Heist Pt.4
(Word Count: 3502)
POV: Omaren
Date: July 367 Ac (3 years ago)
Location: City of A'anora, Occupied Ak'aaran territory, Northern Mahador.
The sun shone brightly through the small open window up in the corner. It was the only source of light in the small storage room, but it was plenty for me to read this book. I flipped another page. It was a recipe book, which wasn't the most exciting thing i've ever read before, but i had time to kill before my next chores in the evening, and i needed something to do. A distraction, to keep my mind off things. A month had passed since my little escapade at the herbalist shop. Things had returned to normal quickly after that Monday at the shop. Mr. Jakun kept his promise and only had me going to the market after that. I slipped back into the boring routine in had before the whole ordeal. At the same time, i tried not feeling too bad about what i'd done, and kept reminding myself that i had good reasons to do it. I had to keep myself safe and get more time here to find a way out of the city and get to my brother. There was also the fact that the money i had taken wasn't really his, because it was owed to Jakun. As for the other things... the door i had burned was probably repaired or replaced by this point, and his hand injury is likely healed by this point too. Hopefully. I sighed and let the book fall to my lap. My hand went up to touch one of my ear. The herbalist, or what i had done to him was far from my biggest worry right now. My ears weren't going to stop growing anytime soon, and it was already becoming hard to hide them, even with hats. If the arrosian soldiers found out i was a mage, they would probably lock me up and i wouldn't be able to look for my brother anymore. One silver lining was that while there were still a lot of soldiers in the city, there wasn't as many of them compared to a couple weeks ago. I noticed it when to the market again a few days ago. Rumour has it that many left to go back home, to Arros, but it's unclear why they left, or if they'll come back. I'd rather the rest of them leave us alone. A distant knock at the front door caught my attention. I looked up at the sun through the window. It was mid-day. Not a very usual time for visits at the Inn. I got up from my uncomfortable bed and walked towards the closed door of the storage room. I put my ear to the door as i heard Jakun leave his office nearby. The sound of his footsteps faded down the hall. Then, the front door opened and energetic talking began in the lobby. I wonder who that is? I heard multiple sets of footsteps coming back towards me. Whoever was at the door, it seems Jakun let them inside. I quickly looked through the key hole and managed to catch a glimpse of a white man with a short beard entering the room behind Jakun, before the door was shut behind him. Huh? A foreigner here? For both our sake, Jakun didn't want customers seeing me, but i was too curious about that foreigner. I slowly opened the door and quietly walked down the hall towards his office. Despite living here for more than 3 months, i'd only gone through this hallway half a dozen times, at most, and always during the night. To get in and out of the room, i usually went through the little window in the storage room. I stopped as i reached his office door. I could hear people talking inside, but i couldn't quite make out what they were saying. I put my ear up to the door to better listen in. "...why we're here. It's a win-win for both of you. Especialy for the fire mage you're hosting, i would say." Fire mage? Is this about me? Are they with the soldiers? "But you must understand that i can't just agree to this without talking to him first" Jakun said. "The final desicion belongs to him." What the hell are they talking about? Is this really about me? Another person talked. "I for one, believe it would be best to allow him the opportunity to leave this city." the man said. That voice... It seems familiar... where have i heard it before? I decided to look into the key hole of this door as well, but i couldn't see anything through it. Instead, there was a small gap between the wall and the door on the left side, through which i could see the room beyond. I saw Mr. Jakun, as well as the white man, but the third person, was out of sight. "Quite honestly", The third person continued. "What you had him do in my store is undignified of a mage his calibre" Wait... His store? So that means this guy is- "Mr. Kata, with all due respect, he choose to do what he did by himself. And you did owe me that money" Mr. Kata let out a groan, clearly annoyed at Jakun. "He