the store where she works at.
My fists clench. One day I will ask her out, mayb-. I cut myself off. No, Not one day. Tonight after my studies I will buy that ring, visit her home, and ask her out.
I head down the paved road, walk past the central plaza, where all the government buildings are housed. A battered team of Defenders make a beeline towards the town hall. Their armour is twisted and broken in some places. The leading man’s sword, strapped to his back, is broken in half. The ranger next looks worse for wear. Bits of his robe are torn away, revealing bloody wounds. The quiver on his side is empty. The mage trailing behind them looks pristine. However, she almost topples over every few paces.
I eye the wand in her hands. A marvellous thing, golden metal set with a blazing red orb at the top. I dream of the day that I have something like that. That day when I become a Defender myself and explore the wilds beyond the village is so far away. But that day, it's coming closer.
The group of three moves in a straight line to the largest building that handles the most crucial affairs. People part like the sea in front of them. No one wants to block them from their duty. Especially when the leader's face is twisted with cold fury.
Having seen enough, I continue on my way to Spells and Crafts, the place where I work and am apprenticed to. The shop is in the richer part of the town, quite a walk away from my home. Roads become more pristine, the houses bigger, gardens larger with flowers of every colour. Those flowers represent wealth. The more colours, the more kinds of flowers you have, the richer you are. They are just flaunting their wealth to each other in this part of the city.
I turn the corner and am greeted by the shop I work. It is a small thing, with lots of customers. Sometimes I wonder why Mavin doesn’t move out to a bigger place. Everyone knows he has the coin for it. Perhaps he is just attached to this place. Certainly, it's cosy.
The door swings open and the bell chimes, announcing my presence. I hang my coat on the rack and wait for Mavin to show up. He doesn’t like it when I take a look around.
Having nothing to do, I take in the front of the shop. Simply said it is a combination between a library, a greenhouse and a store. From the floor to the ceiling there are shelves of books with plants occasionally in between. It’s always bright in here with the large sets of windows at the entrance. Behind the counter, there are dozens of scrolls stacked on top of each other. The more expensive ones are in a glass closet with labels on the glass, stating what each scroll does when used.
The room smells like old books adjoined with the earthen smell of greenery. I fidget with my hands while I wait.
Finally, Mavin comes out from the back. His salt-and-pepper hair is neatly combed. Even his beard is well taken care of. I always wonder where he gets the time to do it since he is always busy, selling items to customers, scribing new scrolls, or dusting off old tomes.
His grey eyes, set in his wrinkled face flick to the grandfather clock next to the counter. He harrumphs, “Good you’re on time today. First, start off with taking care of the plants. Then show me what you have learned yesterday, then you can read tomes until I call you to help me with something.” He says in his low irritable tone.
I simply nod, having figured out the best way to deal with him long ago. He stomps behind the counter and starts to scribble down which scrolls of magic he has in inventory and which ones he needs to scribe or buy.
I turn around, not paying him any mind, and walk to the plant left to the door. Over my months of working here, I have created some kind of routine. Mavin doesn’t complain, so I assume it's okay.
My eyes close, and I feel the magic in me. I call upon it to heed my wishes. With my mind, I start to build a construct to make the magic do what I want. Blue circles form above the plant. It grows more complex with runes engraving themselves into the empty spaces. The construct finishes itself and a tiny grey cloud appears. It starts to rain above the plant. Rain falls down on it, giving the exact amount of water it needs.
I stop pushing magic into the construct that now floats above the palm of my hand. The rain stops, and with a mental command, the tiny cloud moves above the next plant. Once again I push my magic into it, making it start to rain.
The process repeats until all the plants are watered. I let out a sigh. When I first started working here I had to pause halfway to recover my magic, now I can do it in one go and still have a bit of energy left.
I Let the spell break, the construct unravelling into the air. dissolving.
Mavin stares at me from behind the counter. My body freezes up, thinking I have done something wrong.
He gives me a small nod, so small that it is barely noticeable. “Good. Now show me what you have learned yesterday. I gave you a tome that described basic magic theory and a history of it.” I give him a nod of confirmation. “Now explain it to me like I am some kind of fool while you dust off those shelves.”
I clear my throat, grab the duster and begin. “Everyone has a core that might as well be their soul. The core is tied into the person's personality, therefore it gives someone an element that matches well with them. Everyone can use every element, although using the element of their core always gives the best results. Th-”
He cuts me off. “Now tell me how your own core fits with your personality.”
I dust two books off while I mull over the question. “I have a pure water core. Water is the element of flexibility and adaptability, so I guess I am flexible like my element.” the last words spill out like a question.
The man nods and gestures for me to continue. He keeps correcting my knowledge, testing me for anything that I might have misread. Then after I have dusted off all the books and he seems to be done with taking stock of the scrolls he nods.
