"Grandma was always a strong person. She had gone through the years of the
Great War, endured the torture and degrading torments of the enemy, and yet
she still became an amazing person. Her magic helped those around she
created an atmosphere of warmth and welcoming in her home. Grandma was
always able to make the child smile after any accident in life. Just as
she gave me my first taste of magic, the beginning of my life on this road.
"
"I remember when she taught me how to create fire. Not just any fire, magical fire. Fire that was able to burn even through the darkest night, the wettest days. She would show me how to conjure a spark which eventually ignited into a flame. I thought it a bother to concentrate on such a tiny thing, but she was patient, ever waiting. "
"Do you know how it felt? To have that spark finally ignite? I was at first scared. I ran to the arms of my mother. Asking for her healing, but I would always go back to Grandmother. I would always be curious about this magic which resided within her. The ability to use the magic to her will. "
"At that time, I was five. Now I'm nineteen and I can feel the magic, stirring within me. I can feel her arms guiding me through my lessons. Each day seems to burn with that fire, so long ago that has sparked from my very arms. I cannot forget that. I cannot believe in anything else other than the fact that I myself have to be an accomplished mage. I must do this for my grandma. She's the one that gave everything up for us. She's the one who brought me up."
Crying, Myria looked up at Tier. He stood before her, uncertain as to what to do. They were situated in the middle of the desert; there was no shade, no shadow that can cover the tears which were apparent on Myria's face. Tier felt uncomfortable seeing her cry. He had done this. He had made it hard for her, but what did he know about her grandmother? What did he care, before this episode?
Realizing that he felt something, after hearing Myria's story made it even harder for him to apologize. There were just some things a man can do and some things that he shouldn't have to do. Finally, Tier crouched down and looked straight into Myria's eyes. Her long lashes were coated with moisture and the startling green eyes looked back at him. Tier hadn't realized her eyes were green until now; he had never really looked at Myria until now.
Softly he whispered, "Myria, I didn't know. There are some people on this world, some good people, who touch us with their lives and we can never forget about them. I understand now that you cannot give up on this hope, this continuous quest. I know that it means the life of you and the memories of your grandmother and I respect that. I know now. Thank you for telling me."
Myria was confused. The caring and soft man before him was not Tier. Tier was cold, sneering. A man of no heart. Was this really the man named Tier? The magician who could tear down walls with a single flick of his fingers? Was this the Tier that would kill monsters without a second thought? Myria had never seen Tier at his soft moments; she had never seen him this...this unsheltered.
Something Myria had said had touched Tier. He also remembered the day that he met a woman. A mage with great power. The woman had fought with all her might against evil and corruption. She had taught Tier everything that he needed to know. She had loved him and he her. They had taught each other everything there was to love and they grew together. But it was because of her work against the corruption and evil that had created a rift between them. Tier could not forget her, but the memory of her hurt too much.
Fearing that his feelings were evident in his face, Tier turned around and said to Myria, "We must get going. The sun is about to go down and I'm afraid the monsters are too active these days. They may venture into our camp at night. We should find a safe place to sleep."
All thoughts about the new Tier disappeared from her head. This man before her was the old Tier. There were no doubts that he was trying to conceal his momentary drop of his defenses. Myria stood and wiped away her tears. From the corner of her eyes, she knew that Tier was watching her. Picking up her belongings, she followed Tier, through the harsh climate of the desert, she followed.
Meanwhile, Aeron and Soyee walked side by side. The child whined about the lack of food and the long journey, but exclaimed loudly whenever they met a Poring or a Lunatic.
"So what's it like being a swordsman? Do you see a lot of new, exciting things?" asked Soyee.
"Well, I do get to travel a lot. I like following some of my comrades around. They accompany me whenever I want to train so that I don't have to die on them." With a laugh, Aeron looked towards the small child.
"Die? Have you ever thought of dying?" asked Soyee.
Raising an eyebrow, Aeron looked back at the acolyte girl. "I didn't really mean dying. I said that as a joke. Yes I think of dying but I don't want to. Not now, I still have a sister to take care of and my parents to find."
Startled, Soyee's eyes opened wide. "You're parents are lost too?"
Nodding, Aeron sat down next to the small boy. Motioning for Soyee to sit too, he took out a few pieces of bread and three apples. Dividing the food, he started telling Soyee about his history and what had happened to his village. Saddened by the story, the child began to cry.
Sighing, Aeron looked at the acolyte. "You going to try and calm him down or should I?"