did it because you coerced him with a promise of safety." He said. "Which i have upheld! He crossed his arms. "Also, he's 16 years old. He is well able to make his own decisions" "No matter that" Mr. Kata dismissed what he said. "You know as well as i do, jakun, that this whole region isn't safe for people like him anymore. He was clearly desperate!" He pointed to the white man next to him. "Mr. Trayel here can bring him out of here and across the sea, far away from the war" Jakun shook his head and sighed. "I get that, but i'm just not sure he'll want to leave. He's got... unfinished business here." "Well, why don't we just ask him? Is he here?" "He is" Jakun said, nodding before getting up. "I'll bring him in." Fucking shit This is bad, i need to get out of here! I quickly turned and ran back towards the storage room. However, just as i reached the door, Jakun stepped out of the office and saw me. "Omaren?" He closed the door behind him, looking confused. "Where... you listening to us?" I clenched the door handle, unsure what to say. I took a deep breathe. "I... should go. Thank you for everything". I stepped into the storage room. "Wait, hold on!" he said, and the genuine concern in his voice made me stop again. "Perhaps, you should hear them out." He said. I turned fully to face him. "What do they want? Is the white man in there a soldier?" I asked. Jakun went wide-eyed at the second question and quickly put his hand up. "No, no, nothing like that." He scratched the back of his neck. "He would probably hate being called that" He said with a light chuckle. I didn't answer. "I think... It's best if they explain it to you" he said, before opening the door and inviting me inside. I hesitated for a moment, but i decided to to hear them out. Jakun came in after me and closed the door behind us. His office was small, and didn't have enough seating for all 4 of us. I stayed up leaning against the wall, as was Mr. Kata on the oposite side of the room. Jakun went to sit behind his desk, while the white man was sat in front, between me and Mr. kata. I wasn't particularly fond of being in the same room as Mr. Kata after what i did to him. I saw his glance at me and i pointed towards his bandaged hand. "I uh... I guess i should apoligize for last time-" He put a hand up to stop me. "I do not need your apologies. The past is the past, and we aren't here to talk about it". He glanced towards the white man next to him, who shuffled in his chair as he leaned towards me and spoke. "Your name is Omaren, right?" I didn't like that he already knew my name but i nodded back anyways. "Uh, yeah?" He smiled. "Well Omaren, my name is Mr. Trayel, and i'm here to help you". He gestured towards Mr. Kata as he continued. "My friend here told me all about his encounter with a young fire mage when i arrived in the city a few days ago, and it peeked my interest" I fidgeted with my hands as he continued. "As i'm sure you're aware, the soldiers occupying this city aren't here on peaceful terms. The country they fight for already has a bunch of colonies all over the sea, and they want to make A'anora into their newest one." That sounded bad, but i wasn't sure where he was going with this so i let him continue. "The biggest challenge they face against that goal are people like you, mages. Unfortnatly, that means that you and other mages are a prime target for them, which is why they've been imprisoning you guys-" "Do you know where?" i asked, cutting him off. Mr. Trayel didn't seem to know and turned to Mr. Kata, who let out a sigh and shook his head. "Listen, i have many contacts...people like Mr. Trayel here, but elsewhere too, like in their military. They do need to employ Alchemists too after all... But the short answer is no, we do not know. Wherever it is, it is well hidden." He turned to me with curious eyes. "But, may i ask why you wanted to know? Surely you aren't thinking of confronting them yourself?" I hesitated, unsure about how much i should divulge to them. "I need to rescue someone" is all i said. Both alchemists looked at me as if they expected more. I glanced at Mr. Jakun, who's expression seemed to tell me to go with my gut. And so i did. "My younger brother." I conceded. "He was taken when the soldiers raided our village." "And the rest of your family? Are they..." He trailed off as i looked away. I didn't answer him and thankfully, he seemed to understand. I found myself unable to say it out loud, what happened that night. I wondered if Loha could. "I'm sorry" Mr. Kata said, snapping me back to reality. I gave him a quick nod and quickly wiped the stray tear that