“At least you have a basic grasp on the theory, boy. However, you need to learn more about basic and advanced elements your knowledge is lacking. Also, you need to know more about core types and the three ways to use magic. Let’s do that tomorrow. Today you can read one of my spell tomes to learn some basic spells that will be of use.” He stands up with a sigh and I follow him to the attic.
He opens a stone closet with a golden key. He peruses the shelves and hands me a grey book bound in thick leather. “Begin with Light orb. Every mage knows it. It isn’t a spell that will save your life, but everyone knows that outside of these walls darkness is your enemy.” He looks at me seriously. I give him a stiff nod and try not to glance at the scar that runs from the side of his neck to his jaw.
He leaves me alone and wanders off to his study. Under no circumstances I am allowed in there. Once, when the door was ajar, I got the chance to peek in. In that room there is a large hardwood desk, pointed towards the window, giving it abundant sunlight. On the left of the desk, there are countless pieces of paper, all different kinds to house different spells. To the right, there were dozens of types of inks. All magical. Then he slammed the door shut in my face. Since then I have never been able to take a look inside. It has always perplexed me how you infuse magic into a scroll while making it hold meaning.
Anyway, I open the book, flick to the page that shows how to cast Orb of light, and start to memorise the magic. Unlike normal books, the letters in this one are weird. They move like snakes or sway like trees in the wind. The letters move, forming new sentences, even pictures. The magic is laid out to me like a story I have to follow, to understand the deepest meaning, and then I need to give my own magic that meaning in the form of a construct.
I dig in and the hours fly by. Halfway through the day, Mavin reminds me to eat my lunch.
I move downstairs and open my lunchbox. Today I sliced some bread with cheese with a few greens on top. Meat is cheaper in this part of the year. Even so, it's not something I can eat every day. Ravenously I eat my lunch, listening to Mavin sell his wares.
The bell chimes, telling that someone has entered the store. I peek my head around the corner. It’s the group I saw before on the central plaza. They have new tools at their disposal. The leader has a new sword, the archer has new arrows, and the mage looks to be steady on her feet. The orb on the tip of the staff pulses with a gentle warmth.
“I need information on Night stags.” The leader says, his voice low and as sharp as his new sword.
The mage chips in, “For free. We have an order from the mayor. It's high priority.” She says, her tone cheery.
The man who spoke first swats her away like a fly. She grumbles but steps away from the counter.
Mavin looks taken aback by the request. He quickly gets out of his stupor. His footsteps resound in the uncomfortable silence. He moves the ladder, climbs it, grabs a bestiary from the top shelve and hands it towards the archer.
Without saying anything the three shuffle out of the store with the book. Mavin stares at them, fire in his eyes. “They took my book.” He says to himself, clear anger in his voice.
I finish my lunch and head back upstairs to continue learning magic theory and spells.
The sun is setting when I walk out of the shop. My head aches from cramming the spell into my head, but I think I have it down. I could practice tomorrow or tonight if I have the chance.
I make my way towards the stall that sold jewels, and that jade ring. It would be a fine gift for Edithe.
I show the ring to the stall owner, “How much for it?”
“One silver.” The woman says.
I wince at the price. “Why is it so expensive? It’s just jade.”
She shakes her head. “Jade from up north. Mined from a special mine. It’s so pure that the mages and nobles scrabble for it.” she says. I give the ring a long look. “Are you buying or not?” she asks, her tone becoming waspish.
I nod, “Fifteen coppers.” I barter.
Her brows crinkle in a frown. ‘One silver.”
“Seventeen coppers?” I ask, already wincing at the price. That’s half my budget this week for food. If I just don’t buy any meat I should be fine.
The stall owner sighs, “The lowest I will go is eighteen.”
“Deal,” I say too eager. I hand her the coins and pocket the ring.
Edithe should still be working. Hagria never allows her to leave early. She always needs to clean up everything after a day of brewing herbal medicines.
I stroll down the familiar streets. People are packing up their shops, and the taverns are getting crowded. A couple enters a tavern to the left, the door swings open, releasing the aroma of ale and a good hearty mushroom stew. I almost want to drift in to eat there. No. I need to ask Edithe out first. I waited too long for this.
I turn left, walk on the muddy road and stand before Hagria’s brews. Now that I think about it, even the shop has some kind of witchy theme. I take a deep breath and enter the store.
A bell chimes, announcing me. This is the first time I have been in this store. Countless dried plants hang on threads all around. There are shelves with pots that contain plants and creatures alike. To my left there is a large cauldron, fire under it crackles with joy. A green goop bubbles in it. I walk closer curiously. A ladle, hold by no one stirs the brew. An eye bobs up and down in it.
I take a step back in surprise and almost stumble over the black cat that has appeared from nowhere. It mews at me while I try to make out its shape. The edges of the animal are wispy, almost as if it is melting into the shadows.
