Vana'diel Potter
A Fanfic by Viral Inque
Author's Note: Please, oh, please, let there still be someone out there who still cares about what happens to our two heroes. More to come.
Chapter V: A Place To Start
Slightly bloodied and bruised, Harry and Fleur wiped themselves off and continued to press on. Their pace had diminished slightly, but they were now inspired by the thought of a hot meal and a warm bed. Unfortunately, they left their wands resting by the fork in the road and had to backtrack there to find them.
The Orc's body was mysteriously missing from the scene they had left no more then half an hour ago. The pungent odor of the creature, however, still lingered. The ground was moist and sticky from its insides, which made the experience just the more intolerable.
"I got one," Fleur called out, holding something over her head in the darkness, "Ugh, no, never mind."
"I can't bear zis any longer," she continued, tossing the sticky twig she was holding into the brush, "Couldn't we just come back in ze morning."
"You know we can't," Harry scolded, "Especially since we both happen to have a special attachment to our wands."
"I know, I know," Fleur replied glumly, "But zis is gross."
"I know," Harry concurred.
For a moment they were concerned that maybe someone or something happened by and snatched up their wands. Then Fleur's wand popped up in a particularly nasty puddle of slime and guts.
"My wand will never be ze same again," Fleur whined, holding it as far away from her face as her arms would allow her, "Ugh, I zink zere are some arteries tangled in it."
"Just keep looking, alright?" Harry sighed, "We shouldn't be hanging around here for so long."
"Okay," Fleur moaned, and with a sticky flick of her wand, a faint white light appeared at the tip.
Now aided by the light from Fleur's wand, their search was made a modicum less tedious. They found Harry's wand in short order, his equally laden in muck and filth.
"Alright," Harry said, looking at his wand distastefully, "Let's go. Put your wand out. We don't want to attract any more attention."
They worked their way back and soon they made up the distance they had lost. Harry felt fatigue settling back in, but he was determined to close the distance between them and San d'Oria.
A little further and the thick brush to the sides of the road thinned out and made way for lush, featureless hills. Now they had a face to put to the sounds they had been hearing all night. All around them were men and women clad in suits of leather and steel, wielding dangerous weapons and magical staves. The fighting had died down for the most part, and now people congregated together and engaged in friendly conversation. Occasionally, an Orc or something else would pop up out of the shadows, but it would quickly meet its end at the end of a sword. In the shadows, even more menacing shapes lurked threateningly.
"At least we know we're in no immediate danger," Harry stated.
"Excuse me," Fleur called suddenly to a man in a hood, "What is everyone doing out 'ere?"
"What are we doing?" the man repeated, sounding baffled, "Well, why don't we just call it population control."
"Okay, zanks," Fleur replied.
"What was that about?" Harry asked curiously.
"Just making certain we are in no immediate danger," Fleur replied, "I'm in no mood for any more surprises."
They decided to diverge off the road and mingle into the crowds of people. It was the safest place to be, plus they could eavesdrop on conversations and learn what they had gotten themselves into without drawing too much attention to themselves. As it was, they were already getting quite a few questioning glances.
From what they could make out, it seemed everyone gathered there was hunting down Orcs. The Orcs had been trying to expand their territories, and they had been venturing closer and closer to San d'Oria. There also appeared to be a reward for those inclined to do something about this.
An interesting assortment of characters unfolded as they walked through the crowds of adventurers. There were more people riding big yellow birds, which turned out to be called chocobos. They saw a woman that was clad in all black from head to toe like a ninja. Then there was a man who disappeared right in front of them. They couldn't look in a direction without seeing something new and remarkable.
There were apparently different races of people comprising the population of the world also. It was hard to see in the darkness, but they saw silhouettes that were both too big and too small to be normal humans blending in comfortably with the rest.
"'Arry, look, a dragon," Fleur gasped, pointing at a spot in the darkness.
It was indeed a dragon. It wasn't anywhere near as big as the ones they had faced during the Triwizard Tournament, but it was the real thing. As they got close to it, they saw spiraling plumes of smoke filtering out of its nostrils and sparks escaping from its closed mouth. It trailed quietly behind a man carrying a long spear.
"I could get used to zis," Fleur said thoughtfully, waving casually to someone who had waved at them, "Zis almost feels normal."
Harry examined their surroundings. There was a certain kind of magical air to this place that was starting to feel familiar and welcoming. "Yeah, it's nice, isn't it?" he decided.
"To be 'onest," Fleur said, "I wasn't sure we were going to make it."
