Chapter 15:

Chapter 15: A Knightly Reunion

Beyond Waters


Alright lad I've had me food, ready for some more o' me story?

"Sure! I didn't think you would tell more today."

Well, I'm a lil' bad at keepin' me mind set on a decision you see.

"Come on, tell me more of your story."

Alright, alright, I will.

Okay, so I had just learned disintegration magic an' was to go an' learn the next advanced spell, heat magic. Now, as I said earlier, heat magic can only be learned in the Boils. Its name I'd say speaks for itself. The Boils are warm, really warm. Likely from some kind o' volcanic whatever or somethin'. Anyway, me teacher wasn't sure if it was too soon to leave the Wastelands. I had gotten rather strong an' probably could defend me self, but there was still the issue o' the tribe at hand. Me an' the Arch-Mage discussed a bit about when 'ould be good for us to go, an' we ended up decidin' to go in a month's time.

So in 'at month's time I spent me time trainin' as much as I could and asked as many questions about magic as I could. Not only magic though did I ask questions about. I asked me teacher more questions about 'emselves an' his father, the hero, Arthur Darius. That's when I found out about what happened to him in the war—the tale I told you about a good year ago.

Anyways another question I wondered was about how me teacher had pink eyes. I wasn't sure if it was a dumb question for most folk or anythin' but I asked anyway.

- They're from magic?

- Yes. The more magic you have, the pinker your eyes are.

- Wait, so have me own eyes turned pink 'en?

- You shall have to wait and see for yourself.

- That's rather unfair ain't it?

- Well, I don't want to instill too much confidence or the opposite in you. Otherwise you won't be needing to worry about what es on your head but the enlarged size of your head instead!

***

A bit o' passin' laughter later, I asked about what kind o' place the Boils was—other than it bein' warm.

Now, 'ere's an interestin' thing for you me lad. Not sure if you knew this but the Boils are known for 'eir rare metal. They were a massive bargainin' chip in the war because o' all the weapons gettin' made there. With heat magic only bein' able to be learned there, it was already enough o' an important place to the Silver Soldiers—especially when you consider heat magic's the only way to even forge a weapon 'ere in the first place. Now, add on all the rare metals there an' you get yerself somewhere all 'ese big shots would want a piece from.

When the Boilers sided with the Wastelands an' Caverners in the war, you can surely imagine the uproar that caused. Well, it still wasn't apparently enough to get 'ose Islanders down from 'eir high chairs though.

Anyways, that's a bit o' history from your dear gramps over 'ere. Back to the story at hand.

A month later we were ready to head out. I was told to be extra cautious an' be on me guard the whole time we were there. We were to head dead west from the village without sayin' a word to anyone. That's what we thought we'd do at least.

The Arch-Mage took a massive, bright, yellow case for all sorts o' supplies—food an' clothes most importantly—while they would carry 'eir staff by hand. 

Now, I've yet to tell you what this staff o' 'eirs looked like, but it was very much a truly bizarre thing to behold. 

It had three claws pointin' out o' its top all holdin' up a weird, red ball o' some kind. An' too, it had worn a golden, warm glow around its claws and its rod, with some torn an' decayed bandages wrapped around it.

Me teacher may have looked young but 'eir clothes, 'eir staff an' 'eir dulled, pink eyes—they all showed plenty o' age an' experience. Just watchin' him get everythin' together an' into 'at yellow case o' his was so interestin'. So many different items an' objects o' such different background an' from such different times an' eras. From oddly shaped trinkets an' jewelry, to custom-made clothin', and then to knives and to books—goodness me they had so many books. They fit so much inside the case; he never once just chucked anythin' in though. He carefully placed each an' every object into the case slowly an' neatly without a second o' rush. 

One thing that struck me though was this odd lookin' badge 'at they saved for last. They tucked it into a small pocket in the case that seemed fit for just it alone. The badge was this beautiful shade o' red—like the kind o' beauty you'd only see in a rare gemstone—an' on it wore a golden crest o' the whale, glimmerin' with pride.

