Chapter Twenty-one
They had been walking through the forest for a couple of days. So far, they had managed to avoid any encounters with people living and working there and every day seemed a bit brighter than the day before.
When they arrived at a small forest lake they stopped to clean themselves and their clothes as well.
He was standing in the water waist high soaking and rinsing his ragged clothes. His trousers were still dark on the thigh from the blood he had smeared off when he had killed the slaves.
"Couldn't you clean them by using magic?" Takan suggested. "Hmm, I suppose I could but it would take just as long as it does doing it by hands", Akkarin replied absentmindedly and continued rubbing the fabric in his hands keeping it under the water while doing so. Finally it just looked dirty which was to be preferred over the suspicious appearance of a dark brown spot of smeared blood.
He walked ashore and placed his clothes on a rock and went back to immerse himself in the water. He rubbed his scalp vigorously and rinsed his hair. Washing made him realize how filthy he was. He ran his fingers through his hair. He did not have any lice – he hoped! The slaves regularly checked one another so he shouldn't have. Takan's hair was cut very short. Most of the male slaves preferred to keep it so, but Akkarin had kept his hair long much to the women's amusement. They had not minded going through his hair every so often though and cutting it was therefore never necessary.
As he continued washing, he thought to himself that of course they still had a long way to go yet and they would become filthy again But he liked at least feeling clean and during his captivity he had taken care to keep himself as clean as possible. He knew how infections thrived if not and he had managed to avoid serious infections by using just water.
Takan stayed at the brink splashing water on his body and face cleaning him self as best he could. He could not swim as there was little opportunity for anybody living in the Wasteland to ever learn how to.
Akkarin dived down. Then he surfaced and swam back to the shore and got out of the water and began drying their clothes – this time using magic to speed up the process. He was anxious to get moving but once dressed, he sat down on the brink looking out at the quiet blue water. The trees were mirrored in the still surface. It was a very tranquilizing view to watch and one could actually think at this place. Relax and think. He turned his head and looked at Takan before returning his gaze back towards the lake.
"Takan, you know how Dakova used to read our minds. I would not mind knowing how to do just that myself.
I think, I have figured out how it is done but I am not sure of it. I was wondering if you would let me practise on you. Naturally, I would not make you reveal anything you would not want to reveal".
"I don't mind, Master – you are entitled to read my mind any time"
"No, I am not entitled to anything, Takan. I don't own you, remember? You are here with me because you choose to be. So if you rather I didn't, I won't".
"Well I don't mind, Master, truly I don't"
"Alright" Akkarin stood up and went over to Takan.
"Now, as you know I don't exactly know how to do this so it may take a little while". He placed his hands on Takan's temples and closed his eyes. He could definitely sense Takan's mind but how to enter it? He began searching for an entrance but he kept bumping into a barrier.
Dakova had somehow entered his mind without him being able to feel it or prevent it. Akkarin concentrated hard and tried another approach – still without any luck.
"I don't feel a thing, Master apart from the fact that you are hurting my temples" Takan said.
"Ah, sorry about that" Akkarin said and loosened his grip on Takan's head. He opened his eyes and smiled. "I forgot. It's just that it is a little more difficult than I had thought it would be. I will give it another try, if you don't mind?". "No, go ahead, Master".
He tried yet again this time not as much trying to enter Takan's mind but rather just slipping inside it. It was like brushing Takan's mind but a bit more. And suddenly he knew what to do or rather what not to do and was inside!
"If this is going to take much longer, I'll develop a cramp in my upper back", he heard Takan think. "Will you now? He sent.
"Akkarin, so you did it?" Takan seemed a bit startled and forgot the "Master" in his thoughts. Akkarin smiled.
"I will let you off the hook but I need to try to capture one of your memories. Think about when we reached Kyralia" he sent. And the images and the thoughts were there instantly. He caught the image of himself standing on top of the mountain. "This is it, Takan. Welcome to Kyralia" he heard himself say. It was accompanied by a sense of exited anticipation. Takan's.
"A bit melodramatic now that I hear it for myself" he sent to Takan and sensed Takan's amusement. "Now I will try to capture one of your other memories" he sent. And he found that he was able to steer Takan's mind to wherever he wanted. He didn't take him anywhere personal. He just made Takan relive the day before. No harm in that but it proved that he had control of the technique. Satisfied he opened his eyes and let go of Takan.
"I got it now, Takan. In the Guild you cannot enter another Magician's mind without his or hers permission so I will not be using this knowledge unless absolutely necessary" He explained and added "But it is a handy skill if used wisely.
Again, as I have told you, I wish to reveal as little as possible about myself and I do not wish to have to reply to all sorts of curious questions".
He frowned worried once again what exactly to do about the inevitable questions his arrival would arise.
"We should get moving. I think we will be in Imardin within a couple of weeks now. Perhaps less" he said and Takan nodded and they began walking again.