I kneel down to pet it gently. It stares at me, big orange feline eyes meeting mine. They hold a spark of intelligence I wouldn’t expect from a cat. It purrs and leans into my hand, receiving more scratches.
With no one around I start to explore to satiate my curiosity. I peer at things in pots that are stacked on the shelves. As I look around more and more, I start to realise that Hagria might actually be a with. It would make sense since her brews are so powerful.
Finally, I arrive at the counter. The most interesting things are stocked behind it. One jar holds frog legs while another holds some kind of dried-up root.
My eyes lower to the counter and rove over it until I find a stuffed crow. It looks so lifelike. Lower myself, getting a better view of it. Then it starts to crow and move.
In shock, I take a few steps backwards.
“Calm down Hegorn.” I hear Edithe’s voice from the back. She steps out, wearing a white apron over her clothing. It's stained with all kinds of blotches of things. “Oh, Izial,” A broad smile splits her face. “What are you doing here?” she enquires.
I give her a grin back and scratch the back of my neck in embarrassment. “I…I have nothing to do tonight, so I thought it would be fun to dine together. Of course only if you have time. I, uh, see that you’re busy so I’ll-”
“No, no. it's fine. I won’t be able to dine, I still have a brew to finish. Hagria has gone together with her broom, so I need to close up. Before she left she was talking about cursing a fortuneteller that was cutting into her business.” She chuckles at the memory. “What if we meet after sunset at the Wishing fountain?” her eyes glimmer with the light of the fire.
I give her a gentle smile. “Sounds like fun. I’ll see you there then.” I say and walk towards the exit of the shop. I open the door and turn around. In the reflection of one of the jars, I can see her face broken in two by a huge smile. A bit of happiness sparks off her into me. I close the door and prepare for the wonderful evening I will have tonight.
Having finished dinner at my home, I quickly start to pace around, thinking about tonight. Is taking a walk after dinner a date? Should I give that jade ring at the beginning or the end? Giving it at the beginning could make the whole night awkward while giving it at the end could leave a bad aftertaste.
Why is planning out a date more difficult than mastering magic?
I’ll just give the ring if it fits in the moment. There is always tomorrow and the day after that.
Edithe’s smile flashes through my memory. Whatever happens, I can’t mess this up. I shave the stubble, look three times in the reflection of the copper pan to see if I look good enough. I make sure there is nothing stuck between my teeth, and that my hair is fine and check my clothing for stains.
Seeing nothing wrong, I head out, walking towards the Wishing fountain. It’s quite a while away with it being in richer parts of the city. I still don’t know how we became friends. I guess it was just one day meeting each other when we were kids and just getting along together. I think about it often. Would we still be close friends if we met later on in life, having become more aware of everything? Especially the differences between us.
Anyway, I stroll down the streets. There aren’t any magical lights here, but the lighting from inside the houses provides plenty to navigate to my destination.
A while later I enter the richer districts. These do have magical lighting. The orange of the crystals floating in their orbs high above the paved streets lights the way. A warm breeze rushes past me. The night air is still warm, even with it being early fall.
Before too long I arrive at the fountain. She’s already waiting. The orange lighting of the crystals shines on her hair, making it more vibrant. She wears more elegant clothing than me, although that isn’t hard since I wear a simple tunic with pants. I would have worn anything more elegant if I had anything. Mavin pays well, but not good enough to live an opulent life.
Edithe sees me walking towards her. “Izial, it’s good to see you. You look good.” She lies. We both know it. I don’t comment on it.
“I have to say, you do look splendid yourself.” I flatter. I look at the Wishing fountain. I grab the stone railing. This place holds so many memories. Every street does when you live in a tiny city. But this place here. It's where we both connected for the first time when we were kids.
If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.
I look at her. Without words, we communicate. “I thought it would be a good place to meet. We both have fond memories here, I think.”
I nod at her. My eyes peer over the railing, looking into the water. Copper coins litter the bottom of it, each reflecting light making it look like a second night sky, albeit this one with more stars. And it's far more special. “I still remember it like it was yesterday.”
She walks to stand next to me, looking at all the coins. But those coins down there, they aren’t just bits of copper. They are wishes, each one unique, representing a dream someone will follow or abandon in their coming years.
Edithe muses, “The same for me. We both stood near this well. Each with a coin in hand. Together we made a wish for our futures. You wanted to become a great Defender that can protect this village from any harm that may come out of those woods.”
I finish the rest of her story, “And you wanted to become a herbalist, able to keep the city safe from any illness. And together we would keep this village, these people, our whole world safe.” She says the last word together with me.
She turns around looking up at the stars. Her green dress glittering slightly in the moonlight. “And look how far we’ve come. We’re both apprenticed to someone who can help us fulfil our dreams. Izial, We are so close.”
“We are,” I confirm.
Together we start to walk towards the centre of the village. It's always busy there, even at night there are stalls offering food.