With a plonk the case was shut tight, an' with a whistlin' zip lippin' it sealed we were ready to head down the mountain an' onto the path.

An' now's where you hear about why we only thought we'd speak to no-one. Right there, on the path nearin' the exit o' the village, was none other than the knight I first met in the Capital: Flint.

"Me?"

No, the knight, you silly thing.

"Heehe."

Anyways, the knight was standin' a good whiles away over at the edge o' the village, next to its crooked gates an' welcomin' sign.

I was goin' to wave over to 'em until the Arch-Mage held me arm back. We looked each other in the eyes, his twitchin'. I asked him if he was alright, in somewhat o' a lowered voice, reassurin' him the knight was someone I knew. He didn't loosen his arm one bit. I asked him if he knew 'em himself but he shook his head. So what was his issue? That's what I was wonderin'.

- Do you know the other one too? They asked, hidin' behind me.

- Other one? I used me hand like a telescope an' searched for who the shy mage was talkin' about, to see someone barely visible, just behind the knight. It was some blonde woman carryin' a beige bag, dressed in a jacket o' a similar kind o' plat as your mother an' father's type o' ware. It was checkered burgundy an' white all over, with it hidin' a greyish-blue shirt underneath.

I shook me head to the Arch-Mage's question an' began to walk over to the knight an' woman, givin' me teacher a holler to follow.

It was just as I was to try wavin' over to 'em again when I was once again pulled back. What is it this time? I thought. Surely can't be that shy a person, that ol' mage—ouch!

Wacked me on the head he did, not too lightly either; he shut me mouth before I could even muster a small yelp o' sound. But to our surprise, the two in the distance noticed us—the knight wavin' at me with a cheery ol' smile o' joy.

Me teacher, grittin' his teeth after a sigh, finally budged from stubbornness an' walked with me, over to the two at the village gate. I would have my reunion with the knight, at long last.

- Hey Flint, been a while.

- Ah, hey Ray.

- Clay.

- Oh, right—Clay. Well, it's been a good number of years. I think I've got quite the memory to remember you in that time. Considering you remembered me, name and all, yours must be pretty good too.

- Well, me memory is a bit o' a strange one, I suppose.

- How've you been then?

- Skippin' right to it are we? I've been good.

- That all? Surely there's more to say than that.

- Well, I've mostly been in this village really. It's got some nice food an' the lot after all.

- That's good. Who's the man behind you?

- Oh, he's—

Bonk!

Knocked on me head by me teacher's staff again. A real nuisance I thought o' him as 'en.

I thought he was shy but how bad was he? Scratchin' me bumped head I turned around glarin' at the mage, practically emanatin' 'what was that for' with me face.

Lookin' back at the knight, I opened me mouth,

- Afraid he's a bit shy for whatever reason at the moment, not sure what's gotten into 'em; I'll have to spare ye the details for now.

- Alright then, if you say so.

- Speakin' o' people we don't know, who's the lass?

- Ah, just the wife.

- Ye're married?

- Yeah, the two of us got married some time ago, known for a good while—before I met you in fact.

- Where'd ye meet?

- The Capital. Helped 'em out a bit and we went to the bar for a drink—same as you and me did a year ago.

- Two years ago. Also, is 'at bar one ye frequent often?

- Well, I do when it comes to outsiders.

- Ah, that's interestin'. Hol' on, are ye tellin' me...

- A bit slow on the uptake there ain't you Clay.

- So they're an outsider same as me?

- Yeah. Their yellow hair caused me a bit of trouble telling though—I only checked if they were one due to 'em having swam from above.

- Ah, I see. Wonder if they're the same one that funny-dressed traveler talked about.

The second I mentioned the traveler the woman squinted 'eir eyes. Seems I hit the mark.

- What's the name lass?

The woman walked forward. Relaxin' 'eir shoulders an' with a fierce glance, they opened 'eir mouth,

- Sasha. Nice seeing someone else from the surface for a change. Wish me husband told me sooner of you though.

- Likewise. Ye been 'ere a while?

- A good several years.

- Goodness, how'd a young lady like yerself get washed down a borin' place like this?