"Don't feel bad," Harry laughed, "I wasn't sure if we were going to make it either."
"I should zank you, I think," Fleur said, elbowing Harry in the ribs playfully, "You know, for saving my life and everything."
"I'd say we broke even in the end," Harry stated.
"I know," Fleur shrugged, "But still, you're ze clever one. It always feels like everything is counting on you. I never would 'ave thought you were so resourceful. I always thought of you as just some boy with a funny scar on 'is 'ead. I didn't zink much of you when we first met."
"Really?" Harry asked curiously.
"Uh-huh," Fleur said, "I'd been hearing about you since I was a little girl. I didn't understand it. I didn't think you had done anything special. I mean, I knew what it meant to our world, but so what? You were a baby. You were just a victim of circumstance, no? you didn't do anything to merit all this fame and fortune."
"I guess," Harry said, not sure what Fleur was getting at. He recognized the truth in what she was saying, he'd just never thought he'd hear someone actually say it.
"But you 'ave proved me wrong," she continued, "I zink I understand what everyone else does now. You really are something, 'Arry Potter, and I guess I just wanted to tell you zat."
Harry felt grateful for the darkness as he felt his face turning shades.
The rolling hills seemed to extend forever, but now it seemed that there was a lightness in their pace. They might have even been skipping without even realizing it. There was still much that needed to be done, but the worst had to be over. After what they had been through, Harry and Fleur silently felt assured that they would be alright now.
"What do you think San d'Oria will be like?" Harry asked, abruptly breaking into the silence that had spread all around them.
"Like a fairytale," Fleur said dreamily, "With a castle and jesters and wizards and a moat."
"Really?" Harry laughed.
"It's possible," Fleur replied indignantly through a smile.
"I guess it really could be," Harry shrugged, "Nothing would surprise me at this point."
Then suddenly, on the horizon off to their right, slowly appeared a walled city alight with the flames of a thousand lamps. It seemed to glow, illuminating the sky around it. It was no majestic medieval castle, but it was no less a sight, especially after the long trip getting there.
Fleur let out an exhausted laugh and dropped down to the floor, landing hard on her backside. Harry thought she sounded kind of crazy for that one second. She kept laughing, sitting cross-legged on the soft grass as she stared at the city of San d'Oria shining like the moon.
"I can't run anymore," she informed Harry when she stopped laughing, "I want to, but I can't."
"That's okay," Harry smiled, "It's right over there. Come on, let's go."
"Okay."
As they approached San d'Oria, the shapes of hundreds of people began to take shape, mingling around the two vaulted openings that led into the city. They stared in awe as they made their way closer with increasing speed. The sounds of conversation began to filter to their ears, and soon they were close enough to smell mouth-watering foods cooking behind the towering walls.
"Hi," Harry said nervously to a passing woman who waved at them. She sported a crossbow and looked like a cat.
"Wow," Fleur gasped, pointing at a hulking creature with scaly skin and fists the size of cinder blocks. He, if in fact that was what he was, smile at them politely.
Harry and Fleur both stopped in the middle of the crowd and took in their surroundings. They forwent their plan to blend in and stared in muted astonishment at the spectacle before them. Mostly everyone ignored them, absorbed in their conversations, or quite possibly because Harry and Fleur couldn't fit in more in such a motley crowd.
"Should we ask someone for directions?" Fleur finally asked.
"Not really," Harry answered without looking at her, instead focusing on a group of small creatures no more than two feet tall clustered in a corner, "Don't you want to look around for a bit?"
"Much to my surprise, ze need to see more of zis place is overriding my need for food or sleep," Fleur answered, "So where to?"
Harry shrugged and started into the city from the entrance closest to them. A tall man in a suit of armor stood on either side of the gaping doorway, which led into a closed tunnel.
"Welcome to San d'Oria, jewel of Vana'diel," one of the guards said lazily.
More people socialized inside the tunnel, hanging around in loose clusters. Their voices echoed against the stone walls. They passed by a another of the tiny doll-like creatures they had seen outside. She lifted the staff she was carrying into the air and pointed it at Harry. Soon, Harry saw a familiar white light swirling around him, and suddenly he was no longer tired or hungry.
"Excuse me," Harry said, approaching the small woman, "What did you just do to me?"
"I healed you, of course," she answered in a high pitched voice, pointing her staff at Fleur and doing the same to her without a thought, "What a strange question to ask."
"Well, you see, we're new here," Harry improvised.