Trying to hide her smile, Soyee reached for the child and pulled him close. "Listen now, we're almost back in Prontera. There we'll find your mother and you can go home, ok?"
The rest of the afternoon was spent traveling and resting beside the road. They would never venture far from the road, just in case they met somebody who knew about the boy's mother. Soyee kept on looking over to Aeron. There was something about the man that intrigued her. He was her savior, the person who helped her in her time of need, and the manner in which he did it, made him look like a god to her. Perhaps he was a god? A god sent from heaven to protect the people of Rune-Midgard. Certainly, the world has changed already. There were too many people who wanted wealth, too many spies, thieves, assassins and rogues. There were no more people who wanted to become healers anymore. The world was becoming more corrupt.
There was only one thing that Soyee could do, she could hope. There was no other alternative. If this man sitting beside her was not a god, at least he had the qualities to become a hero and change the destiny of Rune- Midgard.
"Hey Soyee, get a load of this!" Pointing towards a small patch of green moss, Aeron softly patted it and sat down. The ground felt soft and comfortable and the morning dew was just starting to give off a wonderful smell. All was well with the world.
"Isn't it just beautiful today?" asked Aeron.
Smiling, Soyee nodded and took the child in her lap. Her cool touch ran over the child's injured arm and she saw the bruise starting to go away. Her magic was weak; it would be quite a whiles yet before she could heal the arm completely but at least she was trying. Feeling a little ashamed about the incident that morning, Soyee looked at Aeron to see if he felt anger towards her. Remembering what happened, Soyee could only anxiously watch Aeron when he wasn't watch her.
That morning, Soyee had decided to teleport the three back to Prontera. Her magic had almost recovered and feeling confident that she would be able to teleport them, she had cast the spell. Unfortunately, she accidentally teleported them in the other direction and they were sent to a random area. Being set back from their course, Aeron had to find the right road again and with difficulty they had to trek back to their original spot. After that incident, Aeron decided that it might be safer to just hike back to Prontera without the use of magic.
As if by instinct, Aeron turned his head and looked at Soyee. Embarrassed at being caught, Soyee bent her head and continued her healing of the small boy's arm. Aeron smiled. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking about this morning."
Aeron looked in surprised at the girl, and then replied, "Don't worry about it, if it wasn't for you, we wouldn't be experiencing such beautiful scenery right now. It would be a shame to miss it don't you think?"
Sighing, she rested her head on a patch of moss and watched the striking blue sky. It would be shame to lose this world indeed.
"I remember when she taught me how to create fire. Not just any fire, magical fire. Fire that was able to burn even through the darkest night, the wettest days. She would show me how to conjure a spark which eventually ignited into a flame. I thought it a bother to concentrate on such a tiny thing, but she was patient, ever waiting. "
"Do you know how it felt? To have that spark finally ignite? I was at first scared. I ran to the arms of my mother. Asking for her healing, but I would always go back to Grandmother. I would always be curious about this magic which resided within her. The ability to use the magic to her will. "
"At that time, I was five. Now I'm nineteen and I can feel the magic, stirring within me. I can feel her arms guiding me through my lessons. Each day seems to burn with that fire, so long ago that has sparked from my very arms. I cannot forget that. I cannot believe in anything else other than the fact that I myself have to be an accomplished mage. I must do this for my grandma. She's the one that gave everything up for us. She's the one who brought me up."
Crying, Myria looked up at Tier. He stood before her, uncertain as to what to do. They were situated in the middle of the desert; there was no shade, no shadow that can cover the tears which were apparent on Myria's face. Tier felt uncomfortable seeing her cry. He had done this. He had made it hard for her, but what did he know about her grandmother? What did he care, before this episode?
Realizing that he felt something, after hearing Myria's story made it even harder for him to apologize. There were just some things a man can do and some things that he shouldn't have to do. Finally, Tier crouched down and looked straight into Myria's eyes. Her long lashes were coated with moisture and the startling green eyes looked back at him. Tier hadn't realized her eyes were green until now; he had never really looked at Myria until now.
Softly he whispered, "Myria, I didn't know. There are some people on this world, some good people, who touch us with their lives and we can never forget about them. I understand now that you cannot give up on this hope, this continuous quest. I know that it means the life of you and the memories of your grandmother and I respect that. I know now. Thank you for telling me."
Myria was confused. The caring and soft man before him was not Tier. Tier was cold, sneering. A man of no heart. Was this really the man named Tier? The magician who could tear down walls with a single flick of his fingers? Was this the Tier that would kill monsters without a second thought? Myria had never seen Tier at his soft moments; she had never seen him this...this unsheltered.