“Learned anything today?” She asks.
“I did. I learned a new spell.”
Her head turns towards me, “Show me.”
I give her a wry smile. “I actually haven’t used it so…” I trail off, not knowing what to say.
“Show me.” She repeats.
A tiny sigh escapes my lips. I stop walking and cup my palms in front of me. Magic flows through my veins and a construct starts to draw itself into existence above my hands. The tiny white construct flows with energy. I focus, making sure that each rune is in place, or else the spell would collapse.
With everything checked, I activate it. A small orb of light flickers into existence. Pure white light shines out of it.
Edithe’s mouth falls open in amazement. I give her a tiny grin while making sure the spell doesn’t implode on itself. “I can also add colours to it, I think.”
“Can you make it orange?” Her voice is excited.
I nod. I switch out one of the runes, and the light starts to turn orange. Wanting to impress her, I start to make the spell more complex, adding more colours. More and more, until it has all the colours of the rainbow.
“It’s amazing.” She says. We both watch the colours rove over the orb of light taking over each other, moving from spot to spot, like living creatures.
Feeling myself get tired, I let it fade out of existence. I let out a steady breath. “That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” Edithe says.
I give an awkward smile in response.
We both continue to stroll down to the village centre, making idle talk.
Edithe looks up again, the stars are reflected in her beautiful hazel eyes. I could look at them forever, and never fully explore them. “The stars are pretty tonight. They are so bright, even when the moon is out.”
I nod at her, not even knowing what she says, still being captivated by her eyes.
In my pocket, the jade ring almost burns with warmth. I want to give it to her, yet I don’t dare to ruin the moment.
Before I know it we arrive at the centre. Good-smelling food draws our attention. She basically pulls me over to one of the food vendors. We both order some kind of spicy meat. The man says that the price is ten coppers. I shuffle around in my pockets and barely find three coppers in it.
Edithe notices, “See it as my treat. You showed that splendid orb of light after all.” She hands an entire silver to him. She pockets the change and hands me a skewer of meat. We stroll around the plaza and settle down on a bench.
Once again I feel the ring almost glow in my pocket. Should I give it to her now?
I nod to myself. “Edithe I h-’
A loud horn blares through the night. We both stand up in shock.
Edithe looks left and right to spot something. “What’s…”
“The alarm. The walls have been breached.” I say. I look down. Or fingers are tied together. My heart flutters. I push the feeling away. This is not the time.
The buildings around us explode with people. Defenders and officers move out, towards the walls.
Everything is drawn out by the alarm. I hear it ring in my head, louder and louder. I squeeze her hand as I remember the last time it rang.
Four years ago. The day I lost my parents. They were both working outside the village, gathering wood for the winter. It's not safe work, but they had to do it. It was too expensive to just buy it. Then the alarm rang. Multiple packs of wolves, each reaching to an adult's hips, assaulted the city. Luckily the walls weren’t breached. Everything outside, however, was gone. My parents were gone. And then before I knew it I was alone.
Edithe tugs on my arm, pulling me out of the memory. “Izial. What do we do.” Her tone is steady, yet there is fear underneath it.
“The gates are the weakest point of the city. The road leads in a straight line to here. And if the threat is bandits they will converge on the bank. We should head into the rich districts. Each house there has guards, so it’s the safest.”
She nods at me. I squeeze her hand. Then we both start to run uphill. The horns are still screaming.
A loud bang resounds. We both turn and see the large plume of flame shoot into the sky at the gate. I shiver. Using a high-tier spell in the village is only done when there is a clear threat.
“We need to hurry. Best is to get close to the Westville’s. They are paranoid that someone will steal their wealth, so they keep guards around their mansion at all times.”
Edithe nods and we resume our sprint to safety.
Another explosion resounds. This time only turn to see it. A bright plume of blue flames bursts out a bit away from the gates.
The invaders. They are in the city. And stronger spells are used against them.
I start to run faster, pulling on Edithe’s arm behind me. More people start to converge on the street. Some screaming in fear, others running in a panic.
Soon the masses become too dense. More people seem to have the same idea as me. Edithe and I start to walk, still holding hands to not lose each other. I look downhill and shiver. The housing for the poorer villagers. It's burning. It is all burning.
Edithe stops too. Then she sees it too. The sea of flame eating through housing, people everything. I can almost feel the heat from here. People are fighting down there. Flames burst, controlled by mages. Boulders, lifted by magic, fly through the air. Houses topple over like a castles of cards.
“What do we do.” Her voice is almost a whisper, almost drowned out by the panicked screams erupting from all around us.
I want to say that I don’t know. Like everyone else, I want to run away, forcing my way past the guards, into a nearby home. I shake the feelings away. “Stay away from the fire, and keep your eyes out for any monsters or odd people. We still don’t know what is invading the village.” I tell her and stare at the sea of flames that is spreading. My eyes hurt looking at it.