streamed down my cheek. "Is... Is your brother a mage like you?" Mr. Trayel asked, changing back the subject, which i was grateful for. "Not like me", I said, shaking my head. jakun furrowed his brow. He knew i had a mage little brother, but i never told him what his element was. He had probably assumed that he was a fire mage like me. After all, most mage siblings share the same element. "If you don't mind me asking, what's his element?" Mr. Trayel asked. I bit my lips as doubt creeped into my head. Maybe i'm telling them too much. I don't even know these people at all... "Don't worry about him" Mr. Kata suddenly said, pointing to Mr. Trayel "I've known him for many decades at this point. He hates these soldiers and the country they come from to his core, much like you, i asume. None of us will sell you or your brother out, i swear it on Kulkan's* good name! I glanced at the other two adults, who both nodded at his statement. I let out a sigh. "He's a... light mage." I finaly said. This got both of them looking wide-eyed at me. Even Jakun let out a whistle and leaned back in his chair. "Well i have to say" Mr. Trayel said. " For what its worth, i think your brother will be fine" "Fine?! How would you know? They might kill him!" "They wouldn't dare kill a light mage." He said with confidence. I frowned and seeing my confusion, he explained further. "For many Arrosians, including these soldiers, light mages are sacred. They are the closest beings to Saol, the sun god." I was still confused so Mr. kata jumped in to help me. "Saol is kinda like our Itzaca*" He said. "Yes, indeed."Mr. Trayel nodded. "Point is, killing or hurting him would be seen as heresy." "So, they'll just keep him prisoner, but they won't kill him? Because of his powers?" "Most likely. He might even be treated fairly well, for all we know." I leaned my head back against the wall and let out a sigh. I had just learned that my brother was most certaintly alive, but he was kept in some secret place that i couldn't get to and that nobody knew where it was. Basicaly, i was back at square one. Or worse. Even if i got out of the city, where would i even go now? I had no leads... "So, what exactly was the point that you were getting at before?" Mr. Trayel took a deep breath and brough his hand together. "I want to bring you back to Arros" He said. I stared blankly at him. Out of all the things i expected him to say, this was not one of them, even if i had heard them earlier talking about it. Surely this was a mistake. "W- what?" I stuttered. "I don't get it? Why?" "Well like i described before, this place isn't safe for people like you anymore, and i doubt the rest of the region is much better, or if it is, that it will stay that way for long" I was too flabbergasted to respond, so he continued. "What i'm offering you is a safe way out of the city, and a new home far from the war" "Why me?" I said, suspicion tugging at the back of my mind "Surely i'm not the only mage you've crossed paths with?" "Well, you're the one i heard all about" He said with a chuckle as he gestured towards Mr. Kata. "And also, you're a fire mage. I could hardly pass up this opportunity." "Opportunity? What do you mean?" I didn't bother hiding the skeptisism in my voice, but he didn't seem to offended by it. "Omaren, do you know how rare your magic type is?" I shrugged at him, but he continued. Even here in Mahador, where firemages are more numerous, you're still a small minority." Now that i thought about it, he wasn't wrong. My village had about 100 mages, but i was the only fire mage. He continued. "Fire mages are even rarer in Arros." He explained. "There's a lot of demand for people like you Especialy in so-called magic schools." That last bit peeked my curiousity. "Magic Schools?" I said and he nodded. I had heard of such places before, where mages train their powers and usage of weapons, but i hadn't been too one, since we were quite poor. "Many of them would be eager to allow a fire mage like you to join them, and i could easily sponsor your stay, if it interests you" "You want me to join a magic school?" He nodded, but i shrugged back at him. "Why would i do that?, I said, crossing my arms. "I already know how to fight with my fire and a bow. I was the best hunter in my village." "Hunting animals and fighting humans aren't the same, child. And i'm afraid you'll need much more than your hunting skills against the people that took your brother." I glanced down, knowing that he was probably right. I was good with a bow, and i had powerful fire, but against a whole pack of 'em, i stood little chance. "That's not all i'm