It kills me to leave my sister. Given the opportunity I would bury her, she deserves that in the least. Howeve, time has been wasted enough, if only I had not let myself become overwhelmed with emotion, I may have had the time. Alas, I can hear the dogs closing, I have to move. I say goodbye to Tear and continue alongside the river.
Finally the sound of crashing water of the falls starts to grow, reaching a crescendo as I see the trees part; leaving a waterfall far larger in sheer scale than I had expected. This part of my plan had seemed much simpler in thought. Well this fall is a quarter my last at least and still not knowing how or why I have survived up to this point, the fact remains that I have. Knowing this fact alone I close my eyes and leap towards the lake. Once more gravity overcomes me, falling this time isn't conjuring the same feelings as my last, this feels like freedom. Not to say I have no fear at all, as I cast myself from the cliff I try to ensure my distance from the side. An seemingly impermeable mist hangs between the lake and I, concealing from me potential dangers below the water line. Though, they undoubtedly dwell, waiting. In less than a count of ten I pierce the mist and brake the surface of the lake. Water surges around me, the roar of the falls is deafening, I open my eyes to see nothing but bubbles. I rotate powered by the current from the waterfall. The very concept of directionality escapes me. That is, until at last I am released from the churn, a shard of light dances across my vision as I slow. And, for the shortest of moments I pause in the beauty of it, before rushing to the surface. Gulping in great chestfulls of air and rolling to float on my back, I swim to the centre of the lake. Upon reaching it I return to my front and make my way to the far side of the large body of water. Hopefully this should be sufficient enough an effort to ensure the loss of my trail by my pursuers, I should finally be free to start my journey home.
Scrambling to my feet on the bank of the lake, I see standing in front of me a petit young woman. Face slender with slight features, freckles grace high cheek bones beneath eyes of autumn leaves. She is draped in a shabby mossy cloak. In her right hand is some sort of staff, longer than she is tall. It is purple in colour, trimmed with gold. The trim appears to depict something on either end. However the damn things keep morphing and shifting in such a way, at such a speed that I can not tell what either are supposed to represent. Placing her hands together the staff shrinks until it appears to be gone.
"Still alive I'see, glad to be of service, now I'm going to have to ask of ye yer payment" she blurted. "As unfortunately I can't real afford to be givin' my gifts away just like that.. Well? No words about ye?" She speaks common and seems to know me somehow, I doubt this fact completely. So shaking off my confusion, I retort.
"I do not know you, and I am sorry but I would recall owing you anything. What service is this supposed to have been, young lady?" I ended with the lady comment to try to soften my tone as I have noticed I was shouting by that point.
"Lady, ha, blow me down, a bloody lady i'm not. besides that still, tis a fact I did do ye a service, I saved your damn life, so owe me ye do." She exclaimed quite a matter of factly.
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
"Saved me? Saved me? You? And when did you-" My voice trails as I start to remember. "The lights as I fell, the staff, you're a Magi. But, how?" Before I could finish my train of thought she trampled my words with hers.
"I'm no fucking Magi. Mark me words. I'm more than them. They are cheap men, turnin' cheaper tricks!" she spits
"You want t'see magic?" she asks, but as she uttered those last words, her mouth did not move, I heard them in my head, louder than when she actually spoke. Which, was already a more than respectable volume. I feel static building in the air around us as her eyes preced to glow. rocks, leaves and branches lift from the ground and spin, slow at first but they built in speed, accelerating until we stand a centre a small but sufficiently terrifying tornado. This informs me most importantly that my only skill needed here is diplomacy.
"Ok, what do you want or should I rephrase, what do you need of me?" As I speak the magical wind and all it was carrying drops back to the ground, still, as though they were not just whirling round this space seconds prior. Simultaneously her expression moves from a scowl to a smile.
"Good, good, then that makes you my first apprentice." My unwanted master now approached me, smile still stretching the span of her face. Once she reached me it was glaringly obvious just how young this girl actually is. I am least 8 Summers her senior. However, that ability she wields makes her far my superior, where power is concerned least. The power she holds is rather terrifying, rather terrific. Now I, someone who is not a magic proficient, I am supposed to become, like her. Having my doubts I try to reason with her.
"I was tested as a boy, I can not." Once again she cut me off, in her now quickly becoming usual manner.
"Don't matter a bit, their tests are lies, they are t'see if ye have the ability to become a magi." I stare at her with what I can only presume is an entirely perplexed visage on my face, as that is how I feel. "ahh ye don't get me right? I'm a mage, I don't bend to the will o'things as they do, I channel 'em. Most o' the time anyway." She said as she gestured to me. "With you, I had to change yer natural circuits t'increase the capacity of magic yer system could take, yeah? all while ye were falling. actually impressed myself, the bonus of ye keeping your own will surprises me more still." once again I found myself staring at her incredulously at the realisation I could have lost my will when she did, whatever she did to me.
"So, pray, exactly did you do to me?" this question I asked in much more of a whisper then intended, making me grimace.
"As I've already said" she explained, "I unlocked yer attunement with magic. Though, in order to save ye in yer dive from that tower I had to pour into ye more of me magic than i meant to. Y'see, first I started try to slow yer fall, when I saw yer arm fall away from ye I started t heal you instead. Quickly I saw the fall was still probably too much, I channeled me energy directly into ye the same way I'd raise a golem." Each time she speaks, the knot in my stomach constricts ever tighter and waves of fear washed over my, more than anything confused mind. Should I stop asking questions if the answers don't subside the spinning of my head, but instead induce it further. I am no glutton for punishment, no, but I must know, I must gain some understanding my new found abilities and whatever weaknesses it may bring. "So," I spoke, "what exactly does that mean, I would love to understand if you please?" Her smile faded to an oddly more comforting frown; it was at least, less threatening.