A Packing Session

“Not much is known about the desert area except that it grows ever larger like a rash on the Realm, engulfing forest, sea, and desolation alike. Its existence has severed the connection between the Living and the Dead.”

—Robin Benz

Frantic footsteps patter around me. The soft glow of floating crystals illuminates all but the little dark hole I’ve made for myself between my head, arms, and thighs. My forehead rests on my knees, arms squeezing tighter around my head so as to block out any light.

“Brother, you can’t sit on the floor in a ball forever.”

Mirei’s voice is close to me. I shove my head deeper into my knees, groaning.

“Quit whining and finish packing,” She demands. I stubbornly keep my arms around my head for a few more blessed seconds, before finally raising my face. The shock of light makes me squint, and Mirei believes it’s me grimacing.

“Don’t look so pouty. I’m going with you, after all,” She soothes, plopping her hands on her hips. She wears the same pair of brown overalls as she did a few days ago, red sleeves rolled up to the elbows.

My eyes fall onto the thick backpack beside me, which practically bursts at the seams with travel gear. A magical orb of some kind of green glass clinks against the buckles when I grab the backpack strap.

“My stuff is mostly packed,” I mutter. “What else do you want me to do?”

“There’s no way that you’re taking just that. What about a cot? Or a hat to block out the sun? We’re going to the desert, for Pete’s sake!”

“Yes, I can provide you with the hat,” Roo pipes up from behind me. I crank my neck so that I’m looking at him sidelong.

He wears a rugged pair of black trousers and a thin robe-like shirt. A green sash to match the color of the shirt holds it together in a perfect bow. No jewelry adorns his body except for a pair of turquoise earrings that glint when catching the light.

I rub my eyes, exhausted. “We’ve been preparing for the trip since the Head Adjudicator dismissed us. It’s been four hours already!”

“We can’t do much about it,” Roo replies, taking a few steps forward so that the tip of his boots nearly brush against my back. He bends his head a bit over me as he says, “She told us the verdict was effective immediately. So, we have to leave as soon as possible.”

My attention switches to the pile of satchels and backpacks piling in the corner of Roo’s room.

“It’s not like we’re going to the desert right away,” I reason. “We were also told to travel to Senea first.”

Earlier, when the Head Adjudicator dismissed everyone from the courtroom, she pulled us aside. Then, she handed us a scroll.

“Inside are the details of what your journey will look like. The Chief requests that you bring the message to Senea’s king and queen. You will thus request their aid in your mission to stop the desert.”

When I think about what we were told, I ask Roo, “I know that Senea is a sea country, but what does that even mean?”

Roo’s eyebrows arch high. Then, he scratches his head, as if contemplating how to summarize it succinctly.

After some time, he answers, “Sometimes I forget you are outlanders and don’t have common sense.”

Mirei and I give him a scornful look. He laughs and waves his hand in dismissal, signaling that it was only a joke. Then, he motions for us to follow him to his cluttered desk. He pulls out one of the vintage-looking drawers and grabs a scroll. He places it on the desk and rolls it open, revealing a three-foot-long map. Then, he jabs the upper right area with his finger. The illustrious cursive beneath his fingertip reads “Senea’s Sea.”

“This is the largest ocean in our Realm. Beneath the choppy waters is a kingdom. Only sea nymphs, mermaids, and other similar races can live there.”

Mirei has been getting excited as Roo confirmed the existence of mermaids, but then sulked at the mention that she can’t live there. She begs Roo to explain why.

“Because the kingdom is completely underwater. There’s no air for people on land to breathe.”

The utter sadness in Mirei’s eyes makes me want to both laugh and cry. For her sake, I ask Roo, “How are we supposed to get to the king and queen?”

Roo gives me a lopsided smile before yanking out another drawer. In here are what I believe to be pieces of junk machinery.

“Don’t look at it like it’s garbage,” Roo accuses, pouting. I hold back a laugh with much effort. “These are Sea Masks, meant to give us temporary access to air while under water. They’re powered by your own magic, so the time they last varies.”

I blink twice. Then, I blurt, “We barely have magic. So…”

Roo nods solemnly. “Yes. You can’t go to Senea.”

Mirei cries out a short, “No!” And stomps her foot. “I want to see the mermaids!”

I pat her shoulder to placate her. “Chill, Mirei. Surely there’s an alternative way?”

Roo picks up one of the masks. It’s big enough to obscure the bottom half of the face. Two thick bronze tubes extend out from the sides of the mask, flexible enough to sway but sturdy enough to stay in place when bent a certain way.

He tells us, “The good news is that I have a lot of magic. So I’ll just give you some.”

He takes a step closer to me.

My memory flashes to when Roo’s calloused, gentle hand laid over my heart, magic imbuing into my skin where we touched. I know by now that Roo’s magic is as benign as its light, yet I still feel nervousness skitter up my spine.

When his hand rises from where it had been holding the mask, I tense. I expect his touch, but instead, he pats my shoulder.

He says, “For now, let’s finish packing.”

I pout.