We both walk uphill.
Cold sweat drips down my back. The alarms still scream in the distance, making everyone know that the problem still isn’t resolved. When I look through windows into the mansions past the blooming gardens, I see everyone entering the basements. I shake my head at them. Hiding will just cook you alive, or suffocate you with smoke.
Then everyone starts to scream. People start to run, trampling others to get away. I look back, seeing nothing, but the expanding burning sea below.
Edithe tugs on my arm, “Go into this alley. We’ll be safe there. For now.” I follow her.
It surprises me that she is so calm. Then again you need to be strong to live in a frontier village. And when you apprentice under a grumpy witch, you certainly need to have perfect control over your emotions.
The alley is cramped. We look out of it, as more people rush past. Slowly the stream starts to thin. Then the slower people run past. Mothers carrying children or old people enjoying the last of their years move past.
A scream splits the air. Shivers wash over me. This scream is different. This is the scream of someone dying; this is someone’s last sound.
My mind flicks back to four years ago when these screams could be heard all over town. The people outside yelled like that. The people that died.
High-pitched laughter fills the air, along with smoke that is blowing uphill.
The laughter is unnatural. Inhuman.
I pull myself up to the wall, making myself as thin as possible. I make sure that Edithe does the same. More dying screams loud out through the night. Closer and closer come the blood-curdling screams. A baby wails, and it is cut off. By who? I don’t know.
An old man runs past, clearly out of breath. He keeps looking back while yelling.
A weird clicking noise joins the permanent screaming and laughter. The cold sweat intensifies. Air gets heavy. I stop breathing.
The clicking passes the alley. I don’t dare to move. Out of the corner of my eye I see a tall, inhuman shape. Four feet, no, hooves click against the paved ground. The chittering laughter resounds again. It almost sounds like little kids that laugh when they create mischief.
I keep looking from the corner of my eye. A tall shape rushes past. All I can see are bone-white antlers, pointed-like spikes, black fur, and a hunched back.
Then I close my eyes, too scared to keep looking. These monsters are some kind of stag. My mind flicks back to earlier today.
“I need any information on Night stags.” The leader says, his voice low and as sharp as his new sword.
So, that is what these monsters are called. That is what those Defenders encountered.
I keep my eyes closed, too scared to see one of those monsters looking into the alleyway, straight at me when I open them.
We wait, barely breathing, Sweat rolling down our forms that are pressed against the wall.
The clicking of the hooves fade. Not long after the childish, demonic laughter does too. I breathe out and open my eyes for the first time that might as well be an eternity.
I look at Edithe. Sweat rolls down her forehead. The green dress she wears has blotches of dirt all over it. Her hair is messy, the reddish colour looks less perfect. Yet how can she still look so beautiful?
The jade ring shifts its weight in my pocket. I want to give it to her now. It's not the right moment.
Her eyes open too. She locks onto me and I nod. Together we sneak out of the alleyway. While we were hiding the flames have spread. Burning ashes rain down from the sky. The air feels dry. So dry that it burns my throat when I breathe in.
I peer around the corners. Some of the buildings around us are going up in flame, adding to the rain of fire.
My eyes look back to Edithe. I just wanted to give her the ring as a gift, but now. If- When we get out, I will ask her to marry me. Then we will settle somewhere safe. I will get my own tome of magic that I will study daily and she finds a new place to work at. We will live together. Share more time together.
My mind flicks back to the present. The vision of a tiny house, with a grassy garden and an apple tree, replaced by a burning hellscape. Edithe, her usual smile is replaced by utter fear.
I still hold her hand, both our palms are sweaty. We both hold on for dear life as if losing the connection would make us lose our safety.
I pull her close, into a hug. I feel her tremble in my arms. Gently, I whisper into her ear. “We will get out of this.” I Repeat the words like a mantra. We both know that it isn’t the truth, nor a lie. It’s a chance. A small one. But that hope. That belief that this sudden nightmare is not the end, gives me strength.
Edithe nods. Again, I look around the corner. I see no monsters, no people. Nothing.
“This city is lost. We need to leave for Saira. It’s not that far away. Most creatures are attracted to the fire so once we are in the forest we are safe. We have my Orb of light to show the way. We will be okay. ”
She nods once again.
We head out of the alley. Immediately we are greeted by something. On the streets there are corpses. blood streams downhill from them. Edithe’s nails pierce into my skin while we both look at a man who is facing towards the sky. His face is twisted in agony.
I want to bend down and close his eyes. To say a small prayer. We don’t have time for the dead. Not now, when we are still fighting.
Far in the distance, I hear screams. Those stags must be herding everyone into the same place, creating a paradise that can satiate their hunger.
In silence, we walk downhill, towards the plaza, towards the gate, to another city. It's funny, we came from that way, and now we are returning to it.