proposing, however." he said. "Mages who are successful in those schools are selected by Mercenary guilds. One of my friends back in Arros, his name is Makhlem, is part of one such guild, and i think they've been looking for a firemage for quite some time." I though about what he said for a moment. I had to admit that his offer did sound very good. Well, except for one major thing. "What about my brother?" I said, more to myself, before looking up at Mr. Trayel directly. "I can't just leave him behind." He sighed and nodded. "I understand your dilemma, and i will certainly not force you to follow me if you instead want to stay here to look for him. But, i think their may be a solution to this problem." "What solution?" "As a mercenary, you might be able to come back to this city as a member of the guild in official capacity, you know, as part of a mission. You would also be untouchable by the soldiers here and be accompanied by colleagues to defend yourself and do your research" "So, if i'm getting this right, what you're proposing is that i leave the city travel with you to Arros, enter and train at a magic school there, become a mercenary and come back here for my brother?" "That is... What i'm proposing, yes." Mr. Kata then spoke up again. "If you need to think about it, he only leaves in a week, so you still have some time." "i... don't need it" I said. All three adults turned to look at me in anticipation. It was nerve-raking, to say the least. This decision was likely to shape the rest of my life, but i truly felt like this was the only real way foward. The only way where i would have a chance to be reunited with my brother in the future, and also avenge what they did to our family. "I accept" * * * * * The hot July sun was no being kind to us as we walked along one of the port's stone quays, baking under its intense heat. Mr. Trayel huffed and puffed next to me as we walked towards his boat, anchored along the quay. We were both carrying back-packs heavy with mostly his stuff, since i didn't have much to my name, although Mr. Jakan had given me a few things when we said our good-byes earlier, which i appreciated. "You know..." He suddenly said. "I forgot to tell you. I do have a son back home!" "Oh? You didn't mention that before! How old is he?" "He's 14 now. I adopted him when he was just a few months old." He said with a little smile. "You know, he's a big fan of mages and magic in general, so i think you two could become great friends! It would be good for him." "What's his name?" I asked. "Calydan" He said. "If you're wondering, i didn't chose the name, but i think it fits nicely. It means strong hope in the old Gysian language." "That's a cool name!" He chuckled at me as we arrived in front of his ship. "You make sure to tell him yourself when we get there!" he said, gesturing to the massive ship in front of us. I had to tilt my head quite high to take it all in. It was a massive vessel, bigger than i had ever seen up close like this. It had three tall mast, with a large haul beneath that seemed to bulge outwards. Someone on the deck then opened a section of guard rails and let a wooden ramp slide down to us. Mr. Trayel began climbing the ramp and i followed after him. Once on the deck, he turned to me. "Welcome abord the Seamist!" Mr. Trayel said This will be your home for the next couple of weeks as we make our way to Arros! I hope you're not sea-sick!" "Thank you so much for this opportunity, Mr. Trayel. I'll have to repay you somehow in the future!" "Ah! no need child! The pleasure's all mine!" He said as he tapped my shoulder. "Oh and by the way, call me Benars!" I nodded back at him he then showed me my room, introduced me to the crew of the ship, which is when i realised that Mr. Trayel, or Bernars as i knew him now, wasn't actualy the captain, but a woman named Amalia. She seemed delighted to meet me when we were introduced. Apparently, Benars had talked about me all week long to the crew. As the day winded down and the sun hung low on the horizon, i found myself out on the deck, looking out into the city, and the verdant hills beyond as the sun fell behind them. I wonder how long its gonna take me to make it back here... The next morning, with the anchor lifted, i watched the city drift away with a mix of worry, trepidation and excitement. I couldn't wait to see what the future held for me.
Part 1: Part 2: Part 3:
*Kulkan (kul-Kan) Ak'aaran god who gave humans writing and laws. Often cited as proof to someone's goodwill. *Itzaka (It-za-ka) Ak'aaran god of creation and the day and night cycle. Most powerful god in the Ak'aaran pantheon.
