Peaceful Moments

Around 4 hours into our run, I started to feel my mana reserve running low. The sun was high in the sky, and the temperature was far hotter than it was earlier, so during our breaks we had started cooling down with the water from the lake. Me and Rowan had long since abandoned our hoodies, tying them around our waists instead. We both wore T-shirts under our hoodies. 

I called Serric back, and told him I could feel myself running low. He nodded.

"Honestly, I can't believe you lasted this long. Using mana farther away than a few inches from your body drains your reserves incredibly fast. I wouldn't have lasted a tenth this long. You'll have to carry Rowan again now. If you just reinforce yourself, you'll probably regenerate your mana faster than you use it, so you should be fine to keep going."

"How much longer until we get to wherever you're taking us?" I asked.

"At this rate, maybe half an hour. We're making a far better pace than I ever dreamed of. You'll probably be able to see our destination coming up soon, in fact."

There hadn't been to much to see so far on our trip. The sandy coast along this lake stretched out nearly to the edge of my vision, so all I had seen in the distance was vague outlines of trees and grass. To all extents and purposes, we had been running in a desert so far, albeit one with well compacted sand.

I was tempted to ask Rowan where we were going, since I figured she would know, but I didn't want to spoil it for myself.

Speaking of Rowan...

"Ho? Thee wants to carry me again? Absurd! This shall not stand! On all fours, mongrel! Thee shall be mine steed, and I the rider." She decreed.

"Of course, my lady." I replied.

I got down on my hands and feet and Rowan sat down on my back. I then proceeded to start moving like a bucking bronco.

Rowan tried to hold on, but I cut the connection between us, and she immediately fell down into the sand.

Serric snickered.

"It appears your steed isn't very well trained."

"Definitely not." Rowan sighed.

While the thought of Rowan riding around on my back like a knight was amusing to say the least, sadly, human beings aren't designed to move on all fours.

I picked her up in my arms. She gave a haughty laugh.

"Do not forget how I saved your life earlier, my servant. Consider being able to carry my noble personage a gift, putting you even further in debt to me."

"It's more like a punishment, actually." I replied.

Rowan laughed.

"Don't lie. I see right through you, you beast. You couldn't be happier for a chance to carry a cute girl around."

"Impossible! How did you know!"

"The petty thoughts of a simple-mind fool such as yourself are like an open book to me."

"Then what am I thinking of right now?"

"My boobs, probably."

Unbelievable! Such penetrating insight!

"Of course not. I would never do such a thing." I replied calmly.

She nodded. "Of course not."

...

"So what were you thinking of, then?"

Oh no! I need an excuse...

"Umm, it was, uh... your boobs- no, sorry, your boots! Your boots." I amended.

A flawless response.

The problem is, she was wearing sneakers.

"I see." She nodded. "I do indeed have a pair of boots back at the cottage."

"Exactly. Those are what I was thinking of."

"They're in my bedroom, though. Why were you in there?"

Shit! I was digging myself deeper...

I needed to bring out my secret technique.

"Very nice weather today, huh?"

Sometimes my subtlety impressed even myself.

Rowan started laughing. And as soon as she did, I started laughing as well. Her laugh was incredibly infectious.

"Have fun teasing me while you can, you bastard. Once I can move again, you're toast." She said.

"Yes ma'am."

While she seemed harmless right now, I still hadn't forgotten the power she displayed earlier. Her aura alone was enough to give me goosebumps. Even my reinforced running speed I had displayed earlier paled in comparison to the incredible burst of speed and agility she had demonstrated. It was like comparing the speed of sound and the speed of light. The former was certainly fast, but the latter was in a whole different league. In conjunction with her sword skill, she was a force to be reckoned with.

Thankfully, me and her were getting along quite splendidly if I do say so myself.

I started moving again. 

15 minutes later, I could see something coming into view. The end of the lake was finally visible. Considering how far we had traveled, the lake must be shaped like a very long, stretched out oval. For most of the trip, the opposite side to us had been out of view as well, so it was hard to gauge the width of the lake, but this thing was definitely huge.

I thought I could see something shimmering in the air a ways out in front of us, but it was hard to tell. 

A couple minutes later, my suspicions were confirmed.

There was definitely something there. It was hard to focus on, but I could see mirage-like undulations stretching into the sky, like a huge tower.

As we got closer, I realized what I was seeing.

It was, in fact, a tower.

A massive tower, nearly a mile high, and several hundred feet wide. It was made of sky-blue crystal, refracting light like water.

It sat roughly a few hundred feet out from the coast, sticking out of the sand like a giant spire.

I couldn't tell whether it was manmade or natural. I couldn't imagine people making something like this, but it was far too uniform to be naturally occuring. It was like a tall, smooth cone.

Eventually, we arrived at what could only be the main entrance. Two massive doors made of the same crystal as the rest of the building stood in front of us. If we stacked all four of us on top of each other, we'd probably be about the same height as the doors.

"Asher, Rowan, feel free to wash off in the Cancesian. I'm going to see if I can negotiate with Curate Raziel. Just make sure to get out if the water if you see any sea monsters. Also, Gloria, you might want to hang back as well. Raziel may not take kindly to your presence."

With that, Serric walked up to the two doors, and gave three sharp knocks.