The hot air with ash is trying to make me cough. I hold everything back, not making a sound. My head aches and my skin feels flaky due to the heat.
We pass an intersection. A chittering childish laughter fills the air. My brain feels like it’s moving through molasses. Then I remember that this sound belongs to one of them
.
“Watch out!” A defender screams. I turn to them, only to see Edithe getting hit by the monster. Antlers run her through. The beast drives itself into a wall.
It pulls away, making Edithe collapse like a doll. The Defender catches its attention and lures it away.
“Edithe? no. no. No. NO!” I whimper. My feet take me to her.
“Her breathing rasps. A holes are poked in her chest by the antlers. “Izial, I don’t feel so good, but it doesn’t hurt that much.”
Tears leak out of my eyes, only to be evaporated by the blazing air all around us.
“A healer will come soon. Just hang on.” I start to pull on my hair, cursing to myself that I didn’t learn any healing spells.
The thoughts ramble in an endless loop of madness. Her hand reaches out and grasps my own. It pulls me out of it. Tears roll down her face. “Izial. It doesn’t hurt at all.” more tears roll down her cheeks. “It just feels a bit numb.”
She gives me the faintest of smiles. A smile that always radiated happiness, kindness. Now it reveals sadness with the same expression. “It looks like my wish won’t come true. I hope yours does. Make sure yours does.” She coughs. Blood leaks out of her mouth.
I look at her. not knowing what to do. Then I remember the ring. “Edithe. I have a gift for you.” I say smiling like nothing is happening. My lips quiver, showing my true emotions.
I pull the ring out of my pocket. The jade reflects the fire of the nearby burning buildings.
She looks at it and gives her smile again. “It’s beautiful.” She says.
I reach out for her hand to put it on. Then I look down at my own hands, red with blood. I tremble, almost making the ring drop. I swallow the feelings.
The ring easily slides on her fingers slick with blood. I look at her face. She looks at the burning ash, blowing in the sky. “Stars.” She croaks.
I collapse, whimpering, shaking. Doing everything but making a sound.
My eyes focus back on her. She is still looking in awe at the sky.
After a second I find the words. “Edithe…will you marry me?” The words come out broken, torn. Not like I imagined at all. I think back to the dream I had. The house with the apple tree. Just like this village, it burns away.
“…Edithe…” she doesn’t respond. Doesn’t move. Doesn’t do anything.
It tears me apart. More than anything. There were so many futures she would be a part of. A healer that cured a plague. A protector. She could be anything. But now…Burned away like my dream, like the apple tree.
I give her a kiss on her lips and close her eyes.
She told me I needed to fulfil my dream, so I must with all my strength.
Hot air bites at my skin. My body feels heavy. On the street, I stop. I look at the hand where I held hers. Where did it all go wrong? Wasn’t it all just not meant to be?
Everything is hazy. The smoky air must have made its way into my head. Everything burns. The houses crackle in the fire.
My feet take me to the plaza. The opulent gardens with all kinds of flowers, from the exotic north to the seas in the south. It all burns. The flowers wilt under the heat. Petals fall to the ground. The vast amount of wealth that was used to show off, is gone. Gone like everything.
In the distance, I hear the demonic laughter of one of those monsters. I turn left, walk into another street.
It all looks the same. The orange flames, and the dry air. It's all around me.
Before I know it I walk past Mavin’s shop. Like everything else it burns. Support beams groan as fire chews through them. Burning pages fly around on currents of hot air as if they are fleeing the fire. The plants I watered this morning are gone. Only cracked pots with dry dirt remain.
This shop. This was the way to my dream. Now it's burning before my eyes. I look at what would have been. What should have been. Then I see it turn to ash in front of me. Ash that is swept away by the wind, the bits and pieces broken further apart, so that I can’t even pick up anything that remains.
I resume my walk to the plaza. Fire always crackling in the background. Occasionally buildings collapse. I walk around the bodies that litter the ground. Most of them are trampled like delicate flowers. Their faces twisted in shocked expressions, looking at their final moment. Disbelieving what people would do to get ahead.
The plaza is empty. The stone governmental building lies in ruin. Roofs collapsed, entire support beams torn away. The well in the middle, broken and destroyed. Coins reflect the fire all around. Like the other one, it held wishes.
Now I wonder if those people that threw a coin into it are still alive.
A blast of fire shoots out of another street. A figure runs out of it, pursued by one of those things.
It tries to hit her with the antlers. She jumps out of the way. Flames singe the fur on its side. Blazing words of magic flee from her lips. Blue fire engulfs the monster. A cacophony of childish laughter, all in odd tones, blares through the air.
Then the monster collapses. The woman, the fire mage, leans on her staff. She almost collapses. Fire has eaten chunks out of the pristine robes. Red blood and yellow ichor mar her robe. The wand in her hand is different. The gold almost looks depleted, lifeless, and the orb that sits on top has spider-webbed cracks running over it. It surprised me that it doesn’t break, making the glowing insides that pulses like a heart spill out.