"Of course you are," the woman answered, hitting herself on the head with the palm of her hand, "How rude of me. Well, my name is Clerina, and I'm a white mage. Anyway, to answer your question properly, a healing spell is a very useful spell to have. It'll temporarily relieves fatigue and lots of other ailments. Good for cuts and bruises too. Useless if you get run through with a sword though. Believe me, I know."
Harry instantly started to become fond of Clerina. He found her manner of speaking and carrying herself charming and amusing. She seemed harmless enough too, so Harry figured he'd see what else he could learn from her.
"So what else can a white mage do?" Fleur asked, apparently thinking in the same direction as Harry.
"All kinds of stuff," Clerina started, looking pretty excited to have someone to talk to, "Even bringing a person back from the edge of death. I'm not that advanced yet though. Say, are you two thinking about getting into the trade? Your clothes threw me off, but I figured if you were anything you were mages. I just got a new robe myself. What do you think?"
Clerina spun around in place and struck a pose for them. Harry couldn't help but laugh. Fleur wasn't far behind. "You look positively stunning," Harry told her.
"Thank you kindly," Clerina said, bowing to them.
"So where do we go to see about learning some magic?" Fleur asked, shooting Harry a hopeful look.
"Well, you could always go to one of the guilds, but-" Clerina began, pausing for dramatic effect, "If you're really interested in learning magic, you should go to Windurst. That's were me and my people, the Taru-taru, are from. Magic is what we specialize in. And what a beautiful city! You should really come visit. We can go out on the town."
"That'd be wonderful," Fleur said honestly, "We'll certainly try."
"Oh, wait," Clerina cried, nearly jumping into the satchel resting against the wall beside her. She fumbled inside it for a while, still talking though they couldn't make out what she was saying with her head stuck in the bag. She emerged holding a piece of rolled up parchment in her tiny hand.
"This a healing scroll," she said, tossing the scroll to Harry so she could attend to her mussed hair, "Straight from Windurst. Better quality magic you see, so always use Windurst scrolls if you can. You can use this to learn that spell I used on you earlier."
"We just read it?" Harry asked, examining the rolled up piece of parchment curiously.
"Yes," Clerina said, taking a deep breathe, "Well, no, not exactly. You hold onto the scroll and picture the spell- what it does, what it looks like, anything you can think of to associate with the spell. Then you read the incantation over and over until you feel something. I can't explain it, but you'll know when you've learned the spell. Then you can use the spell whenever you need it by using the incantation. Keep practicing and eventually you'll be able to do it at will without need of the incantation."
"Thanks, Clerina," Harry said, "This should come in very handy."
"Yes, zanks, Clerina," Fleur added.
"Now," Clerina continued, slipping on her satchel, "Some advice. Always remember that magic is no substitute for a good night's sleep and some fresh mutton. That's very important. Hmm, and watch out for black magic. It can be very useful, mind you, but those black mages are some dodgy folk if you ask me. Well, I wish you two the best of luck. You're so cute together."
"What?" Harry and Fleur asked at the same time, taken aback. But Clerina was already gone, shuffling down the tunnel towards the exit.
"Well, zat sure was constructive," Fleur said, nodding triumphantly and looking happier then Harry had seen her in days.
"Sure was," he concurred, tucking the scroll neatly into his robes next to his wand.
They continued down the tunnel happily, with a new confidence that everything would be just fine. The tunnel took a sharp bend and then another and they walked out into an open plaza teeming with more people. The sound of hundreds of voices, possibly thousands all told, was deafening.
The rest of San d'Oria was built of stone, just like the walls that surrounded it, for as far as the eye could see. A concentration of people were located at a building sitting between the two entrances, where they appeared to be trading goods. Past the entrances, to the left and right were other traders, stands, and shops.
"A fruit stand," Fleur cried, grabbing Harry by his robes and pulling him in the direction of a small cart with an old woman sitting next to it. All manner of strange looking fruit sat in small crates on the cart and on the floor around it.
Fleur stopped dead in front of the cart and stared at it with a unsettling look on her face. She didn't move for what seemed like a long time. Harry was ready to ask if she was okay when he felt her hand digging into his shoulder.
"Oh no," she cried, making Harry jump inadvertently, "Oh no, oh no, oh no."
"What?" Harry asked, not picking up on what Fleur was going on about in the least.
Fleur starting digging in her robes frantically, her face distorted in a way Harry couldn't quite make out. Finally, she pulled her hand out and stuck a familiar looking coin in front of Harry's face- a bright, shiny, perfectly useless, sickle.