- Charming. You'd be put on trial if an Islander heard that.

- Ahakaka! A joker are we? I looked at 'eir face fixed to a straight. Wait, ye are jokin' right?

- Pride's a deadly thing. 'Patriotism sunk the war'—so they say.

- Well, can't say I don't know what ye mean. Pride hurts a lot o' people—I know 'at from experience.

I avert me eyes an' scratch underneath me hat; I noticed a fish swimmin' into a tiny, open cave, holed through a bump-grooved slab o' rock. Gazin' over I spot a fish's corpse, huggin' the ceilin' o' the rock; the swimmin' fish nibbles at it, bubblin' out blood.

The woman, Sasha, brought her eyes to where I was lookin' an' crossed her arms, supportin' her chin with a pale hand.

- Nature can be quite cruel sometimes, can't it? Sasha remarked.

- Survival o' the fittest, I suppose.

- Quite cold, wouldn't you say?

- That's reality.

- If that's reality, then I'm Arthur Darius.

-  Quite the comedian aren't ye?

- Thanks, it was a dream of mine at one point.

- What happened to it?

- The sea waved goodbye.

- Ye're goin' to need to work on 'at comedy o' yers me lass.

- I don't think we're too different in age, you and I—don't go talking down to me, calling me lass.

- What, would ye prefer me call ye Madam an' treat ye like royalty 'en?

- I can practically see the kindness emanating from you.

- I keep to me own ground an' don't let anyone pull me down. Survival o' the fittest, remember?

- I'd rather the fittest protect the weakest than try surviving on their own.

- Who said anythin' about me tryin' to survive on me own—

- Hey now you two—you only just met, quit startin' on each other. Flint said, steppin' between the two o' us.

Scratchin' the back o' me head I put me arms in a lock an' gave me self a lil', nervous laugh.

- So, why're the two o' ye 'ere anyway? I ask, adjustin' me arms in a slight shuffle.

- Well, I've been tasked with collecting the village taxes and the wife's tagged along to buy some of that food this place's known for.

- Taxes exist 'ere too 'en... no way gettin' around 'em this time, I suppose.

- What do you mean 'this time'.

- Long story.

- Hope it's a good one. You should tell it me some time, I'll see how non-guilty it proves you.

- Oh no! Anythin' but the jail!

- Hahaha!

- Hey now, what's the laughter for?

- Funny as always, aren't you?

- Much like the comedian over there, I always do me best.

- So, I've told you why we're here, so tell me—where are you two off to?

I looked back at me teacher for a second, him shakin' his head back an' forth with me completely disregardin' whatever looked to be absolute stubbornness.

- We're off to the boils.

Bonk!

- Ouch! Quit 'at, would ye? Sorry, don't know what's gotten him so jumpy today. Must've woke up wrong side o' the bed.

- If you say so. Actually, speaking of saying things, what do you say to us joining you after we finish what we're doing?

- Sounds good. Hear 'at Ischlam?

- Ischlam? Hold on, there's not exactly an awful number of people called Ischlam. That staff, are they—

- Cats out the bag—yeah they're the Arch-Mage an' the lot.

- You say that so casually, where in Whale's name'd you find 'em?

- Not sure I can tell ye that part I'm afraid.

- Yeah, supposed so. An Arch-Mage has their secrets after all. Right Sasha? Sasha? Sasha, I'm talking to you.

- Huh? Oh, my bad. Started daydreaming looking at the scenery. Were you saying something?

- These two said they'll come with us on our way home.

On 'ose words, I interrupted:

- Hol' on. Home? Ye live in the boils?

- Well yeah, it's warm and jobs are an easy find—then again taxes are a bit much compared to the other nations... other than that it's a great place. Is there an issue?

- No.

- But...?

- Oh, there's no but or anythin' just got confused for a second.

- Not the brightest, are you?

- Takes nerves o' steel to say that lad.

- I'm older than you.

- Ye said 'at last time. Remember what I said?

- No.

- Oh, uh... well—

- You didn't think that through, did you?

- Ahahkaka! No, no I did not! 


Beyond Waters Cover

Beyond Waters