Date: July 367 Ac (3 years ago)
Location: City of A'anora, Occupied Ak'aaran territory, Northern Mahador.
The sun shone brightly through the small open window up in the corner. It was the only source of light in the small storage room, but it was plenty for me to read this book. I flipped another page. It was a recipe book, which wasn't the most exciting thing i've ever read before, but i had time to kill before my next chores in the evening, and i needed something to do. A distraction, to keep my mind off things. A month had passed since my little escapade at the herbalist shop. Things had returned to normal quickly after that Monday at the shop. Mr. Jakun kept his promise and only had me going to the market after that. I slipped back into the boring routine in had before the whole ordeal. At the same time, i tried not feeling too bad about what i'd done, and kept reminding myself that i had good reasons to do it. I had to keep myself safe and get more time here to find a way out of the city and get to my brother. There was also the fact that the money i had taken wasn't really his, because it was owed to Jakun. As for the other things... the door i had burned was probably repaired or replaced by this point, and his hand injury is likely healed by this point too. Hopefully. I sighed and let the book fall to my lap. My hand went up to touch one of my ear. The herbalist, or what i had done to him was far from my biggest worry right now. My ears weren't going to stop growing anytime soon, and it was already becoming hard to hide them, even with hats. If the arrosian soldiers found out i was a mage, they would probably lock me up and i wouldn't be able to look for my brother anymore. One silver lining was that while there were still a lot of soldiers in the city, there wasn't as many of them compared to a couple weeks ago. I noticed it when to the market again a few days ago. Rumour has it that many left to go back home, to Arros, but it's unclear why they left, or if they'll come back. I'd rather the rest of them leave us alone. A distant knock at the front door caught my attention. I looked up at the sun through the window. It was mid-day. Not a very usual time for visits at the Inn. I got up from my uncomfortable bed and walked towards the closed door of the storage room. I put my ear to the door as i heard Jakun leave his office nearby. The sound of his footsteps faded down the hall. Then, the front door opened and energetic talking began in the lobby. I wonder who that is? I heard multiple sets of footsteps coming back towards me. Whoever was at the door, it seems Jakun let them inside. I quickly looked through the key hole and managed to catch a glimpse of a white man with a short beard entering the room behind Jakun, before the door was shut behind him. Huh? A foreigner here? For both our sake, Jakun didn't want customers seeing me, but i was too curious about that foreigner. I slowly opened the door and quietly walked down the hall towards his office. Despite living here for more than 3 months, i'd only gone through this hallway half a dozen times, at most, and always during the night. To get in and out of the room, i usually went through the little window in the storage room. I stopped as i reached his office door. I could hear people talking inside, but i couldn't quite make out what they were saying. I put my ear up to the door to better listen in. "...why we're here. It's a win-win for both of you. Especialy for the fire mage you're hosting, i would say." Fire mage? Is this about me? Are they with the soldiers? "But you must understand that i can't just agree to this without talking to him first" Jakun said. "The final desicion belongs to him." What the hell are they talking about? Is this really about me? Another person talked. "I for one, believe it would be best to allow him the opportunity to leave this city." the man said. That voice... It seems familiar... where have i heard it before? I decided to look into the key hole of this door as well, but i couldn't see anything through it. Instead, there was a small gap between the wall and the door on the left side, through which i could see the room beyond. I saw Mr. Jakun, as well as the white man, but the third person, was out of sight. "Quite honestly", The third person continued. "What you had him do in my store is undignified of a mage his calibre" Wait... His store? So that means this guy is- "Mr. Kata, with all due respect, he choose to do what he did by himself. And you did owe me that money" Mr. Kata let out a groan, clearly annoyed at Jakun. "He did it because you coerced him with a promise of