Finally, she notices me. Fire burns in the silence until my words drive it away, “You, you knew this would happen. Your squad came to seek information at Mavins. Why didn’t you warn them?” My voice rasps out.
Her eyes bore into mine. They’re like embers, dying embers giving off their last light before they go out. She peels back the hood. Her skin is pale with sickly blue veins underneath. She coughs. “We met them in the forest yesterday. There weren’t that many, I promise. There were barely a few. Farris and Tylo killed them. We didn’t know it would get its attention. I tried to warn them. I tried to warn them of it all. I trie-” She starts to mumble to herself.
I need to get out and head up north to the other village. There I will be safe. There everything will be fine.
Having nothing to do in this burning hellscape, I make my way to the gate.
The fire mage tugs on my arm. She pulls on my hand. The hand that still has Edithe’s blood on it.
As if bitten by an animal I pull away. The woman takes a step back. “Where are you going? We need to stay together.”
I glare at her. If they didn’t kill those things first this never would have happened. Edithe would never have died. My eyes give her an icy glare; the coldest thing in the entire village. My voice is even colder, “I’m going up north. There I will be safe.”
“Out there! Are you mad? if you go into the forest you could die.” She yells
My legs start to move before I reply. “I might die out there, but I will die if I stay here.”
The gates have been blasted open by something. Shrapnel lies all around it. Even the houses closest to the gate look like they might crumble apart at any moment. Bodies of guards lay on the ground, still holding their weapons. It feels like I am looking into the future. This place, how everything looks, it will be like that all over tomorrow. Bodies, friends, will litter the street like rubbish. Buildings will become hollow shells, unrecognisable to the people that lived in them. Then it will become a ghost town, a foothold for evil to fester.
I stand in the broken gate, the dark forest illuminated by the raging fire that is consuming the city. People still scream in the distance. Edithe is here. My hand reaches into my pockets. The jade ring is on her finger. A promise, broken by death. I promised her that I would live, that I would touch the untouchable. And for that, I step into the forest.
My pace is slow, through it. From what I know, this is the third time I have been outside the gates. The other two were in the summer, with my parents. At the time when the sun keeps the night at bay, the monsters fight among themselves. They squabble over territory and resources. So, they leave us alone, giving us all a feeble, untouchable moment outside the walls.
Those walls. I always looked up to them. Tall wooden pillars pushed far into the ground, able to withstand anything, except fire. Guards stood atop, protecting Laira from anything that it couldn’t face.
Those walls. They were nothing against the true horrors that lie in the heart of the forest.
Fire lights the way, even when I am deep in the forest everything gets illuminated by the orange flames from afar. Surely, other villages and cities must have seen it. My home, my life, a burning blotch on the horizon, smoke pluming above it, so high up that it might as well hold the sky in place.
I avoid the largest patches of fallen leaves, wanting to make no sound. Still, occasionally I step on a branch. I wince and keep moving.
Further out the light finally starts to fade and the air starts to clear. I don’t know how far away I am. Everything is pitch dark. The plumes of ash obscure the moon and the bright stars in the sky. Surely other villages must have noticed it by now. Everyone here is dying. Surely they must.
I don’t cast Orb of light, scared that it could attract something. Also, I don’t want to see her again. I don’t want to see her smile. I don’t want to see it bleed out of her like everything did. I just want to go somewhere else. To go somewhere new and forget. Forget everything. The flames ravaging everything, the screams, the pungent smell of burned meat, those demonic monsters with their high pitched laughter.
And I want to forget her. Because ignorance is bliss. It all just hurts so much. Thinking about her. It hurts too much.
I touch my face, feeling tears run down. I’ve missed them. These are not to be burned away. This moment, this emotion is safe from the fires.
The moon is still blotted out by the smoke. The darkness only has grown deeper, unnatural. I wade forward, hands outstretched, making sure I don’t bump into trees. It might seem dangerous, and it's true. More than once something on the ground made my trip. Yet that darkness, how uncomfortable it might be, it hides me. It obscures me from everything.
At least that is what I thought.
Warped, twisted, chuckles follow me through the trees. At first, I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me. That it was torturing me with my own memories. But when I stopped, I could hear them. The steady clicking noises their hooves made in the city has been replaced by the wet crunching of leaves.
I don’t let them see my fear, hiding it all in my empty heart. After all, there is space enough in it for all I have lost today.
I walk forward. The laughter becomes louder, more numerous. It is their lure I think. They laugh like mischievous children. Such, an odd sound in the darkness of the forest.
The laughter surrounds me, encircles me. I am sure of it. They hide in the darkness, turning it in a wretched game of hide and seek. The darkness, I believed it would protect me from them. It did not. It was a glass shield, see-through, so they could find me anywhere.