Something Myria had said had touched Tier. He also remembered the day that he met a woman. A mage with great power. The woman had fought with all her might against evil and corruption. She had taught Tier everything that he needed to know. She had loved him and he her. They had taught each other everything there was to love and they grew together. But it was because of her work against the corruption and evil that had created a rift between them. Tier could not forget her, but the memory of her hurt too much.
Fearing that his feelings were evident in his face, Tier turned around and said to Myria, "We must get going. The sun is about to go down and I'm afraid the monsters are too active these days. They may venture into our camp at night. We should find a safe place to sleep."
All thoughts about the new Tier disappeared from her head. This man before her was the old Tier. There were no doubts that he was trying to conceal his momentary drop of his defenses. Myria stood and wiped away her tears. From the corner of her eyes, she knew that Tier was watching her. Picking up her belongings, she followed Tier, through the harsh climate of the desert, she followed.
Meanwhile, Aeron and Soyee walked side by side. The child whined about the lack of food and the long journey, but exclaimed loudly whenever they met a Poring or a Lunatic.
"So what's it like being a swordsman? Do you see a lot of new, exciting things?" asked Soyee.
"Well, I do get to travel a lot. I like following some of my comrades around. They accompany me whenever I want to train so that I don't have to die on them." With a laugh, Aeron looked towards the small child.
"Die? Have you ever thought of dying?" asked Soyee.
Raising an eyebrow, Aeron looked back at the acolyte girl. "I didn't really mean dying. I said that as a joke. Yes I think of dying but I don't want to. Not now, I still have a sister to take care of and my parents to find."
Startled, Soyee's eyes opened wide. "You're parents are lost too?"
Nodding, Aeron sat down next to the small boy. Motioning for Soyee to sit too, he took out a few pieces of bread and three apples. Dividing the food, he started telling Soyee about his history and what had happened to his village. Saddened by the story, the child began to cry.
Sighing, Aeron looked at the acolyte. "You going to try and calm him down or should I?"
Trying to hide her smile, Soyee reached for the child and pulled him close. "Listen now, we're almost back in Prontera. There we'll find your mother and you can go home, ok?"
The rest of the afternoon was spent traveling and resting beside the road. They would never venture far from the road, just in case they met somebody who knew about the boy's mother. Soyee kept on looking over to Aeron. There was something about the man that intrigued her. He was her savior, the person who helped her in her time of need, and the manner in which he did it, made him look like a god to her. Perhaps he was a god? A god sent from heaven to protect the people of Rune-Midgard. Certainly, the world has changed already. There were too many people who wanted wealth, too many spies, thieves, assassins and rogues. There were no more people who wanted to become healers anymore. The world was becoming more corrupt.
There was only one thing that Soyee could do, she could hope. There was no other alternative. If this man sitting beside her was not a god, at least he had the qualities to become a hero and change the destiny of Rune- Midgard.
"Hey Soyee, get a load of this!" Pointing towards a small patch of green moss, Aeron softly patted it and sat down. The ground felt soft and comfortable and the morning dew was just starting to give off a wonderful smell. All was well with the world.
"Isn't it just beautiful today?" asked Aeron.
Smiling, Soyee nodded and took the child in her lap. Her cool touch ran over the child's injured arm and she saw the bruise starting to go away. Her magic was weak; it would be quite a whiles yet before she could heal the arm completely but at least she was trying. Feeling a little ashamed about the incident that morning, Soyee looked at Aeron to see if he felt anger towards her. Remembering what happened, Soyee could only anxiously watch Aeron when he wasn't watch her.
That morning, Soyee had decided to teleport the three back to Prontera. Her magic had almost recovered and feeling confident that she would be able to teleport them, she had cast the spell. Unfortunately, she accidentally teleported them in the other direction and they were sent to a random area. Being set back from their course, Aeron had to find the right road again and with difficulty they had to trek back to their original spot. After that incident, Aeron decided that it might be safer to just hike back to Prontera without the use of magic.
As if by instinct, Aeron turned his head and looked at Soyee. Embarrassed at being caught, Soyee bent her head and continued her healing of the small boy's arm. Aeron smiled. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking about this morning."
Aeron looked in surprised at the girl, and then replied, "Don't worry about it, if it wasn't for you, we wouldn't be experiencing such beautiful scenery right now. It would be a shame to miss it don't you think?"
Sighing, she rested her head on a patch of moss and watched the striking blue sky. It would be shame to lose this world indeed.