safety." He said. "Which i have upheld! He crossed his arms. "Also, he's 16 years old. He is well able to make his own decisions" "No matter that" Mr. Kata dismissed what he said. "You know as well as i do, jakun, that this whole region isn't safe for people like him anymore. He was clearly desperate!" He pointed to the white man next to him. "Mr. Trayel here can bring him out of here and across the sea, far away from the war" Jakun shook his head and sighed. "I get that, but i'm just not sure he'll want to leave. He's got... unfinished business here." "Well, why don't we just ask him? Is he here?" "He is" Jakun said, nodding before getting up. "I'll bring him in." Fucking shit This is bad, i need to get out of here! I quickly turned and ran back towards the storage room. However, just as i reached the door, Jakun stepped out of the office and saw me. "Omaren?" He closed the door behind him, looking confused. "Where... you listening to us?" I clenched the door handle, unsure what to say. I took a deep breathe. "I... should go. Thank you for everything". I stepped into the storage room. "Wait, hold on!" he said, and the genuine concern in his voice made me stop again. "Perhaps, you should hear them out." He said. I turned fully to face him. "What do they want? Is the white man in there a soldier?" I asked. Jakun went wide-eyed at the second question and quickly put his hand up. "No, no, nothing like that." He scratched the back of his neck. "He would probably hate being called that" He said with a light chuckle. I didn't answer. "I think... It's best if they explain it to you" he said, before opening the door and inviting me inside. I hesitated for a moment, but i decided to to hear them out. Jakun came in after me and closed the door behind us. His office was small, and didn't have enough seating for all 4 of us. I stayed up leaning against the wall, as was Mr. Kata on the oposite side of the room. Jakun went to sit behind his desk, while the white man was sat in front, between me and Mr. kata. I wasn't particularly fond of being in the same room as Mr. Kata after what i did to him. I saw his glance at me and i pointed towards his bandaged hand. "I uh... I guess i should apoligize for last time-" He put a hand up to stop me. "I do not need your apologies. The past is the past, and we aren't here to talk about it". He glanced towards the white man next to him, who shuffled in his chair as he leaned towards me and spoke. "Your name is Omaren, right?" I didn't like that he already knew my name but i nodded back anyways. "Uh, yeah?" He smiled. "Well Omaren, my name is Mr. Trayel, and i'm here to help you". He gestured towards Mr. Kata as he continued. "My friend here told me all about his encounter with a young fire mage when i arrived in the city a few days ago, and it peeked my interest" I fidgeted with my hands as he continued. "As i'm sure you're aware, the soldiers occupying this city aren't here on peaceful terms. The country they fight for already has a bunch of colonies all over the sea, and they want to make A'anora into their newest one." That sounded bad, but i wasn't sure where he was going with this so i let him continue. "The biggest challenge they face against that goal are people like you, mages. Unfortnatly, that means that you and other mages are a prime target for them, which is why they've been imprisoning you guys-" "Do you know where?" i asked, cutting him off. Mr. Trayel didn't seem to know and turned to Mr. Kata, who let out a sigh and shook his head. "Listen, i have many contacts...people like Mr. Trayel here, but elsewhere too, like in their military. They do need to employ Alchemists too after all... But the short answer is no, we do not know. Wherever it is, it is well hidden." He turned to me with curious eyes. "But, may i ask why you wanted to know? Surely you aren't thinking of confronting them yourself?" I hesitated, unsure about how much i should divulge to them. "I need to rescue someone" is all i said. Both alchemists looked at me as if they expected more. I glanced at Mr. Jakun, who's expression seemed to tell me to go with my gut. And so i did. "My younger brother." I conceded. "He was taken when the soldiers raided our village." "And the rest of your family? Are they..." He trailed off as i looked away. I didn't answer him and thankfully, he seemed to understand. I found myself unable to say it out loud, what happened that night. I wondered if Loha could. "I'm sorry" Mr. Kata said, snapping me back to reality. I gave him a quick nod and quickly wiped the stray tear that streamed down my cheek. "Is... Is your brother a mage like