Those things keep encircling me, like a net reeling in on prey. The cacophonies of laughter makes it hard to know how many there are. I don’t know any spells that can protect me. What is a cloud of rain going to do against them?
They play games, I am sure of it. They are playing hide and seek. They hide, I seek. Those demons want me to wander around, running into one of them. I will not do such a thing.
Instead, I climb into a tree, the tallest one, up in the highest branches that can hold my weight. I sit down, like a bird. Trapped in a cage, not knowing where the bars are, or even if there are bars.
All I need to do is wait. Wait until someone comes. Wait until the sun rises. Then I can see the bars of my cage and weasel my way through.
But time, just like darkness, isn’t on my side. The laughs change. They become more vengeful, made out of malice instead of childish joy.
The laughter closes in. Like a noose, like a trap. One I set for myself. Shivers run rampant over my skin. Cold sweat breaks out. My hands tighten on the tree. My lifeline.
Below, I see the sharp, bloody horns poke out of the night. Like spikes, they await my fall. Laughter becomes louder. It becomes something more than sound. I feel it set in my bones.
“No,” I find myself mumble. “no. No, go away. Go away, please.”
Louder, with glee. Deeper with malice. I hate it. I hate it so much, that it aches.
Something changes. And suddenly it is quiet. Perfectly quiet. I look down and see that they are standing still, heads to the ground as if they are kneeling.
Branches break far in the distance. Growing closer. Something large approaches.
The antlers peek out of the darkness first, all of them sharp as knives. Blood, red blood, drips down from them like a tree does after rainfall.
A hearty laugh escapes from its mouth. Deeper than the others. It sounds grandfatherly and unreal. The sound misses something. Some key element that makes it feel real. It takes me a moment to find what it is.
It misses joy. The laugh, it's all an empty sound, a façade to do who knows what.
The other ones stop kneeling and stand up. The empty space in my heart, all of it is filled with fear. It spills over and it is shown on my face.
On the ground, the one with the grandfather laugh, it is looking straight up at me. Its face peers out of the darkness. The monster is taller, more muscular, and simply bigger than the others.
Frozen, I stare at it. Oil black fur, A crocked back, and bone white antlers covered with blood. It all isn’t as scary as its face. It looks like it's just bone, and only that. There is no skin, no fur, just bone. It doesn’t have eyes, just eye sockets.
The blood of the things it has killed leaks down the antlers, to the base of it. There, it trails down its face into said sockets, filling them up like buckets of water. They overflow, and tears of blood run down the side of its head.
A deep cacophony of chuckles booms from its mouth.
My lips part, and words barely audible stumble out. “No…” I trail off, the rest of the sentence too afraid to come out.
As if things couldn’t get worse, its back becomes more crooked. Bones shift under fur. More of it becomes visible. The front legs reach up to pull me out of the tree.
I stare at it, the darkness making it hard to see what is happening.
It leans upwards, and the crooked back of the thing straightens.
The thing, the monster, the demon, the Night stag. It is trying to stand up.
Another chuckle resounds while it reaches for me, mouth open, letting me look at the rotten insides.
The hoof reaching for me pulls me out of my stupor. I climb higher into the tree, uncaring of what might happen. My muscles ache. I pull myself up on the thin, feeble branches.
I don’t have to look for it. I know it is close to me.
Three meters isn’t enough, I need to climb higher.
My hand reaches for another branch. Before I can pull myself up again I feel it tugging on my leg.
I hold on for my life, while it pulls, the whole tree moves with me.
My gaze flicks down to its face. So close now.
The blood leaks out of the sockets, like tears.
Red tears of joy.
Even with no eyes, with only a skull, it smiles. It smiles at my fear, at my pain, at my death.
Rejecting this joy to it I look up to the sky, hoping to see the stars. I hear her voice. I think about the ring and the new spell I had shown.
Can you make it orange?
I can try.
The conversation, the happy memory, plays out in my mind. I cling to it more than the branches, more than my life.
The demons below laugh. They pull me down. My bloody hands, slowly slide of the branches.
I seek refuge with my spell. The working for it appears after three tries.
The night washes away like a wave. I look at it the star in front of me. So beautiful.
With effort, I make it orange, her favourite colour. The memory becomes more clear like a dream materialising into existence. I see her smile while I play with the orb, giving it all the colours I have ever seen. They get reflected in her eyes, in her hazel eyes, that contain so much life.
It pulls on my leg. My hands slide off the branches. I fall down to the ground, looking at the Orb of light. The star in my darkness.
I refuse to look at them. I refuse to hear them. I don’t make a sound. Giving them nothing with my death.
My eyes keep resting on the miniature star. I hear her voice again.
A bitter smile spreads on my face.
Sorry Edithe, Looks like we both don’t get our wishes.
The spell winks out, leaving everything in utter darkness.