Mage on a Rock

The ocean waves slowly roll up the sand at the beach's edge. On a stone rock Silence sits there peacefully. Their gaze does not leave the horizon even when I approach. A small stone crab skitters to the sea.

The view is really mesmerizing. After hours stuck in the dungeon looking only at stone walls. Being able to see the sky again is an indescribable feeling. The glowing sun inches closer to the horizon as the colors change to a reddish orange. The light cuts through the water’s surface.

The way the light reaches the ocean floor causes the sunken ruins below to become visible once more. Some of the towers still peak out above the waves. All of it is clearly visible. The remnants of what once was a great city.

The old blacksmith shop still has an anvil and its tools laid out for work. The market stalls have torn fabric tops floating in the waves. Their wares are still on display for customers who will never come. The far away castle steeple can even be seen from all the way up here. It sits vigil over everything.

The old streets and stone buildings are now just home to all manner of sea creatures. The original citizens are now long forgotten to time.

I would have loved to see this city when it was filled with people.

I seat myself next to them on the cooling sand. I look back to the others digging through the dungeon loot and too preoccupied to notice the beauty of the setting sun.

The birds fly low above the waves trying to snap up any chance at dinner before nightfall. I can barely hear the cawing of the birds at this distance. A large frilled sea tail breaches causing a large wake to form.

This is the most still and calm I have ever felt in my life. This serene feeling could last forever.

“It never gets old.”

My blood runs cold. The hairs on the back of my neck prickle. I have never heard that voice before.

A soft feminine voice breaks the silence with only a whisper. The words are barely audible over the lightly rolling waves.

Slowly I turn my head to look at Silence only for them to be staring back at me with their starry night eyes. Their gaze seems to be piercing my very soul. They are judging me.

I am frozen.

Petrified.

Terrified.

“What? Did you believe I was a mute? Cursed to a vow of silence? Just so old I have gone senile?”

A mischievous grin takes shape across their face.

“Surely you can understand. When you have lived for over five thousand years like I have, conversations start to become much too repetitive.”

Their finger pierces the bubble of my personal space. I don’t flinch. I can’t falter here.

“You cannot blame me for having no desire to speak.”

They tilt their head playfully. Their violet hair shifts under their large wizard hat.

“It always has to be the same questions too. Every single time.”

My mind races. The shock has completely overtaken me. Is this real? Is this really happening? Silence the Elf, one of the strongest adventurers in all Freehearken is speaking. Not only are they speaking but they are now whispering to me in a childish mocking tone.

“Silence, are you a man or woman? How many children have you had? How many Demon Lords have you slain?”

Their face is more expressive now that they are speaking. In all the time I have known them this is the first time they have been this animated. It's captivating.

I will not look away.

I will not blink.

My gut says this is the most monumental thing to happen to me since being brought to this world.

The smile on their face grows larger.

“Does it matter? I am the most beautiful elf after all.”

Silence places their hand proudly on their chest.

A sly smile lingers on their face. I can’t even react when they give me no time to.

“One and five.”

It’s impossible. There is no way that my face can contain my excitement. Why ask the question then answer it. They killed five Demon Lords? They have a kid? Or five kids? Is Silence even their name? I guess that is just what others called them and it stuck.

This is insane. I have so many more questions now. Something stirs in me.

Deep inside me, my gut instincts tell me I have to do all I can to keep myself quiet. I can’t interrupt them.

Since this began I have not for a moment broken eye contact with Silence. The elf’s violet hair sways in the light gust of the seabreeze. Silence’s hat firmly affixed to their head by their delicate hand.

Silence breaks the stalemate with an approving sigh.

“Our little secret.”

Silence raises a finger to rest on their lips. They are glowing with a genuinely happy smile.

I don’t know why but I feel like I just passed the most important test of my entire life. It took every fiber of my being not to ask a single question.

Five Demon Lords.

It has to be five Demon Lords right? Silence is more powerful than I ever thought. Especially for someone who gulps mana potions like it’s water.

What is Silence doing all the way out here at the edge of the world? Are they running from something? Just retired? Surely there is a reason.

I want to know so badly.

Silence stands and dusts off their robes. They lean in for a small moment. The words they whisper still linger in my head.

“Thank you. For saving me, Tai.”

Did I really save an adventurer that strong? Was Silence really in any actual danger during that fight? Or are they just playing a trick on me?

It’s not like I can ask anyone about it. Momo or Brutus wouldn’t believe me if I said anything. Who would believe I spoke with Silence the Elf anyway?

Silence walks away joining the rest of the party. Momo’s gentle voice rings out joyously from across the plain.

“Hurry up Tai! Come on, let's head back to the guild hall and celebrate our success!”

Brutus snorts.

“Goggles your cut is going to be way smaller this time. You’ll still get some gold so don’t worry too much about it. Anyways, dinner is on Silence tonight!”

Silence smacks Brutus with their staff and continues on. Leaving the beach we ascend the cliffside path together as a group. I ignite the lantern and lead the way.

The light bobs up and down with my movements. I take the time to inspect the wood scaffolding as we move along the path. Some of the supports look like root structures grown directly into the rock. The unnatural formation must have been magic. It reminds me of the magic that Silence used in the dungeon.

The seabreeze has become chilling. I wrap my wounded arm in the warmth of my robes.

“Hey guys! You said that the dungeon was acting a little differently right?”

Brutus kicks a rock off the edge.

“Something just didn’t feel right. Not to mention the jellyfish was missing.”

“Jellyfish?”

“Yeah the third boss of the dungeon is usually a giant floating jellyfish. The naga must have done something…”

Can the monster in the dungeon really affect the bosses? As I understand it only the first and final boss have a door in their room entrances. I guess it would be best to assume monsters can enter those rooms too.

The steep cliffside connects directly with the town’s walls. It forms an effective defensive barrier. I don’t think anything will be scaling into Freehearken even if they want to. The path winds up the cliffside.

I wish I got to see the final boss. It is a major piece of the puzzle if I want to try and tackle the dungeon. Knowledge is the key to victory after all.

“Hey Momo. The final boss, what is it like?”

“Oh the fish? It's not too troublesome for a tank like me. I just have to keep it preoccupied with all of its weapons.”

A fish? Can a fish really wield weapons? What is she talking about?

“What kind of weapons–”

“Goggles! Don’t go on listening to her. The King has got a pretty powerful arsenal. Chains, swords, and sometimes a hammer. The beast gives frontline fighters like me a lot of trouble.”

The fish is a king? That can fight with a hammer? The image I have in my head is not helping me. There is no way it is just a fish with legs.

“What does it look like?”

Brutus snorts.

“Well it kind of looks like a fish. So Momo was right about that part.”

This is not helping.

Clack.

Back to not speaking it seems.

Clack.

I look at Silence who is gesturing with their hands trying to describe how big the fish is. I can’t really tell if it's a fishing joke or not. The elf snickers a little.

I can see the large lit sconces as we approach the town. A familiar knight clad in armor stands guard at the gate. The nightwatchman takes a moment to inspect each of us.

“How’s it going Keith?”

The guardsman tilts his helmet towards me.

“Same old same old, Tai. No bandits and no dragons. There aren’t any new faces either…Glad to see you have found yourself an adventuring party.”

He returns his focus back to the road watching for anything in the darkness. Without turning he speaks one last time as we pass through the gate.

“Welcome home.”