you?" Mr. Trayel asked, changing back the subject, which i was grateful for. "Not like me", I said, shaking my head. jakun furrowed his brow. He knew i had a mage little brother, but i never told him what his element was. He had probably assumed that he was a fire mage like me. After all, most mage siblings share the same element. "If you don't mind me asking, what's his element?" Mr. Trayel asked. I bit my lips as doubt creeped into my head. Maybe i'm telling them too much. I don't even know these people at all... "Don't worry about him" Mr. Kata suddenly said, pointing to Mr. Trayel "I've known him for many decades at this point. He hates these soldiers and the country they come from to his core, much like you, i asume. None of us will sell you or your brother out, i swear it on Kulkan's* good name! I glanced at the other two adults, who both nodded at his statement. I let out a sigh. "He's a... light mage." I finaly said. This got both of them looking wide-eyed at me. Even Jakun let out a whistle and leaned back in his chair. "Well i have to say" Mr. Trayel said. " For what its worth, i think your brother will be fine" "Fine?! How would you know? They might kill him!" "They wouldn't dare kill a light mage." He said with confidence. I frowned and seeing my confusion, he explained further. "For many Arrosians, including these soldiers, light mages are sacred. They are the closest beings to Saol, the sun god." I was still confused so Mr. kata jumped in to help me. "Saol is kinda like our Itzaca*" He said. "Yes, indeed."Mr. Trayel nodded. "Point is, killing or hurting him would be seen as heresy." "So, they'll just keep him prisoner, but they won't kill him? Because of his powers?" "Most likely. He might even be treated fairly well, for all we know." I leaned my head back against the wall and let out a sigh. I had just learned that my brother was most certaintly alive, but he was kept in some secret place that i couldn't get to and that nobody knew where it was. Basicaly, i was back at square one. Or worse. Even if i got out of the city, where would i even go now? I had no leads... "So, what exactly was the point that you were getting at before?" Mr. Trayel took a deep breath and brough his hand together. "I want to bring you back to Arros" He said. I stared blankly at him. Out of all the things i expected him to say, this was not one of them, even if i had heard them earlier talking about it. Surely this was a mistake. "W- what?" I stuttered. "I don't get it? Why?" "Well like i described before, this place isn't safe for people like you anymore, and i doubt the rest of the region is much better, or if it is, that it will stay that way for long" I was too flabbergasted to respond, so he continued. "What i'm offering you is a safe way out of the city, and a new home far from the war" "Why me?" I said, suspicion tugging at the back of my mind "Surely i'm not the only mage you've crossed paths with?" "Well, you're the one i heard all about" He said with a chuckle as he gestured towards Mr. Kata. "And also, you're a fire mage. I could hardly pass up this opportunity." "Opportunity? What do you mean?" I didn't bother hiding the skeptisism in my voice, but he didn't seem to offended by it. "Omaren, do you know how rare your magic type is?" I shrugged at him, but he continued. Even here in Mahador, where firemages are more numerous, you're still a small minority." Now that i thought about it, he wasn't wrong. My village had about 100 mages, but i was the only fire mage. He continued. "Fire mages are even rarer in Arros." He explained. "There's a lot of demand for people like you Especialy in so-called magic schools." That last bit peeked my curiousity. "Magic Schools?" I said and he nodded. I had heard of such places before, where mages train their powers and usage of weapons, but i hadn't been too one, since we were quite poor. "Many of them would be eager to allow a fire mage like you to join them, and i could easily sponsor your stay, if it interests you" "You want me to join a magic school?" He nodded, but i shrugged back at him. "Why would i do that?, I said, crossing my arms. "I already know how to fight with my fire and a bow. I was the best hunter in my village." "Hunting animals and fighting humans aren't the same, child. And i'm afraid you'll need much more than your hunting skills against the people that took your brother." I glanced down, knowing that he was probably right. I was good with a bow, and i had powerful fire, but against a whole pack of 'em, i stood little chance. "That's not all i'm proposing, however." he said. "Mages who are successful in those schools are selected by Mercenary guilds. One of my friends back in Arros, his name is Makhlem, is part of one such guild, and i think they've been looking for a firemage for quite some time." I though about what he said for a moment. I had to admit that his offer did sound very good. Well, except for one major thing. "What about my brother?" I said, more to myself, before looking up at Mr. Trayel directly. "I can't just leave him behind." He sighed and nodded. "I understand your dilemma, and i will certainly not force you to follow me if you instead want to stay here to look for him. But, i think their may be a solution to this problem." "What solution?" "As a mercenary, you might be able to come back to this city as a member of the guild in official capacity, you know, as part of a mission. You would also be untouchable by the soldiers here and be accompanied by colleagues to defend yourself and do your research" "So, if i'm getting this right, what you're proposing is that i leave the city travel with you to Arros, enter and train at a magic school there, become a mercenary and come back here for my brother?" "That is... What i'm proposing, yes." Mr. Kata then spoke up again. "If you need to think about it, he only leaves in a week, so you still have some time." "i... don't need it" I said. All three adults turned to look at me in anticipation. It was nerve-raking, to say the least. This decision was likely to shape the rest of my life, but i truly felt like this was the only real way foward. The only way where i would have a chance to be reunited with my brother in the future, and also avenge what they did to our family. "I accept" * * * * * The hot July sun was no being kind to us as we walked along one of the port's stone quays, baking under its intense heat. Mr. Trayel huffed and puffed next to me as we walked towards his boat, anchored along the quay. We were both carrying back-packs heavy with mostly his stuff, since i didn't have much to my name, although Mr. Jakan had given me a few things when we said our good-byes earlier, which i appreciated. "You know..." He suddenly said. "I forgot to tell you. I do have a son back home!" "Oh? You didn't mention that before! How old is he?" "He's 14 now. I adopted him when he was just a few months old." He said with a little smile. "You know, he's a big fan of mages and magic in general, so i think you two could become great friends! It would be good for him." "What's his name?" I asked. "Calydan" He said. "If you're wondering, i didn't chose the name, but i think it fits nicely. It means strong hope in the old Gysian language." "That's a cool name!" He chuckled at me as we arrived in front of his ship. "You make sure to tell him yourself when we get there!" he said, gesturing to the massive ship in front of us. I had to tilt my head quite high to take it all in. It was a massive vessel, bigger than i had ever seen up close like this. It had three tall mast, with a large haul beneath that seemed to bulge outwards. Someone on the deck then opened a section of guard rails and let a wooden ramp slide down to us. Mr. Trayel began climbing the ramp and i followed after him. Once on the deck, he turned to me. "Welcome abord the Seamist!" Mr. Trayel said This will be your home for the next couple of weeks as we make our way to Arros! I hope you're not sea-sick!" "Thank you so much for this opportunity, Mr. Trayel. I'll have to repay you somehow in the future!" "Ah! no need child! The pleasure's all mine!" He said as he tapped my shoulder. "Oh and by the way, call me Benars!" I nodded back at him he then showed me my room, introduced me to the crew of the ship, which is when i realised that Mr. Trayel, or Bernars as i knew him now, wasn't actualy the captain, but a woman named Amalia. She seemed delighted to meet me when we were introduced. Apparently, Benars had talked about me all week long to the crew. As the day winded down and the sun hung low on the horizon, i found myself out on the deck, looking out into the city, and the verdant hills beyond as the sun fell behind them. I wonder how long its gonna take me to make it back here... The next morning, with the anchor lifted, i watched the city drift away with a mix of worry, trepidation and excitement. I couldn't wait to see what the future held for me.
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*Kulkan (kul-Kan) Ak'aaran god who gave humans writing and laws. Often cited as proof to someone's goodwill. *Itzaka (It-za-ka) Ak'aaran god of creation and the day and night cycle. Most powerful god in the Ak'aaran pantheon.
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